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The  Historical  Library 

CJiuxcn  of  the.   JSxE.tnzsn   ^sjisraL   cWtc£i 


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in  2011  with  funding  from 

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http://www.archive.org/details/messenger1998147111farr 


2ooo.  t'i-3 


,,  Reconciler 

Moderator  Elaine  Sollenberger 
works  to  bring  us  together 


Celebrating  50  years  of  Brethren  Volunteer  Service 

The  Good  News,  the  story  of  Jesus,  is  to  be  proclaimed 
and  celebrated.  In  words,  yes,  but  also  in  the  wordless 
words  of  love:  feeding  the  htmgry,  housing  the  homeless, 
healing  the  sick,  consoling  the  lonely,  bringing  together 
the  estranged,  working  for  peace  and  justice. 

To  tell  the  story  by  living  the  story:  that's  what  50 
years  of  Brethren  Volunteer  Service  and  5,376  volunteers 
and  420  projects  in  40  countries  are  all  about.  God's  call 
to  reconciliation  is  a  ministry  that  never  ends.       X, 

In  your  support  of  Brethren  Volunteer  z""^-^. 

Service,  you  help  make  Jesus'  love  visible. 


Tefliui]  tfie  stovij.  LivUicj  the  storij. 


years 

"^1948-1998 


Editor:  Fletcher  Farrar 
News:  Nevin  Dulabaum 
Subscriptions:  Vicki  Roche 
Publisher:  Wendy  McFadden 


Features 

14     The  church  is  we  rather  than  t/iey 

Since  she  was  called  back  to  the  moderator's 
chair  under  unusual  circumstances  last 
summer,  Elaine  Sollenberger  has  been 
working  to  bring  Brethren  together.  She 
reflects  on  how  the  church  calls  its  leaders, 
on  challenges  facing  the  Brethren,  and  on 
faithfulness. 


19 


22 


On  the  cover:  Two-time 
moderator  Elaine 
Sollenberger  in  her 
home  church  in  Everett,  Pa. 
Her  home  church  gives  her  a 
strong  base  from  which  to  lead. 

(Cover  photo  illustration  by  Paul 
Stocksdale:  background  photo  by 
Tom  Grance) 


26 


Justice?  Or  just  us? 

David  Radcliff,  director  of  Brethren  witness, 
outlines  how  Brethren  might  live  in  the  face 
of  economic  injustice  and  global  hunger. 

Hope  for  the  middle-class  malaise 

A  new  book  suggests  that  churches  are 
suffering  budget  crunches  because  their 
middle-class  members  are  too  stressed, 
busy,  and  deep  in  debt  to  think  about 
giving.  Problems  of  work  and  modern  life 
need  more  attention  from  pastors. 

My  prayer  promise 

Former  moderator  David  Wine  promised  to 
spend  an  hour  a  day,  a  day  a  month,  and  a 
week  a  year  in  prayer.  We  asked  for  his 
reflections  on  how  he's  done  and  how 
prayer  has  changed  his  life. 


1 


Departments 


2 

From  the  Publisher 

3 

In  Touch 

6 

News 

9 

In  Brief 

10 

Special  Report 

13 

Stepping  Stones 

28 

Letters 

29 

Pontius'  Puddle 

30 

Turning  Points 

32 

Editorial 

January/February  1998  Messenger  1 


m  hmm 


With  this  issue  we  bid  farewell  to  Kermon  Thomasson,  who  has  guided 
Messi;nci;r  for  20  years,  and  welcome  Fletcher  (Bud)  Farrar. 
I  first  learned  to  know  Kermon  by  reading  two  years'  worth  of  Mes- 
sengers all  at  once.  I  was  preparing  to  join  the  magazine  staff,  and  this  reading 
exercise  served  as  a  short  course  in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

it  also  turned  out  to  be  an  invigorating  introduction  to  Kermon,  whose  stamp 
has  appeared  on  the  magazine  for  23  years.  His  personality  has  been  most  evi- 
dent on  the  editorial  page.  Like  many  people,  i  often  turn  to  that  page  first. 

As  editor,  Kermon  has  determined  editorial  policy  and  content  and  given 
overall  direction  to  the  magazine.  He  has  covered  church  ministries  across  the 
US  and  in  Nigeria,  Sudan,  India,  Poland,  and  South  Korea. 

Kermon  joined  the  Messenger  staff  in  1974.  In  1  977  he  became  acting 
editor  and  in  1979  editor.  Prior  to  joining  the  Messenger  staff,  he  served  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  Mission  in  Nigeria  for  13  years. 

Regular  readers  know  that  he  is  partial  to  (among  other  things)  Nigeria,  his 
home  state  of  Virginia,  Mark  Twain,  Brer  Rabbit,  history,  and  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  He  is  most  comfortable  expressing  himself  on  the  printed  page,  and 
that's  where  his  keen  insights  and  sharp  wit  have  flourished. 

Fletcher  Farrar,  church  board  chair  of  the  First  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Springfield,  111.,  has  been  owner  and  publisher  of  Illinois  Times  for  20  years, 
until  selling  the  weekly  newspaper  last  summer. 

He  is  completing  a  term  on  the  Association  of  Brethren  Caregivers  board, 
serves  on  the  board  of  Pleasant  Hill  Village,  the  Brethren  nursing  home  in  Girard, 
III.,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Annual  Conference  simple  life  study  committee. 

Fletcher  brings  to  his  new  assignment  a  passion  for  making  faith  relevant 
in  everyday  life.  This  sense  of  discipleship  is  borne  out  in  a  number  of  ways,  one 
of  them  being  his  interest  in  purchasing  and  rehabilitating  housing  for  low- 
income  renters  in  his  neighborhood. 

Fletcher  is  responsible  for  both  the  editorial  and  business  sides  of  a  maga- 
zine that  is  now  expected  to  pay  its  own  way,  following  the  General  Board's  major 
budget  reductions  in  1997.  The  plan  is  to  increase  advertising  and  subscription 
income  while  costs  are  reduced  through  a  change  in  printers  and  a  decrease  in 
staffing.  So  the  task  ahead  is  a  large  one. 

Fletcher  is  married  to  Mary  )essup,  a  pastor,  university  instructor,  and  writer. 
He  has  two  daughters-Ann,  a  junior  at  Indiana  University,  and  Elizabeth,  a 
junior  in  high  school.  Fletcher  will  continue  to  live  in  Springfield,  a  situation 
that  is  providing  new  learnings  for  everyone  involved  but  working  out  amazingly 
well.  (All  Messenger  mail  should  still  be  sent  to  Elgin.)  In  a  sense,  he  is  one 
more  congregational  life  team  member  working  out  in  the  field. 


How  to  reach  us 

Messenger 

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Coming  next  month 

Congregational  life  teams 
come  to  life. 


District  Messenger  representatives:  .\tl.  N.E,,  Ron 
Lutz;  Atl  S.E ,  Ruby  RLi\Tner;  111  ACis.,  Kreston  Lipscomb; 
S/C  Ind„  Marjorie  Miller;  Mich,,  Ken  Good;  Mid-All,, 
Ann  Fouts;  Mo. /Ark.,  Luci  Landes;  N.  Plain,s,  Faith 
Strom;  N,  Ohio,  .Mice  L,  Driver;  S.  Ohio,  Jack  Kline; 
OrcAVash,,  Marguerite  Shamberger;  Pac,  S,\V,  Randy 
.Miller;  M,  Pa,,  Eva  Wampler;  S,  Pa,,  Elmer  Q,  Gleim; 
W  Pa,,  Jay  Christner;  Shen.,  Tim  Harvey;  S.E.,  Donna 
Shumate:  S.  Plains,  Mary.^nn  Dell;  Virlina,Jerr\' Naff; 
\V  Pl.iins,  Dean  Hummer;  W'  ManTi.  Wmoma  Spui^eon, 

Messenger  is  the  official  publication  of  the  Church 
I  if  the  Btethren,  Entered  as  second-class  matter  Aug, 
2(1,  1918.  under  Act  of  Congress  of  Oct-  17,  191" 
Filing  dale,  Nov,  1, 198-t,  Member  of  the  A.ssociated 
Church  Press,  Subscriber  to  Religion  News  Service 
&  Ecumenical  Press  Service.  Biblical  quotations, 
unless  othertt'ise  indicated,  are  from  the  New  Rewsed 
Standard  Version.  Messenger  is  published  1 1  times 
a  year  by  Brethren  Press.  Church  of  the  Brethren 
General  Board.  Second-class  postage  paid  at  Elgin, 
111.,  and  at  additional  mailing  office,  October  1997. 
Copyright  1997,  Church  of  the  Brethren  General 
Board.  ISSN  0026-0355. 

Postmaster:  Send  address  changes  to  iMessenger, 
li51  Dundee  Ave,  Elgin,  IL  60120. 


© 


Printed  on  recycled  paper 


2  Messenger  January/February  1998 


In 


m 


Baptism  celebrates  faith,  community,  heritage 


More  than  45  members  and  friends 
of  the  University  Park  Church  of 
the  Brethren  of  Hyattsville,  Md.,  gathered 
along  the  banks  of  the  Wissahickon  Creek 
in  Philadelphia  as  three  young  people  from 


the  congregation  were  baptized  in  the 
creek  Sept.  21.  Anna  Meyers,  one  of  the 
three,  had  talked  about  being  baptized  in 
the  creek  near  Germantown  since  studying 
about  the  Wissahickon  and  the  origins  of 
the  Brethren  in  America.  Five  years  ago 
she  had  studied  the  Whatza  Wissahickon 
materials  published  by  Brethren  Press.  As 
the  three — Robyn  Holl,  Anna  Meyers,  and 
leremy  Siegel — participated  in  a  member- 
ship class  over  the  last  year,  they  all 
became  excited  about  being  baptized  in 
the  waters  where  the  first  Brethren  in 
America  were  immersed. 

The  baptisms  became  a  church  outing 
and  eventually  involved  three  congrega- 
tions. The  University  Park  congregation 
traveled  to  Germantown  by  tour  bus.  Dar- 
lene  Meyers,  mother  of  Anna  Meyers  and 
pastor  of  neighboring  Good  Shepherd 
Church,  invited  members  of  her  congrega- 
tion to  join  in  the  outing.  As  the  group  met 
briefly  with  the  Germantown  congregation 
in  worship,  a  young  man  from  that  con- 
gregation, Ronnie  Horton,  expressed  his 
desire  to  be  baptized  along  with  the  Mary- 
land young  people  that  day.  So  it  was  that 
four  young  people  bravely  professed  their 
faith  and  stepped  into  the  cool  waters  of 
the  Wissahickon,  one  at  a  time,  to  be  bap- 
tized by  University  Park  pastor  Kim 
McDowell. — Gloria  Kindy 


Thatza  Wissahickon.  Anna  Meyers 
being  baptized  by  lier  pastor.  Kim 
McDowell,  in  Wissahicl<on  Creek. 


Brethren  logo  at 
Arlington  Cemetery 

Officials  at  Arlington 
National  Cemetery 
outside  ot 
Washington 
D.C.  recently 
approved  the  use 
the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  logo  on  one 
of  its  memorials. 

The  church's  logo  wi 


adorn  a  brass  marker  at  the 
grave  of  Frank  William 
Miller,  a  member  of  the 
Woodberry  Church  of  the 

Brethren  in  Baltimore, 
who  died  on 
Oct,  12,  1997, 
at  age  78. 

Such  per- 
mission is  a 
rare  occurrence. 
The  logo  is  one  of 
only  52  religious 


symbols  approved  for  use  at 
the  cemetery.  A  copy  of  the 
logo  and  an  explanation  of 
its  significance  was  submit- 
ted to  cemetery  officials  by 
Fred  Wilhelm,  brother-in- 
law  of  Miller. 

Miller  served  as  a  med- 
ical photographer  at  Walter 
Reed  Hospital  in  Washing- 
ton during  World  War  II. 
He  is  survived  by  his  wife, 
Eunice  Wallace  Miller. 


January/February  1998  Messenger  3 


II  Toiii 


Living  Gift  Market 

The  Living  Gift  Market  held  in  November  in  North 
Manchester,  Ind.,   raised  nearly  S 1 1 ,000  to  benefit 
Heifer  Project  International,  and  more  donations  were  stil 
coming  in.  The  event  attracted  160  people. 


Jane  Harshbarger  lells 

stories  to  children  as 

part  of  the  Living  Gift 

Market  in  North 

Mancliester.  Ind. 


"Ill  Touch" profiles  Brethren  we  wouU 
like  you  to  meet.  Send  story  ideas  and 
photos  to  "In  Touch,  "Messenger, 
1451  Dundee  Ave..  Elgin.  IL  60120. 


Marriage  65, 
Messenger  41 

Congratulations  to  Elmer 
and  Marie  West  of  Corning, 
Iowa,  members  of  the 
Salem  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  who  recently  cele- 
brated their  65th  wedding 
anniversary.  They  note  that 
they  have  subscribed  to 
Messenger  for  41  years. 

Seminarian  explains  wliy 
he  works  with  the  poor 

Steve  Brady,  a  third-year 
student  at  Bethany  Theolog- 
ical Seminary,  Richmond, 
Ind.,  has  been  working  as  an 
intern  with  the  Richmond 


Human  Rights  Commission 
and  the  Interfaith  Mission  in 
Richmond.  Though  most 
Bethany  students  do  intern- 
ships in  churches,  Brady 
said  he  wants  to  work 
directly  to  help  the  poor. 
He  credits  his  ministry 
interest  to  earlier  Church  of 
the  Brethren  work  camps 
and  volunteer  experience  in 
North  Carolina,  Honduras, 
and  Korea.  His  work  and 
inspiration  were  featured  last 
October  in  the  Richmond 
Palladimu-Iteni  newspaper, 
which  quoted  Brady  refer- 
ring to  his  Honduran 
experience:  "Coming  from  a 
culture  that  values  material 
things  and  measures  success 


by  degrees  or  high  salaries, 
on  the  surface  it  seemed  that 
they  [Hondurans]  had  noth- 
ing. It  became  evident  that 
they  had  something  we 
didn't  have — perseverance 
and  faith." 

Thanks-giving  for 
another  year 

On  Thanksgiving  1995  the 
family  of  Dale  and  Ruth 
Aukerman  gathered  to 
choose  a  cemetery  plot  for 
Dale,  who  had  been  "given" 
by  medical  doctors  two  to 
six  months  to  live.  But  God 
gave  Dale  more  months.  So 
on  Thanksgiving  1997,  as 
they  have  in  the  past,  they 
invited  volunteers  at  New 
Windsor  to  be  their  guests. 

Leiand  and  [eanette  Grove 
of  Laurens,  Iowa,  and 
Eugene  and  Eloise  Lichty  of 
McPherson,  Kan.,  joined  the 
Aukermans  for  a  day  of 
giving  thanks,  of  love,  inspi- 
ration, and  spiritual  renewal. 
Their  250-year-old  restored 
log  house  was  a  perfect  set- 
ting for  the  Thanksgiving 
meal,  and  the  guests  walked 
in  the  rolling  meadows  while  \ 
Dale  took  his  short  rest. 

Dale  Aukerman  contin-  , 
ues  with  his  prolific  writing  j 
and  work  for  peace.  Ruth  ' 
Aukerman  was  recently  : 
given  the  award  of  Mary- 
land Art  Educator  of  the 
Year. — Eloise  Lichty 

Remembered 

Mazie  S.  Myer,  the  oldest 
member  of  the  Akron  (Pa.) 
Church  of  the  Brethren, 
died  Oct.  5,  1997,  at 
Brethren  Village,  Lancaster, 
Pa.  She  enjoyed  bingo, 
painting  ceramics,  and  fish- 
ing. She  is  survived  by  four 


4  Messenger  January/February  1998 


sons,  one  daughter,  27 
grandchildren,  56  great 
grandchildren,  and  25  great 
great  grandchildren. 

•  The  Rev.  Antoinette  H. 
"Nettie"  Sheets  died  Sept. 
17,  1997,  in  Akron.  Ohio,  at 
age  84.  She  was  a  member  of 
the  Paradise  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  Smithville.  Ohio. 
She  was  a  graduate  of  the 
Salvation  Army  Bible  College 
in  New  York  City  and  later 
attended  Ashland  Seminary. 
She  was  an  ordained  minister 
in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
and  had  pastored  Richland 
Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Mansfield,  Ohio,  for  14 
years.  She  retired  in  1984. 


For  the  Malian  army,  Aiuly 

Murray  is  helping  develop  a 

more  democratic  code  of 

conduct.  He  is  pictured  with 

General  Brehima  Sire. 

Inspector  General  of  the 

Malian  Army  and  General 

Chairman  of  the  workshop. 

•  Margaret  "Peggy"  M. 
Cassel.  a  member  of  the 
Lititz  (Pa.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  died  luly  12,  1997, 
at  age  84.  She  was  a  trustee 
at  Elizabethtown  College 
during  the  1960s  and  1970s. 
From  1943  to  1945  she  was 
in  charge  of  care  for  newborn 
babies  at  Castaiier  Hospital 
in  Puerto  Rico. 


The  church  love  biiih 

The  new  Butler  Chapel  A.M.E.  Church,  rebuilt  after 
being  destroyed  by  arson,  was  dedicated  Jan.  9-11. 
Patrick  Mellerson.  the  Butler  Chapel  pastor  featured  on  the 
July  1997  Messenger  cover,  invited  all  Brethren  youth  work- 
campers  and  Disaster  Response  volunteers  who  helped  with 
the  rebuilding  to  join  in  the  celebration.  The  Emergency 
Response/Service  Ministries  program  reported  that  294  vol- 
unteers and  workcampers  contributed  1 ,700  workdays  to  the 
construction  of  the  new  church  building  near  Orangeburg, 
S.C.  The  value  of  their  labor  is  estimated  at  $165,000. — 
Howard  Royer 

Up  from  the  ashes.  294  volunteers  contributed  1 ,  700 
workdays  to  the  rebuilding  of  Butler  Chapel.  The  new 
building  was  dedicated  fanuary  9-11. 


THIS  BUILDING  PROJECT 
ISA  PARTNERSHIP  OF 

BUTLER   CHAPEL  AME    CHUROh 
CHURCH  OF  THE  BRETHREN 

NATIONAL  COUNCIL  O^lmmr'"''' 
HABITAT    INTERNATIONAL 


'liiilliininllii 

I  lI'Mia'f  mIitI 


A  inilitarA'  code  of  conduct 

Andy  Murray,  director  of  the  Baker  Institute  and 
professor  of  peace  and  conflict  studies  at  luniata 
College,  traveled  last  fall  to  the  West  African  country  of 
Mali.  He  was  sent  there  by  the  United  Nations  Develop- 
ment program  to  help  produce  a  code  of  conduct  for 
armed  and  security  forces  in  Mali. 

For  that  task  he  met  with  military  and  government  offi- 
cials and  with  representatives  of  several  United  Nations 
organizations.  Representatives  from  Mauritania,  Niger, 
Ivory  Coast,  Sierra  Leone,  Cameroon,  and  Senegal  also 
participated  in  the  meeting. 

The  code  of  conduct  will  lay  out  strict  norms  of  behavior 
for  military  and  police  personnel  in  a  democratic  society 
and  under  civilian  control. 

According  to  Tore  Rose,  resident  coordinator  of  United 
Nations  programs  in  Mali,  if  the  Code  of  Conduct 
becomes  a  reality  it  will  be  the  first  of  its  kind  in  Africa. 

"The  document  has  a  strong  human  rights  compo- 
nent,"said  Murray,"  and  it  also  lays  out  the  whole  issue  of 
civilian  control  of  the  military  in  clear  and  certain  lan- 
guage. Given  the  fact  that  the  document  runs  contrary  to 
so  much  that  has  been  taken  for  granted  in  post-colonial 
African  armies.  I  am  encouraged  at  the  level  of  investment 
the  Malian  military  and  gendarmerie  have  made  in  this 
process  and  by  the  commitment  the  government  seems  to 
have  in  seeing  that  this  actually  gets  done." 

Murray's  primary  role  at  the  workshop  was  to  evaluate 
the  document  from  an  educational  point  of  view.  "My 
job."  said  Murray,  "was  to  struggle  with  the  legal  heads 
for  a  less  complex  and  shorter  document.  If  it  has  value  it 
will  be  in  its  cultural  impact.  The  potential  for  that  impact 
will  be  directly  related  to  the  simplicity  of  the  Code.  The 
technical  instruments  are  already  in  place." 

Murray  was  also  a  part  of  a  smaller  working  group 
charged  with  developing  a  special  chapter  on  human 
rights.  The  process  has  produced  a  text  for  a  small  arms 
moratorium  which  is  now  being  discussed  by  a  number  of 
West  African  nations. 

Murray  serves  as  a  special  consultant  to  UNDP  on  the 
role  of  education  in  peacebuilding.  This  was  his  fourth  trip 
to  West  Africa  in  1997. 

January/February  1998  Messenger  5 


Anointing  service.  Ken 

Rieinan  of  Richmond.  IncL, 
and  Andy  Ulrich  of  North 
Manchester,  Ind.,  embrace 
during  an  anointing  service 
at  this  year's  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Young  Adult 
Conference.  The  confer- 
ence, attended  by  157.  fo- 
cused on  "lesus:  The  Man. 
the  Message,  and  Me. " 


Neil's  items  are  intended  to  inform.  They  do  not 
necessarily  represent  the  opinions  o/Messenger 
or  the  General  Board,  and  should  not  be  considered 
to  be  an  endorsemoit  or  advertisement. 

6  Messenger  January/February  1998 


Young  adults  focus  on  Jesus 
and  his  role  in  their  lives 

A  spirit  of  sharing  and  support  was 
what  1  57  Church  of  the  Brethren 
young  aduhs  experienced  Nov. 
27-29,  at  the  annual  Young  Aduh 

Conference,  held 
at  Camp  Mack, 
near  Milford,  Ind. 
Within  this  com- 
fortable atmos- 
phere the  theme 
"lesus:  The  Man, 
the  Message,  and 
Me"  was  dis- 
cussed as  a  way 
for  participants  to 
learn  more  about 
lesus,  each  other, 
and  the  church. 

Main  group  ses- 
sions were  led  by 
Christy  Walters- 
dorff,  pastor  of 
York  Center 
Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Lom- 
bard, III.  An  im- 
portant compo- 
nent of  these  ses- 
sions was  the  fre- 
quent use  of  ran- 
dom small  groups. 
Waltersdorff 
guided  participants  in  an  exploration 
of  the  Gospels  without  supplying  easy 
answers.  Small  group  members  dis- 
cussed lesus'  message  and  his  impact 
on  their  lives.  Individuals  were  forced 
to  confront  their  own  spirituality. 

"It  was  a  powerful  experience  to 
see  1  50  young  adults  with  their 
Bibles  open,  talking  about  lesus," 
Waltersdorff  said. 

This  mood  of  self-examination 
coupled  with  faith  sharing  carried 
over  to  the  variety  of  worship  experi- 
ences that  took  place  during  the  con- 
ference. A  Taize  service  offered  a 
chance  to  quietly  commune  with  God, 
while  a  traditional  feetwashing  service 
and  the  sharing  of  communion  led 
participants  to  feel  a  part  of  the  com- 


munity of  believers,  in  addition  to 
"sharing  the  table"  with  lesus.  A  high 
level  of  energy  during  worship  times 
was  due,  in  part,  to  the  music  selected 
and  singing  led  by  Shawn  Kirchner. 

The  nurturance  and  support  of  the 
gathered  community  was  much  in 
need  Friday  morning  when  Tim 
Stryker  of  Goshen  (Ind.)  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  was  informed  that  his 
younger  brother,  Steve,  who  had 
been  missing  for  several  days,  was 
confirmed  dead.  Steve  was  reportedly 
murdered  by  several  people  in  an  al- 
cohol-induced incident.  Tim  stayed 
at  the  conference  and  the  group  liter- 
ally surrounded  him  with  its  love. 

The  weekend  also  gave  participants 
time  to  discuss  issues  that  are  rele- 
vant to  faith  and  the  larger  church — 
political  concerns.  Brethren  peace 
witness,  conflict  resolution,  and  the 
death  penalty.  Many  of  these  issues 
came  up  in  the  large  group  sessions 
and  in  several  workshops.  These 
workshops — each  in  their  own  way — 
were  reflections  on  jesus'  teachings 
about  spirituality  and  service. 

Young  Adult  Conference  provides 
participants  an  opportunity  to  dialog  1 
with  and  support  one  another.  Yet, 
the  larger  church  plays  a  role  in  their  I 
development  as  well.  | 

"Young  adults  are  dealing  with 
tough  questions  and  they  need  a 
church  that  will  help  them  to  struggle  j 
to  find  the  answers,"  Waltersdorff       1 
said. — Nate  Haidu 


Annual  Conference  convenes 
symposium  on  South  Korea 

A  symposium  that  dealt  specifically 
with  the  former  Church  of  the 
Brethren  mission  in  South  Korea  and 
with  global  mission  in  general  was 
held  Dec.  6—7  at  the  initiative  of  the 
Annual  Conference  officers. 

Seventeen  people  attended,  repre- 
senting the  Annual  Conference  of- 
fice, the  General  Board,  and  a  group 
of  congregations  and  individuals  who 


have  special  interest  in  global  mission. 

The  idea  for  the  meeting  originated 
during  the  General  Board's  October 
meetings,  when  members  of  the  global 
mission  group  addressed  the  Board 
(see  page  6,  December  1997). 

It  became  evident  at  those  meetings 
that  while  the  group  believes  only  An- 
nual Conference  can  rescind  its  1990 
call  for  Brethren  mission  in  South 
Korea,  the  General  Board  believes  it 
did  try  to  plant  the  Brethren  move- 
ment there,  but  had  to  eliminate  that 
ministry  as  part  of  its  redesign. 

It  was  in  this  context  that  the  sym- 
posium was  held. 

The  participants  began  by  identify- 
ing issues  relating  to  mission  philoso- 
phy, polity  and  procedures,  and  trust. 
They  then  reached  consensus  on  a 
number  of  principles  before  produc- 
ing a  list  of  recommendations  and  a 
separate  list  of  cautions. 


Korea  conference.  Participants  of  the  December  symposium  on  Soutli  Korea  and 
on  global  mission  in  general  were  Duane  Steiner,  Anne  Myers.  Lamar  Gibble, 
Joe  Mason,  Wayne  Zunkel,  Bonnie  Kline  Smeltzer,  Dan  Kim,  Bentley  Peters, 
Elaine  Sollenberger  Lowell  Flory.  Karen  Peterson  Miller  Olden  Mitchell,  Earl 
Hostetter  Lori  Sollenberger  Knepp,  Merv  Keeney,  and  Cathy  Huffman. 


Although  consensus  was  not 
reached  on  all  points,  two  significant 
results  did  occur.  Out  of  the  sympo- 
sium was  the  understanding  that  all 
future  mission  inquiries  within  the 
denomination  should  be  routed 
through  the  denomination's  new  Mis- 
sion and  Ministries  Planning  Council. 
And  the  Annual  Conference  officers 
plan  to  initiate  clarification  over  the 
question  of  authority  and  the  rigidity 


of  Annual  Conference  directives. 

"The  symposium  was  a  needed  step 
to  take,"  said  Elaine  Sollenberger, 
Annual  Conference  moderator.  "Even 
though  we  adjourned  the  meeting,  I 
would  hope  there  would  be  continu- 
ing discussion  and  would  hope  that 
maybe  out  of  it  there  would  be  some 
better  ways  of  understanding  each 
other.  I  think  the  best  part  of  the  sym- 
posium hasn't  happened  yet." 


BBT  asks  Annual  Conference  to  approve  revisions  and  modifications  to  its  polity  and  policies 


Revisions  to  its  polity  and  modifica- 
tions to  the  Retired  Church  Workers' 
Fund  (RCWF)  are  proposed  changes 
the  Brethren  Benefit  Trust  (BBT) 
board  is  asking  Annual  Conference 
to  approve.  This  request  comes  out 
of  action  taken  during  the  board's 
November  meetings. 

The  proposed  polity  revisions  re- 
flect an  expanded  vision  for  BBT 
and  allow  possible  new  financial 


Please,  oh,  please. 

Don  Fecher.  staff 

and  Gail  Habecker. 

board  member,  look 

more  concerned  than 

they  really  were  in 

November  during 

BBT's  board  meeting 

while  discussing  the 

tentative  sale  of 

Bethany  Seminary's 

former  campus  in 

Oak  Brook,  III. 


programs  and  services.  The  modi- 
fied RCWF  will  provide  long-term 
financial  help  for  active  and  retired 
church  employees  under  the  new 
name  "Church  Workers'  Assistance 
Plan."  This  plan  is  intended  to 
complement  the  General  Board's 
Crisis  in  Transition  Fund  (CIT). 

The  CIT  Fund  will  continue  focus- 
ing on  short-term  emergency  needs 
of  pastors  in  transition.  The  pro- 


posed Church  Workers'  Assistance 
Plan  will  focus  on  lay  employees, 
pastors,  and  district  staff  who  have 
larger,  long-term  financial  needs. 
Inquiries  can  be  made  in  confidence 
to  Don  Fecher  at  (800)  746-1505. 

The  board  learned  that  "excep- 
tional investment  returns"  will  enable 
BBT  to  send  an  extra,  one-time 
check  to  Pension  Plan  members  who 
were  retired  by  September.  They  also 
received  a  permanent  three-percent 
increase  in  lanuary.  One  hundred 
Equitable  retirees  (former  lay  em- 
ployees of  the  General  Board)  shared 
$144,000  from  the  Supplemental  In- 
come Fund  for  Equitable  Annui- 
tants—$10,000  more  than  in  1996. 

The  board  held  the  January  med- 
ical plan  rate  increase  to  10  percent 
for  six  months,  and  gave  approval 
for  employer  groups  who  use  the 
Brethren  Medical  Plan  (not  applica- 
ble to  the  Ministers'  Group)  to  of- 
fer long-term  disability  insurance  as 
a  stand-alone  option. 


January/February  1998  Messenger  7 


General  Board,  Southern 
Plains  announce  staff  changes 

Jeff  Glass,  pastor  of  First  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  San  Diego,  has  been 
appointed  half-time  coordinator  of 
the  Area  5  Congregational  Life  Team. 
He  has  also  served  congregations  in 
Laton,  Calif.,  and  Hagerstown,  Md. 

Duane  Grady,  co-pastor  of 
Northview  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Indianapolis,  has  been  named  half- 
time  member  of  Area  2  Congrega- 
tional Life  Team.  He  has  served  as 
program  associate  at  Lombard  (111.) 
Mennonite  Peace  Center;  as  coordi- 
nator of  the  Iowa  Peace  Network;  and 
as  executive  director  of  the  Interfaith 
Council  for  the  Homeless,  Chicago. 

Jim  Kinsey  of  Lake  Odessa,  Mich., 
has  been  named  half-time  member  of 
Area  2  Congregational  Life  Team.  In 
addition  to  this  half-time  position, 
I'Gnsey  will  continue  serving  as  exec- 
utive of  Michigan  District.  Kinsey 
has  pastored  congregations  in  Mar- 


hm.Ui 


Duiiiw  GiucIy 


David  Smallev 


lohii  Thomas  Sr. 


ion,  Ohio,  and  Freeport,  Mich.  In 
October  he  concluded  his  assign- 
ment as  interim  co-director  of  the 
General  Board's  Ministry  office. 
David  Smalley,  pastor  of  Eden 
Valley  Church  of  the  Brethren,  St. 
lohn,  Kan.,  has  been  appointed  co- 
ordinator of  Area  4  Congregational 


BVS  Unit  227.  Twenty -nine  people  entered  Brethren  Volunteer  Service  last 
full,  participating  in  three  ]veeks  of  orientation  at  Camp  Swatara  in  Bethel. 
Pa.  Thirteen  from  tlie  unit  are  Church  of  the  Brethren  members.  Four  of  the 
BVSers  are  from  Germany,  witli  one  each  from  Poland  and  the  United 
Kingdom.  "This  is  the  largest  unit  we've  had  since  1993. "  said  Dan 
McFadden.  BVS  director,  "and  I'm  e.wited  about  that. "  (See  page  31  for 
names  and  placement  assignments.) 


lim  Kinsey 


Life  Team.  He  has 
also  served  as  pas- 
tor of  the  Pittsburg 
(Ind.)  and 
Fairview  (Pa.) 
congregations,  and 
served  in  Gotha, 
Fla.,  on  New 
Covenant  Church 
of  the  Brethren's  leadership  team 
while  working  as  associate  editor  of 
News  Media  Directories. 

John  Thomas  Sr.  began  serving  as 
interim  executive  of  Southern  Plains 
District  on  Nov.  1  5.  This  is  a  one- 
quarter-time  position.  From  1981 
until  1987  Thomas  served  half-time 
in  the  same  position,  while  also 
working  as  a  school  administrator. 


Bethany  plans  a  technology 
and  education  symposium 

A  symposium  for  Bethany  Theological 
Seminary  board  members  and  staff  has 
been  planned  for  March  27-29.  As  de- 
cided at  its  October  board  meetings, 
Bethany  will  use  the  time  to  explore 
ways  of  providing  its  programs  to 
those  who  cannot  study  in  residence. 

During  its  meetings,  board  mem- 
bers Janice  Ruhl  of  Manheim,  Pa., 
and  Clara  Patterson  of  Dayton, 
Ohio,  were  recognized  for  the  recent 
creation  of  two  endowments — the 
Donald  E.  Ruhl  Endowment  for  Stu- 
dent Recruitment  and  the  Patterson 
Endowment  for  Stewardship  Educa- 
tion and  Development. 

The  board  approved  the  establish- 
ment of  a  cross-cultural  bank  to 
assist  students  in  financing  cross- 
cultural  experiences.  Bethany  has 
established  a  cross-cultural  course 
requirement  and  will  contribute  $500 
toward  each  student  fulfilling  that 
requirement.  Students  are  also  ex- 
pected to  contribute  $600. 

The  Board  also  set  1998-1 999 
tuition  at  $5,673,  and  heard  from  its 
auditor  that  Bethany  continues  to 
build  financial  stability. 


8  Messenger  January/Febrliary  1998 


II 


ftn  appeal  for  congregations  to  send  delegates  to  this  year's 
'\nnual  Conference  in  Orlando  was  made  in  December  by  moder- 
ator Elaine  Sollenberger  Only  an  estimated  600  churches  sent 
representatives  to  last  summer's  Conference  in  Long  Beach, 
Calif.,  fewer  than  half  of  the  1 ,400  delegate  seats  that  represent 
:he  denomination's  1,116  congregations. 

"Each  congregation  has  the  opportunity,  as  well  as  the  respon- 
sibility, to  help  with  the  decision-making  of  the  church  by 
sending  one  or  more  delegates— depending  on  membership 
size— to  Annual  Conference,"  Sollenberger  wrote.  She  added, 
'Delegates  are  key  to  helping  us  feel  and  understand  the  connec- 
ion  between  the  congregations  and  the  larger  church  body." 

Feachers  of  elementary  school  vocal  music  and  high  school 
jusiness  education  are  being  sought  by  the  General  Board  to 
serve  as  missionaries  in  Nigeria.  These  positions  require  a  two- 
/ear  minimum  commitment  and  include  a  support  package 
consisting  of  housing,  transportation,  a  medical  plan,  and  a 
iving  allowance.  For  more  information,  contact  Elsie  Holderread 
It  (800)  323-8039. 

Eighteen  youth  and  four  advisers  from  Maryland,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  Virginia  attended  a  peace  academy  Nov.  8-9  at  the 
Brethren  Service  Center,  New  Windsor,  Md.,  sponsored  by  On 
■arth  Peace  Assembly.  "The  main  sessions  focused  on  how  to 
;onfront  conflict,  how  to  be  an  advocate,  and  how  to  engage  our 
]lobal  world,"  said  Kate  Johnson  of  OEPA. 

'Family-based  youth  ministry"  was  the  theme  for  this  year's 
innual  Youth  Ministry  Workshop,  held  Nov.  8  at  Frederick  (Md.) 
church  of  the  Brethren.  Eighty-seven  junior  and  senior  high 
vouth  advisers  attended  the  six-hour  training  seminar,  which  was 
ed  by  Mark  DeVries,  author  of  the  book  Family-Based  Youth 
Vlinistry.  A  two-hour  video  of  the  workshop  is  available  for  loan 
rom  Youth  and  Young  Adult  Ministries.  Call  (800)  323-8039. 

.ori  Sollenberger  Knepp  is  serving  as  acting  General  Board 
;hair  through  January,  according  to  a  decision  made  Dec.  3  by 
he  Board's  Executive  Committee.  Chris  Bowman,  the  elected 
;hair,  has  not  served  in  that  capacity  since  early  October  as  a 
esult  of  a  multiple  sclerosis  flare-up.  However,  as  of  early 
)ecember,  Bowman's  speech  and  vision  had  improved  to  the 
)oint  where  he  could  again  drive. 

"We  thank  God  for  the  healing  thus  far  and  for  the  overwhelm- 
ng  support  of  family,  friends,  the  church  and  many  acquaint- 
inces,"  wrote  Sherry  Bowman.  "It  has  been  a  long,  harrowing 
ixperience  from  which  we  have  learned  how  much  we  value 
lealth,  good  relationships,  and  our  faith." 

\fter  languishing  for  about  a  year  as  a  nearly  defunct  organi- 
:ation,  new  life  was  breathed  into  the  Global  Women's  Project  in 
iarly  November  as  four  members  of  its  steering  committee  met  in 
i/lerrillville,  Ind.  They  reaffirmed  the  project's  goal  of  sensitizing 
3rethren  women  to  overconsumption  and  the  effect  overconsump- 


Environmentalists.  Members  of  a  new  emnronmental 
working  group  met  in  November  to  discuss  future 
initiatives  oftiie  General  Board's  environmental  ministry, 
a  function  of  tlie  Brethren  Witness  office.  The  group 
included  Tim  Kreps  of  Bloomington.  Ind.:  Sarah  Stafford 
ofNortli  Mancltester,  Ind.:  program  associate  Karin 
Davidson:  Brethren  Witness  director  David  Radcliff;  Dar 
Miller  of  Dillsburg.  Pa.:  and  Dianna  Ullery  ofOlympia, 
Wash.  The  group  was  joined  by  Shantilal  Bhagat  (right), 
former  director  of  Eco-lustice  Concerns.  It  decided  to 
produce  a  quarterly  newsletter  to  highlight  environmental 
stewardship  opportunities  for  churcii  tnembers.  and  made 
plans  for  a  Brethren  initiative  to  help  stem  global  warming. 

tion  has  on  women  at  home  and  abroad.  They  decided  to  resume 
production  of  GWP's  newsletter,  and  to  plan  more  travel  to  bring 
Brethren  women  and  the  women  in  GWP-sponsored  projects 
together.  They  hope  to  meet  in  different  districts,  and  to  provide 
educational  programming  in  those  areas. 

Melinda  Van  Slyke  of  Spring  Green,  Wis.,  departed  Nov.  18 
for  a  year-long  stay  in  Nuevo  Mexico,  Guatemala,  to  serve  as  a 
human  rights  observer  and  international  accompanier  Since  the 
signing  of  a  peace  accord  in  late  1996,  which  ended  the  36-year 
Guatemalan  civil  war,  many  people  who  fled  their  homes  to  escape 
the  violence  and  oppression  have  returned.  Ivester  (Grundy 
Center,  Iowa),  Modesto  (Calif.),  Mexico  (Ind.),  and  Highland 
Avenue  (Elgin,  III.)  Church  of  the  Brethren  congregations  have 
committed  to  serving  as  partners  in  this  ministry. 

Two  Emergency  Disaster  Fund  grants  totaling  $24,000 

were  allocated  in  November— $15,000  for  the  Middle  East  Coun- 
cil of  Churches  and  to  Lutheran  World  Service-Jerusalem 
Program,  and  $9,000  to  Grassroots  International  for  its  work  fol- 
lowing the  Oct.  8  landfall  in  Mexico  by  Hurricane  Pauline,  which 
killed  over  275  people  and  destroyed  or  damaged  56,000  homes. 

God's  promises  to  the  oppressed  are  among  the  topics 
examined  in  Daniel,  the  26th  title  in  the  Covenant  Bible  Studies 
Series,  now  available  from  Brethren  Press.  This  latest  title  was 
written  by  Frank  Ramirez,  pastor  of  Elkhart  (Ind.)  Valley  Church 
of  the  Brethren.  This  series  is  designed  for  use  by  small  groups. 
Most  of  the  titles  also  include  resources  for  sharing,  prayer,  and 
action.  Cost  of  Daniel  is  $5.95.  To  order,  call  (800)  441  -371 2. 


January/February  1998  Messenger  9 


The  greatest  sin  is  standinf 


Story  and  photos  by  Heather  Nolen 

Five  Brethren  were  among  the  601  protesters  arrested 
at  Fort  Benning  in  Columbus,  Ga.,  Nov.  16,  after 
marching  two  miles  into  the  base  to  oppose  the  con- 
tinued operation  of  its  School  of  the  Americas  (SOA).  SOA 
graduates  have  been  repeatedly  cited  for  egregious  human 
rights  violations — kidnaping,  extortion,  murder,  and  torture. 
That  day  marked  the  anniversary  of  the  assassination  of 
six  Jesuit  priests  and  their  two  women  co-workers  at  the 
University  of  Central  America  in  San  Salvador,  El  Sal- 
vador. Nineteen  of  the  26  military  officers  cited  for  those 
assassinations  were  SOA  graduates. 

Other  notorious  graduates  include  Manuel  Noriega;  10 
of  the  12  men  cited  for  the  El  Mozote  massacre  of  over  900 
civilians;  two  of  the  three  officers  cited  for  the  assassina- 
tion of  Archbishop  Oscar  Romero;  100  of  the  246  officers 
cited  by  an  international  tribunal  in  1993  for  war  crimes  in 
Colombia;  Guatemalan  general  Hector  Gramajo,  who  is  re- 
sponsible for  the  murder  and  displacement  of  thousands  of 
Guatemalans;  and  the  Peruvian  officers  convicted  of  mur- 
dering nine  university  students  and  a  professor  in  1994. 

Hall  of  Shame?  This  "Hall  of  Fame"  of  notorious  SOA  grad- 
uates served  as  backdrop  for  the  vigil's  popular  street  theater 


Speaiiliig  out  for  those  already  silenced 


BY  Shelly  Ungemach 

Standing  with  my  cross,  waiting  to 
walk  past  a  seemingly  arbitrary  line 
on  the  ground,  I  experienced  a 
rollercoaster  of  emotions. 

I  remembered  reading,  on  a  trip  to 
Guatemala,  accounts  of  massacres, 
and  seeing  the  names  of  those  killed 
listed.  At  the  time  it  didn't  seem  that 
important  to  read  every  name,  so  I 
skimmed  over  them. 

Those  names  took  on  new  signifi- 
cance Nov.  1 6  when  they  were  sung 
out  to  the  crowd  protesting  the  US 
School  of  the  Americas.  The  crowd,  in 
turn,  answered  back,  "Presente!"  Sud- 
denly those  names  on  the  crosses  be- 
came more  than  just  letters,  and  those 
who  had  been  killed  at  the  hands  of 

10  Messenger  January/February  1998 


SOA  graduates  became  more  than  just 
statistics.  Brothers,  sisters,  mothers, 
fathers,  friends — they  were  all  there, 
surrounding  us  as  we  prepared  to  walk 
onto  the  base.  And  I  was  angry — an- 
gry that  I  would  have  to  do  something 
as  silly  as  get  myself  arrested  so  that 
they  might  have  a  voice  and  so  that  the 
institution  that  legitimized  their  killing 
could  be  stopped. 

As  the  drums  continued  to  call  us  on 
and  the  crowd  continued  its  chanting, 
Nathan  Musselman  (of  Oak  Grove 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  Roanoke,  Va., 
and  a  fellow  Eastern  Mennonite  Uni- 
versity student)  and  I  stepped  over  the 
line.  There  was  no  turning  back. 

We  walked  in  silence  with  tear-filled 
eyes  and  angry  hearts  to  buses  that  swal- 
lowed us  and  transported  us  further  in- 


side the  base  where  we  would  be  pro- 
cessed. The  ride  was  full  of  reflection  for 
some  and  singing  for  others.  The  rest  of 
the  afternoon  consisted  of  a  lot  of  wait- 
ing— on  the  bus  and  then  in  a  yard. 

The  first  step  of  processing  was  re- 
linquishing all  our  possible  '"weapons" 
— pens,  pins,  nail  clippers,  and  other 
like  objects,  which  we  were  told  would 
be  returned  to  us.  They  were,  minus 
any  item  that  had  SOA  printed  on  it. 

Next  came  the  pat-down,  followed  by 
more  waiting.  Finally:  Processing  time 
I  was  ushered  to  a  seat  in  front  of  a 
smiling  man  who  asked  me  my  name, 
address,  and  more.  Then,  unexpect- 
edly, he  said,  "You're  from  Pennsylva- 
nia? I  live  in  Harrisburg.  Do  you  know 
of  Hershey  Park?  I  took  my  family 
there  this  summer.  Isn't  Palmyra  the 


dly  by 


After  three  days  of  planning,  the  Nov. 
1 6  demonstration  consisted  of  a  solemn 
"funeral"  procession,  with  a  quarter  of 
the  protesters  crossing  onto  the  base. 
Some  protesters  acted  as  pallbearers  for  coffins  filled  with 
100,000  signatures  that  called  for  the  closing  of  the  school. 
The  remaining  protesters  who  crossed  the  line  walked  two  by 
two  behind  the  coffins  carrying  crosses  that  bore  the  names  of 
people  who  have  died  at  the  hands  of  SOA  graduates. 

Other  protesters  who  did  not  cross  the  line  brought  the 
total  attendance  to  an  estimated  2,500,  five  times  more 
than  in  1996. 

Brethren  known  to  have  participated  in  the  funeral  pro- 
cession and  unlawfully  entering  the  base  were  Ken 
Brown,  Shelly  Ungemach,  Nathan  Musselman.  Yvonne 
Dilling,  and  Raenya  Burkhart.  They  and  the  other  "line 
crossers"  were  arrested  in  violation  of  a  US  code  that  re- 
quires military  bases  to  be  free  of  political  activity.  Fol- 
lowing their  arrests  they  received  letters  barring  them 
from  the  base.  Of  the  60 1  line  crossers,  28  were  repeat 
offenders  and  were  ordered  to  appear  in  court.  On  Nov. 
19,  Carol  Richardson,  director  of  the  School  of  the  Amer- 


Demonstrating, 
Brethren  style. 

Brethren  from 
Indiana.  Massa- 
chusetts. Virginia, 
and  Washington. 
D.  C. ,  traveled  to 
Columbus.  Ga..  in 
November  to 
protest  against  the 
US  military's 
School  of  the 
Americas. 


icas  Watch  in  Washington,  D.C.,  pleaded  guilty  as 
charged  and  was  given  the  maximum  sentence  for  unlaw- 
ful re-entry — six  months  in  jail  and  a  $3,000  fine. 

Before  crossing  over  onto  the  base,  vigil  participants 
took  part  in  a  commissioning  service.  They  agreed  to  act 
nonviolently,  speaking  these  commitments  in  unison: 

•  We  will  harbor  no  anger,  but  suffer  the  anger  of  the 
opponent  ("opponent"  meaning  opposite  in  beliefs. 

not  "enemy"). 

•  We  will  refuse  to  return  the  assaults,  verbal  or  physical. 

•  We  will  refrain  from  insults  and  swearing. 

•  We  will  protect  opponents  from  insults  or  attack. 

•  If  arrested,  we  will  behave  in  an  exemplary  manner. 
We  will  not  evade  the  legal  consequences  of  our  actions. 

•  As  members  of  a  nonviolent  demonstration,  we  will 
follow  the  directions  of  the  designated  coordinators:  in 
the  event  of  a  serious  disagreement,  we  will  remove  our- 
selves from  the  action. 

•  Our  attitude  as  conveyed  through  words,  symbols 
and  actions  will  be  one  of  openness,  friendliness,  and 


place  with  all  the  sinkholes?" 

It's  too  small  a  world!  Hershey 
Park  was  my  summer  employment 
for  two  summers  and  Palmyra  is  the 
small  town  full  of  sinkholes  where  I 
lived  the  first  1 8  years  of  my  life. 

Then  this  still-smiling  man  handed 
me  a  ban  and  bar  letter,  which  stated  I 
was  being  ejected  from  Fort  Benning 
for  criminal  trespassing  and  banned 
for  a  year.  My  picture  was  taken  and 


Crossing  the  line. 

Nathan  Musselman 
and  author  Shelly 
Ungemach  take 
"baby  steps "  in 
their  support  of 
justice  as  they  cross 
into  the  grounds  of 
Fort  Benning. 


that  was  it — I  had  been  processed. 

By  the  time  it  was  all  said  and 
done,  the  sun  had  set  and  so  I  ate  my 
army-supplied  supper  in  the  growing 
dusk,  whipped  by  the  cold  wind  and 
my  mind  awhirl  with  difficult  ques- 
tions, such  as  "What  did  1  accom- 
plish?" and  "What  else  am  I  going  to 
do  to  speak  out  against  the  injustice 
in  this  world?"  This  shouldn't  be  an 
end  but  a  beginning,  a  beginning  of  a 


life-long  commitment  to  speak  for 
the  silenced,  to  cry  for  the  forsaken, 
and  to  work  toward  creating  God's 
Kingdom  here  on  earth. 

For  me,  where  to  start  is  a  paralyz 
ing  question  lurking  everywhere  I 
turn.  I  do  know  that  crossing  that 
line  wasn't  as  hard  as  I  thought  it 
would  be.  And  this  leads  me  to  be- 
lieve that  saving  the  world  doesn't 
begin  with  huge  actions  but  rather 
with  little,  tiny  commitments  that 
add  up  to  a  mountain. 

Note  to  self — Start  taking 
those  baby  steps. 

Slwlly  Vngemacli.  a  member  of  Palmyra  (Pa.) 
Cliurch  of  tlie  Bretluen.  attends  Eastern  Men- 
nonite  University  in  Harrisonburg.  Va.  Site  lias 
studied  liberation  theology  as  well  as  Latin 
American  history,  language  and  culture. 

January/February  1998  Messenger  11 


"Funeral"  procession. 

Some  of  the  SOA  pro- 
testers (above)  partici- 
pate in  a  symbolic 
funeral  procession 
onto  the  Fort  Benning 
grounds. 

(Left)  A  street 
theater  production  of 
the  assassinations  that 
are  attributed  to  SOA 
graduates. 


respect  toward  all  people  we  encounter,  including  police 
officers  and  workers. 

•  We  will  not  damage  property. 

•  We  will  not  bring  or  use  drugs  or  alcohol. 

•  We  will  not  run  or  use  threatening  motions. 

•  We  will  carry  no  weapons. 

"God  had  a  hand  in  where  I  went,"  said  Ungemach,  ex- 
plaining why  she  crossed  the  line.  The  Palmyra  (Pa.) 
Church  of  the  Brethren  member  added,  "I'm  looking  for- 
ward to  sharing  my  experience  with  my  church." 

When  asked  why  he  planned  to  cross  the  line.  Mussel- 
man,  of  Roanoke,  Va.,  quoted  the  saying  on  his  shirt,  first 
spoken  by  Martin  Luther  King  |r. — "The  greatest  sin  of 
our  time  is  not  the  few  who  destroy,  but  the  vast  majority 
who  have  stood  idly  by." 

"I'm  not  crossing  the  line  to  get  arrested,"  Musselman 
said,  "but  I  have  no  ill  feelings  with  that  result  of  my  ac- 
tion. I've  been  inspired  by  a  God  who  stands  on  the  side  of 


School  of  the  Americas-related  resources  available 
from  the  Washington  Office  include  "School  of  the 
Americas,"  a  book  by  Jack  Nelson-Pallmeyer,  and 
"School  of  the  Americas:  An  Insider  Speaks  Out,"  a 
video  with  Joe  Blair,  a  retired  Army  major  and  former 
SOA  instructor.  For  more  information,  contact  the  of- 
fice at  (202)  546-3202  or  at  WashOfc@AOL.Com. 


the  oppressed  and  the  poor." 

Also  participating  in  what  organizers 
called  an  "act  of  holy  obedience"  were 
about  15  other  Church  of  the  Brethren 
or  related  demonstrators  from  Bethany 
Theological  Seminary,  Richmond, 
Ind.,  Manchester  College,  North  Man- 
chester, Ind.,  and  from  Massachusetts. 
Some  were  vocal  in  their  decision  not 
to  cross  the  line,  like  losh  Kline,  a 
Manchester  College  student  who  had 
worked  closely  with  SOA  watch  while 
an  intern  at  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  Washington  Office. 
"I  can  do  more  in  a  long-term  profession  than  in  a  one-time 
(civil  disobedience)  experience;  health  care  expansion  is 
equally  important,"  Kline  said. 

Greg  Laszakovits,  a  Bethany  student,  said  he  was  "not 
sold  on  the  political  power  of  crossing  over,"  but  wanted 
to  be  "a  voice  within  the  church  that  would  rally  support 
(to  close  the  school)." 

After  protesters  crossed  the  line,  SOA  officials  organized 
a  press  conference  with  Roy  Trumble,  SOA  commandant. 
Trumble  took  issue  with  the  religious  motivation  of  the 
vigil,  stating  to  International  News  Services,  "This  is  not  a 
religious  issue.  It's  not  a  moral  issue.  This  is  a  political  is- 
sue and  it  will  be  decided  by  our  own  politicians.  I  certainly 
hope  that  the  school  is  not  closed  down  as  a  result  of  what 
I  think  is  an  ill-directed  movement  against  the  school." 

In  sharp  contrast.  Debbie  Miller,  representing  the 
Bethany  Peace  Studies  delegation,  said,  "We  feel  the  SOA 
is  contrary  to  Christ's  teachings.  We  throw  up  our  hands 
and  want  to  pretend  we  are  not  of  the  world  . . .  we  may  not 
be  holding  the  gun,  but  by  doing  nothing  and  by  being 
silent  we  are  behind  the  assassins." 

The  continued  existence  of  the  SOA  is  also  contrary  to  the 
General  Board's  stance,  which  this  past  luly  passed  a  resolu- 
tion calling  for  the  closing  of  the  school. 

An  attempt  to  close  the  SOA  by  cutting  funds  came  close 
to  passing  in  the  US  House  in  September — 210  to  21  7. 
SOA  Watch,  hoping  to  build  on  that  near-miss,  is  urging 
people  to  contact  their  US  legislators  asking  for  their  sup- 
port of  H.R.  61  1 — a  House  bill  to  close  the  school; 
S.  980  would  do  the  same  in  the  Senate. 

Do  phone  calls,  letters,  and  physical  protests  make  a  dif- 
ference? At  the  demonstration,  Carol  Richardson  explained 
to  protesters  her  conversation  with  one  congressional  repre- 
sentative, an  unlikely  supporter  of  SOA  closure.  In  explain- 
ing why  he  voted  to  close  the  SOA  in  September,  he  said, 

"Well,  you  see,  there's  this  monastery  in  my  district " 

What  if  our  representatives  would  say,  "Well,  you  see 

there's  this  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  my  district " 

If  only  more  of  us  would  show  our  concern,  we 
could  close  the  SOA. 


"M. 


Heather  \olen.  a  Brethren  \ohinteer  Service  worker,  is  serving  as  coordi- 
nator of  the  CInircli  of  the  Brethren  Wasliington  Office. 


1 2  Messenger  January/February  1998 


steiiii! 


by  Robin  Wentworth  Mayer 
"But  you  see,  ma  am. 

the  computer  don't  know...." 

Usually  I  let  such  things 
slide.  Usually  I  don't  con- 
sider it  my  place  to  correct 
the  grammar  of  other  adults. 
Usually  I  just  grit  my  teeth 
and  remind  myself  that  a 
small  error  in  verb  conjuga- 
tion doesn't  destroy  the 
intended  meaning  of  the  sen- 
tence. Usually. 

This  time  however  my  level 
of  frustration  had  long  since 
surpassed  my  threshold  of 
tolerance.... 

"Doesn't  know,"  i  inter- 
rupted her.  "The  computer 
doesn't  know." 

There  was  just  a  split 
second  of  confused  silence, 
then  she  went  on: "Yes 
ma'am,  like  I  said,  the  com- 
puter don't  know  that  you've 
been  paying  more  than  the 
scheduled  loan  amount  and  it 
just  went  ahead  and  sent  you 
your  coupon  book  for  next 
year's  payments." 

Several  months  previously 
I  had  purchased  a  new  televi- 
sion set.  Since  the  financing 
was  interest-free  for  twelve 
months,  I  opted  to  take 
advantage  of  it.  Even  though 
the  payments  were  based 
upon  the  assumption  of  a 
two-year  loan,  I  had  consci- 
entiously been  paying 
enough  extra  every  month  to 
make  sure  1  would  have  the 
entire  amount  paid  off  within 
twelve  months.  The  fact  that 
the  computer  didn't  know 
that  was  exactly  why  I  was  so 
upset! 

1  am  not  anti-technology. 
While  computers  intimidate 
me,  I  respect  them  and  I've 
learned  to  use  and  appreciate 
them.  I  don't  know  if  1  even 


remember  how  to  write  with- 
out a  word  processor!  No,  I 
like  computers  just  fine  and 
would  hate  to  have  to  navi- 
gate the  complexities  of  our 
high-tech  world  without  one. 

It's  just  that,  like  my  experi- 
ence with  the  finance 
company  so  dramatically  illus- 
trates, computers  don't  know 
me  and  the  particular  circum- 
stances of  my  situation.  They 
don't  know  how  to  respond  to 
my  needs  and  efforts... only 
how  to  run  their  program. 

They  also  don't  "know"  the 
fine-tuning  of  communica- 
tion. I  received  a  letter 
recently  from  an  organization 
wanting  to  know  if  we  would 
be  having  a  "church  bizarre." 
While  "spell  check"  is  a  grand 
invention,  it  is  certainly  no 
respecter  of  homonyms.  It  will 
tell  us  whether  or  not  a  word 
is  spelled  correctly.  It  won't 
tell  us  whether  or  not  that 
word  makes  sense  in  context. 

Computers  also  don't 
acknowledge  individual  iden- 
tity, lust  last  week  I  helped 
my  son  type  his  autobiogra- 
phy. Since  he  included  first, 
middle,  and  last  names  of  all 
five  brothers,  two  parents, 
and  four  grandparents,  it  took 
a  long  time  to  get  through  the 
spell  check  because  the  com- 
puter doesn't  "think"  that 
names  are  words.  That  same 
document  contained  another 
error  the  computer  couldn't 
catch:  Brandon  stated  at  one 
point  that  he  loved  "fiend 
trips."  While  that  may  well  be 
a  correct  statement,  it  was 
supposed  to  be  "field  trips." 

And  I  suppose  that's  what 
it  all  boils  down  to:  When  it 
comes  to  programming,  com- 
puters ruthlessly  employ  the 
letter  of  the  law.  Which  is  the 
same  thing  we  find  under  the 


Old  Covenant. 

The  Old  Testament  Law 
made  no  provision  for  unique 
circumstances,  no  acknowl- 
edgment of  individuality,  no 
margin  for  error.  It  was,  quite 
literally,  set  in  stone.  The  New 
Covenant,  however,  is  not  set 
in  stone,  but  rather  signed  in 
blood.  While  stone  is  hard, 
cold,  and  unyielding,  blood  is 
fluid,  warm,  and  alive.  Cen- 
turies ago  the  apostle  Paul 
tried  to  make  the  Christians  at 
Corinth  understand  this  when 
he  wrote:  "...  for  the  letter 
kills,  but  the  Spirit  gives  life." 

The  system  of  the  Law,  like 
computers,  can  only  con- 
demn my  faults  and  ignore 
my  efforts.  Grace,  on  the 
other  hand,  can  forgive  my 
faults  and  understand  my 
efforts.  Which  is  exactly  why 
the  Word  became  flesh. 

"1  realize  the  computer 
doesn't  know  I've  been 
paying  ahead."  (I  said  this 
with  a  pretty  good  imitation 
of  patience.)  "I'm  calling 
because  I  need  to  know  if 
there  exists  a  record  of  my 
additional  payments." 

"Oh  yes,  ma'am!  I  have  it 
all  right  here  in  your  file." 

I'm  glad  there  was  a  per- 
sonal backup  for  my  financial 
account  and  it  was  not  totally 
at  the  mercy  of  a  computer 
system.  Likewise,  I'm  glad 
there's  a  personal  God  behind 
my  spiritual  account  and  my 
soul  is  not  at  the  mercy 
of  a  legalistic  system. 


Ai. 


Robin  Wentworth  Mayer  is  pastor  of 
Kolcomo  (hid.)  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

Stepping  Stones  is  a  column  offering 
suggestions,  perspectives,  and  opinions 
— snapshots  of  life — that  we  hope  are 
helpful  to  readers  in  tlieir  Christian  jour- 
ney. As  the  writer  said  in  herfrst 
inslalhncni.  "Remember  n'lten  it  comes 
to  managing  life's  difficulties,  tve  don't 
need  to  wall<  on  water  We  just  need  to 
learn  where  the  stepping  stones  are. " 


January/February  1998  Messenger  13 


BY  Fletcher  Farrar 

Since  August  when  she 
assumed  the  title  of  moder- 
ator of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Elaine  Soilen- 
berger  of  Everett,  Pa.,  has  immersed 
herself  in  the  role,  keeping  up  a  full 
travel  schedule  that  included  atten- 
dance at  six  district  conferences  in 
the  fall.  Annual  Conference  plan- 
ning meetings  in  Orlando, 
committee  meetings  in  Baltimore 
and  elsewhere,  and  numerous  trips 
to  Elgin.  When  she's  home  her 
phone  stays  busy  with  the  role  of 
conciliator  she  has  taken  on.  In  that 
role,  she  organized  a  major  sympo- 
sium on  Korea  and  the  global 

14  Messenger  January/February  1998 


mission  philosophy  held  in  Elgin  in 
December,  a  meeting  that  may 
become  a  model  for  resolving  differ- 
ences within  the  church. 

This  wasn't  what  Soilenberger 
had  planned  to  do  this  year.  But 
when  the  phone  rang  in  her  Pennsyl- 
vania home  on  the  Sunday  before 
Annual  Conference  last  summer,  she 
quickly  realized  that  this  was  not  just 
a  call  but  a  Call.  On  the  line  was 
then-moderator  David  Wine,  who 
explained  that  for  health  reasons 
moderator-elect  limmy  Ross  would 
be  unable  to  serve  as  moderator  for 
the  coming  year.  The  Annual  Con- 
ference officers  had  worked  with  the 
nominating  committee  of  Standing 
Committee  to  recommend  her,  and 


hi 


urcn  IS 

Moderatoi 
works  tc 


Standing  Committee  agreed.  Wine 
asked  if  she  would  accept  the  call. 

"It  came  not  only  as  a  shock,  but  as 
a  real  challenge  to  know  what  to  do," 
she  recalled  months  later.  She  asked 
how  long  she  had  to  decide.  "Eighteen 
to  twenty-four  hours,"  Wine  replied. 

She  had  held  the  position  eight 
years  before,  presiding  over  the 
1 989  Annual  Conference.  Prior  to 
that  she  served  as  chair  of  the  Gen- 
eral Board.  So  she  had  been  fully 
involved  in  the  issues  before;  this 
time  she  would  be  thrust  into  the 
middle  of  things  after  having  been 
away  from  denominational  business 
for  a  number  of  years. 

What  has  changed?  At  that  time 
the  denomination  was  considering  a 
major  restructuring  proposal;  now  it 
is  implementing  a  different  plan. 
"Many  of  the  same  issues  that  trou- 
bled us  now  troubled  us  then,"  she 
says.  A  global  mission  philosophy 
was  debated  then,  was  approved  and 
revised  twice  since,  and  the  issue  is 
still  hotly  debated.  "We  were  strug- 
gling financially  then  and  we're 
struggling  financially  now.  And  the 
sexuality  issue  is  still  with  us." 
Orlando  was  the  site  of  Annual  Con- 
ference when  she  was  moderator 
before;  this  year  Brethren  will  return 
to  a  bigger,  busier  Orlando. 


ve  rather  than  they 

Elaine  Sollenberger 
)ring  us  together 


Those  may  have  been  among  the 
thoughts  that  went  through  her  head 
when  she  was  asked  to  serve.  But  ulti- 
mately her  decision  was  simple.  "It 
seemed  any  reason  or  excuse  that  I 
could  come  up  with  to  say  no — and 
there  were  a  number  of  them — I  could 
not  defend  any  of  them,"  Sollenberger 


C( 


means  competition  in  which  one 
person  usually  wins  over  another 
person.  In  the  case  of  Annual  Confer- 
ence officers,  we  start  out  with  four 
candidates  and  then  eliminate  sev- 
enty-five percent  of  those  people  in 
order  to  get  one  that  will  serve.  1  just 
don't  like  the  idea  of  making  some 


I  don't  understand  what  really  is 

meant  by  liberal  and  conservative 

/  do  understa7id  what  'we'  and  'they' 
mean,  and  for  me  that's  worse. " 


says.  "Here  was  a  serious  illness  that 
prevented  somebody  from  doing 
something.  Generally  when  you're 
asked  to  help  someone  in  time  of  need 
or  trouble,  you  say  yes  if  you  can." 

So  she  said  yes,  and  felt  pleased  to 
have  been  asked.  "It  was  certainly  a 
very  affirming  time  for  me,  to  have 
this  come  to  me  in  that  way." 

Sollenberger  has  said  for  years 
that  to  be  called  by  the  church  to 
serve  feels  much  better  than  winning 
a  contested  election.  "  I  have  strong 
feelings  about  the  way  we  call  people 
to  serve,"  she  says.  "An  election 


Barrier-breaking 

moderators.  Elaine 

Sollenberger 

became  the  first 

woman  moderator 

in  1 989  when 

she  succeeded 

Bill  Hayes. 


people  winners  and  others  losers.  It 
has  diminished  our  leadership  pool. 
It  has  denied  many  people  with  gifts 
of  leadership  the  opportunity  to  use 
those,  and  for  the  church  to  benefit." 

Congregations  ought  to  examine 
the  issue  too.  "At  the  congregational 
level  we  sit  with  our  friends  and 
sometimes  our  relatives  in  a  business 
meeting  and  with  a  few  pencil  strokes 
we  eliminate  or  we  affirm.  When  you 
get  to  a  position  through  that  process, 
do  you  rejoice?  You  want  to  because 
you  want  to  serve.  But  in  your  rejoic- 
ing you're  probably  not  thinking 
about  the  disappointment  of  someone 
else  who  probably  would  have  done 
just  as  well  but  was  not  successful  in 


January/February  1998  Messenger  15 


Interagency  Forum: 

Can  A^inual  Conference 
become  more  of  a  hub? 

How  do  the  various  agencies  of  the  denomination  stay  in  touch  with 
each  other?  And  how  has  the  General  Board's  redesign  affected 
them? 

These  are  questions  facing  the  Interagency  Forum  (lAF),  a  group  begun  in 
August  of  1996  and  given  formal  life  by  Standing  Committee  at  last  year's 
Annual  Conference.  The  lAF  is  made  up  of  the  board  chairs  and  CEO's  of 
Brethren  Benefit  Trust,  General  Board,  and  Bethany  Theological  Seminary, 
plus  the  Annual  Conference  officers. 

"We  just  needed  a  formalized  time  to  sit  down  and  talk  with  each  other," 
said  former  moderator  David  Wine,  who  called  the  group  together  the  first 
time.  He  had  noticed  during  his  three  years  as  chair  of  the  General  Board 
before  being  elected  moderator-elect  that  the  various  groups  had  a  "lack  of 
trust  and  good  solid  communication."  The  lAF  has  met  quarterly  for  a  year 
and  a  half  now,  and  has  additional  meetings  scheduled  for  March  and  |une. 
Standing  Committee  designated  the  immediate  past  moderator  to  chair  the 
group  each  year,  so  Wine  serves  in  that  capacity  now. 

In  addition  to  its  job  of  aiding  communication  between  groups,  the  lAF  was 
given  an  assignment  by  Standing  Committee:  to  report  on  how  the  General 
Board's  redesign  has  affected  agencies  of  the  church  other  than  the  General 
Board,  including  the  lAF  members.  "So  this  year  we're  looking  at  the  organi- 
zational structures  of  the  total  church,  not  just  the  General  Board,"  Wine  said. 
"The  General  Board  redesign  is  done.  We're  not  redesigning  that  redesign  by 
any  means.  But  any  time  one  organization  redesigns  itself,  it  has  effects  for 
many  others.  It's  like  a  mobile  hanging  on  the  ceiling.  If  you  move  one  part  it 
moves  all  of  them."  The  lAF  intends  to  report  its  findings  to  Standing  Com- 
mittee in  Orlando  next  summer. 

"One  of  the  things  we  feel,  especially  the  Annual  Conference  officers,  is  that 
the  General  Board  has  downsized  itself,  and  changed  the  position  descriptions 
enough,  particularly  at  the  executive  director  level,  that  the  General  Board  can 
no  longer  be  the  only  unifed  board  of  Annual  Conference.  It's  more  obvious 
now  than  it  has  ever  been.  There  is  a  need  for  Annual  Conference  to  become 
more  of  a  hub  or  a  center  for  the  church." 

Wine  said  it  is  unclear  how  that  might  work  because  Annual  Conference 
now  has  a  modest  budget  and  staff,  geared  primarily  toward  putting  on  the 
actual  week-long  conference  each  year. 

Perhaps  church  archives  will  be  searched  for  answers.  "We've  moved  back 
to  a  pre- 1946  model,  where  there  are  multiple  boards  of  Annual  Confer- 
ence," Wine  said.  "Now  you  have  the  possibility  of  ABC  and  OEPA  and 
perhaps  other  agencies  wanting  to  report  to  Conference  as  well.  Everything 
we  did  prior  to  1946  to  make  a  change  to  one  unified  board  is  no  longer 
there.  That's  clear.  And  yet  it's  not  pre- 1 946  in  terms  of  paradigms  of  soci- 
ety. So  how  does  the  church  move  in  a  concerted  way  in  the  midst  of  all 
these  changes?" 

Stay  tuned. -F.F. 


getting  one  more  vote  than  you  did." 

How  would  it  work?  Who  decides 
who  gets  called?  "It's  not  for  me  to 
design  the  process,"  she  says,  but  it 
could  work  if  the  church  diligently 
designed  the  process.  "We  have  people 
who  work  at  calling  out  four.  Why  not 
work  at  calling  out  one  instead?"  She 
agrees  that  mistakes  could  be  made. 
Jesus  called  ludas  after  all.  But  mis- 
takes are  made  in  elections  too. 

As  she  said,  she  has  strong  feel- 
ings. Does  that  make  her  a  radical? 
"I'd  rather  be  labeled  a  radical  than  a 
conservative  or  a  liberal,"  she  said. 
She  is  frustrated  by  discussions  in 
some  parts  of  the  church  that  divide 
people  by  means  of  labeling.  "I  don't 
understand  what  really  is  meant  by 
liberal  and  conservative.  I  know  what 
the  perception  is  but  I'm  not  sure 
about  the  real  understanding." 

There  are  worse  labels.  "I  do 
understand  what  'we'  and  'they' 
mean,  and  for  me  that's  worse  than 
liberal  and  conservative."  Several 
times  in  the  interview  Sollenberger 
returned  to  this  subject,  as  though 
her  goal  as  moderator  is  to  get  more 
Brethren  to  talk  about  the  larger 
church  in  terms  of  "we"  rather  than 
"they."  When  she  addresses  district 
conferences  and  "brings  greetings" 
from  the  larger  church,  she  explains 
she's  really  bringing  them  greetings 
from  themselves.  She  wishes  the 
polity  that  allows  each  church  to 
have  a  voting  delegate  at  Annual 
Conference  would  make  more  feel  a 
part  of  the  "we."  "That  just  has  not 
worked  as  well  as  it  should  I  think." 

One  of  the  challenges  ahead  is  for 
the  church  to  "deal  creatively"  with 
the  redesigned  General  Board  staff 
structure  approved  by  Annual  Confer- 
ence last  year.  She  said  so  far  there  is 
more  confusion  about  the  redesign 
than  criticism  of  it.  "I  think  for  the 
most  part  we're  trying  to  work  with 
it."  At  district  conferences  she  has 
heard  a  lot  of  questions  about  the 
General  Board's  new  congregational 


16  Messenger  January/February  1998 


life  teams.  "We  have  not  yet  caught 
up  with  what  it  means  for  us." 

Is  there  any  danger  that  the  new 
congregational  life  teams  will  be 
oversold  and  unable  to  live  up  to 
their  billing?  "I'd  rather  over-expect 
than  the  opposite,"  Sollenberger 
replied.  "We're  grasping  for  some- 
thing. We  tend  to  shrug  off  what  we 
don't  expect  to  be  very  useful."  She 
said  there  is  concern  in  several  areas 


of  the  country  about  whether  there 
will  be  enough  congregational  life 
staff  positions  to  adequately  cover 
the  territory. 

The  goal,  she  said,  is  "to  get  the 
congregations  to  feel  that  they  are 
bigger  than  themselves  or  even  their 
districts,  that  somehow  we  lift  our 
vision  beyond  our  own  home  base." 
She  hopes  to  avoid  the  danger 
that  many  have  perceived  in  the 


At  home  in  Pennsylvania 

Soon  after  Elaine  Sollenberger  accepted  an  appointment 
to  fill  the  unexpired  term  on  the  board  of  New  Bedford 
(Pa.)  county  commissioners  in  1995,  she  became 
involved  in  a  smelly  political  battle.  In  a  fight  over  control  of  a 
landfill,  she  became  the  swing  vote  to  decide  who  would 
operate  the  regional  garbage  dump.  There  was  a  lot  of  politi- 
cal pressure  from  all  sides,  but  her  vote  resulted  eventually  in 
successful  reform  of  the  facility.  Now  two  years  after  her 
short  stint  on  the  board  was  completed,  the  county  is  selling 
the  landfill  to  a  private  owner,  which  is  what  Sollenberger 
thought  should  happen  all  along.  Sometimes  it  takes  years  to 
see  the  results  of  faithful  work  in  public  affairs. 

But  successful  reform  on  one  project  provides  strength 
to  plunge  into  the  next  controversy,  as  Sollenberger  has 
done  by  accepting  an  appointment  to  the  Bedford  County 
(Pa.)  Redevelopment  Authority.  That  group  is  currently 
trying  to  save  a  historic  hotel,  an  effort  opposed  by  power- 
ful interests.  "We're  in  litigation  up  to  our  ears,"  said 
Sollenberger.  In  fact,  a  judge  has  issued  a  gag  order  so  no 
one  involved  can  talk  about  the  project. 

Whether  leading  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  prepared 
her  for  Pennsylvania  local  politics,  or  vice  versa,  it  is  clear 
that  Sollenberger  has  plenty  of  experience  at  the  center  of 
controversy.  And  that  experience  serves  her  well  as  the 
moderator  of  a  contentious  church. 

Strong  support  from  her  family  and  her  congregation 
help  her  in  her  moderator  role  as  well.  She  and  her  hus- 
band, Ray,  are  both  semi-retired  from  the  family  dairy  farm, 
which  they  operated  together  for  many  years  and  where 
they  still  live.  The  jersey  dairy  operation  is  now  managed  by 
daughter  Lori  Knepp,  who  currently  serves  as  vice  chair  of 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board  and  has  served 
as  acting  chair  during  Chris  Bowman's  illness.  Lori  and  her 
husband.  Rex  Knepp,  a  computer  systems  operator  for  a 
paving  company,  have  one  daughter,  Morgan.  Elaine's 
other  daughter,  Beth  Sollenberger  Morphew,  lives  in  Elgin, 
111.,  where  she  serves  on  the  General  Board  staff  as  a  con- 


Elaine  and  Ray 
Sollenberger  1/7 

their  home  chiireh. 

the  Everett  (Pa.) 

Church  of  the 

Brethren.  The 

congregation  has 

been  "extremely 

supportive. " 


gregational  life  team  coordinator.  She  and  her  husband, 
Tim,  a  personnel  outplacement  counselor,  have  two  chil- 
dren, Keith  and  Craig.  The  Sollenbergers'  son,  Leon, 
moved  last  summer  from  Pennsylvania  to  Hawaii,  where  he 
is  pioneering  a  corn  silage  growing  operation  on  the  island 
of  Oahu.  He  hopes  to  cut  down  on  the  amount  of  feed 
needed  to  be  imported  for  feeding  Hawaii  dairy  herds. 

It  is  a  remarkable  family  that  provides  three  women  to  top 
leadership  positions  in  the  denomination  at  the  same  time. 
"I'm  pleased  about  all  of  that,"  says  the  mother  and  modera- 
tor. "But  we  would  never  have  put  this  together  in  this  way." 
She  says  the  three  have  worked  to  keep  their  areas  of  church 
responsibility  separate  from  family  affairs.  "Nobody  would 
have  planned  this  in  their  best  or  worst  moments." 

About  five  miles  from  the  farm  is  the  Everett  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  where  the  Sollenbergers  worship  with  about  200 
others,  and  where  Elaine  has  been  active  as  an  adult  Sunday 
school  teacher  and  a  music  leader.  Both  times  Elaine  Sollen- 
berger has  been  moderator,  in  1989  and  this  year,  her  home 
congregation  has  made  deliberate  efforts  to  support  her — by 
signing  up  to  pray  for  her  a  week  at  a  time  and  by  providing 
space  in  the  newsletter  for  news  of  her  travels.  "They  stop  me 
and  ask  me  how  things  are  going,  where  I'll  be  next,"  she 
said.  "They're  very  much  interested  and  extremely  support- 
ive." How  does  being  moderator  affect  her  attendance  at  her 
home  church?  "If  they  kept  attendance  I'd  be  out."-F.F. 


January/February  1998  Messenger  17 


redesigned  church  structure — that  it 
will  mean  congregations  will  turn 
inward  and  forget  about  the  world 
beyond.  "Our  leadership  is  going  to 
have  to  help  us  to  see  ourselves  as 
part  of  the  global  community."  She 
said  some  congregations  already 
have  a  global  vision  and  some  are 
involved  in  urban  ministries.  "Yet  as 
a  denomination  we  have  not  seemed 
to  do  as  well  with  that  as  we  had 
expected  we  would." 

is  there  a  new  role  ahead  for 
Annual  Conference  as  an  institution? 
Might  that  body  take  on  a  larger  role 

Buried  treasure 


The  Bible  school  lesson  for  kindergartners  at  the  High- 
land Avenue  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Elgin  was  the 
parable  of  the  buried  treasure  in  Matthew. 

After  the  story,  the  children  eagerly  dug  through  a  big 
bucket  of  sand  to  find  small  toys  the  teacher  had  buried 
for  them.  Then  they  filed  to  a  sink  in  the  hall  to  wash 
their  hands  before  having  a  snack. 

While  i  was  turning  on  and  off  the  water  and  dispensing 
paper  towels  to  the  happy,  dirty  crew,  6-year-old  Stephanie 
gave  a  determined  yank  on  my  shirttail.  I  looked  down  to  see 
her  standing  silently  beside  me  trying  to  draw  a  breath  and 
making  panicked  gestures.  She  couldn't  breathe.  1  called  for 


in  the  day-to-day  activities  and  oper- 
ations of  the  denomination? 

Sollenberger  says  she  is  "interested 
in  the  conversations"  regarding  a 
larger  role  for  Annual  Conference,  but 
she  sees  practical  difficulties.  Would 
the  moderator  be  given  more  to  do? 
"I  don't  know  how  I'd  handle  that 
much  more."  Would  an  expanded  role 
rule  out  having  a  moderator  who  has 
full-time  employment?,  she  asks. 
Would  Standing  Committee  need  to 
meet  two  or  three  times  a  year?  How 
much  would  that  cost? 

As  she  does  with  other  questions 


Symposium  on  Korea.  Sollenberger 
with  moderator-elect  Lowell  Flory 
at  the  December  1997  symposium 
she  called  to  air  differences  on 
global  mission  philosphy. 


facing  the  church,  Sollenberger  will 
willingly  plunge  into  the  middle  of  the 
problem  and  try  to  figure  out  what 
God  wants  done.  The  focus  of  Annual 
Conference  1998  is  faithfulness,  cen- 
tering on  Hebrews  1  1,  which  recalls 
the  biblical  figures  whose  faith  shaped 
history.  She's  hoping  the  theme  will 
challenge  the  church  to  faithfully 
plunge  ahead  together. 

She  recalls  the  Greek  mythological 
figure  of  Sisyphus,  who  was  doomed 
forever  to  roll  a  heavy  stone  uphill, 
only  to  have  it  always  roll  back  down. 
"There  are  times  when  I  think  that's 
what  happens  to  us  in  the  church. 
Somebody  gets  a  good  forward-look- 
ing idea  and  gets  this  rock  moving 
up  the  hill.  Then  he  or  she  is  labeled 
as  a  liberal  and  it  rolls  back  downhill. 
I  would  hope  we  could  just  become 
more  able  to  accept  each  other  as  we 
are  and  let  some  of  these  rocks     r-^^ 
get  to  the  top."  \^' 


Mike,  the  other  adult  helper,  who  immediately  scooped 
Stephanie  up  in  his  great  big  arms  and  squeezed  her  several 
times  in  the  middle.  His  modified  Heimlich  maneuver  was 
gentle  enough  to  keep  from  crushing  her  ribs,  but  strong 
enough  to  dislodge  the  obstruction  in  her  throat. 

When  the  air  rushed  in,  Stephanie  looked  up  at  us  with 
big  tears  and  said,  "My  quarter!"  She  had  swallowed  the 
little  offering  she  brought  for  Bible  school!  No  matter,  said 
the  doctor  in  the  emergency  room  later.  He  assured  her  she 
would  eventually  find  her  "buried  treasure." — |ulie  Career 

Messenger  would  tike  to  publish  other  short,  colorful,  anel  humorous  stories 
of  real-life  incidents  involving  Brethren.  Please  send  your  submission  to 
Messenger,  Brethren  Press, 1451  Dundee  Ave.,  Elgin,  IL  60120-1694  or 
e-mail  to  the  editor  at  jffarrar@miduiest.net. 


18  Messenger  January/February  1998 


■Bg 


Justice.^ 
Or  iust  us.> 


Another  way  of  living  in  solidarity  with  the  poor 

/  offer  the  following  possible 
implications  of  a  life  lived  with 
a  fuller  view  of  God's  blessing. 
I  intend  for  these  to  be  read  as 
food  for  thought  and  not  as 
a  recipe  for  faithful  living. 

STORY  AND  PHOTOS  BY  DaVID  RaDCLIFF 

People  around  the  world  are  remarkably  similar, 
given  the  wide  range  of  colors  and  shiapes  we  come 
in.  People  everywhere  enjoy  laughter  and  play, 
respond  to  ritual  and  rhyme,  and  are  generally  willing  to 
put  in  a  decent  day's  labor.  Yet  there  are  wide  disparities 
in  the  way  people  in  different  places  are  able  to  enjoy  life 
or  be  rewarded  by  their  work.  Indeed,  a  vast  number  of 
the  world's  people  struggle  to  survive,  living  without 
access  to  adequate  food,  water,  medical  care,  education, 
and  just  about  anything  else  beyond  life  itself.  For  many, 
even  this  precious  commodity  is  at  risk,  as  some  55,000 
children  die  each  day  around  the  world  from  hunger- 
related  causes.  Countless  others  have  so  little  of  the 
earth's  goods  at  their  disposal  that  they  are  consigned  to 


Children  are  among  those  most  directly  affected  by  the 

concentration  of  the  world's  wealth  in  the  hands  of  a  few. 
Some  250  million  children  aronnd  the  globe  work  for  a 
living  in  fields  and  along  roads  and  in  factories,  often  for  a 
few  cents  a  day.  Education  is  a  lu.xury  many  cannot  afford. 

January/February  1998  Messenger  19 


Some  one  billion  of  the  world's 
nearly  six  billion  people  live 
on  less  than  a  dollar  a  day. 

Feeling  the  pinch,  this  Guatemala 
family  needed  to  sell  its  newly 
acquired  hogs.  "There  is  not 
enough  grain  for  both  the 
children  and  the  pigs, "  the  father 
lamented.  How  can  you  get 
ahead  if  you  can '/  catch  up? 


endless  routines  whose  only  objective  is  to  simply  ensure 
survival  for  another  day. 

In  the  meantime,  other  people  on  this  same  planet 
enjoy  lives  of  luxury  unimaginable  to  their  less  fortunate 
neighbors.  Each  of  the  world's  upper  class  consumes  60- 
100  times  more  material  goods  than  those  in  the  survival 
class.  They  can  expect  to  live  15-20  years  longer.  Their 
children  are  10  times  more  likely  to  survive  childhood. 
While  in  many  places  medical  care  is  still  not  universally 
offered,  for  most  in  the  upper  class  it  is  state-of-the-art. 
For  significant  numbers  of  these  privileged  ones,  the 
struggle  is  not  for  adequate  food,  but  for  restraint  from 
consuming  too  much.  Meanwhile,  as  much  as  30  percent 
of  their  food  production  is  wasted  in  the  field,  in  storage, 
or  as  garbage. 

Those  of  us  in  the  Christian  tradition  affirm  that  God 
created  the  earth  and  its  bounty.  In  a  previous  article  [See 
"lohnny  Appleseed  got  it  wrong,"  November  1997],  I 
suggested  that  this  bounty  was  intended  to  be  shared  by 
the  earth's  people,  enabling  them  to  live  in  fullness  and 
health.  Indeed,  we  can  turn  to  biblical  institutions  such  as 
the  Sabbath  year  and  the  jubilee  year  to  point  us  in  this 
direction.  The  Sabbath  year  reminds  us  that  the  earth 
itself  is  not  to  be  taxed  beyond  replenishment,  and  should 
have  a  periodic  reprieve  from  humanity's  relentless  con- 
sumption. The  jubilee  year  was  provided  to  assure  that 
the  earth's  sustenance  was  not  effectively  hoarded  by  the 
fortunate  or  the  few — or  even  the  economically  astute. 


Other  biblical  texts  likewise  press  the  faith  community  to 
share  the  blessing  and  to  refrain  from  over-accumulation. 
Manna  provided  sustenance  for  each  according  to  their 
need.  People  without  means  of  support — widows,  orphans, 
strangers — were  to  be  provided  for  by  the  community  in 
which  they  reside.  And  everyone,  from  members  of  the  faith 
community  to  poor  non-believing  neighbors,  was  to  be 
treated  with  justice  and  compassion  in  economic  dealings. 

lesus's  own  teachings  resonate  with  these  themes, 
adding  to  them  the  call  to  sacrificial  love  for  others,  his 
own  example  of  deep  concern  for  people's  physical  and 
social  well-being,  an  overall  warning  about  the  lure  of 
material  prosperity,  and  the  longing  for  God's  kingdom 
to  come  "on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven." 

How,  then,  has  the  earth  been  apportioned  in  the  way 
that  it  has?  In  the  earlier  article,  I  proposed  that  our 
understanding  of  the  nature  of  blessing  was  at  least  in 
part  responsible.  If  we  begin  to  understand  God's  bless- 
ing in  a  different  way — as  intended  for  all  people — what 
then  does  this  mean  in  day  to  day  life? 

Generally,  I  tend  to  shy  away  from  such  prescriptions, 
as  I  believe  is  the  case  in  the  scriptures  in  general,  and 
particularly  the  New  Testament.  Our  daily  dealings  spring 
from  our  deeper  commitments  to  Christ  as  Lord  and 
Savior.  I  likewise  don't  readily  fall  in  behind  those  who 
claim  to  be  able  to  derive  sets  of  "biblical  principles"  that 
hold  true  for  all  time's  sake.  Our  faith — and  the  work  of 
the  Spirit — seems  much  too  dynamic  for  this. 


20  Messenger  January/February  1998 


LooI{  for  the  path  of  least  impact 
in  any  daily  action.  How  can  tve  do 
tuhat  we  do  with  the  least  negative 
consequence  for  God's  earth  and  its 
ability  to  sustain  humankjnd? 


Nevertheless,  I  offer  the  following  possible  implica- 
tions of  a  life  lived  with  this  fuller  view  of  God's  blessing. 
I  intend  for  these  to  be  read  as  food  for  thought  and  not 
as  a  recipe  for  faithful  living. 

What's  fair  is  fair.  I  often  wonder  what  "my  fair 
share"  of  the  earth's  bounty  is.  If  the  earth  can  only  pro- 
vide so  much  sustenance  for  its  human  residents,  are  we 
willing  to  live  within  our  quota?  For  example,  the  total 
amount  of  available  productive  land  in  the  world  comes 
out  to  about  3  acres  per  person.  Yet  an  average  of  10 
acres  per  person  is  required  to  support  the  lifestyle  of  the 
typical  US  citizen.  Could  my  family  live  on  our  fair  share 
of  the  earth's  productive  capacity?  Who  is  doing  with  less 
so  that  we  can  enjoy  more? 

Enough  is  enough.  Along  with  everyone  else  in 
our  society.  Christians  can  be  lured  into  a  consuming 
frenzy  by  wily  advertisers.  And  most  of  us  tend  to  spend 
just  about — or  just  beyond — what  our  income  allows.  Do 
we  have  the  spiritual  discipline  to  live  beneath  our  means 
and  to  turn  away  from  the  false  promise  of  the  "things 
equal  happiness"  equation?  There  is  a  true  sense  of  liber- 
ation in  being  able  to  peruse  a  sales  flyer  and  find  nothing 
of  interest.  How  often  are  we  able  to  do  this? 

Question  prosperity.  When  we  find  ourselves  in 
a  significantly  privileged  position  relative  to  the  world 
around  us,  we  must  be  willing  to  ask  why.  For  instance, 
when  the  stock  market  booms,  it  usually  means  that  the 
corporate  profit  picture  looks  good.  Why  is  this?  Sweat- 
shop laborers  in  another  country?  More  layoffs  at  home? 
More  efficient  extraction  of  the  earth's  bounty?  Military 
support  of  authoritarian  regimes  that  keep  their  workers 
from  seeking  higher  wages?  And  when  our  fields  continue 
to  bear  bountifully,  is  it  due  to  our  wise  stewardship  of  the 
soil,  or  from  over  dependence  on  chemical  fertilizers  and 
other  practices  that  are  not  sustainable  over  the  long 
term?  It  is  difficult  to  question  one's  own  prosperity. 

Think  ahead.  What  will  be  the  impact  of  our  con- 
sumption on  our  children  and  our  children's  children?  Do 
we  care  if  the  earth  someday  buckles  under  the  weight  of 


our  polluting  and  consuming  ways?  Will  each  of  us  depart 
this  earth  with  a  net  deficit — having  used  much  more  than 
our  share,  while  having  done  too  httle  to  replenish?  Or  are 
we  taking  care  to  leave  as  a  legacy  an  earth  with  no  less 
bounty  than  we  inherited  from  our  ancestors? 

Less  is  more.  Look  for  the  path  of  least  impact  in 
any  daily  action.  How  can  we  do  what  we  do  with  the 
least  negative  consequence  for  God's  earth  and  its  ability 
to  sustain  humankind?  It's  in  the  small  things  that  the 
battle  is  joined — the  car,  the  thermostat,  the  thrown-away 
bottle,  the  thoughtless  purchase. 

Get  involved.  There  are  ways  to  actively  work  to 
see  that  God's  blessing  is  shared  far  and  wide — which  is 
how  1  believe  God  wants  it  to  be.  In  our  own  church, 
programs  are  in  place  that  provide  economic  opportuni- 
ties for  people  in  poverty,  assist  in  restoring  the 
environment,  advocate  for  fairer  laws  and  government 
policies,  and  proclaim  the  gospel  of  justice  and  peace. 
Join  these  efforts. 

Stand  alone  together.  While  we  pride  ourselves 
on  individuality,  we  constantly  seek  the  affirmation  of  the 
crowd.  Living  a  different  way  will  set  us  at  odds  with 
society,  both  inwardly  and  outwardly.  This,  however,  is 
the  price  that  needs  to  be  paid  if  we  are  to  strike  out  in  a 
different  direction.  The  beauty  of  Christian  community  is 
that  if  we  do  this  together,  we  are  not  by  ourselves  when 
we  stand  alone. 

Stop,  look,  and  listen.  Remember  that  in  the 
end  our  lives  are  not  sustained  by  our  constant  pursuit 
of  prosperity.  Indeed,  our  faith  tells  us  that  this  is 
almost  certain  to  do  our  lives  in — and  adversely 
affects  the  lives  of  many  others.  God  provides.  We 
must  take  time  to  reflect  on  this  provision,  and  live 
like  we  believe  it.  There  is  joy  and  satisfaction  for 
those  who  do.  And  the  opportunity  for  God's  blessing 
to  be  extended  to  the  far  reaches  of  the  earth, 
which  is  right  where  it  belongs. 


Mi. 


David  RadcUffis  director  of  Brethren  Witness  on  the  General  Board  staff. 
January/February  1998  Messenger  21 


/e^A^ 


for  the  midclle-class  malaise 

A  new  boo\  says  church  financial  problems  are  linked 
to  its  overworked,  stressed-out  members 


BY  Fletcher  Farrar 

The  Crisis  in  the  Churches:  Spiritual  Malaise, 
Fiscal  Woe,  by  Robert  Wuthnow,  Oxford 
University  Press,  1997,  291  pages.  $30. 

^^  t  last  October's  General 
J^^  Board  meeting,  a  budget- 
/      '  weary  board  member  mused 
aloud:  "Wouldn't  it  be  great  if  we 
had  a  new  program  like  Adventure  in 
Mission?"  She  acknowledged  she 
was  too  young  to  have  actually  expe- 

22  Messenger  January/February  1998 


rienced  the  program  but  she'd  heard 
such  good  things  about  it.  Some  of 
us  in  the  room  who  had  joined  in 
that  'Adventure"  nodded  in  agree- 
ment. Yes,  it  would  be  great.  Because 
Adventure  in  Mission  wasn't  about 
fundraising.  It  was  about  steward- 
ship, about  giving,  about  changing 
our  lives. 

A  new  book  by  Robert  Wuthnow, 
sociologist  at  Princeton  University, 
similarly  urges  churches  to  keep  the 
stewardship  message  alive,  not  just  for 


the  benefit  of  the  institution  of  the 
church  which  needs  the  money,  but 
also,  even  primarily,  for  the  benefit  of 
its  members  who  need  to  give.  The 
Crisis  in  the  Churches:  Spiritual 
Malaise.  Fiscal  Woe  is  not  alone  in 
tracing  the  roots  of  church  financial 
difficulties  to  spiritual  problems.  But  in 
this  analysis,  the  root  spiritual  problem 
is  not  that  the  church  has  gone  astray 
by  leaning  left  or  right  or  endorsing 
some  unpopular  cause.  The  spiritual 
problems  are  rather  with  middle-class 


I 


church  members  who  feel  trapped  in  a 
materialistic  lifestyle  with  stressful  jobs 
and  too  many  bills  to  pay. 

The  problem  facing  churches 

Even  though  a  noticeable  few 
churches  seem  to  be  thriving,  the 
overall  economic  condition  of 
churches  is  dismal.  According  to 
Wuthnow,  "churches  are  experienc- 
ing an  unparalleled  economic  crisis." 
Revenues  are  dropping  off,  especially 
when  giving  is  adjusted  for  inflation 
or  considered  in  relation  to  family 
incomes.  A  Champaign,  111.,  group 
called  Empty  Tomb  reports  that  reli- 
gious giving  as  a  percentage  of 
family  income  has  been  on  a  down- 
ward course  for  the  past  two 
decades,  dropping  from  an  average 
of  3.1  percent  in  the  late  1960s  to 
2.5  percent  in  the  early  1990s.  They 
say  this  represents  a  loss  of  approxi- 
mately $2.8  billion  annually. 

The  percentages  of  income  that 
people  give  are  declining  at  a  time 
when  family  incomes  are  no  longer 
growing.  There  are  fewer  and  fewer 
members  of  churches.  And  the 
church  population  is  aging,  meaning 
there  are  more  and  more  retired 
people,  more  fixed  incomes,  and 
fewer  people  giving  at  the  same  levels 
they  did  before. 

So  the  local  church  suffers. 
Salaries  and  building  costs  are 
always  under  pressure.  Cost-cutting 
measures  are  implemented,  resulting 
in  lowered  morale  among  members 
and  staff.  And  denominational  pro- 
grams suffer  too.  Not  just  with  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  but  in  other 
denominations  as  well,  more  money 
is  being  kept  at  the  local  level  so  it's 
not  getting  to  the  national  church. 

But  in  addition  to  making  the 
case  that  the  economic  crisis  facing 


\he  number 
one  problem 

fa  ci  ng  ch  u  rch  es 
in  America 
today  is  not 
poverty  but 
affluence. 
We  are  poor 

because  we  have 
so  much. 


churches  is  serious  and  growing, 
the  author  lays  out  some  intriguing 
and  hopeful  potential  solutions  to 
the  problem. 

The  problem  is  with 
the  middle  class 

We  know  that  the  economy  is  grow- 
ing. And  we  have  a  strong  sense  that 
our  own  church  members  have 
enough  money  on  hand  to  make 
churches  grow  and  thrive  if  they 
would  only  fork  it  over.  So  we  begin 
to  ask  why  people  don't  give  more 
than  they  do.  One  frustrated  pastor 
is  quoted  here  complaining  that  his 
middle-class  congregation  didn't  feel 
motivated  to  give  to  the  poor  because 
they  think  they  are  the  poor. 

In  a  way  he's  right.  It  has  been  said 
that  the  number  one  problem  facing 
churches  in  America  today  is  not 
poverty  but  affluence.  We  are  poor 
because  we  have  so  much. 
"Affluenza"  is  the  spiritual  disease 
that  affects  us  all  in  strange  ways, 


while  most  of  us  don't  know  we  have 
it.  This  is  not  to  say  we  are  fabu- 
lously wealthy.  The  majority  of 
church  members  in  America  today 
belong  to  the  middle  class.  The 
median  household  income  for  church 
members  is  about  $45,000.  which 
is  probably  enough  to  satisfy  most 
families'  needs  and  still  leave  enough 
room  for  donations  to  charity. 

But  to  get  this  $45,000  many 
church  members  experience  extraor- 
dinary demands  on  their  time  and 
money.  Two-thirds  of  all  church 
members  who  are  employed  work 
more  than  40  hours  a  week.  Most  of 
them  say  they  have  little  or  no  energy 
left  over  for  other  things  when  they 
come  home  from  work.  The  jobs  they 
spend  all  that  time  at  are  not  so  great 
either.  About  a  third  say  they  are  dis- 
satisfied with  their  jobs.  About  half 
complain  of  high  pressure,  extreme 
competition,  or  lack  of  opportunities 
for  advancement.  More  than  half  say 
they  experience  significant  amounts 
of  stress  on  the  job. 

And  stress  at  home.  The  reason  so 
many  keep  those  jobs  they  don't  like 
is  because  they  have  too  many  bills  to 
pay.  Seventy  percent  of  employed 
church  members  say  they  have  wor- 
ried in  the  past  year  about  how  to 
pay  their  bills.  Virtually  all  church 
members  admit  to  wishing  they  had 
more  money.  And  more  time. 

It  is  a  real  dilemma.  We  know  as 
members  of  the  middle  class  we  enjoy 
tremendous  resources.  We  have  edu- 
cation, jobs,  nice  houses,  plenty  of 
food,  good  schools  for  our  kids,  and 
freedom  from  fear  and  violence.  But  at 
the  same  time  we  feel  overburdened 
with  too  much  work  and  too  many 
bills.  We  suffer  from  stress  and  anxi- 
ety. We  wonder  what  is  wrong. 
Sometimes,  though  not  often,  we  may 
even  turn  to  our  churches  for  answers. 


January/February  1998  Messenger  23 


w 


What  the  churches 
are  saying  about  work 

According  to  this  study,  most  churches 
and  most  pastors  don't  feel  adequate  or 
comfortable  addressing  the  economic 
part  of  our  lives.  So  they  say  little  about 
work  or  money.  And  that's  just  fine 
with  many  of  us,  who  don't  want  our 
pastors  to  meddle  in  our  financial 
affairs.  We  may  report  at  church  the 
details  of  our  upcoming  surgery,  but  if 
we're  worried  about  losing  our  jobs  or 
paying  our  bills  we  keep  quiet  because 
we  feel  we're  supposed  to  have  such 
things  under  control. 

Pastors  may  have  a  sense  that  not  all 
is  well  at  work.  So  they  preach  about 
work,  but  do  so  in  confusing  and  con- 
flicting ways.  They  sometimes 
emphasize  the  work  ethic,  and  remind 
us  that  God  expects  us  to  have  a  high 
level  of  commitment  to  our  work.  From 
this  we  get  the  idea  that  God  loves  us 
more  if  we  work  hard.  And  then  pastors 
emphasize  happiness,  that  God  wants 
us  to  be  happy  in  all  that  we  do.  The 
dual  messages  of  commitment  and 
happiness  may  not  seem  contradictory 
until  they  are  heard  by  somebody  who 
is  already  experiencing  stress  and 
burnout  on  the  job.  Does  God  want  me 
to  be  committed  to  my  work?  Or  does 
God  want  me  to  be  happy? 

Wuthnow  says  few  pastors  preach 
about  the  idea  of  calling  or  vocation. 
But  this  may  be  the  key  to  a  spiritual 
understanding  of  how  work  can 
become  more  satisfying.  Churches 
can  help  us  understand  how  our  work 
can  be  our  ministry,  and  that  our 
work  can  help  the  poor,  or  contribute 
to  the  benefit  of  the  environment,  or 
alleviate  suffering.  To  the  extent  that 
God's  work  can  become  our  work, 
then  our  forty  or  fifty  hours  a  week  on 
the  job  can  become  more  satisfying. 

What  the  churches 
are  saying  about  money 

Clergy  often  get  in  trouble  when  they 
talk  about  money.  So  pastors  tend  to 
shy  away  from  it.  or  mention  it  indi- 
rectly, or  in  conjunction  with  other  less 


'e  have  education, 

jobs,  nice  houses, 

plenty  of  food,  good 

schools  for  our 

}{ids,  and  freedom 

from  fear  and 

violence.  But  at  the 

same  time  tve  feel 

overburdened  ivith 

too  much  work^  and 

too  many  bills. 

painful  subjects.  We  are  used  to  hear- 
ing things  like,  "Remember,  God  wants 
us  to  give  of  our  time,  talents,  and 
resources."  When  our  pastors  do  get 
around  to  talking  about  stewardship,  it 
is  indirect.  "We  are  called  to  be  faithful 
stewards  of  all  of  God's  creation." 

Now  what  exactly  does  that  mean? 
It  is  understandable  that  parishioners 
might  not  catch  on  that  the  pastor  is 
really  trying  to  say,  "We  need  you  to 
put  more  money  in  the  plate."  The 
author  makes  a  case  for  pastors  to  be 
more  direct  and  explicit.  But  he  is  not 
calling  for  more  explicit  pleas  for 
money  so  much  as  he  is  asking  pastors 
to  think  clearly  and  talk  frankly  about 
the  role  of  money  and  the  concept  of 
stewardship.  They  must  realize  that 
money  is  not  only  the  solution,  it  is  the 
problem  as  well.  Only  by  seriously 
addressing  the  role  of  money  in  our 
lives  can  we  gain  the  freedom  and 
security  to  give  freely. 

When  churches  do  get  around  to 
asking  parishioners  for  money,  it  is 
sometimes  put  in  terms  that  we 
should  give  out  of  gratitude  for  our 
abundance  and  our  blessings.  But 


that  often  doesn't  connect  with  the 
congregation  because  many  are  up  to 
their  ears  in  credit  card  debt  and 
don't  feel  abundant  or  blessed.  Debt 
and  other  financial  difficulties  are 
spiritual  problems  of  the  middle  class 
and  must  be  addressed  before  people 
can  feel  free  to  give. 

So  how  do  churches  do  this? 
Several  suggestions  are  offered. 

1.  By  discussing  stewardship  more, 
not  less.  Stewardship  implies  "bal- 
ance" in  our  lives.  There  was  a 
time  in  American  history  when 
temperance  and  moderation  were 
common  watchwords  of  the  reli- 
gious community.  It's  time  to 
bring  them  back. 

2.  By  challenging  the  prevailing  ide- 
ology of  self-interest.  The  church 
may  teach  that  we  should  moder- 
ate our  personal  desires  and  be 
generous  because  all  we  have  is  a 
gift  from  God. 

3.  By  teaching  financial  responsibility. 
We  can  encourage  each  other  to  be 
prudent  and  keep  track  of  God's 
resources  that  are  entrusted  to  us. 

4.  By  challenging  the  gospel  of 
wealth.  In  subtle  ways  many  of  us 
subconsciously  believe  that  the 
haves  are  better  than  the  have- 
nots.  One  thing  likely  to  make  the 
church  half  as  large  yet  twice  as 
strong  would  be  taking  a  harder 
look  at  the  gospel  of  wealth. 

5.  By  playing  a  pastoral  role  on  con- 
cerns about  money.  Churches  can 
be  the  source  for  support  groups 
on  unemployment,  study  groups 
on  simple  living,  or  seminars  on 
financial  concerns. 

This  author  contends  that  by  tackling 
money  issues  and  money  problems 
head-on  churches  can  help  their  parish- 
ioners to  be  better  givers.  The  idea  is 
that  becoming  a  better  giver  is  a  way  to 
become  a  better  person,  not  just  a  way 
to  meet  the  church  budget.  Giving  is  an 
alternative  to  materialism  and  con- 


24  Messenger  January/February  1998 


a 


sumerism.  It  combats  selfishness. 

It  is  important  to  include  in  the 
message  that  giving  doesn't  make  you 
a  richer  person,  although  some  pas- 
tors preach  that  it  does.  The  author 
quotes  one  pastor  as  saying  if  you 
shovel  your  wealth  to  God,  God  will 
shovel  it  back  except  he'll  use  a  larger 
shovel.  Another  says  it  is  more  prof- 
itable to  give  than  to  receive.  But  this 
is  dangerous  doctrine,  and  implies  a 
selfish  motive  for  giving.  The  better 
message  is  that  giving  won't  make 
you  financially  better  off.  If  you  give 
money,  you  have  less  money,  but  you 
have  more  of  other  forms  of  blessing. 

Nor  is  giving  always  fun.  God  loves 
a  cheerful  giver,  but  if  you  wait  for 
cheerfulness  you'll  only  give  when 
you're  having  a  good  day.  Giving  is  a 
form  of  spiritual  discipline.  It  requires 
effort  and  must  be  based  on  commit- 
ment. It  is  hard  work.  But  it  is  also  a 
matter  of  grace.  It  happens  because  of 
divine  empowerment  that  facilitates 
and  enriches  the  experience  of  giving. 

Strategies  for  survival 

The  author  is  not  suggesting  minister- 
ing to  the  middle  class  as  a  neat 
fundraising  trick.  He  is  rather  calling 
the  churches  to  be  faithful  to  their 
own  members  who  are  suffering 
greatly  from  serious  pressures  of 
flabby  middle-class  life.  Churches 


]^^tetwU4^^U^ 


'hiirches  must 

help  their  members 

to  understand  their 

work^  as  ministry, 

to  cope  with  stress 

and  burnout, 

to  keep  their 

priorities  straight, 

and  to  manage 

their  resources  with 

greater  care. 

must  help  their  members  to  under- 
stand their  work  as  ministry,  to  cope 
with  stress  and  burnout,  to  keep  their 
priorities  straight,  and  to  manage  their 
resources  with  greater  care.  How  we 
work  and  how  we  spend  our  money 
are  serious  moral  issues  on  which  the 
churches  are  often  silent,  and  for  this 
silence  Wuthnow  reserves  his  harshest 
criticism.  "Clergy  are  reluctant  to  say 


Pot  pies 


much  about  anything  for  fear  of 
offending  or  for  fear  of  appearing 
stupid.  People  come  away  from  their 
sermons  as  they  might  from  a  lecture 
on  molecular  biology-uplifted  for 
having  been  exposed  to  something 
that  makes  no  difference."  By  failing 
to  address  these  issues,  the  church  is 
doing  little  more  than  "making  sin 
comfortable,"  he  writes.  He  quotes  a 
pastor:  "Sin  has  a  way  of  dulling  our 
senses,  and  the  church  is  interested  in 
keeping  its  patrons  coming  and  giving 
their  money  rather  than  calling  them 
to  holiness,  calling  them  to  reality, 
calling  them  to  the  fact  that  we  wor- 
ship a  crucified  God  and  not  some 
superhero,  and  that  there's  a  cost  to 
discipleship,  there's  a  cost  to  grace." 

He  concludes  that  now  is  the  time 
for  churches  to  challenge  young 
people  to  choose  careers  that  will 
serve  God  and  help  other  people 
rather  than  merely  pay  high 
salaries.  And  that  churches  should 
challenge  the  ethics  of  those  who 
make  large  sums  of  money  selling 
things  that  the  public  doesn't  need 
or  that  harm  the  environment. 
Churches  should  help  their  mem- 
bers with  the  problem  of  juggling 
work  and  family  commitments.  The 
church,  in  short,  has  an  obligation 
to  challenge  the  middle  class  to  lead 
unconventional  lives  of  dedica-   r-jnr] 
tion,  service,  and  sacrifice.  r*^! 


A  spirit  of  generosity  pervades  the  annual  Disaster  Relief 
Auction  in  Lebanon,  Pa.,  which  benefits  the  General 
Board's  Emergency  Disaster  Fund  and  other  regional 
organizations.  It  was  held  Sept.  26-27  at  the  Lebanon 
Area  Fairgrounds.  Last  fall  this  auction  spirit  was  best 
summed  up  by  . . .  pot  pies. 

An  unidentified  woman  attending  the  auction  with 
some  friends  had  stood  in  a  food  line  for  herself  and  for 
those  in  her  party.  After  a  long  wait,  the  woman  finally 
got  to  the  front  of  the  line,  and  her  food  of  choice  —  pot 
pies — was  handed  to  her  on  a  tray. 

As  she  went  to  her  seat,  Dave  Buckwalter,  a  local  auc- 


tioneer who  was  auctioning  on  stage  at  the  time,  saw  those 
pies  pass  by  on  their  way  to  be  devoured.  In  front  of  every- 
one, he  asked  if  he  could  have  a  little  for  himself. 

"You  wouldn't  have  asked  that  if  you  knew  how  long  1 
stood  in  line  for  these  pies,"  she  replied. 

"If  you  stood  in  line  that  long,"  Buckwalter  reasoned, 
"then  they  must  be  worth  something." 

Without  hesitation,  he  began  auctioning  off  the  entire 
tray.  Two  hundred  and  eighty  dollars  later,  the  woman's 
place  back  in  that  food  line  was  ensured! — Nevin  Dulabaum 

Messenger  would  like  to  publish  other  short,  colorful,  and  humorous  stories 
of  real-life  incidents  involving  Brethren.  Please  send  your  submission  to 
Messenger,  Brethren  Press, 1451  Dundee  Ave.,  Elgin,  IL  60120-1694  or 
e-mail  to  the  editor  at  jffarrar@midwest.net. 

January/February  1998  Messenger  25 


My  prayer  promise 


BY  David  Wine 

David  Wine  of  Abilene,  Kan.,  served  as 
Church  of  the  Brethren  Annual  Confer- 
ence moderator  from  1  996  to  1  997. 
Following  his  consecration  service  at 
the  Cincinnati  Annual  Conference  in 
July  1996,  Wine  addressed  conference- 
goers.  During  that  speech  he  vowed  to 
pray  an  hour  a  day,  a  day  a  month,  a 
week  a  year,  and  he  challenged  confer- 
encegoers  to  join  him. 

So  how  did  It  go?  Wine  explains: 

In  1990,  while  undergoing  a 
challenging  period  of  time  in  my 
vocational  life,  I  picked  up  a 
copy  of  Richard  Foster's  book  Cele- 
bration of  Discipline,  a  book  1  keep 
turning  back  to  time  and  time  again. 
The  book  challenged  me  to  do  more 
—  much  more  —  in  the  way  ol  prayer, 
meditation,  Bible  study  and  practic- 
ing other  Christian  disciplines.  I 
resolved  to  start  practicing  the  spiri- 
tual disciplines  in  a  new  and 
concerted  way. 

26  Messenger  January/February  1998 


Prayer  is  a  mighty  force 
because  it  connects  lis  in  new 
ways  so  that  God  becomes  our 
frien d  and  pa ren  t,  ra th er  th a n 
a  theory  or  concept. 


I  decided  to  covenant  to  be  in 
prayer  and  communion  with  God  an 
hour  a  day,  a  day  a  month,  and  a 
week  a  year.  Consequently,  my  call 
for  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  mem- 
bership to  join  me  in  that  discipline 
last  year  was  simply  a  continuation 
for  me  of  a  discipline  1  had  been 
practicing  for  several  years  already. 
Its  impact  on  my  life  encouraged  me 
to  want  others  to  experience  what  I 
had  discovered. 

People  often  ask,  "How  have  you 
done?  Are  you  really  able  to  do 
that?"  I  must  respond  yes  and  no. 


Yes,  I  have  stayed  with  the  covenant 
and  1  have  been  mostly  successful  at 
averaging  the  time  committed.  But 
do  I  miss  a  day  or  days?  Surely! 
But,  more  importantly,  I  am  also 
trying  harder  to  live  a  life  advocated 
by  Brother  Lawrence  of  being  in  the 
presence  of  God  on  a  continual 
basis  rather  than  only  at  set-aside 
times.  I  have  discovered  that  is  even 
more  difficult! 

You  see,  part  of  the  reason  I  made 
the  covenant  with  myself  is  that  I  am 
a  spiritual  babe.  I  need  the  discipline 
of  set-aside  time  in  order  to  stay  in 


communion  with  God.  If  I  were  more 
mature  I  would  seek  tiie  goal  of 
Brother  Lawrence  and  make  my  con- 
versations and  presence  with  God  a 
continual  dimension  of  my  life,  not 
one  that  needed  only  set-aside  time 
to  achieve.  I  am  working  at  making 
the  times  of  prayer  in  my  life  no  dif- 
ferent in  many  respects  from  the 
other  times  of  my  life — all  should  be 
dedicated  to  God. 

A  second  question  often  asked  by 
Brethren  this  past  year  to  me  is 
"What  difference  has  it  made  in  your 
life?"  My  response  is  an  immense 
one,  but  one  that  is  more  noticed  in 
my  inner  life  than  recognized  by 
others.  I  have,  of  course,  told  others 
that  my  family  notices,  and  they  do.  I 
am  nicer,  calmer,  more  sensitive, 
better  able  to  deal  with  the  myriad 
"crises"  that  erupt  from  time  to  time. 
It  might  better  be  said  my  family  can 
tell  when  I've  neglected  my  spiritual 
life!  The  same  could  be  said  about 
my  Mutual  Aid  Association  office 
"family"  as  well. 

Brother  Lawrence  wrote,  "There  is 
not  in  the  world  a  kind  of  life  more 
sweet  and  delightful,  than  that  of  a 
continual  conversation  with  God. 
Were  I  a  preacher,  I  should  above  all 


other  things  preach  the  practice  of 
the  presence  of  God."  I  can't  think 
of  a  better  way  to  describe  another 
result  of  a  deeper  prayer  life.  One 
begins  to  see  things  from  God's 
point  of  view  rather  than  our  own. 
The  world's  viewpoint  seems  less 
attractive  and  often  worldly  matters 
almost  seem  repulsive  to  me  when 
I'm  doing  my  best  at  practicing  the 
presence  of  God. 

Some  of  the  results  of  my  focus  on 
prayer  life  have  been  the  following: 

•  I  become  slower  to  react 
defensively  or  angrily. 

•  I  am  more  ready  to  forgive. 

•  I  am  better  able  to  understand 
the  radical  nature  of  the  gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ — otherwise  it 
does  seem  as  foolishness. 

•  Prayer  helps  convince  me  of 
God's  existence  and  Christ's 
forgiveness. 

•  Prayer  has  made  me  more 
sensitive  to  others  and  the 
need  to  live  in  community. 

•  During  prayer,  God's  creation 
almost  burns  in  ecstasy  at  times! 


•  Prayer  helps  prioritize  what 
really  matters  in  life! 

•  Prayer  helps  make  me  a  more 
sensitive  husband,  father,  and 
manager. 

This  journey  has  also  made  me  very 
aware  that  I  knew  a  whole  lot  about 
God  but  that  was  much  different  than 
knowing  God!  We  often  confuse  our 
God-talk  and  God-knowledge  with 
faithfulness.  Nothing  could  be  further 
from  the  truth.  Indeed,  |esus  con- 
demned the  religious  leaders  who 
knew  all  the  law  to  the  smallest  detail 
yet  failed  to  see  its  application  in 
their  daily  lives. 

We  often  succumb  to  the  same 
trap.  We  study  Christian  doctrine, 
know  what  the  scriptures  say,  and 
yet  God  remains  distant  and 
unreachable.  We  confuse  knowledge 
with  knowing.  Knowing  comes  only 
through  relationship,  and  relation- 
ship comes  from  conversation  and 
listening.  We  have  to  know  someone 
before  we  can  love  that  person. 
Prayer  is  a  mighty  force  because  it 
connects  us  in  new  ways  so  that  God 


Wi 


becomes  our  friend  and  parent, 
rather  than  a  theory  or  concept. 


January/February  1998  Messenger  27 


Im 


"I  commend  the  Messenger  editor  for  his  excellent 
November  editorial  concerning  the  Redesign  Program 
and  I  regret  that,  come  December,  Kermon 
Thomasson's  editorials  will  be  coming  to  an  end." 


Glitches  building  a  church 

I  commend  the  Messenger  editor  for 
his  excellent  November  editorial  con- 
cerning the  Redesign  Program  and  I 
regret  that,  come  December.  Kermon 
Thomasson's  editorials  will  be 
coming  to  an  end.  As  the  mortician 
said  to  his  departing  assistant,  "Good 
luck  in  whatever  you  may  undertake." 
Redesign  of  an  organization  can  be 
done  for  many  reasons,  some  of  them 
good,  some  not  so  good.  But  it  seems 
to  me  that  a  money  crunch,  such  as 
our  own,  has  got  to  be  among  the 
best  of  circumstances  in  which  any 
organization  can  undergo  redesign.  A 
clear  purpose  for  change  (lack  of 


From  the 
On  Earth  Peace  Assembly 

Program  Coordinator/ 
Development  Associate 

Church  of  the  Brethren  peace  education 
organization  located  at  the  Brethren 
Service  Center  in  New  Windsor,  Md., 
is  seeking  a  full-time  Program  Coordi- 
nator/Development Associate  to  begin 
work  on  Sept.  I.  1998.  Responsibilities 
include  carrying  out  OEPA's  Peace 
Academy,  Conllict  Resolution  Teams, 
Summer  Peace  Camp,  Winter  Inter- 
Term,  and  other  peace  education 
programs,  as  well  as  assisting  with 
ongoing  fund  raising  efforts. 

Requirements 

Bachelor's  degree  required.  Some 
theological  and  program  management 
experience  preferred.  E.xperience  with 
computers,  conflict  resolution,  medi- 
ation, and  acceptance  of  the 
scriptural  basis  of  biblical  peacemak- 
ing strongly  preferred. 

Letters  of  application,  resume,  and 
three  references  must  be  sent  b\  Marcli 
51  to:  Tom  Hurst.  OEPA.  PC  Box 
188.  New  Windsor.  MD  21  776-0188. 


money)  is  the  best  morale-booster 
available,  for  those  who  are  required 
to  live  through  the  temporary  chaos, 

I  see  cause  for  concern,  however, 
regarding  our  expectations  for  the 
reorganization  plan.  Some  of  these 
may  be  unreasonable.  Will  a  new 
denominational  structure  lead  to 
spiritual  renewal?  Not  in  and  of 
itself.  Or  will  our  denomination  be 
destroyed?  Almost  certainly  not. 

One  certainty  is  that  there  will  be 
some  "glitches."  When  I  was  still  a 
preschooler,  my  father  pastored  a  con- 
gregation that  built  a  new  church 
building.  The  architect  didn't  run  any 
heat  to  the  nursery.  He  thought  that, 
with  heated  rooms  on  all  sides  the  nurs- 
ery would  stay  warm.  He  was  wrong. 

But  despite  months  of  building 
committee  meetings,  at  which  the 
blueprints  were  repeatedly  discussed, 
nobody  ever  noticed  the  problem 
until  the  new  church  was  actually 
built  and  the  nursery  got  cold. 


Three  steps  toward  a  better  world 

STEP  1 :  Pick  one  of  the  statements  below 

•  I  will  write  or  call  for  my  BVS 
application  today. 

•  I  will  talk  with about 

BVS  and  challenge  them  to  apply. 

•  I  will  learn  more  about  BVS  by  get- 
ting inforination  about  the  program 
and  then  will  share  my  new  know- 
ledge with  at  least  one  other  person. 

STEP  2:  Say  it  out  loud,  preferably  to 
another  person. 

STEPS:  DO  IT! 

For  more  information  or  an  application 
form  contact  llie  Brelltren  Volunteer  Ser- 
vice Office.  (SOO)323-S039. 


Nobody  is  perfect.  No  one  can 
always  think  of  everything,  because 
some  problems  remain  hidden  until 
other  changes  start  to  be  made.  Luck- 
ily, though,  it  is  always  much  cheaper 
to  fix  "glitches"  in  a  reorganization 
plan  than  to  remodel  a  building. 

Bill  Bowser 
Martinsbiirg.  Pa. 

More  on  Johnny  Appleseed 

I  want  to  thank  Kermon  Thomasson 
and  David  Radcliff  for  their  attention 
to  lohnny  Appleseed  in  the  Novem- 
ber Messenger  [See  "Johnny 
Appleseed  got  it  wrong"]. 

The  Messenger  arrived  as  I  was 
trying  to  come  up  with  a  creative 
approach  to  an  interfaith  sermon  I 
had  been  invited  to  preach  for  a  com- 
munity Thanksgiving  service.  After  I 
read  the  November  Messenger, 
lohnny  Appleseed  emerged  as  the 
central  character  of  my  sermon,  not 
simply  because  "he  got  it  wrong,"  but 
also  because  he  got  it  right. 

The  "Johnny  Appleseed  Song"  indeed 
affirms  that  it  is  the  Lord  who  gives,  yet 
this  prayer-song  ends  oddly,  even 
heretically!  It  ends  not  in  the  name  of 
Lord  Krishna  or  Lord  |esus.  nor  even  in 
the  name  of  Yahweh  or  Allah,  but  in  the 
name  of  "lohnny  Appleseed.  Amen!"  It 
ends  in  the  name  of  a  religious  minori- 
tarian,  a  dissenter  and  a  heretic  whose 
unorthodox  work  of  planting  apple 
trees  contributed  to  the  common  good, 
reminding  us  that  it  is  in  the  end  "With 
Many  Voices  a  Common  Thanks." 

Scott  Holland.  Pastor 
Moinveville  (Pa.)  Church  of  the  Brethren 

Don't  donate  for  killing 

How  can  I  work  for  peace  if  I  pay  for 
war?  Is  paying  for  murder  less  evil 
than  pulling  the  trigger  myself? 
Millions  of  Vietnamese,  Cambodians, 
Laotians,  Japanese,  Salvadorans, 
Iraqis,  Koreans,  and  Germans  begged 
their  gods  to  protect  them  as  US 
bombers  destroyed  their  homes  and 
massacred  their  families.  Some  of  the 
victims  prayed  to  |esus.  Their  tears  and 


28  Messenger  January/February  1998 


blood  flowed  amid  their  screams  and 
moans  while  "Christians"  in  the  United 
States  paid  taxes  to  build  and  fly  the 
US  bombers  and  sang  every  Sunday 
about  God's  love  for  all  people. 

The  US  military  robs,  tortures,  ter- 
rorizes, and  kills  far  more  people 
than  all  the  US  street  gangs,  armed 
robbers,  drug  dealers,  serial  killers, 
and  Mafia  combined. 

If  someone  comes  to  my  door  col- 
lecting money  for  a  local  gang  to  rob 
and  kill  my  neighbors,  would  I 
donate?  Would  I  donate  even  a  dollar 
if  I  knew  any  of  the  money  collected 
went  to  kill  my  neighbors — no  matter 
if  the  rest  of  it  went  to  feed  the  home- 
!  less  and  to  build  schools? 

I  keep  my  taxable  income  under  the 
taxable  level.  For  a  sighted,  single  person 
under  65,  the  taxable  level  for  1 997  is 
$6,800. 1  lived  well  in  1 996  on  $5,700. 

1  am  glad  to  have  no  car,  no  big 
apartment  or  house,  no  luxury  vaca- 
tions in  order  to  live  under  the  taxable 
level.  1  prize  living  the  truth  as  best  I 
!  see  it  far  more  than  I  value  unneces- 
sary things.  In  order  for  the  US  to 
plunder  and  to  massacre,  two  things 
are  required  from  many  citizens — 
silence  and  paying  taxes.  For  18  years 
I  have  paid  no  federal  income  tax  and 
I  sure  as  hell  am  not  silent! 

Don  Sell  racier 
Albuquerque.  N.M. 


Pontius'  Puddle 


Send  payment  for  reprinting  "Pontiiii  Puddle"  from  Messenger  to 
Joel  Kauffmann,  III  Carter  Road,  Goshen,  IN  46526.  $25  for  one 
time  uie.  $10  for  second  strip  in  same  issue.  $10  for  congregations. 


CHECK  OUT  ARIZONA! 


Community  Church  of  the  Brethren 
1 1 1  N.  Sun  Valley  Boulevard 
Mesa,  AZ  85207  (602)  357-981 1 

Sunday  Services      10:15  AM 

Glendale  Church  of  the  Brethren 
7238  N.  61st  Avenue 
Glendale,  AZ  85301      (602)937-9131 
Sunday  Services      10:30  AM 

Phoenix  First  Church  of  the  Brethren 
3609  N.  27th  Street 

Phoenix,  AZ  85016      (602)  955-8537 
Sunday  Services      10:45AM 

Tucson  Church  of  the  Brethren 
2200  North  Dodge  Boulevard 
Tucson,  AZ  85716       (520)  327-5106 
Sunday  Services      10:30  AM 


AS  A  UVPMOTisr,  IdAKl 
5EMD  A  SOBOETCT  llJTO  AKl 
OMCONSCIOOS  STATE  Tjy 
SASIN&-  R  2IU0-LC  WORO. 


THAT'S  NOT^lNO-. 
AS  A  PASTOR.TCAN 
DO  THE  SAME  raiUCr 
WITH  ftWtNTv«,t 
C.OM&R.E(rATlOlv).. 


WOW.  WHAT'S 
THE  WORP? 


u  o         0 


STE:WA(?OSrt>T>l 


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INVITATION 

Cincinnati  Church  of  the  Brethren  fellowship 

meets  for  worship  &  support  in  n,e.  area  of  Cincin- 
nati. We  welcome  others  to  join  us  or  bring  needs  to 
our  attention.  Contact  us  c/o  Cincinnati  Friends  Meet- 
ing House,  8075  Keller  Rd..  Indian  Hill.  OH  4S243.  Tel. 
(s'l3)  956-^^33, 

Come  worship  in  the  Valley  of  the  Sun  with  Com- 
munity Church  of  the  Brethren  at  111  N,  Sunvalley 
Blvd.,  Mesa,  AZ  86207.  Mail  to:  8343  E.  Emelita  Ave,, 
Mesa,  AZ  85208,  Tel,  (602)  357-9811, 


Coming  to  Florida  this  winter?  Come  to  Braden- 
ton-Sarasota  area.  Good  Shepherd  Chiu'ch  of  the 
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tions, Sunday  school,  Saints  Alive,  Brethren  bowling 
league,  arts  and  crafts,  quilting,  tour  groups,  &  great 
fellowship  meals.  Contact  pastor  Don  White  at  (941) 
792-9317  or  758-0988. 

POSITIONS  AVAILABLE 

Vice  President  for  Student  Life.  Goshen  College 
seeks  applicants  for  Vice  President  for  Student  Life 
beginningjuly  1, 1998.  The  candidate  must  have  solid 
administrative  and  supervisory  experience  in  an  aca- 
demic environment,  the  ability  to  budget  carefully 
and  an  advanced  degree  (doctorate  preferred)  in  an 
appropriate  academic  area.  The  Vice  President  for 
Student  Life  is  on  the  President's  Council,  reports  to 
the  Provost  and  directs  the  Student  Life  Division.  The 
successful  candidate  must  be  approachable,  fair,  enjoy 
students,  work  collaboratively  within  and  across  divi- 
sional lines,  and  be  an  advocate  of  the  college  in  the 
community  and  the  church.  Strong  writing  and  public 
speaking  skills  are  required.  Goshen  College,  an  affir- 
mative action  employer,  is  committed  to  Christian 
beliefs  as  interpreted  by  the  Mennonite  Church. 
Applications  from  women  and  people  from  under- 
represented  groups  are  strongly  encouraged.  Send  a 
letter  of  application,  including  philosophy  statement 
concerning  student  life  at  a  Christian  liberal  arts  col- 
lege, resume,  unofficial  transcripts  and  three 
professional  references  tojohn  D.  Yordy,  Provost. 
Goshen  College,  Goshen,  IN  46526;  telephone: 
(219)  535-7501;  fax:  (219)  535-7060;  e-mail: 
provost@goshen.edu;  website:  http://www.goshen.edu. 
Applications  will  be  accepted  until  the  position  is  tilled. 

The  Young  Center  for  the  Study  of  Anabaptist  and 
Pietist  Groups  At  Elizabethtown  College  invites 
applications  and  nominations  for  CENTER  FELLOW, 
Fall  1998,  Spring  1999,  Summer  1999.  Send  inquiries 
to:  David  Filer,  Director,  The  Young  Center, 
Elizabethtown  College,  Elizabethtown,  PA  17022. 
Phone  (717)  361-1470,  Fa.x  (717)  361-1443.  e-mail- 
youngctr(3  acad.etown.edu 

DIABETICS  SERVICE 

Diabetics:  If  you  have  Medicare  or  insurance,  you 
could  be  eligible  to  receive  your  diabetic  supplies  at 
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January/February  1998  Messenger  29 


Iiiriiiiiff  Points 


New 
Members 

Note:  Congregations  are  asked 
to  submit  only  the  names  of 
actual  new  members  of  the 
denomination.  Do  not  include 
names  of  people  who  have 
merely  transferred  their  mem- 
bership from  another  Church  of 
the  Brethren  congregation. 

Akron,  Akron.  Pa.:  Daniel 
Good,  Clarence  Brubaker, 
lennifer  Murphy,  [oseph 
Morgan.  Kevin  Brubaker. 
Michael  Hoshour 

Bear  Creek,  Dayton.  Ohio: 
Erin  Erbaugh 

Beaverton.  Beaverton  Mich.. 
baptism:  Theresa  Coats 

Brownsville,  Brosvnsville. 
Md.:  Sarah  Cogle,  Nathan 
Kaetzel,  fason  Stocks, 
Michael  Mills.  Dan  Cray- 
ton.  Timmy  Hagan,  Charity 
Heffner.  Lee  Heffner,  Chaz 
Himes.  )ohn  Smith.  Esther 
Kidweli,  Cindy  Bowers,  |oel 
Bowers 

Canton,  Canton.  111.:  Mendy 
Kessler,  Kasey  Kessler 

Champaign.  Champaign,  III.: 
Plippip  Hansen.  Shannon 
Davison 

County  Line.  Champion,  Pa.: 
Kallie  Long 

Donncls  Creek.  North  Hamp- 
ton, Ohio:  Berneta  DeMent, 
Betty  Riley 

Elizabethtown,  Elizabelhlown. 
Pa.:  Dale  &.  Lois  Brown 

Elkhart  Valley,  Elkhart,  Ind.: 
Holli  Hainiill.  Michael 
Kennel 

Elm  Street.  Lima,  Ohio:  Larry 
&  lanice  Biglow 

First  Central.  Kansas  City. 
Kan.:  Matthew  Eis. 
Michelle  McTaggart 

Friendship,  Linthicum,  Md.: 
Al  Brocato.  Rebecca 
Bowers.  Lee  Ann  Butler. 
Allen  Byers,  Dawn  Cham- 
berlain 

Good  Shepherd.  Blacksburg. 
Va.:  Steve  &i  Ellen  Darden 

Hooversville.  Hooversville, 
Pa.,  by  baptism:  Elaine 
Karashowsky,  Christopher 
Karashowsky.  Anthony 
Karashowsky.  Clara 
Koontz,  Danielle  Koonlz. 
Dennis  Koontz 

Hope,  Freeporl,  Mich.:  Krista 
Posthumus 

Maple  Grove.  Ashland,  Ohio: 
Mark  &  Gale  Andress,  Lois 
Becker.  Tim  &  Debbie 
Bernhard 

McPherson,  McPherson,  Kan.: 
Darren  &  Shelly  Hendricks 


Mechanic  Grove.  Quarryville, 

Pa.:  Krissie  Kipp 

Midland.  Midland.  Va.: 
Nathan  Andrew  Beahm. 
Hannah  Ruth  Beahm.  Carol 
Lee  Cornweii.  Carrie  Eliza- 
beth Nell,  Jennifer  Slechta 
Curry 

Myerslown.  Myerstown,  Pa,; 
Sara  Keller.  William  Keller. 
Daniel  Landis.  Robert 
Dubble.  Erin  Hoffer,  Eric 
Keller,  Cole  Martin,  Travis 
Hibshman,  Samuel  Ki'all, 
Sherrie  Keller.  Crystal  Keller, 
Lamar  Fahnestock.  loanne 
Fahnestock.  Crystal  Hatt 

Osceola.  Osceola.  Mo.: 
Martha  .Anderson 

Pleasant  Dale.  Decatur,  Ind.: 
Landon  Adler.  Jed  Carter, 
Ion  Geyer.  Kipp  Blake, 
Sarah  Durnbaugh.  Caleb 
Soldner 

Pleasant  View.  Burkittsviile. 
Md.:  Patsy  Vasquez,  Earl  & 
loan  Wean.  Marie  Chaney, 
Pastor  Teri  Greiser  and 
Karen  Greiser 

Rockwood,  Rockwood.  Pa.: 
Tracey  Carter.  Pamela 
Lowery 

Sebring.  Sebring,  Fla.:  Gerald 
&  Rosella  Nelson 

Sheldon.  Sheldon.  Iowa:  Dou- 
glas Osterbuhr.  Nancy 
Osterbuhr,  Clint  Osterbuhr 

Syracuse,  Syracuse,  Ind.: 
Steve.  Deb,  |ason,  Chris,  & 
John  Van  der  Reydon.  Paul 
&  Kim  Davis 

Thurmont,  Thurmont.  Md.: 
Dee  Albright.  Tammy  Crea- 
ger.  lennifer  Lowe.  Thad 
Bittner 

Virden.  Virden,  111.;  Lynne, 
Crystal,  and  Stephen  Dunn 

West  Charleston.  Tipp  City. 
Ohio;  Inoua  Kodomalo. 
Mary  Owen 

West  Eel  River.  Silver  Lake, 
Ind.:  lohn  and  lanice 
Teeter,  ludy  Enyeart 

Yellow  Creek,  Goshen,  Ind.: 
Garza,  Agapita 

York  Center.  Lombard,  111.; 
Gail  Clark,  Karen  Lease, 
Diane  Mruk.  Keith  Mruk 

227th  BVS 
Orientation  Unit 

(Completed  orientation  in 
Bethel,  Pa.  Oct.  10.) 

Nathan  Backus,  Lincoln  Park, 
Mich.,  to  Gould  Farm, 
Monterey.  Mass. 

Barnhart,  Andrea.  Boones 
Mill,  Va.,  to  Community 
Family  Life  Services,  Wash- 
ington, D.C. 


Burkhart,  Raenya,  Deer  Isle, 
Maine,  to  Community  of 
Hospitality-Cafe  458, 
Decatur.  Ga. 

Collett,  Melissa.  Upland, 
CaliL  to  Office  of  News  & 
Information  Services, 
Church  of  the  Brethren 
General  Offices,  Elgin.  111. 

Copp,  Miriam.  Richland.  Pa. 
to  Su  Casa  Catholic 
Worker,  Chicago.  111. 

Davidson,  Karin,  Lebanon,  Pa.. 
to  Office  of  Brethren  Wit- 
ness, Church  of  the  Brethren 
General  Offices,  Elgin,  111. 

Davies,  David.  Swansea. 
United  Kingdom,  to  Boul- 
der Hill  Neighborhood, 
Montgomery,  111. 

Grimes,  Kristin.  Waynesboro, 
Pa.,  to  Casa  de  Esperanza  de 
los  Ninos,  Houston.  Texas 

Hartmann,  Geelke.  Oster- 
holz/Scharmbeck,  Germany 
to  Catholic  Worker  House, 
San  Antonio,  Texas 

Hess.  Ruth,  Falls  Church. 
Va..  to  Camp  Bethel. 
Fincastle,  Va. 

foseph,  Megan,  Onekama. 
,\lich.,  to  Casa  de  Esper- 
anza de  los  Ninos,  Houston. 
Texas 

(ossart,  Cary,  Racine,  Wis.,  to 
Kilcranny  House.  Col- 
eraine.  N.  Ireland 

Knepper,  Richard,  Winter 

Garden,  Fla.,  to  ZSA,  Poland 

Kruft,  Stephan.  Rheinbrohl. 
Germany  to  Tri-City  Home- 
less Coalition,  Fremont, 
CaliL 

Lehman,  lessica.  Elgin,  III.,  to 
N.  Ireland  Children's  Holi- 
day Scheme,  Belfast,  N. 
Ireland 

Lucas,  Troy,  Anderson.  Ind.. 
to  Brethren  Woods,  Keezle- 
town.  Va. 

Mackie,  Trina.  Frankenmuth, 
Mich.,  to  Pesticide  Action 
Network,  San  Francisco. 
Calif. 

Matthies.  Cathi,  Uslar,  Ger- 
many, to  Catholic  Worker 
House,  San  Antonio,  Texas 

Nolen.  Heather,  Forest.  Va.,  to 
Washington  Office.  Wash- 
ington. D.C. 

Platchek,  leremy.  Pottstown, 
Pa.,  to  Camp  Harmony, 
Hooversville,  Pa. 

Plate,  Annika,  Pinneberg,  Ger- 
many, to  Bridgeway, 
Lakevvood.  Colo. 

Reich,  Travis,  New  Hope,  Va, 
to  Washington  City  Soup 
Kitchen.  Washington,  D.C. 

Risser,  Gregory,  Manheim. 
Pa.,  to  Gould  Farm,  Mon- 
terey, Mass, 


Stepp,  Laura,  Newport  News, 
Va.,  to  Pesticide  Action 
Network,  San  Francisco, 
Calif. 

Stiles,  Robert,  Hillsboro,  Mo.. 
to  Catholic  Worker  House, 
San  Antonio.  Texas 

Stover,  lennifer,  Quinter. 
Kan.,  to  Community  of 
Hospitality-Cafe-458, 
Decatur,  Ga. 

Szyraanska,  Anna,  Inowro- 
claw,  Poland,  to  Tri-City 
Homeless  Coalition,  Fre- 
mont, CaliL 

Wave,  Bryan,  Kaleva.  Mich.,  to 
Interfaith  Council/Home- 
less. Chicago,  111. 

Wood,  Christopher,  Char- 
lottesville, Va..  to  Camp 
Myrtlewood.  Myrtle 
Point.  Ore. 

Wedding 
Anniversaries 

Bartlelt,  Dr.  U.C.  and  Flossie, 

Union  town.  Pa..  55 
Berkley,  Clyde  and  Nancy, 

Danville,  Va..  50 
Blake,  Victor  and  Irene, 

Elkhart,  Ind.,  55 
Blevins,  Donald  and  Wilda, 

Donnels  Creek.  S.  Ohio.  50 
Bowman,  Fred  and  Wanda, 

Bridgewater,  Va.,  50 
Bowman,  James  and  Merle, 

Wenatchee,  Wash.,  60 
Brandon,  Louis  and  leanne, 

Goshen,  Ind.,  50 
Eshleman.  James  and  Helen. 

Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  50 
Funderburg,  Melvin  and 

Wilda,  New  Carlisle. 

Ohio.  50 
Gordon,  Ralph  and  loyce, 

Elkhart,  Ind..  50 
Greiner,  Bob  and  Edna. 

North  Manchester,  Ind.,  55 
Groth,  Norman  and  Esther. 

Independence,  Western 

Plains,  50 
Harbaugh,  Merlin  and  Melba. 

Waterloo,  Iowa,  50 
Heisey,  Enos  and  Jane, 

Lebanon,  Pa.,  55 
Hettler,  James  and  Marjorie. 

Silver  Lake,  Ind.,  55 
Higdon.  Leonard  "Pete"  and 

lunc.  Brownsville.  Md..  50 
Hoffer,  Mildred  and  James. 

Ligonier,  Pa..  50 
Hoffman,  Vern  and  Elsie. 

Sebring.  Fla.,  50 
Hummel,  Harry  and  Ethel. 

Sebring,  Fla..  55 
lagger.  William  and  Evelyn, 

Silver  Lake.  Ind.,  55 
McKay,  Robert  and  Charlotte. 

Bridgewater.  Va.,  50 
Michael,  Norman  and  Amy. 

Churchville,  Va.,  50 


Miller,  Ray  and  Virginia, 

Waterloo,  Iowa,  55 
Myers,  Martin  and  Virginia, 

Pitcairn.  Pa.,  50 
Paff,  Dr.  William  and  Eliza- 
beth, Elkhart.  Ind.,  60 
Pratt,  Joseph  and  Helen, 

Fresno.  CaliL.  60 
Pratt,  Ward  and  Mary.  Fresno, 

CaliL.  60 
Rainey,  Horace  and  Elizabeth. 

Portland,  Ore..  60 
Rhodes.  Carl  and  Veda. 

Bridgewater,  Va..  60 
Rousselow,  Leroy  and  Maxine. 

Waterloo,  Iowa.  55 
Snell,  Phillip  and  June, 

Auburn,  111.,  50 
Studebaker,  Donald  and 

Marcy.  Donnels  Creek,  S. 

Ohio,  50 
Wenger,  Richard  and  Marjorie, 

Lorida,  Fla.,  50 
West,  Elmer  and  Marie.   Corn- 
ing, Iowa.  65 
Whilmore,  Elwood  and  Eva 

Lee,  Bridgewater,  Va.,  55 
Wiley,  lames  and  Betty, 

Independence,  W.  Plains.  50 

Pastoral 
Placements 

lensen.  Russell,  from  other 
denomination  to  Middle- 
bury,  N.  Ind. 

Pfeiffer.  Carol,  from  seminary 
to  English  River.  N.  Plains 


Ordinations 

Bitner.  Robert  L.,  Aug.  19. 

Union  City,  S.  Ohio 
Bosserman,  Sandra  Leach, 

July  26.  Peace  Valley, 

Mo. /Ark. 
Dorsey,  lanice  Welch,  Sept. 

15,  Downsville,  Mid-Atl. 
Fogle,  Lerry.  Sept.  13, 

Frederick.  Mid-Atl, 
Gault,  Mary  Frances,  Aug.  21, 

Battle  Creek.  Mich. 
Hufford,  Lisa,  Aug.  2.  Nappa- 

nee.  N.  In. 
Kelly,  John  Stuart.  June  2 1 . 

Hollins  Road,  Virlina 

(received) 
Ketterman,  Richard  E..  June 

7.  Glendale.  Mid.  Pa. 
Knepper.  Nancy  Fike.  May  17. 

New  Covenant,  Atl.  S.E. 
Kohler.  Paul.  Sept.  15.  Cham- 
paign, III. /Wis, 
KrahenbiJhl,  Lee.  Aug.  2  1 , 

Skyridge,  Mich. 
Spire,  Steven  Ronald,  May  17. 

French  Broad.  S.E. 
Wine.  Ronald  K..  May  17. 

French  Broad,  S.E. 
Woodin.  Ataloa,  May  3, 

Fresno,  Pac.  S.W. 


30  Messenger  January/February  1998 


Licensed 

Blake,  Brian  lohn.  Aug.  5, 

Hanover,  S.  Pa. 
Bradley,  Timothy  Talbott. 

Sept.  1  3.  Friendship, 

Mid-.Atl. 
Burk,  Kelly  J.,  Sept.  13, 

Westminster,  Mid-Atl. 
Criswell,  Scott  W.,  Sept.  6, 

Maitland.  Mid.  Pa. 
Ewing,  fohn,  Sept.  15,  Cherry 

Grove,  111. /Wis. 
Held,  Cheryl  Snyder,  Sept.  13, 

Westminster,  Mid-Atl. 
Laszakovits,  Gregory  E.,  Aug 

3,  Phoenix.  Pac.  S.W. 
Sievers,  Michael  Robert,  Sept. 

21,  Brookville,  S.  Ohio 
Staubs,  Michael,  May  17, 

Fellowship,  Mid-Atl. 


Deaths 

Albin,  Rev.  Charles  A.,  97, 

Marshalltown,  Iowa, 

Oct.  23,  1997 
Alford,  Catherine  lannie,  84, 

Waynesboro,  Va.,  Sept.  28, 

1997 
Arnold,  Esther  E.,  76, 

Ashland,  Ohio,  Aug.  20. 

1997 
Baile,  Salome  Mohler,  90, 

Warrensburg,  Mo.,  Sept. 

25.  1997 
Baugh,  Retha,  71.  Broadway, 

Va.,  Sept.  18,  1997 
Beard,  Dan,  Sr.,  88,  Lansing, 

Mich.,  Sept.  29,  1997 
Bigler,  Earl,  81,  Lancaster, 

Pa..  April  27,  1997 
Bollinger,  Alvin,  95,  Lititz, 

Pa.,  Sept.  16 
Bowers,  Elizabeth,  67,  Knox- 

ville,  Md.,  March  4,  1997 
Bratton,  Barry,  53,  Cedar 

Rapids.  Iowa,  Oct.  8,  1997 
Cassel,  Margaret.  84.  Lititz, 

Pa.,  luly  12,  1997 
Clay,  Donald  O.,  82,  Floyd, 

Va.,  Oct.  5,  1997 
Crownover,  Florence,  85, 

Shelocta,  Pa.,  [uly  26, 

1997 
Crull,  Bob,  71,  Angola.  Ind., 

Sept.  5,  1997 
Davis,  Mildred,  85. 

Hagerstown,  Md..  March 

23,  1997 
Dehmey,  Ruth,  Lititz,  Pa., 

Sept.  26,  1997 
Derree,  Violet,  83,  Red  Lion, 

Pa.,  Oct.  21,  1997 
Dove,  Alton  "Dick"  Delano, 

64,  Timberville,  Va.. 

Oct.  22,  1997 
Dowden,  Harold  A..  77,  Cir- 

cleville.  Ohio,  Sept.  2,  1997 
Eavers,  Ruby  G..  84,  Stuarts 

Draft,  Va..  Oct.  13.  1997 


Eberl,  Mildred.  78.  New 

Creek.  W.VA..  Sept.  22, 

1997 
English,  Wallace,  84,  Sheldon, 

Iowa,  April  14,  1997 
Evans,  Harold  V,  81,  Sheldon, 

Iowa,  Aug.  24,  1997 
Foltz,  Nancy,  70.  Bridgewater, 

Va.,  Nov.  2,  1997 
Frantz,  Trilba,  88,  Warsaw, 

Ind.,  Aug.  27,  1997 
Frye,  Clayton  V,  Norfolk.  Va.. 

May  3,  1997 
Fulmer,  Irene.  75.  Elkhart. 

Ind..  Aug.  16.  1997 
Getz,  Ruth  K.  91,  Manheim, 

Pa..  July  11.  1997 
Godfrey,  Sterling  L.,  96,  York 

Pa.,  Sept.  25,  1997 
Good,  Herman,  Lancaster. 

Pa.,  July  29,  1997 
Good,  John  R,  Sr.,  88.  Grot- 
toes, Va.,  Oct.  28,  1997 
Goodman,  Emmitt.  Otway, 

Ohio,  Oct.  6,  1997 
Griffith,  Herman  David,  77, 

Singers  Glen,  Va., 

Oct.  21,  1997 
Grumbling,  Richard  A..  89. 

Shippensburg,  Pa., 

Aug.  20.  1997 
Harbold,  Lloyd  E.,  77, 

Cross  Keys  Brethren  Home, 

Nov.  4,  1997 
Hargett,  Betty,  67,  Knoxville, 

Md..  Aug.  2,  1997 
Hawk,  Mrs.  Donneth,  80, 

Akron,  Ohio,  Oct.  4.  1997 
Hawkins,  Louise  Sanger,  Car- 

rollton.  Mo..  |uly  24.  1997 
Helmick,  Erma  Lee  Crider, 

66,  Baker.  W.  Va., 

Oct,  27,  1997 
Herr,  Roy,  Lebanon.  Pa.. 

Sept.  4,  1997 
Hoffer,  Russell,  Lancaster, 

Pa..  Sept.  23,  1997 
Hoover,  Russell,  86,  Sebring, 

Fla.  Sept.  25,  1997 
Hoover,  Tracie  H.,  70.  Mt. 

Bethel.  Va.,  Sept.  17,  1997 
Howdyshell,  Georgia  P.,  84, 

Mt.  Solon.  Va.,  Oct.  25, 

1997 
Huffman,  Lucy  Virginia,  76, 

Mt.  Zion  Church  of  the 

Brethren.  Oct.  23,  1997 
Hutrell,  Virginia,  68.  Boons- 

boro,  Md.,  July  22,  1997 
Ingle,  Walter  F,,  96,  La  Verne, 

Calif.,  Sept.  27,  1997 
lohnson,  Truman  E..  89. 

Scherr,  W.VA.,  lune  14, 

1997 
Keister,  Harry  A.,  76,  Tim- 
berville. Va.,  Sept.  18.  1997 
Kessner,  Mernie  S.,  79, 

Franklin,  W.  Va.. 

Oct.  6,  1997 
Kimble,  Vauda,  79,  New 

Creek.  W.Va..  Nov.  11, 

1996 


Kimmel,  Helen.  89.  Sheldon. 

Iowa.  May  2,  1997 
Knight,  Clyde  Henry.  92, 

Charlottesville,  Va., 

Oct.  13,  1997 
Kreiser,  Levi  R..  79,  York,  Pa. 

Nov.  2,  1997 
Long,  Robert,  59,  Pleasant 

View.  Mid-Atl.,  May  9, 

1997 
Longenecker,  Edith.  96.  Lititz, 

Pa..  Oct.  13.  1997 
Manchester,  Alice.  93.  Covina. 

Calif.,  lune  7,  1997 
Marra,  Leila.  Accident.  Md.. 

March  19,  1997 
Marshall,  Sudie.  97,  Danville. 

Va..  Aug.  18.  1997 
Mauck,  Annece  Mable 

McNabb.  71,  Strasburg, 

Va..  Oct.  2,  1997 
McCauley,  Malcolm  Keith 

"Monk,"  69,  North  Garden, 

Va..  Sept.  23.  1997 
McDowell,  Argel.  82.  Goshen, 

Ind..  Oct.  1,  1997 
McKimmey,  Blanche  "Penny." 

58,  Knoxville.  Md., 

May  29.  1997 
Michael,  Richard  Thomas,  62, 

Bridgewater,  Va..  Oct.  50. 

1997 
Miller,  Elizabeth  Rupp,  83, 

Fort  Wayne,  Ind..  Sept.  5. 

1997 
Miller,  Esther.  91.  Sebring. 

Fla..  Sept.  19,  1997 
Miller,  Lamont,  Windber,  Pa.. 

April  22,  1997 
Mitchell,  Harold,  47, 

Harrisonburg,  Va.  Sept. 

21.  1997 
Morris,  Goldie  Miller.  79. 

Harrisonburg.  Va..  Oct.  24. 

1997 
Morris,  Samuel  "Lindy,"  67. 

Dayton.  Va.,  Oct.  4,  1997 
Myer,  Mazie,  108,  Akron,  Pa.. 

Oct.  5,  1997 
Nedrow,  George  T.  81. 

Latrobe,  Pa..  Sept.  50.  1997 
Neff,  Mary  K..  72.  Mount 

lackson,  Va.,  Oct.  10,  1997 
Nofsinger,  Clara  Edris.  55, 

Strasburg,  Va..  Oct.  S,  1997 
Noonkester.  Stella  Prather.  95. 

Danville,  Va..  Aug.  4.  1997 
Norris,  Velma.  82.  Dayton. 

Ohio,  April  7,  1997 
Ott,  Clara,  73,  Windber.  Pa.. 

Ian.  16.  1997 
Parlette,  Ella.  96,  Lima,  Ohio. 

Sept.  28,  1997 
Peachey,  Linda.  95.  Sebring, 

Fla.  Oct.  7.  1997 
Poole,  Roy  R..  84.  Virden.  III.. 

Oct.  5,  1997 
Pratt,  loseph  G.,  89,  Santa 

Rosa,  Calif.,  May  4,  1997 
Reedy.  Warren  D.  Sr..  60. 

Singers  Glen,  Va.,  Sept.  19. 

1997 


Reuter,  Phillip,  71,  Tipp  City, 

Ohio,  Sept.  30,  1997 
Reynolds,  Lawrence.  32, 

Farmington,  Del.,  Nov.  2. 

1997 
Roberts,  Virginia,  72. 

Ashland,  Ohio,  Aug.  26. 

1997 
Sacra,  Homer  A.,  Sr..  88, 

McGaheysville,  Va.,  Oct, 

17.  1997 
Schafer,  Ralph,  Onekama, 

Mich..  77.  Sept.  13,  1997 
Schlosnagle,  Marie.  71. 

Accident.  Md.,  March  25. 

1997 
Shaver,  Mildred  M.,  83,  Fort 

Seybert.  W  Va.,  Oct.  3, 

1997 
Sheets,  Rev.  Antoinette 

"Nettie,"  84,  Wooster, 

Ohio,  Sept.  17.  1997 
Shifflett,  Ellen  Virginia,  73. 

Timberville.  Va..  Sept.  19. 

1997 
Show,  Doris.  77,  Uniontown, 

Pa.,  lune  20.  1997 
Showalter,  Emily.  16.  Millers- 
burg.  Ind..  Aug.  4,  1997 
Shull,  Evaleen  E..  77. 

Sangerville.  Va..  Oct.  5, 

1997 
ShuII,  Fern,  99.  Lawrence, 

Kan.,  Aug.  9,  1997 
Siever,  Harlen,  65.  Mount 

lackson.  Va..  luly  15,  1997 
Smith.  Esther,  68.  Palmyra. 

Pa..  luly  1.  1997 
Smith,  Lawrence,  96,  New 

Lebanon.  Ohio,  lune  8,  1997 
Smith,  Michael,  17.  Green- 
town,  Ind.,  May  2,  1997 
Snoeberger,  Robert,  82, 

Woodbury,  Pa..  Sept,  1  1, 

1997 
Spangler,  Esther,  95.  Bridge- 
water.  Va..  July  27.  1997 
Stambaugh.  Leona  M.,  78. 

Camp  Hill.  Pa..  Sept.  11. 

1997 
Staub,  Ruth  Greer.  87,  Dover. 

Pa..  Aug.  16.  1997 
Sterner.  Goldie  L,  95,  Cross 

Keys  Brethren  Home,  Sept. 

2.  1997 
Stocksdale.  Ethel.  Greenville. 

Ohio,  lune  27,  1997 
Swemly,  Carrie  A..  89,  Cross 

Keys  Brethren  Home, 

Oct.  1.  1997 
Temple,  lack.  Onekama. 

Mich..  76.  Aug.  29.  1997 
Thompson,  Grace.  96. 

Frederick.  Md..  April  50. 

1997 
Tribby,  lames,  86.  McGa- 
heysville. Va..  lune  21.  1997 
Tritapoc,  Robert  M..  67.  Knox- 
ville. Md..  Feb.  21.  1997 
Turner,  Brenda  Sue.  39, 

Moorefield,  W.  Va.,  Oct.  8, 

1997 


Turner,  Floda  Alice.  82, 

Onego,  W.  Va..  Sept.  13, 

1997 
Turner,  Ted,  91.  Seneca 

Rocks.  W.Va.,  Sept.  19, 

1997 
Utz,  1.  Norman.  94. 

Littlestown,  Pa..  Sept.  15, 

1997 
Wahl,  Marguerite,  80,  New  Port 

Richey,  Fla..  June  5.  1997 
Wallace,  Catherine,  85,  Cross 

Keys,  Pa.,  Aug.  6,  1997 
Wargo,  Gladys,  83.  Windber, 

Pa..  Sept.  14.  1997 
Wean,  Earl  Sr..  79.  Pleasant 

View.  Mid-Atl..  April  17, 

1997 
Weaver,  Rev.  lohn  L..  82. 

Palmyra.  Pa.,  Aug.  30.  1997 
Weaver,  Urban,  80,  Greenville. 

Ohio.  May  6,  1997 
Webb,  Henry  Allen,  Dayton, 

Ohio,  Sept.  26,  1997 
Webb,  Noelle  Z.  Neff,  54, 

Mount  Crawford,  Va..  Oct. 

23.  1997 

West,  Paul.  78.  Unionville. 

Iowa,  April  17,  1997 
Whetzel,  Arlie,  85,  Petersburg, 

W.Va..  luly  31,  1997 
Whetzel,  Doris,  67,  Mount 

Solon.  Va..  luly  19,  1997 
Whetzel,  Ormand,  73,  Tim- 
berville, Va„  luly  2,  1997 
Whipple,  Lee,  83,  Yoncalla, 

Ore.,  Oct.  7,  1997 
Whisler,  Clarence  E.,  97. 

Virden.  111..  1997 
While,  Gilbert  H.,  95.  Mel- 
croft.  Pa..  Oct.  21,  1997 
Whitmore,  Frank,  72.  Bridge- 
water,  Va.,  luly  19,  1997 
Wilkins,  Gary,  44,  Moorefield, 

W.Va..  Oct.  28.  1997 
Wilkins,  Lory  A.,  73,  Mathias, 

W.Va..  Sept.  15.  1997 
Williamson,  Burnell.  83. 

Columbus.  Ind..  luly  22, 

1997 
Wills,  Glen,  83.  Roanoke.  Va., 

Feb.  16,  1997 
Wimer,  Audrey,  75.  Franklin, 

W.Va.,  lune  11,  1997 
Wine,  Dennis.  80.  Timberville. 

Va.,  Sept.  24,  1997 
Wine,  Paul  "Sammy"  Allen, 

87.  Hinton.  Va..  Oct.  26, 

1997 
Witt,  Frank.  75.  Champaign, 

111..  July  24,  1997 
Witter.  Harry  M..  85.  Cham- 

bersburg.  Md.,  Nov.  2.  1997 
Wolf,  Wilma.  95,  Pottstown, 

Pa.,  lune  26.  1997 
Woodson,  Carl.  73.  Roanoke, 

Va..  Feb.  18.  1997 
Yankey,  Viola  F..  75,  New 

Market.  Va..  Oct.  8.  1997 
Young,  Lerty.  82. 

McGaheysville,  Va.,  |une 

24.  1997 


January/February  1998  Messenger  31 


Eai 


On  costs  and  counting  well 


T I  hose  who  attended  Annual  Conference  last 
summer  heard  over  and  over  the  exhortation  to 
"Count  Well  the  Cost"  of  this  and  that.  Count  well 
the  cost  of  community.  Count  well  the  cost  of  simplicity 
and  service  and  peace.  Count  well  the  cost  of  discipleship. 
But  nobody  ever  explained  what  it  means 
to  count  well,  as  opposed  to  counting  m  ^  ^ 

poorly.  And  then  there  was  little  discus- 
sion of  what  to  do  after  the  cost  gets 
counted.  How  our  church  answers  these 
two  questions  will  decide  whether  we  are 
fearful  bean  counters  or  faithful  disciples. 
The  Annual  Conference  theme  seemed 
apt  because  the  church  has  been  big  into 
cost-cutting  these  days.  Whenever  new 
cuts  were  announced  those  making  the 
cuts  said  woefully,  "We  had  no  other 
choice,"  and  the  rest  of  us  nodded  in  agree- 
ment. Business  is  business.  It  takes  courage 
to  make  the  tough  calls,  we  say.  Even 
though  we  quibble  over  the  details,  most 
of  us  see  cost-cutting  as  a  necessary  evil, 
and  the  more  necessary,  the  less  evil.  In 
an  atmosphere  of  limited  resources  like 
our  church  is  experiencing,  there  becomes 
only  one  thing  to  do  after  costs  are  counted: 
Cut  them. 

That's  not  exactly  what  [esus  taught  •  •  • 

in  Luke  4.  "Which  of  you,  intending  to 
build  a  tower,  does  not  first  sit  down  and  count  the  cost, 
to  see  whether  he  has  enough  to  complete  it?"  He  doesn't 
say  what  is  the  right  thing  for  the  tower-builder  to  do  if 
there  isn't  enough  money.  One  alternative  would  be  to 
build  a  shorter  tower.  But  Jesus  at  least  leaves  open  the 
other  alternative,  which  is  to  go  out  and  raise  more 
money.  "Or  what  king,  going  out  to  wage  war  against 
another  king,  will  not  sit  down  first  and  consider 
whether  he  is  able  with  ten  thousand  to  oppose  the  one 
who  comes  against  him  with  twenty  thousand?"  Here, 
lesus  does  suggest  one  answer  to  the  dilemma.  "If  he 
cannot,"  then  he  ought  to  ask  for  terms  of  peace.  But 
Jesus  also  left  open  another  alternative,  which  was  to 
fight  even  though  outnumbered.  Jesus  might  have  been 
hoping  his  listeners  would  recall  Gideon.  Remember? 
Gideon  had  the  Lord. 

32  Messenger  January/February  1998 


When  we  count  the 

costs,  we  need  not 

automatically  change 

our  plans  to  build 

a  smaller  tower, 

but  instead  go  out  and 

raise  more  revenue. 

The  best  thing  to 

do  ivith  unfunded 

mandates  is 

to  fund  them. 


Which  is  what  it  means  to  count  well.  Usually  there 
are  factors  beyond  the  obvious  to  be  taken  into  consider- 
ation. Businesspeople  know  that  cutting  here  may  affect 
revenues  there.  Likewise  the  church,  if  we  cut  costs  with- 
out carefully  considering  whether  it  is  muscle  or  fat 

being  cut,  isn't  counting  well.  Muscle 
pays  its  own  way. 

For  more  on  counting  costs, 
Brethren  turn  to  Alexander  Mack,  Sr., 
who  in  his  hymn  had  more  to  say  to  the 
tower-builder  in  Luke.  "Are  you 
resolved,  though  all  seem  lost,  to  risk 
your  reputation,  your  self,  your  wealth, 
for  Christ  the  Lord  as  you  now  give 
your  solemn  word?"  The  implication 
clearly  is  to  not  just  count  the  costs  but 
pay  them.  Counting  costs  well  is  not  so 
much  about  cutting  costs  as  it  is  about 
commitment.  Many  of  us  are  happy  to 
sing  "to  the  death  we'll  follow  thee" 
then  complain  about  Annual  Confer- 
ence approving  "unfunded  mandates." 
On  the  surface  it  makes  sense  to  argue 
that  if  Annual  Conference  is  going  to 
ask  the  General  Board  to  do  some- 
thing, it  ought  to  identify  a  source  of 
money  to  go  along  with  it.  But  only  if 
'  *  *  *  you  forget  all  the  unfunded  mandates 

in  the  New  Testament.  "Go  ye  into  all 

the  world "  "Heal  the  sick."  "Deliver  the  captives." 

"Preach  good  news  to  the  poor." 


D 


o  we  say,  "Jesus,  where's  the  money?"  Or  do 

|we  say,  "Here's  our  church.  Lord.  Send  the 
Brethren." 

There  has  been,  of  course,  a  time  to  cut  costs.  But 
now  it's  time,  it  seems,  for  the  church  to  move  beyond 
that.  It's  time  to  raise  the  vision.  When  we  count  the 
costs,  we  need  not  automatically  change  our  plans  to 
build  a  smaller  tower,  but  instead  go  out  and  raise  more 
revenue.  The  best  thing  to  do  with  unfunded  mandates  is 
to  fund  them.  And  then  ask  for  the  next  challenge.  It  may 
be  another  unfunded  mandate,  like:  "Stir  us  to  build  new 
worlds  in  thy  name."  We  should  start  building,  no  matter 
what  it  costs. — Fletcher  Farrar 


ne  Bretkren  Homes  of  tke  Atlantic  Northeast  District. 

Freeaom  To  Live  Your  Lire  On  Your  Terms. 


t^ 


1  our  hie,  your  dreams,  your 
nopes,  your  nome.  These  are  lire's 
important  tnmgs.  Tne  retirement 
communities  or  tne  Brethren 
Homes  offer  a  full  range  of  living 
accommodations  to  suit  your  lifestyle 
and  your  needs.  All  are  located  m 
the  beautiful  southeastern  region 
of  Pennsylvania,  with  easy  access 
to  major  metropolitan  areas, 
vacation  sights,  shopping  centers 
and  tourist  attractions. 
MEMBERS  OF: 

•  Pennsylvania  Association  or  Non-Prorit 
Homes  for  tke  Aging  (PANPHA) 

•  American  Association  or  Homes  ana 
Services  for  the  Aging  (AAHSA) 


^/^^/a? 


CcliivUtifll^  (7 

'ntuiy  t'/  Coiuniitnh'nt 
3001   L.titz  Pike 

P.O.  Box  6093 

Lancaster,  PA  17606 


Lebanon  Valley 
Brethren  Home 


1  200  GruLt  Street 
Palmyra,  PA  17078 

(717)  838-5406 


fe 


Peter 

Becker 

Community 


800  Maple  Avenue 
Harleysville,  PA  19438 

(215)  256-9501 


•  —  ir  --T  1-^  •  '  ■~'T£  "rr  I  ""-'1      'Til  >  -^7  r  -J^l-'-^r- 

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-  ■  .' --^fr  t— -irl-r-:  t  H-7 ' 

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,        I  —  >  t:^  (  f-r^  J,  I f  f  ■ 

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f  P^     cr^     tri  -^--Tlt-y 


SO  that 


is  not  astiamed 
to  be  called  our 


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;Biiifiipiii>rlaiTdo,-Florl<^ 


VOLUNTEER    HELPERS 

I  am  vokinteering  my  help  with  Conference  tasks,  I  have 
n-iarked  below.  I  have  numbered  them  in  order  of  preference. 
I  plan  to  arrive  at  Conference  on 

Brethren  Press  Eixliibit 

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their  interest  in  serving. 


7|,r^-Tff-^'"|i>>-:'  !■  /^T  lil' 


PROGRAM    BOOKLET 

(Available  in  May) 
Please  send  the  following: 

^Copies  at  $8.00  each  of  the  1998  Annual 

Conference  Booklet  (regular  binding) 

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registration  fee  wiU  automatically  receive  one  program  booklet 

without  further  cost.) 

Information  about  Conference  programs  and  reser\'ation  forms 
may  be  obtained  by  contacting  your  pastor  or: 

Annual  Conference  Office 

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Elgin,  Illinois  60120 


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y-f,  1 1 


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■T-;>-- 


K'  J^**" 


jnAi"  -1™^**^"""" 


«,(j^^ffl)tifl)(f 


ABIN 
MAMAKI 

A  THIN 
OF  WON 


A  young  church  and 
a  church  of  the  young  is  Ek- 
klesiyar  Yan'uwa  a  Nigeria, 
one  of  sub-Sahara  Africa's 
fast  growing  denominations.  On  March  17  EYN  will  mark  the  75th  anniversary  of  its  founding. 

EYN's  compelling  faith,  courageous  leadership,  spirited  choirs,  and  solid  advances  in  education, 
Bible  training,  health,  agriculture,  and  evangelism  are  best  described  by  a  Hausa  phrase,  abin  mamaki, 
which  means  "a  new  surprising  thing  arises."  Rejoice  with  our  sisters  and  brothers  in  EYN, 
God's  wondrous  new  thing  in  Nigeria.  CHURCH  OF  THE  BRETHREN  GENERAL  BOARD 


■"'*r*W*wji«5SB^j^WS^fp9^^WrS-'''- 


'^^i»*vmm^^ff«^f^'^  • 


18 


On  the  cover:  As 
dawn  breaks  on 
the  Ivester  Church 
of  the  Brethren,  Grundy 
Center,  Iowa,  a  new 
program  emerges  to  offer 
new  Hght  to  congregations. 


Departments 

2 

From  the  Publisher 

3 

In  Touch 

6 

News 

9 

In  Brief 

28 

Letters 

29 

Pontius'  Puddle 

30 

Turning  Points 

32 

Editorial 

Editor:  Fletcher  Farrar 
News:  Nevin  Dulabaum 
Subscriptions:  Vicki  Roche 
Publisher:  Wendy  McFadden 
Designer:  Paul  Stocksdale 


Features 

10     At  your  service! 

Congregational  Life  Teams,  the  latest 
program  initiative  from  the  General  Board, 
are  in  place  and  ready  to  assist  congregations. 
A  dozen  new  staff  members  are  spread  across 
the  country  ready  to  help  with  teaching, 
resourcing,  and  networking  "so  that  the  body 
of  Christ  may  be  built  up." 

14     No  creed  but  the  Bible 

Do  you  know  why  Brethren  reject  creeds? 
Frank  Ramirez  explains  that  the  way  we  arrive 
at  our  faith  is  as  important  as  the  statement  of 
faith  itself.  Brethren  get  there  by  studying  the 
Bible  together. 

17  Tracing  footprints  in  the  soil 

loseph  M.  Mason,  the  interim  executive 
director  of  the  General  Board  relates  the 
dream  he  had  before  beginning  his  service  in 
that  position.  The  vision  that  gave  him  hope 
and  confidence  can  inspire  us  all. 

18  Out  from  the  ashes  comes 
a  dream  fulfilled 

Some  200  Brethren  volunteers  turned  hate 
to  Christian  love  when  they  helped  to  rebuild 
the  arson-destroyed  Butler  Chapel  A.M.E. 
church  in  Orangeburg.  S.C.  In  lanuary  the 
volunteers  returned  for  an  emotional  and 
praise-filled  dedication  celebration. 

22     What  makes  a  Great  Hour? 

One  Great  Hour  of  Sharing,  the  global 
mission  appeal  which  takes  place  on  March 
22,  is  a  major  ecumenical  event.  Here  is  the 
background  and  history  of  the  cooperative 
effort  to  put  love  into  action. 

24     Remembering  Bethany's 
Oak  Brook  campus 

Bethany  Theological  Seminary  has  already 
made  its  successful  transition  to  its  new 
campus  at  Richmond,  Ind.,  but  some  sadness 
lingers  at  the  old  campus,  now  being  razed 
for  new  development.  Two  writers  who  knew 
the  old  campus  well  reminisce  here. 


March  1998  Messenger  1 


\m  k  fiiiskr 


Thave  always  loved  words.  I  can  still  remember  the  first  time,  at  age  four, 
that  1  read  a  word  all  by  myself.  There  was  no  stopping  after  that.  I  had  a 
half-read  book  in  every  room  of  the  house  and  ruined  my  eyes  reading  at 
night  with  a  flashlight. 

Later  on  my  mother,  a  former  English  teacher,  taught  me  the  power  of  edit- 
ing one's  writing.  1  began  my  journalism  career  as  a  paper  carrier  delivering  the 
now-defunct  Washington  Star.  In  high  school  and  college  I  churned  out  pages 
of  poetry. 

1  no  longer  spend  any  of  my  time  writing  poetry  or  other  creative  writing, 
though  I  sometimes  regret  that.  Nowadays  most  of  the  words  I'm  responsible 
for  are  in  memos,  reports,  letters,  and  contractual  agreements. 

Though  memos  are  hardly  glamorous,  they're  part  of  a  larger  fabric  of  com- 
munication within  the  church  that  includes  both  the  noticeable  and  the  ordinary. 
Whatever  the  medium,  I  always  hope  that  my  words  make  the  complex  more 
understandable,  strengthen  connections  between  people,  minimize  barriers, 
enhance  discipleship,  and  ultimately  build  up  the  body  of  Christ. 

A  church  publishing  house  is  a  unique  blend  of  ministry  (words)  and  busi- 
ness (numbers).  While  I  come  from  the  word  side,  1  have  a  new  appreciation  for 
numbers,  it  is  only  through  skillful  management  of  the  numbers  that  we  can 
continue  to  publish  the  words. 

But  we  live  in  tension  with  some  of  the  numbers.  For  example,  the  number 
of  Brethren  is  almost  too  small  to  support  a  publishing  house.  It  is  difficult  to 
break  even  on  a  book,  curriculum,  magazine,  or  church  supply  that  is  produced 
solely  for  Brethren.  But  we  continue  to  do  some  of  that,  because  we're  com- 
mitted to  supplying  materials  that  foster  Brethren  identity  and  belief. 

To  help  pay  for  those  materials,  we  try  to  be  ever  more  creative  in  reaching 
markets  beyond  ourselves.  For  years  we've  worked  in  cooperation  with  many 
other  denominations  to  produce  curriculum,  for  example.  And  now,  we're  grat- 
ified that  two  curricula  we're  producing  with  the  General  Conference 
Mennonites — designed  to  meet  our  own  Brethren  and  Mennonite  needs — are 
being  embraced  by  people  in  other  denominations.  We  have  a  message  that 
reaches  beyond  the  Brethren. 

Of  course  some  things  have  to  be  done  by  ourselves.  We're  creating  our  own 
heritage  and  membership  curricula,  launching  our  own  Web  page,  and  contin- 
uing to  publish  our  own  Church  of  the  Brethren  magazine. 

IVlany  years  ago  that  magazine,  a  unifying  force  in  a  fragmented  church,  was 
the  seed  that  eventually  produced  a  publishing  house.  A  century  later,  Brethren 
Press  still  seeks  to  be  a  place  where  Brethren  meet  to  grow  in  the  faith  and  dis- 
cern God's  movement  among  us.  May  our  words  always  do  that  for  you. 


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.Messenger  Is  the  official  publication  of  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren.  Entered  as  second-class  matter  Aug, 
20, 1918,  under  .'ici  of  Congress  of  Oct.  17, 1917, 
Filing  date,  Nov  1, 1984.  .Member  of  the  Associated 
Church  Press.  Subscriber  to  Religion  News  Service 
&  Ecumenical  Press  Service,  Biblical  quotations, 
unless  otheru'ise  indicated,  are  from  the  New  Revised 
Standard  Version,  Messenger  is  published  11  times 
a  year  by  Brethren  Press,  Church  of  the  Brethren 
General  Board  Second-class  postage  paid  at  Elgin, 
111,,  and  at  additional  mailing  office,  March  1998. 
Copyright  1998,  Church  of  the  Brethren  General 
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® 


Printed  on  recycled  paper 


2  Messenger  March  1998 


In 


rr 


Evangel  '97  ignites  participants 


Bring  on  the  fire!  For  over  500  young 
adults,  the  Christmas  break  wasn't  a 
time  to  sleep  off  a  month  of  overeating  in  front 
of  a  craci<Hng  fire.  It  was,  rather,  a  time  to  be 
filled  with  the  fire  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  they 
attended  Evangel  '97,  an  international  young 
adult  conference  on  mission  and  evangelism. 
From  December  28  to  January  1,  these  men 
and  women  gathered  in  Atlanta,  Ga.,  for  a  life- 


changing  week  of  worship,  teaching,  and  out- 
reach. The  event  was  hosted  by  Global 
Disciples,  a  growing  network  of  Anabaptist- 
related  discipleship  and  mission  training 
ministries.  The  conference  featured  dynamic 
speakers,  upbeat  worship  times,  and  forays 
into  the  city,  where  conference-goers  put  into 
practice  on  the  streets  what  they  heard  daily  in 
the  lecture  hall. — Ann  and  |on  Metzler 


The  power  of  prayer. 

Elizabeth  Dich. 

right,  in  prayer  with 

another  participant 

at  Evangel  '97 


Remembered 

Arthur  Leon  Rummel  died 
June  7,  1997,  in  Escondido, 
Calif.,  at  the  age  of  99.  He 
had  been  a  pastor  in  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  for 
over  70  years. 

•  The  Rev.  Charles  Albin 
of  Marshalltown,  Iowa,  died 
Oct.  23  at  the  age  of  97.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Iowa 
River  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  Marshalltown, 
and  was  honored  in  1996 
for  serving  as  an  ordained 


pastor  of  75  years.  He  was 
pastor  of  the  Ivester  Church 
of  the  Brethren  from  1952 
until  1966. 

•  John  Howard  Yoder, 
Mennonite  theologian, 
died  December  30  at  the 
University  of  Notre  Dame, 
South  Bend,  Ind.,  at  the 
age  of  70.  The  New  York 
Times  said  in  its  obituary: 
"Mr.  Yoder  stressed  that 
the  work  of  |esus  was  not  a 
new  set  of  ideals  or  princi- 
ples for  reforming  or  even 
revolutionizing  society,  but 


the  establishment  of  a  new 
community,  a  people  that 
embodied  forgiveness, 
sharing  and  self-sacrificing 
love  in  its  rituals  and  disci- 
pline. In  that  sense,  the 
visible  church  for  him  was 
not  the  bearer  of  Christ's 
message;  it  was  itself  to  be 
the  message."  His  books 
and  articles  included  The 
Politics  of  I esus  (1972), 
Christian  Altitudes  to  War. 
Peace,  and  Revolution 
(1983),  and  Tor  the 
Nations  (1997). 


March  1998  Messenger  3 


II 


rr 


Huffman  Health 
Center  completed 

On  Nov,  13,  1997,  the 
Bridgewater  Retirement 
Community  celebrated  the 
completion  of  a  major 
remodeling  of  the  nursing 
facility  of  Bridgewater  Home 
with  an  open  house  and 
renaming  of  the  nursing 
facility  to  Huffman  Health 
Center.  A  ceremony  held  in 
Lantz  Chapel  honored  Dr. 
Jacob  S.  Huffman,  "father  of 


Bridgewater  Home,"  for  the 
vision  and  planning  that  led 
to  the  beginning  of  what  is 
now  Bridgewater  Retirement 
Community.  Dr.  Harold 
Huffman  and  Dr.  Rufus 
Huffman,  sons  of  Dr.  Jacob 
Huffman,  were  present  to 
receive  memorial  awards  in 
honor  of  their  father  and  his 
contribution  to  Bridgewater 
Home.  Huffman  Health 
Center  consists  of  three 
floors  and  approximately 
1  50  nursing  beds. 


William  Daniel  Phillips, 

winner  of  the  Nobel  Prize 

in  Physics,  invited  his 

Juniata  College  physics 

professor  to  join  him  at 

the  award  ceremonies  in 

Stockholm  in  December 


Juniata  grad  wins  Nobel  Prize 

William  Daniel  Phillips,  a  1970  graduate  of 
luniata  College  in  Huntingdon,  Pa.,  on  Dec.  10 
was  awarded  the  Nobel  Prize  in  Physics  with  two  other 
researchers  for  their  woriv  in  developing  methods  to  cool 
and  trap  atoms  with  laser  light.  Dr.  Phillips  still  considers 
veteran  59-year  luniata  professor.  Dr.  Wilfred  Norris,  as 
one  of  his  biggest  influences  in  the  field  of  physics. 


Auction  for  expansion 
in  Dupont,  Ohio 

The  Dupont  congregation  in 
Ohio  began  a  $351,000  addi- 
tion in  March  1996  which 
included  a  gymnasium,  class- 
rooms, and  restrooms. 

Most  of  the  indebtedness 
has  already  been  erased, 
thanks  to  many  projects, 
including  an  all-church  auc- 
tion and  barbecue  last 
September  that  raised 
$10,651 .  Among  the  auc- 
tioned items  were  a  quilt,  two 
motorcycles,  and  a  car. 

Diabetes  Educator 
of  the  Year 

Sherry  Trunnel,  a  member  of 
the  Prairie  City  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Iowa,  was  named 
the  1997  Diabetes  Educator 
of  the  Year  by  the  American 
Association  of  Diabetes  Edu- 
cators. Trunnel  works  in  the 
Children's  Health  Center  at 
Blank  Children's  Hospital  in 
Des  Moines,  Iowa.  The 
award  includes  $1,000,  a 
commemorative  plaque,  and 
an  $8,000  travel  grant  to 
fund  speaking  engagements 
across  the  country  over  the 
next  year. — Ti.vi  Peter 

A  town  called  Tunker 

The  Fort  Wayne  loiirnal- 
Gazette  on  Nov.  30  featured 
the  town  of  Tunker,  Ind., 
pop.  75,  and  its  Sugar  Creek 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  built 
in  1886.  The  town,  south  of 
Fort  Wayne,  was  originally 
called  Dunkard,  the  article 
explained,  because 
Dunkards,  "a  religious  sect 
from  Germany."  settled  in 
the  area.  Later  the  name  was 
changed  to  Tunker,  "the 
English  name  for  Dunkard." 


4  Messenger  March  1998 


■       it¥irriMMnt 


ITons  of  turkey 

'  For  the  third  year  in  a  row,  the 
Chiques  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Manheim,  Pa.,  gave 
av\  ay  holiday  dinners  for 
Thanlcsgiving  and  Christmas, 
distributing  them  to  area  fam- 
ihes  near  and  far.  Altogether 
the  church  gave  away  850 
meals  using  1 1,073  pounds  of 
turkey,  280  cases  of  canned 
goods,  850  pies,  and  about 
that  many  gospel  tracts.  The 
project  was  funded  through 
special  offerings  that  totaled 
$12,982.— Don  Fitzkee 

Ramsey  Endowment 
for  urban  ministry 

The  children  of  Duane  H.  and 
Jane  E.  Ramsey  have  estab- 


lished an  endowment  fund  in 
honor  of  the  45  years  their 
parents  served  the  Washington 
City  Church  of  the  Brethren 
before  Duane's  recent  retire- 
ment as  pastor  there.  Income 
from  the  endowment  will  be 
used  to  enhance  projects 
related  to  ministry  in  the  urban 
setting,  particularly  for  schol- 
arships to  students  working  in 
a  city  ministry  project.  Other 
Capitol  Hill  community 
groups  and  churches  may  ben- 
efit as  well.  The  family  has 
received  more  than  $  1 3,000  in 
pledges  toward  the  endowed 
fund.  Contributions  may  be 
sent  to  Ramsey  Endowment, 
c/o  Washington  City  Church 
of  the  Brethren,  337  N.  Car- 
olina Ave.  SE,  Washington, 
DC,  20003. 


J.  Herman  Royer  with  Luke  Bucket:  minister/moderator  of 
the  Heidelberg  congregation. 

Surprise  recognition 
for  50  years  of  service 

The  Heidelberg  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Myerstown. 
Pa.,  surprised  J.  Herman  Royer  last  October  with  a 
special  recognition  of  his  50  years  of  faithful  service  as  a 
deacon  of  the  congregation.  He  has  also  served  the  church 
as  Sunday  school  superintendent,  teacher,  church  clerk,  del- 
egate to  Annual  Conference,  youth  director  (with  his  wife 
Grace,  now  deceased),  carpenter,  painter,  and  paper 
hanger. — Dorothy  Heisey 


Directing  the  Multicultural  CM\x  at  Annual  Conference  was  one 
of  the  many  ways  Leonardo  Wilborn  has  shared  his  gift  of  music. 

Music  minister  on  the  move 

A  well-known  Brethren  musician,  Leonardo  V.  Wilborn.  was 
licensed  to  the  ministry  last  |uly  at  the  Imperial  Heights 
Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Los  Angeles,  Calif.  Wilborn  has 
for  the  past  eight  years  been  director  of  music  at  Imperial 
Heights  church  and  in  1996  directed  the  Multicultural  Choir 
at  Annual  Conference.  He  is  the  keyboard  player  and  music 
director  for  Gilbert  Romero's  Christian  rock  group,  "The 
Bittersweet  Gospel  Band."  Currently  he  is  enrolled  at  Fuller 
Theological  Seminary,  Pasadena,  Calif.  He  received  both  the 
Fuller  Seminary  African-American  Ministry  Grant  and  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  William  A.  Hayes  Scholarship. 


Celebrates  centennial 

A.  Ruth  Whitacre,  a  resident 
of  Goodwill  Mennonite  Home 
in  Grantsville,  Md.,  celebrated 
her  100th  birthday  Dec.  10. 
She  is  an  ordained  minister, 
the  first  ordained  female  in 
the  District  of  First  West  Vir- 
ginia, Church  of  the  Brethren. 
Her  husband,  )esse,  who  died 
in  1995,  was  a  pastor  who 
served  12  different  congrega- 
tions. Her  two  sons  are 


pastors:  Charles  |.  Whitacre, 
retired,  of  Denver,  Colo.,  and 
Daniel  I.  Whitacre  of  Meyers- 
dale,  Pa.,  pastor  of  the 
Salisbury  Church  of  the 
Brethren  and  the  Maple  Glen 
Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
Western  Pennsylvania. 


"Ill  Toiuh  piofilei  Biethieii  we  would 
like  you  to  meet.  Send  story  ideas  and 
photos  to  "In  Touch,  "Messenger, 
I-i5l  Dundee  Ave..  Elgin.  IL  60120. 


March  1998  Messenger  5 


Two  Brethren  churches  burn  in 
January,  one  because  of  arson 

What  next?  is  what  two  Church  of  the 
Brethren  congregations  were  aslcing  in 
January  in  the  aftermath  of  fires  that 
destroyed  both  of  their  churches. 
The  Pike  Run  Church  of  the 


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Battling  the  blaze.  Two  Old 

Order  Brethren  who  live  near  the 

Manchester  Church  of  the 

Brethren  watch  as  firefighters 

struggle  to  save  the  building. 


News  items  are  intended  to  inform.  They  do  not 
necessarily  represent  the  opinions  o/"Messenger 
or  the  General  Board,  and  should  not  be  considered 
to  be  an  endorsement  or  advertisement. 

6  Messenger  March  1997 


Brethren,  located  six  miles  west  of 
Somerset,  Pa.,  was  destroyed  |an.  27 
in  a  blaze  that  was  responded  to  by 
eight  fire  companies.  The  fire  was  no- 
ticed by  a  church  member  who  drove 
by  the  building  just  past  midnight.  Af- 
ter driving  home  to  call  9 1 1 ,  he  re- 
turned and  spotted  footprints  leading 
up  to  a  broken  window.  The  local  fire 
marshal;  the  Federal  Bureau  of  Inves- 
tigation; and  the  Bureau  of  Alcohol, 
Tobacco,  and  Firearms  subsequently 
ruled  the  fire  to  be  an  act  of  arson. 
Two  other  nearby  churches  were  also 
destroyed  during  the  preceding  week 
in  fires  blamed  on  arson. 

Not  much  remains  of  Pike  Run.  The 
roof  and  some  of  the  walls  collapsed, 
taking  out  the  first  floor  as  they 
crashed  into  the  basement.  The  brick 
building,  constructed  in  1914,  was 
fully  insured,  said  pastor  Barry  Conn. 

After  one  preliminary  meeting  on 
|an.  29,  the  congregation  was  sched- 
uled to  meet  in  mid-February  to  dis- 


cuss its  short-  and  long-term  plans. 

Also  coping  without  its  home  for  the 
foreseeable  future  is  the  Manchester 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  North  Man- 
chester, Ind.,  which  lost  its  building 
Ian.  7  in  a  blaze  traced  to  a  faulty  wa-  1 
ter  heater  in  the  church's  dishwasher.  I 

The  Manchester  church  was  fully 
insured  by  Mutual  Aid  Association. 

This  fire  was  first  reported  at  2:06 
a.m.  by  a  Manchester  police  officer  on 
routine  patrol.  Ten  area  fire  depart- 
ments responded  to  the  call.  However, 
according  to  the  Manchester  News- 
lournai  it  took  more  than  30  minutes 
for  the  nearest  aerial  fire  truck — 20 
miles  away  in  Wabash — to  arrive  on 
the  scene.  Firefighters  were  also  hin- 
dered in  dousing  the  blaze  because  the 
church's  natural  gas  cutoff  was  located 
inside  the  building. 

The  intensity  of  the  fire  was  evi- 
dent from  the  fact  that  it  rained  in 
North  Manchester  Wednesday 
evening  and  Thursday  morning,  and 
yet  firefighters  were  called  back  to 
the  scene  Thursday  morning  to  ex- 
tinguish the  smoldering  embers  lo- 
cated in  a  heap  of  what  had  been  the 
sanctuary. 

"It's  a  real  overwhelming  experi- 
ence, a  devastating  experience,"  said 
Susan  Boyer,  pastor. 

About  150  church  members  gath- 
ered in  the  pouring  rain  later  that 
night  for  a  short  time  of  worship  and 
prayer.  Worship  that  next  Sunday  was 
held  at  the  local  high  school.  The  fol- 
lowing week  the  congregation  began 
meeting  at  Manchester  College,  which 
it  will  continue  to  do  indefinitely. 

While  church  members  are  devas- 
tated about  losing  their  house  of 
worship,  they  are  aware  that  the 
church  is  the  people,  said  Boyer,  who 
added  the  congregation  is  blessed 
that  no  one  was  hurt. 

"We  really  would  appreciate  peo- 
ple's prayers  for  us  as  we  seek  to 
hear  God's  vision  for  us  and  the 
church,"  she  said  the  day  of  the  fire. 

Additional  stories  and  photos  of  these  fires 
are  available  at  the  denomination's  official 
web  site  at  http://\nvw.brethren.org. 


The  business  and  ballot  for 
Orlando  '98  are  announced 

The  tentative  business  agenda  and 
the  ballot  for  this  summer's  Annual 
Conference,  (une  30 — |uly  5  in  Or- 
lando, were  released  in  January. 

Five  new  and  four  unfinished  busi- 
ness items  will  be  considered  by  An- 
nual Conference  delegates. 

The  Annual  Conference  Standing 
Committee  will  discuss  the  new  busi- 
ness items  during  its  meetings,  which 
precede  Conference.  The  44  Stand- 
ing Committee  members,  represent- 
ing the  denomination's  23  districts 
and  Annual  Conference  office,  will 
then  forward  these  items  on  to  Con- 
ference delegates  with  recommenda- 
tions that  the  items  be  accepted,  re- 
turned, or  rejected. 

Standing  Committee  members  will 
also  vote  on  this  year's  Annual  Con- 
ference ballot.  Only  half  of  the  can- 
didates included  on  the  ballot  will  be 
forwarded  to  Annual  Conference  del- 
egates: this  election  will  determine 
those  candidates. 

New  business 

•  Congregational  structure.  This 
query,  passed  by  Standing  Commit- 
tee in  1996,  was  deferred  until  after 
the  General  Board's  redesign. 

•  Fetal  tissue  use.  The  Human  Ge- 
netic Engineering  portion  of  a  previ- 
ous query  received  final  disposition 
in  1997.  The  Fetal  Tissue  Use  state- 
ment was  rejected  and  thus  becomes 
a  new  business  item  for  1998. 

•  Caring  for  the  poor.  A  query 
from  Harrisburg  (Pa.)  First  Church 
of  the  Brethren. 

•  Revision  to  the  Brethren  Benefit 
Trust  Articles  of  Organization. 

•  Changes  to  the  Brethren  Benefit 
Trust  Retired  Church  Workers  Fund. 
This  and  the  previous  item  come 
from  BBT's  board  of  directors. 

Unfinished  business 

•  World  Mission  Philosophy  and 
Global  Church  Mission  Structure  re- 
port. The  final  document  of  a  corn- 


Pack  your  walking  shoes.  How  big  is  the  Orange  County  Convention  Center,  site 
of  this  year's  Church  of  the  Brethren  Annual  Conference?  In  the  10  years  since 
the  annual  meeting  was  last  held  here,  the  building  has  been  expanded  to 
become  the  largest  contiguous  convention  center  in  the  country,  second  overall 
in  total  size  to  Chicago's  three-building  McCormick  Place. 


mittee  formed  at  the  direction  of  the 
1996  Standing  Committee. 

•  The  New  Testament  as  Our  Rule 
of  Faith  and  Practice  report.  This 
query  was  accepted  by  Standing 
Committee  in  1997.  It  appointed  a 
group  to  draft  this  report. 

•  Polity  for  Free  Ministry  report. 
This  query  was  accepted  by  the  1997 
Standing  Committee.  A  committee 
was  formed  to  draft  this  report. 

•  Unfunded  Mandates  report.  This 
query  was  accepted  by  the  General 
Board  in  1996  and  by  Standing 
Committee  in  1997. 

Reports 

•  Report  from  the  Committee  on 
Interchurch  Relations  on  a  potential 
relationship  with  the  National  Asso- 
ciation of  Evangelicals. 

•  Report  from  the  InterAgency  Fo- 
rum (which  includes  representatives 
from  the  Annual  Conference  office 
and  the  three  organizations  that  report 
directly  to  the  Annual  Conference). 

•  Report  from  the  Standing  Com- 
mittee subcommittee  that  is  research- 
ing the  role  of  Standing  Committee 
in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

Ballot 

•  Moderator-elect:  loan  George 
Deeter,  |.D.  Click,  Harold  Moyer, 
Emily  Metzger  Mumma. 

•  General  Board  (at-large):  Kim 
Yaussy  Albright,  Andy  Loomis,  [anet 
Over  Sell,  |an  Thompson. 


•  General  Board  (Atlantic  Southeast 
District):  Merle  Crouse,  Ron  Mclnnis, 
Mary  Mason  Peckover,  Irma  Zayas. 

•  General  Board  (Missouri/ 
Arkansas  District):  Don  Brooks, 
Dale  Grosbach,  Elizabeth  Baile  Irle, 
Cynthia  Loper  Sanders. 

•  General  Board  (Southern  Penn- 
sylvania District):  Warren  Eshbach. 
|ohn  Henry,  Roger  Miller,  Sara 
Swartz. 

•  Annual  Conference  Program  and 
Arrangements  Committee:  |anet 
Frankhouser  Brounce,  Paul  Brubaker, 
Wendi  Hutchinson,  Paul  Roth. 

•  Pastoral  Compensation  and  Ben- 
efits Advisory  Committee:  Wanda 
Button,  Eunice  Erb  Culp,  loseph 
Hinish,  lames  King  Ir. 

•  Committee  on  Interchurch  Rela- 
tions: |im  Beckwith,  Tim  McElwee, 
Dorotha  Fry  Mason,  Belita  Mitchell. 

•  Brethren  Benefit  Trust:  lanice 
Bratton,  Cheryl  Ottemoeller  Ingold. 
Gary  Osborne,  Norma  leanne 
Hochstetler  Shaub. 

•  Elector,  Bethany  Theological 
Seminary  (for  the  laity):  Karen  Or- 
purt  Crim,  lames  McKinney,  David 
Wysong.  Peggy  Mangus  Yoder  (in- 
cumbent). 

•  Elector,  Bethany  Theological 
Seminary  (for  the  ministry):  Susan 
Stern  Boyer,  ludith  Gibble  Kipp. 
Karen  Peterson  Miller,  Michael  Titus. 

Additional  Annual  Conference  infornialion  is 
available  on  the  denomination 's  official  web  site 
at  litlp://Hiin\\brethren.org,'ac/inde.y.htin 


March  1998  Messenger  7 


staff  changes  are  announced 
by  three  organizations 

Carol  Bowman  of  Wenatchee, 
Wash.,  has  been  appointed  half-time 
Congregational  Life  Team  staff  for 
Area  5.  A  legal  assistant  when  hired. 
Bowman  previously  served  as  sup- 
port staff  for  the  Oregon/Washing- 
ton District. 

Guillermo  Encarnacion  has  re- 
signed as  interim  Dominican  Repub- 
lic representative,  effective  March 
27.  He  has  held  this  position  since 
June  1994.  He  will  continue  pastor- 
ing  Alpha  and  Omega  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Lancaster,  Pa. 

Larry  Click,  who  has  served  as  as- 
sociate executive  of  Shenandoah 
District  for  1  5  years,  has  resigned  ef- 
fective March  3 1 .  He  plans  to  spend 
more  time  with  his  family. 

Joan  Hershey  has  begun  serving  as 
quarter-time  coordinator  of  New  Life 
Ministries,  successor  to  the  General 
Board's  Andrew  Center;  she  had  been 
the  center's  lead  congregational  ad- 
viser. She  has  leadership  experience  in 
many  denominational  settings. 

Linda  McCauliff  of  lohnstown. 
Pa.,  has  begun  serving  as  half-time 
Area  1  Congregational  Life  Team 
member.  She  continues  serving 
Western  Pennsylvania  District  as 
half-time  associate  executive. 

Howard  Miller  of  Westminster,  Md., 
retired  Dec.  51  from  the  General 
Board  staff.  He  had  served  as  a  finan- 
cial counselor  since  January  1993. 


Nada  Sellers,  pastor  of  Pasadena 
(Calif.)  Church  of  the  Brethren,  has 
begun  serving  as  half-time  staff  for  the 
Area  5  Congregational  Life  Team.  She 
has  served  as  ad-  _  ^^ 

viser  for  students 
at  Fuller  School  of 
Theology,  as  an 
associate  pastor, 
and  as  a  chaplain. 

Rebecca  Slough, 
assistant  profes- 
sor of  Ministry 


Curat  Bowman 


Laii\  Cliik 


Howard  Miller 


[oan  Hershev 


Donald  Mvers 


Guillerino  Encainacion 


Rebecca  Slough 


Craig  Smith 


Studies  and  director  of  Congrega- 
tional and  Field  Education  at 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary,  has 
resigned  to  join  the  faculty  of  Associ- 
ated Mennonite 
Biblical  Seminar- 
ies, Elkhart,  Ind. 

Craig  Smith,  se- 
nior pastor  of 
Eaton  (Ohio) 
Church  of  the 
Brethren,  has  been 
called  to  serve  as 
executive  of  At- 
lantic Northeast 
District  by  April  1. 
Smith  has  served 
the  Eaton  congre- 
gation since  1989. 
Carol  Yeazell  of 
Valrico,  Fla.,  has 
begun  serving  as 
half-time  Area  3 
Congregational 
Life  Team  member 
and  as  half-time 
executive  of  At- 
lantic Southeast 
District.  She  has 
served  as  interim 
pastor  of  Winter 
Park  (Fla.)  Church 
of  the  Brethren, 
and  as  executive  of 
the  United  States/ 
Mexico  Chamber 
"*t         ^   '  of  Commerce — 

^"^^mtmiiM    Gulf  States  Re- 
Carol  )ea:ell  gion. 


Linda  McCauliff 


Nadu  Sellers 


Solid  management  and  strong  donor  support  result  in  a  positive  year  for  the  General  Board 


The  Church  of  the  Brethren  Gen- 
eral Board's  preliminary  1997  audit 
shows  that  it  may  close  its  books 
about  $500,000  ahead  of  projec- 
tions made  in  October. 

With  the  Board's  redesign,  which 
reduced  its  budget  by  $2,000,000 
from  1996  through  1997,  finance 
staff  were  unable  to  precisely  pro- 
ject end-of-the-year  totals,  as 


nearly  one-third  of  the  Board's  em- 
ployees were  released  during  the 
year.  Thus,  projections  were  based 
on  budgeted  income  and  expense 
parameters.  Though  income  came 
in  close  to  budget,  expenses  were 
about  $450,000  under  budget. 

"Expenses  were  contained 
through  employee  vacancies  han- 
dled through  heroic  staff  efforts 


during  transition  times,  deferred 
maintenance  and  purchases,  and 
other  one-time  savings,"  said  |udy 
Keyser,  treasurer.  "These  results  are 
uplifting  as  we  end  a  year  of  transi- 
tion for  the  General  Board." 

Other  factors  included  good  re- 
sponse to  an  end-of-the-year  mail 
campaign,  solid  investments,  and 
strong  individual  donations. 


8  Messenger  March  1998 


Children  from  across  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  are 

iencouraged  to  send  care  packages  to  North  Korean  children  in 
an  initiative  sponsored  by  the  General  Board's  Brethren  Witness 
office.  "North  Korean  children  are  in  need  of  the  simple  necessi- 
ties of  life,"  said  Brethren  Witness  director  David  Radcliff.  "This 
is  a  chance  for  our  children  to  respond  to  this  need." 

According  to  Kim  Joo,  Korean-born  consultant  to  Brethren  relief 
efforts,  North  Korean  children  have  "almost  nothing"  following  two 
years  of  floods  and  drought,  and  a  deteriorating  economy. 

Brethren  children  are  being  asked  to  enclose  several  of  these 
items  in  ziplock  bags— nail  clippers,  vitamins,  gloves,  adhesive 
bandages,  toothbrushes,  combs  and  brushes,  underclothes, 
vaseline,  lotion,  soap,  crayons  and  paper,  and  pens  and  pen- 
cils—and send  them  to  the  Brethren  Witness  office  in  Elgin,  III. 
For  more  information,  call  Radcliff  at  800  323-8039. 

Is  there  a  correlation  between  the  world's  environment  and 
human  health?  It  so,  how  should  people  of  faith  respond? 

Answers  to  these  questions  are  included  in  "Your  Health  and  the 
Environment;  A  Christian  Perspective,"  a  new  study/action  guide  for 
congregations  produced  by  General  Board  staff  Shantilal  Bhagat. 

"This  is  a  unique  resource  because  there  aren't  any  resources 
that  we  know  of  that  comprehensively  link  human  health,  the 
environment,  and  the  effect  of  toxics,"  Bhagat  said. 

Ten  thousand  copies  of  the  1 3-part  study  series  are  being  dis- 
tributed throughout  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  and  other  member 
communions  of  the  National  Council  of  Churches.  Cost  is  $7.50; 
order  from  Brethren  Press  at  800  441  -371 2. 

The  General  Board's  centralized  offices  site  committee 

met  in  early  January  at  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  General 
Offices  in  Elgin,  III.  The  committee,  which  has  representatives 
from  the  General  Board,  the  Annual  Conference  office,  and 
Brethren  Benefit  Trust,  used  the  time  to  do  exactly  what  it  did  in 
November  when  it  visited  the  Brethren  Service  Center  in  New 
Windsor,  Md.:  It  toured  the  facility  and  met  with  the  local  devel- 
opment director  of  a  government  or  civic  organization. 

The  committee  will  present  a  progress  report  to  the  General 
Board  this  month.  There  is  the  expectation  that  the  committee  will 
include  its  final  site  recommendation  in  the  report  because  that 
recommendation,  originally  scheduled  to  be  made  last  March,  was 
extended  for  one  year.  However,  Joseph  Mason,  interim  executive 
director  of  the  General  Board,  would  not  elaborate  if  the  commit- 
tee's presentation  would  truly  be  a  progress  report  or  a  final 
recommendation,  underscoring  the  need  for  General  Board  mem- 
bers to  receive  the  committee's  report  before  details  are  publicized. 

A  consultation  on  ministerial  training  and  leadership  devel- 
opment was  held  Jan.  22-25  at  Bethany  Theological  Seminary  in 
Richmond,  Ind.  Nearly  50  Bethany  faculty,  district  executives. 
General  Board  staff,  and  resource  people  gathered  to  discuss 
further  development  of  ministry  education  and  to  focus  on  the 
current  five-year  denominational  emphasis  on  ministry  and  lead- 
ership development. 


Focusing  on  ministry.  Rick  Gardner.  Bethany  Theological 
Seminary's  academic  dean  and  associate  professor  of  New 
Testament  Studies,  described  the  historic  consultation  on 
ministerial  training  and  leadership  development  held  at 
Bethany  in  January  as  a  landmark  meeting  tliat  brought 
together  several  partner  agencies  involved  in  ministry  in 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  giving  them  an  opportunity  to 
"articulate  basic  understandings  of  ministry  that  can  serve 
as  a  common  reference  point  for  our  respective  programs. " 

The  two  primary  goals  were  to  develop  a  core  of  shared  under- 
standings of  the  nature  of  ministry  in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
and  to  do  initial  work  on  developing  a  partnership  model  for 
mentoring  people  who  enter  the  ministry.  Various  presentations 
by  participants  discussed  ministry  from  biblical,  historical,  and 
cultural  perspectives.  Presentation  papers  will  be  published  in  a 
future  issue  of  Brethren  Life  and  Thought. 

The  presentations  served  as  valuable  resources  for  small 
group  dialog  that  led  to  the  development  of  a  working  paper  This 
paper  and  further  discussions  on  mentoring  will  be  part  of  the 
agenda  for  the  May  meeting  of  the  Ministry  Advisory  Council, 
which  is  composed  of  members  of  various  ministry-related 
Brethren  organizations.  The  Council  will  explore  options  for 
engaging  districts  and  congregations  in  the  conversation  about 
ministry  that  the  consultation  set  in  motion. 

Eight  week-long  Peace  Camps  for  people  of  all  ages  will  be 
offered  this  summer  by  On  Earth  Peace  Assembly.  These  camps, 
a  new  ministry  for  the  independent  Church  of  the  Brethren  orga- 
nization, will  be  held  at  the  Brethren  Service  Center,  New 
Windsor,  Md.  Most  of  the  leadership  will  be  provided  by  Church 
of  the  Brethren  members. 

"Through  these  weekly  Peace  Camps,  On  Earth  Peace  Assem- 
bly is  moving  well  beyond  its  traditional  day-long  and 
weekend-long  peace  education  programming  that  only  provides 
sufficient  time  to  introduce  issues  related  to  faith-based  peace- 
making," said  Tom  Hurst,  OEPA  director  "Week-long  camps  that 
focus  on  particular  peacemaking  themes  will  provide  sufficient 
time  for  an  intense  yet  enjoyable  experience."  Hurst  added  that 
the  Peace  Camps  are  not  intended  to  replace  the  traditional 
summer  church  camp  experience;  they  are  additional  ways  for 
people  to  spend  one  summer  week. 

Camp  costs  range  between  $210  and  $250,  which  includes 
room,  board,  tuition,  and  materials.  Contact  OEPA  at  41 0  635- 
8705  for  more  information  or  applications. 


March  1998  Messenger  9 


The  five  area  coordinators  of 

Congregational  Life  Teams  met  in 
Elgin  in  January  with  Glenn 
Timmons.  director  of  Congregational 
Life  Ministries.  They  are,  front  row: 
Jeff  Glass,  fulie  Hostetter  Glenn 
Timmons.  Back  row:  David  Smalley, 
Ian  Kensinger.  and  Beth  Sollenberger 
M  or  phew. 


At  your  service! 

Congregational  Life  Teams,  the  latest  prograjn  ijiitiative  from 
the  General  Board,  are  in  place  and  ready  to  assist  congregations. 


BY  Fletcher  Farrar 

It  is  long-awaited,  the  newest 
program  of  the  redesigned  Gen- 
eral Board  staff,  and  it  is 
launched.  It  is  the  Congregational 
Life  Teams,  currently  12  newly  hired 
full-time  and  part-time  staff  mem- 
bers assigned  to  assist  congregations 
and  districts  in  doing  the  work  of 
ministry.  Amid  the  hope  and  uncer- 
tainty of  a  risky  new  venture,  the 
CLTs  are  open  for  business. 

"Exciting"  is  the  word  that  kept 
coming  up  in  a  group  discussion 
with  the  five  CLT  area  coordinators 
at  a  January  training  session  in  Elgin. 


"It  is  exciting  to  be  part  of  something 
new,"  says  Julie  Hostetter  of 
Roanoke,  Va.,  coordinator  of  Area  3, 
which  includes  southeastern  dis- 
tricts. "This  is  the  most  proactive 
thing  in  the  church  right  now." 

"It's  exciting  to  work  at  rebuilding 
connections  and  partnerships  that 
have  been  lost,"  says  Ian  Kensinger 
of  Hummelstown,  Pa.,  coordinator  of 
Area  1,  the  northeastern  districts. 

Of  the  "peacefully,  simply, 
together"  trio,  Beth  Sollenberger 
Morphew  picks  out  the  latter  as  her 
vision  for  the  new  venture.  "We  want 
to  develop  ties  that  put  us  in  the 
'together'  category."  Sollenberger 


Morphew  is  coordinator  of  Area  2, 
the  midwestern  districts. 

The  idea  comes  from  Ephesians 
4:12,  in  which  various  leaders  in  the 
church  were  named  "to  prepare  God's 
people  for  works  of  service,  so  that 

the  body  of  Christ  may  be  built  up " 

The  Congregational  Life  Teams  plan 
to  do  their  work  by  responding  to 
inquiries  from  churches  or  districts, 
performing  consultations  by  request, 
and  providing  resources  to  congrega- 
tions, according  to  Glenn  Timmons, 
director  of  Congregational  Life  Min- 
istries on  the  General  Board  staff. 
Team  members  expect  to  be  offering 
workshops  on  a  variety  of  subjects. 


10  Messenger  March  1998 


providing  leadership  development  and 
continuing  education  experiences. 

While  each  team  member  brings 
different  talents  and  gifts,  all  are 
expected  to  have  some  knowledge  of 
six  core  subjects  of  importance  to 
congregations:  worship,  spiritual 
development,  stewardship  education, 
evangelism,  small  member  churches, 
and  urban  and  ethnic  ministries.  On 
all  these  subjects,  if  the  Congrega- 
tional Life  Team  can't  provide  the 
needed  service  directly,  then  it  will  try 
to  find  the  kind  of  expertise  that  will 
be  of  help.  And  if  a  person  assigned  to 
one  geographical  area  has  expertise 
needed  in  another,  there  is  nothing  to 
prevent  that  CLT  member  from  trav- 
eling across  area  boundaries. 

Timmons  emphasizes  that  the  first 
step  for  CLTs — before  seminars, 
resources,  or  consultations — is  build- 
ing relationships  within  the  wider 
church.  This  involves  three  types,  he 
says:  building  relationships  with  God. 
building  relationships  with  congrega- 
tions and  districts,  and  building 
relationships  with  the  ministry  areas 
of  the  General  Board  program. 
"Relationship  is  the  vehicle  for  min- 
istry and  mission,"  Timmons  says. 

Realizing  that  it  is  a  new  concept  for 
the  General  Board  to  have  staff  assigned 
to  relate  to  congregations,  the  Congre- 
gational Life  Team  members  want  to  be 


careful  to  go  only  where  they're  invited 
and  welcome.  Yet  they're  eager  to  solicit 
those  invitations.  "Early  on  we'll  be  in 
conversation  with  pastors,"  Timmons 
says.  District  executives,  seen  as  key  to 
the  program's  success,  are  also  being 
carefully  consulted.  Planners  hope  that 
by  increasing  the  resources  available  to 
congregations,  CLTs  will  be  viewed  as  a 
welcome  companion  to  district  min- 
istries. "We  will  need  to  sell  ourselves," 
Timmons  says.  He  says  Congregational 
Life  Teams  will  be  interpreting  the  Gen- 
eral Board's  mission  and  programs  to 
congregations  which  may  not  be  familiar 
with  all  the  ministry  areas  in  the 
redesigned  structure. 

T^he  CLTs  hope  congregations 
will  ask  for  help.  "A  healthy  con- 
gregation will  have  a  clear  sense 
of  mission,  purpose,  and  focus,"  Tim- 
mons says.  "We  can  help  them  find  the 
resources  and  gifts  to  be  in  mission." 
Timmons  knows  that  not  all  congrega- 
tions and  districts  will  make  use  of  the 
Congregational  Life  Teams.  "Some 
congregations  have  plenty  of  confi- 
dence and  plenty  of  resources,  and  may 
not  use  this  service,"  he  says.  "Others 
may  have  low  self-esteem  and  lack  of 
clarity  about  their  mission.  Or  they  may 
disagree  with  what  they  perceive  as  the 
theology  of  the  General  Board.  They 
may  not  ask  for  help  either.  We  expect 


Meet  the  team 


By  inid-lunuary.  12  Congregational 
Life  Team  members  had  been  hired — 
4  full  time  and  8  half  time.  Three 
more  half-time  CLTs  were  expected  to 
be  added  to  the  staff 
The  team  members  are: 

Area  I 

Jan  Kensinger,  coordinator.  Currently 
a  resident  of  Hummelstown,  Pa.,  she 
grew  up  in  Roaring  Spring,  Pa.  She 


received  her  B.S.  degree  from  Juniata 
College  and  is  currently  a  student  at  the 
Bethany  Seminary  satellite  and  Lan- 
caster Theological  Seminary.  Kensinger 
served  as  associate  for  youth  ministry 
and  then  as  associate  district  executive 
in  Atlantic  Northeast  District  from 
1983  to  1996.  Recently  she  served  as 
pastor  and  chaplain  at  Brethren  Home 
Community  in  New  Oxford,  Pa.  She  is 
a  member  of  the  board  of  the  Associa- 


most  requests  will  come  from  those 
churches  in  between." 

By  having  staff  members  deployed 
around  the  country,  the  General  Board 
hopes  to  reverse  some  of  the  perception 
that  power  and  decisions  are  concen- 
trated at  denominational  headquarters, 
and  recognize  that  the  strength  of  the 
denomination  is  in  its  churches.  "Our 
job  will  be  getting  out  there."  Timmons 
says.  "We  need  to  be  in  front  of  people. 
If  we  make  ourselves  available  we'll  get 
more  requests." 

Congregational  Life  Team  coordina- 
tors acknowledge  that  their  work  may 
remain  somewhat  vague  until  they  get 
some  experience  and  a  track  record. 
The  areas  to  be  served  are  huge  and 
the  staffs  small.  "There's  much  more 
work  than  human  resources,"  says  Ian 
Kensinger.  leff  Glass,  CLT  coordinator 
for  Area  5,  the  western  states,  recalls 
the  biblical  example  of  lethro  con- 
fronting IVIoses  about  the  need  to 
delegate  work.  "We  may  ask  for  volun- 
teers to  help  us,"  he  says. 

These  ministry  pioneers  know  that 
many  in  the  church  are  skeptical  of  the 
General  Board's  new  venture,  but 
many  also  are  hopeful  that  it  will  suc- 
ceed and  flourish.  David  Smalley,  CLT 
coordinator  for  Area  4,  the  Plains  dis- 
tricts, expresses  his  optimism  this  way: 
"Transitions  hold  the  possibility 
for  transformation." 


tion  of  Brethren  Caregivers  and 
serves  as  ABC's  treasurer.  Telephone: 
(toll  free)  888-411-4275. 

Linda  McCauliff  (half-time).  A 
resident  of  lohnstown,  Pa.,  she  will 
continue  to  serve  half  time  as  the 
associate  district  minister  tor 
Western  Pennsylvania  District.  An 
ordained  minister,  McCauliff  com- 
pleted the  three-year  reading  course, 
graduated  from  TRIM,  and  is  cur- 

March  1998  Messenger  1 1 


rently  enrolled  in  a  degree  completion 
program  at  Geneva  College  in  Beaver 
Falls,  Pa.  Telephone:  814-254-1048. 

Donald  E.  Myers  (half-time). 
Donald  is  currently  serving  as  the 
interim  district  executive  for  South- 
ern Pennsylvania  District.  He  is  an 
ordained  minister  and  the  moderator 
of  the  East  Fairview  (Pa.)  congrega- 
tion where  he  has  been  active  teacher, 


Sunday  school  superintendent, 
church  secretary,  and  youth  advisor. 
Myers  retired  as  principal  of  the  Dal- 
lastown  Area  Middle  School  in  1997, 
a  position  he  held  for  20  years  fol- 
lowing four  years  as  assistant 
principal.  He  serves  as  adjunct  pro- 
fessor for  the  Education  Department 
of  York  College  of  Pennsylvania. 
Myers  received  his  B.A.  degree 


from  Elizabethtown  College,  has  an 
M.Ed,  from  Western  Maryland  Col- 
lege, and  an  Ed.D.  from  Temple 
University  (Philadelphia).  He  and  his 
wife,  Doris,  live  in  York,  Pa.,  and  have 
three  sons  and  two  grandchildren. 

Area  2 

Beth  Sollenberger  Morphew,  coordi- 
nator. A  resident  of  Elgin,  III.,  She 


Area  2 


David  Sinallev 


12  Messenger  March  1998 


grew  up  in  Pennsylvania.  She  received 
iier  undergraduate  degree  from  [uni- 
ata  College  and  her  master  of  divinity 
degree  from  Bethany  Theological 
Seminary.  Since  1994  she  has  served 
as  the  director  of  stewardship  educa- 
tion on  the  General  Board  staff. 
Before  that  she  served  as  associate 
pastor  of  the  Sebring  (Fla.)  congrega- 
tion for  two  years,  pastored  the 
Pleasant  Hill  (Ohio)  congregation  for 
five  years,  and  was  co-pastor  of  the 
Hagerstown  (Md.)  congregation  for 
two  years.  Telephone:  800-325-8059. 

Duane  Grady  (half-time).  Grady 
will  continue  his  responsibilities  as 
co-pastor  of  the  Northview  Church  of 
the  Brethren  in  Indianapolis,  Ind.  He 
has  an  M.A.Th.  degree  from  Bethany 
Theological  Seminary.  Prior  experi- 
ence includes  serving  as  program 
associate  at  the  Lombard  Mennonite 
Peace  Center,  Lombard,  111.,  coordi- 
nator of  the  Iowa  Peace  Network  in 
Des  Moines,  and  executive  director  of 
the  Interfaith  Council  for  the  Home- 
less in  Chicago.  Grady  is  coordinator 
of  TRIM  in  South/Central  Indiana 
District.  Telephone:  517-546-5220. 

lames  L.  Kinsey  (half-time).  A  resi- 
dent of  Lake  Odessa,  Mich.,  Kinsey 
will  continue  his  responsibilities  as  dis- 
trict minister  in  Michigan  District.  He 
grew  up  in  Mt.  Morris,  111.,  and  is  a 
graduate  of  Manchester  College  and 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary.  He  is 
certified  as  a  trainer  and  coordinator 
for  rural/small  town  congregations.  He 
has  served  as  pastor  of  the  First  Church 
of  the  Brethren  in  Marion,  Ohio,  and 
Hope  Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
Freeport,  Mich.  Most  recently  Kinsey 
served  the  denomination  as  interim 
co-director  of  the  Ministry  office.  Tele- 
phone: 616-574-8066. 

Area  3 

Julie  Hostetter,  coordinator.  A  resi- 
dent of  Roanoke,  Va.,  Hostetter  was 
raised  in  Palmyra,  Pa.  A  graduate  of 
Lebanon  Valley  College,  she  received 
her  M.Div.  from  United  Theological 
Seminary  in  Dayton,  Ohio.  She  has 
been  a  co-pastor  with  her  husband, 


Michael,  in  an  urban  congregation; 
an  adjunct  faculty  member  and 
administrator  at  United  Theological 
Seminary;  an  interim  pastor  of 
Chesterfield  Fellowship  Church  of 
the  Brethren  in  Virlina;  and  a  minis- 
ter of  music  at  West  Richmond 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  Richmond, 
Va.  Telephone:  540-562-2884. 

Carol  Yeazell  (half-time).  Yeazell 
will  also  serve  as  half-time  executive 
minister  for  Atlantic  Southeast  Dis- 
trict. An  ordained  minister,  she  has 
served  as  interim  pastor  for  the 
Winter  Park  Church  of  the  Brethren 
in  Winter  Park,  Fla.  She  is  fluent  in 
Spanish  and  has  had  extensive  experi- 
ence in  Puerto  Rico  and  Central 
America.  She  has  served  as  executive 
director  of  Beth-El  Farm  Worker 
Ministry  in  Florida,  and  most 
recently  as  executive  direcor  of  the 
US — Mexico  Chamber  of  Commerce, 
Gulf  States  Region.  She  also  operated 
a  family  business  for  25  years.  She 
and  her  husband,  Gene,  and  daughter, 
Melody,  live  in  Valrico,  Fla.,  and  are 
members  of  the  Good  Samaritan 
Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Brandon. 
Telephone:  815-654-5054. 

Another  half-time  CLT  member  is 
expected  to  be  hired  for  Area  5. 

Area  4 

David  Smalley,  coordinator.  A  resi- 
dent of  St.  fohn,  Kan.,  Smalley  is 
pastor  of  the  Eden  Valley  Church  of 
the  Brethren.  He  will  continue  half- 
time  in  that  position  until  April,  when 
he  will  become  full-time  as  Congrega- 
tional Life  Team  coordinator.  He  grew 
up  in  Florida,  where  he  attended  the 
Winter  Park  Church  of  the  Brethren. 
He  is  a  graduate  of  Manchester  Col- 
lege and  has  taken  course  work  at 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary.  Smal- 
ley pastored  the  Pittsburg  (Ind.) 
Church  of  the  Brethren  and  the 
Fairview  (Pa.)  Church  of  the  Brethren. 
He  has  been  active  on  district  boards 
and  camping  programs.  Telephone: 
(loll free)  888-526-9589. 

Another  half-time  CLT  member  is 
expected  to  be  hired  for  Area  4. 


Area  5 

Jeff  Glass,  coordinator  (half-time). 
A  resident  of  San  Diego,  Calif.. 
Glass  recently  served  as  pastor  of 
First  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  San 
Diego.  He  is  a  graduate  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  La  Verne  and  Bethany 
Theological  Seminary.  He  has  been 
pastor  of  Laton  (Calif.)  Church  of 
the  Brethren  and  co-pastor  at 
Hagerstown  (Md.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  He  has  served  on  a 
number  of  district  committees  and 
was  a  founding  steering  committee 
member  of  CoBACE.  Telephone: 
(toll  free)  888-826-4951. 

Carol  Bowman  (half-time).  A  res- 
ident of  Wenatchee,  Wash.,  Bowman 
was  born  and  raised  on  the  Nigerian 
mission  field  and  returned  to  teach 
there.  She  is  a  graduate  of  the 
University  of  La  Verne,  where  she 
has  also  done  graduate  work.  She  is 
a  former  General  Board  member. 
She  has  worked  as  administrative 
staff  support  for  Oregon -Washington 
district  and  for  a  United  Church  of 
Christ  conference,  and  as  a  legal 
assistant  in  a  law  firm.  Telephone: 
509-665-2855. 

Nada  Sellers  (half-time).  Sellers 
will  continue  to  serve  half-time  as 
pastor  of  the  Pasadena  (Calif.) 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  A  graduate 
of  Yale  University,  she  has  an 
M.Div.  from  Fuller  Theological 
Seminary  and  is  ordained  by  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  She  is 
moving  toward  completion  ot  a  cer- 
tificate in  the  Art  of  Spiritual 
Direction  program  from  the  Center 
for  Spiritual  Development  in 
Orange,  Calif.  She  has  served  as 
advisor  for  pre-Ph.D.  students  at 
Fuller  School  of  Theology,  music 
director  and  then  associate  pastor  at 
First  Mennonite  Church  in  Upland, 
Calif.,  and  chaplain  coordinator  for 
Community  Hospice  Care,  Inc.,  San 
Bernardino,  Calif.  She  has  served 
on  the  boards  of  the  Center  for 
Anabaptist  Leadership  in  Los  Ange- 
les and  Camp  La  Verne.  Inc. 
Telephone:  626-797-3255. 

March  1998  Messenger  13 


BUT  THE 


What  I  remember  best 
from  my  days  as  a  stu- 
dent at  Bethany 
Theological  Seminary  are  the  stories 
told  by  the  faculty.  That  solid  rabbini- 
cal technique  of  illustrating  lessons 
with  sharp  and  memorable  stories  was 
used  by  most  of  my  teachers  there. 
One  in  particular,  told  by  Dale  Brown, 
comes  to  mind.  It  goes  like  this. 

There  was  a  godless  man  who  fell 
down  a  well.  During  that  hopeless 
time  he  spent  at  the  bottom  he  discov- 
ered Christ  and  his  need  to  depend 
upon  others.  After  he  was  saved  from 
the  well  he  wanted  to  share  this  great 
gift  of  grace  with  others. 

So  he  went  around  pushing  people 
down  wells. 

14  Messenger  March  1998 


BIBLE 


BY  Frank  Ramirez 

The  point  of  the  story  is  that  most 
of  us  e.xpect  others  to  find  Christ 
exactly  as  we  did,  when  there  are  as 
many  paths  to  the  good  news  of  salva- 
tion as  there  are  people.  I  thought 
about  this  a  lot  in  the  wake  of  the 
debate  centering  on  a  few  little  words. 

Those  words  are  in  two  Annual 
Conference  statements,  one  from 
1991  that  "affirms  that  |esus  Christ  is 
the  Son  of  God,  savior  of  the  world 


and  the  head  of  the  church,  according 
to  the  scriptures."  The  other  is  from 
the  1995  Annual  Conference,  which 
called  upon  members  and  ministers  to 
"clearly  affirm  the  uniqueness  of 
lesus  Christ  as  the  only  divine  Lord 
and  Savior."  In  this  case  the  word 
"only"  was  the  focus  of  the  question. 
I  have  no  problem  with  either  state- 
ment, and  I  suspect  that  most 
Brethren  from  Alexander  Mack  to  the 
present  would  have  had  no  problem 
endorsing  these  propositions.  But 
the  debate  didn't  center  on  the  verac- 
ity of  the  claim.  Rather,  concern  was 
expressed  that  this  quibbling  over 
words  might  be  leading  us  to  a 
creedalism  that  we  have  avoided  over 
the  nearly  three  hundred  years  of  our 


history.  Moreover,  some  wondered  if 
as  the  years  went  by  we  would  simply 
'continue  to  add  words  and  phrases 
luntil  we  finally  had  a  creed. 

We  Brethren  have  stated  that  we 
have  no  creed  but  the  New  Testa- 
ment. The  New  Testament  is  a  lot 
longer  than  the  shorthand  theology 
that  composes  a  creed,  so  the  ques- 
tion should  be  asked,  what  is  a  creed, 
and  what's  wrong  with  it? 

A  creed  is  a  formal  statement  of 
[belief.  It's  a  very  helpful  thing  to  have, 
Ito  be  honest.  Take  what  is  known  as  the 
fNicene  Creed,  which  I  recited  every 
,  Sunday  as  a  child.  It  begins  like  this: 

I    "I  believe  in  one  God  the  Father 
Almighty,  creator  of  heaven  and  earth, 
and  of  all  things  seen  and  unseen. 

"And  I  believe  in  one  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God. 
Born  of  the  Father  before  all  ages, 
God  of  God,  Light  of  Light,  true  God 
lof  true  God.  begotten,  not  made, 
being  of  one  being  with  the  Father,  by 
whom  all  things  were  made:  who  for 
us  men  and  for  our  salvation,  came 
down  from  heaven,  and  was  made 
flesh  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  the  Virgin 
Mary,  and  was  made  man " 

The  Nicene  Creed  is  a  fairly  compact 
statement  of  faith.  What's  to  argue 
with?  Why  don't  we  just  have  every 
member  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
sign  the  thing  and  be  done  with  it? 

I  think  we  Brethren  have  avoided 
establishing  a  creed  for  two  reasons. 
The  first  was  that  creeds  were  used  by 
state  churches  as  a  basis  for  persecu- 
tion of  non-state  churches,  such  as  the 
Brethren.  They  were  a  litmus  test  to  see 
who  fit  and  who  didn't  fit  within 
boundaries  that  were  not  established  by 
the  Bible  but  rather  by  church  tradition. 

The  second  and  more  important 
reason  we  have  and  should  continue 
to  avoid  creeds  has  to  do  with  the 
way  Brethren  do  Bible  study:  in  com- 
munion with  each  other. 

No  one  should  be  asked  to  affirm 
either  Annual  Conference  statement 
— or  any  other  faith  statement — until 
they  have  engaged  in  Bible  study.  Nor 
is  it  necessary  to  do  so  in  order  to 
begin  the  Christian  journey.  I  was 
struck  during  my  study  of  the  Gospel 


of  Mark  how  those  who  followed 
Jesus  least  understood  who  he  was. 
The  Gerasene  Demoniac  had  no 
questions  about  the  supremacy  of 
Jesus.  And  the  Samaritan  woman  at 
the  well  saw  Jesus  and  recognized 
him.  Yet  the  disciples,  even  after  wit- 
nessing the  calming  of  the  storm  or 
the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand, 
asked  each  other,  "Who  then  is  this?" 
Recognition  that  Jesus  is  Lord  is 

BRETHREN  STUDY 

THE  BIBLE 

TOGETHER  BECAUSE 

THE  JOURNEY 

TO  FAITH  IS  THE 

IMPORTANT  PART 


essential  to  beginning  the  Christian 
journey.  The  rest  takes  time  and  may 
involve  a  different  path  than  my  own. 
Remember  the  man  who  pushed  others 
down  wells?  When  we  recite  a  creed 
without  doing  the  work,  we're  assum- 
ing we  can  get  there  by  the  same  road. 
But  Paul's  journey  was  different  from 
that  given  to  Apollos  and  Priscilla  and 
Aquila  and  Peter  and  all  the  rest! 

Of  course  that  means  we  won't  all 
share  the  same  signposts  or  land- 
marks as  are  found  on  someone  else's 
journey.  We  have  to  trust  God  to 
bring  people  to  the  kingdom  by  a  path 
he  has  chosen.  But  the  destination, 
the  New  Jerusalem,  will  be  the  same. 

One  fact  scripture  readers  discover 
is  that  believers  coming  to  the  text  can 
honestly  understand  the  words  of  the 
Bible  itself  in  a  different  fashion. 
Study  of  not  only  English  translations, 
but  also  the  original  biblical  language, 
can  lead  to  honest  debate.  What  is 
actually  expressed  in  the  Bible,  and 
what  is  based  on  interpretation  over 
the  centuries?  You  would  be  surprised 
how  many  basic  assumptions  shared 
by  Christians  have  no  basis  in  the  text 
of  the  New  Testament. 

A  few  years  ago  I  attended  a  confer- 


ence at  Elizabethtown  College  on  the 
social  transformation  of  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren.  Chris  Bucher.  an 
associate  professor  of  religion  there, 
gave  one  of  the  addresses,  and  called 
to  mind  her  childhood  memory  of  her 
grandmother's  old  black  leather- 
bound  Schofield  Bible,  which  had  the 
place  of  honor  in  the  middle  of  the 
living  room.  She  recalled  how  more 
attention  was  given  to  carefully  dust- 
ing around  it  than  in  reading  it. 

So  in  her  talk  called  "Brethren  and 
the  Bible  in  the  20th  Century,"  Bucher 
warned  that  "US  culture  treats  the 
Bible  as  an  icon,  and  venerates  it  as  an 
object  without  paying  attention  to  its 
contents."  She  quoted  statistics  that 
seemed  to  indicate  that  while  both 
Brethren  and  American  society  under- 
stood the  Bible  to  be  the  word  of  God, 
most  people  have  a  profound  igno- 
rance regarding  it,  and  only  1 7  percent 
read  it  daily.  She  encouraged  regular 
Bible  study,  noting,  "Brethren  have 
used  scholarly  methods  for  the  pur- 
pose of  discovering  the  meaning  of  the 
Bible  for  our  day.  and  not  to  discredit 
it."  Bucher  stressed  that  historically 
Brethren  have  read  the  Bible  with  the 
assumption  that  it  should  lead  to  action. 

if  we  were  to  agree  that  Bible  study 
is  essential  to  form  faith  statements, 
the  next  question  is,  what  sort  of 
Bible  study?  If  we  all  read  the  scrip- 
tures and  came  up  with  different 
interpretations,  how  do  we  decide 
which  is  the  right  one? 

Recently  I  called  upon  all  members 
of  my  church  to  take  part  in  ten- 
week  Bible  studies,  and  more  than 
half  signed  up.  Also  I  led  a  small 
group  through  a  program  of  reading 
the  entire  Bible  in  one  year. 

In  both  these  endeavors  I  tried  to 
model  what  I  think  is  the  true,  bibli- 
cal method  of  Bible  study.  I  learned  a 
lot  about  this  method  through  a  lec- 
ture given  by  Reneeta  J.  Weems  at 
the  "Consultation  on  Biblical  Liter- 
acy," which  1  attended  with  several 
members  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  February  1994. 

Weems,  a  professor  of  Old  Testament 
at  Vanderbilt  University,  who  was  an 
economist  before  she  became  an 


March  1998  Messenger  15 


ordained  elder  in  tiie  African  Methodist 
Episcopal  Churcii,  suggested  tliat  the 
best  way  to  promote  biblical  literacy 
might  not  have  anything  to  do  with 
promoting  more  Bible  reading. 

Speaking  about  people  who  lived 
during  what  we  might  call  "Bible 
Times,"  she  said,  "Reading  and 
formal  study  were  privileges  and  lux- 
uries for  the  mass  of  people  eking 
out  a  living.  Religious  instruction 
was  an  oral  event,  done  in  commu- 
nity, not  in  print,  and  done  within 
the  context  of  worship." 

In  examining  the  biblical  record 
Weems  suggested  that  "private  study 
of  the  written  text  was  unheard  of." 
She  focused  on  consistent  use  of  the 
words  "hear"  and  "tell"  in  the  Bible 
to  emphasize  the  oral  nature  of  the 
biblical  experience. 

She  was  especially  drawn  to  the 
story  of  the  Ethiopian  eunuch  in  the 
eighth  chapter  of  the  Book  of  Acts. 
In  that  episode  the  eunuch  is  reading 
the  Isaiah  scroll  when  the  apostle 
Philip  is  sent  to  him.  According  to 
Weems  it  is  "the  sole  example  of 
what  we  might  call  scripture  study. 

"Even  he  -  a  literate  slave  -  cannot 
understand  what  he  is  reading.  This 
underscores  the  difference  between 
reading  and  understanding. 

"Interpretation  and  study  are  prop- 
erly done  in  communion  with 
believers,  in  dialog  with  scripture 
and  each  other. 

"We  have  ample  evidence  through- 
out the  world  of  religious  people, 
devout,  genuine,  authentic,  and  law- 
abiding,  who  have  never  read  a  page 
of  their  holy  text  in  their  lives." 

Yada-yada-yada 

Recently  the  Elkhart  Valley  Church  of 

the  Brethren  in  Elkhart,  Ind.,  held  a 

card  shower  for  pastor  Frank  Ramirez  as  part  of 

Pastor's  Appreciation  Month.  The  card  from  the 

Kauffmann-Kennel  family  included  this  cartoon  from 

10-year-old  Michael  Kennel,  in  which  he  depicted  the 

congregation's  reaction  to  Frank's  sermons.  Michael 


As  an  example  of  the  way  in  which 
community  Bible  study  worked,  Weems 
called  to  mind  her  childhood  in  an 
African  American  Pentecostal  church. 

"Elder  Riley  and  Deacon  Foxworth 
railed  at  each  other  about  the  mean- 
ing of  a  text.  Thirty  adults  and  one 

ONE  ADVANTAGE 

TO  GROUP  STUDY 

OVER  INDIVIDUAL 

STUDY  IS  THAT  IT 

PROVIDES  A  SYSTEM 

OF  CHECKS  AND 

BALANCES. 


child,  myself,  came  early  so  we  could 
watch  them  trade  rhetorical  punches 
about  the  true  meaning  of  the  flood, 
the  virgin  birth,  the  creation,  how 
many  [ohns  are  there  anyway  in  the 
New  Testament,  and  why  the  rapture 
would  more  likely  take  place  in  the 
day  as  well  as  the  night." 

She  reflected  on  how  often  they 
would  pause  to  add,  "Do  you  see 
what  I'm  saying?"  Reading  had 
nothing  to  do  with  it. 

If  you  have  had  the  pleasure  of  read- 
ing a  slim  volume  called  The  Complete 
Writings  of  Alexander  Mack,  published 
by  the  Brethren  Encyclopedia  Inc.,  it  is 
clear  that  this  is  precisely  the  method 
of  Bible  study  employed  the  early 
Brethren.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  we 


refer  to  Mack  only  as  a  "co-founder" 
of  the  church.  The  Brethren  in  concert 
studied  scripture  for  the  answers  to 
hard  questions,  and  they  emphasized 
that  again  and  again  in  their  writings. 
They  read  the  Bible  together  and 
formed  their  conclusions  jointly. 
Brethren  have  long  felt  that  Bible 
study  is  group  study,  because  we  are  a 
people,  not  primarily  persons. 

One  advantage  to  group  study  over 
individual  study  is  that  it  provides  a 
system  of  checks  and  balances.  Many 
people  approach  the  text  as  if  it  were  a 
tool.  They  may  have  an  aim  in  mind, 
and  select  verses  that  support  their 
argument.  They  then  expect  others  to 
jump  through  these  biblical  hoops  so 
that  they  reach  the  same  conclusions. 

The  larger  the  circle  of  Bible  study, 
the  better.  You  may  begin  with  a 
small  group  in  your  church,  and  then 
draw  in  others.  Take  advantage  of 
district  conference  and  Annual  Con- 
ference Bible  studies,  as  well  as  those 
available  in  the  larger  Christian  body. 
Curriculum  aids  published  by 
Brethren  Press  are  helpful  tools. 

Signing  on  to  a  creed  is  like  read- 
ing the  end  of  a  book  without  going 
through  all  the  intervening  chapters. 
It's  trying  to  bypass  the  process.  You 
can't.  Studying  the  Bible  together  is 
an  important  first  step.  It's  an  inte- 
gral part  of  being  Brethren,  of  being 
Christian.  In  this  way  you  can  be 
open  to  where  the  word  of  God  wants 
to  lead  you,  not  where  you  want 
the  word  of  God  to  end  up. 


M. 


Frank  Ramirez  is  pastor  of  the  Elkhart  Valley 
Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Elkhart,  Ind.. 


is  the  nephew  of  Joel  Kauffmann, 
author  of  the  popular  Pontius  Puddle 
comic  featured  in,  among  other 
places,  Messenger.  Michael  often 
illustrates  Frank's  sermons  as  well. 

Messenger  would  like  to  publish  other  short,  colorful,  and  humorous  stories 
of  real-life  incidents  irivolving  Brethren.  Please  send  your  submission  to 
Messenger,  Brethren  Press, 1451  Dundee  Ave,,  Elgin,  IL  60120-1694  or 
e-mail  to  the  editor  at  fffarrar@midwest.net. 


16  Messenger  March  1998 


As  far  as  the  eye  could  see,  in  every  direction,  there  was 
nothing — no  trees,  no  shrubbery,  only  reddish-brown  dirt, 

like  a  smoothly  harrowed  field. 

Tracing  footprints  in  the  isbij 


BY  Joseph  M.  Mason 

My  name  is  Joseph.  I  do  not 
own  an  "Amazing  Techni- 
color Dream  Coat."  I  am 
not  a  frequent  dreamer,  nor  am  I 
gifted  as  an  interpreter  of  dreams. 

Nevertheless,  several  weeks  ago  I 
had  a  very  vivid  dream.  I  found  myself 
in  the  middle  of  what  appeared  to  be  a 
huge  field.  The  soil  looked  like  the  red 
clay  of  Orange  County,  Va.,  near 
where  I  lived  as  a  child. 

As  far  as  the  eye  could  see,  in  every 
direction,  there  was  nothing — no 
trees,  no  shrubbery,  only  reddish- 
brown  dirt,  like  a  smoothly  harrowed 
field,  it  was  like  being  lost  in  a  great 
desert.  I  did  feel  lost.  I  had  no  sense 
of  direction. 

Then  I  began  looking  around  more 
intently.  Finally  I  looked  behind  me. 
There  behind  me,  as  straight  as  one 
might  draw  a  line,  as  far  as  I  could 
see,  were  my  footprints  in  the  soil. 

I  now  knew  the  direction  from 
which  I  had  come.  1  now  knew  that  I 
could  turn  and  follow  my  footprints 


back.  Or  I  could  keep  going  straight 
ahead,  guided  by  the  line  that  had 
brought  me  thus  far.  Or  I  could  go  to 
the  right  or  the  left. 

I  no  longer  felt  disoriented  or  lost. 
I  felt  relaxed  and  confident.  Since 
the  direction  from  which  I  had  come 
became  clear  to  me,  I  was  sure  I 
could  now  find  my  way. 

Not  long  before  I  dreamed  this 
dream,  I  read  an  article  by  Dale 
Stouffer  in  a  journal  called  Old  Order 
Notes.  Stouffer  addressed  the  ques- 
tion of  where  Brethren  have  come 
from — tracing  their  footprints  in  the 
soil.  The  theme  or  thread  that  he  sees 
running  all  through  Brethren  history, 
from  Schwarzenau  to  the  present,  is 
discipleship — being  a  follower  of 
lesus,  living  according  to  the  example 
and  teachings  of  jesus.  While  others 
developed  creeds,  christological 
understandings,  doctrinal  positions, 
liturgical  practices,  the  Brethren 
focus  was  to  "live  according  to  the 
example  and  teachings  of  |esus." 

Surely  Brethren  have  not  taken 
lesus  Christ  more  seriously  than 


many  others.  Others  have  placed 
great  emphasis  on  the  meaning  of 
lesus"  death  and  resurrection,  the 
meaning  of  grace,  of  the  atonement. 
Recently,  leading  scholars  have  been 
examining  with  new  fervor  who  |esus 
was  and  what  he  said  and  did. 

But  Brethren  in  general  have  not 
emphasized  scholarly  pursuits,  or 
even  rigid  biblicism.  Rather,  we  have 
put  our  emphasis  on  walking  in  his 
steps,  seeking  to  "live  according  to 
the  example  and  teachings  of  (esus." 

When  I  saw  those  footprints  in  the 
soil,  and  when  I  saw  juxtaposed  along- 
side them  a  clear  Brethren  theme, 
tracing  from  the  present  back  to  our 
beginnings,  I  was  overwhelmed  with 
the  feeling  that  we  are  not  lost,  that  we 
do  have  a  sense  of  direction.  I  knew 
then  that  I  would  come  to  Elgin  to  join 
in  "continuing  the  work  of  jesus.    rrj" 
Peacefully.  Simply.  Together."         I 

Joseph  M.  Mason  began  January  5  as 
interim  executive  director  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  General  Board.  This  article  is 
abridged  front  a  chapel  message  given  to 
employees  at  the  General  Offices  in  Elgin.  III. 

March  1998  Messenger  17 


A  DREAM 
FULFILLED 


Story  and  photos 
BY  Nevin  Dulabaum 

When  three  vandals  on 
March  31,  1996,  decided 
that  the  quaint,  one-room 
Butler  Chapel  A.MT.  church  7.5 
miles  northwest  of  Orangeburg, 
S.C.,  was  too  much  of  a  nuisance, 
they  broke  into  that  building — which 
is  set  back  one-tenth  of  a  mile  off  the 
main  highway — and,  in  an  act  of  vio- 
lence and  hatred,  set  it  on  fire. 
If  destruction  was  their  goal,  the 

18  Messenger  March  1998 


racially  motivated  arsonists  couldn't 
have  known  what  they  were  doing. 
This  past  January,  Butler  Chapel 
dedicated  a  beautiful,  new  facility, 
which  stands  today  largely  because 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  General 
Board's  Emergency  Response/Ser- 
vice Ministries  decided  to  coordinate 
its  largest  construction  project  ever. 
Some  200  Brethren  volunteers  and 
about  300  other  volunteers  from 
Butler  Chapel,  10  churches  from 
Maine,  a  Presbyterian  church  from 
New  York,  and  an  A.M.E.  congrega- 


tion from  Pennsylvania  labored  on 
the  construction  project  under  the 
direction  of  Brethren  supervisors. 
Many  of  the  volunteers — Brethren 
and  non-Brethren — returned  for  the 
dedication  weekend.  The  Brethren 
who  returned  arrived  by  car,  plane, 
and — for  a  group  of  about  40 — on 
the  York  (Pa.)  First  Church  of  the 
Brethren  bus. 

Thus,  the  500-plus  people  who  at- 
tended the  three-day  dedication  event 
in  January  were  there  to  celebrate, 
dedicate,  honor  God,  and  to  reunite 


Rocking  the  church. /I 

number  of  choirs  and 
singing  groups  that 
produced  toe-tapping, 
hand-clapping,  get-on- 
your  feet  music  were 
featured  throughout  the 
dedication  weekend. 
Often  the  congregation 
sang  along,  like  this  group 
of  Brethren  from  Indiana 
and  Virginia  (below). 


with  fellow  volunteers.  Lines  of  all 
kinds — race,  age,  gender,  religious 
affiliation,  geography — were  tran- 
scended in  this  spiritually  charged 
reunion  making  it  one  of  those  "you 
had  to  be  there  in  person"  events  to 
fully  absorb  the  emotions,  sights, 
sounds,  and  presence  of  God  that  ra- 
diated throughout. 

Several  worship  services  that  fea- 
tured multiple  speakers  and  building- 
rocking  music  from  a  variety  of  choirs 
were  the  weekend's  focal  points.  Each 
service  leading  up  to  the  Sunday  af- 


From  preaching  to  greeting,  lohn  Hurst  Adams,  presiding  A.M. E. 
bishop  (above  left),  preached  during  the  Butler  Chapel  dedication 
service  and  then  presented  pastor  Patrick  Mellerson  with  a  $50,000 
check  to  help  pay  for  rebuilding  costs. 

(.Above)  Lydia  Walker  and  Miller  Davis  of  the  General  Board's 
Emergency  Response  Service  Ministries  greet  Mellerson  in  his  study 
during  their  tour  of  the  new  Butler  Chapel  church.  .Around 
Mellerson's  neck  is  his  1997 .Annual  Conference  name  tag,  which  he 
proudly  wore  throughout  the  dedication  weekend. 


March  1998  Messenger  19 


standing  proud.  The  new 

Butler  Chapel  church  is 

located  on  a  7. 5 -acre 

parcel  of  land,  about  a 

quarter  mile  away  from 

the  old  church.  Though 

the  old  structure  will 

eventually  be  razed, 

Butler  Chapel  will 

continue  owning  the  I  ^ 

acres  that  building  sil^^ 

on,  which  includes  the 

congregation's  cemetery. 

ternoon  dedication  honored  a  differ- 
ent group  that  had  participated  in  the 
project.  One  commonahty  among  the 
services  was  the  frequent  use  of  the 
word  "miracle,"  with  many  examples 
of  miracles  cited. 

After  the  former  Butler  Chapel 
building  was  burned,  local  authorities 
were  slow  to  investigate  the  crime  un- 
til several  people  with  ties  to  the  local 
media  learned  of  the  details  at  a 


restaurant  while  being  waited  on  by  a 
church  member's  granddaughter.  But- 
ler Chapel  pastor  Patrick  Mellerson 
soon  found  himself  in  Washington, 
D.C.,  attending  a  summit  on  the 
black  church  burnings  epidemic  in 
the  south  with  President  Clinton  and 
other  national  and  state  officials. 
Mellerson's  appearance  in  Washing- 
ton led  to  Butler  Chapel's  involve- 
ment with  the  National  Council  of 


Crusader  for  Christ.  With  pastor  Patrick  Mel- 
lerson to  his  right,  pastor  Samuel  fenkins  of 
Bristol  (Pa.)  A.M.E.  church  honors  Torin 
Eikenberry.  who  spent  seven  months  last  year 
helping  rebuild  Butler  Chapel  as  a  Brethren 
Volunteer  Service  worker.  Although  fenkins 
worked  with  Eikenberry  only  one  week  last 
spring  when  he  volunteered  at  the  project, 
fenkins  was  so  impressed  by  Eikenberry's 
spirituality  and  sincerity!  that  he  presented  the 
BVSer  with  a  Jerusalem  Cross,  signifying  that 
Eikenberry  is  a  crusader  for  Christ. 


Churches,  which  is  spearheading  a 
multimillion-dollar  project  of  rebuild- 
ing burned  black  churches.  The  NCC 
eventually  brought  Butler  Chapel  and 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  together. 
Several  miracles  in  one. 

Tours  of  the  new  church  and  the 
old — which  still  stands  about  a  quar- 
ter mile  away — offered  quite  a  con- 
trast: The  new  is  fully  air  condi- 
tioned with  a  sanctuary,  two  class- 
rooms, library,  social  hall,  pastor's 
study,  choir  room,  study  loft,  and 
burglar  and  closed-circuit  television 
systems — amenities  that  will  allow 
the  congregation  to  attract  new 
members.  Another  miracle. 

The  new  church  sits  on  7.5  acres  of 
land  heavily  covered  with  pine  trees. 
These  trees,  according  to  Mellerson, 
will  be  slowly  harvested  for  lumber. 
Seedlings  will  then  be  planted,  thus 
producing  additional,  perpetual  in- 
come. Another  miracle. 

And  it  could  be  considered  a  miracle 
that  so  many  of  the  project  volunteers 
felt  called  to  return  for  the  dedication. 

Most  poignant,  however,  is  the 
miracle  of  what  brought  the  Butler 
Chapel  volunteers  together  in  the 
first  place. 

Prior  to  1 997,  none  of  the  groups 
that  worked  on  the  project  knew  of 
each  other.  And  yet  a  denomination,  a 
community  coalition  of  churches,  and 
two  other  congregations  each  spent 
time  and  money  to  help  rebuild  a 
church  hundreds  of  miles  away.  But- 
ler Chapel  members,  who  could  have 
easily  given  up  in  the  midst  of  the 
struggles  of  regrouping  and  rebuild- 
ing, did  not.  For  months  they  worked 
with  and  fed  their  guests.  The  single 
thread  that  tied  together  these  people 
of  different  religious  affiliations  and 


20  Messenger  March  1998 


different  color  was  their  love  for 
Christ  and  their  desire  to  help  sisters 
and  brothers  of  God — both  testi- 
monies of  faith.  Miracles,  indeed. 

In  the  midst  of  the  celebrating  it 
was  announced  that  the  Manchester 
Church  of  the  Brethren  in  North 
Manchester,  Ind.,  had  been  de- 
stroyed by  fire  earlier  that  week.  It 
was  evident  that  Mellerson  was  af- 
fected by  this  news,  as  he  had  been 
touched  by  Manchester  pastor 
Susan  Boyer's  two  visits  to  Butler 
Chapel  last  year.  He  also  was 
touched  by  Manchester  member 
Torin  Eikenberry,  who  for  seven 
months  last  year  served  as  a 
Brethren  Volunteer  Service  worker 
at  Butler  Chapel.  Despite  the  loss  of 
their  church,  Eikenberry  and  two 
other  Manchester  members  attended 
the  Butler  Chapel  dedication. 

Saturday  night  Mellerson  announc- 
ed that  the  service's  offering  would  be 
given  to  the  Manchester  church.  He 
asked  for  the  congregation  to  raise 
$  1 ,000  to  help  those  who  helped  But- 
ler Chapel  when  it  was  in  need.  At  the 
close  of  the  service,  Mellerson  an- 
nounced that  $2,700  was  raised.  After 
a  moment,  the  sound  technician — a 
man  with  no  ties  to  Buder  Chapel 
other  than  his  job — said  he  didn't  like 
odd  numbers.  "Let's  make  it  an  even 
$3,000,"  he  said.  Such  was  the  power 
of  the  Spirit. 

Retired  Brethren  pastor  Glenn  Kin- 
sel,  who  served  as  project  supervisor 


A  gift  from  the  heart  and  hand. 

Gerri  Irving  (at  podium).  Miller 
Davis,  and  Torin  Eikenberry 
present  a  quilt  to  the  Butler 
Chapel  congregation  on  behalf  of 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  along 
with  a  Brethren  hymnal  and 
accompanying  compact  disks.  The 
quilt  was  handmade  by  Louise 
Hartle  of  Hagerstown.  Md..  and 
includes  the  names  of  all  of  the 
volunteer  workers. 

(Below)  Members  of  the  Manchester 
Church  of  the  Brethren — Ambrosia 
Brown  (speaking),  Torin  Eikenberry, 
and  Judy  Brown — thank  Butler 
Chapel  for  the  $5,000  raised  to  help 
rebuild  their  church,  which  was 
destroyed  by  fire  earlier  that  week. 


^'1  Hit:  AH 


for  Emergency  Response/ Service 
Ministries,  was  honored  for  his  be- 
hind-the-scenes work  by  being  asked 
to  preach  during  the  Sunday  morn- 
ing worship  service,  the  service  that 
honored  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

Kinsel  said  memories  of  two  of  his 
life's  experiences — privileges  he  called 
them — were  welling  up  in  his  soul 
throughout  the  weekend.  The  first  was 
his  experience  of  standing  on  the  steps 
of  the  Lincoln  Memorial  some  35 
years  ago  to  hear  Martin  Luther  King 
Ir.  proclaim:  "I  have  a  dream." 

"And  I  have  continued  to  live  with 
that  dream  until  the  second  great  ex- 
perience— being  asked  to  be  involved 
with  the  Butler  Chapel  project.  Is  this 
not,  at  least  for  those  here  and  now 
today,  a  fulfilling  of  that  dream?  Of 


course  it  is,  and  we  shout  hallelujah!" 

In  March  1996,  the  unassuming, 
hidden  Butler  Chapel  church  was 
hardly  known  even  by  the  people  of 
Orangeburg.  Today  the  congregation 
resides  in  a  huge,  brick  structure  ad- 
jacent to  the  highway.  A  tall  steeple 
serves  as  a  beacon  calling  people  in, 
including  the  church's  500  new 
friends  from  a  handful  of  states. 

If  destruction  was  the  goal  of  the 
three  vandals  nearly  two  years  ago, 
they  couldn't  have  known  what  they 
were  doing,  for  now  something 
much  more  mighty  towers 
above  that  hatred. 

.Additional  coverage  of  t!ie  Butler  Chapel 
rebuilding  and  dedication  is  a)'ailable  at  the 
official  Church  of  the  Brethren  tveb  site, 
lit  tp://\\'>vu:  Bret  hren.org. 


\M 


March  1998  Messenger  21 


BY  Fletcher  Farrar 

It  is  a  great  name  for  a  mission 
appeal,  full  of  ecumenicity  and  global 
love.  One  Great  Hour  of  Sharing 
takes  place  on  March  22  this  year,  a 
day  when  members  of  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  and  nine  other  denomi- 
nations will  be  encouraged  to  "be 
transformed"  and  contribute  to  a 
special  global  outreach  offering.  For 
one  great  hour  Christians  of  the 
United  States  will  be  joining  together 
to  share  their  resources  with  the 
needy  of  the  world. 

The  butterfly  is  the  symbol  for  One 
Great  Hour  materials  that  are  already 
in  the  hands  of  most  congregations. 
"The  butterfly,  long  a  Christian 
symbol  for  the  resurrection,  suggests 
transformation,"  reads  the  leader's 
guide.  "It  reminds  us  that  the  world 
can  be  transformed  through  the 
power  of  the  risen  Christ."  Implied 
also  is  the  message  that  we  too  can  be 
transformed  by  sharing  our  gifts  and 
resources  with  those  in  need. 

Brethren  have  long  been  generous 
in  their  response  to  One  Great  Hour 
of  Sharing.  It  is  traditionally  the 
largest  by  far  of  the  three  major 
denomination-wide  offering  appeals, 
generally  bringing  in  upwards  of 
$250,000  for  Church  of  the  Brethren 
programs  worldwide.  Much  of  the 
money  goes  to  the  overseas  work  of 
Brethren  Volunteer  Service.  These 
funds  also  have  gone  to  the  New 
Sudan  Council  of  Churches  and  to 
support  work  in  Nigeria.  Brethren 
projects  in  Europe,  India,  Latin 


22  Messenger  March  i9')8 


America,  and  the  Caribbean  has  been 
aided  by  the  "Great  Hour." 

How  did  the  name  come  about? 
During  and  after  World  War  II  Protes- 
tant churches  appealed  to  their 
members  for  funds  to  aid  relief  and 
reconstruction.  In  1946,  Episcopal 
Bishop  Henry  Knox  Sherrill  chal- 
lenged Episcopalians  to  raise  "one 
million  dollars  in  one  hour."  Then  in 
1949,  church  leaders  from  several 
denominations  formed  an  ad  hoc 
committee  to  organize  an  appeal  to 
support  the  separate  campaigns  of 
American  churches.  They  issued  a 
joint  statement  that  still  inspires:  "This 
nationwide  united  effort  by  America's 
Christians  has  an  importance  far 
beyond  the  practical  goal  of  fund  rais- 
ing. For  this  great  joint  program  will 
not  only  strengthen  the  vitally  impor- 
tant relief  and  rehabilitation  work  of 
the  churches  overseas,  but  will  also 
prove  to  all  the  world  how  great  is  the 
power  generated  when  Christians 
unite  in  a  common  cause." 

That  first  year  was  kicked  off  with 
a  radio  program  called  "One  Great 
Hour,"  which  was  carried  by  major 

Pour  on! 

A  few  years  ago  I  walked  into  the  church  on  Christmas  Eve 
to  find  the  usual  bustle  of  deacons  finishing  the  prepara- 
tions for  the  eucharist,  the  choir  warming  up,  and  families 
hurrying  to  get  a  good  seat.  1  went  to  the  kitchen  and 
greeted  the  deacon  co-chairs,  a  husband  and  wife.  The 
husband  nudged  his  wife  and  asked,  "Are  you  going  to  tell 
him?"  To  which  she  responded,  "If  you  don't  keep  quiet 
I'm  going  to  have  to."  Dutifully  I  asked,  "What's  up?" 

The  wife  recounted  how  she  had  gone  shopping  for  the 
supplies  for  the  eucharist,  grape  juice  and  other  essen- 
tials. She  had  brought  the  grocery  bags  into  her  kitchen, 
only  to  discover  that  somehow  she  had  picked  up  prune 
juice  instead  of  grape  juice.  "What  shall  we  do?"  she 
asked.  My  response:  "Pour  on.  There  is  no  way  at  this 


networks  on  Saturday,  March  25  at 
10  p.m.  President  Harry  Truman 
brought  greetings,  and  the  program 
featured  stars  of  the  day  Gregory 
Peck  and  Ida  Lupino.  The  broadcast 
closed  with  a  request  that  listeners 
attend  their  local  church  the  following 
morning  and  make  a  sacrificial  contri- 
bution. More  than  75,000  churches 
participated.  In  1950  the  title  "One 
Great  Hour  of  Sharing"  was  used  for 
the  first  time,  with  a  logo  depicting  a 
church  steeple  clock  with  hands  fixed 
at  eleven.  The  "great  hour"  had 
shifted  from  Saturday  night  radio  to 
Sunday  morning  church. 

One  Great  Hour  has  always  been 
an  ecumenical  effort,  with  participa- 
tion varying  as  denominations 
changed  and  merged.  Currently  the 
One  Great  Hour  committee  includes 
ten  Christian  denominations,  includ- 
ing the  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
which  was  one  of  the  founding 
denominations.  The  others  currently 
involved  are  American  Baptist 
Churches  USA,  African  Methodist 
Episcopal  Zion  Church,  Christian 
Church  (Disciples  of  Christ),  Cum- 


berland Presbyterian  Church,  Epis- 
copal Church,  Presbyterian  Church 
(U.S.A.),  Reformed  Church  in 
America,  United  Church  of  Christ, 
and  United  Methodist  Church.  In 
various  ways,  all  of  these  churches 
work  in  cooperation  with  Church 
World  Service,  the  relief,  develop- 
ment, and  refugee  assistance  arm  of 
the  National  Council  of  Churches. 

Denominational  leaders  are 
already  planning  for  the  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  One  Great  Hour  of 
Sharing  in  1999,  and  a  "Celebration 
Manual"  to  assist  congregations  in 
planning  next  year's  appeal  has  been 
sent  with  this  year's  materials.  But 
though  next  year's  may  be  a  greater 
hour  in  terms  of  the  publicity  that 
helps  to  open  hearts  and  hands,  par- 
ticipating churches  agree  that  the 
need  is  great  today — just  as  great  as 
it  was  when  the  idea  was  born  in 
1949.  The  need  is  not  only  to  put 
love  into  action  around  the  globe, 
but  also  to  "prove  to  all  the  world 
how  great  is  the  power  generated 
when  Christians  unite  in  a            '^^tti 
common  cause.  i t 


hour  on  Christmas  Eve  you  are  going  to  find  a  store  open 
with  sufficient  grape  juice  to  meet  our  need." 

It  was  one  of  my  most  memorable  Christmas  eucharists. 
Standing  before  the  congregation  as  the  trays  were  passed 
down  the  pews,  I  watched  as  parishioners  took  a  sip, 
looked  at  the  cup,  and  then  swallowed  the  remainder  with 
a  quizzical  look. 

Following  the  service  one  of  my  deacons  with  a  humorous 
look  on  his  face  asked.  "Well,  parson,  what  did  you  think  of 
the  wine  this  evening?"  To  which  I  responded,  "I  think  it 
made  for  a  wonderfully  moving  service." — Roger  L.  Forry, 
PASTOR,  Somerset,  Pa. 

Messenger  would  like  to  publish  other  short,  colorful,  and  humorous  stories 
of  real-life  incidents  involving  Brethren.  Please  send  your  submission  to 
Messenger,  Brethren  Press, 1451  Dundee  Ave.,  Elgin,  IL  60120-1694  or 
e-mail  to  the  editor  at fffarrar@midwest.net. 


March  1998  Messenger  23 


mm  Pi  1/10^^ 


Oak  Brook  campus 


Bethany  s 


■„%»-  ■  ^i  ..i^*»..:V?i.-<.>^'',  -^i4,,,^3|E«\, 


24  Messenger  March  1998 


This  winter  brought  the  beginning  of 
"site  preparation "  at  the  old  Oak 
Brook.  III.  campus  of  Bethany  Theo- 
logical Seminary.  The  work  of  clearing 
the  seminaiy  buildings  brought  both 
the  anticipation  of  new  construction 
on  the  site  in  the  spring  and  sadness  at 
the  final  destruction  of  the  old.  These 
remembrance  essays,  by  two  who  knew 
and  loved  the  old  ccunpus,  mark  the 
sadness  of  its  demise  while  expressing 
hope  for  the  future  of  the  seminary  in 
its  new  setting. 

Meanwhile.  Bethany  President 
Eugene  F.  Roop  reports  that  plans  for 
the  development  of  the  property  are 


moving  along  "in  good  order. "  The 
Lombard  village  trustees  were  sched- 
uled to  vote  in  late  January  or  early 
February  on  zoning  and  annexation 
ordinances  necessary  to  allow  site 
plans  to  proceed.  Those  plans,  which 
had  earlier  received  a  unanimous  rec- 
ommendation for  approval  from  the 
Lombard  planning  commission, 
include  condominiums,  a  hotel,  sev- 
eral restaurants,  and  stores.  Galyans 
Trading  Co.  was  to  go  before  the 
plaiuiing  commission  to  approve  its 
plans  for  a  sporting  goods  store  and 
Amerisuites  had  scheduled  an  infor- 
mational presentation  on  its  plans  for 
a  hotel  on  the  site.  Roop  said  that 
while  much  work  remains  to  be  done 
the  seminary's  board  of  trustees  is 
"pleased"  with  progress  at  the  site. 


BY  John  Cassel 

I  feel  the  need  to  mark  the  passing 
of  the  Oak  Brook  campus  of 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary 
(1963-1997).  For  19  years  I  hosted 
visitors  to  the  campus  and  helped 
them  explore  both  the  site  and  the 
school.  Our  family  still  lives  but  a 
short  walk  to  the  north.  Over  the 
past  few  months  we  have  watched 
the  campus  buildings  demolished 
and  its  trees  uprooted.  It's  a  sad  day. 
The  new  developer  promises  Christ- 
mas shopping  and  power  lunches 
within  the  new  year. 

I've  always  considered  the  Oak 
Brook  campus  inspired.  Paul  Robin- 
son, John  Eichelberger,  Floyd 
McDowell,  and  a  host  of  others  put 
their  very  souls  into  the  design.  They 
hired  architect  Charles  Stade,  a  Mis- 
souri Synod  Lutheran,  to  help  craft  a 
suitable  place  for  the  Brethren  to  do 
theological  education.  Mr.  Stade  spent 
two  years  working  with  the  Brethren, 
attending  Annual  Conference,  talking 
with  faculty  and  students.  The  result, 
while  not  perfect,  was  a  wonderful 
expression  of  Bethany  and  the  church 
in  the  early  1960s. 

The  vision  was  expansive.  The 
Brethren  had  just  celebrated  their 
250th  anniversary,  and  the  campus 
was  designed  for  250  students.  The 
materials  and  design  were,  like  the 
Brethren,  simple,  natural,  and  "of  the 
earth."  Quality  and  low  maintenance 
were  key.  The  location  was  part  of  how 
we  understood  ourselves.  Chicago  was 
(and  is)  a  "world  class"  center  for  the- 
ological education.  The  Brethren 
played  a  small  but  crucial  role  in  this 
important  center.  The  Brethren  helped 
convene,  facilitate,  and  nurture  the 
corporate  life  of  the  13 -school  Chicago 
area  theological  consortium.  We  know 
how  to  "do  community." 

In  1963  the  Brethren  intended  to 
take  our  heritage  gifts  out  into  the 
world.  Oak  Brook  was  a  happening 
place  (note  that  McDonald's  corpo- 
ration also  chose  the  community  as 


its  international  headquarters).  The 
seminary  campus  was  oriented  out 
toward  the  world.  While  focused 
outwardly,  the  campus  had  a  clear 
center  and  an  open,  natural,  and 
retreat-like  ethos.  With  two  large 
retention  ponds  and  quality  land- 
scaping, the  campus  matured  into  an 
oasis  of  green  surrounded  by  too 
much  asphalt.  An  apple  orchard, 
planted  by  an  Indiana  Sunday  school 
class,  provided  cider  and  apple  sauce 
for  a  few  generations  of  students. 

A  holistic  vision  nurtured  gradu- 
ate students  who  spent  years  using 
the  campus  as  home  base  while  they 
developed  ministry  skills  all  over 
metropolitan  Chicago.  A  bell  tower 
and  cross  overlooked  the  entire 
campus — attempting  to  symbolize  the 
sacredness  of  study,  family,  recre- 
ation, and  leisure,  as  well  as  chapel 
worship.  The  education  emphasized 
an  experiential  approach  where  stu- 
dents had  much  responsibility  for  their 
own  education,  appropriate  for  a 
denomination  committed  to  the  priest- 
hood of  all  believers. 

Economic  factors  precipitated 
discussion  of  the  school's  move. 
Unfortunately,  our  increasingly  inter- 
connected economy  makes  long-range 
planning  difficult.  Commercial  real 
estate  never  recovered  from  the 
national  savings  and  loan  crisis,  and 
visions  of  a  large  endowment  may  not 
be  realized.  I  think  the  seminary  lead- 
ership always  assumed  a  somewhat 
noble  purpose  for  the  property — such 
as  corporate  headquarters  or  highrise 
offices.  But  the  reality  has  come  down 
to  far  less:  the  Village  of  Lombard  is  in 
the  process  of  approving  a  "mixed 
use"  for  the  site:  condominiums, 
restaurants,  shops,  perhaps  a  hotel. 
Interestingly,  the  property  is  being 
developed  by  the  seminary's  brokers, 
the  Shaw  Company. 

Was  the  Oak  Brook  Bethany,  as  an 
expression  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  run  over  by  the  dominant 
culture  and  American  consumerism? 

Only  time  will  tell.  The  campus  is 


March  1998  Messenger  25 


currently  an  unnaturally  barren  land- 
scape littered  with  piles  of  recycled 
cement,  bricks,  and  wood  chips. 
Earth  movers  have  already  begun 
transforming  the  50  acres  into  the 
"Fountains  of  Lombard"  with  a 
"Wisconsin-like"  fountain  icon  at  the 
very  corner  of  Butterfield  and 
Meyers  to  lure  shoppers. 

I  hang  on  to  the  hope  that  our 
denomination  will  never  lose  the  her- 
itage and  promise  that  once  existed  in 
the  Oak  Brook  campus.  Perhaps  the 


applicable  metaphor  is  a  church  that  is 
no  longer  tied  to  our  old  locations, 
however  special.  We  are  a  church 
awaiting  a  new  spirit,  which  will  likely 
surprise  us  coming  from  where  we 
least  expect  it.  I  hope  we  will  be  open 
enough  to  sense  God's  spirit  as  it 
moves  among  us. 

John  Cassel  served  Bethany  Theological 
Seminary  for  19  years  as  dean  of  students  and 
as  director  of  field  education.  He  currently  is 
director  of  field  services  for  the  Illinois  Associ- 
ation of  School  Boards. 


BY  Dale  W.  Brown 


hut  ^tt^Ai^ 


I  may  not  have  voted  to  have  you 
emerge  in  Oak  Brook's  presti- 
gious environs.  Some  prophets 
said  that  you  were  a  sign  of  a  growing 
Brethren  edifice  complex.  However, 
when  we  watched  you  rise  from  the 
backyard  of  our  new  home,  we  knew 
you  were  well  designed. 

Martin  Marty  guided  the  architects 
to  express  our  heritage  in  brick,  stone, 
and  beautiful  wood.  John  Eichelberger 
secured  the  land  in  a  remarkable  way. 
President  Paul  Robinson  and  a  com- 
mittee chaired  by  Dean  Frantz 
designed  a  dream  campus  among  lakes 
and  virgin  plantings.  Each  edifice  was 
placed  ideally  to  sen'e  housing,  study, 
worship,  and  management.  The  chapel 
won  an  architectural  award.  In  a  few 
years  the  campus  was  debt-free.  Visit- 
ing professors  frequently  judged  the 
classrooms  to  be  the  best  they  had  ever 
experienced.  Near  the  end  of  your 
adolescence  the  plantings  had  grown 
so  as  to  portray  an  established  campus. 

Wliy  were  you  bulldozed?  You  were 
prematurely  sacrificed  because  the  land 
was  assessed  to  be  of  more  value  than 
you.  This  would  not  be  true  in  most 
realms  of  the  world.  Such  well-con- 
structed and  beautiful  buildings  could 
only  be  destroyed  in  a  throwaway 
wasteful  society. 


I  remember  sitting  in  a  room  at  our 
Annual  Conference.  The  seminary  had 
hired  consultants,  who  were  discerning 
the  mind  of  the  church.  A  wealthy  donor 
entered.  He  asked,  "How  much  will  you 
get?"  The  answer  assured:  "Between 
forty  and  fifty  million. "  The  good 
brother  responded:  "Sell  it,  sell  it! " 

Then  the  bottom  dropped  out  of  the 
market.  Kmart  made  a  substantial 
offer,  but  many  factors  contributed  to 
the  rejection  of  this  proposal.  One  was 
that  in  turning  over  your  fate  to  the 
realtor  and  lawyer,  we  failed  to  culti- 
vate relationships  with  the  community, 
except  through  our  excellent  field  edu- 
cation programs.  We  had  failed  to  do 
this  through  the  years.  Wlxen  Bethany 
moved  to  Oak  Brook,  we  were  deter- 
mined to  quit  offering  guest  rooms  to 
traveling  Brethren.  As  an  excellent  pro- 
fessional school,  we  believed  it  was  the 
duty  of  others  to  offer  training  for  the 
laity.  Only  in  the  last  years  did  we  bring 
folk  from  our  congregations  for  special 
events.  Thus  the  grassroots  riever 
developed  the  attachment  to  you  they 
had  for  the  Van  Buren  Street  campus. 

To  anoint  your  buried  remains 
seems  to  be  a  strange  proposal.  We  can 
only  anoint  you  on  paper,  which  some- 
day will  join  you  in  the  earth 's  ash  pits. 
In  the  anointing  we  may  wish  with  you 
that  more  members  of  the  board  had 
joined  voices  in  the  community  in 


saying:  "It  would  be  great  if  these 
buildings  could  be  used  purposely  by 
someone  else! "  Even  if  this  were  not 
possible,  the  words  might  have  helped 
some  feel  better.  Perhaps  you  can  find 
some  satisfaction  in  realizing  that  your 
beauty  forced  architects  to  upgrade 
their  aesthetic  proposals  for  your 
replacement.  And  maybe  you  have  a 
devilish  satisfaction  in  knowing  that 
they  did  not  secure  the  windfall  they 
thought  they  would.  Hopefully,  there 
will  be  enough  to  pay  their  debts. 

We  anoint  you  to  honor  you  for 
your  beautiful  presence  and  sendee  for 
us.  We  do  so  in  praying  that  the  well- 
designed  Richmond  edifice  will 
continue  to  sen'e  Christ  and  our  v 
alued  heritage.  We  anoint  you 
because  you  will  continue  to  abide  in 
the  memories  of  so  many.  We  pray  that 
the  campus  at  Richmond  will  provide 
the  context  for  similar  sacred  memo- 
ries. We  anoint  you  in  lielping  us  work 
through  our  grief  and  anger  so  we  can 
forgive  and  forget  and  support  Bethany 
in  its  new  environs  of  growing  ser 
vants  for  the  church. 

Dale  W.  Brown  is  professor  emeritus  of 
Christian  theolog)'  of  Bethany  Theological 
Seminary,  where  he  served  on  the  faculty  52 
years  before  his  retirement.  He  lives  in  Eliza- 
bethtown.  Pa.,  where  he  relates  to  and  teaches 
at  the  Young  Center  and  at  Bethany's  Susque- 
hanna satellite,  both  on  the  campus  of 
Elizabethtown  College. 


\M. 


26  Messenger  March  1998 


The  Touch  of  the  Master's  Hand 


Thfi  Ufe  of  Myra  Brooks  Welch        >.  ,:^^>-^ 

Pholo^  In  Phil  Gn.iK         Sion'  W  WoikIv  Mtl-'ajaai 


The  Touch  of  the  Nlaster^s  Hand  has  been  read  aloud, 
set  to  music,  and  passed  hand  to  hand  for  generations. 
Here  is  an  elegant  gift  version  of  the  beloved  poem, 
plus  the  inspiring  story  of  the  woman  who  wrote  it. 


The  Story  Behind  the  Touch  of  the  Masters  Hand. 
Let  it  touch  your  heart. 


ISBN:0'87178'010--0 

$9.95,  paper,  48  pages,  SVi  in.  x  6  in. 

Illustrated  with  graceful  black-and-white  photographs 


To  order,  call  toll-free  800-441-3712, 
or  fax  800-667-8188. 

Brethren  Press 

1451  Dundee  Ave.,  Elgin,  IL  60120 


d^^  P 


rice 


^^SrB^etHren 


0 


Li 


"It  seems  like  we  are  retreating  07i  each  level 

We  need  a  strong  national  and  global  office  to  lead 
and  aid  us  in  our  work^.  The  world  needs  to  hear 
~rom  the  Brethren.  Where  is  our  voice?" 


/' 


The  world  needs  Brethren 

Where  are  the  Brethren  going? 

This  has  been  of  deep  concern 
ever  since  Bethany  first  talked  about 
closing  its  doors  here  in  Chicago. 
But  close  those  doors  they  did!  With 
their  move  to  Richmond,  we  lost  our 
valuable  ecumenical  connections 
with  the  other  1 1  Chicago  seminar- 
ies— our  Association  of  Chicago 
Theological  Schools.  We  lost  a 
tremendous  opportunity  for  urban 
studies  and  our  strong  feminist  the- 
ology and  peace  studies  programs. 

At  the  present  time,  the  Oak  Brook 
seminary  property  has  been 
destroyed — buildings,  homes,  trees, 


Messenger  is  available  on  tape 
for  people  who  are  visually 
impaired.  Each  double  cassette 
issue  contains  all  articles,  letters, 
and  the  editorial. 

Recommended  donation  is  SIO 
(if  you  return  the  tapes  to  be 
recycled)  or  $25  (if  you  keep  the 
tapes). 

To  receive  MeSSENGER-ON- 
Tape,  please  send  your  name, 
address,  phone  number,  and 
check  made  payable  to  ABC  to: 

Association  of 
Brethren  Caregivers 
1^51  Dundee  Avenue 
Elgin,  IL  60120 


everything.  The  environment  is 
destroyed.  The  community,  the  mer- 
chants, the  neighbors  are  all  deeply 
upset.  What  happened  to  our  concern 
for  ecology  and  our  neighbors'  good? 

We  no  longer  have  a  director  for 
the  Washington  Office,  to  represent 
us  on  the  national  level,  to  have  a 
voice  for  the  Brethren — a  voice 
direly  needed  by  our  national  lead- 
ers. While  1  appreciate  whatever  a 
volunteer  can  do,  the  Brethren  need 
to  have  one  of  our  respected  leaders 
there  speaking  for  us. 

While  1  do  not  fully  understand  all 
the  reorganization,  it  seems  we  will 
no  longer  have  a  denominational 
leader  and  our  office  will  be  split  into 
pieces  in  various  places. 

So  essentially,  the  seminary  has 
moved  onto  another  faith's  campus 
in  rural  Indiana,  we  have  a  volunteer 
in  an  office  in  Washington,  and  we 
have  general  offices  downsized  and 
dispersed  around  the  country. 


Three  steps  toward  a  better  world 

STEP  1 :  Pick  one  of  the  statements  below 

•  I  will  write  or  call  for  my  BVS 
application  today. 

•  I  will  talk  with about 

BVS  and  challenge  them  to  apply. 

•  1  will  learn  more  about  BVS  by  get- 
ting information  about  the  program 
and  then  will  share  my  new  know- 
ledge with  at  least  one  other  person. 

STEP  2:  Say  it  out  loud,  preferably  to 
another  person. 

STEP  3:  DO  IT! 

For  more  information  or  an  application 
form  contact  the  Brethren  Volunteer  Ser- 
vice Office.  (800)y23-8039. 


Have  we  lost  our  vision?  |esus  did 
not  tell  us  to  preach  to  the  Brethren. 
We  were  told  to  "go  into  all  the 
world  and  preach  the  good  news  to 
all  creation"  (Mark  16:15).  The 
Brethren  message  of  peace,  justice, 
and  witness  needs  to  be  heard. 

It  seems  like  we  are  retreating  on 
each  level.  We  need  a  strong  theolog- 
ical seminary  to  train  our  leaders.  We 
need  a  strong  Washington  Office  to 
speak  to  those  who  lead  our  nation. 
We  need  a  strong  national  and  global 
office  to  lead  and  aid  us  in  our  work. 
The  world  needs  to  hear  from  the 
Brethren.  Where  is  our  voice? 

Linda  F.  Weber 
Lombard,  III 

Speechless  calling  for  help 

The  Lafiya  program  has  taught  us 
many  things  about  wholeness  of  life  and 
that  limitations  do  not  detract  from 
wholeness.  We  have  learned  not  to 
expect  everyone  to  stand,  kneel,  or  walk 
up  stairs.  There  are  some  disorders, 
however,  which  are  not  easily  recog- 
nized and  certainly  not  understood. 

After  many  frustrating  years  with 
a  dysfunctional  voice,  1  was  diag- 
nosed in  1993  with  Spastic 
Dysphonia,  a  rare  disorder  of 
unknown  origin  and  no  known  cure. 
It  is  characterized  by  a  tremulous, 
weak,  breathy  sound,  often  strained 
and  sometimes  reduced  to  a  whisper. 
It  is  believed  to  be  caused  by  the 
brain  sending  incorrect  messages  to 
muscles  controlling  the  larynx,  caus- 
ing them  to  contract  inappropriately. 

I  am  writing  about  this  because 
persons  affected  by  this  disorder 
cannot  express  it.  It  has  been 
described  as  "speechless  and  calling 
for  help."  Needless  to  say,  it  is  life- 
altering  and  extremely  frustrating. 

While  some  churches  are  respond- 
ing to  the  needs  of  handicapped 
people  there  is  still  much  to  be  done. 
In  a  group  setting,  well-meaning 
folks  still  insist  on  each  one  partici- 
pating, such  as  introducing  oneself, 
reading  a  verse,  or  contributing  to 
the  discussion.  It  is  like  asking  a 


28  Messenger  March  1998 


ivheelchair-bound  person  to  run  a 
Ivild  dash.  It  is  impossible  and 
:;xtremely  embarrassing  not  to  be 
ibie  to  perform  in  a  norma!  way.  It  is 
i  very  acute  form  of  agony. 

There  are  some  rewards.  I  am 
earning  patience,  I've  learned  to 
isten  more,  and  I  realize  that  my 
;omments  are  not  imperative  to  a  sit- 
jation.  In  some  cases  the 
:elemarketers  have  been  scared  off! 

Sara  G.  Wilson 

Mechanicsburg  Church  of  the  Brethren 
Camp  Hill.  Pa. 

Seagoing  cowboy 

The  article  "Brethren  remember  past 
oy  sending  130  cows  to  Poland"  in 
yfour  December  issue  reminded  me  of 
the  seagoing  cowboys  during  the 
years  following  World  War  II.  Under 
the  auspices  of  the  United  Nations 
Rehabilitation  and  Relief  Administra- 
tion, numerous  ships  loaded  with 
cows,  horses,  and  mules  were  trans- 
ported to  European  countries. 


From  the 
On  Earth  Peace  Assembly 

Program  Coordinator/ 
Development  Associate 

Church  of  the  Brethren  peace  education 
organization  located  at  the  Brethren 
Service  Center  in  New  Windsor,  Md., 
is  seeking  a  full-time  Program  Coordi- 
nator/Development Associate  to  begin 
work  on  Sept.  1.  1998.  Responsibilities 
include  carrying  out  OEPA's  Peace 
Academy,  Conflict  Resolution  Teams. 
Summer  Peace  Camp,  Winter  Inter- 
Term,  and  other  peace  education 
programs,  as  well  as  assisting  with 
ongoing  fund  raising  efforts. 

Requirements 

Bachelor's  degree  required.  Some 
theological  and  program  management 
experience  preferred.  Experience  with 
computers,  conflict  resolution,  medi- 
ation, and  acceptance  of  the 
scriptural  basis  of  biblical  peacemak- 
ing strongly  preferred. 

Letters  of  application,  resume,  and 
three  references  must  be  sent  bv  March 
31  to:  Tom  Hurst.  OEP.A.  PO  Bo.v 
188.  New  Windsor.  MD  21776-0188. 


I  was  one  of  52  "cowboys'"  aboard 
the  ship  Clarksville  to  provide  care 
for  700  Holstein  heifers  and  93  bulls. 

We  departed  from  Newport  News, 
Va.,  on  Easter  morning,  1946  and 
arrived  at  Nouyport,  Poland,  on  May 
6.  Our  trip  was  all  too  eventful  with 
the  death  of  a  20-year-old  boy  on  the 
third  day  out,  the  ship  taking  a  48- 


degree  roll  on  the  1 1th  day,  and 
losing  39  head  of  our  herd  due  to 
sickness  that  somehow  was  not 
treated.  In  spite  of  these  very  unfortu- 
nate occurrences,  we  did  arrive  safely 
and  ours  was  a  mission  of  help  to  very 
needy  families  devastated  by  the  war. 

Byron  E.  Dell 
Trotwood.  Ohio 


Pontius' Puddle 


Send  payment  for  reprinting  "Pontius'  Puddle"  from  Messenger  to 
Joel  Katiffniann,  111  Carter  Road,  Goshen,  IN  46526.  $25  for  one 
ti?ne  use.  $1 0  for  second  strip  in  same  issue.  $J  0  for  congregations. 


Classified  Ads 


WANTED 

News  photographers  to  cover  Annual  Conference 
for  Messenger.  Reply  to  Messenger,  1451  Dundee 
Ave.,  Elgin,  IL  60120  or  e-mail  fffarrar@miclwest.net. 

TRAVEL 

Cruise  the  waterways  of  Russia  from  Moscow  to 
St,  Petersburg.  The  tour  ( U  days)  leaves  Washington, 
D.C.  (Dulles  Intnl.  Airport)  on  Sept.  4, 1998.  An  attrac- 
tive price  is  available.  For  details  contact  the  tour  host, 
Dr  Wayne  F.  Geisert,  President  Emeritus,  Box  40, 
Bridgewater  College,  Bridgewater  VA  22812.  Phone 
(540)  433-143.i  or  (540)  828-5494. 

Travel  with  a  Mission  in  Understanding  People 
to  People  International  delegation  visiting  Iceland 
and  Greenland,  Aug.  30  to  Sept.  9, 1998.  For  info,, 
contact  delegation  leader  Enos  B.  Heisey,  Member 
Board  of  Trustees,  People  to  People  International,  157 
Stone  Hedge  Ct.,  Lebanon,  PA  17042-78076.  Tel.  (717) 
273-3093. 

Travel  with  a  purpose.  Missionary  jocrneys  of  St. 
P.M.L,  Turkey,  &  Greece,  Man  19-Apr  3,  1998,  $2,899. 
For  info,  write  Wendell  &  Joan  Bohrer.  8520  Royal 
Meadow  Dr.,  Indianapolis,  IN  46217,  Tel./fax  (317) 
882-5067.  Or  write  Paul  &  Geneva  White,  3310  Melody 
Ave.  SW^  Roanoke,  VA  24018-3114,  Tel.  (540)  776-3289, 
Cruise  the  Russian  waterways,  Aug.  7-23, 1998.  From 
$2,649,  depending  on  deck  level.  Visit  Moscow,  Red 
Square,  Kremlin,  St,  Petersburg,  &  cruise  rivers  of  the 
czars,  on  Ist-class  cruise  ship,  3  meals  a  day  For  info, 
write  Bohrer  Tours,  8520  Royal  Meadow  Dr.,  Indi- 
anapolis, IN  46217.  Tel./fax  (317)  882-5067. 


INVITATION 

Cincinnati  Church  of  the  Brethren  fellowship 

meets  for  worship  &  support  In  n,e,  area  of  Cincin- 
nati, We  welcome  others  to  join  us  or  bring  needs  to 
our  attention.  Contact  us  c/o  Cincinnati  Friends  .Meet- 
ing House,  8075  Keller  Rd.,  Indian  Hill,  OH  45243.  Tel, 
(5L^)  956-7733. 

Come  worship  in  the  Valley  of  the  Sun  with  Com- 
munity Church  of  the  Brethren  at  111  N.  Sunvalley 
Blvd.,  Mesa,  A2  86207.  Mail  to:  8343  E.  Emelita  Ave., 

Mesa.  AZ  85208,  Tel,  (602)  357-9811. 

POSITIONS  AVAILABLE 

Community  mediation  and  training  center  in 

northeast  Indiana  seeking  Director  of  Development 
to  coordinate  fund-raising  and  organizational  devel- 
opment. Will  work  with  membership,  donors,  grant 
proposals  and  generating  income  from  the  program 
services.  Requires  commitment  to  community  peace- 
making and  empowerment,  ability  to  work 
collaboratively  and  demonstrated  fund-raising  abil- 
ity Salary  $25,000-J30,000  4-  benefits.  Application 
deadline  April  15, 1998,  For  more  info,  contact:  Edu- 
cation for  Conflict  Resolution,  Inc.,  RO.  Box  275,  North 
Manchester,  IN  46962.  Tel.  (219)  982-4621.  E-mail; 
<bgross(5  igc.org>. 

DIABETICS  SERVICE 

Diabetics:  If  you  have  Medicare  or  insurance,  you 
could  be  eligible  to  receive  your  diabetic  supplies  at 
no  cost.  (Insulin-dependent  onK',)  Call  (800)  337-4144, 


March  1998  Messenger  29 


fain 


New 
Members 

Note;  Congregations  are  asked 
to  submit  only  the  names  of 
actual  new  members  of  the 
denomination.  Do  not  include 
names  of  people  who  have 
merely  transferred  their  mem- 
bership from  another  Church  of 
the  Brethren  congregation. 

Annville,  Pa.:  Steve  and  Mary 
Schiavoni 

Antelope  Valley,  Billings, 
Okla.:  iustin  Heinrich. 
Gayton  Silvey,  Kathy  [o 
Silvey,  Tammy  Brown, 
Darryl  Brown.  Rick  Reaves, 
Pam  Reaves,  Daron  Sharp, 
Sherri  Sharp,  Kay  Ranney, 
Scott  Ranney,  Doug 
Ranney.  Greg  O'Laughlin, 
Kurt  Vincent,  Sue  Williams, 
Katlin  Harris,  Micah  Buz- 
zard, Alexia  Williams 

Ashland  First,  Ashland,  Ohio; 
Jordan  Bowersook,  Luke 
Cawood,  Tyler  Houston 

Beaverton,  Mich.:  Threse 
Coats 

Bella  Vista,  Los  Angeles, 
Calif.:  Celine  Flores,  Aaron 
Sainz,  Henry  Cervantes, 
Mark  Aldana,  Eileen  Flores 

Boise  Valley,  Meridan,  Idaho: 
Margie  Lacy 

Bridgewater,  Va.:  George 
Mason,  David  and  Mabel 
Flora,  Mary  Rinker,  feremy 
Koster,  Margaret  Spitzer, 
Phillip  and  Barbara 
Kirakofe,  R.V.  and  |uanita 
Simmons 

Bush  Creek,  Monrovia,  Md.: 
lames  Cliber,  Betty  Auton, 
Dortha  Cunningham, 
William  Ziegler.  Linda 
Ziegler.  )odie  Flook,  |i!I 
Harris,  Denise  Gobbett, 
Crystal  Phelps,  Keith 
Phelps,  lesse  Boggs,  Erin 
Boggs,  Bruce  Elliott,  Greg 
Stoner,  Megan  Burke, 
Edward  Smith,  Patricia 
Smith 

Carlisle,  Pa.:  Mary  Graybill, 
Dennis  Nickel.  Blair 
Walker,  Sara  Vanasdalen 

Chiques,  Manheim.  Pa.:  Leah 
Hughes.  Ashley  Swope. 
Audrey  Myer,  Derek 
Weaver,  Steven  Myer, 
Randi  Myer,  Paul  Shaffer, 
Liz  Shaffer,  Norman  Yeater, 
Heather  Yeater 

Christ  the  Servant,  Cape 
Coral.  F!a,:  Robert  and  Mil- 
dred Tingle,  Steve  and 


Debra  Dei  Vecchio 

Clover  Creek,  Martinsburg, 
Pa. iVaierie  Acker,  Betty 
Ayers,  Larry  Ayers,  Amber 
Baker,  Ashley  Baker,  Jen- 
nifer Bechtel,  Chris 
Cunningham,  |oe  Cun- 
ningham, Mark  Dilling, 
Kathy  Karns,  Kristy  Karns, 
Leroy  Karns.  Beverly 
Ruhlman,  lohn  Baird,  D. 
Bradley  Krehl,  Kendell 
Krehl.  Elliot  Krehl,  Gail 
Weitzel 

Dixon,  ill.:  George  Munnich, 
Pamela  Munnich,  William 
Farwell 

Dupont,  Ohio:  Ryan  Geckle 

First  Church,  Reading,  Pa.: 
Meg  Gauit,  Candace 
Kaucher 

Florin,  Mount  loy,  Pa.: 
Nathaniel  Baum,  leffrey 
Dombach,  Matt  Nissley,  |ill 
Hershey,  Tara  Summy, 
Megan  Kline,  Sarah  Pepper, 
Glenn  Wittle.  Barb  Wittle 

Germantown  Brick,  Rocky 
Mount.  Va.:  Susan  Flora, 
Brandon  Page,  April  Ander- 
son, Iustin  Grubb.  Karen 
Quinn  Barnhart.  Bill  Corn, 
Angela  Corn,  lack  Bram- 
mer.  Ron  Cawley,  Arlene 
Brammer 

Green  Hill,  Salem,  Va.:  David 
Cossaboon,  Betsy  Cossa- 
boon,  Ruby  Schaal,  Hope 
Shively,  Samantha  Shively 

Hartville,  Ohio:  Eric  Poe, 
Debbie  Poe.  Kerensa  Dash 

Live  Oak,  Calif.:  Renate  Hak- 
enson,  lean  Weeks 

Lower  Deer  Creek,  Camden, 
Ind.:  lay  and  Elaine 
Lansinger 

Maple  Spring,  Hollsopple, 
Pa.:  Andrew  Baraniak,  lulia 
Cable,  Jonathan  Dunmyer, 
Edward  Fisher,  Michael 
Graham.  Jamie  Harvey, 
David  Koba.  Megan 
McDonald,  lennifer 
Rummel,  Kirby  Shaffer, 
Lucas  Shaffer,  Jeff  and  Kim 
Thomas,  Fern  Yarnick 

Memorial,  Martinsburg,  Pa.: 
Ernest  Leckrone.  Ida  Leck- 
rone,  Pauline  Keagle,  lason 
Peterman 

Middle  Creek,  Lititz,  Pa.:  Lisa 
Bollinger,  lorden  Wenger 

Middlebury,  Ind.:  Angle 
Bruens,  Levi  Mellinger, 
Chris  Neeley.  Julie  Swine- 
hart,  Rebecca  Tallman 

Midland,  Va.:  Leonard,  Doug 
and  ludy 

Milledgeville,  111.;  ice  Leddy. 


Kelly  Leddy 

Mohrsville,  Pa.:  Dolores  Hatt, 
Grant  Hatt,  Nathan  Bauer, 
Sara  Sealer,  Kristen  Gross, 
Jennifer  Lenz,  Matthew 
Lenz,  Cathryn  Levan,  Obi 
Nwoke,  Pamela  Werley, 
James  Kidon,  April  Ullman 

Monte  Vista,  Callaway,  Va.: 
Kenneth  and  Shirley  Beck- 
ner,  Eldridge  Altice 

New  Carlisle,  Ohio:  Helen 
Freese,  Virginia  |enkins, 
Rachel  Peterson.  Brent 
Taynor,  Janice  Taynor 

Pomona  Fellowship,  Pomona. 
Calif.:  Carl  Cook,  Paul 
Sparks,  Laura  and  Jennette 
Lovelace 

Poplar  Ridge,  Defiance, 

Ohio:Paul  and  Carol  Brown, 
Desirae  and  Amber  Arm- 
strong, Dawn  Lewis 

Pyrmont,  Delphi,  Ind.:  Betty 
Fingerle,  Ron  Younker, 
Joseph  Hemersback,  Nancy 
Hemersbach,  Darrin 
Disinger,  Tami  Disinger, 
Travis  Hatfield 

Quakertown,  Pa.:  Lisa  and 
Joseph  Armstrong 

Ross,  Mendon,  Ohio:  Peter 
Calvert,  Ann  Esmond, 
Dennis  Knepper 

Sebring,  Fla.:  Baldomero 
Miranda 

Somerset,  Pa.:  Alan  Keyser, 
Jr.,  Samuel  i.  Phillip, 
Connie  Phillip.  Samuel  A. 
Phillip.  Carissa  Phillip,  Kyle 
Moshoider,  Edna  Durbin. 
Russel  Friedline 

St.  loseph,  Mo.:  Mary  Jonke. 
lerod  Kobzej,  Harry  Brissett 

St.  Petersburg,  Fla.:  Fred  and 
Alba  Putnam,  Fred  and 
Dorothy  Harrison.  Brinda 
Spearman,  Roger  and 
lunita  Williams,  Paul  Clay- 
pool,  Cassey  Lerch, 
Marion  Belton,  Dorothy 
Crocker,  lennie  Good, 
Jimmie  Good,  Bill  and 
Marian  Goodwin,  Myrtle 
Guy.  Jennie  Hambrick, 
Marie  Lewis.  Walter  and 
Ann  Witmer 

Sugar  Ridge,  Custer,  Mich.: 
Richard  Coleman,  Dawn 
Coleman,  Carol  Gibbs 

Waynesboro,  Pa.:  Jennifer 
Angle,  Rebecca  Angle.  ICrys- 
tal  Stremmel,  Jenniser 
Simmers 

West  Charleston,  Tipp  City, 
Ohio:  Verna  Sergio 

White  Oak,  Penryn,  Pa,:  Kiah 
Wenger,  Kirson  Wenger. 
leanette  Stoner,  Carl 


Martin.  Shirley  Martin. 
Stella  Martin,  Charmaine 
Martin,  Maria  Santiago 
Wiley,  Colo.:  Kima  Rayleen 
Miller,  Jadelle  Adrianne 
Thomas,  [arrod  Dean 
Sperra.  Helen  Colvin,  Anne 
Oxley,  Rod  and  Julie 
Thomas 

Wedding 
Anniversaries 

Alexander,  Charles  and 

Maxine.  Warsaw,  Ind.,  55 
Ballou,  lohn  and  Margaret, 

Roanoke,  Va.,  50 
Baughman,  Doris  and  George, 

Chambersburg,  Pa.,  50 
Beck,  lames  and  Ethel, 

Denver,  Pa.,  56 
Best,  Sheldon  and  Genevieve, 

Rockford,  111.,  60 
Cave,  Wilmer  and  Mary, 

Grantville,  Pa.,  55 
Creech.  Harvey  and  Mary, 

Tipp  City,  Ohio,  60 
De  Seelhorst,  Earl  and 

Dorothy,  Modesto,  Calif.,  60 
Demuth,  Doris  and  Bill, 

Chambersburg,  Pa.,  50 
DuBois,  Eldon  and  Virginia. 

Modesto.  Calif.,  60 
Eichelberger,  Ura  and  Eugene, 

Chambersburg,  Pa.,  50 
Erwin.  Floyd  and  Isabel, 

Modesto,  Calif.,  60 
Fawley,  Gerald  and  Ethel, 

Churchville,  Va..  55 
Feather,  Eugene  and  Gladys, 

Martinsburg,  Pa.,  50 
Flory,  Ronald  and  Norva, 

Rockford,  III..  50 
Frey.  Agnes  and  Elwood, 

Chambersburg.  Pa.,  50 
George,  Dale  and  Verna, 

Carlisle,  Pa.,  50 
Gerdes,  Robert  and  Mary  Lea, 

Rockford.  III.,  50 
Hawbaker,  Charlotte  and 

Harold.  Chambersburg, 

Pa.,  50 
Heiks,    Forest  and  Arlene, 

Ashland,  Ohio,  50 
Holsinger,  Glenn  and  Virginia, 

Martinsburg,  Pa,,  50 
Howes,  Gene  and  Geraldine, 

Copemish.  Mich.,  60 
Keim,  Bob  and  Sybil,  Tucson, 

Ariz.,  50 
Kurtz,  Willis  and  Hazel, 

Hartville,  Ohio.  55 
Landis,  Virginia  and  Menno, 

Chambersburg,  Pa..  50 
Lavy,  Daniel  and  Wilma, 

Uniontown,  Ohio,  50 
Leckrone,  Sam  and  Lucy, 

Copemish,  Mich.,  60 
Lerch,  Clifford  and  Pauline, 


Quakertown,  Pa.,  50 
Longnecker,  Dale  and  Maxine, 

Rockford,  III.,  50 
McLucas,  Doris  and  Lloyd, 

Chambersburg,  Pa..  50 
Miller,  Fred  and  Virginia, 

Bridgewater,  Va.,  50 
Miller,  Wayne  and  Gwen, 

Santa  Cruz,  Calif.,  50 
Moore,  Genevieve  and  Arthur, 

Nampa,  Idaho,  71 
Myers,  Pam  and  lohn,  Cham- 
bersburg, Pa.,  50  ; 
Newcomer,  lohn  and  Helen, 

Rockford,  111.,  50 
Price,  Bob  and  Ethel,  Carlisle, 

Pa.,  55 
Regan,  Edward  and  Ardath, 

Scottville,  Mich.,  50 
Ringer,  Virgil  and  Cora. 

Alliance,  Ohio,  50 
Ritter,  Harry  and  Leah.  Akron, 

Pa..  55 
Rogers.  Howard  and  Enid, 

Wakarusa,  Ind.,  65 
Schmidt,  Eugene  and  Faye, 

Swanton,  Md.,  50 
Schumacher,  Bill  and  Bernice. 

Hartville.  Ohio,  55 
Shock,  Lawrence,  and  Helen, 

Defiance,  Ohio,  60 
Simpson,  Glen  and  Reba,  Mt. 

Lake  Park,  Md..  50 
Slifer,  Sam  and  Edith,  Quak- 
ertown, Pa.,  65 
Smith,  Delbert  and  Barbara. 

Newton,  Kan.,  50 
Speas,  loseph  and  Marguerite, 

Bridgewater,  Va.,  60 
Stump,   Roberta  and  Ludema, 

Goshen,  Ind.,  55 
Switzer,  Fred  and  Neva, 

Waterford,  Calif.,  50 
Thompson,  Kenneth  and 

Charleen,  Freeport, 

Mich..  50 
Wayne,  Edward  and  Bernice, 

West  Reading,  Pa.,  55 
Whitmore,  Harry  and  Geneva, 

Bridgewater,  Va..  60 
Williams,  Harry  and  Bev. 

Copemish.  Mich. 
Wise,   Herbert  and  Mary. 

Hartville,  Ohio,  55 
Wong,  Seek  and  Sue,  Rock- 
ford, III..  50 
Zitta,  Tony  and  Irene.  Quaker- 
town,  Pa.,  55 


Llcensings 

Beeghly,  Randall,  Mar.  15, 

1997,  Community, 

W.  Plains 
Copenhaver,  Ronald  L.,  July 

26,  1997,  White  Oak, 

Atl.  NE 
Coursen,  Robert,  Aug.  28. 


30  Messenger  March  1998 


1997,  Happy  Corner. 

S.Ohio 
roushorn,  Luke  A.,  Nov.  8. 

1997,  Nokesville,  Mid-Atl. 
Javis,  Barbra,  Nov.  8.  1997. 

Ankeny,  N.  Plains 
jilbert,  Dena,  May  3,  1997. 

LaVerne,  Pac.  SW. 
iuffaker,  Michael.  July  24, 

1997,  Trotwood,  S.  Ohio 
^eck,  Dewayne.  Dec.  17. 

1996.  Potsdam.  S.  Ohio 
iornbaker,  ludson.  Mar.  15, 

1997,  Community, 
W.  Plains 

Cnotts,  Kenneth  Dale,  Nov. 
10,  1997,  Circle  of  Love 
Fellowship,  W.  Marva 

Vlyer,  Dennis  J..  Nov.  1  5. 
1996.  Lewiston,  All.  NE. 

Galley,  Mischelle  R..  Aug.  12. 

1996.  Meyersdale.  W.  Pa. 
Powers,  James,  July  26.  1997. 

Osceola.  Mo. /Ark. 
Pugh,  Edward  J..  Aug.  28, 

1997,  Lower  Miami.  S.  Ohio 
Pyles,  Tyowen  Robert.  August 

21.  1997.  West  Charleston, 

5.  Ohio 

Rhodes.  Rebecca  Oliver.  Sept. 

6,  1997.  Roanoke,  Central, 
Virlina 

[Schmidt,  James  R.,  Jan.  1, 

1995,  Mountain  View. 

Idaho 
Starkey,  Patrick  O..  Sept.  6. 

1997.  Summerdean.  Virlina 
Weber,  Thomas  M.,  Oct.  7, 

1997.  West  Green  Tree. 

Atl.  NE 
Williams,  Edward  Thomas. 

Nov.  8.  1997.  Midland. 

Mid-Atl. 
Ifost,  Eric  W.,  Aug.  29,  1997, 

Windber,  W.  Pa. 


Ordinations 

Cox,  Mary  Margaret.  Nov.  15. 

1997.  Petersburg,  Memor- 
ial, W.  Marva. 
Emmons,  Anthony  E..  Dec.  6. 

1997,  Roanoke,  Oak 

Grove,  Virlina 
Hess,  Nancy  H.,  May  31, 

1997,  Palmyra,  Atl.  NE. 
Houghton,  James  E.,  Sept.  15. 

1997.  Moxham.  W.  Pa. 
Hosteller,  Rick  E.,  Oct.  10. 

1997.  Brandts.  S.  Pa. 
Kessler.  Kevin.  Apr.  19.  1997, 

Canton,  111. /Wis. 
LaRue,  Robin,  1994,  Yellow 

Creek,  N.  Ind. 
Pfeiffer.  Carol  M.,  Oct.  25, 

1997,  Salem,  S.  Ohio 
Powers,  Walter  Jr.,  Sept.  13. 

1997,  County  Line,  N.  Ohio 


Deaths 

Barnhart,  Merlon,  89,  Rocky 

Mount,  Va..  March  17.  1997 
Baleman,  Annie  M..  91, 

Hartville.  Ohio,  May  19 
Baugh,  Betty,  77,  Uniontown. 

Pa..  Oct.  6 
Beach,  David,  70,  Woodbury, 

Pa.,  Sept.  7 
Bechdolt,  Paul  E..  77, 

Camden,  Ind..  Nov.  21 
Becker,  Lois,  55,  Lititz,  Pa., 

Sept.  21 
Becker,  Lucille,  82,  Mesa, 

Ariz..  Oct.  13 
Belts,  Lillian.  87,  Nampa, 

Idaho.  Feb.  27.  1997 
Boitnott,  Nell  Kersh,  96, 

Bridgewater,  Va.,  Nov.  18 
Brandt,  Renee,  43,  Manheim, 

Pa..  Nov.  25 
Brannan,  Mary.  74,  Decatur, 

111..  Nov.  28 
Brashear,  George.  Bush  Creek 

CoB,  Monrovia,  Md., 

Jan.  1.  1997 
Brown,  Inez,  85,  Urbana,  111.. 

Nov.  16 
Brumbaugh,  Lloyd,  84, 

Sebring,  Fla..  Dec.  5 
Bucher,  Minnie.  87.  Palmyra. 

Pa..  Nov.  22 
Burkel,  Wilson  E..  93,  Mar- 

tinsburg.  Pa.,  Nov.  23 
Claar,  Bruce.  82,  Roaring 

Spring,  Pa..  July  10 
Clapper,  Rawleigh  L..  78, 

Martinsburg,  Pa.,  Nov.  14 
Clapper,  Terry  L.,  61,  Mar- 
tinsburg, Pa.,  July  14 
Clouser,  M.  Helen,  95.  York. 

Pa..  Oct.  25 
Cordier,   Faye.  81.  Mogodore. 

Ohio.  June  29 
Craig,  Arline,  99,  Palm 

Harbor,  Fla..  Nov.  20 
Creason,  Faye,  82,  Nampa, 

Idaho.  July  1,  1997 
Dart,  .\lta,  84.  Imperial,  Neb. 
Dolby,  Dewaine,  88,  Hunting- 
ton. Ind..  Sept.  12 
Drake,  Wayne,  90,  Martins- 
burg, Pa.,  Nov.  23 
Dunn,  lames  (Joe)  |r..  20, 

Nappanee,  Ind..  Nov.  17 
Eikenberry,  Terrill,  47, 

Bangkok,  Thailand,  Ian.  10 
Embrey,    Ethel,  Bush  Creek 

CoB,  Monrovia,  Md..  Jan. 

10,  1997 
Endsley,  Ida  Mae,  76,  Hunt- 
ington, ind..  Sept.  14 
Etler,  Mae.  96.  Ottawa.  Ohio, 

Nov..  1997 
Farwell,  William.  Dixon.  111.. 

Nov.  I  5 
Fisher,  Amanda,  82.  Ridgely. 

Md.,  Nov.  13 


Flora,  Alvin,  76.  Rocky 

Mount,  Va..  Jan.  15,  1997 
Flora,  Daniel  L,  97,  Boones 

.Mill.  Va..  Oct.  31 
Flora,  Essie,  90,  Rocky 

Mount.  Va.,  Nov.  16,  1996 
Flora,  Lucille.  91.  Tipp  City. 

Ohio,  Dec.  7 
Flory,  Abram,  100.  Manheim. 

Pa..  Aug.  6 
Foltz,  Nancy  Rhodes.  70. 

Bridgewater.  Va.,  Nov.  2 
Frailey,  Glenn,  87,  Shelocta, 

Pa.,  Nov.  1  5 
Furrow,  Anna.  60,  Callaway, 

Va..  iune  23 
Glolfelly,  Roger  P  Sr..  60, 

Oakland.  Md..  Dec.  I  1 
Gochenour,  Isabelle,  88. 

Annville.  Pa..  Oct.  24 
Graber,  Glenn  J..  73, 

Hartviile.  Ohio,  May  13 
Groff,  Esther,  86,  Lititz,  Pa., 

Sept.  6 
Guise,  Mary  R.,  74.  Gardners, 

Pa..  Sept.  24 
Haldeman,  Clarence.  79. 

Chambersburg,  Pa.,  Sept.  2 
Hamilton,  Harry.  79,  Wood- 
bury. Pa..  Aug.  6 
Hampton,  Chalmer,  85, 

Bloomfield.  Mo.,  Nov.  4 
Hav^'kins,  Mrs.  Reddy  Fagg, 

64.  Pulaski.  Va..  Sept.  8 
Heinzman,  Meredith,  78, 

Arcadia,  Ind..  Sept.  25 
Herbold,  Lavern  W.,  82, 

Kingsley,  Iowa,  Oct.  10 
Hershey,  Bruce.  77,  Manheim, 

Pa..  July  22 
Hixson,  Dale,  80,  Quaker- 
town.  Pa..  June  5.  1996 
Hollenbaugh,  Phyllis  |..  62. 

Union  Bridge,  Md..  Nov.  20 
Holsinger,  Charles.  79. 

Sebring.  Fla..  Nov.  21 
Hoover,  Benjamin  E..  71. 

Bridgewater.  Va..  Dec.  3 
Irwin,  Elizabeth,  77,  Frank- 
fort, Ind..  Oct.  25 
Jacobs,  Maude.  93,  Quincy, 

Pa..  Nov.  14 
Jacobs,  Paul  A..  92,  New 

Oxford,  Pa..  Oct.  28 
Johnson,  Ruth,  86,  Nappanee, 

Ind,  Oct.  19 
Kensinger,  Arthur,  79,  Wood- 
bury. Pa..  Oct.  17 
Kimmel.  Edwin  B.,  77,  She- 
locta. Pa.,  .Nov.  15 
Kindy,  Wayne,  80,  Goshen, 

Ind.,  July  25 
King,  Grace,  64.  Woodbury, 

Pa.,  Oct.  3 
Kurtz,  Samuel  G.,  86. 

Lebanon.  Pa..  Oct.  3 
Lasley,  Bernice,  80,  Branch, 

Mich..  July  24 
Laughman,  Charles  A..  88, 


Hanover,  Pa.,  Nov.  1 
Lease,  Edith,  Bush  Creek  CoB, 

Monrovia,  Md.,  May  1 1 
Leffue,  I.  Parker,  92,  Rocky 

Mount,  Va.,  June  21 
Leiand,  William,  76,  Ocean- 
side,  Calif,  May  7 
Longcor,  Florence,  99,  Rock- 
ford.  III.,  August  16 
Longenecker,  Edith,  96,  Oct.  10 
McCall,  Ray  Kyle,  85,  Wiley. 

Co..  May  21 
McCauley,  Malcolm,  69, 

North  Garden,  Va.,  Sept.  23 
McCluney,  Martha,  89,  War- 

rensburg.  Mo.,  Oct.  16 
McGill,  Dorothy  Yaple,  82, 

Pentwaler.  Mich.,  Sept.  27 
Michael,  Richard  Thomas. 

62.  Bridgewater,  Va.. 

Oct.  30 
Miller,  Kenneth,  68, 

Wakarusa,  Ind..  May  17, 

1997 
Mixell,  .Mary  E.,  87,  Carlisle, 

Pa.,  May  19 
Morrow,  Frederick  E.  Sr..  82. 

Midland.  Tex.,  Nov.  6 
Morion,  Gerald.  Warrensburg. 

Mo..  Jan.  19,  1997 
Myers,  Roy,  97,  Canton,  Ohio. 

Nov.  4 
iVIyers,  Ruth  A.,  81,  Biglerville, 

Pa.,  July  13 
Oyler,  Ursel  Ellen.  84,  Flora, 

Ind.,  Nov.  20 
Page,  Howard,  88.  Kingsley. 

Iowa,  Oct.  10 
Parker,  Delmar,  86,  Beaver- 
ton.  .Mich..  Nov.  19 
Replogle,  Samuel,  86,  Camp 

Hill,  Pa..  July  26 
Replogle,  Thelma.  84,  Camp 

Hill,  Pa..  Aug.  8 
Rilchey,  Marjorie  L.,  62.  Mar- 
tinsburg, Pa..  May  13,  1997 
Roderick,   Harry  Wilson,  Bush 

Creek  CoB,  Monrovia,  Md., 

Mar.  22,  1997 
Roush,  Pearl,  80,  North  Lib- 
erty, Ind.,  Dec.  16 
Royer,  Hannan,  96,  Lebanon, 

Pa.,  Nov.  2 
Rudy,  Lizzie.  96,  Ephrata.  Pa.. 

Nov.  30 
Rummel,  Arthur  Leon,  99, 

Escondido,  Calif..  June  7 
Rupel,  Milan.  62.  La  Verne, 

Cahf.,  Oct.  9 
Schullz,  Corrine  E,  Dixon, 

III..  Dec.  11 
Scott,  Ray.  43.  Upland.  Calif., 

Dec.  10 
Seilsinger,  Earl  R.,  83,  South 

English.  Iowa,  Oct.  10 
Sellers,  Estella.  99,  Bourbon, 

Ind.,  Nov.  25 
Shaffer,  Linden,  74,  Denton. 

Md.,  Oct.  8 


Shank,  Ethel  S..  84.  Martins- 
burg. Pa..  Aug.  19 

Sharrer,  Dorothea.  89,  Quak- 
ertown.  Pa..  Sept.  8.  1996 

Shull,   Evaleen,  77.  Bridge- 
water.  Va..  Oct.  5 

Sigler,  Lona.  99.  Huntington, 
Ind..  Sept.  7 

Sisk,  Virgil,  77.  Sebring.  Fla., 
Dec.  19 

Slusher,  Claude,  95,  Bridge- 
w^ater.  Va..  Nov.  29 

Smith,  Frederick  R.  Sr.,  78, 
Martinsburg,  W.  Va.. 
Oct.  21 

Smith,  Thurman.  64.  West 
Salem.  Ohio,  Sept.  8 

Spence,  Beulah,  Rocky  Mount, 
Va.,  Dec.  29,  1996 

Spitzer,  Delores.  65.  Kalona. 
Iowa.,  Dec.  8 

Stealy,  Romaine.  86.  Goshen. 
Ind..  Nov.  12 

Sterling,  Linda  L..  51.  Indi- 
anapolis. Ind.,  Oct.  3 

Stine,  Norma  J.,  78.  York.  Pa., 
Nov.  13 

Studebaker,  Gerald  L.,  84, 
New  Carlisle.  Ohio,  Dec.  7 

Stutsman,  .Vlary  K..  68, 
Goshen,  Ind..  Oct.  8 

Stutzman,  Clyde  W.,  69,  Mar- 
tinsburg. Pa.,  May  24,  1997 

Swartz,  Julie  Hoover,  42,  Fair- 
field. Pa.,  Nov.  20 

Thoman,  Delores  M.,  68.  East 
Berlin.  Pa.,  Nov.  16 

Thornton,  Mazie,  84, 
Lebanon,  Pa..  Nov.  17 

Tomlonson,  Judith  Carole 
Schroeder,  58.  Warrens- 
burg. Mo..  Dec.  3 

Tomlonson,  Judith  Schroeder, 
58.  Warrensburg.  Mo., 
Dec.  5 

Townsend,  Franklin  Otto,  77, 
Lake  Odessa,  Mich.. 
Oct.  29 

Ulrich,  D.  L.  ,  74,  Hunting- 
ton, Ind..  Oct.  1 

Walker,  Paul,  89,  N.  Manches- 
ter. Ind..  June  24 

Webb.  Nellie.  Mt.  Crawford. 
Va.,  Oct.  23 

Williams.  Roger.  St.  Peters- 
burg. Fla..  May  4.  1997 

Williams.  Sandra.  55. 
Defiance.  Ohio.  .April 
14.  1997 

Winegard.  Katherine,  77, 
Grottoes,  Va..  Nov.  18 

Witter.  Harry  M..  83.  Cham- 
bersburg. Pa..  Nov.  2 

Witlie.    Barb,  47.  Mount  Joy. 
Pa..  Sept.  27 

Woody,  John,  Billings,  Okla.. 
Dec.  4,  1997 

Younkins,  Mary,  80,  Sebring, 
Fla.,  Dec.  7 


March  1998  Messenger  31 


spirituality  lite 


Iknow  angels  are  big  these  days,  and  I  had  been  intend- 
ing to  watch  all  the  new  TV  shows  about  church  and 
religion.  So  I  knew  vaguely  that  spirituality  had  become 
trendy  when  1  saw  Sf// magazine's  "special  inspirational 
issue"  with  the  big  cover  headline:  "Your  Spiritual  Life" 
next  to  the  fresh  face  of  a  model  wearing 
(1  learn  on  the  contents  page)  Flawless 
Finish  Dual  Perfection  Makeup  in  Cream 
by  Elizabeth  Arden. 

1  bought  it. 

Turning  to  page  132  where  the  spe- 
cial section  began,  1  smugly  looked  for  the 
magazine's  version  of  spirituality  lite.  The 
first  article  was  a  reader  survey  titled,  "How 
spiritual  are  you?"  Of  the  2, 100  respon- 
dents, 70  percent  said  they  consider 


•  •••••• 


The  church  has 
what  Self  readers 
wa  n  t — so  m  eth  ing 


themselves  spiritual,  and  another  27  per-    rCal  aud  aUtheUtlC,     them  in 


ing  suggests  that  all  the  things  this  culture  sets  up  as 
desirable  don't  make  us  happy."  Another  doctor  adds: 
"We're  the  most  materialistic  country  on  Earth,  but  we're 
no  longer  intoxicated  by  having  three  cars  and  four  tele- 
vision sets.  There's  a  deep  inner  yearning  for  something 
real,  something  authentic." 

Does  the  church  have  what  all  these 
people  want?  Of  course.  But  we  often 
don't  make  it  easy  for  outsiders  to  get 
in.  And  the  message  about  lesus  is  hard 
to  explain  precisely.  All  the  meanness 
and  hypocrisy  of  the  church  in  history 
gets  in  the  way.  But  if  we  in  the  church 
realize  there  are  a  lot  of  hungry  people 
out  there  wanting  what  we  have,  maybe 
we'll  open  the  doors  a  little  wider  to  let 


cent  said  they  are  "somewhat"  spiritual 
Some  79  percent  said  they  were  raised 
practicing  an  organized  religion,  but  only 
47  percent  practice  that  religion  today. 
Why  did  the  others  lapse?  Because  the  reli- 
gion was  "too  rigid,"  or  didn't  treat  women 
equally,  or  encouraged  "group  think,"  or 
"was  more  interested  in  my  wallet  than  my  •  •  • 

soul."  Hmmm.  This  could  be  interesting 
and  useful  to  church  people. 

Some  85  percent  of  the  survey  respondents  own  a 
Bible,  though  few  read  it.  And  the  most  popular  choice 
for  a  motto  to  live  by  was  "Do  unto  others  as  you  would 
have  them  do  unto  you."  Or,  as  one  reader  explained, 
"What  goes  around  comes  around." 

I  found  myself  starting  to  like  my  Self.  Its  readers 
sound  like  many  good  uncommitted  people  1  know. 

Another  article  warns  against  New  Age  spirituality: 
"One  of  the  deepest  and  most  attractive  flaws  of  the  New 
Age  is  its  extraordinary  emphasis  on  self-absorption. 
Devotees  often  refer  to  unconditional  love  for  all  human- 
ity but  rarely  do  they  mention  an  obligation  to 
demonstrate  it  to  actual  neighbors." 

And  a  third  article,  "What  Exactly  is  Buddhism,  and 
Why  is  It  So  Hip  Now?"  explained  the  star  appeal  that 
has  led  Richard  Gere,  Phil  [ackson,  Tina  Turner,  and 
Natalie  Merchant  to  try  it.  A  psychiatrist  is  quoted:  "The 
fact  that  so  many  rich  and  famous  people  are  still  search- 


calling  for  deep 

commiunent 

and  changed  lives. 


In  various  ways,  most  people  in  the 
Self  survey  said  what  they  want  most  is 
love  and  acceptance.  Their  greatest 
fears  are  loneliness,  failure,  pain,  and 
death.  Their  needs  can  be  met  by  a 
loving  church  family  and  a  loving  God 
who  says.  "1  have  come  so  that  they 
-        _  may  have  life,  and  have  it  abundantly." 

What  many  people  want  these  days 
besides  love  are  good  examples  of  how 
to  live.  They  want  exciting  not  boring,  different  not  the 
same,  alternative  not  mainstream.  People  are  looking  for 
"another  way  of  living,"  and  a  way  that  works.  Alfred 
North  Whitehead,  the  early  twentieth-century  British 
philosopher,  had  it  right  when  he  said,  "Without  the 
hope  of  high  adventure,  religion  deteriorates  into  a  mere 
appendage  of  a  comfortable  life."  High  adventure  is  what 
people  want  from  religion.  Seeing  others  take  risks  for 
Jesus  is  attractive.  Watching  Christians  walk  away  from 
the  materialistic  culture  has  appeal.  The  courage  of 
Christians  witnessing  for  peace  makes  seekers  take 
notice.  The  hard  work  of  service  is  what  many  people 
want  for  themselves. 

The  church  has  what  Self  readers,  want — something 
real  and  authentic,  calling  for  deep  commitment  and 
changed  lives.  We  should  write  to  the  magazine  and 
invite  them.  U  Self  gets  religion,  1  wonder,  will  it  change 
its  name  to  Others? — Fletcher  Farrar 


32  Messenger  March  1998 


Brethren  Witness 


Michael  Hoffmaster,  Martinsburg,  W.  Va.,  at  workcamp  in  Honduras 


Brethren  have  always  been  prepared  to  witness 
to  their  faith — by  not  going  to  war,  by  living 
responsibly  with  God's  creation,  by  reaching  out 
to  those  in  need,  by  speaking  the  truth  to  power. 
At  no  time  has  making  our  witness  been  more  urgent 
than  it  is  today,  amidst  wars  and  preparation 
for  war,  a  growing  global  gap  between  the  rich  and 
the  poor,  and  widespread  destruction  of  Gods 
earth.  The  office  of  Brethren  Witness  seeks  to 
equip  members,  congregations  and  districts  to 
faithfully  and  creatively  express  their  witness 
— for  the  glory  ot  God  and  our  neighbor's  good. 

Peace  and  Justice  Take  the  Pledge!  ^ezce 

commitment  campaign  •  Workcamps/Learning 
Tours/Peace  Delegations 'Study  Resources 'District 
Peace  Coordinator  Network  •  Global  'Women's 
Project 'Peace-related  plays  and  worship  resources 
People  of  God's  Peace  newsletter  'Accompaniment 
Projects 'Witness  to  Washington 

Care  for  Creation  The  Tim-d Day ntws- 

letter'BVS  projects 'Special  congregational  initiatives 

Hunger  Action  Lenten  bulletin 
inserts  'Two  Cents  a  Meal  campaign  '"Seeds  of 
Hope"  children's  hunger  emphasis  kit 'Youth  hunger 
action  materials 


For  information  or  to  request  congregational  visits  or  youth  event  leadership,  contact:  Office  of  Brethren 
Witness 'David  Radcliff,  director  '  Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board  '  800-323-8039 


Every  difference       

makes  a  difference. 

Inch  by  inch,  one  square  meter  at  a  time,  a  deminer  clears 
land  studded  with  anti-personnel  mines.  The  task  has  bare- 
ly begun,  given  some  1 1 5  million  land  mines  poised  ready 
to  strike  at  life  or  limb  in  60  countries. 

In  Cambodia,  where  land  mines  are  equal  to  the  num- 
ber of  inhabitants,  teams  of  deminers  are  trained  and  sup- 
ported by  Church  World  Service.  Their  work,  funded  by 
gifts  to  One  Great  Hour  of  Sharing,  enables  refugees  to 
move  back  to  home  villages,  farmers  to  plant  fields  and  raise 
livestock,  and  children  to  play  securely  out-of-doors. 

In  freeing  the  land  of  terror  and  in  rebuilding  commu- 
nities, every  difference  makes  a  difference. 

And  not  only  in  Cambodia,  but  in  70  other  countries 
where  One  Great  Hour  of  Sharing  helps  feed  the  hungry, 
shelter  the  homeless,  heal  the  broken,  and  transform  lives. 

Listen  and  respond  to  your  neighbors'  cries.  Hold  the 
earth's  people  in  God's  loving  embrace.  Give  help.  Give 
hope.  Give  life.  Give  to  One  Great  Hour  of  Sharing. 


Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board 

1451  Dundee  Avenue,  Elgin,  IL  60120 


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Help  Wante 


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500  pastors  in  the  next  five 
years.  Here's  a  chance  to  make  a 
difference.  Bring  good  nev«  to 
Individuals  and  communities. 
Touch  lives  at  crucial  times,  from 
birth  to  death.  Be  a  servant 
leader.  Education  and  training 
requirements  flexible.  Salaries 
and  viforidng  conditions  Improv- 
ing. Women  and  minorities  wel- 
come (some  places  more  than 
others).  God  and  your  congr^ 
tlon  will  call  you.  (But  «f  thor 

dont,  let  them  know  you  re  intwj 

^ested  anyway.) 


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Celebrating  50  years  of  Brethren  Volunteer  Service 

The  Good  News,  the  story  of  Jesus,  is  to  be  proclaimed 
and  celebrated.  In  words,  yes,  but  also  in  the  wordless 
words  of  love:  feeding  the  hungry,  housing  the  homeless, 
healing  the  sick,  consoling  the  lonely,  bringing  together 
the  estranged,  working  for  peace  and  justice. 

To  tell  the  story  by  living  the  story:  that's  what  50 
years  of  Brethren  Volunteer  Service  and  5,376  volunteers 
and  420  projects  in  40  countries  are  all  about.  God's  call 
to  reconciliation  is  a  ministry  that  never  ends.      J^ 

In  your  support  of  Brethren  Volunteer  /^^^^a 

Service,  you  help  make  Jesus'  love  visible. 


Teffing  the  story.  Living  the  story. 


years 


Help  Wanted 


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500  pastors  in  the  next  five 
years.  Here's  a  chance  to  mal<e  a 
difference.  Bring  good  news  to 
individuals  and  communities. 
Touch  lives  at  crucial  times,  from 
birth  to  death.  Be  a  servant 
leader.  Education  and  training 
requirements  flexible.  Salaries 
and  worthing  conditions  improv- 
ing. Women  and  minorities  wel- 
come (some  places  more  than 
others).  God  and  your  congrega- 
tion will  call  you.  (But  if  th^ 
don't,  let  them  know  you're  inter- 
.  ested  anyway.)  ^v* 


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<1  2    Bakery 


Exp  Cake  Decorator  wanted. 
Full-time.  Call  000-777-4444 


Computer/Info  Systems 
$100's  of  programming/n^ 


On  the  cover: 
Cover  design 
by  Paul 
Stocksdale,  a  talented 
graphic  artist  who  has 
designed  Messenger 
pages  for  the  past  five 
years.  This  is  his  final 
edition  as  designer. 
Thanks,  Paul. 


Drivers  ] 
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Editor:  Fletcher  Farrar 
News:  Nevin  Dulabaum 
Subscriptions:  Vicki  Roche 
Publisher:  Wendy  McFadden 
Designer:  Paul  Stocksdale 


■.^■^:^^^:^^::^?;5S^ia?iJS2iSiS3 


Features 

12     Wanted:  A  new  heart  for  ministry 

The  ministry  office  of  the  General  Board 
wants  500  people  to  be  called  and  trained  as 
ministers  in  the  next  five  years.  Educational 
opportunities  are  available  through  Bethany 
Seminary  and  the  Brethren  Academy.  And 
obstacles  to  entering  the  ministry  are  being 
addressed.  But  the  greatest  need  is  for 
congregations  to  revive  the  old-fashioned 
practice  of  calling  out  their  own  members 
into  leadership! 

16     Living  with  dying 

When  Dale  Aukerman,  noted  Brethren  writer 
and  peace  advocate,  learned  in  1996  he  had 
lung  cancer  and  not  much  longer  to  live,  he 
began  a  new  phase  of  his  life — more  intent 
and  intentional.  In  an  article  timed  for  Easter, 
he  shares  fresh  insights  from  his  experience, 
and  reflects  on  the  new  life  he  has  gained  by 
preparing  for  his  own  death. 

20     Family  reunion  in  Di  Linh 

When  Manchester  and  La  Verne  college  students 
traveled  to  Vietnam  in  January,  a  new  generation 
of  young  adults  sought  understanding  of  a 
troubled  era  in  American  history.  Some  made 
connections  there  with  courageous  family 
members.  |oel  Ulrich  had  a  "reunion"  with 
distant  cousin  Ted  Studebaker,  and  Madalyn 
Metzger  found  where  her  parents  met. 

24     Puerto  Rico  blessings 

Sixteen  Brethren  went  to  Puerto  Rico  in 
January  to  give  gifts  of  work  to  church 
partners  there.  From  that  experience  they 
brought  back  many  gifts  and  blessings. 


Departments 


2 

From  the  Publisher 

3 

In  Touch 

6 

News 

11 

In  Brief 

26 

Letters 

29 

Pontius'  Puddle 

30 

Turning  Points 

32 

Editorial 

April  1998  Messenger  1 


One  of  the  items  still  on  my  to-do  list  is  "Christmas  letter."  I  never  got 
it  done,  but  1  haven't  quite  given  up  on  the  possibility. 

I've  never  gotten  my  Christmas  letters  sent  before  Christmas  anyway,  so  it 
was  no  big  deal  when  it  carried  over  to  my  [anuary  list.  One  year  I  sent  a  Ground- 
hog Day  letter,  so  I  was  willing  to  carry  this  year's  over  to  February.  For  a  while 
I  thought  it  would  be  charming  to  make  it  a  Valentine  letter.  And  now — well, 
I've  not  yet  been  captured  by  the  idea  of  an  Easter  letter. 

But  unlike  a  Christmas  letter,  which  can  be  postponed  forever,  the  to-do  list 
of  our  subscriptions  processor,  Vicki  Roche,  simply  snowballs.  Address  changes 
and  invoices  can't  be  postponed  for  long.  Whatever  doesn't  get  done  one  month, 
returns  the  ne.xt  month  with  a  vengeance. 

The  staffing  reductions  last  summer  left  us  short-handed  in  many  areas,  includ- 
ing this  one.  Vicki — who  handles  other  related  tasks  as  well,  including  bookkeeping, 
mail  and  phone  coverage,  and  some  promotion  work — makes  sure  the  critical  func- 
tions get  covered  first  and  then  follows  with  all  the  others.  For  example,  it's  more 
important  for  new  subscribers  to  get  the  next  issue  than  for  lapsed  subscribers  to 
stop  receiving  it,  regardless  of  the  cost  of  sending  out  extra  copies. 

Given  the  pile  of  work  landing  on  one  desk,  we're  encouraging  subscribers  to  send 
routine  address  changes  or  Turning  Points  information  by  fax,  e-mail,  or  regular  mail. 
That  will  free  up  the  phone  for  those  who  have  questions  and  need  personal  assistance. 

The  good  news  is  that  we're  anticipating  a  major  upgrade  to  the  database 
software  used  by  the  General  Board.  The  new  system  will  do  a  number  of  sub- 
scriptions tasks  automatically  that  currently  are  done  manually.  As  we  prepare 
for  this  change,  scheduled  now  for  August,  we  will  also  be  taking  time  to  exam- 
ine our  subscription  categories  and  processes. 

It's  likely  that  a  rate  increase  for  clubs  (we  already  raised  the  individual  rate  last 
year)  will  accompany  the  change.  Now  that  Messenger  is  self-supporting,  our  sub- 
scription and  ad  revenue  must  cover  our  production  and  staffing  costs.  While  we 
have  shouldered  most  of  the  burden  by  reducing  staff  and  finding  ways  to  save  on 
printing  costs,  we  will  need  to  pass  some  of  it  along  to  readers.  We  trust  that  you 
will  understand  the  need  and  be  willing  to  keep  Messenger  a  strong  magazine. 

One  of  our  loyal  readers  wrote  this  month  to  tell  us  her  response  to  our  new 
financial  need:  She  is  pledging  to  send  us  $20  every  other  month.  She  is  com- 
mitted to  helping  ensure  that  Messenger  is  available  for  generations  to  come. 
The  spirit  of  that  letter  buoys  us  for  a  long  time. 

We  hope  readers  will  contribute  in  other  ways  as  well — by  reading  Messenger 
cover  to  cover,  reflecting  with  an  open  mind  on  the  variety  of  ideas  in  its  pages,  encour- 
aging others  to  subscribe,  writing  Letters  to  the  Editor,  sending  information  for  the 
In  Touch  pages,  and  generally  embracing  it  as  the  family  newsletter  for  Brethren. 

It's  the  Christmas  letter,  the  Easter  letter,  the  Thanksgiving  letter,  and  much 
more.  Without  it,  we  might  be  tempted  to  go  our  separate  ways,  forgetting  that 
we  are  part  of  a  larger  community  of  faith  that  acts  in  our  name  in  places  far 
beyond  our  individual  locations  and  experiences. 

2  Messenger  April  1998 


How  to  reach  us 

Messenger 

1451  Dundee  Avenue 
Elgin,  IL  60120 
E-mail: 

Subscriptions: 

vroche_gb(g'brethren.org 
Editorial: 

fffarrar@midwest.net 

Fax:  (847)  742-6103 
Phone:  (847)  742-5100 
(800)  325-8039 
Subscription  rates: 

$16.50  individual  rate 
$12.50  church  individual  plan 
$10.50  church  group  plan 
$10.50  gift  subscriptions 
Student  rate  75c  per  month 

If  you  move,  clip  address  label 
and  send  with  new  address  to 
Messenger  Subscriptions,  at  the 
above  address.  Allow  at  least  five 
weeks  for  address  change. 


District  Messenger  representatives:  Atl.  N.E.,  Ron 
Lutz;  Atl,  S.E.,  Ruby  Rajmer;  lU.AVis.,  Kreston  Lipscomb; 
S/C  Ind  ,  Marjorie  Miller;  Mich,,  Ken  Good;  Mid-All,, 
Ann  Fouts;  Mo,/.\rk,,  Luci  Landes;  N,  Plains,  Faith 
Strom,  N,  Ohio,  Alice  L  Driver;  S,  Ohio,  Jack  Kline; 
Ore,AVash,,  Marguerite  Shamberger;  Pac,  SM,  Randy 
Miller;  M,  Pa.,  EvaWampler;S.  Pa,,  Elmer  Q,  Gleim, 
W  Pa,,JayChristner;  Shen,,  Tim  Harvey;  S-E,,  Donna 
Shumate;  S,  Plains,  Mary  Ann  Dell;  Viriina,  Jerry  Naff. 
W  Plains,  Dean  Hummer,  W  Marva,  V^inoma  Sputgeon 

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,  191" 
Filing  date,  Nov  1, 1984,  Member  of  the  Associated 
Church  Press,  Subscriber  to  Religion  News  Service 
&  Ecumenical  Press  Service,  Biblical  quotations, 
unless  otherwise  indiated,  are  from  the  New  Revised 
Standard  Version,  Messenger  is  published  1 1  times 
a  year  by  Brethren  Press,  Church  of  the  Brethren 
General  Board,  Second-class  postage  paid  at  Elgin, 
111,,  and  at  additional  mailing  office,  April  1998, 
Copyright  1998,  Church  of  the  Brethren  General 
Board.  ISSN  0026-0355, 

Postmaster:  Send  address  changes  to  Messenger, 
1-151  Dundee  Ave.,  Elgin,  IL  60120, 


Printed  on  recycled  paper 


True  welcome 

A  true  welcome  to  any 
church  can  be  a  blue 
sign  saying  the  build- 
ing is  accessible.  First 
Church  of  the  Breth- 
ren in  St.  Peters- 
burg, Fla.,  learn- 
ed that  lesson 
from  their  own 
members  with 
disabilities.  To 
welcome  and  accom- 
modate them,  the  church 
has  added  an  enlarged 


restroom,  for  men  or 
women,  by  converting  two 
narrow  res.trooms  near  the 
foyer.  The  new  facility  pro- 
vides ample  turning  space 
and  allows  a  sitting 
person  to  park  comfort- 
ably at  the  sink.  For 
emergencies,  a  pull 
chain  signals  for 
help  by  turning 
on  two  lights 
outside  the  room. 
Total  cost  of  the  pro- 
ject was  $13,700. — Jean 
Lersch 


Home  for  the  night 

ill  a  cardboarxl 

box  was  Jennifer  T. 

Sappington  of 

Bridgewater.  Va.  She 

is  a  junior  majoring 

in  psychology  at 

Bridgewater  College. 


Alternative  spring  break 


Disappeared  China 
missionaries  remembered 

On  December  2,  1937, 
three  Brethren  missionaries 
in  Show  Yang,  China, 
received  telephone  calls 
asking  for  help.  The  three 
responded  to  the  calls  and 
were  never  seen  nor  heard 
from  again.  Sixty  years  later 
their  lives  and  Christian  ser- 
vice were  remembered  in  a 
commemorative  service  at 
Broadfording  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Fellowship  in 
Hagerstown,  Md. 

The  missionaries — Min- 
neva  Neher  and  Alva  and 
Mary  Hykes  Harsh — report- 
edly had  experienced 
increased  war-related  diffi- 
culty as  the  Japanese  army 
occupied  the  area. 

The  anniversary  program 
included  tributes  by  John 
Mowen,  nephew  of  Mary 
Hykes  Harsh,  and  E.  Paul 
Weaver,  Alva  Harsh's  college 
roommate.  Hymns  included 
"Living  for  Jesus,"  which 
Minneva  Neher  had  sung  at 
her  last  mission  conference 
in  April  1937  at  Ping  Ting, 
China,  and  "Are  Ye  Able," 
which  the  Harshes  had  sung 
together  at  a  1936  Christ- 
mas program.  There  was  a 
brief  ceremony  at  a  monu- 
ment to  the  disappeared 
missionaries  in  the  Broad- 
fording  church  cemetery. 


Rather  than  head  for  the  beaches, 
some  49  Bridgewater  College  stu- 
dents spent  their  spring  break  volunteering 
as  construction  workers  with  Habitat  for 
Humanity.  The  students  spent  the  last 
week  in  February  working  on  a  Habitat 
project  in  Miami,  Fla.  To  raise  money  for 
the  trip,  and  to  raise  awareness  of  home- 
lessness,  the  students  spent  one  February 


night  sleeping  in  cardboard  boxes  on  the 
campus  mall. 

Meanwhile,  more  than  100  students  at 
Elizabethtown  College  went  without  food 
for  30  hours  in  February  to  raise  money 
and  awareness  for  the  hungry  and  home- 
less. The  "30-hour  Famine"  was  a  benefit 
for  World  Vision,  a  nonprofit  Christian 
relief  organization. 


April  1998  Messenger  3 


II  Tom 


stop  running  like  a  Deere 

The  Western  Plains  Dis- 
trict spreads  out  over 
Kansas,  Nebraska,  Col- 
orado, and  part  of  New 
Mexico,  so  district  execu- 
tive Richard  Hanley  is  on 
the  road  and  away  from 
his  family  often.  To  com- 
pensate, the  district  board 
recently  directed  Hanley 
to  take  more  time  off,  and 
encouraged  him  to  go 
ahead  with  his  dream  of 


restoring  an  antique  |ohn 
Deere  "A"  tractor.  At  the 
lanuary  executive  commit- 
tee meeting,  ministry 
commission  chair  David 
Smalley  (also  a  Con- 
gregational Life  Team 
coordinator)  and  board 
chair  Ken  Frantz  pre- 
sented Hanley  with  a  |ohn 
Deere  cap  and  a  book  on 
classic  )ohn  Deere  trac- 
tors, sent  to  him  by  former 
board  member  Adrian 
Sayler. — David  Smalley 


These  pottery  vessels  were 

unearthed  in  the  Ephrata 

Cloister  Excavation.  They 

consist  primarily  of  redware, 

which  suggests  the  ascetic 

nature  of  the  commune  life 

at  the  cloister  Redware  was 

both  inexpensive  and  readily 

available,  a  finding  consistent 

with  the  communit}''s  goal  to 

experience  impoverishment. 


Ephrata  excavation 

Artifacts  unearthed  at  the  Ephrata  (Pa.)  Cloister  by 
Elizabethtown  College  have  been  on  display  at  the 
college's  Young  Center  for  the  Study  of  Anabaptist  and 
Pietist  Groups.  The  excavation  is  under  the  direction  of 
Steve  Warfel,  senior  curator  at  the  State  Museum  of  Penn- 
sylvania in  Harrisburg.  The  exhibit  provides  insights  into 
the  monastic  life  of  the  Ephrata  Cloister,  a  Christian  soci- 
ety with  roots  in  the  Pietist  and  Anabaptist  movements. 
The  cloister,  organized  in  1732,  flourished  until  the  late 
18th  century.  It  was  known  for  its  printing,  distinctive 
choral  music,  manuscript  ornamentation,  strict  discipline, 
and  ascetic  lifestyle.  Conrad  Beissel,  founder  of  Ephrata, 
had  close  ties  with  the  Brethren. 


Brethren  contribute  to 
consultation  in  Geneva 

For  the  fifth  time,  represen- 
tatives of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  have  taken  an 
active  role  in  consultations 
featuring  interaction 
between  the  historic  peace 
churches,  their  European 
counterparts,  and  Lutheran 
and  Reformed  theologians. 

The  meeting,  held  in 
Geneva,  Switzerland,  in 
February,  continued  a  series 
of  consultations  held  in 
Prague,  Czechoslovakia,  in 
1986,  1987,  and  1989,  and 
in  Geneva  in  1994.  The 
conference,  designated 
"Prague  V,"  included  inter- 
pretations of  "justification" 
and  "sanctification"  by  the 
participating  churches. 

Brethren  participants  were 
Lauree  Hersch  Meyer, 
director  of  the  doctor  of 
ministry  program  at  Colgate 
Rochester  Divinity  School, 
and  Don  Durnbaugh, 
retired,  a  Fellow  of  the 
Young  Center  for  the  Study 
of  Anabaptism  and  Pietism 
at  Elizabethtown  College. 


Unsung  Hero 

|ohn  Shonk,  90  years  old 
this  month,  was  recently 
featured  in  the  Lafayette 
Journal  and  Courier  as  an 
"Unsung  Hero"  for  his 
work  as  a  founder  of  Medi- 
ation Services  of  Tippe- 
canoe County,  which  pro- 
vides conflict  resolution 
workshops.  Shonk,  a 
retired  schoolteacher,  is  a 
member  of  Lafayette  (Ind.) 
Church  of  the  Brethren  and 
a  graduate  of  Manchester 
College.  While  he  copes 
with  Parkinson's  disease  as 


4  Messenger  April  1998 


a  resident  of  Mulberry 
Lutheran  Village,  Shonk 
still  advocates  for  nonvio- 
lence. "Conflict  is 
inevitable,  but  it's  what  we 
do  with  conflict  that  is 
important,"  Shonk  told  the 
newspaper.  "It  can  be  con- 
structive or  destructive." 


Wichita  mentor  "hires 
a  youth  to  learn 

"Our  children  are  our 
future,"  says  Dr.  Bob 
Wilson,  a  physician  and 
member  of  Wichita  (Kan.) 
Church  of  the  Brethren. 
Acting  on  that  belief, 
Wilson  persuaded  his  med- 
ical office  to  "hire"  a 
disadvantaged  youth  so  he 
could  carry  out  his  personal 
vision  of  mentoring. 
Tyrome  Crawford,  a  1  7- 
year-old  whose  best  friend 
and  cousin  were  shot  to 
death  last  year,  was  hired  to 
work  30  hours  a  week. 
Crawford  did  some  filing 
and  faxing,  but  mostly 
spent  the  time  reading  arti- 
cles Wilson  assigned  to  him 
and  discussing  them  later. 
"It's  fun  to  think  about 
things,"  Crawford  told  the 
Wichita  Eagle,  which  fea- 
tured the  two.  "He  gets  you 
to  think." 


In  Touch  stories  wanted 

Do  you  know  someone 
whose  story  should  be 
in  In  Touch?  Send 
us  a  note  about  the 
person,  or  a  full 
fledged  story, 
and  include  a 
sharp,  candid 
photo,  preferably  one 
showing  the  subject  in  a 


"The  Final  Journey  of  John  Kline"  cast  included  (seated,  from  left)  Katrina  Mevis,  Michael 
Kennel.  Frank  Ramirez.  Sue  Charhvood.  Melody  Eash.  (standing,  from  left)  faron  Kennel, 
Bart  Eefever,  Miriam  Kauffmann.  Jeff  Stern-Gilbert,  Jennie  Ramirez,  Evan  Lefever,  Kate 
Miller,  Mary  Kauffmann- Kennel,  and  Jacob  Ramirez. 

The  final  journey  of  John  Klme 


Two  hundred  and  one  years  after  he 
was  born.  Church  of  the  Brethren 
martyr  John  Kline  came  to  life  in  "The 
Final  lourney  of  |ohn  Kline,"  a  play  written 
by  Lee  Krahenbiihl. 

The  complete  play  was  performed  for  the 
first  time  in  February  by  members  of  Elkhart 
Valley  (Ind.)  Church  of  the  Brethren  and 
Elkhart  City  Church  of  the  Brethren.  Other 
performances  were  in  March  and  April.  The 
part  of  |ohn  Kline  was  played  by  Frank 
Ramirez,  pastor  of  the  Elkhart  Valley 
church,  who  was  also  the  director. 

Kline  was  a  noted  Brethren  doctor, 
writer,  farmer,  inventor,  and  minister  who 


traveled  over  100,000  miles  before  and 
during  the  Civil  War  in  his  ministry  to  the 
sick  and  suffering.  The  play  includes  lines 
taken  directly  from  |ohn  Kline's  diaries  and 
correspondence,  as  well  as  excerpts  from 
the  memories  of  his  niece.  Anna  Zigler 
Bowman.  Among  the  several  songs  in  the 
play  is  a  chorus  written  by  Kline  himself. 

The  play  was  originally  written  for  the 
1997  celebration  of  the  bicentennial  of  |ohn 
Kline's  birth,  but  was  presented  then  only  in 
truncated  form.  Lee  Kxahenbiihl,  author  of 
the  play,  is  copastor  of  Skyridge  Church  of 
the  Brethren  in  Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  and  a 
college  professor  of  drama. 


setting  related  to  the  story. 
Remember,  we  are  seek- 
ing stories  about  Brethren 
who  are  presently  doing 
interesting,  note- 
worthy things. 
Don't  send  bio- 
graphical sketches 
or  tributes.  Stories 
should  be  short 
(350  words  maximum)  and 
pointed.  If  you  find  a  news- 


paper story  that  is  a  natural 
for  In  Touch,  send  us  the 
clipping  (including  publica- 
tion name  and  date). 

Hint:  Including  a  good 
photo  remarkably  improves 
your  story's  chances  of 
making  it  into  print. 

Send  your  suggestions  or 
stories  to  Messenger, 
1451  Dundee  Ave.,  Elgin, 
IL  60120. 


Congratulations 

Hollis  and  Rena  Shaffer, 
members  of  First  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  Wichita,  Kan., 
recently  celebrated  their 
72nd  wedding  anniversary. 

"/;/  Touch" profiles  Brethren  we  would 
hke you  to  meet.  Send  story  ideas  and 
photos  to  "In  Touch,  "Messenger, 
1451  Dundee  Ave..  Elgin.  IL  60120. 


April  1998  Messenger  5 


Congratulations!  Judy  Mills 
Reimer  (right),  is  con- 
gratulated March  9  by 
General  Board  member  Mary 
Jo  Flory-Steury,  Executive 
Director  Search  Committee 
chair,  following  Reimer's 
introduction  to  salaried  staff 
as  the  Board's  executive 
director  designate.  After 
interviews  during  two  days 
with  Reimer  and  one  other 
candidate,  the  Board  called 
Reimer  late  March  8  to  serve 
as  its  top  administrator.  She 
will  begin  in  July. 


News  items  are  intended  to  inform.  They  do  not 
necessarily  represent  the  opinions  o/Messenger 
or  the  General  Board,  and  should  not  be  considered 
to  be  an  endorsement  or  advertisement. 


Judy  Mills  Reimer  is  called  to 
serve  as  executive  director 

ludy  Mills  Reimer,  former  Church  of 
the  Brethren  Annual  Conference 
moderator  and  former  General 
Board  chair  from  Goodview,  Va.,  on 
March  9  was  called  to  serve  as  exec- 
utive director  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  General 
Board.  This  an- 
nouncement was 
made  at  the  start  of 
the  General  Board's 
spring  meetings  at 
the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  General 
Offices  in  Elgin,  111. 
Reimer  is  found- 
ing pastor  of  Smith 
Mountain  Lake 
Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Moneta, 
Va.,  serving  there 
since  January  1996. 
She  has  been  an  ac- 
tive participant  and 
leader  in  all  levels  of 
church  life,  reach- 
ing the  pinnacle  of 
Brethren  service  in 
)uly  1 993  when  she  was  elected  An- 
nual Conference  moderator.  Reimer 
also  served  on  the  General  Board 
from  1985  until  1990,  serving  as 
chair  during  her  final  two  years. 

The  formal  introduction  of  Reimer 
was  made  by  Board  chair  Chris 
Bowman,  who  stated  that  the  24- 
member  board  had  reached  its  decision 
to  call  Reimer  by  consensus  in  a  closed 
session  the  previous  evening. 

'T  do  feel  that  this  is  God's  call 
through  this  board,"  Reimer  said  in 
a  brief  response.  "To  those  of  you 
who  are  on  the  General  Board  staff, 
I  am  thrilled,  1  am  honored,  I  am 
excited  to  be  a  General  Board 
employee  with  you." 

The  General  Board's  top  executive 
position  has  not  been  permanently 
occupied  since  Donald  Miller  retired 
as  general  secretary  in  December 
1 996  after  a  decade  of  service.  Karen 


Peterson  Miller  of  Hagerstown,  Md., 
served  as  interim  general  secretary 
until  last  July,  when  the  title  was 
changed  to  executive  director.  When 
the  board  failed  to  call  the  candidate 
submitted  to  it  by  a  previous  search 
committee,  she  subsequently  served 
as  interim  executive  director  through- 
out 1997.  loseph  Mason  of  Greenville, 
Ohio,  assumed  the  interim  executive 
director  position  in  January. 

Reimer,  who  is  scheduled  to  be  for- 
mally installed  as  executive  director 
in  [uly  at  the  2 12th  Annual  Confer- 
ence in  Orlando,  will  relocate  with 
her  husband,  George,  to  Elgin,  III. 
She  will  assume  her  new  responsibili- 
ties following  Annual  Conference. 

In  remarks  to  the  board  following 
the  announcement,  Reimer  issued  a 
challenge  for  all  to  walk  with  God's 
newness  in  tomorrow's  challenges, 
staying  close  to  God  through  scrip- 
tural study,  reflecting  |esus'  teachings 
in  our  living.  "For  we  walk  by  faith, 
not  by  sight,"  she  said,  echoing  the 
theme  for  this  summer's  National 
Youth  Conference  (2  Cor.  5:7). 

Reimer  earned  a  master  of  divinity 
degree  from  Bethany  Theological 
Seminary  in  1994,  and  was  ordained 
that  May.  She  earned  her  undergrad- 
uate degree  in  1962  from  Emory  & 
Henry  College,  Emory,  Va.,  which 
last  year  awarded  her  the  William 
and  Martha  Defriece  Award  for  her 
"outstanding,  worthwhile  contribu- 
tion to  civilization  or  humanity." 

As  a  representative  of  the  church, 
Reimer  has  traveled  throughout  the 
United  States  and  to  Puerto  Rico, 
Nicaragua,  Sudan,  and  Nigeria. 
She  currently  serves  as  volunteer 
coordinator  of  the  General  Board's 
Ministry  Summer  Service,  an 
internship-like  program  that  places 
young  adults  in  congregations, 
camps,  and  districts.  She  also  cur- 
rently serves  as  board  vice-chair  of 
Association  of  Brethren  Caregivers. 

In  addition  to  her  church-related 
experiences,  she  and  George  have 
longtime  business  experience  as 
owners  of  Harris  Office  Furniture  in 


6  Messenger  April  1998 


1^  [^  [23 


I2I  mMm 


Roanoke,  Va.,  since  1976.  Prior  to 
that,  Reimer  served  as  a  public 
school  teacher  for  1 1  years. 

Location.  Where  will  the  centralized 
offices  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
General  Board  be  located  in  the 
future?  That  question,  which  for  the 
past  three  years  has  been  asked  by  the 
Board,  is  far  from  being  answered.  In 
fact,  during  its  meetings,  the  Board 
approved  expanding  the  committee 
that  is  addressing  the  issue  and  redi- 
recting the  committee's  focus. 

After  convening  five  times  in 
person  or  by  phone  over  the  past 
year — including  visits  to  both  cam- 
puses— the  site  committee 
determined  that  the  sale  of  either  or 
both  of  the  General  Board's  Elgin, 
111.,  and  New  Windsor,  Md.,  proper- 
ties would  barely  yield  enough 
income  to  pay  for  site  development 
at  an  existing  or  a  new  location  and 
employee  severance  or  moving 
expenses,  thus  leaving  little  to  be 
invested  for  the  future.  With  that 
realization,  the  committee  concluded 
that  the  properties  are  most  valuable 
to  their  present  users. 

The  committee  also  reported  that 


Chris  Bowman,  General 
Board  chair,  in  March 
moderates  the  debate 
regarding  the  Board's 
response  to  the  heightened 
tension  between  the  United 
States  and  Iraq.  Looking  on 
are  Elaine  Sollenberger 
(left).  Annual  Conference 
moderator;  Lori  Sollenberger 
Knepp,  Board  vice-chair; 
and  Merv  Keeney  and  David 
Radcliff  (standing). 
directors  of  the  Board's 
Global  Mission  Partnerships 
and  Brethren  Witness. 


Fish  bowl  was  the  description  of  the  method  used  by  the  General  Board's 
Leadership  Team  directors  in  March  to  report  to  Board  members  one  challenge 
each  of  the  nine  directors  is  currently  addressing.  During  his  turn,  director  of 
Ministry  Allen  Hanseil  (across  the  table,  right)  describes  the  denomination's 
need  to  recruit  500  new  church  leaders  within  the  next  five  years. 


other  denominational  organizations 
have  expressed  interest  in  locating  at 
a  central  denominational  site.  The 
committee  added,  however,  that  a 
General  Board  site  decision  isn't 
practical  until  it  decides  the  future  of 
three  of  its  New  Windsor-based  min- 
istries and  programs — the  confer- 
ence center,  SERRV  International, 
and  Material  Resources. 

Thus,  though  the  General  Board 
asserted  its  role  in  the  location  deci- 
sion as  owner  of  the  Elgin  and  New 
Windsor  properties,  it  approved  the 
site  committee's  recommendation  to 


1   V      ,ljU^ 

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9     '       ^ 

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expand  the  committee's  size  and  focus 
to  include  national  Brethren  agencies 
that  are  interested  in  being  headquar- 
tered at  a  single  denominational  site. 
The  Board  approved  the  recommenda- 
tion that  it  determine  the  future  of  its 
New  Windsor-based  ministries  and 
programs.  The  Board  also  approved  a 
recommendation  to  consider  options 
for  consolidating  financial,  computer, 
and  other  services  among  the  General 
Board  and  other  denominational 
agencies,  even  if  it  maintains  two  sites 
for  the  near  future. 

Spiritual  renewal.  An  emphasis  on 
spiritual  renewal  and  stewardship  will 
be  launched  by  the  General  Board  later 
this  year  in  an  attempt  "to  increase  the 
mission  and  ministry  potential  of  local 
congregations  and,  in  turn,  districts 
and  the  General  Board."  Five  related 
recommendations  presented  to  the 
Board  were  approved — 

•  creating  a  52-day  "covenant  cal- 
endar" that  begins  on  World 
Communion  Sunday  (Oct.  4)  and 
concludes  on  Thanksgiving  (Nov. 
26).  Each  day  will  include  scripture 
readings  and  prayer  requests. 

•  developing  Church  of  the 
Brethren-specific  worship  resources 
with  calls  to  worship,  offertory 
prayers,  and  personal  stories. 

•  developing  daily  activities  for 
families  and  individuals  with  specific 
spiritual  disciplines  such  as  prayer 
partners,  fasting  ideas,  Bible  study, 

April  1998  Messenger  7 


and  stewardship  activities  that  allow 
for  witnessing  of  faith. 

•  leading  an  Annual  Conference 
insight  session  on  spiritual  renewal. 

•  presenting  spiritual  renewal  at 
this  year's  National  Older  Adult  and 
National  Youth  conferences. 

New  church  development.  The 

General  Board  approved  creating  a 
task  team  that  will  produce  a  new 
church  development  proposal.  Once 
task  force  members  are  named,  a 
two-day  conference  will  be  scheduled 
for  the  group  to  explore  new  church 
development  issues.  The  task  force 
will  then  seek  feedback  and  input 
from  district  executives  as  it  drafts 
an  initial  proposal,  which  is  expected 
by  Annual  Conference.  A  finalized 
proposal  is  expected  to  be  submitted 
to  the  General  Board  in  October. 

Sudan.  A  new  three-year  initiative 
to  assist  Christians  in  war-ravaged 
southern  Sudan  was  approved  by  the 
General  Board.  This  initiative,  which 
focuses  on  the  needs  of  women  and 
children,  will  also  fund  peace  and 
justice  training,  provide  a  Brethren 
Volunteer  Service  worker,  and  pur- 
chase a  computer  for  office  work  and 
bicycles  for  transportation.  The 
three-year  cost  of  this  initiative  will 
not  exceed  $238,000,  and  will  be 
provided  by  the  General  Board's 
Global  Food  Crisis  Fund  (GFCF). 

"Sudan:  Partnership  for  Peace"  is 
an  initiative  of  the  General  Board's 
Brethren  Witness  office,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  Global  Mission 
Partnerships  office  and  the  New 
Sudan  Council  of  Churches. 

Other  business.  During  its  meet- 
ings the  General  Board  also: 

•  approved  a  statement  on  the 
recent  increased  tensions  between 
the  United  States  and  Iraq,  in  which 
the  Board  pledges  to  proclaim  its 
faith  that  God  is  both  present  in  the 
United  States  and  in  Iraq.  The  Board 
also  will  "join  with  international 
organizations  and  ecumenical  col- 


leagues to  search  for  ways  to  provide 
for  the  health  and  well-being  of  the 
Iraqi  people  and  to  seek  reconcilia- 
tion between  our  peoples,"  and  will 


And  soon  there  will  be  nine.  The 

General  Board's  Leadership  Team, 
beginning  in  July,  will  include  Judy 
Mills  Reimer  (front):  Wendy 
McFadden  and  Ken  Neher  (second 
row);  Allen  Hansell  and  Judy  Keyser 
(third  row):  David  Radcliff.  Merv 
Keeney.  Glenn  Tinunons.  and  Dan 
McFadden  (fourth  row). 

"peacefully  resist  all  efforts  to  resolve 
this  conflict  by  military  force." 

•  approved  a  proposed  plan  of 
operation  submitted  to  it  by  the  Mis- 
sion and  Ministries  Planning  Council 
(MMPC),  one  of  the  most  important 
but  relatively  undefined  aspects  of 
the  General  Board's  new  design.  The 
MMPC,  which  was  created  to  discuss 
mission  and  ministries  proposals 
from  congregations,  districts  or  the 
Annual  Conference  Standing  Com- 
mittee, reports  to  the  Board. 

•  rejected  two  requests  relating  to 
the  General  Board's  former  mission 
in  South  Korea  from  a  world  mission 
group  of  two  dozen  Brethren  .  The 
group  sought  permission  to  send  a 
letter  to  all  Church  of  the  Brethren 
congregations  to  determine  which 


congregations  would  have  interest  in 
supporting  specific  missions  spon- 
sored by  the  General  Board.  It  also 
was  seeking  permission  to  announce 
and  implement  a  three-year, 
$75,000-a-year  appeal  to  individuals 
and  congregations  to  keep  the 
Board's  former  staff  member  in 
South  Korea  working  there  on  the 
group's  behalf. 

•  affirmed  the  progress  made  in 
the  move  by  SERRV  International  to 
incorporate  as  an  independent  orga- 
nization as  early  as  late  October. 
'When  finalized,  the  General  Board 
will  no  longer  be  liable  for  SERRV's 
inventory  liability  and  SERRV  will  be 
more  able  to  adapt  to  the  demands  of 
the  competitive  handcrafts  market. 

•  directed  its  Executive  Committee 
to  meet  with  the  Leadership  Team  to 
discuss  the  creation  of  task  teams  that 
would  assist  with  the  Board's  work. 

•  appointed  Wendy  McFadden, 
director/publisher  of  Brethren  Press, 
to  serve  as  acting  executive  director  in 
the  absence  of  the  executive  director. 

•  approved  changes  to  its  former 
Crisis  in  Transition  Fund,  including  a 
name  change  to  Ministry  Assistance 
Fund.  This  fund  will  now  address  the 
short-term  needs  of  active  ordained 
ministers.  Long-term  needs  of  active 
ministers,  other  church  workers,  and 
retired  church  workers  will  be  han- 
dled by  Brethren  Benefit  Trust. 

•  heard  a  report  from  |oseph 
Mason,  who  said  Brethren  should 
celebrate  the  prospect  of  the  highest- 
attended  National  Youth  Conference, 
to  be  held  this  summer;  the  strong 
response  to  combat  famine  in  North 
Korea;  the  General  Board's  better- 
than-expected  year-end  financial 
report;  the  filling  of  all  major  Gen- 
eral Board  staff  positions;  the  75th 
anniversary  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  Nigeria;  the  50th 
anniversary  of  Brethren  Volunteer 
Service;  and  the  success  of  the  Gen- 
eral Board's  largest  Disaster 
Response  building  project,  the  Butler 
Chapel  A.M. E.  church  in  Orange- 
burg, S.C. — Nevin  Dulabaum 


8  Messenger  April  1998 


Donald  Myers 


General  Board  adds  Myers  to 
Congregational  Life  Team 

Donald  Myers  on  February  1  began 
serving  as  half-time  staff  for  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  General 
Board's  Area  1 
Congregational  Life 
Team.  He  had  been 
serving  as  interim 
executive  for  South- 
ern Pennsylvania 
District.  Myers  is 
moderator  of  East 
Fairview  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  Manheim,  Pa.  He  is  a 
graduate  of  Elizabethtown  (Pa.)  Col- 
lege. Myers  earned  a  master's  degree 
from  Western  Maryland  College  and  a 
doctorate  from  Temple  University. 


Emergency  Response  helps 
Tennessee  flood  victims 

Following  the  assessment  of  damage  in 
Tennessee  caused  by  winter  flooding, 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  General 
Board's  Emergency  Response/Service 
Ministries  (ERSM)  in  February  began 
a  new  project  at  Roan  Mountain,  Tenn. 

A  request  for  $25,000  by  Miller 
Davis,  ERSM  manager,  was  approved 
to  help  275  families  with  cleanup  and 
rebuilding.  Homeowners  in  the  area 
lacked  flood  insurance  because  floods 
there  are  rare. 

Following  ice  storms  that  hit  the 
northeastern  United  States,  $25,000 
was  allocated  in  January  to  purchase 
electric  generators. 

Work  continues  in  Grand  Forks, 
N.D.,  where  volunteers  are  installing 
drywall,  replacing  floors  and  insula- 
tion, repairing  basements,  and  hang- 
ing new  doors. 

The  Material  Resources  division  of 
ERSM  recently  shipped  seven  20- 
foot  containers  of  relief  materials  to 
North  Korea  under  the  auspices  of 
Church  World  Service.  The  contents 
consisted  of  clothing,  blankets, 
quilts,  and  medicines. 


Two  additional  40-foot-long  con- 
tainers full  of  blankets  were  shipped 
to  the  Republic  of  Georgia  under  the 
auspices  of  the  United  Methodist 
Committee  for  Relief. 


Heifer  Project  closes  office 
at  Brethren  Service  Center 

Heifer  Project  International  in  Febru- 
ary announced  it  is  closing  its  south- 
eastern regional  office,  located  at  the 
Brethren  Service  Center  in  New 
Windsor,  Md.  The  April  10  closing 
affects  four  full-time  employees  and 
one  part-time  employee. 

"In  order  to  better  serve  our  volun- 
teers and  donors  as  far  away  as 
Florida,  we've  decided  to  recruit  and 
hire  a  church  relations  staff  person  in 
the  Atlanta  area,  or  at  least  more 
centrally  located  for  all  the  states  in 
the  Atlantic  South  region,"  reads  a 
Heifer  Project  statement. 

Dan  West,  a  Church  of  the 
Brethren  member,  started  a  ministry 
that  in  June  1942  became  an  official 
program  of  the  Brethren  Service 
Committee.  That  ministry  eventually 
evolved  into  Heifer  Project  Interna- 
tional, which  became  an  independent, 
nonprofit  organization  in  April  1953. 


Registrations  roll  in 
for  NYC  and  NOAC 

Registrations  for  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  National  Youth  Conference 
(NYC)  are  running  ahead  of  the 
number  at  this  time  four  years  ago. 
The  event  is  scheduled  for  July 
28-August  2  at  Colorado  State  Uni- 
versity in  Fort  Collins,  Colo.  All  reg- 
istrations and  fees  are  due  by  May  1 . 
The  NYC  office  hopes  final  registra- 
tion numbers  will  exceed  5,000. 

Among  the  speakers  lined  up  for  NYC 
is  Bernice  King,  daughter  of  Martin 
Luther  King  Jr.  and  Coretta  Scott  King. 

Registrations  are  also  streaming  in  to 


Rolling  registrations.  Brian  Yoder, 
National  Yoiitli  Conference  '98 
coordinator,  in  January  launches  the 
first  marble  down  the  100- foot-long 
marble  run  that  is  used  to  tally  NYC 
registrants.  As  of  March  5,  5,503 
marbles  had  been  launched  on  the  run. 

the  office  of  the  Association  of  Brethren 
Caregivers  for  the  fourth  biennial  Na- 
tional Older  Adult  Conference,  sched- 
uled for  August  3 1 -September  4  at 
Lake  Junaluska,  N.C.  Among  the 
scheduled  NOAC  speakers  are  W.  An- 
drew Achenbaum,  senior  research  sci- 
entist for  the  Institute  of  Gerontology 
at  the  University  of  Michigan  and  "the 
nation's  best  known  scholar  on  the  his- 
tory of  aging  and  old-age  policy,"  and 
Merrilyn  Belgum,  a  stand-up  comedian 
and  former  faculty  member  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Minnesota. 


Batavia,  III.,  sanctuary 
destroyed  by  fire 

Fire  caused  thousands  of  dollars  of 
damage  to  Faith  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Batavia,  111.,  on  March  2. 

The  heaviest  damage  was  in  the 
sanctuary.  The  congregation  will 
worship  in  another  part  of  the  build- 
ing for  the  immediate  future, 
according  to  Erin  Matteson,  pastor. 

Investigators  have  not  determined 
the  cause  of  the  blaze,  though  there 
is  no  evidence  of  foul  play. 

Matteson  said  contributions  to 
assist  the  church  in  rebuilding  its 
sanctuary  can  be  sent  directly  to  the 
church  at  613  N.  Van  Buren  St., 
Batavia  IL  60510. 


April  1998  Messenger  9 


Brethren  Benefit  Trust 
makes  staff  changes 

Jim  Replogle,  former  director  of 
Planned  Giving  for  the  General  Board, 
joined  the  Brethren  Benefit  Trust 
(BBT)  staff  February  1  as  director  of 
Deferred  Gifts  Services. 
Mark  Pitman,  formerly  director  of 


Darryl  Deardorff 


Kathv  Lee 


Michael  Addison 


the  Brethren 
Foundation,  has 
assumed  the  new 
title  of  director  of 
Brethren  Founda- 
tion Operations. 

Pitman,  based 
in  Elgin,  111.,  will 
provide  support  for  Foundation  opera- 
tions and  oversight  for  Asset  Manage- 
ment Services,  which  currently  admin- 
isters over  $50  million  in  investments. 
Replogle,  based  in  Bridgewater,  Va., 
will  support  the  stewardship  and 
planned  gift  efforts  of  denominational 
agencies  and  will  assist  people  who 
wish  to  make  deferred  or  income-pro- 
ducing gifts.  BBT's  Gift  Management 
Services  currently  manages  about 
$2.3  million  in  deferred  gifts. 

Pitman  and  Replogle  will  report  to 
Darryl  Deardorff,  who  in  January  was 
appointed  BBT's  interim  chief  finan- 
cial officer.  Deardorff  had  been  super- 
vising BBT's  investment  program, 
computer  operations,  and  expanded  fi- 
nancial services  planning. 


Kathy  Lee  has  resigned  as  trea- 
surer, effective  |unel5.  She  and  her 
family,  who  have  attended  Highland 
Ave.,  Church  of  the  Brethren,  Elgin, 
111.,  are  relocating  to  southern  Ohio. 
Lee  has  been  employed  by  BBT  since 
January  1993. 

Michael  Addison  of  Boulder  Hill 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  Montgomery, 
III.,  has  been  hired  as  controller  and 
Information  Systems  director. 


Thomas  Kepple  Jr.  succeeds 
Neff  as  Juniata  president 

The  1 1th  president  of  luniata  College 
will  be  Thomas  Kepple  Jr.,  currently 
vice  president  for  Business  and  Com- 
munity Relations  at  The  University  of 
the  South  in  Sewanee,  Tenn.  Kepple, 
who  will  assume  his  new  duties  |uly 
1,  succeeds  Robert  W.  Neff,  who  re- 
tires June  30  after  12  years  as  presi- 
dent. Prior  to  joining  Juniata,  Neff 
served  as  general  secretary  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  General 
Board  in  Elgin,  III.  Juniata  is  one  of 
five  colleges  and  one  university  affili- 
ated with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 
Kepple  will  bring  many  skills  to  the 
position,  said 
John  Cramer, 
chair  of  Juni- 
ata's board  of 
trustees. 

"Dr.  Kepple 
possesses  a  set 
of  skills  and 
experiences 
that  are  ideally 
suited  to  Juni- 
ata College," 
Cramer  said. 
"From  his  ex- 
ceptional work  in  developing  and  im- 
plementing strategic  plans  to  his 
broad  experience  in  academic  affairs, 
admissions,  and  fund  raising.  Dr. 
Kepple  has  the  requisite  skills  to  lead 
Juniata  into  the  21st  century." 

"For  121  years  Juniata  College  has 
had  a  reputation  for  academic  excel- 


Thomas  Kepple  jr. 


lence,"  Kepple  said.  "My  primary 
goal  will  be  to  keep  the  college  fo- 
cused on  its  mission  of  offering  the 
high-quality  education  that  Juniata 
graduates  and  current  students  have 
come  to  expect." 

Kepple's  duties  at  The  University 
of  the  South  have  included  serving  as 
the  university's  chief  business  man- 
ager as  well  as  manager  of  the  town 
of  Sewanee,  which  sits  on  some  of 
the  10,000  acres  of  land  owned  by 
the  university. 

Kepple  graduated  from  Westmin- 
ster College  in  1970  with  a  bachelor 
of  arts  degree  in  economics  and 
business.  He  received  a  master  of 
business  administration  degree  in 
1974  and  a  doctorate  in  1984,  both 
from  Syracuse  University. 


Leadership  changes  are  made 
by  three  eastern  districts 

Georgia  Markey  has  been  named  as- 
sociate executive  of  Southern  Penn- 
sylvania District,  effective  January  1 7. 
For  the  past  several  years  she  has 
served  as  assistant  to  the  executive. 

J.  Rogers  Pike  has  been  appointed 
interim  executive  of  West  Marva 
District.  He  is  a  former  General 
Board  member. 

Howard  Miller  of  Westminster, 
Md.,  has  been  called  to  serve  as  in- 
terim associate  executive  of  Mid-At- 
lantic District  at 
least  through 
June.  He  recently 
retired  from  Gen- 
eral Board  em- 
ployment as  a  fi- 
nancial resources 
counselor.  Georgia  Ma  rkey 


/.  Rogers  Fike 


Howard  Miller 


1 0  Messenger  April  1998 


Id  Urief 


Order  forms  for  the  1998  Yearbook  are  now  available.  This 
year's  Church  of  the  Brethren  yearbook  will  come  in  a  new 
format— a  6"  x  9"  softbound  book.  It  will  include  a  comprehen- 
sive listing  of  denominational  organizations,  including  the 
redesigned  General  Board.  It  also  will  list  denominational 
employees,  licensed  and  ordained  ministers,  e-mail  addresses 
and  denominational  statistics  from  1997. 

Yearbooks  can  be  ordered  by  check,  credit  card,  or  standing 
order  with  Brethren  Press.  Cost  is  $17.50.  For  more  information, 
contact  Brethren  Press  Customer  Service  at  800  441  -371 2. 

Bethany  Theological  Seminary  has  received  a  $200,000 
grant  from  the  Indianapolis-based  Lilly  Endowment  Inc.  to  con- 
duct a  joint  program  with  Earlham  School  of  Religion  (ESR), 
which  will  increase  the  technical  capabilities  of  both  institu- 
tions for  teaching  and  learning.  The  grant  will  be  disbursed 
over  three  years.  New  computer  hardware  and  software  will  be 
purchased  and  a  full-time  information  technology  support  staff 
person  will  be  hired. 

A  shipment  of  used  manual  typewriters  and  books, 

donated  by  Brethren  from  across  the  country,  arrived  in  Nigeria 
on  December  1 8.  The  materials  included  books  for  the  Kulp  Bible 
College  library  near  Mubi,  textbooks  and  typewriters  for  the 
Mason  Technical  School  in  Garkida,  and  a  Braille  Bible. 

The  shipment  had  been  in  process  for  many  months  while  the 
clearing  and  shipping  processes  were  being  finalized  by  staff  at 
the  Brethren  Service  Center,  New  Windsor,  Md.  Many  of  the  type- 
writers had  been  collected  by  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
Western  Plains  District. 

Fifteen  members  of  Southern  Pennsylvania  District  trav- 
eled to  the  Dominican  Republic  in  February  to  participate  in  a 
workcamp.The  main  focus  of  the  camp  was  the  construction  of 
a  church  in  the  village  of  Arroyo  Saludo.  Alan  Miller,  pastor  of 
Shippensburg  (Pa.)  Church  of  the  Brethren  coordinated  the  trip  in 
cooperation  with  the  district's  witness  commission. 

Seven  young  adults  from  Michigan,  Virginia,  Washington  State 
and  Germany  have  completed  Brethren  Volunteer  Service  orien- 
tation in  Florida  and  have  joined  their  respective  projects  in  the 
United  States  and  Europe.  "Orientation  tries  to  raise  awareness 
for  social  issues  that  are  pressing  for  many  people  in  today's 
world,"  said  Petra  Beck,  BVS  staff.  "In  Florida,  with  its  many 
citrus  groves,  strawberry  fields  and  vegetable  farms,  farmwork- 
ers' issues  are  very  obvious."  Bert  Perry  of  National  Farmworker 
Ministry  and  Fernando  Cuevas  of  the  Farm  Labor  Organization 
Committee  gave  the  trainees  opportunities  to  experience  the 
work  expected  of  farmworkers,  and  to  understand  the  workers' 
struggles  for  better  working  conditions  and  wages.  Guest 
speaker  Matt  Guynn,  who  lives  and  works  in  the  Philadelphia 
area,  directed  a  two-day  workshop  on  nonviolence  and  peace- 
making. In  the  middle  of  the  second  day,  Guynn  challenged  the 
group  in  an  unusual  way:  He  asked  each  volunteer  to  draft  a 


The  228th  Unit  of  Brethren  Volunteer  Service  completed  its 
orientation  February  6  at  Camp  Ithiel  in  Gotlia.  Fla.  From 
left:  Matthias  Lehmphul.  Andreas  Tillmann,  Florian 
Kroeger.  M.C.  Roth,  Petra  Beck  (BVS  orientation 
assistant),  Nancy  Zook,  Costa  Nicolaidis,  Todd  Reish 
(BVS  orientation  coordinator),  and  Jonathan  Martin. 

short  speech  about  a  topic  of  concern,  and  then  took  the  group 
to  a  busy  downtown  Orlando  street  corner  where  they  stood  on  a 
bucket  and  delivered  their  speeches. 

The  inaugural  edition  of  "The  Third  Day,"  an  environmental 
newsletter  published  by  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  General 
Board's  Brethren  Witness  office,  was  mailed  in  late  January.  The 
six-page  publication  is  a  collaborative  effort  drawing  on  the  exper- 
tise of  a  small  group  of  Brethren  environmentalists  who  comprise 
an  ad  hoc  environmental  advisory  committee  with  the  Brethren 
Witness  office.  The  newsletter's  title  refers  to  the  third  day  of  cre- 
ation—the day  that  God  first  brought  living  things  into  being. 
Individuals  wishing  to  receive  this  newsletter  should  contact  Karin 
Davidson  at  kdavidson_gb@brethren.org  or  at  800  323-8039. 

The  York  Center  Church  of  the  Brethren  on  March  15  cele- 
brated the  life  and  mission  of  Bethany  Theological  Seminary  at 
its  former  Oak  Brook,  III.,  campus.  York  Center  served  as  the 
home  church  for  Bethany's  staff  and  students  from  the  early 
1960s  when  Bethany  relocated  there  from  Chicago  until  mid- 
1994, when  the  seminary  moved  to  Richmond,  Ind.  The 
property  is  in  the  process  of  being  sold  and  all  of  the  buildings 
have  been  razed.  "The  purpose  of  this  service  is  to  express  our 
gratitude  for  Bethany's  ministry  through  the  years,  to  share  our 
memories  related  to  Bethany's  Chicago-area  location,  to  con- 
fess our  need  for  healing  as  we  grieve  the  changing  Oak  Brook 
property,  and  to  open  ourselves  to  the  gift  of  renewed  hope  for 
the  future,"  said  Christy  Waltersdorff,  pastor,  in  a  letter  inviting 
people  to  the  event. 


April  1998  Messenger  1 1 


"**'s^,*. 


Wanted: 


Anew 


iTeart  for  rainlsTO 


BY  Fletcher  Farrar 


Church  of  the  Brethren  congregations  are  getting 
serious  again  about  calling  people  to  become 
ordained  ministers.  For  some  it  has  been  so  long 
since  they  "called"  one  of  their  own  into  the  min- 
istry that  they've  forgotten  how.  Some  thought  calling  and 
nurturing  prospective  new  pastors  was  the 
responsibility  of  the  pastor.  ,„,„.■..-- 

But  gradually  God  and 
church  members  are  getting 
together — sometimes  through 
deacons  and  sometimes  with 
the  help  of  nominating  com- 
mittees— to  ask  gifted  and 
spirit-filled  people  to  consider 
starting  down  the  path  toward 
ordination. 

Being  a  pastor  is  "a  great 
way  to  live  life,"  says  Allen 
Hansell,  director  of  ministry  on 
the  General  Board  staff.  "A  min- 
ister is  invited  into  the  depth  of 
a  person's  faith  and  life.  What's 
more  important  than  that? 
What's  more  important  than 
being  involved  in  the  daily  strug- 
gles and  celebrations  of  life?  It's 
a  wonderful  opportunity." 

Eugene  Roop,  president  of 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary, 
often  relays  to  ministry  prospects 
the  saying,  "It's  easier  to  make  a 


"Being  a  pastor  is 
«a  great  way  to  live 
life....A minister  IS 

invited  into  the 
depth  of  a  person's 

A  life  What's 
faith  and  ine-  "" 
more  important 
than  that?  What's 

more  important  than  f 
l^eing  involved  m  the 

daily  struggles  and 
celehrations 


^^'^ 


It's  a  won 
opportunity. 


sswsfsiss;- 


dollar  than  to  make  a  difference."  The  pastoral  ministry 
offers  the  chance  to  make  a  difference  in  individuals  and 
communities.  "The  church  offers  the  gospel  of  grace  in  a 
world  of  demands  and  law.  As  a  pastor,  you  are  simply 
offering  the  gospel  to  people  struggling  to  understand 
how  to  be  the  person  God  is  calling  them  to  be." 

These  two  make  it  sound  attractive.  Yet  the  vocation  of 
pastor  has  fallen  on  hard  times  in  recent  years.  It  has 
gotten  a  reputation  for  low  pay  accompanied  by  unreason- 
able expectations,  even  abuse  in  some  cases,  by 
congregations.  Scandals  involving  televangelists  also  have 
taken  their  toll  on  what  was  once  an  esteemed  profession. 
All  the  more  reason,  says  Hansell,  for 
'*""  t         churches  to  resume  their  traditional  role  of 
nurturing  and  calling  out  prospects  for  the 
"set-apart"  ministry.  "In  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  all  people  are  ministers.  But  the 
faith  community  then  calls  out  for  leader- 
ship certain  ones  who  then  pursue 
ordination."  It  is  ordination  that  sets 
those  leaders  apart  from  others  who  min- 
ister. The  entire  process  of  calling, 
equipping,  and  ordaining  becomes  holy. 
It  distinguishes  churches  from  those  that 
merely  hire  a  pastor  to  do  a  job.  And  it 
distinguishes  pastors  who  are  called 
from  those  who  merely  volunteer  for  a 
profession. 

"The  climate  of  the  home  and  the 
congregation  makes  a  difference,"  says 
!    Hansell.  "Sometimes  people  quite 
;    young  are  thinking  about  how  they're 
I    going  to  spend  their  lives.  The  con- 
gregation needs  to  create  a  climate  of 
nurturing  these  thoughts  and  ambi- 
tions. We  can  talk  about  it  more. 
Parents  can  talk  about  it  openly  and 
honestly  in  the  home.  We  can  listen 


of  life' 
derful 


12  Messenger  April  1998 


carefully  and  be  alert  to  what  people  are  saying.  Pastors 
can  have  sermons  on  what  it  means  to  be  called." 

Hansell  emphasizes  that  the  call  to  ministry  can  come 
to  anyone,  even  someone  who  already  has  a  successful 
career.  "Even  after  they're  ordained  they  may  stay  in  their 
old  job  and  be  bivocational."  And,  he  says,  a  person  need 
not  be  especially  devout  to  be  called.  "God  calls  very  ordi- 
nary people." 

Some  districts  have  gone  beyond  casual  nurturing  to 
active  recruitment.  In  1992  the  Atlantic  Northeast  Dis- 
trict asked  the  district  board,  pastors,  and  lay  leaders  to 


send  the  district  office  names  of  men  and  women  who 
should  consider  the  ministry.  It  received  over  1  50  names 
and,  of  those,  55  participated  in  a  series  of  follow-up 
"discernment"  classes.  Of  those  55,  nine  have  completed 
their  training  and  have  been  ordained  and  three  more  are 
licensed  ministers.  Those  12  are  serving  congregations  in 
pastoral  roles.  Four  others  are  serving  the  church  in  other 
leadership  roles,  and  another  12  of  the  original  55  are  in 
ministry  training  programs. 

Southern  Pennsylvania  and  Virlina  districts  both  fol- 
lowed later  with  similar  successful  programs.  On  May  1  and 


if 


The  crucial  role  of  districts 


District  executives  are  finding 
it  more  difficult  to  assist  con- 
gregations in  calling  pastoral 
leadership.  Congregations  want  expe- 
rienced and  well-trained  pastors,  but 
there  are  just  not  enough  to  go  around. 
This  situation  is  complicated  by  the 
fact  that  many  congregations  cannot 
afford  to  pay  a  full-time  pastor. 

The  Ministry  Advisory  Council,  com- 
posed of  the  partners  engaged  in 
ministry  and  ministry  training  (districts, 
the  seminary,  the  Committee  on  Higher 
Education,  and  the  General  Board),  has 
been  meeting  since  the  fall  of  1996  to 
implement  the  recommendations  of  the 
Annual  Conference  paper  on  Ministerial 
Leadership. 

Many  congregations  have  lost  sight 
of  their  role  of  encouraging  their 
members  to  consider  the  set-apart 
ministry.  In  fact  it  is  not  uncommon  to 
hear  words  of  discouragement  to  those 
considering  a  call  to  ministry.  The 
office  of  ministry  is  not  granted  the 
respect  it  once  carried.  The  district  can 
help  congregations  reclaim  their  role 
of  calling  out  ministerial  leadership. 

District  ministry  commissions  play  a 
critical  role  in  helping  people  to  discern 
their  gifts  for  ministry.  They  also  play  a 


role  in  calling,  evaluating  readiness, 
training,  encouraging,  nurturing,  super- 
vising, and  sometimes  disciplining 
pastors.  This  is  a  complex  role,  one  that 
many  commissions  are  not  well  pre- 
pared to  fulfill.  One  of  the  high  priorities 
of  denominational  ministry  staff  is  to 
work  with  district  executives  to  facilitate 
their  work.  This  includes  clarification  of 
polity  on  licensing  and  ordination; 
resources  for  evaluating  the  gifts  and 
readiness  for  ministry;  training  for 
ethics  committees  dealing  with  clergy 
and  congregational  ethics  issues;  and 
assistance  in  providing  ministry  training 
options  such  as  the  Three-Year  Reading 
Course,  the  Brethren  Academy,  or 
scholarship  aid  to  Bethany  students. 

Pastoral  placement  is  often  cited  by 
district  executives  and  district  boards 
as  their  highest  priority.  The  place- 
ment process  is  complex,  requiring 
much  energy  and  effort  to  help  congre- 
gations discern  the  style  of  leadership 
that  will  help  them  fulfill  their  vision  as 
a  church,  while  also  helping  candidates 
discern  God's  call  for  their  lives  and 
ministry.  A  district  executive  must  be 
well  acquainted  with  the  congregation, 
knowing  its  leadership,  culture,  and  its 
understanding  of  God's  call. 


Of  equal  importance  is  the  role  dis- 
trict executives  play  as  "pastor  to 
pastors."  The  district  executive  is  the 
one  person  to  whom  pastors  can  turn 
for  support,  encouragement,  and 
sometimes  advocacy,  when  they 
encounter  difficulties  in  their  ministry. 
District  executives  and  discipleship 
and  reconciliation  committees  are 
often  instrumental  in  resolving  issues 
between  pastors  and  their  congrega- 
tions. In  turn,  district  executives  are 
often  mentors  to  pastors  as  they 
develop  their  gifts  for  ministry.  Fre- 
quently DEs  are  called  upon  to 
provide  links  between  pastors  and 
congregations,  the  General  Board,  and 
other  agencies  of  the  church. 

As  more  people  are  called  to  the  set- 
apart  ministry  later  in  life  and  are  already 
involved  in  other  vocations,  the  church 
must  respond  to  the  challenge  of  provid- 
ing adequate  preparation  and  training 
for  these  bivocational  pastors.  In  many 
districts,  the  Three-Year  Reading  Course 
is  offered  as  one  option  for  ministry 
training  for  pastors  who  are  not  able  to 
attend  seminary  or  participate  in  other 
training  programs. — Nancy  Knepper 

Nancy  Knepper  is  coordinator  of  district 
ministries  on  tlie  General  Board  staff. 


April  1998  Messenger  13 


2  this  year  Middle  Pennsylvania  District  is  scheduled  to  host 
up  to  40  people  who  are  exploring  an  interest  in  ministry. 
Sessions  are  planned  on  the  meaning  of  call,  an  explanation 
of  the  licensing  process,  and  options  for  education  and 
training,  according  to  Randy  Yoder,  district  executive. 

It  will  take  all  of  this  and  more  to  meet  the  need  for 
new  pastors  in  the  next  few  years,  according  to  Hansell. 
One  study  projects  that  nearly  300  pastors  will  retire  by 
2005.  With  retirement  and  other  vacancies,  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  needs  to  call  and  train  for  the  ministry  80 
people  a  year,  but  last  year  only  30  were  called  and 
trained.  The  denominational  ministry  office  has  set  the 
goal  of  having  500  men  and  women  called  and  trained  for 
the  set-apart  ministry  by  the  end  of  2003. 

The  current  effort  has  its  background  in  the  Commit- 
tee on  Ministerial  Leadership,  which  delivered  its  final 
report  to  the  1996  Annual  Conference.  The  committee 
made  a  series  of  recommendations  and  called  for  a  five- 


year  emphasis  on  ministry  and  leadership  development  in 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren.  Preparations  have  been 
underway,  culminating  last  October  with  the  formation  of 
the  General  Board's  new  ministry  office,  which  includes 
the  director  of  ministry,  a  coordinator  of  district  min- 
istries, and  the  coordinators  of  the  Brethren  Academy  for 
Ministerial  Leadership.  Now  the  machinery  is  in  place  for 
the  five-year-emphasis  to  begin. 

Of  course  nobody  expects  the  task  of  finding  pastors 
to  be  over  in  five  years.  But  one  by  one  the  issues  that 
sometimes  stand  in  the  way  of  ministry  recruitment  are 
being  identified  and  addressed.  Most  ministry  prospects 
have  questions  about  education  and  training. 

"Without  a  sense  of  call,  no  amount  of  education  will 
do  much  good,"  says  Hansell.  "Yet  we  think  training  is 
important.  You  need  to  be  equipped.  And  seminary  is  the 
preferred  route  of  training.  Bethany  is  the  way  to  go." 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary  at  Richmond,  Ind.,  has 


The  Brethren  Academy 


The  Brethren  Academy  for  Min- 
isterial Leadership  coordinates 
non-degree  programs  in  min- 
istry training,  continuing  education 
opportunities  for  pastors,  and  training 
events  focused  on  leadership  develop- 
ment. The  Academy  office,  located  at 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary  in 
Richmond,  Ind.,  is  a  denominational 
partnership  between  the  General 
Board's  ministry  office  and  Bethany. 

The  Brethren  Academy  is  an 
umbrella  for  a  variety  of  ministry  train- 
ing options,  other  than  the  degree 
programs  at  the  seminary.  The  options 
include  two  certificate  programs — Edu- 
cation for  a  Shared  Ministry  (EFSM) 
and  Training  in  Ministry  (TRIM). 
EFSM  offers  congregationally  based 
training  designed  to  equip  a  pastoral 
and  lay  team  for  leadership  in  small 
membership  churches.  TRIM  features 
a  combination  of  college  work,  district- 
sponsored  courses,  special  workshops 
and  seminars,  supervised  ministry 
experience,  and  participation  in  a  min- 


istry formation  group.  An  orientation 
for  the  1998  entering  class  for  TRIM 
students  and  EFSM  congregations  will 
be  held  at  Bethany  Theological  Semi- 
nary, luly  18-22,  1998. 

Another  Academy  event  held  each 
lanuary  is  a  week-long  intensive  at 
Bethany.  This  year's  course,  "Explor- 
ing Our  Brethren  Heritage,"  was 
taught  by  Donald  F.  Durnbaugh,  with 
33  students  in  attendance. 

The  Brethren  Academy  enters  into 
partnerships  with  many  agencies  and 
groups  to  sponsor  leadership  training 
opportunities.  For  example,  the  Sum- 
mer Extension  School,  working  in 
cooperation  with  districts,  is  held  each 
summer  at  a  Church  of  the  Brethren 
college.  It  will  be  held  in  July  this  year 
at  luniata  College,  Huntingdon,  Pa. 
The  Academy  works  with  districts  to 
strengthen  their  specific  educational 
events,  such  as  the  Three-Year  Read- 
ing Course  (or  its  equivalent),  or  the 
Theological  Institute  of  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  in  Puerto  Rico. 


The  Brethren  Academy  has  also 
been  given  the  challenge  of  providing 
opportunities  for  leadership  develop- 
ment, which  will  enhance  ministry 
within  the  denomination.  Currently, 
an  Academy  research  project  is  seek- 
ing to  learn  more  about  bivocational 
ministry  within  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  The  initial  results  of  this 
research  will  be  presented  at  the 
ministry  training  luncheon  during 
Annual  Conference. 

Other  emerging  projects  for  the 
Academy  include  exploring  the  possi- 
bilities of  distance  learning  through 
technology;  partnering  with  Congre- 
gational Life  Ministries  to  sponsor 
continuing  education  for  pastors; 
partnering  with  Ministry  Summer 
Service  to  provide  summer  intern- 
ships for  young  adults;  and  working 
with  the  Center  for  Creative  Church 
Leadership  to  train  pastors  and  other 
leaders. — Harriet  and  Ron  Finney 

Harriet  and  Ron  Finney  are  coordinators  of 
the  Bretljren  Academy. 


14  Messenger  April  1998 


.^.(ri^ife*rt?^Si4£^a^>-i*i'^.. 


worked  closely  with  the  denomi- 
national ministry  office  to  develop 
numerous  educational  opportuni- 
ties even  for  those  who  can't  live 
on  campus  and  go  to  school  full       - 
time.  And  Bethany  tries  to  help 
students  with  financial  aid  in  part- 
nership with  congregations,  ^, 
districts,  and  alumni.                           i 

"Seminary  helps  to  foster  a 
reflective,  thoughtful  ministry  as  well  . 
as  skillful  leadership,"  says  Bethany 
President  Roop.  "It  is  for  one  who 
can  live  out  of  the  life  of  the  spirit 
and  call  others  to  that  life  as  well." 
Roop  says  some  seminarians,  espe- 
cially Bethany's  younger  students, 
consider  their  education  to  be  part  of     -., 
their  discernment  process,  helping 
them  to  decide  whether  to  pursue  pas- 
toral ministry  as  a  profession.  '"* 

For  ministry  candidates  who 
cannot  attend  seminary,  the  Brethren 
Academy  for  Ministerial  Leadership 
offers  nondegree  training  programs, 
including  Education  for  a  Shared  Min- 
istry (EFSM)  and  Training  in  Ministry 
(TRIM).  (See  sidebar.) 

While  much  of  the  emphasis  is  on  calling,  and  working 

Cold  feet  no  more 

Western  Pennsylvania  district  delegates  always  sit 
together  at  Annual  Conference.  This  past  year  at  Long 
Beach  we  had  two  people  who  had  never  attended  an 
Annual  Conference  before.  They  were  Nancy  Johnson  of 
Ligonier  Church  of  the  Brethren  and  Terry  Berkebile  rep- 
resenting Walnut  Grove  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

My  uncle,  Harry  Deffenbaugh,  saved  the  seats  for  our  sec- 
tion each  day.  Nancy  and  I  got  there  the  first  day  and  ended 
up  sitting  toward  the  end  of  one  of  the  rows.  Terry  was  there 
earlier  but  went  back  to  his  room  to  get  some  different  shoes 
and  socks  because  his  feet  were  cold  from  the  ice  below  the 
floor  in  the  arena.  Because  he  came  in  last  he  ended  up  sit- 
ting by  Nancy  instead  of  where  he  originally  was. 

Terry  and  Nancy  hit  it  off  right  from  the  start.  Those  of 
us  from  Western  Pennsylvania  kept  encouraging  them  to 
spend  time  together  because  it  was  quite  apparent  there 


With  retirement  and  ^ 
other  vacancies,      ^ 
the  Church  of  the  ^ 
Brethren  needs  to      . 
call  and  train  for 
the  ministry  80 
people  a  year,  hut 
last  year  only  30 
were  called  and 
trained.  The  denomi- 
national ministry 

office  has  set  the  goal 

,        of  having  500  men 
and  women  caUeda^d 

^       trained  for  theses 
apart  ministry  hy  the/ 

end  of  S003 


with  those  who  are  called,  Hansell's 
office  is  also  working  with  congrega- 
tions to  eliminate  roadblocks  to 
ministry.  Some  congregations  have 
found  ways  to  be  better  employers  for 
their  pastor  by  assessing  themselves 
in  light  of  the  recent  Annual  Confer- 
ence paper  on  congregational  ethics. 
Others  have  become  more  open  to 
minorities  and  women  as  pastors. 
"This  is  a  huge  concern,"  says 
Hansell.  "More  than  50  percent  of 
those  enrolled  in  seminary  are 
women.  After  they  invest  all  that 
time  in  getting  a  seminary  educa- 
tion, some  find  that  there  are  not 
as  many  opportunities  for  them  to 
be  placed  in  a  church." 

The  ministry  office  is  calling  on 
all  in  the  church  to  develop  a  new 
heart  for  ministry.  "The  ministry 
of  the  church  belongs  to  all  of 
us,"  says  Hansell.  "Pastors 
cannot  lead  well  unless  they 
have  committed  folks  who  want 
their  congregations  to  be  trans- 
formed by  the  Spirit  of  God.  And  congregations  cannot 
thrive  unless  they  have  pastoral  leaders  who  are  "inr 

committed  to  the  call  of  God  and  the  church."  \ 


\ 


was  great  interest  on  both  their  parts.  We  all  would  con- 
veniently have  plans  for  dinner,  so  they  would  have  to 
spend  time  getting  to  know  each  other.  What  a  bunch  of 
matchmakers! 

Terry  and  Nancy  lived  30  or  40  miles  from  each  other 
back  in  Pennsylvania,  but  that  didn't  stop  them  from 
beginning  to  date  when  they  came  home.  One  thing  led  to 
another  and  I  am  happy  to  say  that  on  December  3 1 , 
Nancy  and  Terry  were  married  at  Walnut  Grove  Church 
of  the  Brethren  by  pastor  Mike  Clark. 

A  lot  of  good  things  come  out  of  Annual  Conference! 
Nancy  and  Terry  say  now  they  have  to  attend  Conference 
every  year  to  celebrate  their  meeting  one  another. 
— Shelby  F.  McCoy,  Friedens,  Pa. 

Messenger  would  like  to  publiih  other  short,  colorful,  atid  humorous  stories 
of  real-life  incidents  involving  Brethren.  Please  send  your  submission  to 
Messenger,  Brethren  Press, 1451  Dundee  Ave.,  Elgin,  IL  60120-1694  or 
e-mail  to  the  editor  at  fffarrar@midwest.  net. 


April  1998  Messenger  15 


LIVING 

With  dying 

BY  Dale  Aukerman 

The  One  who  died  and  rose  again  is  the  victor 
over  cancer,  heart  disease,  AIDS,  Alzheimer  s, 

schizophrenia,  abuse  of  children, ,  ♦ ,  But  if 

Christ  already  has  the  victory  over  such  things, 

why  are  they  so  much  in  evidence?  Why  do  they 

seem  to  have  such  encompassing  dominion? 


1 6  Messenger  April  1998 


My  wife,  Ruth,  and  I  were 
finishing  a  meal  in  a  Chi- 
nese restaurant.  I  broke 
open  a  fortune  cookie  and 
read  the  words,  "Your  deepest  wish 
will  be  fulfilled."  As  someone  likely  to 
die  quite  soon,  1  smiled  at  getting  this 
as  my  fortune.  The  first  thought  that 
came  to  me  was,  yes,  the  wish  that  I 
would  continue  to  live  much  longer 
with  my  loved  ones. 

But  later  I  got  to  reflecting.  That 
was  not  at  all  right.  What  I  want 
most  should  have  to  do,  not  with 
longer  life,  but  with  living  for  the 
glory  of  God  and  toward  the  coming 
of  God's  kingdom.  With  that  as  my 
deepest  desire  1  can  look  confidently 
to  God  to  help  me  toward  its  fulfill- 
ment, whether  my  remaining  time  on 
learth  is  very  short  or  relatively  long. 
The  shallow  fortune  cookie  predic- 
tion would  turn  out  to  be  true. 

On  November  5,  1996,  I  found  out 
that  I  had  a  tumor  three  and  a  half 
inches  across  on  my  left  lung.  Later 
tests  showed  that  the  cancer  had 
spread  to  the  liver,  the  right  hip,  and 
two  spots  in  the  spine.  I  learned  that 
I  could  figure  on  living  two  to  six 
months,  with  a  median  survival 
prospect  of  four  months. 

It's  amazing  the  reorientation  of 
outlook  that  can  come  when  you  find 
out  that  you  may  have  only  a  couple 
of  months  to  live.  Each  day  and  each 
close  relationship  became  much 
more  precious  than  before.  Every 
morning  1  would  think  of  which  new 
day  of  the  month  it  was — this  further 
day  given  by  God.  With  fresh  intent- 
ness  I  gazed  at  my  family,  my  home, 
and  God's  creation,  knowing  that  my 
time  for  seeing  all  this  might  very 
soon  be  at  an  end.  In  the  anointing 
service  held  not  long  after  the  diag- 
nosis I  confessed  that  I  had  not  been 
giving  God  nearly  enough  attention. 
Through  the  cancer  God  certainly 
gained  much  more  of  my  attention. 

When  my  sister  Jane  died  of  an 
especially  lethal  form  of  cancer  at  the 
age  of  14,  my  mother  saw  this  as 
God's  will:  God  chose  to  take  her. 


and  who  were  we  as  human  beings  to 
challenge  that?  For  some  people  this 
type  of  view  gives  comfort.  I  see  such 
things  somewhat  differently.  I  don't 
think  God  sends  cancer  or  heart  dis- 
ease or  Alzheimer's.  When  a  drunken 
driver  swerves  into  another  car  and 
kills  a  number  of  people,  I  don't 
believe  that  is  God's  will. 

With  fresh 
intentness  i  gazed  at 
my  family,  my  home, 
AND  God's  creation, 

KNOWING  THAT  MY 

TIME  FOR  SEEING  ALL 

THIS  MIGHT  VERY  SOON 

BE  AT  AN  END. 


So  much  in  the  world  is  not  what 
God  intended  and  not  what  God 
wants.  Around  us  are  the  threatening 
powers  of  death,  rebel  powers  within 
God's  creation.  In  2  Corinthians  12:7, 
Paul  wrote  of  his  troubling  ailment, 
that  thorn  in  the  flesh.  He  called  it  "a 
messenger  of  Satan."  God  has  mes- 
sengers, agents  that  represent  his 
dominion.  Things  like  cancer  are 
agents  of  the  contrary  power  that 
enforces  the  dominion  of  death. 

Take  lung  cancer  as  an  example. 
Some  people  smoke  and  bring  on  lung 
cancer.  I'm  in  the  7  percent  of  victims 
who  have  never  been  smokers.  But 
I've  not  taken  up  the  useless  question, 
"Why  me?"  Such  illness  can  come  to 
anyone.  Embracing  modern  technol- 
ogy, we  have  messed  up  the 
environment  with  all  sorts  of  pollu- 
tants. I  live  downwind  from  a  cement 
plant  that  through  the  years  has 
burned  some  terrible  things  in  its 
kilns.  A  millionth  of  a  gram  of  pluto- 
nium  is  enough  to  cause  lung  cancer 
in  a  person.  All  of  us  have  in  our 
bodies  some  plutonium  from  nuclear 


weapons  production,  testing,  and  use. 
In  so  many  ways  humanity  aligns  itself 
with  the  powers  and  agents  of  death. 

But  God  is  with  us  as  the  One  who 
stands  against  death.  In  more  ways 
than  we  can  notice  or  comprehend, 
God  turns  back  the  powers  of  death. 
As  a  boy  I  came  near  to  being  killed 
under  a  farm  wagon.  Several  years 
later  I  almost  died  from  what  may 
have  been  arsenic  poisoning.  I've  had 
close  calls  in  automobiles.  A  few 
years  ago  I  was  attacked  in  a  truck 
by  a  steer  with  horns.  He  charged 
twice,  then  stopped  and  walked  out 
of  the  truck.  After  six  cycles  of 
chemotherapy,  a  regimen  of  nutri- 
tional supplements,  and  so  much 
praying  by  a  host  of  friends,  I  had 
another  CAT  scan,  which  showed 
that  the  tumor  on  my  lung  had 
shrunk  to  less  than  one-fourth  of  its 
earlier  size.  Two  of  the  doctors  spoke 
of  that  as  a  miracle.  In  an  amazing 
way,  contrary  to  the  medical  proba- 
bilities, God  has  held  back  death 
from  me  and  given  longer  life. 

God  brings  into  existence  every 
living  creature  and  every  one  of  us. 
God  is  also  the  Sustainer,  holding  up 
into  existence  each  creature  and  each 
of  us.  All  of  us  have  had  times  of 
rescue  from  death.  All  of  us  have  expe- 
rienced God's  power  of  healing  many 
times — even  from  something  so 
common  as  a  cold.  As  just  one  dimen- 
sion, the  immune  system  of  the  human 
body  is  an  incredible  array  of  defenses 
against  attack.  God  keeps  us  in  life  by 
turning  back  the  forces  of  death. 

After  my  diagnosis  I  started  to  pray 
much  more  for  people  with  cancer.  A 
number  of  those  on  my  prayer  list 
have  died.  For  some  God  brings 
about  full  healing  from  a  disease 
such  as  cancer.  For  others  God  gra- 
ciously gives  a  considerable  length  of 
time  before  the  end.  There  are  those 
who  die  so  soon.  Death  was  not  part 
of  God's  original  intention  for 
humanity.  But  all  of  us  have  sinned, 
and  for  each  of  us  the  time  comes 
when  God  no  longer  holds  back 
death,  and  one  by  one  we  seem  to  be 


April  1998  Messenger  17 


given  over  to  that  dark  power. 

In  Ephesians  1 : 1 9-22  Paul  writes 
of  "the  immeasurable  greatness  of 
[God's]  power"  by  which  "he  raised 
[Christ]  from  the  dead  and  made 
him  sit  at  his  right  hand  in  the  heav- 
enly places."  We  read:  God  "has  put 
all  things  under"  the  feet  of  Christ, 
that  is,  God  has  brought  Christ  to 
victorious  dominion  over  all  rebel 
powers.  This  is  a  biblical  image  for 
triumphant  conquest  and  subjugat- 
ing rule.  The  One  who  died  and  rose 
again  is  the  victor  over  cancer,  heart 
disease,  AIDS,  Alzheimer's,  schizo- 
phrenia, abuse  of  children.  He  is  the 
victor  over  exploitation  of  the  poor, 
over  the  mindless  blighting  of  God's 
good  earth,  over  the  madness  of  mili- 
tary spending  and  nuclear  weapons. 

But  we  may  ask:  If  Christ  already 
has  the  victory  over  such  things,  why 
are  they  so  much  in  evidence?  Why 
do  they  seem  to  have  such  encom- 
passing dominion?  In  a  war  there 
may  be  one  decisive  battle  that  deter- 
mines which  side  will  win.  Because 
of  that  battle  the  one  side  is  sure  to 
go  on  to  complete  triumph,  even 
though  the  other  side  still  has  troops 
in  the  field  and  the  struggle  contin- 
ues. It's  only  a  matter  of  time  until 
that  side  is  utterly  vanquished.  When 
we  look  to  lesus  Christ,  executed  on 
a  Roman  cross  and  risen  from  a 
rock-hewn  tomb,  we  put  our  trust  in 
the  One  through  whom  all  the 
powers  of  darkness  have  been 
defeated.  Their  grip  on  humanity  has 
been  broken.  It  is  just  a  matter  of 
time  until  they  will  be  totally  van- 
quished and  swept  from  the  field. 

Our  hope  as  Christians  does  not 
have  to  do  first  of  all  with  gaining 
eternal  life  after  death.  The  towering 
hope  given  in  the  New  Testament  is 
that  God's  glorious  kingdom  will 
come,  the  invisible  risen  Lord  will 
appear  in  splendor  to  recreate  all 
that  God  has  made,  everything  evil 
and  destructive  will  be  done  away 
with.  That  is,  history  will  turn  out 
right.  The  human  story  will  receive 
its  God-given  ending.  God  at  some 
point  will  take  total  control  of  the 

1 8  Messenger  April  1998 


stream  of  human  events  and  bring  in 
the  unimaginable  wonder  of  the  New 
Age.  We  hope  in  God  for  the  fulfill- 
ment of  all  that  God  has  promised, 
and,  quite  secondarily,  we  hope  to 
have  our  own  tiny  part  in  that,  for 
all  eternity. 

One  friend  who  asked  to  pray 
with  me  for  my  healing  was 
very  insistent  that  I  must  have 
"100  percent  faith"  that  God  would 
heal  me  completely  and  if  I  did,  that 
healing  would  certainly  come.  I  was 
grateful  for  her  concern  and  prayer, 

We  hope  in  God  for 

the  fulfillment  of 

all  that  god  has 

promised,  and,  quite 

secondarily,  we  hope 

to  have  our  own 

tiny  part  in  that, 

for  all  eternity. 


but  1  can't  agree  with  that  approach.  In 
that  view,  we  have  the  determining 
role:  If  we  can  reach  such  a  degree  of 
certainty,  this  brings  God's  healing.  It 
can  become  almost  like  a  magic  for- 
mula that  gives  us  control. 

In  contrast,  a  key  passage  for  me 
has  been  the  story  in  Mark  1 :40-45. 
"A  leper  came  to  [|esus]  beseeching 
him,  and  kneeling  said  to  him,  Tf  you 
will,  you  can  make  me  clean.'"  The 
leper  had  strong  faith  that  |esus  could 
heal  him,  but  he  was  not  supposing 
that  his  faith  would  automatically 
induce  lesus  to  perform  such  a  heal- 
ing. The  leper  saw  jesus  as  the  One 
who  would  freely  and  graciously 
decide  whether  to  give  healing.  We 
read:  "Moved  with  pity,  [jesus] 
stretched  out  his  hand  and  touched 
him,  and  said  to  him,  T  will;  be  clean.' 
And  immediately  the  leprosy  left  him, 
and  he  was  made  clean." 


A  number  of  best-selling  books  about 
healing  have  been  published  that  have  a 
message  something  like  this:  Have  pos- 
itive thoughts,  picture  your  illness  as 
eliminated,  be  confident  you're  going 
to  be  healed,  and  the  chances  are  very 
good  that  you  will  be.  I  think  there  is 
some  truth  in  this  approach.  The  out- 
look of  a  sick  person  certainly  is 
important.  But  the  popular  literature 
gives  it  the  central  role.  The  idea  is  that 
we  ourselves  have  that  positive  power 
to  bring  healing  for  ourselves. 

But  biblical  faith  is  basically  differ- 
ent from  such  a  view.  If  as  Christians 
we  grope  toward  healing,  we  recog- 
nize that  God  has  the  central  role. 
Our  part  is  quite  significant,  and 
God  makes  use  of  it.  However,  we 
look  to  God  for  healing,  and  not  to 
the  power  of  positive  thoughts  that 
we  evoke  within  ourselves. 

Another  key  passage  for  me  has 
been  the  one  in  Mark  5:24b-34  in 
which  the  woman,  coming  through 
the  dense  crowd,  touched  the  gar- 
ment of  jesus,  and  healing  power 
flowed  into  her.  I  want  to  be  in  touch 
with  jesus  so  that  power  from  him 
can  flow  into  me  for  healing  or  for 
coping  with  whatever  comes. 

God  has  given  me  a  measure  of 
healing,  and  we  rejoice  in  that.  God 
may  give  me  or  any  stricken  person 
full  healing  from  a  deadly  disease,  and 
that  is  cause  for  yet  greater  rejoicing. 
But  when  God  does  not  and  the  agent 
of  death  sooner  or  later  seems  to  win 
out,  we  can  still  rejoice.  For  death's 
triumph  is  swallowed  up  in  Christ's 
victory.  At  some  point  each  of  us  is 
given  over  to  death,  but  that  infernal 
grip  cannot  hold  us.  God  lifts  us  out 
of  it  to  be  with  our  risen  Lord. 

When  we  found  out  that  1  might 
have  only  a  few  weeks  to  live,  there 
came  the  urgent  question  of  priori- 
ties. What  was  important  enough  to 
give  time  to?  My  pattern  of  reading 
shifted.  As  for  the  daily  newspaper,  I 
would  look  at  the  headlines  and 
check  the  weather.  Time  seemed  too 
precious  for  more  than  that.  We 
didn't  have  the  television  on  for 
maybe  three  months.  I  read  the  cards 


and  letters  from  friends,  but  very 
little  else  that  came  in  the  mail. 
Reading  the  Bible  was  what  seemed 
so  crucially  important. 

God  speaks  to  us  in  many  ways.  For 
me  the  most  personal  and  vital  way  is 
through  the  words  of  scripture.  It  is 
sometimes  said  that  a  verse  in  one's 
devotional  reading  can  jump  out  at  a 
person  to  be  God's  "marching  orders 
for  the  day."  Continually  during  the 
past  months  I've  been  given  such 
verses.  These  messages  from  God  are 
a  decisive  help  when  we  are  cornered 
by  death,  but  we  need  them  so  much 
also  in  what  seem  less  critical  times. 

I  have  kept  returning  to  verses 
having  to  do  with  fear.  It  has  many 
ways  of  getting  a  hold  on  us,  even 
through  lesser  threats.  God's  word  is 
given  in  Isaiah  41:10:  "Fear  not,  for 
I  am  with  you,  be  not  dismayed,  for  I 
am  your  God."  Jesus,  walking  on  the 
water,  said  to  the  trembling  disciples 
in  the  boat  (and  to  me):  "Take  heart, 
it  is  I;  have  no  fear"  (Matt.  14:27). 
The  risen  Christ  speaks  in  Revelation 
1:17-18:  "Fear  not,  I  am  the  first 
and  the  last,  and  the  living  one;  I 
died,  and  behold  I  am  alive  for  ever- 
more, and  I  have  the  keys  of  Death 
and  Hades."  Even  if  death  comes 
close  to  stalk  us  or  a  loved  one,  we 
don't  have  to  be  afraid.  The  Lord  is 
risen  indeed.  He  has  defeated  death 
and  will  soon  put  an  end  to  it. 

Throughout  my  adult  life  I  have 
been  much  involved  in  peace  witness 
and  peacemaking.  During  these  past 
months  I've  cherished  verses  about 
peace.  Isaiah  26:3  gives  the  promise: 
Thou  dost  keep  him  in  perfect 
peace,  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee, 
because  he  trusts  in  thee."  The  risen 
Lord  said  to  the  fearful  disciples  in 
the  upper  room:  "Peace  be  with  you" 
(John  20:20,  21).  As  I  was  being 
thrust  in  and  out  of  the  MRI  tunnel, 
I  would  think  of  the  verse  "the  peace 
of  God,  which  passes  all  understand- 
ing, will  keep  your  hearts  and  your 
minds  in  Christ  |esus"  (Phil.  4:7). 
This  peace,  in  the  biblical  under- 
standing, is  more  than  inner 
tranquility  of  spirit.  It  is  wholeness 


of  life  and  relationships  given  by  God 
over  against  all  that  fragments  and 
destroys.  God's  gift  of  peace  can 
bear  us  up  even  when  we  walk 
through  the  valley  of  deep  darkness. 
Other  verses  that  have  stood  out  and 

At  some  point  each 

OF  us  IS  GIVEN  OVER 

TO  DEATH,  BUT  THAT 

INFERNAL  GRIP 

CANNOT  HOLD  US. 


accompanied  me  have  to  do  with 
rejoicing.  Psalm  70:4  gives  the  appeal: 
"May  all  who  seek  thee  rejoice  and  be 
glad  in  thee."  [esus  said  to  his  despair- 
ing followers  in  the  upper  room,  shortly 
before  his  arrest:  "These  things  I  have 
spoken  to  you,  that  my  joy  may  be  in 
you,  and  that  your  joy  may  be  full" 
(|ohn  15:1  I).  Paul  gave  the  exhorta- 
tion: "Rejoice  in  the  Lord  always;  again 
I  will  say,  rejoice"  (Phil.  4:4). 

When  my  sister  Jane  died,  we  who 
were  closest  to  her  were  grief- 


During  Holy  Week  of  1997, 

midway  through 
chemotherapy.  Dale 
Aukerman  oversaw  the 
planting  of  more  than  500 
trees  in  his  meadow. 

stricken.  But  there  was  something  in 
us  stronger  than  that.  We  could 
rejoice  because  Jesus  raised  from  the 
dead  had  changed  everything  for  us 
and  for  all  humanity.  Our  experience 
was  that  of  the  Easter  hymn: 

Lo!  Jesus  meets  us. 
Risen  from  the  tomb. 
Lovingly  he  greets  us, 
Scatters  fear  and  gloom. 

I  talked  in  Bridgewater,  Va.,  with 
William  Beahm,  retired  dean  of 
Bethany  Seminary,  a  little  before  he 
died  of  prostate  cancer.  One  thing  he 
said  was,  "Be  thankful  when  your 
plumbing  works."  There  is  so  much  we 
take  for  granted  and  don't  give  thanks 
for.  He  also  said,  "Death  is  as  close  as 
the  truck  in  the  oncoming  lane  of  traf- 
fic." I  think  he  meant:  Ordinarily  the 
huge  semi  in  the  oncoming  lane  goes 
on  by;  but  something  can  happen,  and 
there  is  a  head-on  collision.  The  possi- 
bility of  death  is  that  close,  and  none  of 
us  knows  when  for  us  the  possibility 
will  become  the  actual  thing. 

We  are  given  these  years  of  life  on 
earth  as  testing  and  preparation 
within  God's  scrutinizing  view.  Each 
day  is  precious.  Don't  waste  time. 
Keep  examining  your  priorities.  Cher- 
ish your  loved  ones  and  hug  them 
often.  Feed  on  God's  word  and  take 
with  you  each  day  words  that  spring 
out  at  you  as  God's  special  promise  or 
command.  In  times  that  aren't  so  hard 
give  God  your  deepest  attention,  and 
when  the  hardest  times  come,  God 
will  be  right  there  with  you. 

Take  heart.  Fear  not.  Rejoice  in  the 
Lord.  "And  the  peace  of  God,  which 
passes  all  understanding,  will  keep 
your  hearts  and  your  minds  in       rrp 
Christ  jesus.  l I 


Dale  Aukerman.  a  writer,  preacher,  and 
peace  advocate,  lives  near  Union  Bridge,  Md. 


April  1998  Messenger  19 


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tA^t/i/fv^ 


How  I  found  my  lost  cousin,  Ted  Studebaker 


BY  Joel  Ulrich 

I  want  to  understand  war.  Every- 
one talks  about  it.  It  seems  like  a 
phenomenon  that  destroys  so 
many  people's  lives  and  leaves  noth- 
ing in  its  place. 

But  war  is  a  funny  concept  for 
young  people  in  the  United  States 
under  the  age  of  23,  such  as  me.  We 
have  never  directly  experienced  it.  All 
my  generation  has  are  books,  movies, 
pictures,  and  stories  of  those  who 
have  gone  through  war  in  the  past. 
This  has  created  a  major  conflict  that 
plagues  my  consciousness.  If  I 
cannot  understand  global  war,  how 
can  I  possibly  fathom  global  peace? 

One  such  story  of  peace  and  war, 
with  which  many  within  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren  are  familiar,  is  the  life 
of  Ted  Studebaker.  Ted,  a  graduate  of 
Manchester  College,  declared  himself 
a  conscientious  objector  to  the  war  in 
Vietnam.  He  had  no  hesitation,  how- 
ever, to  entering  South  Vietnam  in 
April  1969  as  a  participant  in  Viet- 
nam Christian  Service  (VCS). 

Ted  chose  VCS  because  of  its 
service-oriented  nature,  a  logical 

20  Messenger  April  1998 


extension  of  his  Church  of  the 
Brethren  background.  He  worked  in 
the  village  of  Di  Linh  (pronounced  Z 
Lin)  with  Koho  refugees  who  had 
been  displaced  from  the  mountains. 
He  worked  to  increase  their  rice  effi- 
ciency, introduced  fertilizers,  helped 
establish  an  agricultural  cooperative, 
and  built  chicken  coops  in  bathtubs. 


The  old  French  hunting  lodge  where  led 
Studebaker  and  other  VCS  vohinteers 
had  lived  is  now  a  restaurant.  Ted's 
room  was  on  the  lower  right  corner 

For  an  American  he  had  a  wonderful 
rapport  with  the  tribal  people. 

After  his  two-year  term  was  com- 
pleted, he  decided  to  stay  another  year. 


He  married  another  VCS  volunteer 
from  Hong  Kong  named  Lee  Ven  Pak 
in  a  church  in  Di  Linh,  the  service  con- 
ducted in  the  Koho  language.  They  had 
been  married  only  a  week  when  Ted 
was  killed  in  the  lodge  where  he  lived 
by  a  Viet  Cong  insurrection.  The  Viet 
Cong  were  nationalist  guerrilla  groups 
fighting  in  South  Vietnam  against  the 
government.  Ted  was,  after  all,  an 
American,  or  "enemy,"  living  among 
the  local  people. 

Ted  has  special  significance  to  me. 
He  was  my  mother's  second  cousin 
(my  great  grandfather  was  the  brother 
of  Ted's  father) ,  and  it  would  be  hard 
to  get  through  a  Thanksgiving  dinner 
at  my  grandparents'  home  in  New 
Carlisle,  Ohio,  without  mentioning 
something  about  Ted  and  the  role  that 
he  represented:  practicing  nonviolence 
in  the  midst  of  violence.  This  cousin  I 
never  knew  embodied  the  ideal  lifestyle. 
I  even  wrote  about  Ted  for  one  of  my 
college  essays  on  who  has  been  the 
foremost  hero  in  my  life.  And  of  course 
my  book  collection  has  a  worn  copy  of 
the  children's  story  by  Joy  Moore  about 
the  life  of  Ted  Studebaker. 

So  I  was  elated  when  I  heard  that 
there  was  going  to  be  a  three-week 
class  traveling  to  Vietnam  in  January, 
jointly  sponsored  by  the  University  of 
La  Verne  and  Manchester  College, 


examining  the  American  war  in  Viet- 
nam from  the  Vietnamese  perspective. 
One  aspect  of  our  26-person  trip  was 
to  visit  Di  Linh,  in  hopes  of  finding 
something  of  Ted's  life  and  death 
there. 

Then  I  found  out  that  my  wonderful 
cousin,  Nick  Studebaker,  now  a  stu- 
dent at  Manchester  College,  was  also 
going.  The  new  generation  of  family 
was  seeking  out  the  old.  I  wanted  Ted 
Studebaker  to  help  me  understand 
what  war  is.  What  it  is  like  to  die.  And 
what  peace  is. 

I  arrived  at  Di  Linh  with  very  little 
expectation  of  recovering  anything 
substantial.  We  didn't  know  how  to 
get  to  the  lodge  where  he  had  stayed. 
We  received  word  from  someone  who 
had  visited  Di  Linh  a  few  years  back 
that  the  town  was  very  different  now 
from  what  it  had  been  in  the  1970s. 

Indeed,  town  landscape  in  Vietnam 
has  drastically  changed  since  the  late 
1980s  when  Vietnam  moved  to  a 
market  economy  while  retaining  its 
Communist  one-party  rule.  Moreover 
it  has  been  only  four  years  since  the 
United  States  completely  waived  its 
trade  embargo  against  Vietnam,  a 
country  which  was  then  and  still  is 
today  one  of  the  poorest  in  the  world. 

So  with  the  advent  of  the  change  to 
the  market  economy,  roadside  stands 


Khai  Tran  Van  explains  the  circumstances 

of  the  night  that  he  saw  Ted 
Studebaker  on  the  floor  of  his  room 
in  the  hunting  lodge  after  being 
killed  by  the  Viet  Cong. 

selling  everything  from  rice  to  paint 
brushes  to  helicopters  made  out  of 
Coca  Cola  cans  are  pervasive.  We  had 
been  told  that  a  market  now  existed 
in  place  of  the  old  French  hunting 
lodge  where  Ted  had  stayed. 

Other  things  made  it  unlikely  that  we 
would  find  any  trace  of  Ted's  history. 
For  some  reason,  everyone  had  thought 
someone  else  would  bring  a  picture  of 
Ted,  so  we  ended  up  with  no  photo  to 
show  people.  We  also  didn't  know  his 
Vietnamese  name.  They  probably 
didn't  call  him  Ted,  but  rather  some 
Vietnamese  derivative.  It  may  even 
have  been  a  name  in  the  Koho  lan- 
guage. After  all,  everyone  he  lived  and 
worked  with  were  Koho  refugees  who 
were  no  longer  living  in  Di  Linh  but 
had  now  returned  to  the  mountains. 

I  envisioned  our  group  arriving  in  Di 
Linh,  getting  out  of  the  bus,  taking 
pictures  of  some  random  street,  and 
saying,  "Here  is  Di  Linh.  This  is  where 
Ted  Studebaker  lived  and  died."  Then 
back  on  the  bus  and  on  we'd  go. 

We  did  have  one  lead:  The  hunting 
lodge  was  supposed  to  have  stood 
about  a  hundred  feet  away  from  a 
church  in  the  middle  of  the  village, 
the  same  church  where  Ted  and  Ven 
Pak  were  married.  So  when  we  finally 
entered  Di  Linh,  we  stopped  at  a 
seemingly  random  church  that  we  saw 
from  our  bus  windows.  Our  guide, 
Hoang,  got  out  of  the  bus.  walked 
into  the  church,  and  we  all  waited  in 
the  bus  in  quiet  fervor.  After  about  10 
minutes,  she  came  back  with  a  small, 
old  man  who  worked  in  the  church. 

"We  got  lucky!"  Hoang  exclaimed. 
She  introduced  us  to  Khai  Tran  Van 
(called  Mr.  Khai  by  our  guide),  who 
was  a  former  radio  operator  for  the 
Army  of  the  Republic  of  Vietnam 
(ARVN),  or  the  south  government's 
military.  Speaking  in  broken  English, 


April  1998  Messenger  21 


Joel  Ulrich  (far  left)  and  Nick  Studebaker 

{far  right)  met  two  men  who  had 
known  and  worked  with  Ted 
Studebaker — Khai  Tran  Van  (left), 
and  K'rah  Kaning  (right). 

Mr.  Khai  told  us  that  he  had  been 
asked  by  the  AVRN  to  verify  and  doc- 
ument the  murder  of  Ted  Studebal<er 
by  the  Viet  Cong!  Not  only  that,  but 
he  said  that  the  old  hunting  lodge  was 
indeed  standing. 

In  a  rural  village  it  would  be  unusual 
to  see  close  to  30  white  people  just 
walking  down  the  street  with  cameras 
flashing,  and  for  that  reason  he  was 
worried  that  a  large  group  of  us  might 
attract  authorities.  So  he  said  that  he 
would  take  only  a  few  of  us  to  see  the 
lodge.  It  ended  up  that  Nick;  our 
guide;  Randy  Miller,  a  professor  of 
photojournalism  from  La  Verne;  and  I 
left  the  bus  to  walk  down  the  street 
with  Mr.  KJiai. 

The  hunting  lodge,  a  two-story 
building  on  the  slope  of  a  hill,  was  now 
a  family-owned  restaurant.  Out  of  a 
sense  of  obligation  and  respect,  we  all 
ordered  some  soft  drinks  and  bottled 
water.  After  about  10  minutes,  Mr. 
Khai  asked  the  owner  if  we  could  see 
the  rooms  downstairs.  The  five  of  us 
went  down,  and  Mr.  Khai  took  us  into 
a  room  in  the  left  corner  by  the  door. 
He  then  proceeded  to  point  to  differ- 
ent, now  imaginary,  parts  of  the  room. 
"There  was  a  bed  here,  in  the  corner." 

When  Mr.  Khai  had  arrived  that 
night,  he  saw  Ted  on  the  floor  by  the 
bed,  unmoving.  Ted's  wife,  Ven  Pak, 
was  lying  beside  him.  At  first  Mr.  Khai 
thought  they  were  both  dead,  but  in 
truth  Ven  Pak  was  just  in  complete 
shock  from  what  had  occurred  and 
was  holding  Ted  as  hard  as  she  could. 

About  1 0  other  officials  were  in  the 
room,  and  there  was  blood  all  over  the 
floor.  Mr.  Khai  said  that  the  "VC  (Viet 
Cong)  thought  that  Ted  was  CIA." 
They  were  afraid  that  he  was  an  Amer- 
ican spy  and  were  nervous  about  how 
Ted  was  helping  the  Koho  people. 

The  room  had  changed  a  lot.  There 
was  no  longer  any  bed  in  the 


corner — just  a  few  chairs  and  a  pool 
table,  which  overpowered  the  room. 
The  walls  were  littered  with  posters 
of  beautiful  European-looking 
women  holding  Tiger  and  Carlsburg 
beers  in  their  hands.  Things  change 
in  30  years.  But  we  got  lucky, 
indeed. 

While  Mr.  Khai  had  not  known  Ted 
personally,  he  knew  an  older  Koho  man 
in  Di  Linh  who  worked  for  the  VCS 
with  Ted.  We  walked  down  the  street 
and  met  K'rah  Kaning.  "You  are  the 
cousins  of  Ted?"  he  exclaimed.  Family 
relations  are  quite  important  in  Viet- 
nam, and  both  Mr.  Khai  and  Mr.  K'rah 
were  very  honored  that  two  of  Ted's 
cousins  would  come  back  to  Di  Linh  to 
see  where  he  lived. 

Mr.  K'rah  had  been  a  driver  and 
translator  for  people  in  VCS  who 
could  not  speak  Vietnamese  or  Koho 
languages,  although  he  commented 
that  Ted  could  speak  both  quite  well. 
They  simply  called  him  by  his  name, 
"Ted."  He  said  that  "Ted  taught  them 
to  improve  their  lives  . . .  their  health 
care  . .  .and  how  to  have  a  good  life. 
People  loved  him  very  much.  The  Koho 
people  will  always  remember  him,  always 
remember  the  things  he  did  for  them." 

Nick  and  I  exchanged  addresses  with 
the  two  men.  We  took  a  Polaroid  pic- 
ture of  the  four  of  us  and  gave  each  of 
them  a  copy.  I  climbed  back  onto  the 
bus,  a  little  dazed  from  the  experience. 
I  hadn't  expected  this. 

I  realize  now  that  as  this  account 


unfolded  of  how  a  relative  of  mine  was 
shot  to  death  in  the  very  room  in 
which  I  was  standing,  I  had  felt  peace- 
ful. Something  about  it  seemed  right. 
Not  his  death,  of  course,  but  the 
lifestyle  that  Ted  had  lived  in  this  vil- 
lage, and  the  comments  that  we  heard 
the  men  tell  us  about  his  life.  Ted  was 
speaking  to  Nick  and  me  through 
these  two  men.  "You  can  live  a  life  like 
this,"  he  was  telling  us.  "I  did." 

I  hope  to  never  truly  understand  war 
and  peace  in  the  same  manner  as  my 
cousin  Ted  Studebaker  did.  After  this 
journey,  though,  1  am  confident  that  I 
can  contribute  something  in  my  own 
way  to  the  issue  of  war  and  peace.  My 
generation  and  I  prove  that  it  is  possi- 
ble to  go  through  life  without  being  in 
a  war.  War  is  not  an  inevitable  part  of 
human  history. 

I  left  a  little  notebook-paper  mes- 
sage for  Ted  on  the  floor  where  he 
died.  I  told  him  not  to  worry,  that  a 
new  generation  of  social  activists  was 
continuing  his  work  by  following  the 
example  that  he,  and  [esus,  and  all 
other  followers  of  nonviolence  have 
set.  Can  we  meet  the  standards  that 
they  have  set  for  us?  Or  more  impor- 
tantly, do  we  dare  try?  As  Ted 
ended  all  his  letters . . .  "Life  is 
great.  Yea!" 


m 


joel  Ulrich  is  a  sophomore  majoring  in  polit- 
ical science  and  Latin  American  development 
at  Macalester  College  in  St.  Paul.  Minn.  He  is 
a  member  of  York  Center  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  Lombard,  III. 


22  Messenger  April  1998 


^^4>%i^A4^  yX^^/h'^^yh^ 


BY  Brian  Hartz 

Madalyn  Metzger,  a  junior  at 
Manchester  College  and  a 
Brethren  from  Springfield,  111., 
went  to  Vietnam  in  [anuary  with  a  class 
on  ethical  decision-making  and  earned 
;redit  in  intercultural  communication. 

But  for  her  the  trip  was  mostly  a 
journey  of  self-discovery,  to  the  land 
where  her  mother  was  born,  and  where 
der  mother  met  the  Indiana  Brethren 
,man  who  would  become  her  father. 

Metzger  currently  has  only  distant 
relatives  living  in  Vietnam,  but  her 
mother,  after  being  orphaned,  lived 
there  for  many  years  before  moving 
to  the  United  States.  Madalyn's  par- 
ents, Dennis  and  Van  Metzger,  are 
'active  members  of  First  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  Springfield,  ill. 
Metzger's  father,  a  native  of 
orth  Manchester,  Ind.,  and  gradu- 
ate of  Manchester  College,  worked  in 
Brethren  Volunteer  Service  (BVS)  in 
'/ietnam  during  the  war,  eventually 
neeting  Metzger's  mother.  Van. 
An  emotional  highlight  of  the  trip 
ame  when  she  was  able  to  locate  the 
louse  in  the  village  of  Tarn  Ky  where 
her  father  lived  during  his  time  in 
Vietnam,  a  house  that  she  had  heard 
af,  but  never  seen.  "I  never  thought 
I'd  go  to  Vietnam,  let  alone  find  the 
louse  where  my  father  lived  and 
A'orked,"  Metzger  said.  "That  was  a 
/ery  emotional  moment  for  me,  to 
inow  that  my  parents  had  been  there 
ong  ago,  and  that  I  was  returning  to 
t — it  was  a  reunion  of  sorts,  and  very 
Tioving." 

However,  other  moments  of  the  trip 
Droved  to  be  more  emotionally  dis- 
urbing,  such  as  the  old  bomb  craters 
:hat  scar  the  countryside  and  the 
;harred  remnants  of  burned  villages 


and  buildings.  "Flying  over  the  land 
made  the  destruction  very  obvious," 
Metzger  said.  "B-52  craters  still  dot 
the  landscape,  but  the  farmers  have 
been  creative  in  working  around  the 
destruction.  They  often  use  the  old 
bomb  craters  as  ponds  for  irrigation." 

In  studying  the  destruction  and 
devastation  caused  by  the  war,  Met- 
zger was  able  to  learn  many  lessons 
from  this  dark  and  tragic  time  in 
human  history.  "Vietnam  didn't  want 
to  fight,  and  they  didn't  want  the  US 
there,"  Metzger  said.  "However,  the 
people  of  Vietnam  do  not  dwell  in  the 
past.  Almost  half  the  population  is 
under  25,  so  for  most  of  them  the 
war  is  part  of  history  and  nothing 
else.  They  are  moving  on  and  moving 
forward.  Things  are  getting  better." 
But  at  the  same  time  Vietnam  is 
becoming  more  westernized,  which  in 
the  opinion  of  Metzger  and  many 
others,  "isn't  always  a  good  thing." 

Metzger  insists  that  the  Vietnamese 
do  not  hold  many  grudges.  "The  Viet- 
namese are  a  very  forgiving  people," 
Metzger  said.  "But  the  scars  and 
wounds  of  war  are  still  very  apparent." 

Indeed,  the  group  was  reminded  on 
numerous  occasions  of  the  atrocities 
that  occurred  during  the  war  in  Viet- 
nam. "We  visited  the  site  of  the  My  Lai 
massacre,  which  was  a  very  somber 
and  sobering  experience,"  Metzger 
said.  My  Lai  was  the  site  of  a  notorious 
and  vicious  massacre  of  innocent  Viet- 
namese civilians,  including  women  and 
children,  by  American  soldiers. 

This  massacre,  along  with  the 
destruction  caused  by  the  Tet  Offen- 
sive, were  two  of  the  events  that  led 
to  the  withdrawal  of  American  troops 
from  Vietnam. 

The  class  also  visited  the  war  crimes 
museum  dedicated  to  the  victims  of 
the  mass  destruction  and  death  caused 


Madalyn  Metzger  witli  an  orphan 
in  Da  Nang,  Vietnam. 

by  the  war.  "A  lot  of  people  couldn't 
handle  it,  although  some  did,"  Met- 
zger said.  "Emotionally,  it  was  very 
difficult  for  me  to  deal  with  the  hor- 
rors of  the  war  that  I  saw  [at  the 
museum].  It  really  spoke  about  our 
inability  to  learn  from  past  mistakes, 
since  atrocities  such  as  these  are  still 
occurring  today,  around  the  world." 
For  Metzger,  visiting  the  small  vil- 
lages and  interacting  with  the  people 
directly  was  an  unforgettable  experi- 
ence. "I  really  loved  going  to  the 
villages,  especially  the  ones  that 
weren't  used  to  having  Westerners 
around,"  Metzger  said.  "It  was  like  an 
entire  village  spectacle — all  the  people 
would  come  out,  the  kids  would  all  try 
to  talk  to  you,  the  adults  would  all 
smile  and  ask  where  we  were  from, 
how  old  we  were,  and  why  we  were 
here."  Metzger  said  it  was  especially 
pleasing  to  be  able  to  converse  using 
some  basic  Vietnamese  phrases  she 
learned  from  her  parents.  "Their 
faces  would  just  light  up." 


M. 


Brian  Hart:  is  editor  in  cliief  of  Oak  Leaves, 
llie  Manchester  College  newspaper  where  this 
article  first  appeared. 

April  1998  Messenger  23 


Puerto 
Rico 


7    7      ivico 

blessins^s 

BY  Mary  Sue  Rosenberger  m.,      -9 


"...Te  alabamos.  Senor. " 

"Por  este  pan,  por  este  don.  Te  alabamos.  Te  alabamos. 

For  este  pan.  por  este  don.  Te  alabamos.  Senor. " 

"For  this  bread,  for  this  gift,  we  praise  you,  we  praise  you. 
For  this  bread,  for  this  gift,  we  praise  you,  Lord." 

This  simple  little  Spanish-language  table  grace  blessed 
many  of  the  simple  little  meals  shared  together  by  the 
first  Senior  Adult  Workcamp  in  Puerto  Rico,  (anu- 
ary  8-19.  Sixteen  work  campers — tall 
and  short,  women  and  men,  black  and 
white,  clergy  and  lay,  Spanish-fluent 
and  linguistically  challenged,  employed 
and  retired,  married  and  single — all 
learned  to  praise  God  in  Spanish  for 
the  gift  of  food.  But  food  was  only  one 
of  the  many  gifts  God  showered  upon 
this  hardy  group  of  senior  pioneers. 
There  was  also  the  gift  of  com- 
munity. From  the  moment  our  group 
met,  it  was  apparent  that  the  Associ- 
ation of  Brethren  Caregivers  had 
gathered  together  a  unique  bunch  of 
hardy  souls  for  this  Caribbean  adven- 
ture. As  the  week  progressed,  the 
special  gifts  of  each  person  were  called 
into  service:  The  Arnolds  of  Berne, 
Ind. — Edith,  a  quiet  and  hard-work- 
ing gardener  and  Homer,  a  zealous 
ditch-digger.  The  Bollingers  of  Goshen, 
Ind. — John,  a  master  joke  teller  and 
apprentice  cement  mixer  and  [olene, 
world-record  holder  for  number 
of  insect  bites  on  the  legs.  The  Corys 
of  North  Manchester,  Ind. — Martha, 
a  preacher  with  laryngitis  and 
Norman,  an  antique  machine 

wizard.  Bill  lackson  of  New  Lebanon,  Ohio — friendly 
giant,  harmless  to  all  except  buried  water  lines.  Ron 
McAdams,  Tipp  City,  Ohio — retired  computer  whiz 
turned  preacher  and  apprentice  block  layer.  The  Petrys 

24  Messenger  April  1998 


of  Lakemore,  Ohio — ^Alice,  with  world-class  adjustability, 
and  Larry,  jack-of-all-trades  and  master  of  most.  The 
Rosenbergers  of  Greenville,  Ohio — Bruce,  organizer,  chauf- 
feur, communicator,  and  Mary  Sue,  official  map-reader  and 
historian.  The  Sanblooms  of  Brookston,  Ind. — Heifer  Pro- 
ject International  veterans.  Bob,  first-class  cement-mixer        | 
and  loann,  gardener  par  excellence.  Beulah  Shisler  of  Lans- 
dale.  Pa. — quiet,  hard-working  competition  to  the  Energizer 
Bunny;  and  Marilyn  Yohn,  of  Elgin,  III. — willing,  generous, 
and  wide-eyed  as  a  first-time  traveler  abroad.  Diverse  gifts, 
essential  skills,  all  bound  together  in 
the  gift  of  community.  "We  thank 
you.  Lord." 

The  gift  of  sharing.  This  ABC  : 

adventure  was  publicized  by  the         i 
Older  Adult  Ministries  Cabinet  as  a 
"workcamp,"  and,  indeed,  it  was  a 
workcamp.  For  five  days,  these 
hardy  seniors — most  of  them 
retired — returned  to  work,  really 
hard  work!  Preparing  rocky  soil, 
landscaping,  designing  and  laying  a 
gravel  walkway,  digging  a  trench, 
mixing  and  pouring  a  concrete  base 
under  the  perimeter  fence,  tearing 
down  and  rebuilding  concrete  block 
walls  for  a  new  kitchen — these  were 
the  tasks  undertaken  by  these  stal- 
wart seniors.  Hands  unaccustomed 
to  a  machete  learned  to  clear  brush 
with  it.  Arms  that  had  never  used  a 
pickax  managed  to  use  it  to  loosen 
the  hard,  rocky  soil.  Preachers  dug 
trenches,  planted  shrubs,  and  laid 
concrete  block.  A  retired  govern- 
ment employee  and  an  ex-insurance 
salesman  both  became  adept  at 

Workcamp  participants /^//ce  Retry  and  Bill  Jackson  work 
with  Puerto  Rican  contractor  Abel  Pagan  to  prepare 
for  the  rebuilding  of  a  concrete  wall  for  Yahuecas  Church 
of  the  Brethren's  new  kitchen. 


Older  adults  working  alongside 
members  from  several  Puerto 
Rican  Church  of  the  Brethren 
congregations  include  (first  row, 
left  to  right)  Marilyn  Ybhn.  Alice 
and  Larry  Petry,  Jolene 
Bollinger,  Jorge  and  Norma 
Rivera.  Abel  Pagan:  (second 
row)  Edith  Arnold.  John 
Bollinger.  Bruce  and  Mary  Sue 
Rosenberger  Martha  and 
Norman  Cory.  Ron  McAdams. 
joann  Sanbloom.  Beulah 
Slushier,  Jose  Ostolaza  and 
Jorge  Rivera.  Jr;  (third  row) 
Bill  Jackson.  Homer  Arnold, 
and  Bob  Sanbloom. 


mixing  concrete.  An  accountant,  now  retired,  wielded  a 
sledgehammer  with  enough  force  and  persistence  that  she 
broke  down  two  concrete  posts.  As  one  participant 
observed,  "Nobody  could  pay  me  enough  to  make  me  work 
this  hard!" 

But  it  was  work  shared  with  the  Yahuecas  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  Each  day,  pastor  )orge  Rivera  was  available  to 
encourage,  to  assist  in  purchase  of  needed  supplies,  and  to 
keep  the  group  supplied  with  work.  Abel  Pagan  and  Jose 
Ostolaza,  congregational  leaders,  worked  with  the  group 
Idaily,  supervising  and  helping  insure  that  the  finished  pro- 
jects would  meet  the  needs  of  the  congregation.  Angel  and 
^oung  Jorge,  nephew  and  son  of  the  pastor,  came  each  day 
to  help  with  the  work  and  to  translate  when  needed.  Norma 
Rivera,  wife  of  Jorge  and  co-pastor  of  the  congregation,  had 
organized  the  women  of  the  congregation  to  provide  the 
noon  meal  for  the  work  campers.  Rice  and  beans,  roast 
chicken  or  pork,  mashed  potatoes  or  salads,  fried  bananas 
and  fresh  pineapple,  guava  or  rice  pudding  made  the  group 
think  each  day  of  the  Hispanic  tradition  of  "siesta  hour," 
out  the  Brethren  work  ethic  prevailed.  What  a  gift  to  see  the 
kvhole  experience  emerge  as  each  shared  according  to  their 
ability.  "We  thank  you.  Lord." 

God's  gift  o{  beauty  was  everywhere  apparent,  in 
places  and  in  people.  Puerto  Rico  is  La  Isla  del  Encanto 
(The  Isle  of  Enchantment) .  Walking  one  of  its  many 
beaches  at  sunrise,  the  sudden  splendor  of  a  mountain 
view,  the  feel  of  the  cool  mysterious  tropical  forest,  the 
taste  of  freshly  picked  citrus,  the  nighttime  sound  of  the 
cheerful  coquis:  these  are  just  a  few  of  the  reasons  why 
that  title  is  more  than  just  tourist  propaganda.  In  six  days 
of  sightseeing  around  the  island,  the  senior  adult  work 
campers  also  came  under  the  spell  of  this  tiny  (100  miles 
by  37  miles)  Caribbean  garden  spot. 

Like  most  tourists  to  Puerto  Rico,  the  group  visited  the 
fortress  at  El  Morro  and  the  old  city  of  San  Juan,  and 
enjoyed  fresh  seafood  at  fine  restaurants  on  both  the 
Atlantic  and  Caribbean  coasts.  But  most  tourists  miss  a  spe- 


cial gift  of  beauty  the  group  enjoyed:  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  the  people  and  congregations  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  Puerto  Rico.  La  Iglesia  de  los  Hermanos  on  that 
island  has  traded  stately  hymns  for  praise  choruses, 
exchanged  organs  for  rhythm  instruments,  and  makes  up  in 
enthusiasm  for  what  it  may  lack  in  theological  training.  But 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  is  alive  and  well  in  Puerto  Rico 
in  the  mission  and  ministries  of  people  such  as  Juan  and 
Isabel  Figueroa  at  the  Caimito  Christian  Community 
Center,  Oscar  and  Millie  Villanueva  at  Getsemani  church, 
Fausto  and  Juanita  Carrasco  at  Rio  Prieto  church,  Irma 
Zayas  as  district  minister  for  the  island  churches,  the  lay 
leadership  of  the  Castaiier  church  who  currently  direct  wor- 
ship in  the  absence  of  a  pastor,  and  lorge  and  Norma  Rivera 
at  Yahuecas  church.  What  a  beautiful  gift  to  worship  with 
these  Brethren.  "Te  alabamos,  Seiior." 

The  gift  of  God's  care  sustained  the  group  in  safe  travel 
on  mountain  roads  that  seem  to  have  been  built  for  jeeps  or 
horses.  God's  care  gifted  us  in  our  working  without  injuries 
more  serious  than  "tourista"  (traveler's  diarrhea),  a  bee 
sting,  sunburn,  and  multiple  insect  bites.  And  the  gift  of 
God's  care  surrounded  us  in  the  prayer  support  offered  to 
each  of  the  work  campers — and  their  home  congregations — 
by  the  Puerto  Rican  Brethren.  "Te  alabamos,  Sefior." 

The  seniors  who  accepted  the  challenge  of  a  work  camp 
in  Puerto  Rico  received  many  gifts  for  which  to  thank  God. 
Each  received  gifts  of  community,  sharing,  beauty,  God's 
care.  There  were  also  gifts  of  discovery.  We  went  to  Puerto 
Rico  to  give,  but  we  received.  We  went  to  work,  but  we  had 
fun.  We  went  to  bless,  but  were  blessed  instead.  Some  of  us 
were  startled  by  difference,  but  we  all  discovered  unity.  At 
times  we  were  frustrated  by  language,  but  we  learned  to  com- 
municate. We  went  to  a  "faraway  place,"  but  found  a 
second  home.  "For  all  these  gifts,  we  praise  you.  Lord." 


M. 


Mary  Sue  Rosenberger  is  a  chaplain  at  The  Brethren's  Home  Retire- 
ment Community  in  Greenville.  Ohio.  She  is  past  president  of  the 
Association  of  Bretliren  Caregivers  and.  in  1965.  served  three  months  as 
a  volunteer  nurse  at  Hospital  Castat'ter  in  Puerto  Rico. 


April  1998  Messenger  25 


Urn 


"I  am  encouraged  that  there  are  more  sisters 
and  brothers  who  are  modeling  a7id  calling 
us  to  ma\e  central  and  utmost  our  passion 
for  Jesus  Christ  and  learning  to  be  more 
graciously  inclusive  as  in  a  family." 


Church  of  Brothers  &  Sisters 

How  are  we  held  together  as  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren?  And  how 
are  we  to  move  on  together? 

We  need  more  than  celebrating 
diversity  in  a  shallow,  pluralistic 
coexistence. 

I  am  encouraged  that  there  are  more 
sisters  and  brothers  who  are  modeling 
and  calling  us  to  make  central  and 
utmost  our  passion  for  Jesus  Christ 


and  learning  to  be  more  graciously 
inclusive  as  in  a  family.  May  their  kind 
and  spirit  increase  abundantly. 

There  are  some  of  us  who  still  tend 
to  be  critical  of  others  who  are  not 
part  of  our  group,  just  as  some  of  the 
early  disciples  who  reported  to  |esus 
that  they  tried  to  hinder  someone 
who  was  casting  out  demons  in 
lesus'  name  because  they  were  not 
part  of  their  group.  But  |esus 
encouraged  them  to  be  more  inclu- 


Make  plans  now  to  attend  the 

Messenger 
Dinner 

at  Annual  Conference 

Sights^  sounds, 
6"  stories  from 
southern  Sudan 

July  2,  1998,  Orlando,  Florida 

David  R.  Radcliff,  directorof  Brethren  Wit- 
ness, delivers  a  multimedia  report  from  the  recent 
delegation  visit  to  Sudan.  Learn  about  the  inspiring 
faith  of  Sudanese  Christians  and  the  new  Brethren 
efforts  to  build  a  Partnership  for  Peace. 

For  dinner  tickets,  call  the  Annual  Confer- 
ence office  at  (800)  323-8039  or  order  from 
advance  packet  order  form.  Tickets  also  available 
in  Orlando  at  Annual  Conference  ticket  sales. 


sive  (Mark  9:38-41). 

We  need  a  fire  as  dynamic  as  the 
New  Testament  struggles  that  came 
to  be  inclusive  of  Samaritans  and 
Gentiles.  Some  steps  may  be  as 
simple  as  a  new  name,  such  as 
Church  of  Brothers  and  Sisters.  This 
connects  simply  with  our  history  and 
also  more  accurately  communicates 
to  our  age  who  we  are.  Furthermore 
I  suggest  we  leave  out  "the"  in  order 
to  be  intentionally  more  inclusive. 

Other  steps  will  be  more  coura- 
geous in  affirming  vision  and  mission 
and  dealing  with  exclusiveness  in  our 
family.  A  respectful,  holy  tension  will 
probably  always  be  needed  and 
healthy  in  some  areas.  However  we 
need  to  watch  out  for  political  and 
power  plays  that  castigate  or  seek  to 
cut  off  other  groups.  The  way  we  can 
walk  together  is  humbly  in  love  and 
being  diligent  to  preserve  the  unity  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace  (Eph- 
esians  4:1-3). 

Roger  W.  Eberly 
Milford,  hid. 

Putting  the  C  back  in  YMCA 

Like  many  communities,  our  town 
recently  celebrated  YMCA  Sunday. 
This  is  every  YMCA's  annual  oppor- 
tunity to  tell  the  communities  they 
serve  about  the  YMCA  mission  and 
ministry,  without  any  pressure  on 
either  side  to  discuss  programs  or 
membership. 

In  the  course  of  my  travels  to 
local  churches  to  discuss  the 
upcoming  celebration,  I  repeat- 
edly heard  about  the  lack  of  "C" 
(Christianity)  in  today's  YMCA. 
Fortunately,  our  local  YMCA 
does  not  lack  mission  or  ministry 
to  our  community,  but  we  do 
lack  sufficient  communication  to 
educate  others  as  to  the  services 
YMCAs  provide  to  those  in  need, 
about  our  collaborations  with 
other  local  human  services  agen- 
cies, and  cooperative  efforts  with 
area  churches. 

If  your  Church  of  the  Brethren 
congregation  would  appreciate  an 


26  Messenger  April  1998 


opportunity  to  increase  their  own 
local  outreach  ministry,  I  strongly 
suggest  that  you  contact  your  local 
YMCA.  Also  consider  calling  a 
church  member  to  serve  on  the 
YMCA  board  of  directors.  There  are, 
no  doubt,  YMCAs  that  were  hard- 
pressed  to  find  ways  to  celebrate  the 
"C"  in  their  YMCA.  Let  me  assure 
you,  it  is  an  obligation,  not  an 
option.  And  perhaps  your  congrega- 
tion can  help  find  ways  to  put  the 
Christianity  back. 

As  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  and 
YMCAs  alike  experience  budget  cuts 

ike  the  rest  of  business  America,  we 
bhould  all  be  reminded  of,  and  seek 
out  the  many  opportunities  for 

continuing  the  work  of  Jesus. . . 
peacefully,  simply,  together". .  .not 

ust  within  our  denomination,  but 
Iwithin  our  world. 

Jackie  Kallal 

Penn  Run  Church  of  the  Brethren 

Penn  Run.  Pa. 

Messenger  or  the  message? 

We  are  writing  to  you  from  the  deacon 
board  of  the  Berkey  Church  of  the 
Brethren  at  Windber,  Pa.,  to  address  an 
article  about  the  Womaens  Caucus  and 
:he  Brethren  Mennonite  Council  for  Gay 
md  Lesbian  Concerns  that  was  printed  in 
:he  August/ September  issue  [see  "Over 
200  'wade  on  in'  to  this  year's  'Dancing' 
:onference"].  We  feel  the  article  should 
not  have  been  included  in  Messenger. 
[This  issue  was  covered  as  an  overview  of 
3ur  Annual  Conference  held  in  Long 
Beach.  This  event  was  not  held  during 
Conference,  nor  was  it  held  at  the  Confer- 
ence site.  Thankfully,  it  was  not  any  part 
af  the  Annual  Conference,  and  we  feel  it 
should  not  have  been  printed  as  part  of 
:he  issue. 

We  were  deeply  concerned  as  to 
the  contents  of  the  article,  which 
lighlighted  the  topic  "Gay,  Lesbian, 
Bisexual,  and  Still  Christian."  As  a 
deacon  board  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  we  earnestly  feel  the  Bible 
:learly  prints  the  sins  of  a  sexual 
nature,  such  as  homosexual  tenden- 
:ies,  bisexual,  or  lesbian  sexual 


preferences  as  a  sin.  The  Bible  offers 
many  scriptures  against  such 
lifestyles. 

We  are  sad  and  concerned  that  our 
Brethren  choose  to  accept  this  as  an 
alternative  lifestyle,  when  the  Bible  is 
so  clear  to  call  a  sin  a  sin.  As  we  dis- 
cussed this  topic,  we  prayed  and 
reflected  on  the  sin  in  our  own  lives. 
We  feel  the  Lord  directs  us  to  lift 
each  other  up  in  prayer. 

We  will  continue  to  keep  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  as  a  whole, 
in  our  prayers.  We  feel  the  world  is 
pressing  Christians  to  conform  and 
accept  ideas  that  we  clearly  read  in 
the  Bible  to  be  wrong.  We  base  our 
feelings  on  the  word  of  God.  We 
struggle  with  the  many  arrows 
Satan  throws  at  each  of  us.  We  are 
confident  that  prayer  is  the  weapon 
God  gave  us  to  fight  Satan  and  his 
ways. 

We  will  continue  to  pray  for  the 
staff  of  the  Messenger  and  the 
choices  it  makes  in  the  Brethren 
publication. 

Deacon  Board 

Berkey  Church  of  the  Brethren 

Windber,  Pa. 

The  anointed 

Today,  with  great  courage,  our 
pastor,  limmy  Ross,  stood 
before  the  congregation  and,  as 
his  morning  sermon,  recited  his 
experience  with  the  anointing, 
cancer,  and  depression.  He 
cleared  the  air  with  a  masterful 
explanation  of  the  chain  of 
events  and  the  role  of  the 
anointing,  prayer,  love  and  com- 
mitment of  family,  loved  ones, 
and  the  church  played  in  his 
recovery. 

There  were  those — and,  I  confess, 
I  among  them — who  questioned  his 
faith  as  the  failure  of  the  anointing. 
How  could  he  suffer  from  depression 
after  being  anointed?  We  were  think- 
ing he  must  be  feeling  guilty  for  lack 
of  faith. 

How  welcome  was  his  message  as 
he  brought  a  new  insight  into  the 


anointing  and  its  role  in  the  manage- 
ment of  serious  medical  conditions 
such  as  clinical  depression.  Surely 
faith  in  God  and  the  anointing 
should  prevent  and  relieve  simple 
depression,  as  it  is  the  result  of 
simple  loss  of  faith  in  things.  Clinical 
depression  is  another  matter  alto- 
gether. It  is  a  serious  illness  that  can 
strike  anyone  without  reason  and 
requires  a  complex  medical/psycho- 
logical program  for  recovery. 

Faith  in  God,  and  the  reinforce- 
ment of  one's  faith  with  the 
anointing  service,  can  be  a  signifi- 
cant factor  in  speeding  the  recovery. 
Seeing  |immy  today  and  hearing  his 
explanation  of  events,  1  am  sure  the 
anointing,  and  his  firm  faith,  played 
a  very  significant  role  in  his  speedy 
recovery.  We  thank  God  for  such  a 
good  pastor,  and  we  pray  that  he 
may  have  continued  good  health. 

Franklin  K.  Cassel 
Brethren  Village.  Lancaster.  Pa. 

(jimmy  Ross,  pastor  of  the  Lititz  Church 
of  the  Brethren,  was  moderator-elect  of 
.Annual  Conference  when  he  was  discov- 
ered to  have  cancer  of  the  prostate.  He 
was  anointed,  had  successful  surgery, 
but  developed  severe  clinical  depression 
that  resulted  in  his  having  to  resign  his 
moderatorship.) 


CHECK  OUT  ARIZONA! 


Community  Church  of  the  Brethren 
1 1 1  N.  Sun  Valley  Boulevard 
Mesa,  AZ  85207  (602)357-9811 

Simday  Services      10:15AM 

Glendale  Church  of  the  Brethren 
7238  N.  6 1st  Avenue 
Glendale,  AZ  85301      (602)937-9131 
Sunday  Services      10;30AM 

Phoenix  First  Church  of  the  Brethren 
3609  N.  27th  Street 

Phoenix,  AZ  85016      (602)  955-8537 
Sunday  Services      10:45AM 

Tucson  Church  of  the  Brethren 
2200  North  Dodge  Boulevard 
Tucson,  AZ  85716       (520)  327-5106 
Sunday  Services      10:30  AM 


April  1998  Messenger  27 


Introducing  Maple  Terrace. 
Not  your  typical  retirement  living. 

Retirement  will  take  on 
a  whole  new  meaning  with 
the  opening  of  Maple  Terrace 
at  Bridgewater  Retirement 
Community.   Located  in  the 
breathtaking  Shenandoah  Valley 
of  Virginia,  Maple  Terrace  is 
a  unique  independent  living 

facility  with  28  spacious  apartments  offering  the  amenities  you  need. 
Here  you'll  find  a  community  center  featuring  a  large  dining 

room,  wellness  center  with  spa,  banking  services,  reading  and  craft 

rooms,  a  convenience  store,  beauty  and  barber  shop,  and  more.  All 

in  a  safe,  secure  environment.  And  there's  easy  access  to  walking 

and  biking  trails,  tennis  and  swimming. 
For  more  information,  including  a 

free  color  brochure,  call  Karen  McNeal 

at  800  419-9129  or  540  828-2550. 

Retiring  at  Maple  Terrace  can  be 

much  more  than  you  might  expect.   A/f  Ap]  C  TpDl?  APIh 


By  the  way,  roller  blades 
are  optional. 


Bridgewater,  Virginia 
Opening  Early  1999 


Where  are  theologians? 

Where  are  the  Brethren  theologians? 
As  a  reader  of  Messenger,  and 
member  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
for  many  years,  I  feel  compelled  to 
ask  this  question.  While  there  is  no 
lack  of  articles  regarding  what  might 
be  called  "social  gospel,"  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  recall  any  articles  dealing  with 
the  continuing  development  of  theol- 
ogy. For  this  information,  one  must 
turn  to  writers  representing  other 
religious  groups.  Certainly  there 
must  be  Brethren  scholars  who  are 
studying  the  continuing  analysis  of 
the  Dead  Sea  Scrolls,  or  the  efforts 
to  rediscover  "Q".  It  would  be  inter- 
esting to  read  articles  on  these,  and 
other  areas  of  modern  theology, 
written  from  a  Brethren  perspective. 
Robert  E.  Fletcher 
Denton,  Md. 


VOLUNTEER 
OPPORTUNITIES 


Volunteer  opportunities  abound 
for  the  New  Windsor  Conference 
Center  located  at  the  lovely,  his- 
toric Brethren  Service  Center  in 
New/  Windsor,  Md.  The  Center  is  in 
a  peaceful,  rural,  treed  setting  with 
the  theme  of  "A  quiet  place  to  get 
things  done,"  but  is  also  conve- 
nient to  Baltimore  &  Washington, 
D.C.,  for  ease  of  travel  &  sightsee- 
ing opportunities.  We  need 
volunteer  hostesses/hosts  to  help 
coordinate/provide  hospitality  & 
conference  services  to  a  variety  of 
guests.  Maturity  &  detail  orienta- 
tion needed  along  with  outgoing 
personality  &  genuine  interest  in 
providing  excellent  customer  ser- 
vice. Furnished  apartment  &  meals 
provided  during  period  of  service. 
For  more  info.,  call  or  write  Hospi- 
tality Coordinator,  Box  188,  New 
Windsor,  MD  21776-0188.  (800) 
766-1  553  (toll-free). 

Please  note:  this  ad  originated  by.  and 
partially  funded,  through  the  generous  caring 
of  a  current  volunteer  hostess  and  host. 


28  Messenger  April  1998 


ludas,  we,  and  they 

I  am  writing  to  you  concerning  the 
article  "The  church  is  we  rather  than 
they"  in  the  [anuary/February  Mes- 
senger. This  article  has  to  do  with 
the  editor's  interview  with  Modera- 
tor Elaine  Sollenberger. 

I  was  taken  aback  when  I  read  in 
your  discussion  with  Elaine  about 
who  gets  the  call.  She  believes,  at 
least  that  is  what  is  insinuated,  that 
ifesus  made  a  mistake  when  he  called 
judas  (or  was  that  the  editor's  com- 
ment?). I  quote:  "She  agrees  that 
mistakes  could  be  made.  Jesus  called 
[udas  after  all."  End  of  quote. 

That  suggests  to  me  that  our  God 
is  not  omniscient  and  that  He  is  not 
sovereign.  John  6:70:  "Have  not  I 
chosen  you  twelve,  and  one  of  you  is 
a  devil."  Acts  1:25:  "From  which 
udas,  by  transgression  fell,  that  he 
might  go  to  his  own  place." 
Could  this  be  the  reason  why  you 
ontinue  to  hear  of  the  "we"  and  the 
they"  in  our  denomination? 

Merv  Keller,  pastor 
Lewiston,  Maine 

(Assisting  the  lame 

Do  we  assist  those  who  are  lame? 
\lmost  three  years  ago,  I  was  diag- 
nosed with  Lou  Gehrig's  disease. 
Since  that  time  I  have  deteriorated 
to  a  point  where  it  is  quite  difficult 
or  me  to  walk  or  use  my  hands.  I 
must  now  use  two  sturdy  crutches  to 


From  the 
Office  of  Human  Resources 

Kulp  Bible  College, Nigeria 

Teacher,  Begin  mid- 1998 

Are  you  sensing  God's  call  to 
ministry  in  Africa? 

A  seminary-trained  instructor  is 
needed  for  this  important  church 
leadership  development  institution 
in  Nigeria. 

For  more  information  call 

Mervin  Keeney, 

Africa/Middle  East  Representative 

1-800-323-8039 


get  around.  Yet  during  this  ordeal, 
my  eyes  have  been  opened  to  a  new 
window  on  the  world.  People  do 
generously  reach  out  and  assist  the 
lame.  We  have,  indeed,  listened  to 
His  words. 

During  this  episode  of  my  life,  I 
have  been  enriched  by  the  kindness  of 
those  who  saw  that  I  had  difficulty  in 
carrying  out  life's  daily  activities.  I 
got  in  line  at  a  crowded  fast-food 
restaurant.  Before  I  turned  to  pick  up 
my  tray,  two  men  whom  I  had  never 
met  before  rushed  over,  almost  com- 


peting as  to  which  one  would  help  me 
carry  my  tray.  I  have  experienced 
many  other  examples  of  kindness. 

I  believe  that  lesus'  lesson  on  serv- 
ing the  lame  has  taken  hold.  In  Luke 
14: 1  2-14  [esus  said  "...when  you 
give  a  banquet,  invite  the  poor,  the 
crippled,  the  lame,  the  blind,  and  you 
will  be  blessed."  lesus  is  saying  that 
we  will  be  blessed  when  we  assist 
those  who  are  lame. 

C.  George  Tidli  Jr. 

West  Richmond  Church  of  the  Brethren 

Richmond,  Va. 


Pontius'  Puddle 


Send  payment  for  reprinting  "Pontius'  Puddle"  from  MESSENGER  to 
Joel  Kauffinann,  111  Carter  Road.  Goshen.  IN  46526.  $25  for  one 
time  use.  $10  for  secojtd  strip  in  same  issue.  $  1 0  for  congregations. 


OET  To  KEAv/ETM,  I'>A 
G-OiMG-  TO  TETUL  G-oo 
TK6,r,  AS  A  concept;    j 

PEATW  REALLV  ST1MX5.    ' 


h 


OFCOORSET,  VOO 
WAVE  TO  DIE  FiRS-r 
TO  6-ET  TWECE, 
SV  WHIC^  TItAE 

yoo'LL  P110TJA6L.V 
0^ID£RSTA^1C> 
\TS  PORT'OSE. 


DOH'T  ^OO  OOST 
MATE  IT  WHE/J 
S-OD  AMTICIPATES, 


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Diabetics:  If  yuu  have  Medicare  or  insurance,  you 
could  be  eligible  to  receive  your  diabetic  supplies  at 
no  cost,  (Insulin-dependent  only)  Call  (800)  337-4144. 

DOCTORS  NEEDED 

Volunteer  doctors  needed  at  mission  hospital 

in  India,  Contact  Ramesii  C,  Patel,  Brethren  Mission 
Hospital,  Dahanu  Road,  Dist.  Thane,  Maharashtra, 
401602,  INDIA, 

INVITATION 

Cincinnati  Church  of  the  Brethren  fellowship 

mect.s  for  worship  &  support  in  n,e,  area  of  Cincin- 
nati, We  welcome  others  to  join  us  or  bring  needs  to 
our  attention.  Contact  us  c/o  Cincinnati  Friends  Meet- 
ing House,  8075  Keller  Rd„  Indian  Hill,  OH  45243,  Tel, 
(5l3)956-~"33, 

Come  worship  in  the  Valley  of  the  Sun  with  Com- 
munitv  Church  of  the  Brethren  at  111  N,  Sunvallev 
Blvd,,  Mesa,  A2  86207.  Mail  to:  8343  E.  Emelita  Ave., 
Mesa,  AZ  85208.  Tel.  (602)  357-9811. 

TRAVEL 

Annual  Conference.  Travel  with  us  in  air-condi- 
tioned coach  through  the  Shenandoah  Valle\'  to  Annual 
Conference  in  Odando,  Fla,  Included  will  be  visits  to 
Atlanta,  Savannah,  EPCOT,  and  Kennedy  Space  Center, 
Please  write  toj.  Kenneth  Kreider,  1300  Sheaffer  Road, 
Elizabethtown,  PA  17022. 

Oberammergau  Passion  Play  and  tour  of  Europe 
in  2000,  One  tour  (July  31-Aug,  27)  is  completely  filled. 
Re.servations  now  being  accepted  for  June  26July  17 
and  July  17-31,  2000  tours.  Tours  will  include  Pai4s, 
the  Swiss  Alps,  Venice,  Vienna,  Prague,  Berlin. 


Schwarzenau,  and  many  other  places.  For  info,,  write 
I,  Kenneth  Kreider,  1300  Sheaffer  Road,  Elizabeth- 
town,  PA  17022, 

Cruise  the  waterways  of  Russia  from  Moscow  to 
St,  Petersburg.  The  tour  (14  days)  leaves  Washington, 
D,C.  (Dulles  Intnl.  Airport)  on  Sept.  4, 1998,  An  attrac- 
tive price  is  available.  For  details  contact  the  tour  host, 
Dr,  Wayne  F  Geisert,  President  Emeritus,  Box  40, 
Bridgewater  College,  Bridgev,'ater,  VA  22812.  Phone 
(540')  433-1433,  or  (540)  828-5494. 

Travel  with  a  Mission  in  Understanding  People 
to  People  International  delegation  visiting  Iceland 
and  Greenland,  Aug,  30  to  Sept,  9, 1998,  For  info,, 
contact  delegation  leader  Enos  B,  Heisey,  Member 
Board  of  Trustees,  People  to  People  International,  157 
Stone  Hedge  Ct„  Lebanon,  PA  170t2-78076.  Tel.  (717) 
273-3093. 

Visiting  Japan?  Why  not  stay  at  World  Friend- 
ship Center  in  Hiroshimal  Non-profit  bed  &  breakfast 
staffed  by  BVS  couple.  Located  within  w-alking  dis- 
tance to  Peace  Park,  Traditional  Japanese  style  house, 
Veiy  reasonable  rates.  Survivor  stories  and  park  guides 
available.  For  more  info.,  call/fax  Larry  or  .Alice  Retry 
(330)  733-2879,  or  contact  WFC  directly  at:  8-10  Higash'i 
Kanon-Machi,  Nishi-ku,  Hiroshima,  JAPAN  733. 
Tel,  011-81-082-503-3191.  Fax  011-81-082-503-3179. 

WANTED 

Color  photo  of  rose  window  that  was  originally  in 
we,st  end  of  Quinter-Miller  Auditorium  at  Camp  Mack. 
Seek  to  purchase  or  borrow  slide,  negative,  or  print, 
Repiv  to  Miriam  Cable,  709  E.  Northshore  Dr.,  Syra- 
cuse, IN  46567-2140.  Tel.  (219)  457-2491.  Fax  c/o 
KevBank,  (219)  457-2483,  att.  Miriam  Cable. 


April  1998  Messenger  29 


New 
Members 

Note:  Congregations  are  asked 
to  submit  only  the  names  of 
actual  new  members  of  the 
denomination.  Do  not  include 
names  of  people  who  have 
merely  transferred  their  mem- 
bership from  another  Church  of 
the  Brethren  congregation. 

Akron,  Ind.;  Brad  Shearer 

Antioch,  Rocky  Mount,  Va.: 
Ginny  Brink,  Mary  White, 
Daniel  White,  |im  White, 
Libby  Garst,  Wesley  Garst, 
David  Vaden,  Randy 
Lowman.  April  Lowman 

Bassett,  Va.:  iohn  Cassell, 
lessica  Helbert 

Brook  Park  Community, 
Brook  Park,  Ohio:  Lori 
Shook,  Mike  and  Terry 
Shook.  Kay  Frederick 

Champaign,  III.:  Shannon 
Davison,  Barbara  Agar 

Charlottesville,  Va.:  Ray 
White 

Christ  the  Servant,  Cape 
Coral,  Fla.:  Mark  and  lane 
Chidely.  Scott  Mason. 
Charlie  and  Dorie  Bechtel, 
Eric  and  [ulie  Bechtel 

Dayton,  Va.:  Louis  Haynes, 
Ellis  and  Helen  Harsh, 
Blaine  and  Stacie  Simmers, 
Elaine  Stroop,  Chris  and 
Karen  Botkin,  Sally  fane 
Conner,  Pete  and  Carol 
Leddy 

Detroit  First.  Harper  Woods, 
Mich.:  Phillip  Ladouceur, 
Karen  Ladouceur 

Drexel  Hill,  Pa.:  DiAngelo 
Louis,  lennifer  Miller, 
Frank  and  Charlene  Ryan 

Dupont,  Ohio:  Mandy  Bush, 
Shane  Rhees,  Eric  Deken, 
limmy  Wright,  Anna  Porter, 
lenna  Schulte,  Andrea 
Elkins,  Kendra 
Simindinger,  )enn  Barth 

Elizabethtown,  Pa.:  Patrick 
Dennehy,  Terri  Dennehy, 
Ralph  Detrick,  |oyce  Stoltz- 
fus,  Sara  Beth  Detrick 
Stoltzfus,  David  Eller,  Bar- 
bara Filer.  Timothy  Eller. 
Robert  E.  "Gene"  Ellis,  Bar- 
bara Ellis,  Carol  Tobias. 
Scott  Trayer,  Richelle 
Trayer,  Paul  Williams, 
Marie  Williams 

Ephrata.  Pa.:  Willie  Camacho, 
Lorie  Gibble,  Wilbur  and 
Florence  Harley,  )oel  Horn- 
ing, Lori  Trievel,  Anna  Rose 
Schannauer 

Everett,  Pa.:  Todd  Wallace, 
Nancy  Corbin 


Eversole,  New  Lebanon,  Ohio: 
Carol  Reigel,  Ron  Moore. 
Robyn  Moore,  Matt 
Muncie,  Matt  Purcell 

Germantown  Brick,  Rocky 
Mount.  Va.:  lack  and  Arlene 
Brammer.  Ron  Cawley,  Bill 
and  Angela  Corn 

Glendale,  Ariz.:  Dawn  Hunn, 
Bob  and  |ulie  Merrifield- 
Nelson 

Green  Tree,  Oaks,  Pa.:  Carol- 
loyce  Anton,  Ed  Brown, 
Donna  Brown,  [ason 
Brown,  leff  Brown,  Caitlin 
Clark,  David  Guzik,  Bryan 
O'Neill.  Brad  Keller 

Greenmount,  Harrisonburg, 
Va.:  Kathleen  Davis.  Denver 
Loan.  Crystal  Ott.  Carrie 
Strawderman.  Leslie  Sum- 
mers, Michele  Shifflett, 
Douglas  Myers  Wenger. 
Cassia  Campos  Wenger. 
Ana  Camila  Campos 
Wenger,  Jennifer  Arm- 
strong, Matthew  Armstrong. 
Berlin  Bible,  Bonnie  May, 
Helen  Minnick.  David  and 
Lorna  Nesselrodt,  Kevin 
and  Norma  Nesselrodt. 
Mark  and  Kristen  Reese, 
Dale  and  Ruth  Ann  Sim- 
mons 

Hanover,  Pa.:  Clyde  Weaver 

Hollins  Road.  Roanoke,  Va.: 
Stuart  and  Martha  Kelly. 
Louise  Harmon.  Wayne  and 
Meriene  Merricks.  Russell 
and  Rachel  Parrish. 
Lawrence  Mundy.  Gerald 
and  Bonnie  Philpott, 
Sandra  Thompson 

Laurel  Glen,  Cranesville.  W. 
Va.:Eric  Bishop.  Gerry  and 
Katy  Bowser.  Mary  Ann 
Bolyard.  Carrie  Luckel,  Ted 
McHold 

Logansport,  Ind.:  loshua 
Gibson 

Long  Green  Valley.  Glen  Arm. 
Md.:Doreen  Schafer,  Kris- 
ten  Bachelor.  Liz  Evans, 
Betty  Rupp.  Karl  Huber. 
Sherry  McGraw 

Maple  Grove,  New  Paris.  Ind.: 
Darin  Bernsert,  Cody 
Lantz,  Tara  Snider 

Marsh  Creek,  Gettysburg,  Pa.: 
Joseph  Pecaitis,  Michelle 
Pecaitis 

Mechanic  Grove,  Quarryviile, 
Pa.:  April  Axe 

Memorial,  Martinsburg,  Pa.: 
lason  Peterman.  Pauline 
Keagal 

Middle  Creek,  Lititz.  Pa.: 
Matthew  Burkhart 

Modesto,  CaliL:  Mike  Monson 

Mohican,  W.  Salem.  Ohio: 
Greg  and  [ulie  Strickler 


Monitor,  McPherson.  Kan.: 
Michael  Plenert.  Delberta 
Plenert.  Amanda  Plenert. 
Alisha  Plenert,  |ulia  Hoff- 
man, Bradley  Yoder 

Myerstown,  Pa.:  Earl  and 
Shirley  Brandt,  Suzanne 
Kiguru,  Nancy  Yonker, 
William  and  lanet  Post, 
Mark  Bomberger,  Scott 
Bomberger.  Michelle 
Dohner.  Braden  Brubaker 

New  Covenant,  Gotha.  Fla.: 
William  Schultz.  Kelly 
Madden  Crouse.  Peter 
Grouse 

Nokesvllle,  Va.:  Virginia 
Antos.  Frank  and  Shirley 
Golladay.  Ralph  and  Mary 
Weimer.  Nancy  Hedges 

Northern  Colorado,  Windsor. 
Colo.:  lohn  and  Marilyn 
Orth.  Margo  Orth 

Panora,  Iowa:  Gloria  Searcy. 
Hillory  Wofford.  Matthew 
and  Shelby  Sutherland. 
Ashley  Wilson.  Michelle. 
Tonya,  and  Vickie  Krausc. 
Kelly  Hodges,  Bill  Stephen, 
Connie  Daggett.  Lorie 
Sheets.  Tina  Dawson.  Brian 
Swails,  Tracy  Gilliam, 
George  Vannatta,  Henry 
Alborn,  Mark  Behr,  Chris 
Krueger.  Chuck  Albrecht. 
Danny  and  Tresa  Moon. 
Pete  and  Patsy  Flagstead, 
Gene  and  Marilyn  Burns. 
Tim,  Denise,  Marc,  and  Joe 
Tyler,  Pat  and  Norma 
McGriff.  Helen  McCord. 
Nikki  and  Becky  Clark, 
Nathon  Keith,  Darrell  and 
Helen  Williams.  Kathy 
Symonaitis.  Chris  Long, 
Jodi  Sutton.  Alma  Krueger. 
Mary  Nelson.  |an  Erickson. 
Dan  and  Kathy  York.  Mar- 
garet Hennen.  Kent  and 
Shelley  Downing,  Leonard 
Lewis 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.:  Brent  Murray, 
Eddie  Cookson,  Corrine 
Lange 

Poplar  Ridge,  Defiance,  Ohio: 
Paul  and  Carol  Brown. 
Desirae  and  Amber  Arm- 
strong. Dawn  Laws 

Prince  of  Peace,  Kettering, 
Ohio:  [essica  and  Joshua 
Flory-Steury.  Amber 
DeCarlo.  Brian  Jenkins. 
Heather  Loveless.  Eric  and 
Tom  Stephenson.  Arthur 
Barber,  Nicole  Wincher, 
Jesse  McKinney 

Roann.  Ind.:  Mildred 

Baldridge.  Brady  Brower. 
Christy  Brower.  Delinda 
Brower.  Ted  Brower.  Angel 
Clingaman.  Steve  Clinga- 


man,  Henry  Cervantes. 
Janell  Dockter.  Nathan 
Docter.  Abbie  Guthrie.  Ste- 
fanie  Hostetler.  Addison 
lO-om.  Norma  Krom.  Lisa 
Lengel.  Steve  Lengel.  Alta 
Long,  Karel  Long,  Pam 
Long,  Russell  Long.  Terry 
Long.  Marie  Showalter. 
Marti  Striker.  Leroy 
Striker.  Katie  Lengel. 
Joshua  Lengel.  Maggie 
Lengel.  Andy  Brower,  Gina 
Cervantes,  Caley  Cook, 
Mychal  Cook,  David 
Diener,  Mark  Hicks,  Nicole 
Hicks,  Wilma  Hicks,  Deric 
Musselman.  Jeremy  Pugh. 
Jon  Wick.  Aaron  Bolinger. 
Alaina  Clingaman.  Helena 
Holts.  Joshua  Sinclair.  Kat- 
lynn  Youngblood.  Zachary 
Youngblood.  Ashley  Zeller 

Roanoke,  La.:  Charlie  McGee 

Roaring  Spring,  Pa.:  Tom  and 
Tammy  Davis.  Noel  and 
Gloria  Miller.  Virginia 
Miller.  Ken  and  Ian  Claar 

Sugar  Valley,  Loganton.  Pa.: 
Kim  and  Holly  Barner, 
Scott  and  Bonnie  Owens, 
Jim  and  Belva  Bower 

Union  Center,  Nappanee. 
Ind.:  Londa  Bontrager, 
Greg  and  Lara  Lawrence. 
Phil  Wiens.  Pauline  Yoder 

Westminster,  Md.:  Scott 

Hodgdon,  Kent  and  Dorien 
Mathias,  Randy  Ripley,  Jack 
and  Beth  Tevis 

White  Oak,  Penryn,  Pa.:  David 
Zimmerman,  Cole  Zimmer- 
man, Leah  Althouse 

York  First,  York,  Pa.:  Larry 
and  Jeanine  Logue,  Scott 
and  Misty  Kready,  John  and 
Mary  Esther  Anderson.  Jeff 
Sunday 

228th  BVS 
Orientation  Unit 

(Orientation  was  conducted  at 

Camp  Ithiel,  Gotha.  Fla.. 

Jan.  18-Feb.  6,  1998.) 

Kroger,  Florian.  Eicklingen. 
Germany;  to  Community 
Family  Life  Services,  Wash- 
ington. D.  C. 

Lehmphul,  Matthias. 
Potsdam,  Germany:  to 
National  Campaign  to 
Abolish  the  Death  Penalty. 
Washington.  D.  C. 

Martin,  Jonathan,  Harrison- 
burg, Va.;  to  Peace  Brigades 
International,  Hamburg, 
Germany 

Nicolaidis,  Costa.  Seattle. 
Wash.;  to  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Washington 


Office.  Washington.  D.  C. 

Roth,  M.  C.  Ann  Arbor.  Mich.; 
to  Mladi  Most,  Mostar. 
Bosnia-  Herzegovina 

Tillmann,  Andreas.  Hattert. 
Germany;  to  Washington 
City  Church  of  the  Brethren 
Soup  Kitchen.  Washington. 
D.  C. 

Zook,  Nancy.  Tekonsha, 
Mich.;  to  (short  term)  Su 
Casa  Catholic  Worker. 
Chicago.  111.,  and  (after 
April)  Christian  Campaign 
for  Nuclear  Disarmament. 
London,  England. 

Deaths 

Abbott,  Anna.  90,  Lewiston, 
Minn.,  April  21,  1997 

Bahn,  Lee  A.,  49,  Windsor, 
Pa.,  Jan.  7 

Bechdolt,  Paul,  77,  Camden, 
Ind.,  Nov.  21 

Beck,  Alverta.  87.  Lancaster, 
Pa..  Aug.  27 

Benson,  Robert  lay.  58,  La 
Verne.  CaliL.  Dec.  28 

Bishop,  Charles  |..  91,  Defi- 
ance. Ohio.  Sept.  7 

Black,  Tracy  M..  82.  Har- 
risonburg. Va..  Dec.  6 

Blosser,  Janice  M..  50,  South 
English,  Iowa,  Jan.  23 

Boitnott,  Nell  K.,  96.  Bridge- 
water,  Va.,  Nov.  1  8 

Bolt,  Helen  F,  76,  Roanoke, 
Va.,  Nov.  12,  1996 

Bond,  Mary.  85,  Hagerstown. 
Md..  Sept.  18 

Bowman,  Grace  Virginia.  75. 
Edinburg.  Va..  Nov.  5 

Bowman,  Ernie  Holt.  51.  Call- 
away. Va.,  Feb.  4 

Boyd,  Ellen.  77.  Cambridge 
City.  Ind.,  Aug.  18,  1995 

Breneman,  Howard,  97,  Clay- 
ton. Ind..  Dec.  27 

Brown,  Elizabeth  S.,  86. 

Chambersburg.  Pa..  Dec.  24 

Brubaker.  Bessie  Jane  Fill- 
more. 95.  Yuba  City.  Calif., 
Dec.  20 

Brubaker,  Frederick.  82. 
Neffsville.  Pa...  Dec.  20 

Bushong,  Grace  Smucker,  97, 
Timberville,  Va.,  Nov.  26 

Butler,  Emma  Durstine,  82, 
Champion,  Pa..  Dec.  11 

Byers,  Abigail  J.,  87,  Daleville, 
Ind..  Feb.  19 

Caldwell,  Beauford,  68, 
Vinton.  Va..  May  1 

Callahan,  Russell.  Wyomiss- 
ing.  Pa.,  Dec.  22 

Carpenter,  Oscar.  80,  Dayton, 
Va.,  Nov.  7 

Champaygne,  Edmund,  85, 
New  Oxford,  Pa.,  Oct.  4 

Chronister,  Velma  E.,  82, 


30  Messenger  April  1998 


York.  Pa.,  Jan.  1 1 
lark,  Luella,  85,  Middletown, 

Va.,  Dec.  10 
lark,  Kenneth,  75.  N.  Lib- 
erty, Ind..  June  10 
line,  Mary  Belle,  64,  Fish- 

ersville,  Va.,  Dec.  17 
osner,  lessie  K.,  98,  Lan- 
caster, Pa.,  June  27 

[^ox,  Don,  82,  Warsaw.  Ind,. 

Dec.  24 
;Craft,  Levi  K.,  87,  Roanoke, 
Va.,  Nov.  7 

Crater,  Louise  ].,  59,  IVliddle- 
town.  Pa..  Dec.  30 

iJraven,  Mary,  86,  Prince  of 
Peace  CoB,  Kettering,  Ohio, 
June  13 

Drilly,  Roy,  69,  Hagerstown, 
Md.,  August  8 

i;rowther,  James.  86.  Lan- 
caster, Pa.,  Sept.  23 
Puster,  Lucille,  85,  Warsaw, 
Ind.,  Jan.  28 

Paniel,  Frances  E.,  81,  Cham- 
pion, Pa..  Jan.  18 

banner,  Lucille  Marianna.  59, 
Astoria,  111.,  Dec.  29 

Bellinger,  Betty  Jean,  77, 
Hagerstown.  Md..  June  2 

Jiffenbach,  Roy.  77.  Lititz, 
Pa..  Dec.  1  1 

Jinsmore,  David.  81,  Tipp 
City,  Ohio,  Jan.  4 

}ixon,  John  Henry,  71, 
Brightwood,  Va..  Dec.  28 

OuVal,  Robert,  68,  Spring- 
field, Ohio.  Dec.  18 

likenberry,  Lewisburg,  Ohio. 
Feb.  4 

;isenhart,  William  P,  67, 
York,  Pa.,  Dec.  28 

lisenhart,  William  P.,  67. 
York,  Pa..  Dec.  28 

irwin,  Isabel,  80,  Modesto. 

Calif.,  Jan.  22 
vans,  Lela.  88,  North  Man- 
chester, Ind.,  Nov.  5 

'elton,  Elsie  Florence,  88, 
Rowlesburg.  W  Va..  Dec.  30 

'ike,  Robert  E.,  67,  Camp 
Hill,  Pa.,  Jan.  9 

'isher,  Audrey,  53,  Rocky 
Mount.  Va.,  Nov.  16 

=lora,  Wilford  C.  83,  Boones 
Mill,  Va..  Ian.  25 

■lory,  H.  Lee,  68,  Nokesville, 

Va.,  Nov.  4 
lory,  Walter  Lee,  89,  Manas- 
sas, Va..  March  7,  1997 

'oik,  Wilfred,  77,  Claypool. 
Ind.,  Nov.  18 

'orney,  Paul,  82,  Palmyra,  Pa.. 
Jan.  13 

'orsyth,  Lear  A..  82, 
Staunton.  Va.,  Nov.  5 

-ry,  Paul,  77,  Phoenixville,  Pa., 
Nov.  10 

'uhrman,  Mabel  E..  70.  Glen 
Rock,  Pa.,  Jan.  3 

■ulcher,  Minnie  Stone,  83, 


Bassett,  Va.,  April  13 

Fulk,  Fred.  85,  Myerstown. 
Pa..  Dec.  16 

Gaerte,  Julia,  86,  Avilla.  Ind.. 
Sept.  9,  1996 

Geesemore,  Rut.  55,  Freder- 
icksburg. Pa.,  March  9, 
1997 

Gehr,  Charles,  75.  Hager- 
stown. Md.,  Feb.  19,  1997 

Gehr,  Barry.  28.  Ephrata.  Pa., 
luly  15 

Glosser,  Rhoda,  87,  Hagers- 
town, Md..  Dec.  19 

Gochnauer,  Mabel,  75,  Man- 
heim.  Pa.,  Jan.  14 

Good,  John  B.  F.  Sr.,  88. 
Grottoes,  Va.,  Oct.  28 

Gouker,  Elizabeth,  89, 

McSherrystown,  Pa..  Nov.  22 

Grabner,  Harold,  76.  Colum- 
bia City,  Ind.,  June  10 

Graffis,  Homer,  87,  N.  Man- 
chester. Ind..  Dec.  10 

Grandstaff,  Ethel  Rebecca,  81. 
Woodstock.  Va..  Dec.  14 

Greim,  Mary  Roop,  86,  Lee's 
Summit.  Mo.,  Dec.  23 

Greiman,  Lillian  R  ,May.  87, 
New  Oxford,  Pa.,  Dec.  18 

Grim,  Naomi  A.  Smeltzer,  80. 
Red  Lion,  Pa..  Dec.  18 

Grimes,  Eden  Hallie,  69, 
Bealeton,  Va.,  Dec.  31 

Grimm,  Grace,  92,  Boones- 
boro.  Md.,  April  28,  1997 

Grogg,  Lucille  M.  ,  60, 
Hinton.  Va..  Nov.  5 

Guilliams,  Minnie,  86,  Call- 
away, Va.,  Nov.  3 

Halt,  Gary,  44,  Manchester. 
Mo..  Sept.  8 

Harper,  Hazel.  76,  Seneca 
Rocks.  WVa..  Nov.  26 

Harris,  John  W.,  83,  Roanoke. 
Va.,  Dec.  20 

Hartman,  Robert  N.,  65,  Red 
Lion.  Pa..  Jan.  9 

Hartman,  Kenneth,  84, 
Wooster,  Ohio,  Jan.  27 

Heatwole,  Herman  Wilbur, 
83.  Hinton,  Va..  Nov.  7 

Heavner,  Helen  L.,  56, 

Moorefield,  W.  Va..  Nov.  23 

Heinzman,  Meredith,  78,  Arca- 
dia. Ind..  Sept.  25 

Helmick,  Erma  Lee,  65, 
Baker,  W.  Va.,  Oct.  27 

Hershey,  Nelson.  75,  Man- 
helm.  Pa..  Dec.  31 

Hess,  Harold.  87,  Fori  Wayne, 
Ind..  Dec.  26 

Hickernell,  Emma.  66, 
Ephrata,  Pa..  July  26 

Holderread,  Othel  O..  80. 
Walkerton.  Ind.,  Dec.  22 

Holloway,  Fern,  88,  Pitts- 
burgh. Pa..  Feb.  2 

Honeyman,  Noel,  Laura. 
Ohio,  Feb.  1 

Hoover,  Benjamin  Ernest,  71. 


Harrisonburg,  Va.,  Dec.  3 
Hummer,  John,  94,  Lancaster, 

Pa.,  Oct.  16 
Hunt,  Levauda,  94.  Lima, 

Ohio,  Jan.  17 
Hunt,  Levauda,  94,  Chippewa 

Lake,  Ohio,  Jan.  23 
lagger,  Harry,  94,  Columbia 

City,  Ind.,  Nov.  2,  1995 
(ones.  Vena  Alice,  91,  Hilltop. 

W.  Va..  Feb.  5 
Lantz,  Ona  Murl,  81,  Broad- 
way, Va..  Nov.  2 
Lantz,  Lois  Katherine 

Lineweaver.  59,  Broadway, 

Va..  Ian.  12 
Laughman,  Peggy  A.  Riley 

Bechtel,  47,  Hanover,  Pa. 
Leatherman,  Lee,  53,  Cham- 

bersburg.  Pa.,  Jan.  28 
Leonard,  Willard  B.,  59,  Cam- 
bridge City.  Ind.,  Dec.  14, 

1995 
Lewis,  Dorothy.  77.  Lewiston. 

Minn..  Jan.  1  1 
Likens,  Milla  A..  95,  Mt. 

Storm.  W.Va.,  Nov.  14 
Lineweaver,  Violet.  78. 

Bridgewater.  Va..  Dec.  16 
Link,  Samuel  D.,  89,  Baker, 

W.Va..  Nov.  13 
Loan,  Mary  Margaret.  55. 

Harrisonburg.  Va..  Nov.  12 
Longenecker,  Grace,  81.  Lan- 
caster. Pa..  Sept.  22 
Looney,  Clenna,  79.  McPher- 

son.  Kan.,  Nov.  18 
Lum,  Alice,  88.  Williamsport. 

Md..  Feb.  10,  1997 
Lynn,  George,  79,  Hagers- 
town, Md..  March  21.  1997 
Mahoney,  Daniel,  86,  La 

Verne.  Calif..  Jan.  8 
Marks,  Elva,  92.  Manheim, 

Pa..  Nov.  28 
McCauley,  Catherine,  86. 

Williamsport,  Md.. 

Feb.  20,  1997 
MeCausIin,  Martha  E..  81. 

Dillsburg,  Pa..  Dec.  26 
McGunigill,  Mina.  76, 

Warsaw,  Ind..  Nov.  14 
McKimmy,  Howard,  67. 

Beaverton.  Mich.,  Feb.  7 
Merrifield,  Daniel,  91.  Cham- 
paign. 111..  Ian.  19 
Merriman,  Sam.  87.  Bassett. 

Va.,  Feb.  1 1 
Metzger,  Ethel  I..  73.  Mechan- 

icsburg.  Pa.,  Jan.  26 
Miller,  Hazel  Bolt.  84. 

Roanoke,  Va.,  July  13,  1997 
Miller,  Roger,  Laura,  Ohio, 

Feb.  2 
Miller,  Dewitt,  88,  Williamsport, 

Md..  May  21,  1997 
Miller.  Roy  A..  79.  East  Berlin. 

Pa..  Dec.  29 
Miller,  Marion  "Mike",  56, 

Nokesville,  Va.,  Feb.  26, 

1997 


Miller,  Dorothy,  57,  Grottoes, 
Va.,  Nov.  25 

Mitchell,  Harold,  47,  Bridge- 
water,  Va.,  Sept.  21 

Mitchell,  Myrtle  Belle,  79,  N. 
Manchester,  Ind..  Oct.  24 

Moncrief,  Carrie.  71.  Prince 
of  Peace  CoB,  Kettering, 
Ohio,  Oct.  21 

Morris,  Goldie  Miller.  79. 
Harrisonburg.  Va..  Oct.  24 

Mowere,  Adele.  87.  Honey 
Brook.  Pa..  July  12 

Mundy,  Eva  Wampler,  81, 
Bridgewater,  Va..  Dec.  9 

Myers,  Estella  E.,  84.  Gettys- 
burg. Pa.,  Jan.  3 

Nedrow,  George.  81,  Donegal, 
Pa.,  Sept.  30 

Neikirk,  Mary,  96,  Hockessin. 
Del..  Feb.  6,  1997 

Nolen,  Gladys,  87.  Bassett. 
Va.,  Dec.  22 

Oyler,  Ursel.  84.  Flora.  Ind., 
Nov.  20 

Patterson,  John,  81.  Martins- 
burg.  Pa..  Dec.  22 

Pendleton,  Nellie  Boyd,  87. 
Bassett.  Va..  Dec.  27 

Petry,  Velma.  83.  New 
Lebanon,  Ohio,  Feb.  7 

Phillips,  Gladys  lane.  80, 
Harrisonburg.  Va..  Dec.  6 

Piatt,  Marie,  77,  Berlin,  Pa.. 
Oct.  20 

Prillaman,  Vivian,  82,  Stan- 
dardsville.  Va..  Dec.  8 

Privette,  James  Monroe,  69, 
Bassett,  Va..  Jan.  1 

Ravegum,  Roberta,  52, 
Ephrata.  Pa..  Dec.  4 

Reeder,  Donald.  64.  Boones- 
boro.  Md..  May  1 

Reichert,  Lucille.  80.  Tipp 
City.  Ohio.  Jan.  23 

Remsburg,  Percy,  96,  Akron. 
Ohio.  Jan.  16 

Rhodamer,  Frances,  64,  Som- 
erset. Pa.,  Jan.  30 

Riggleman,  Leonard  E..  59. 
Harrisonburg,  Va.,  July  26 

Ross,  Pearl,  97.  Butler,  Ohio. 
Ian.  9 

Russell,  Donald,  73.  Hagers- 
town. Md..  luly  1 

Sanders,  Richard,  67.  St. 
Charles.  Minn.,  Sept.  1 

Savvyer,  Florence.  83,  King- 
man, Kan..  Jan.  22 

Schnee,  Edgar,  73,  Spring- 
field. Ore..  May  11,  1996 

Seitsinger,  Earl  R..  83.  South 
English.  Iowa.  Oct.  10 

Shafer,  Hannah  O.,  86,  Get- 
tysburg, Pa..  Jan.  19 

Sheets,  George,  100,  Nappa- 
nee.  Ind..  Dec.  16 

Shugar,  Mabel.  83.  Marquette. 
Kan..  Ian.  16 

Shull,  Grace.  77.  Bridgewater. 
Va.,  Dec.  22 


Silvis,  Gladys,  71,  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant. Pa.,  July  25 

Sines,  David  E.,  81,  Colonial 
Beach.  Va.,  Dec.  18 

Singley,  Electa  F..  98.  Gettys- 
burg. Pa.,  Ian.  24 

Sisson,  Frances.  77,  Melcroft, 
Pa..  June  17 

Smith,  Sterling,  75.  Schaeffers- 
town.  Pa..  May  31 

Smith,  Edna,  98.  Frederick, 
Pa.,  luly  2 

Snider,  Treva,  92.  Wakarusa. 
Ind.,  Sept.  28 

Stamback,  Ada  P.  87. 
Roanoke.  Va..  |an.  15 

Stambaugh,  Leona.  78. 
Hanover.  Pa.,  Sept.  1  1 

Stillman,  Albert,  |r..  55. 
Phoenixville.  Pa..  luly  9 

Stone,  Laura  E.,  88,  Stanley- 
town,  Va.,  Nov.  29 

Strickler,  Grace  E..  78.  Eliza- 
bethtown.  Pa.,  Dec.  31 

Sludebaker,  Frances,  74, 
Springfield,  Ohio,  Nov.  6 

Sweigart,  Robert  A..  87.  York, 
Pa.,  Dec.  20 

Swiridow,  Dorothy,  64.  Mid- 
dletown. Va.,  Nov.  4 

Tannreuther,  Orville,  99, 
Waterloo.  Iowa.  Dec.  1  7 

Thompson,  Edith,  86. 
Greenville.  Ohio.  Ian.  21 

Utterback,  Richard  E.  Ir..  39, 
Midland.  Va.,  Ian.  23 

Walter,  Dorothy  M.,  95,  Man- 
chester, N.  H.,  Dec.  27 

Walters,  Lillian,  85,  Mechan- 
icsburg.  Pa.,  Feb.  14 

Walters,  Leo,  87,  Liberty 
Mills.  Ind..  Nov.  12 

Wastler,  Carrie  E..  88.  Thur- 
niont.  Md..  Dec.  9 

Weddle,  Bertha.  91.  Girard. 
111..  Dec.  20 

Whipple,  Lee.  83.  Yoncalla. 
Ore..  Oct.  7 

White,  Lucy.  77,  Prince  of 
Peace  CoB.  Kettering.  Ohio, 
Feb.  28 

White,  Gilbert,  95.  Melcroft, 
Pa..  Oct.  16 

Williams,  Sandra.  55.  Defi- 
ance. Ohio,  April  14,  1997 

Winchester,  lesse,  70,  New 
Castle.  Ind.,  August  24,  1995 

Wolf,  Charles  E..  Sr.,  80.  York 
County,  Pa.,  Ian.  30 

Wood,  Mattie.  86,  Fredericks- 
burg, Va..  Oct.  27 

Wright,  Nettie.  100.  Utica. 
Minn.,  Dec.  I  1 

Ziegler,  Reba.  50.  Manheim. 
Pa.,  Dec.  30 

Zimmerman,  Samuel  Warren, 
Dixon,  111.,  Ian.  14 

Zittle,  Betty.  59,  Hagerstown, 
Md.,  Oct.  26 

Zumbrun,  Ray.  40.  Columbia 
City.  Ind..  Aug.  12 


April  1998  Messenger  31 


When  Jesus  comes  to  the  New  Sudan 


•  •  •  • 


As  night  settled  on  our  compound  in  Narus,  Sudan,  I  got 

/%    deep  into  a  spiritual  funk  over  what  God  was  doing  here 
JL   ^  and  what  role  God  had  for  me  in  it.  It  had  been  a  long  day 
of  listening  to  Sudanese  women  and  men  describe  the  hardships 
of  war,  the  sorrow  of  being  displaced  from  their  homes,  the  con- 
flicts that  arise  from  the  lack  of  necessities  like  firewood.  1  cannot 
comprehend  that  a  million  people  have  died 
here  from  fighting  and  famine  during  1 5  years 
of  war.  The  people  in  southern  Sudan  have 
great  faith  in  Jesus,  who  they  trust  will  deliver 
them  and  bring  peace  to  their  villages.  As  they 
try  to  feed  their  children  and  reunite  their  scat- 
tered families,  hope  stays  alive.  I  am  inspired      huck  SCUt,  I  dcCldcd 
by  their  faith  but  daunted  by  their  suffering.  ^  , 

What  am  I  to  do  about  it?  Why  am  I  here?  tO  Ict  J  CSUS  UYl  /2  P" 
Surely  there  is  a  deep  spiritual  message  in  the 
pain  and  evil  surrounding  us.  As  our  travel 
group  sat  in  the  gathering  darkness  that  evening 
in  late  January,  a  noisy  gasoline-powered  gen- 
erator made  conversation  difficult  while  it 
powered  electric  lights  enjoyed  only  by  insects. 
I  wanted  to  talk  over  God's  larger  message.  But 
my  colleagues  wanted  to  talk  about  the  lists  that 
they  had  made.  Lists!  Lists  of  projects  for 
churches  to  do.  Lists  of  ways  we  could  help. 
Isn't  this  just  like  North  Americans,  I  thought,  •  •  • 

to  come  up  with  ways  to  fix  things  before  we 
even  fully  understand  the  problems?  Aren't  we  just  trying  to 
hand  out  Band-aids  to  make  ourselves  feel  better?  Projects 
seem  so  trivial  in  the  midst  of  war.  Wait  a  minute  before  we 
go  fixing,  I  pleaded.  "Shouldn't  we  pray  about  this  first?" 
My  friends  said  they  knew  where  1  was  coming  from,  that  I 
was  saying  the  heart  has  to  be  right  before  the  head  takes 
over,  and  that  they  were  taking  our  hearts  for  granted,  and, 

oh  yes,  about  these  projects I  concluded  they  were  on  a 

head  trip,  I  was  on  a  heart  trip,  and  both  sides  of  this  discus- 
sion were  on  an  ego  trip.  The  more  I  talked,  the  more 
offensive  I  became,  and  nothing  was  resolved.  I  went  to  bed. 

From  my  cot  in  that  tent  God  soon  came  and  took  me  in  a 
dream  to  the  New  Sudan.  New  Sudan  is  what  the  people  call  the 
land  of  their  postwar  hopes.  It  is  what  youngsters  go  to  school 
for  now,  to  train  for  their  role  in  the  New  Sudan.  Each  act  of 
peace  and  reconciliation  in  the  refugee  camps  now  is  under- 
stood as  helping  to  build  the  New  Sudan.  I  was  getting  a 
preview  tour.  As  though  flying  in  a  silent  helicopter,  I  saw  happy 
families  working  in  fields  under  glorious  sunshine.  People  were 
in  their  own  homes.  The  men  had  come  back.  The  fields  were 
no  longer  barren  with  scrub  trees,  as  we  had  been  used  to 


Bumping  and 
rolling  in  that 


peace  to  Sudani. 

He  would  stop 

the  dying  and 

return  people 

to  their  hofnes. 


seeing,  but  growing  what  looked  to  me  like  Illinois  soybeans. 

I  awoke  refreshed  and  apologetic  for  my  contrariness  of  last 
night.  Lists  no  longer  seemed  wrong  or  trivial.  That  day  we  lis- 
tened to  more  church  committees  describe  their  activities  and 
their  needs.  One  young  chaplain,  sensing  that  his  American  visi- 
tors might  become  overwhelmed  by  the  size  of  the  peacemaking 
task,  retold  the  old  story  of  the  thousands  of 
fish  that  had  washed  up  on  on  a  riverbank.  A 
man  went  by  throwing  one  by  one  back  into 
the  water  before  it  died.  He  was  confronted 
with  the  fact  there  were  so  many  floundering 
fish;  how  could  his  meager  efforts  possibly 
make  a  difference?  "Each  time  I  throw  one 
back  it  makes  a  difference  to  that  fish,"  he  said. 
Later  on  that  day  somebody  quoted  Mother 
Teresa;  "We  cannot  do  great  things  for  God. 
We  can  do  only  small  things  with  great  love." 
Projects  for  peace  began  to  sound  better  to  me. 
"Soon  and  very  soon,  I'm  going  to  see  the 
king...."  Each  time  we  packed  ourselves  into 
the  Land  Rover  to  travel  over  treacherous 
roads  to  the  next  Sudanese  village,  our  skill- 
ful but  crazy  driver  Augustine  would  plug  in 
this  tape.  "No  more  dying  here,  I'm  going  to 
see  the  king. . . ."  Bumping  and  rolling  in  that 
9  %  m  back  seat,  I  decided  to  let  [esus  bring  peace 

to  Sudan.  He  would  stop  the  dying  and 
return  people  to  their  homes.  I'd  let  the  Lord  plant  the  soy- 
beans, if  that's  what  they  were.  My  part  would  be  to  embrace 
lists  and  projects  and  throw  fish  back  one  by  one.  The  important 
thing  for  our  church  is  not  to  succeed  here,  but  to  be  here. 
Whatever  we  do  for  peace  in  Sudan,  if  it's  done  with  great  love, 
won't  be  wrong.  The  risk  is  that  we  will  stay  home  and  argue 
about  mission  philosophy.  The  important  thing  is  to  be  here 
with  these  people  when  peace  comes.  When  Jesus  comes. 

Peace  may  be  near.  There  are  formal  talks  scheduled  for 
this  spring  between  the  government  of  Sudan  and  the  main 
rebel  group.  We  were  told  there  are  many  behind-the-scenes 
peace  initiatives  being  undertaken  now.  Soon  after  we  got 
back  home  a  New  York  Times  article  described  hopeful  moves 
in  Khartoum  that  could  relax  Islamic  rule  and  allow  greater 
political  freedom  for  Sudan. 

Our  group  wasn't  much  for  singing,  but  once  on  a  trip  in 
the  Land  Rover  we  got  Augustine  to  eject  his  tape  and  we 
tried:  "Freedom!  Freedom  is  coming!  Freedom  is  coming,  oh 
yes,  I  know."  We  weren't  very  good  but  we  were  sincere. 


1 


Over  the  ruts  we  let  it  rip: 
coming,  oh  yes,  I  know."— 


'Jesus!  Jesus  is  coming!  Jesus  is 
-Fletcher  Farrar 


32  Messenger  April  1998 


ABC 


Service 

to  the 

Denommation 


Association  of  Brethren  Caregivers 

1451  Dundee  Ave,  Elgin,  IL  60120 

(847)  742-5100,  fax  (847)  742-5160,  e-mail  abc@brethren.org 


Brethren  Chaplains  Network  pro- 
vides networking  opportunities  for  chaplains 
and  others  in  special  ministries  within  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren. 

Church  and  Persons  with 
Disabilities  Network  facilitates  barrier- 
free  participation  of  individuals  with  disabilities 
in  the  life  and  programs  of  local  congregations 
and  other  church  agencies. 

Denominational  Deacon  Ministry 

develops  and  promotes  resources  to  equip  dea- 
cons to  carry  out  their  ministries  in  congrega- 
tion. A  new  resource  for  deacons,  Deacon 
Manual  for  Caring  Ministries,  will  be  available 
in  late  spring. 

Fellowship  of  Brethren  Homes  iden- 
tifies, promotes  and  supports  the  work  of 
Brethren  retirement  communities  as  an  important 
mission  and  ministry  of  the  denomination. 

Health  Education  and  Research 
Ministry  encourages  consideration  of  health 
ministries  as  an  attractive  career  option  and 
increases  awareness  of  available  funding  support 
for  Individuals  preparing  for  health  ministries. 

Laf  iya:  A  Whole-Person  Health 
Ministry  supports  wellness  and  wholeness 
within  the  local  congregations  and  other  church 
agencies. 

Older  Adult  Ministry  develops  resources 
and  leadership  that  enables  Church 
of  the  Brethren  older  adults  to  enjoy  full  and 
creative  lives.  The  fourth  National  Older  Adult 
Conference  (NOAC  98),  a  special  conference 
for  adults  50  or  older,  will  be  held  August  31  - 
September  5,  1998,  at  Lake  Junaluska,  N.C. 

VOICE  (Valuing  Openness,  Inclusiveness  and 
Caring  for  Everyone  Ministry)  addresses  concerns 
within  the  denomination  regarding  addictions, 
HIV/AIDS  and  mental  health. 

Watch  for  more  information  about  a  new 
ministry  program  that  focuses 

on  family  issues. 

For  more  information  about  ABC  and  its  many 
ministry  groups,  please  call  (800)  323  -8039 
and  mention  this  Messenger  ad. 


# 


PLANT   BY   PLANT 

LIFE  BY  LIFE 

Food  for  a  family  on  the  run,  seeds  and  tools 
for  a  community  on  the  edge.  Education  to 
give  a  child  a  brighter  future.  Nurturing 
peace  to  give  ail  these 
a  chance  to  thrive. 
Working  together  in 
the  name  and  spirit 
of  Christ,  we  sow 
seeds  of  life  and 
hope  for  neighbors 
around  the  world,  trust- 
ing God  for  a  bountiful  harvest.  All  part  of 
the  partnership  we  call  the  Global  Food  Cri- 
sis Fund.  All  part  of  what  it  takes  to  prepare 
the  soil  for  a  more  promising  tomorrow. 

Global  Food  Crisis  Fund 


Followers  of  the  Way 


Photos  by  leff  Leard 


Whatever  your  wal}{  in  life,  maybe  it's  time  for  you  to  consider  God's  call  to 


For  information  on  calling  or  training  for  ministry,  contact  your  pastor  or  district  executive  or  iprite  or  call  Ministry 
Office,  Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board,  1451  Dundee  Ave.,  Elgin,  IL  60123  (800  323-8039,  ext.  208). 


On  the  cover: 
Cover  photo  is 
of  Grace  Zoaka, 
active  in  the  EYN  church 
in  Jos,  Nigeria.  The  photo- 
graph is  by  Glenn  Mitchell, 
pastor  of  University  Baptist 
and  Brethren  Church  in 
State  College,  Pa.  Mitchell 
spent  seven  months  in 
Nigeria  as  an  exchange 
pastor  beginning  in 
November  1996. 

10 


10 


16 


Departments 


2 

From  the  Publisher 

3 

In  Touch 

6 

News 

26 

Letters 

30 

Turning  Points 

32 

Editorial 

Editor:  Fletcher  Farrar 
News:  Nevin  Dulabaum 
Subscriptions:  Vicki  Roche 
Publisher:  Wendy  McFadden 
Designer:  Marianne  Sackett 


Features 

EYN's  Diamond  Jubilee 

In  1923  the  first  Brethren  worship  service 
in  Nigeria  was  held  under  a  tamarind  tree. 
On  March  1  7  that  same  tree  saw  thou- 
sands of  members  of  the  thriving  EYN 
church  and  a  large  delegation  of  Brethren 
from  the  US  come  back  to  the  spot  to  cele- 
brate 75  years  of  partnership. 

Taking  the  chill  off  Belfast 

Brethren  Volunteer  Service  workers  are 
contributing  to  the  cause  of  peace  in 
Northern  Ireland  by  working  in  a  family 
support  center  and  managing  youth  activ- 
ity programs,  [eff  Leard,  photographer  and 
writer,  stopped  off  to  see  them  on  the  way 
home  from  his  own  BVS  assignment,  and 
filed  this  report. 

Beans  and  rice  and  Jesus  Christ 

)oel  Ulrich  was  in  culture  shock  when  he 
began  his  Ministry  Summer  Service 
assignment  in  East  Los  Angeles  last  year. 
From  pastor  Gilbert  Romero,  the  Bella 
Vista  Church  of  the  Brethren,  and  recover- 
ing drug  addicts,  he  gained  new 
appreciation  for  the  life-changing  power  of 
the  gospel. 

Holy  Impatience 

A  review  of  William  Sloane  Coffin's  book/l 
Passion  for  the  Possible  gives  Brethren  a 
preview  of  what  may  be  in  store  when  the 
activist  pastor  preaches  on  Friday  night  of 
Annual  Conference. 


24     More-or-less  faith 

"You  and  I  know  who  doubting  Thomas 
is,"  writes  Brethren  pastor  Kenneth 
Gibble.  "Thomas  is  ourselves."  He  advises 
readers  to  consider  the  important  role 
doubt  has  to  play  in  their  spiritual  lives. 


20 


23 


May  1998  Messenger  1 


T 

I  n  a  recent  speech  to  Protestant  publishers,  Auburn  Seminary  president 

J_  Barbara  Wheeler  outlined  a  gloomy  context  for  organized  rehgion.  While 
she  was  speaking  about  "customers  in  a  new  century,"  her  analysis  is  worth  con- 
sideration by  anyone  interested  in  fostering  discipleship  within  the  church. 

She  identified  five  trends  facing  the  church  today:  1 )  We  have  become  a 
nation  of  switchers,  and  most  switchers  don't  care  about  denominations.  2) 
Local  programs  are  more  trusted  than  faraway  programs.  The  unofficial  orga- 
nization is  more  trustworthy  than  the  official  one.  3)  Any  organization  that 
chooses  to  respond — for  whatever  motive — is  more  trusted  than  the  ones  that 
are  supposed  to  respond.  4)  There  is  a  trend  away  from  organized  religious 
activity.  5)  Nevertheless,  90  percent  of  the  population  claims  a  belief  in  God. 

In  this  climate,  we  do  not  have  customers  (meaning  those  who  customarily 
trust  and  buy  from  their  denominations),  said  Wheeler.  They're  just  passen- 
gers, traveling  through.  "The  time  is  surely  coming,  says  the  Lord  God,  when 
I  will  send  a  famine  on  the  land;  not  a  famine  of  bread,  or  a  thirst  for  water, 
but  of  hearing  the  words  of  the  Lord.  .  .  .  they  shall  run  to  and  fro,  seeking  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  but  they  shall  not  find  it"  (Amos  8:11-12). 

Fortunately,  Wheeler  didn't  stop  with  the  diagnosis.  She  offered  a  prescrip- 
tion: We  must  expand  the  definition  of  what  it  means  to  publish.  Our 
materials  must  create  new  patterns  of  use,  because  the  old  forms  of  use  are 
breaking  down:  Every- Sunday  participation  is  down.  Membership  is  down. 
Family  devotions  and  home  Bible  study  are  going  out  of  style. 

"Gone  are  the  patterns  of  life  that  formed  customers.  If  we  want  people  to 
be  hungry  again,  those  publications  themselves  have  to  teach  people  how  to 
use  them,"  said  Wheeler.  In  an  artful  juxtaposition  with  the  Amos  passage, 
she  cited  Deuteronomy  30:1 1-14:  "The  word  is  very  near  to  you;  it  is  in  your 
mouth  and  in  your  heart  for  you  to  observe." 

While  I  don't  normally  like  to  use  "customer"  in  relation  to  the  church,  the 
term  works  if  by  it  we  mean  those  who  trust  and  value  their  church  commu- 
nity. In  a  loving  endorsement  of  the  institutional  church,  Wheeler  described 
religious  traditions  "at  their  best"  as  "a  record  of  what  human  beings  have 
learned  over  time  as  they  strive  to  be  faithful  to  God.  What  we  have  learned  is 
something  of  what  God  is  like." 

In  other  words,  there's  wisdom  in  the  gathered  community  that's  bigger 
than  that  relationship  each  of  us  has  personally  with  God.  That  sounds  very 
Brethren. 

Wheeler  reminded  her  listeners  that  the  Christian  publishing  movement 
began  not  to  respond  to  a  market,  but  to  create  disciples.  These  early  publish- 
ing enterprises  found  themselves  with  customers  who  wanted  more.  "Making 
customers  is  our  vocation,"  Wheeler  concluded.  "It  is  a  very  high  calling." 

The  goal  of  a  denominational  publishing  house  is  not  to  sell;  it  is  to  nurture 
discipleship.  The  goal  of  a  church  is  not  to  create  the  best  program  to  attract 
today's  "passenger";  it  is  to  form  disciples  by  seeking  the  word  of  God  together. 

2  Messenger  May  1998 


How  to  reach  us 

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To  view  the  official  Church  of 
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Messenger  is  the  official  publication  of  tiie  Cliurcli 
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paid  at  Elgin,  III,,  and  at  additional  mailing  office, 
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® 


Printed  on  recycled  paper 


Ill 


rr 


Putting  cattle  in  cans 


About  200  volunteers  processed  26,974  cans  of  beef  last  month  in  Ephrata,  Pa.,  to  help 
combat  hunger  in  Pennsylvania  and  abroad.  The  volunteers  were  from  Church  of  the 
Brethren  congregations  in  Mid-Atlantic  and  Southern  Pennsylvania  districts.  This  was 
the  districts'  18th  annual  meat  canning  project,  and  it  processed  50,000  pounds  of  beef, 
said  Georgia  Markey,  associate  executive  of  Southern  Pennsylvania  District.  This  year  50 
percent  of  the  beef  will  be  sent  abroad  to  yet-to-be-determined  locations  while  the 
remaining  meat  will  be  distributed  between  the  two  districts.  Keeping  half  of  the  meat 
locally  "will  address  some  of  the  concerns  we  have  here  in  our  own  area,"  Markey  said. 
— Nevin  Dulabaum 


The  choir  chosen  for  the 

commercial  included  three 

Church  of  the  Brethren 

members. 


Harmonyville  church 
sings  praises  of  yogurt 

If  you're  watching  televi- 
sion sometime  this  year  and 
a  Colombo  Yogurt  commer- 
cial comes  in,  take  a  quick 
look — a  quick  look  is  all 
you'll  get — to  see  three 
Church  of  the  Brethren 
members  singing  praises 
for  the  foodstuff  in  front  of 
Harmonyville  Church  of  the 


Brethren,  in  southeastern 
Pennsylvania. 

How  did  this  country 
church  with  about  50 
weekly  attendees  draw  the 
attention  of  a  Chicago 
advertising  agency  that  was 
hired  to  produce  the 
Columbo  commercial?  It 
was  all  in  the  name. 

DDNeedham  was  looking 
for  three  examples  of  rural 


America,  examples  with 
unique  names.  In  addition 
to  Harmonyville,  it  settled 
on  Hurricane,  Utah,  and 
Grapevine,  Texas. 

Pastor  lohn  KoUe  received 
a  call  on  Feb.  25  from  a  rep- 
resentative of  Crash  Films 
out  of  California,  the  com- 
pany hired  to  produce  the 
commercial. 

Those  who  auditioned  had 


Mav  1998  Messenger  3 


Ill 


Film  crews  from  Crash  Films 

of  Santa  Monica.  Calif,  set 

up  light  diffuser  panels 

outside  the  Harmonyville 

(Pa.)  Church  of  the 

Brethren. 


(continued  from  page  3) 

to  take  a  spoonful  of  imagi- 
nary yogurt  and  pretend  to 
enjoy  it.  After  that,  audi- 
tioners  were  placed  into 
groups  of  four  to  form 
imaginary  choruses  that 
sang,  "Oh  Colombo,  Oh 
Colombo."  to  the  tune  of 
Handel's  Hallelujah  Chorus. 

From  the  76  who  audi- 
tioned, 8  area  residents 
were  selected,  among  them 
5  Church  of  the  Brethren 
members —  Dorothy  Pusey 

They've  been  making  music  for  generations 

Mildred  Swinger,  84,  doesn't  know  how  long  she's  been 
playing  the  piano  at  Broadwater  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Essex,  Mo.,  but  she  started  not  long  after  she  became  a 
member  there  at  age  1  1 .  She  knows  her  daughter,  Eliza- 
beth Petty,  has  been  playing  the  organ  there  for  the  past 
40  years,  and  her  granddaughter,  Marie  Petty,  has  been 
songleader  for  quite  a  few  years  too.  The  three  genera- 
tions handle  music  responsibilities  for  the  small 
congregation  nearly  every  Sunday. 


and  Deana  Deichert,  who 
attend  the  Harmonyville 
congregation,  and  Robert 
Bedi,  a  member  of  Coventry 
Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
Pottstown. 

Technicians  began  arriv- 
ing at  the  Harmonyville 
church  on  March  4  at  5:50 
a.m.  The  singing  took  place 
just  outside  the  front  door. 
An  hour  lunch  break  was 
taken,  and  the  filming  was 
finished  by  5  p.m.  The 

Ministry  of  music 


church  received  a  few 
refinements  in  the  process 
—  a  quick  paint  job  to  its 
front  facade;  a  new  cross      | 
that  was  placed  above  the 
vestibule;  a  church  sign  that 
was  placed  across  the  road; 
and  magnolia  blossoms  and 
shrubbery  to  make  it  look 
more  like  spring.  The  blos- 
soms and  the  shrubs  were 
removed  once  the  filming 
had  concluded. 
— Nevin  Dulabaum 


Marie  Dulabaum  MuUins  has  played  the  piano  or  the 
organ  in  the  churches  she  has  attended  for  the  past  sixty- 
five  years.  She  started  playing  the  piano  at  East 
Nimishillen  Church  of  the  Brethren,  North  Canton,  Ohio, 
when  she  was  14  years  old,  and  began  playing  the  organ 
after  the  church  purchased  its  first  one  in  1954.  She 
moved  to  Arizona  and  attended  First  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Phoenix,  in  1961.  She  was  asked  to  play  the 
organ  or  piano  and  has  been  playing  ever  since.  "1  am  glad 
to  serve  the  Lord  with  music."  she  says. 


Musical  Family.  Mildred  Swinger,  left,  her  daughter 
Elizabeth  Petty,  center,  and  grandaughter  Marie  Petty. 


Marie  Mullins  "serving  the  Lord. 


4  Messenger  May  1998 


lemembered 

—Merle  T.  Seehorn  died 
eb.  5  at  the  Bridgewater 
Retirement  Community, 
bridgewater,  Va.  She  was 
104.  She  was  a  member  of 
he  Bridgewater  Church  of 
he  Brethren.  Her  hus- 
band, the  Rev.  ].  Elmer 
peehorn.  died  in  1974. 

— Grace  Douglas  died 
an.  31  at  the  age  of  1 03  in 
iloanoke,  Va.  She  was  a 
:harter  member  of  Central 
rhurch  of  the  Brethren, 
ioanoke. 

—Lena  Norford,  100,  of 
Stuarts  Draft,  Va.,  died 
eb.  26. In  1925  she 
noved  to  Washington, 
3.C.,  where  she  lived  for 
)9  years  and  was  an  active 
nember  of  the  Washington 
Tity  Church  of  the 
kethren.  In  1964  she 


moved  to  Verona,  Va.,  and 
was  a  member  of  Middle 
River  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  New  Hope. 

— Cleo  Margarette  Wag- 
oner. 92.  died  |an.  10  at 
the  Morrisons  Cove  Home 
in  Martinsburg,  Pa.  Raised 
in  Ohio,  in  1925  she 
moved  to  Chicago,  where 
she  worked  with  her  hus- 
band, Floyd,  in  the 
Wagoner  Realty  firm.  For 
many  years  they  took  an 
active  role  in  First  Church 
of  the  Brethren,  Chicago, 
and  shared  their  faith  with 
people  of  the  East  Garfield 
Park  neighborhood. 

— Pearl  Ross,  97,  of 
Butler,  Ohio,  died  Jan.  9  at 
the  age  of  97.  In  1918  she 
received  a  normal  degree 
from  Manchester  College 
and  was  a  schoolteacher 
for  55  years.  She  had  been 


ebecca  Klingler,  who  now  lives  in  Los  Angeles,  gets  back 
home"  to  North  Manchester.  IncL.  at  least  twice  a  year. 


a  member  of  North  Bend 
Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Danville,  Ohio,  since 
1912. 

— lames  W.  Coffey,  |r., 
72,  died  Feb.  9  at  his  home 
in  Weyers  Cave,  Va.  In 
1947  he  signed  with  the 
New  York  Yankees  and 
played  professional  base- 
ball before  returning  to 
Virginia  where  he  played 
for  a  local  league.  He  was 
co-founder  of  Staunton 
Foods,  Inc.,  and  active  in 
business  until  his  retire- 
ment in  1997.  He  was  a 
member  of  Summit 
Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Bridgewater,  Va.,  where  he 
taught  Sunday  school. 

— Lera  B.  Jarrels,  86. 
died  Dec.  51  in  an  auto- 
mobile accident  near  her 
home  in  Port  Republic,  Va. 
She  was  a  member  of  Mill 


Actress's  star  rises 
as  Titanic  sinks 

It  will  all  be  over  soon," 
says  the  mother  as  she 
holds  her  frightened  child, 
just  before  the  Titanic  sinks 
into  the  sea.  "It  will  all  be 
over  soon."  The  doomed 
mother  is  played  in  the 
blockbuster  movie  by 
Rebecca  KJingler,  who  grew 
up  in  the  Manchester 
Church  of  the  Brethren, 
North  Manchester,  Ind., 
and  attended  Manchester 
College.  Her  father, 
Charles  KJingler.  was  a 
longtime  professor  of  Eng- 
lish at  Manchester  College 
before  he  retired. 

IsJingler's  few  seconds  on 
the  screen  take  place  about 
3  hours  into  the  movie. 


Creek  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Port  Republic, 
Va.,  where  she  had  played 
piano  and  organ  for  70 
years.  She  had  been  sched- 
uled to  play  for  the  last 
time  the  Sunday  following 
her  death. 

— Zola  Meyers 
Detweiler,  94,  died  )an.  12 
in  Bridgewater,  Va.  She 
graduated  from  luniata 
College  and  served  with  her 
husband,  the  late  Rev. 
George  Detweiler,  for  44 
years  in  the  ministry  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren. 
Their  ministry  included  a 
congregation  in  Indianapo- 
lis, Ind.,  and  numerous 
congregations  in  Pennsylva- 
nia, including  Salisbury. 
Beachdale,  Garrett,  Mey- 
ersdale,  [uniata  College, 
Waynesboro,  Somerset,  and 
Greencastle. 


about  1 5  minutes  before  the 
end.  To  prepare  for  the 
scene  took  "a  lifetime  of 
training,"  she  says,  and 
about  5  months  waiting  on 
location  during  the  filming 
at  Rosarito,  Mexico,  before 
her  two  days  of  filming. 
Klingler  filmed  a  death 
scene  for  the  movie  but  it 
was  cut  because  it  was  "too 
horrific,"  she  was  told.  She 
also  makes  an  appearance 
as  an  office  clerk  in  L.A. 
Confidential. 


"In  Touch" profiles  Brethren 
we  would  like  you  to  meet.  Send 
story  ideas  and  photos  to  "In 
Touch."  MESSE^CfiR.  1451 
Dundee  Ave..  Elgin.  IL  60120. 

May  1998  Messenger  5 


N 


ABC  continues  innovations 
and  organizational  change 

The  structure  and  composition  of  the 
Association  of  Brethren  Caregivers' 
(ABC)  new  Family  Life  Steering 
Committee  was  approved  in  March  by 
the  ABC  board.  This  new  ministry 
group  will  include  Carolyn  Arthur, 
Richmond,  Va.;  Sharon  Burner, 
Elgin,  111.;  Carl  Graver,  Holtwood, 


ABC  board  chair  Bob  Cain,  left,  with 
Annual  Conference  director  Duane 
Steiner  and  Annual  Conference 
moderator  Elaine  Sollenberger 
Discussions  are  under  way  regarding 
formal  recognition  of  ABC  by  Annual 
Conference. 


Pa.;  Deb  and  John  Lahman,  Glendale, 
Ariz.;  Don  and  loyce  jordon,  Ft. 
Wayne,  Ind.,  and  ludy  Myers -Walls, 
West  Lafayette,  Ind.  )une  Adams 
Gibble  is  staff  liaison. 

During  its  two  days  of  spring 
meetings,  the  ABC  board  discussed  a 
recommendation  from  an  ad  hoc 
committee  that  ABC  shift  its  fund- 
ing from  memberships  to  donations. 

The  board  also: 

•  agreed  to  participate  on  the 
committee  that  will  determine  the 
future  location  of  a  central  denomi- 
national office  facility. 

•  endorsed  a  new  long-term  care 
insurance  program  that  will  be  avail- 


able to  participating  Brethren  and      | 
Mennonite  retirement  communities 
in  1998. 

•  approved  necessary  action  items 
for  formalizing  ABC's  status  as  an 
independent  Church  of  the  Brethren 
organization.  Proposed  bylaw  j 

changes  will  be  presented  to  ABC 
members  at  their  annual  meeting  this 
summer  in  Orlando.  j 

In  other  business,  the  board  met 
with  the  Annual  Conference  officers 
to  continue  discussions  as  to  how 
ABC  can  become  an  officially  recog- 
nized organization  of  the  Annual 
Conference,  the  denomination's  top 
decision-making  body.  "Hopefully, 
we  will  have  taken  the  appropriate 
steps  for  this  issue  to  be  presented 
this  summer  to  Standing  Committee 
at  Annual  Conference,"  said  Steve 
Mason,  ABC  executive  director.  | 

The  board  heard  a  report  from         ; 
staff  detailing  how  three  of  ABC's 
current  four  newsletters  will  be  com- 
bined into  one  quarterly  publication 
in  [anuary.  According  to  Mary 
Dulabaum,  ABC's  director  of  com-    , 
munications,  this  new  publication      j 
will  be  larger  than  any  of  ABC's  ' 

existing  publications.  The  Brethren 
Homes  Connection,  a  quarterly 
newsletter  for  retirement  communi- 
ties, will  continue  to  be  published  on 
its  own,  she  added. 

June  and  Jay  Gibble  to  lead 
Deacon  Tour  planned  for  fall 

The  official  Deacon  Workshop  Tour 
is  heading  out  this  fall  and  may  be 
coming  to  your  town! 

lune  Adams  Gibble  and  |ay  Gibble, 
both  now  half-time  members  of  the 
Association  of  Brethren  Caregivers 
staff,  are  planning  to  take  their  show 
on  the  road  in  a  series  of  workshops 
in  churches  to  introduce  a  new 
deacon  manual  and  to  promote 
deacon  ministries.  The  tour  is  spon- 


6  Messenger  May  1998 


lored  by  the  Denominational  Deacon 
Cabinet  through  ABC,  and  supported 
)y  Congregational  Life  Ministries  of 
he  General  Board. 

A  pilot  workshop  for  Northern 
ndiana  District  is  scheduled  for  May 
50  at  the  Goshen  City  (Ind.)  Church 
)f  the  Brethren.  Additional  work- 
;hops  are  planned  across  the 
ienomination  for  this  fall.  Schedul- 
ng  is  being  worked  out  with  all 
districts  that  want  to  participate. 

|une  Adams  Gibble  joined  the  ABC 
itaff  [an.  1  as  half-time  program 
'ield  staff,  after  serving  the  General 
3oard  for  10  years  as  director  of 
Congregational  Nurture  and  Wor- 
;hip.  At  the  same  time,  [ay  Gibble 
noved  from  being  full-time  executive 
director  of  ABC  to  a  half-time  pro- 
gram field  staff  position.  The  move  is 
I  step  in  transition  toward  [ay's 
)lanned  retirement,  but  he  has  not 
fet  set  a  date  to  retire. 

In  addition  to  serving  as  co-staff 
vith  [ay  on  deacon  ministries,  [une 
jibble  is  responsible  for  implement- 
ing ABC's  new  Family  Life  Ministries 
Program  and  helping  to  plan  the 
ipcoming  National  Older  Adult 
Conference  (NOAC  98). 

[ay  Gibble  is  the  ABC  staff  person  in 
;harge  of  Older  Adult  Minstry,  includ- 
ing NOAC  98  planned  for  this  August, 
and  the  Caring  Ministries  2000  con- 
erence,  planned  for  [une  1999. 

Hate  e-mail  plagues 
Manchester  College 

\  racist,  hate-filled  e-mail  message 
sent  March  9  to  over  100  interna- 
ional  and  African-American 
students  at  Manchester  College, 
North  Manchester,  Ind.,  has  the  col- 
ege  and  community  abuzz  due  to  the 
Venomous  tone  of  the  letter  and 
Decause  the  origin  of  the  message 
bas  been  traced  back  to  the  campus. 
The  message,  reportedly  34  words 


fay  Gibble 

that  included  four  racial  slurs  and 
the  statement  "Your  time  is  up.  Your 
...  days  are  numbered,"  was  sent 
from  a  college  computer  to  HotMail, 
a  Sunnyvale,  Calif.,  computer  service 
that  allows  computer  users  to  send 
messages  under  aliases. 

The  message  was  forwarded  back 
to  the  Manchester  campus  with  a 
HotMail  return  address  and  deliv- 
ered to  the  e-mail  addresses  of  four 
student  groups  —  Manchester  Col- 
lege International  Association, 
Hispanos  Unidos.  Black  Student 
Union,  and  the  Hispanic  American 
organization.  Manchester's  e-mail 
system  then  automatically  forwarded 
the  message  to  those  organizations' 
members  —  107  students. 

The  author  and  the  college  con- 
nection are  being  sought  by  college 
officials,  who  are  even  considering 
subpoenaing  HotMail  to  force  that 
company  to  identify  the  college 
e-mail  address  from  which  the  hate 
message  originated. 

Police  began  investigating  the  pos- 
sibility of  a  connection  between  the 
e-mail  and  two  racially  motivated 
altercations  March  5  and  6  between 
Manchester  students  and  community 
residents.  The  investigation  was 
halted,  however,  when  the  county 
prosecutor  determined  that,  though 
it  was  offensive,  it  was  legal  under 
Indiana  law  because  it  named 
groups,  not  individuals. 

Such  messages  to  groups  are  ille- 
gal in  California,  however.  Thus, 
college  authorities  are  exploring  the 


June  Gibble 

possibility  of  pressing  charges  in  Cal- 
ifornia if  the  author  is  found. 

BVS  anniversary  gift  to  bring 
volunteers  to  Conference 

Fifty  years  ago  this  summer  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  Annual  Con- 
ference approved  a  motion  from  the 
Conference  floor  that  became 
Brethren  Volunteer  Service. 

Several  celebrations  surrounding 
BVS'  50th  anniversary  will  be  held  at 
this  summer's  Annual  Conference  in 
Orlando,  Fla.,  and  all  current 
BVSers  who  wouldn't  normally 
attend  the  conference  will  be  able  to 
do  so,  thanks  to  an  anonymous 
donor.  This  person,  who  has  offered 
to  provide  transportation,  room,  and 
board  for  all  current  BVSers,  will 
probably  spend  between  $25,000  and 
$50,000,  said  BVS  director  Dan 
McFadden,  who  added  that  even  he 
does  not  know  the  donor's  identity. 

In  a  letter  to  BVS,  the  donor 
wrote,  "I  would  like  to  make  a  spe- 
cial gift  to  BVS  in  honor  of  its  50th 
anniversary  and  because  1  think  BVS 
is  one  of  our  church's  greatest 
assets.  It's  my  hope  that  this  gift  will 
help  Brethren  gain  a  deeper  knowl- 
edge of  BVS'  value  and  connect 
BVSers  more  closely  with  other 
Brethren.  It  is  my  hope  that  as  many 
current  BVSers  as  possible  will  be 
able  to  attend  so  that  Brethren  from 
all  over  the  denomination  will  see  the 
wonderful  gifts  of  BVS  and  will  be 
able  to  interact  with  the  volunteers." 


May  1998  Messenger  7 


Diaz  and  Bowman  accept 
new  responsibilities 

Manuel  Diaz  has  been  called  to  serve 
as  one-quarter-time  executive  of 
Southern  Plains  District,  beginning 
|uly  1 .  He  also  has  been  called  by  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  General 
Board  to  serve  as  a  half-time  Area  4 
Congregational  Life  Team  member. 

Diaz  has  been  senior  pastor  of  the 
new  Lake  Charles  (La.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren  congregation.  He  also  has 
been  an  adjunct  faculty  member  at 
Sowela  Technical  College  and  a  grad- 
uate assistant  at  McNeese  State 
University. 

Carol  Bowman  of  Wenatchee, 
Wash.,  has  been  appointed  half-time 
Area  Financial  Resource  Counselor, 
Western  States,  effective  April  6.  She 
will  continue  serving  as  a  half-time 
Congregational  Life  Team  member. 

Youth  to  hear  impressive 
speakers  at  1998  NYC 

The  National  Youth  Conference 
office  has  announced  this  year's 
keynote  speakers: 

•  Bernice  King,  youngest  child  of 
Martin  Luther  King  |r.  and  Coretta 
Scott  King.  King  currently  serves  as 
assistant  pastor  at  an  inner-city 
Atlanta  church,  coordinating  youth 
and  women's  ministries.  A  former 
law  clerk,  she  was  ordained  in  1990. 
She  holds  a  B.A.  degree  in  psychol- 
ogy from  Spelman  College.  On  the 
morning  of  her  ordination,  she  was 
awarded  a  master  of  divinity  degree 
and  a  doctor  of  law  degree  from 
Emory  University.  She  also  has 
received  an  honorary  doctor  of  divin- 
ity degree  from  Wesley  College.  She 
is  author  of  a  book  of  sermons  and 
speeches  titled  Hani  Questions, 
Heart  Answers. 

•  Paul  Mundey,  senior  pastor  of 
Frederick  (Md.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  Prior  to  joining  the  Freder- 
ick congregation  in  September  1  996, 
Mundey  served  as  Church  of  the 


Bernice  king 


Paul  Mundev 


Pa ul  Grout  Ji idy  Mills  Reimer 


■.y\ 


Debbie  Eisenbise       Milton  Garcia         David  Radcliff 


Jim  Myer 


Brethren  General  Board  staff  for  1  5 
years,  concluding  his  Board  tenure  as 
director  of  The  Andrew  Center,  the 
General  Board's  former  evangelism 
ministry. 

•  Paul  Grout,  pastor  of  the  Genesis 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  Putney,  Vt.,  a 
new  church  development  project  in  the 
1980s.  According  to  Brian  Yoder, 
NYC  coordinator,  Grout  "has  been 
called  upon  by  churches  throughout 
the  country  to  provide  leadership  in 
renewing  commitment  to  |esus  Christ 
and  discovering  new  life  in  the  Spirit." 

•  |udy  Mills  Reimer,  founding 
pastor  of  Smith  Mountain  Lake 
Church  of  the  Brethren  Fellowship,  a 
new  church  start  in  Moneta,  Va. 
Reimer,  a  former  moderator  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  Annual  Con- 
ference, the  denomination's  highest 
elected  position,  has  been  named  as 
the  next  executive  director  of  the 
General  Board  staff.  She  is  a  1994 
graduate  of  Bethany  Theological 
Seminary. 

•  Debbie  Eisenbise,  co-pastor  of 
Skyridge  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  with  her  hus- 
band, Lee  Krahenbiihl.  She  is  a 


former  member  of  the  General  Board 
staff,  having  served  as  orientation 
director  for  Brethren  Volunteer  Ser- 
vice. She  has  led  workshops  at  the 
annual  Church  of  the  Brethren 
Young  Adult  Conferences,  and  at 
various  regional  youth  conferences. 
In  1994,  Eisenbise  served  as  an  NYC 
worship  coordinator. 

•  Milton  Garcia,  currently  of 
Puerto  Rico.  He  attended  the 
University  of  Puerto  Rico  and  i 
McPherson  (Kan.)  College,  and 
earned  his  master  of  divinity  degree 
from  Bethany  Theological  Seminary 
in  1993. 

•  David  Radcliff,  director  of  the 
General  Board's  Brethren  Witness 
office  since  [uly  1997.  Radcliff,  who 
has  worked  for  the  General  Board 
since  1989,  had  served  as  director  of 
Korean  ministries  and  as  director  of 
Denominational  Peace  Witness  prior 
to  assuming  his  new  responsibilities. 
Radcliff  has  served  as  keynote 
speaker  for  many  conferences  and 
events,  including  NYC  94. 

•  Jim  Myer,  a  free  minister  of  White 
Oak  Church  of  the  Brethren,  Penryn, 
Pa.,  will  serve  as  Bible  study  leader. 


8  Messenger  May  1998 


< 


Ministry  of  Reconciliation,  a  ministry  of  On  Earth  Peace 
Assembly,  now  has  a  listserv  for  those  interested  in  MoR  and  its 
vori<.  or  for  people  who  want  to  discuss  ideas  about  reconcilia- 
ion  in  the  church  and  in  the  world,  said  Bob  Gross,  MoR 
iirector.  To  subscribe,  send  an  e-mail  to  maiordomo(a  igc.org 
md  write  in  the  message  area:  subscribe  mor-1. 

n  conjunction  with  "Sudan:  Partnership  for  Peace,"  an  ini- 
iative  approved  in  March  by  the  General  Board,  the  Board's 
brethren  Witness  office  has  produced  several  resources  to  assist 
;ongregations  that  want  to  participate.  The  $238,000  initiative 
vill  be  funded  by  the  Global  Food  Crisis  Fund,  the  Church  of 
he  Brethren's  principle  hunger  relief  and  development  arm. 

A  "Share  Your  Lunch  with  a  Friend"  project  invites  chil- 
Iren's  classes  or  others  to  support  a  children's  nutrition 
irogram  in  the  village  of  New  Cush.  For  30  cents  a  day,  a  child 
i'ill  receive  a  nutritious  snack  at  one  of  the  community's  two 
chools.  The  "Take  a  Friend  to  School"  project  challenges  indi- 
iduals,  youth  groups  or  Sunday  school  classes  to  support  the 
ilessed  Bakhita  Girls  School  in  Narus.  Over  400  girls  from  24 
ifferent  language  groups  attend  the  school.  Cost  for  supporting 
girl  for  a  full  year  is  $  1 20. 

A  Brethren  Volunteer  Service  position  is  being  developed  to 
/ork  with  the  women's  capacity-building  efforts  of  the  New 
udan  Council  of  Churches.  Efforts  are  also  being  made  to  sup- 
lort  women's  self-help  programs,  such  as  tailoring  and 
read-baking.  These  initiatives  can  be  supported  by  individuals 
ir  women's  fellowship  groups. 

Brethren  peacemakers  are  invited  to  support  the  training  of 
ustice  and  Peace  committees  in  several  refugee  camps.  These 
rorkshops  are  sponsored  by  the  New  Sudan  Council  of 
Churches.  The  Council  is  also  seeking  funds  for  an  annual 
eace  prize  to  be  awarded  to  a  Justice  and  Peace  committee. 

Printed  materials  describing  these  efforts  are  available.  A 
ull-color  Sudan  photo  display  is  also  available  for  loan  to  con- 
regations.  Contact  Karin  Davidson  of  the  Brethren  Witness 
ffice  at  kdavidson_gb@'brethren.org  or  at  800  323-8039. 

i  new  study  guide  for  Don  Durnbaugh's  Fruit  of  the  Vine:  A 
listory  of  the  Brethren,  1 708-1995,  is  now  available.  This 
0-page  booklet  contains  eight  open-ended  questions  per  chap- 
tr  that  relate  historical  facts  to  present-day  issues  in  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  According  to  Jennifer  Leo  of  Brethren 
'ress.  Fruit  of  the  Vine  is  "fast  becoming  a  classic"  as  it  traces 
Srethren  history  "from  eight  courageous  believers  in  1 708  to  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  today." 

Fruit  of  the  Vine:  A  Study  Guide  was  written  by  Linda  Logan, 
oordinator  of  educational  ministries  at  the  Harrisonburg  (Va.) 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  Logan  also  is  author  of  Whatza  Wis- 
ahiclcon,  a  Brethren  heritage  curriculum  for  children.  The 
tudy  guide  is  $3.95,  and  the  book  is  $39.95.  Contact  Brethren 


Press  at  brethren_press_gb@brethren.org,  800  441-3712 
(phone),  or  800  667-8188  (fax). 

The  1 1  th  annua!  gathering  of  the  Network  of  Biblical  Storytellers 
(NOBS)  will  be  held  Aug.  5-8  in  Wilmington,  Del.  Focusing  on 
the  theme  "Call,  Career,  and  Charisma:  Telling  the  Stories  of 
Vocation,"  this  ecumenical  event  will  bring  together  clergy  and 
laity  from  the  United  States  and  abroad  for  storytelling,  work- 
shops, and  keynote  addresses.  For  more  information,  contact 
NOBS  at  nobsint@nobs.org  or  800  355-6627. 

"Disaster  Child  Care  in  the  2 1  st  Century:  A  Look  to  the 
Future,"  will  be  held  May  29-30  at  the  New  Windsor  (Md.)Con- 
ference  Center,  located  on  the  Brethren  Service  Center  campus. 
This  symposium,  sponsored  by  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  Gen- 
eral Board's  Emergency  Response/Service  Ministries,  will  be  a 
working  conference  for  staff  of  the  Federal  Emergency  Manage- 
ment Agency  and  the  American  Red  Cross,  and  for  denominational 
leaders  and  ER/SM's  disaster  child  care  leaders. 

"CPT  Sunday,"  a  day  that  Christian  Peacemaker  Teams  hopes 
congregations  will  focus  on  CPT's  mission  and  ministries,  is 
scheduled  for  May  31,  which  also  is  Pentecost  Sunday.  CPT  has 
produced  a  packet  of  materials  for  congregations  to  use,  including 
worship  resources,  sermon  ideas,  and  peacemaking  stories,  which 
integrate  a  focus  on  the  power  of  Pentecost  with  the  vision  for 
faith-based,  nonviolent  peacemaking.  CPT  is  an  independent 
organization  whose  membership  consists  of  Church  of  the 
Brethren  and  Mennonite  individuals  and  congregations.  For  more 
information,  write  to  cpt@igc.apc.org.  The  entire  resource  packet 
is  also  available  at  http://www.prairienet.org/cpt/sunday.html. 

The  Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board's  new  Mission  and 
Ministries  Planning  Council  (MMPC),  a  channel  through  which 
congregations,  districts,  and  Standing  Committee  may  be  involved 
in  planning  new  mission  and  ministry  projects,  has  determined 
how  it  will  conduct  business.  The  council  will  receive  ideas  and 
proposals  and  will  review  them  before  making  recommendations  to 
the  General  Board.  MMPC  will  meet  May  20-21.  The  council  will 
convene  again  Aug.  27-28,  when  it  will  consider  ideas  or  proposals 
submitted  to  it  by  early  August.  For  more  information,  contact 
loseph  Mason,  interim  executive  director  of  the  General  Board,  at 
gb_gb@brethren.org  or  at  800  323-8039. 

A  free  one-day  training  seminar,  sponsored  by  Brethren  Revival 
Fellowship  and  Durbin  Church  of  the  Brethren  will  be  held  at 
the  church  in  Durbin,  W.  Va.,  May  30.  Workshops  include  "A 
Look  at  New  Testament  Baptism,"  "Maintaining  Flope  During 
Trials,"  "Studies  in  1  Peter,"  and  "A  Study  of  the  Beatitudes." 
For  more  information  contact  pastor  Donald  Curry  at  304-456- 
4764  or  David  Rittenhouse  at  304-799-4726. 


May  1998  Messenger  9 


EYN^s  Diamond  Jubilee 

The  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Nigeria  celebrates 
the  past  and  looks  toward  the  future 


Throngs  gathered  on  a  Nigerian  hillside  March  1  7 


BY  Sue  Grubb 


The  welcoming  branches  of  the 
tamarind  tree  in  Garkida 
became  the  backdrop  of  the  75th 
Diamond  Jubilee  Anniversary  Cele- 
bration of  Ekklesiyar  Yan'uwa  a 
Nigeria  (EYN — Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  Nigeria)  on  March  17. 
Throngs  of  people  arrived  at  the  field 
beside  the  tree,  which  was  the  site  of 
the  first  Brethren  worship  service 
held  in  Nigeria  in  1923  by  Stover 
Kulp  and  Albert  Helser.  A  multitude 
of  EYN  members,  estimated  at  more 
than  5,000,  spread  across  the  field 
and  covered  the  surrounding  rocky 
hills.  Some,  like  Zacchaeus,  even 
climbed  into  the  few  scattered  trees 
for  a  better  view  of  the  celebration. 
There  were  42  representatives  of 

10  Messenger  May  1998 


the  Church  of  the  Brethren  attend- 
ing, 3 1  of  whom  had  come  as  part  of 
a  tour  group  especially  for  the 
anniversary  event.  Many  of  the  rep- 
resentatives were  former 
missionaries  or  their  children,  some 
having  dedicated  their  lives  to  shar- 
ing the  love  of  Christ  in  Nigeria.  In 
his  welcoming  address,  EYN  presi- 
dent the  Rev.  Bitrus  K.  Tizhe  spoke 
of  EYN's  deep  appreciation  and  grat- 
itude to  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

The  day  was  filled  with  singing, 
prayer,  recognition  of  special  guests, 
speeches  on  EYN  development,  and 
fellowship.  There  were  cultural  per- 
formances of  traditional  music, 
dancing,  drumming,  and  displays  of 
costumes,  representing  the  many 
tribes  that  form  EYN . 

The  Diamond  Jubilee  was  a  time  of 
thanksgiving  for  the  past  blessings  of 
EYN  and  praying  for  guidance  in  the 


future.  And  the  future  looks  bright 
for  EYN,  one  of  the  fastest  growing 
Christian  denominations  in  Africa. 

The  popularit}'  of  EYN 

When  1  asked  members  why  they  are 
a  part  of  EYN,  several  responses 
were  given  repeatedly: 
®  EYN  stands  on  the  truth  of  the 
Bible.  There  is  scriptural  basis  for  its 
doctrine  and  an  emphasis  on  teach- 
ings of  the  Word.  Members  are 
encouraged  to  learn  about  and  follow 
these  teachings  in  daily  life.  Like  the 
Brethren,  several  Biblical  practices 
that  EYN  incorporates  into  worship 
are  footwashing,  the  agape  meal,  and 
believers'  baptism. 
®   EYN  is  working  to  embrace 
peace  with  more  heart.  The  Rev. 
Karagama  A.  Gadzama,  EYN  vice 
president,  explained  that  when  the 
Brethren  first  came  into  northeastern 


Nigeria  in  1923,  the 
local  tribes  were 
vicious  and  constantl) 
figiiting  one  another. 
This  had  been  their 
means  of  survival  for 
centuries.  Taking  this 
into  consideration, 
having  the  many  tribes  of  EYN  wor- 
shipping together  and  uniting  to 
work  toward  common  goals  is  quite 
an  accomplishment.  There  are  still 
some  strong  tribal  loyalties,  but  EYN 
is  aware  of  the  need  to  reduce  ten- 
sions and  move  toward  a  more 
unified  body  in  Christ. 
®    EYN  follows  a  doctrine  of  love 
and  this  is  important  to  its  success. 
As  one  member  put  it,  "EYN  loves 
everyone."  Even  today  Nigerian  cul- 
ture is  one  of  stratification,  and 
people  are  positioned  in  a  hierarchi- 
cal system  with  each  person 
recognizing  his  or  her  station  in  life. 
The  Church  of  the  Brethren  brought 
the  concept  of  mutuality  to  Nigeria, 
and  this  is  cited  as  a  unique  quality 
of  EYN.  Members  feel  that  EYN  is 
more  democratic  than  other 
churches. 

EYN  has  been  established  for  all 
people.  While  many  religious  groups 
in  Nigeria  are  interested  in  develop- 
ing their  own  members,  EYN 
programs  serve  people  of  all  faiths 
who  are  in  need.  EYN  members  seem 
proud  of  this  tradition  that  follows 
the  example  set  by  Jesus. 

The  holistic  approach  to  ministry 
was  the  inspiration  of  Stover  Kulp. 
Teachings  about  the  love  of  Christ 
should  be  reflected  through  living  the 
love  of  Christ,  an  attitude  that  has 
always  been  strong  in  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren.  EYN's  dedication  to 
programs  of  rural  development, 
health,  and  education  is  a  living  testi- 
mony to  its  members'  beliefs. 


The  main  celebration  area  ii't/i  iiair  the  historic  tamarind  tree,  the  large 
tree  on  the  left  where  the  first  worship  service  was  held. 


For  example,  the  EYN  Rural  Pro- 
gramme (RDP)  and  Lafiya 
Programme  serve  villages  in  need  of 
basic  advancements.  The  villagers 
are  asked  to  assess  their  needs  and 
then  RDP  works  with  the  people  to 
realize  them.  Under  this  program, 
hundreds  of  wells  providing  clean 
drinking  water  have  been  dug. 

Healthcare  professionals  are  sparse 
in  Nigeria,  so  the  Lafiya  Programme 
has  answered  this  need  with  18  dis- 
pensary clinics,  numerous  health 
posts,  and  educational  opportunities 
for  community  members  to  learn 
basic  healthcare  practices. 

EYN  educational  programs  include 
Kulp  Bible  College,  established  by 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  1960 
to  prepare  students  for  Christian 
ministries  in  the  areas  of  teaching, 
pastoring,  and  community  service. 
Mason  Technical  School,  also  begun 
by  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  gives 
secondary  school  graduates  an 
opportunity  to  develop  skills  in  auto 
mechanics  or  office  management. 
The  new  EYN  Comprehensive  Sec- 
ondary School,  opened  in  1996,  is 
the  church's  response  to  inadequate 
government  schools.  Several  EYN 
churches  have  begun  their  own 
schools  to  insure  that  their  children 
will  receive  quality  education  as  well. 


T: 


they  can.  These  pro- 
grams are  a  major 
contributing  factor  to 
the  fast-paced  growth 
of  the  church.  As  one 
EYN  member  said, 
"People  notice  when 
you  care  about  them." 
®    EYN  is  striving  for  inclusiveness. 
Activities  for  children  and  youth  help 
to  develop  their  interest  in  the 
church  at  a  young  age.  Women  are 
also  encouraged  to  be  involved  and, 
in  fact,  the  EYN  Women's  Fellowship 
(ZME)  is  considered  the  most  hard- 
working, well-run  group  in  the 
denomination.  It  is  the  women  who 
bring  energy  and  enthusiasm  to  wor- 
ship services  and  church  functions. 
Lughu  Men's  Fellowship,  a  newly 
formed  group  in  one  district,  sang  at 
the  75th  Anniversary  Celebration  and 
was  warmly  received  by  the  crowd, 
demonstrating  support  for  more 


hese  and  other  development  and 
education  programs  are  headed 
by  EYN  leadership,  and,  although 
finances  are  always  tight,  EYN  mem- 
bers value  their  importance  and 
continue  to  support  them  as  best 


Nigeria  Events  at 
Annual  Conference 

Wednesday'  evening,  July  I 

Introduction  of  Nigerian  visitors 

Thursda}'  morning.  ]u\y  2 

General  Board  Live  Report  includes  an 

anniversary  feature  segment, 

"Brethren  in  Nigeria." 

Thursdaj'  evening,  |ul_y  2 

Insight  Session  featuring  top  Nigeria  leaders: 

president,  secretary  general,  treasurer, 

women's  representatives. 

Saturday',  ]u\y  4,  5-6:30  pm 

Anniversary  celebration  reception.  All  are 
welcome,  free.  Light  refreshments. 


May  1998  Messenger  1 1 


Dr.  Bala  Takaya  speaks  at  the 
anniversary  celebration  on 
Clirisiianity  and  national 
development  relating  to  EYN. 


involvement  of  men  in  this  way. 
®   The  church  has  begun  to 
embrace  past  traditions.  When  the 
first  missionaries  came  to  Nigeria, 
there  was  belief  that  all  tribal  cus- 
toms were  sinful  and  church 
members  discarded  them.  Today, 
EYN  members  are  recognizing  that 
traditions  are  a  vital  part  of  their  his- 
tory. Instead  of  denouncing  all  of 
their  past  culture,  much  of  it  is  being 
used  in  forms  of  worship  and  cele- 
bration of  Christ's  love.  This  is 
attractive  to  people  who  have  interest 
in  Christianity,  as  well  as  maintain- 
ing a  link  to  their  past. 

Challenges  facing  EYN 

EYN  is  facing  many  issues  today  that 
will  shape  its  progress  into  the  21st 
century.  As  Donna  Forbes  Steiner 


pointed  out  during  a  tour  group  fel- 
lowship meal  with  EYN  members, 
many  of  these  issues  are  parallel  to 
concerns  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  Church  growth,  reaching 
congregations  at  the  local  level,  a 
leadership  shortage,  need  for  identity 
.  .  .  does  any  of  this  sound  familiar? 
®  The  rapid  growth  of  EYN  contin- 
ues with  an  estimated  8,000  new 
members  baptized  each  year.  Accord- 
ing to  the  new  book  The  Progressive 
History  of  EYN,  1997  statistics  show 
membership  has  risen  to  140,000, 
with  average  Sunday  worship  atten- 
dance reaching  240,000  people. 
While  this  is  cause  for  celebration,  it 
also  gives  rise  to  some  concern. 
Yakubu  B.  Bwala,  director  of  Mason 
Technical  School,  said  in  a  speech 
earlier  this  year  that  although  EYN  is 

(continued  on  page  15) 


Looking  back 


BY  NVWA  BaLAMI 


At  the  beginning  of  this  century,  revival  ser- 
mons and  missionary  campaigns  swept 
across  Europe  and  the  new  lands.  Church 
bodies  saw  new  visions  and  became  sensitive  to 
the  needs  of  people  in  other  lands,  especially 
Africa.  Consequently,  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  America  sent  Albert  Helser  and 
Stover  Kulp  to  Nigeria  in  early  1925. 

They  made  their  first  home  under  one 
tamarind  tree  and  began  to  preach  the  gospel, 
heal  sickness,  and  make  friends  with  the  local 
people.  They  endeavored  and  preached  under 
the  scorching  sun  of  the  tropics  which  was  unfa- 
miliar to  them,  but  saw  few  respond  to  their 
sermons. 

On  March  17,1 948,  the  church  planting  was 
celebrated.  However,  the  joy  of  the  Silver  [ubilee 
was  like  the  celebration  of  a  child  who  could  not 
understand  the  meaning.  The  Foreign  Mission 
Secretary,  Leland  Brubaker  and  company,  were 
present  that  afternoon,  but  hardly  did  the  local 
people  understand  the  message.  But  the  church 
had  been  established  and  hope  was  perceived. 

Yet  another  jubilee  came  on  March  17,  1973, 
recognizing  the  child's  maturity.  The  hope  of  the 


planter  was  fulfilled.  The  joy  of  the  local  people 
was  being  recognized  by  the  American  church. 
The  understanding  that  Nigerians  could  make 
independent  decisions  and  lead  their  church  was 
thrilling.  The  symbolic  handover  of  instruments 
of  power  to  the  nationals  was  the  climax  of  the 
occasion. 

On  March  1  7,  1 998,  all  roads  led  to  the 
tamarind  tree  at  Garkida,  the  home  of  the  first 
Brethren  missionaries  in  Africa.  It  is  now  75 
years  since  the  first  planting  of  the  church. 
There  were  many  visitors — Emirs,  government 
officials,  and  sundry  others.  The  understanding 
is  that  the  Nigerian  church  is  now  and  forever. 

This  was  a  celebration  of  history  and  affirming 
the  roots  of  the  people.  By  the  tamarind  tree, 
local  people  will  rejoice  for  their  faith  in  Christ,  a 
time  to  remember  coming  out  of  darkness  into 
light.  The  Diamond  Jubilee  allows  the  church  to 
look  into  the  millennium  age,  and  to  move  into 
West  Africa,  where  Ekklesiyar  Yan'uwa  a  Nigeria 
(EYN — Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Nigeria)  may 
play  an  even  greater  role. 

.4  graduate  of  Bethany  Theological  Seminary,  Nvwa 
Balami  has  been  a  pastor,  a  teacher,  and  a  principal  of  Kulp 
Bible  College.  He  has  recently  started  a  new  congregation  in 
Nigeria 's  largest  city,  Lagos. 


12  Messenger  May  1998 


Nigerian  workcamps:  Bridging  the  gap 


BY  Sue  Grubb 

It  may  be  difficult  to  believe  that  hauling  pans  of 
cement  on  your  head  for  hours  on  end,  unbending  old 
nails  for  reuse,  or  separating  a  big  heap  of  stones  by 
size  into  smaller  piles  would  lead  to  spiritual  growth. 
Although  these  tasks  seem  tedious  and  mundane  in  our 
society,  in  Nigeria  they  are  ways  of  working  together  and 
slowly  moving  forward  to  accomplish  a  task  greater  than 
anyone  involved  ...  a  process  we  often  forget  in  the  fast- 
paced,  time-is-money,  fully-automated  United  States. 

Since  the  inception  of  the  Nigerian  workcamp  in  1 985, 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  has  been  sending  volunteers 
to  Nigeria  to  work  alongside  Nigerians  to  build  necessary 
structures  for  Ekklesiyar  Yan'uwa  a  Nigeria  (Church  of 
the  Brethren  in  Nigeria).  In  1991  Swiss  and  German  vol- 
unteers from  Basel  Mission,  a  fraternal  organization  of 
EYN,  joined  the  effort,  to  form  a  truly  international  work- 
camp. 

Since  1985,  buildings  have  been  constructed  for  many 
programs  in  EYN.  The  buildings  have  included  a  new 
wing  added  onto  the  national  administrative  building, 
staff  housing,  a  grinding  shop,  crop  storage,  and  agricul- 
ture buildings,  and  a  store,  all  at  EYN  Headquarters  near 
Mubi,  in  northeastern  Nigeria.  Student  and  staff  housing 
has  been  built  at  Kulp  Bible  College,  also  at  this  location. 
In  1997  a  four-classroom  building  for  the  new  EYN 
Comprehensive  Secondary  School  was  built,  and  in  Feb- 
ruary the  1998  workcamp  erected  a  dormitory  for  the 
students  of  the  school. 

Each  year  EYN  chooses  the  work  project,  and  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  and  Basel  Mission  join  them  in 
providing  funds  for  the  necessary  building  materials. 

Although  financial  support  is  important  to  EYN,  the 
workcamp  is  much  more  than  just  a  means  of  funding.  It 
is  an  opportunity  for  those  visiting  from  the  United  States 
to  increase  their  awareness  of  EYN.  The  workcamp 
schedule  is  arranged  so  that  time  is  set  aside  for  attending 
church  services  and  other  functions;  meeting  pastors, 
church  leaders  and  members;  learning  about  EYN 
national  programs;  and  visiting  sites  important  to  the  his- 
tory of  EYN  and  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

There  were  21  workcampers — 5  from  the  US,  one  from 
Germany,  and  15  Nigerians.  They  were  special  guests  at  a 
new  church  commissioning  in  Gulak,  about  1-1/2  hours 
by  road  to  the  north  of  EYN  headquarters.  Fellowship 
meals  were  shared  with  congregations  during  the  several 
days  they  took  to  travel  across  northern  Nigeria,  from 
Kano  in  the  north  central  region,  to  EYN  headquarters  in 
the  northwest.  Current  EYN  programs  visited  by  the 
workcampers  included  Kulp  Bible  College,  Mason  Tech- 
nical School,  EYN  Secondary  School,  and  the  Rural 
Development  Programme,  which  provides  services  in  the 


areas  of  well-digging,  rural  health,  and  agriculture.  The 
historic  tamarind  tree,  site  of  the  first  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  preaching  in  Nigeria  in  1923,  gave  the  group  a 
connection  to  the  past.  They  also  visited  former  mission 
homes,  the  Garkida  Leprosarium  (now  operated  by  the 
Nigerian  government),  and  other  institutions  begun  by 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

Additionally,  the  workcamp  is  a  forum  for  EYN  mem- 
bers to  learn  more  about  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 
Mostly  this  has  been  done  through  many  informal  conver- 
sations, but  there  have  also  been  arranged  question  and 
answer  sessions  to  exchange  information  about  the  two 
denominations.  This  year  Wayne  Zunkel  and  Paul  Nye, 
both  Brethren  pastors,  were  invited  to  preach  at  Sunday 
worship  services,  giving  another  opportunity  to  share 
Brethren  beliefs. 

The  Rev.  Karagama  Gadzama,  EYN  vice  president, 
feels  that  a  gap  has  formed  over  the  past  few  decades 
between  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  and  EYN.  Since  EYN 
became  indigcnized  in  1973,  the  number  of  US  Brethren 
serving  as  full-time  fraternal  workers  in  Nigeria  has 
decreased  significantly,  from  more  than  a  hundred  in  the 
1950s  to  a  handful  now.  Yet,  Gadzama  says  that  EYN 
members  have  high  hopes  of  a  renewed  connection  and  a 
stronger  relationship  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
the  future. 

He  believes  that  it  is  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  work- 
campers who  are  bridging  this  gap.  They  are  a  visible 
presence  and  reminder  that  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
still  cares  about  EYN.  During  the  workcamp.  Brethren 
from  the  US  and  Nigeria  come  face  to  face.  Through  per- 
sonal interaction,  the  denominations  have  become  real  to 
each  other,  rather  than  merely  images  based  on  an  article 
read  or  a  story  heard.  EYN — and  all  its  struggles,  joys, 
frustrations,  accomplishments,  and  the  indomitable  faith 
of  its  members — comes  to  life  for  US  Brethren  who  work 
alongside  church  members  in  Nigeria.  And  as  Brethren 
beliefs  and  culture  are  shared,  the  US  church  becomes  a 
more  tangible  reality  to  Nigerians  as  well. 

Preparations  are  under  way  for  lite  14th  annual  workcamp 
in  Nigeria.  The  tentative  dates  for  the  workcamp  are  Janu- 
ary 16  to  February  16.  1999. 

The  workcamp  will  focus  on  the  construction  of  a  sec- 
ondary school  near  the  EYN  Headquarters.  Workcampers 
will  also  have  the  opportunity  to  eat,  socialize,  and  work 
with  Nigerian  workcampers.  Other  activities  include  visits 
to  local  churches,  participating  in  cultural  events,  and 
traveling  in  Nigeria.  Participation  is  limited,  so  register 
early. 

For  additional  information,  contact  the  Global  Missions 
Partnerships  Office  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Elgin 
at  800  523-8059,  ext.  226  or  Jeff  Mummau.workcamp 
coordinator,  at  717  567-2269. 


May  1998  Messenger  13 


What  do  sisters  say  to  each  other? 


By  Mervin  Keeney 

Sometimes  when  Nigerians  have  asked  me 
where  the  relationship  between  the  Ameri- 
can and  Nigerian  branches  of  the  church  is 
headed,  I  offer  an  analogy.  When  sisters  are  chil- 
dren, they  play  together.  As  teenagers  or  young 
adults,  sisters  may  compete  with  each  other, 
asserting  their  emerging  identity,  and  there  may 
be  a  bit  of  tension  in  the  relationship.  And  as 
older  adults,  sisters  respect  each  other  and 
relish  sharing  in  each  other's  lives.  The  rela- 
tionship changes  and  matures  over  time,  but 
sisters  will  always  be  sisters  to  each  other  as 
long  as  they  live. 

People  are  reassured  by  this  anal- 
ogy that  the  bond  between  us  is 
permanent,  if  evolving.  I  realize  that 
my  response  does  not  answer  their 
question  specifically,  but  instead 
reaffirms  the  relationship.  But 
since  valuing  and  honoring  the 
relationship  is  more  important    i*^ 
to  Nigerians  than  particulars        -  * 
of  directions,  these  words 
reassure. 

The  Nigerian  church  continues  to 
view  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  as  ^ 
the  mother  church.  In  the  Nigerian^ 
culture,  the  mother  is  accorded 
great  respect  and  honor.  At  some 
points  in  our  history  together  this 
cultural  factor,  coupled  with 
wealth  and  power  dynamics,  has  resulted  in  a  lop 
sided  relationship.  We  did  not  relate  as  sisters, 
but  as  parent  and  child.  During  recent  decades 
the  American  church  has  sought  to  relate  to  the 
Nigerian  church  as  a  sister  church  of  equal  value. 

Where  might  this  relationship  take  us?  The 
Nigerian  church  may  soon  be  as  large  as  the 
American  church.  Does  this  change  our  sense  of 
who  we  are?  For  example,  for  decades  we  saw 
ourselves  as  an  exclusively  American  church. 
How  does  it  alter  our  identity  to  recognize  fully 
the  large  Nigerian  branch,  as  well  as  new  growth 
in  Dominican  Republic? 


We  have  much  to  learn  about  Christian  faithful- 
ness from  our  sisters  and  brothers  in  Nigeria.  We 
can  also  be  energized  by  what  God  is  doing  in 
Nigeria.  Rather  than  a  withered  vine  that  no 
longer  offers  anything,  the  relationship  in  Nigeria 
is  at  a  point  of  harvest,  a  time  when  we  might 
receive  nourishment  from  each  other. 

Rather  than  proposing  a  personal  agenda,  let 
me  convey  hopes  and  visions  Nigerians  have 

voiced  to  me  in  recent  years.  Perhaps  the 
American  church  can  learn  from  the 
'^'^4      Women's  Fellowship  (ZME),  which 
%j     has  been  identified  by  both  Nigerians 
and  visitors  as  a  central  force  in  the 
church.  The  highly  successful  church- 
planting  efforts  by  the  Nigerian  church 
could  be  another  good  example. 
Both  Nigerians  and  Americans 
have  wondered  whether  the 
Nigerian  church  should  send 
missionaries  to  America.  Nigeri- 
ans have  also  expressed  interest 
in  doing  mission  together  in 
Africa,  and  specifically  working 
together  in  Sudan.  The  partici- 
pation of  EYN  pastor  lames 
Zoaka  with  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  peace  group  to  Sudan 
this  past  [anuary  was  an  important 
step  for  Nigerian  church  leadership 
to  participate  directly  in  our  Sudan 
ministry.  More  such  linkages 
between  Nigeria  and  Sudan  can  be  made.  South- 
ern Nigeria  has  a  cultural  link  with  Brazil,  rooted 
in  the  slave  trade  of  centuries  past.  Perhaps  work- 
ing together  with  the  Nigerian  church  among  the 
Brazilian  population  has  potential  to  rekindle  the 
somewhat  dormant  relationship  begun  in  Brazil 
some  years  ago. 

May  it  be  said  at  the  1 00th  anniversary  that 
during  the  preceding  quarter  century  we  drew 
upon  the  abundant  gifts  of  faith  of  our  sister 
church  in  Nigeria,  and  they  from  us,  so  that  both 
sisters  will  have  been  nourished  and  renewed. 

Merviii  Keeney  serves  as  the  General  Board's  director  for 
Global  Mission  Partnerships. 


14  Messenger  May  1998 


(continued  from  page  12)  showing 
quantitative  growth,  there  must  also 
be  emphasis  on  qualitative  growth. 
EYN  secretary  general  Bitrus  Bdlia 
believes  that  with  the  rapid  growth 
that  EYN  is  experiencing,  a  new 
administrative  plan  will  be  needed  to 
serve  the  larger  population.  Creating 
zones  with  regional  leadership  to  keep 
in  close  contact  with  local  congrega- 
tions is  one  possibility.  The  emphasis 
will  be  on  keeping  EYN  intact  and 
unified,  while  continuing  to  work 
towards  expansion. 
®   Growth  raises  the  issue  of  pro- 
viding quality  leadership.  At  present 
there  are  only  about  a  fourth  of  the 
ordained  pastors  needed  to  serve  in 
EYN  places  of  worship.  Although 
EYN  continues  to  train  more  leaders, 
lack  of  funding  for  this  growth  will 
make  it  difficult  to  meet  the  rising 
needs. 

®    EYN  is  also  struggling  with  its 
sense  of  identity.  It  shares  common 
practices  with  other  denominations 
and  there  is  concern  that  young 
people  are  not  understanding  the 
unique  qualities  of  EYN. 
®    EYN  is  influenced  by  the  political 
situation  in  Nigeria,  a  country  rid- 
dled with  military  coups  and  unrest 


since  its  independence  in  1960.  The 
Rev.  Toma  H.  Ragnjiya,  principal  of 
Kulp  Bible  College,  believes  that  this 
military  intervention  has  broken  the 
continuity  necessary  for  building 
Nigeria  into  a  unified  nation.  As  a 
result  of  financial  mismanagement  at 
the  national  level,  high  inflation  and 
low  cash  flow  are  causing  Nigeria's 
people  to  suffer  economically.  Mis- 
appropriated government  funds  for 
development  programs,  as  well  as  the 
collapsed  educational  system,  have 
made  it  imperative  that  EYN  and 
other  religious  groups  step  in  and 
take  over  where  the  government  is 
failing.  In  the  past,  politics  was  seen 
as  dirty  and  business  dealings  as 
unchristian,  so  EYN  drew  away  from 
them.  But  now,  Ragnjiya  says,  there 
must  be  more  encouragement  for 
EYN  members  to  become  educated 
in  politics  and  economics,  and  to  get 
involved. 

EYN  looks  to  the  future 

When  I  asked  members  about  their 
vision  for  EYN  in  the  upcoming 
years,  two  responses  came  fre- 
quently: 

®   More  education  at  all  levels  is  a 
priority,  providing  primary  education 


for  all  children  and  continuing  edu- 
cation for  those  who  want  to  learn, 
regardless  of  their  economic  situa- 
tion. Also,  growth  in  pastor  training 
is  necessary  to  move  toward  solving 
the  leadership  crisis,  as  well  as  to 
challenge  competent  members  to  use 
their  talents  for  the  good  of  the 
church. 

®  Continued  efforts  in  evangelism 
and  growth  in  EYN  are  also  part  of 
the  vision.  Since  EYN  is  primarily  a 
rural  denomination,  emphasis  will  be 
on  movement  into  the  cities,  as  well  as 
spreading  across  the  nation.  Bdlia 
expects  to  see  EYN  covering  Nigeria 
by  its  100th  anniversary  and  moving 
beyond  the  nation's  borders.  This  is  a 
continuation  of  Stover  Kulp's  vision, 
which  was  to  train  Nigerians  to  evan- 
gelize their  own  people.  According  to 
Gadzama,  "We  will  not  hide  our  faith 
anymore.  Now  we'll  go  every- 
where. We  want  to  be  known." 

Sue  Crubb  grew  up  in  the  Elizabethtown 
(Pa.)  Church  of  the  Brethren  and  is  a  graduate 
of  Juniata  College.  She  served  five  years 
(1992-1997)  in  Brethren  Volunteer  Service, 
two  of  which  she  spent  teaching  fourth  grade  at 
Hillcrest  School  in  Jos,  Nigeria.  Recently,  she 
returned  to  Nigeria  for  two  months  to  partici- 
pate in  the  1998  workcamp  and  to  attend  the 
EYN  75th  Anniversary  Celebration. 


Sue  Grubb,  center,  with  fellow  Nigeria  workcamp  participants  Asabe  Bulus,  left,  and  Jessica  David. 


May  1998  Messenger  1 5 


IN  A   FAMILY  SUPPORT  CENTER   IN    BELFAST,    BVS  WORKER   MELISSA 
MAGEE  TEACHES   CHILDREN   THEY  CAN   BE   SAFE  AND   LOVED. 


STORY  AND   PHOTOGRAPHY  BY 
JEFF       LEARD 

Taking  the  chill 
off  Belfast 

Brethren  Volunteer  Service  workers 
warm  hearts  in  Northern  Ireland 


16  Messenger  May  1998 


'jt^^t   he\i^o,   \j\tU  tUe  Lic^5  f^aLe^    it  ail   \JOfti/\\^/i\\ie.^^ 


MELISSA   MAGEE  WITH   HER   "mAIN   PRIORITY." 


Wi 


'ith  the  heat  cranked  up  in 
her  16-passenger  bus, 
Brethren  Volunteer  Service 
(BVS)  worker  MeHssa  Magee  navi- 
gates a  familiar  route  through 
working-class  neighborhoods  of 
Belfast,  Northern  Ireland.  Her  pas- 
sengers are  an  unlikely  mix  of 
Catholic  and  Protestant  mothers  and 
children,  and,  as  they  get  on  the  bus, 
Melissa  greets  them  all  with  a  warm 
smile  and  friendly  conversation 
about  the  latest  developments  in 
their  lives. 

Outside  the  bus  Belfast  is  cold  in 
December.  Coal-burning  stoves  fill 
the  already  gray  sky  with  a  low-lying 
haze  and  a  familiar,  dirty  scent. 
Working  folks  are  wrapped  from 
head  to  toe  in  dark  winter  garments 
and  schoolchildren  in  woolly  uni- 
forms step  to  a  brisk  pace  on  their 
daily  walk  to  school. 

Partition  walls,  separating  Loyalist 
and  Nationalist  factions,  crisscross  the 
city.  Their  very  presence  deepens  the 
chill  of  the  morning.  Graffiti  and  col- 


orful murals  along  these  barriers  are  a 
melancholy  reminder  of  the  lethal  con- 
flict that  has  been  waged  in  Northern 
Ireland  since  the  1  7th  century. 

Melissa  and  her  passengers  are  on 
their  way  to  a  bi-weekly  program  at 
Quaker  Cottage  family  support 
center  on  a  nearby  hill,  where  moth- 
ers participate  in  group-sharing, 
receive  staff  support,  and  participate 
in  various  projects  while  their  chil- 
dren receive  their  own  regimen  of 
support.  The  program  is  designed  to 
bring  Catholic  and  Protestant  fami- 
lies together  by  improving  the  coping 
skills  of  mothers. 

But  the  children  are  Melissa's  main 
priority.  "|ust  being  with  the  kids 
makes  it  all  worthwhile,"  she  said.  The 
progress  made  in  children  over  the 
course  of  a  year  may  be  indiscernible. 
"You  can't  say,  'See,  look,  that's  what 
we  did.'  There's  no  tangible  thing  that 
you  can  grasp  onto  ....  But  the  kids 
know  that  there  is  another  way  of 
life — they  don't  have  to  be  smacked. 
They  can  talk  to  people  and  be  safe  in 


a  secure  environment  where  they  are 
loved  and  there  is  no  interference." 

One  of  the  children  who  has  been 
close  to  Melissa  is  a  very  active  little 
three-year-old  boy  named  Bradley, 
who  is  hated  by  his  mother.  When  he 
was  recently  placed  in  the  intensive 
care  unit  of  a  local  hospital  with  a 
severe  illness,  Melissa  stayed  with 
him  every  day  and  monitored  his 
progress.  Though  he  was  uncon- 
scious for  much  of  the  time,  his 
mother  visited  him  only  once. 

"It  is  hard  to  see  how  she  treats  her 
kids  and  not  hold  it  against  her,  but 
we're  not  just  getting  the  moms  up 
here  and  telling  them  what  to  do," 
said  Melissa.  "It's  more  support — 
trying  to  help  the  whole  family 
together.  This  is  the  only  center  in 
Belfast  that  has  this  kind  of 
approach." 

As  an  American,  Melissa  has  held  a 
special  status  among  the  Northern 
Irish.  "Either  side  will  warm  to  you 
and  tell  you  their  problems  and  try  to 
(continued  on  page  19) 


May  1998  Messenger  17 


The  joys  and  concerns  of  youth  work  in  Northern  Ireland 


Aaron  Durnbaugh  and  Jessica  Lehman  are  Brethren 
Volunteer  Service  volunteers  working  with  Belfast 
youth  in  the  Northern  Ireland  Children's  Hohday 
Scheme  (NICHS),  a  program  designed  to  improve 
cross-community  relations  and  provide  youth  with 
opportunities  to  develop  leadership  skills.  Their  work 
takes  place  in  an  unassuming  building  that  plays  host 
to  a  chaotic  youth  event  nearly  every  night. 

Jessica  and  Aaron,  both  from  Elgin,  III.,  where  they 
are  members  of  the  Highland  Avenue  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  focus  their  efforts  on  the  Community  Part- 
nership Project,  which  brings  youth  together  from  the 
North  and  the  South  and  from  Nationalist  and  Loyalist 
communities  for  activities,  retreats,  and  discussions 
with  community  leaders. 

"It's  good  to  be  in  on  the  creative  side  of  things," 
Aaron  said  about  organizing  the  events,  "but  I  really 
love  the  youth  work  part.  I  love  to  be  in  a  room  of 
screaming  kids.  You  get  frustrated  and  exhausted,  but 
that's  when  it's  the  most  fun." 

Jessica  decided  to  join  BVS  because  "in  college  it  just 
felt  like  something  was  missing.  I  didn't  have  an  over- 
whelming sense  that  it  was  where  I  was  supposed  to 
be,"  she  said.  "When  I  went  to  different  church  confer- 
ences and  heard  about  BVS,  it  just  felt  right.  .  .  ."  As  a 
member  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  Peace  Team  last 
summer,  she  felt  the  call  to  act  on  her  interests  and 
made  up  her  mind  to  join  BVS. 

Aside  from  their  other  responsibilities  at  the  youth 
center,  Jessica  and  Aaron  both  work  on  a  community 
drama  project.  Rehearsals  are  on  Monday  nights,  and 
Jessica  has  enjoyed  her  involvement  in  the  production. 

Life  in  Northern  Ireland  has  not  always  been  fun  for 
the  volunteers,  however,  and  the  political  situation  has 
affected  them  differently.  "I  find  it  very  interesting  the 


changes  that  come  over  kids  when  they  go  back  to  their 
communities  where  paramilitary  forces  are  present," 
said  Jessica.  "Sometimes  the  girls  will  talk  at  the 
retreats  about  how  they  are  great  friends,  but  if  they 
would  meet  in  the  local  mall  they  wouldn't  acknowl- 
edge one  another.  It's  really  sad  because  we  should  be 
building  bridges  so  that  they  are  comfortable  together 
outside  our  structure." 

"I've  been  scared  a  few  times,"  Aaron  said  about  the 
conflict.  In  passing  from  a  Nationalist  to  a  Loyalist 
area  early  in  his  BVS  term,  he  and  a  friend  were  mis- 
taken for  Nationalists  and  were  threatened.  In  July,  he 
was  also  living  in  a  neighborhood  where  petrol  bombs 
were  thrown  and  other  violence  occurred  during  a 
series  of  riots  across  the  peace  lines. 

Jessica  and  Aaron  both  hope  that  their  work  will  help 
further  the  cause  of  peace  by  building  bridges  between 
Loyalist  and  Nationalist  communities  in  Northern  Ire- 
land. Much  of  this  interaction  takes  place  during 
weekend  "residentials,"  where  youth  come  together 
from  the  North  and  the  South  and  from  different  com- 
munities within  Northern  Ireland.  According  to 
Jessica,  "They  are  a  cross  between  retreat  and  camp — 
hell,  basically — a  real  pain  for  the  youth  workers." 

Aaron  agrees  that  the  residentials  are  a  challenge. 
"It's  really  exciting  to  get  to  know  a  lot  of  different 
sides  of  myself  that  I  didn't  have  before,"  said  Aaron. 
"I'm  adding  to  my  interpersonal  skills  every  time  I  have 
a  residential  and  the  kids  are  screaming  and  it's  4  in 
the  morning  and  I'm  exhausted.  I'm  drawing  from  new 
reserves  of  humility  and  patience." 

BVS  has  been  an  educational  experience  for  both 
volunteers.  "Volunteering  isn't  about  taking  time  off," 
Aaron  concluded.  "I'm  learning  to  be  a  youth  worker 
every  day  here." — Jeff  Leard 


AARON  DURNBAUGH  WORKS  WITH  YOUTH  IN  THE  COMMUNITY 
PARTNERSHIP  PROJECT. 


JESSICA  LEHMAN,  CENTER,  WORKS  THE  SNACK  STAND  DURING  A 
NIGHTLY  DROP-IN  GATHERING. 


18  Messenger  May  1998 


■•      '  \)oiUf^^te€^\t\<=\  i^  ^Oi^^etU\t^o,  tU(xt  ^eel^  ^iqUt  to  K^g 


CHILDREN  ARE  CARED  FOR  WHILE  MOTHERS 
PARTICIPATE  IN  GROUP-SHARING. 


AFTER  HER  SESSIONS  ON  IMPROVING 
COPING  SKILLS,  A  MOTHER  PICKS  UP  HER 
CHILD  FROM  MAGEE. 


{continued  from  page  17) 
get  you  to  agree  with  them,"  she 
said.  "Generally  people  love  Ameri- 
cans and  they  love  to  make  fun  of 
Americans  and  they  love  to  criticize 
Americans — especially  the  accent." 

Melissa,  a  Catholic  whose  home  is 
in  Yorkville,  111.,  began  volunteering  at 
the  age  of  20.  She  is  now  26  and  has 
done  projects  in  California,  Illinois, 
and  two  others  in  Northern  Ireland. 
She  attended  University  of  Chicago 
for  a  year  and  a  half,  but  soon 
changed  her  mind  about  the  need  for 
education  and  wanted  to  work  with 
people  doing  something  positive. 

"I  don't  like  money.  If  I  get  money 
then  I'll  just  want  to  spend  it  on  lots 
of  stuff  I  don't  need  and  fall  into  the 
trap  of  consumerism,"  she  said.  Vol- 


unteering "is  just  something  that 
feels  right  to  me." 

But  it  has  not  always  been  easy 
work,  she  admits.  "It  takes  a  lot  out 
of  you  and  there  are  a  lot  of  prob- 
lems with  the  families."  Living  at  the 
center  has  also  been  a  challenge, 
since  Melissa  is  constantly  reminded 
about  problems  in  the  families  that 
come  to  the  center.  "You  have  to 
learn  to  draw  the  line  about  becom- 
ing attached.  It's  really  hard  to  have 
your  own  life  outside  of  work." 

In  a  few  months,  Melissa  will  finish 
her  term  in  BVS  and  will  return  to 
the  US.  "I'm  looking  forward  to 
going  home,"  she  said.  But  "I  have 
no  idea  what  I'm  going  to  do.  It  will 
be  hard  to  leave  because  I've  grown 
attached  to  the  place  and  I  feel  really 


settled  here.  1  will  miss  the  people 
and  the  place — moms  and  friends." 

In  spite  of  pressure  from  her  par- 
ents, Melissa  has  no  plans  to  take  up  a 
more  traditional  lifestyle.  "My  parents 
have  given  up  on  me,"  she  said.  "They 
would  still  like  to  see  me  get  a  real  job 
and  have  a  family  and  settle  down,  but 
for  now  that's  not  what  I  want." 

For  the  warmth  she  provides  to 
mothers  and  children  in  the  very  cold 


city  of  Belfast,  it  is  probably  just  rrj- 
as  well.  tf^ 


jeff  Leard  stopped  off  in  Nortliern  Ireland  on 
his  way  home  to  the  US  from  a  Brethren  Volun- 
teer Service  assignment  in  Cyprus.  There  he  was 
managing  editor  for  the  Middle  East  Council  of 
Churches.  Originally  from  Glendale,  Calif,  Jeff 
is  currently  working  as  a  frelance  photojournal- 
ist  in  southern  Pennsylvania.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 


May  1998  Messenger  19 


Fred  Borne  (right)  talks  to  three  Tijuana  children  lust  July  during  the  Pleasant  Dale  congregation's  service  project  in  Me. 


XI  CO. 


Beam  and  rice  and  Jem  Christ 


BY  Joel  Ulrich 

They're  going  to  cut  your  hair, 
brother!"  may  not  come  across  at 
first  as  the  most  consoling  thing  to 
say  to  a  long-haired  fellow  such  as 
myself  embarking  on  a  new  under- 
taking. This  would  not  be  the  last 
time  that  I  would  be  surprised. 
Having  grown  up  in  a  neatly 
mowed  middle-class  suburb  of 
Chicago,  I  was  nervous  but  elated.  I 
had  decided  to  spend  my  summer 
through  the  Ministry  Summer  Ser- 
vice program  with  pastor  Gilbert 
Romero  in  East  Los  Angeles,  a  pre- 
dominantly Hispanic  inner-city 
neighborhood  just  east  of  downtown. 
1  worked  and  lived  primarily  with  the 
men  in  the  Bittersweet  Christian 
Rehabilitation  Home  next  door  to  the 
Bella  Vista  Church  of  the  Brethren 
where  about  70  percent  of  the  con- 
gregation are  recovering  drug 

20  Messenger  May  1998 


Through  the  summer, 
I  saw  these  rigorous- 
Christian  ideas  at 
work  in  the  men, 
improving  their 
relationships  with 
others  in  the  program 
and  with  their  families. 


addicts.  This  home  and  its  inhabi- 
tants have  forever  opened  my  eyes. 

The  Bittersweet  Home  was  started 
by  Romero  and  the  Bella  Vista 


church  around  twelve  years  ago,  and 
since  then  a  thousand  men  have 
walked  through  its  doors.  Last 
summer  I  had  the  opportunity  to 
meet  about  twenty  of  them.  I  entered 
new  worlds  that  I  had  not  experi- 
enced previously:  drug  addiction, 
gang  affiliation,  prison  culture, 
inner-city  life,  child  emancipation, 
and  a  more  rigorous  Christianity 
than  1  had  ever  known  back  in  my 
Chicago  suburb. 

By  the  second  day,  I  had  written  in 
my  diary,  "Of  all  the  skills  which  I 
have  learned  in  life,  I  have  to  admit 
they  have  all  become  irrelevant  here." 
1  felt  that  nothing  I  had  previously 
learned  could  help  me  there.  All  my 
previous  skills  probably  were  irrele- 
vant but  two:  listening  and  the 
willingness  to  learn. 

About  half  the  men  in  Bittersweet 
were  using  the  program  as  an  alter- 
native to  prison  sentencing  from 


■HMMKBtiafiaffl 


Stan  Koenemann  f/opj  anc/  Dai'/c/  Lihy  of  the 
Pleasant  Dale  church  paint  the  front  of  a 
Tijuana  house  in  which  a  Centra  Infantil 
Shalom  student  lives. 


Gilbert  Romero  in  June  teaches  a  weekly  Bible  study  lesson  for  high 
school  students  at  Centro  Infantil  Shalom.  Over  200  local  children, 
ages  5  to  20.  participate  in  Shalom  ministries.  Nine  out  of  10  of 
these  children  do  not  have  fathers. 


minor  offenses  such  as  drug  use  or 
jtheft.  If  they  left  the  house  they 
would  have  to  return  to  prison.  The 
other  half  of  the  men  have  come  to 
the  home  voluntarily  in  the  desire  to 
change  their  lives.  "Life  changing"  is 
a  hard  business,  however.  How  do 
you  erase  a  lifestyle  that  you  have 
ived  for  the  past  25  years? 

I  learned  at  Bittersweet  how  useful 
a  more  conservative  or  literal 
approach  to  Christianity  could  be  in 
providing  a  foundation  for  people 
who  have  no  foundation  to  call  their 
own.  It  seemed  more  and  more  evi- 
dent to  me  that  the  main  stumbling 
block  that  these  men  hit  again  and 
again  is  that  they  had  no  hope,  no 
real  belief  that  they  could  change 
themselves.  "This  is  simply  how  life 
is,"  they  would  tell  me.  Life  usually 
means  growing  up  in  an  unstable 
family,  joining  a  gang  (your  "real" 
family)  in  adolescence,  living  in  and 
out  of  prisons,  having  "happiness"  be 
dictated  by  the  presence  or  absence 
of  drugs,  and  not  living  to  see  your 
25th  birthday. 

Gilbert  Romero,  however,  repre- 
sents the  alternative.  He  is  the 
foremost  example  of  a  success 


story — someone  who  has  hit  rock 
bottom  and  come  back  to  lead  a 
prodigious  life  as  he  works  against 
the  "craziness"  all  around  him,  even 
becoming  a  national  leader  as  a  cur- 
rent member  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  General  Board. 

The  men  at  the  home  participate  in 
daily  Bible  studies,  some  led  by 
members  of  the  church  and  others  by 
the  men  themselves.  The  foundation 
that  these  men  can  rebuild  their  lives 
on  is  made  of  several  building 
blocks:  Alcoholics  Anonymous,  Lion 
Tamers  (a  Christianized  twelve-step 
program),  car  washes,  and  Bible 
study  and  ice  cream  at  Grandma  and 
Grandpa's,  the  wonderful  elder 
couple  of  the  church. 

Through  the  summer,  I  saw  these 
rigorous-Christian  ideas  at  work  in 
the  men,  improving  their  relationships 
with  others  in  the  program  and  with 
their  families  when  they  would  come 
to  visit.  The  worship  of  God  makes  a 
vast  improvement  in  the  lives  of  men 
who  had  previously  worshiped  gods  of 
money,  drugs,  and  pride.  The  road  is 
hard.  Romero  once  said  that  perhaps 
only  one  in  a  hundred  who  have 
attended  his  program  will  really  end 


up  changing  his  life. 

Even  if  a  participant  gets  turned 
around  at  Bittersweet,  often  upon 
leaving  he  would  just  return  to  the 
same  environment  that  had  been  the 
source  of  his  problems  in  the  past. 
Various  men  whom  I  met  were  even 
"green-lighted,"  meaning  that  they 
were  targeted  by  another  gang,  so  it 
would  be  unsafe  for  them  to  return 
to  their  communities.  Therefore, 
Romero  has  sought  relocation  as  a 
solution.  He  has  sent  various  men 
out  of  L.A.  to  other  Church  of  the 
Brethren  contacts  in  the  country,  so 
that  these  men  may  truly  start  their 
lives  anew  and  not  spiral  back  down 
to  the  conditions  that  put  them  in  the 
home  in  the  first  place. 

1  was  not  the  only  visitor  whose 
eyes  were  opened  last  summer.  A 
couple  from  the  Locust  Grove 
Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Maryland 
visited  in  early  |une.  and  then  an 
entire  work  group  from  Pleasant 
Dale  Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
Decatur,  Ind.,  came  a  week  before 
Annual  Conference  in  Long  Beach  to 
do  renovations  on  the  church. 

That  week  I  accompanied  them 
down  to  see  Shalom,  a  children's 


May  1998  Messenger  21 


Ryan  Hirschy,  Denny  Leyse,  Joel  Ulrich.  and  a  Centra  Infantit  Shalom 
pastoral  leader  take  turns  digging  out  a  latrine  in  a  valley  on  the  outskirts  of 
Tijuana,  where  the  poorest  of  the  poor  live.  This  valley  is  being  considered 
for  a  second  Centra  Infantil  Shalom  facility. 


center  across  the  border  in  Tijuana, 
Mexico,  where  Romero  visits  period- 
ically and  brings  food  and  clothes. 
There  we  performed  various  volun- 
teer tasks  for  families  in  the  area  who 
had  children  related  to  the  program. 
We  visited  a  local  landfill  and  the 
people  who  lived  there.  They  had  the 
lowest  living  standards  that  1  have 
ever  seen  and  ever  thought  possible. 

1  also  helped  lead  the  youth  pro- 
gram at  Annual  Conference  down  to 
Shalom  on  Saturday  for  an  enrap- 
tured and  eye-opening  international 
work  project  experience.  Various 
people  from  Pleasant  Dale  are  now 
contributing  directly  to  children  at  the 
Shalom  center,  and  one  of  the  offer- 
ings at  this  summer's  National  Youth 
Conference  will  be  going  to  Shalom. 

Bittersweet  Home  is  expected  to 
soon  become  a  Brethren  Volunteer 
Service  project. 

Romero  has  worked  with  Com- 
paneros  en  Ministerio  (Partners  in 
Ministry)  for  the  past  few  years,  form- 
ing relationships  and  bonds  of 
communication  with  various  churches 
such  as  Pleasant  Dale  across  the  coun- 

22  Messenger  May  1998 


The  Bittersweet  Home 
was  started  by  Romero 

and  the  Bella  Vista 
church  around  twelve 

years  ago,  and  since 

then  a  thousand  men 

have  walked  through 

its  doors. 


try.  Romero  has  also  toured  the  coun- 
try, visiting  churches,  high  schools, 
and  camps  in  an  effort  to  share  with 
others  awareness  of  the  gang  and  drug 
lifestyles  that  exist  all  around  him. 

The  Church  of  the  Brethren  some- 
times appears  to  be  a  "monocultural" 
denomination.  Romero's  involve- 
ment in  East  L.A.  and  Tijuana,  as 


Joel  Ulrich  and  Elias  Ocejuera,  a  1  7- 
year-old  pastor  at  Centra  Infantil 
Shalom,  discuss  the  logistics  of 
painting  the  front  of  this  woman's 
house.  At  left  is  Terry  Shuinaker. 
pastor  of  Pleasant  Dale  Church  of  the 
Brethren. 

well  as  our  other  inner-city  or  inter- 
cultural  churches  across  the  nation, 
offers  a  huge  resource  and  opportu- 
nity not  to  be  missed  by  the  larger 
church. 

One  of  Romero's  most  exhilarating 
sermons  that  summer  focused  on 
every  one  of  us  needing  to  continu- 
ally try  to  break  out  of  our  "comfort 
zones"  in  our  spiritual  walk  with 
God  and  in  the  world.  I  for  one  had 
achieved  that,  sometimes  painfully, 
this  summer.  The  experience  has 
been  without  question  the  hardest 
and  most  rewarding  experience  that  I 
have  ever  had.  And  my  "rite  of  pas- 
sage" had  been  correctly  predicted 
by  Romero.  My  parents  were  more 
than  surprised  upon  my  return  home 
with  a  wonderful  buzz-cut  hair  job 
from  Mark,  my  bunkmate  at  the     ijn 
Bittersweet  Home.  i '-i 


JOL'I  Ulrich  is  a  soplwmore  at  Macalester 
College.  St.  Paul.  Minn.,  studying  international 
political  development  and  Latin  American 
studies.  Originally  from  York  Center  Church  of 
the  Brethren  in  Lombard.  III.,  he  plans  to  study 
in  Quito.  Ecuador  in  the  fall. 


Holy  impatience 

William  Sloane  Coffin's  message  to  US  churches 


BY  Fletcher  Farrar 

A  Passion  for  the  Possible:  A  Mes- 
sage to  US  Churches.  Westminster/ 
John  Knox  Press.  Louisville.  Ky. 
1993.  88  pages. 

Brethren  like  good  preaching  and 
appreciate  the  prophetic  voice 
directed  at  the  unenlightened.  We'll 
see  how  much  we  like  that  voice 
directed  at  us  when  William  Sloane 
Coffin,  former  pastor  of  New  York's 
Riverside  Church  and  former  presi- 
dent of  Peace  Action,  steps  into  the 
pulpit  on  Friday  night  of  this  year's 
Annual  Conference  in  Orlando. 

He  might  make  us  squirm. 

Not  only  does  Coffin  keep  pushing 
churches  to  the  forefront  of  the  great 
political  and  social  battles  of  today, 
like  economic  disparity  and  homo- 
phobia, he  also  reminds  his 
audiences  that  the  struggles  of  yes- 
terday— over  the  environment, 
nuclear  arsenals,  and  racism — are 
still  unresolved.  For  those  who  are 
feeling  pretty  good  about  a  strong 
economy,  the  end  of  the  cold  war, 
and  a  relatively  progressive  adminis- 
tration in  Washington,  Coffin  may  be 
tiresome. 

But  he's  right.  And  the  message 
that  the  church  is  uniquely  well-posi- 
tioned to  advance  the  cause  of  justice 
should  give  new  energy  to  the  tired 
and  hope  to  the  timid.  "It  is  time  we 
stop  retreating  from  the  giant  social 
issues  of  the  day  into  the  pygmy 
world  of  private  piety,"  Coffin  writes 
in  his  1 993  book,  A  Passion  for  the 
Possible:  A  Message  to  U.  S. 
Churches.  "I  believe  the  religious 
community  has  the  saving  vision." 

And  if  we  don't  quite  have  it. 
Coffin  helps  us  get  it.  "The  primary 


William  Sloane  Coffin 

religious  task  these  days  is  to  try  to 
think  straight,"  he  writes.  "Seeing 
clearly  is  more  important  even  than 
good  behavior,  for  redemptive  action 
is  born  of  vision." 

And  then  in  nine  short  essays 
Coffin  outlines  his  views  and  his 
challenge  to  churches  on  subjects 
including  war,  the  environment, 
race,  sexism,  homophobia,  and  abor- 
tion. Though  few  will  agree  with  all 
his  points.  Coffin's  work  challenges 
Christians  to  know  their  own  views 
on  all  these  subjects  so  they  can 
"think  straight"  too. 

Not  that  straight.  On  the  issue  of 
homophobia.  Coffin  equates  it  with 
bigotry,  on  a  par  with  racism  and 
sexism.  He  is  accustomed  to  hearing 
pleas  for  "patience"  with  churches, 
for  it  will  take  time  for  them  to 
accept  homosexuality.  But,  he 
answers,  when  homes,  schools,  and 
churches  turn  their  backs  on  gay  and 
lesbian  people  and  the  problems  and 
discrimination  they  often  must 
endure,  churches  should  exercise 
"holy  impatience." 

What  about  the  Bible?  "In  abol- 
ishing slavery  and  in  ordaining 


women  we've  gone  beyond  biblical 
literalism,"  he  writes.  "It's  time  we 
did  the  same  with  gays  and  lesbians. 
The  problem  is  not  how  to  reconcile 
homosexuality  with  scriptural  pas- 
sages that  condemn  it,  but  rather 
how  to  reconcile  the  rejection  and 
punishment  of  homosexuals  with  the 
love  of  Christ." 

In  his  chapter  "Beyond  War," 
Brethren  will  find  much  to  com- 
mend. Recounting  the  economic  and 
spiritual  devastation  of  the  cold  war, 
he  urges  peacemakers  to  begin  a  new 
abolition  movement  aimed  at  nuclear 
weapons.  And  along  with  its 
weapons,  the  US  should  give  up  the 
pride  and  prestige  that  accompany 
them.  "Churches  should  see  that  it  is 
our  pride-swollen  faces  that  close  up 
our  eyes,  that  no  nation  is  well 
served  by  illusions  of  its  righteous- 
ness." 

With  less  pride  and  power,  this 
nation  will  realize  that  it  has  sin  in 
common  with  other  nations.  "As  with 
individuals,  so  with  nations,  their 
salvation  lies  not  in  being  sinless  but 
in  believing  that  there  is  more  mercy 
in  God  than  sin  in  us."  Coffin  urges 
preemptive  "humanitarian  interven- 
tion" to  stop  wars  before  they  start, 
and  adds,  "Mediation  must  become 
the  order  of  the  day." 

In  an  epilogue  he  calls  "A  Word  to 
Preachers,"  Coffin  gives  some  hint  of 
how  he  may  preach  to  the  Brethren. 
In  the  face  of  injustice,  pastors 
cannot  remain  silent,  but  "we  should 
challenge  people  kindly." 

"If  we  who  are  preachers  want  our 
people  to  lend  us  their  ears,  we  must 
first  give  them  our  hearts,"  he  writes. 
"And  if  we  do,  then  because  of  our  love 
for  them  we  shall  never  be  afraid  to 
put  at  risk  their  love  for  us." 


M. 


May  1998  Messenger  23 


BY  Kenneth  L.  Gibble 

Some  years  back  a  survey  on 
religious  beliefs  in  the  heart- 
land of  America  was  taken. 
One  of  the  questions  on  the  survey 
dealt  with  belief  in  the  resurrection 
of  lesus.  Some  gave  as  an  answer  an 
emphatic  "yes,"  some  gave  an 
emphatic  "no."  But  a  great  many 
answered  that,  yes,  they  believed  in 
Jesus'  resurrection,  more  or  less. 

Is  that  where  you  fit  in?  Are  you 
more  or  less  a  person  of  faith?  Some- 
one who  truly  believes  and  someone 
who  just  as  truly  doubts? 

This  is  nothing  new,  to  live  with 
the  push  and  pull  that  is  faith  and 
doubt.  Thomas  was  the  disciple  who 

24  Messenger  May  1998 


said  he  would  not  believe  |esus  was 
alive  unless  he  could  see  with  his 
own  eyes  the  nailprints  and  touch 
with  his  own  fingers  the  wounds  on 
his  master's  body.  Thomas  was  not 
the  first  nor  the  last  person  who 
sometimes  believed  and  sometimes 
could  not  believe.  Thomas  stands  for 
everyone  caught  in  a  world  where 
things  are  not  what  they  should  be, 
often  not  even  what  they  seem  to  be. 

You  and  I  know  who  Thomas  is. 
Thomas  is  ourselves. 

Instead  of  simply  feeling  guilty 
about  your  more-or-less  faith,  con- 
sider the  important  role  doubt  has  to 
play  in  your  spiritual  life. 

Think  of  it  this  way.  A  very  small 
child  who  accepts  without  question 


what  a  parent  says  does  not  really 
have  faith.  Genuine  faith  can  happen 
only  after  you  have  experienced  dis- 
appointment, when  you've  lived 
through  the  pain  of  broken  promises. 
Faith  is  possible  only  for  people  who 
have  had  their  innocence  shattered. 
Faith  is  possible  only  for  those  who 
have  doubted. 

What  are  some  good  things  to  be 
said  for  doubt?  For  one  thing,  doubt 
requires  a  certain  kind  of  courage, 
especially  when  everyone  around  you 
is  a  believer.  To  doubt  is  to  weigh  the 
evidence  for  yourself  when  you  think 
people  around  you  are  deluding 
themselves.  True  faith  cannot  exist 
when  doubt  isn't  around  to  ask  the 
hard  questions. 


BMBmamjaa 


Doubt  keeps  faith  from  becoming 
rigid  and  sterile.  If  what  you  beUeve 
Joes  unchallenged  for  a  long  time, 
/ou  have  no  incentive  to  learn,  to 
;row. 

There  is  something  else  to  be  said 
for  doubt.  There  are  plenty  of  people 
around  perfectly  willing  to  tell  you 
ivhat  to  believe,  what  to  do.  Doubt 
keeps  you  from  simply  swallowing 
vvhat  someone  tells  you  is  true. 

Doubt  has  its  place.  But  doubt  also 
tias  its  limitations. 

In  lohn's  gospel,  when  doubting 
Thomas  sees  the  risen  Jesus,  he 
ixclaims,  "My  Lord  and  my  God!" 
esus  answers:  "Have  you  believed 
Decause  you  have  seen  me?  Blessed 
are  those  who  have  not  seen  and  yet 
liave  come  to  believe." 

■'Seeing  is  believing"  goes  the  old 
saying.  But  the  account  in  John's 
gospel  disputes  the  old  saying. 
Seeing  is  not  believing. 
'    Religious  belief  is  more  than  allow- 
ng  your  senses  to  persuade  you, 
more  than  intellectual  assent.  I 
Dclieve  dinosaurs  once  roamed  the 
;arth,  but  that  belief  doesn't  affect 
.ny  day-to-day  e.xistence.  I  believe 
George  Washington  crossed  the 
Delaware,  but  that  belief  doesn't 


change  my  life. 

Belief  in  God  and  in  Jesus  Christ  is 
something  different.  So  is  believing 
in  the  resurrection,  whether  you 
believe  it  more  or  believe  it  less.  This 
kind  of  believing  is,  as  Frederick 
Buechner  has  put  it  (Whistling  in  the 
Dark,  1988): 

.  .  .  less  a  position  than  a 
journey,  less  a  realization 
than  a  relationship.  It  does- 
n't leave  you  cold  like 
believing  the  world  is  round. 
It  stirs  your  blood  like  believ- 
ing the  world  is  a  miracle.  It 
affects  who  you  are  and  what 
you  do  with  your  life  like 
believing  your  house  is  on 
fire  or  somebody  loves  you. 
The  real  test  of  faith,  after  all,  is 
not  what  one  believes  or  doesn't 
believe.  The  real  test  of  faith  is  what 
one  does.  Some  have  called  faith  a 
leap.  You're  hanging  out  a  third- 
story  window  with  the  room  behind 
you  on  fire.  Down  below  a  man  holds 
out  his  arms.  "Jump,  I'll  catch  you," 
he  says.  You  can  believe  with  all  your 
heart  he  will  indeed  catch  you.  You 
can  even  say  it,  "I  believe  you  will 
catch  me."  But  if  you  never  jump, 
you  are  no  better  off  than  if  you 


don't  believe  at  all.  Faith  is  the  jump. 

There  are  some  good  things  to  be 
said  for  doubt.  But  in  the  end,  doubt 
by  itself  isn't  enough.  Anybody  can 
play  it  safe.  It  doesn't  take  much 
character  to  stand  on  the  sidelines 
and  be  cynical  about  everything. 
Maybe  one  of  the  reasons  people  opt 
for  doubt  over  faith  is  that  doubt 
doesn't  cost  them  anything.  Faith 
requires  not  only  thought  but  effort. 
Faith  in  Christ,  in  fact,  demands 
everything  of  you — your  heart,  your 
mind,  your  life. 

But  that  faith  doesn't  simply 
demand  everything.  It  g/Ves  every- 
thing. It  gives  your  life  purpose  and 
meaning.  It  gives  you  joy  even  when 
sorrow  comes  your  way.  It  gives  you 
a  peace  the  world  cannot  give  nor 
can  it  take  away. 

This  is  what  Christian  faith  really 
is — not  so  much  something  we 
choose  to  believe,  but  a  gift.  It's  the 
grace  to  trust  that  the  leap  of  life  is 
not  into  a  void — that,  in  the  end,  our 
lives  are  securely  embraced  by  the 
everlasting  arms  of  a  loving  God. 


M. 


Kenneth  L.  Gibble.  pastor  of  the  Chambers- 
burg  (Pa.)  Church  of  the  Brethren,  has  been 
pastoring  and  writing,  more  or  less,  for  the  past 
30  years. 


Brethrening 


Detestable  Anabaptists! 

Ordained  Brethren  minister  Lee  Krahenbiihl  took  a  posi- 
tion teaching  theater  and  communications  at  Calvin 
College  in  Michigan  several  years  ago.  Calvin  is  a  Christ- 
ian Reformed  Church  college,  and  as  a  reformed 
institution  it  requires  all  tenure-track  faculty  to  pledge 
they  will  adhere  to  the  "Forms  of  Subscription."   The 
rForms  of  Subscription"  is  made  up  of  three  historic  con- 
essions  including  the  Belgic  Confession. 

Lee  told  the  college  administration  that  Brethren  don't 
sign  oaths,  believing  that  an  agreement  between  Christians 
does  not  need  the  force  of  an  oath  to  legitimate  it.  Let 
your  yea  be  yea  and  your  nay  be  nay.  But  he  was  doubly 


opposed  to  signing  the  "Forms  of  Subscription"  when  he 
read  in  Article  34  of  the  Belgic  Confession  that  the  Church 
"deplores  the  heinous  error  of  the  detestable  Anabaptists." 
Lee  went  home  and  complained  to  his  wife  that  this  oath 
would  seriously  complicate  his  social  life.  "If  I  sign  it,  I'll 
have  to  hate  myself!" 

Fortunately,  Lee  was  not  martyred  by  the  reformers  like 
many  16th-century  Anabaptists.  In  fact,  he's  been  teaching 
at  Calvin  on  a  part-time  basis  ever  since. — Julie  Career 


Messenger  would  like  to  publish  other  short,  colorful,  and  humorous  stories 
of  real-life  incidents  involving  Brethren.  Please  send  your  submissions  to 
Mr.ssEycER.  Brethren  Press.  1451  Dundee  Ave..  Elgin.  IL  60120-1694  or 
e-mail  to  the  editor  at  ffarrar_gb((j  brethren.org. 


May  1998  Messenger  25 


u 


lO 


Far  from  losing  its  ministry  in  its  relocation  to 
Richmond,  Ind.,  Bethany  has  rediscovered  its 
mission  to  train  people  for  service  in  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren. 


Bethany  made  a  good  move 

I'll  introduce  myself  by  saying  I'm  a 
lifelong  member  of  the  Lititz  Church 
of  the  Brethren,  Lititz,  Pa.,  and  I  had 
the  privilege  of  serving  on  the 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary  Board 
of  Trustees  in  the  late  80s  and  early 
90s.  Furthermore,  I  served  on  the 
Relocation  Committee  when  the 
decision  was  made  to  leave  the  Oak 
Brook  campus.  I'm  responding  to  the 
articles  in  the  March  Messenger, 
"Remembering  Bethany's  Oak  Brook 
Campus,"  "Ode  to  Old  Bethany," 
and  "The  World  Needs  Brethren." 

In  the  early  1990s  Bethany  found 
itself  in  a  financial  crisis  directly 
impacted  by  the  cost  of  maintaining 
the  property  in  Oak  Brook.  Bethany 
had  not  achieved  the  size  anticipated 
by  the  expansively  designed  campus. 
Because  the  campus  had  been 
designed  for  a  seminary  almost  three 
times  the  size  of  Bethany,  the  build- 
ings could  not  be  maintained.  They 
had  deteriorated  in  ways  noticeable 
to  visitors  and  disconcerting  to  the 
Board  of  Trustees.  The  vision  that 
built  the  campus  was  expansive,  but 
the  expansion  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  drew  to  a  close  at  the  time 
the  seminary  opened  in  Oak  Brook. 

The  Board  of  Trustees  agonized 
over  the  decision  to  sell  the  property 
and  relocate  the  seminary.  Indeed, 
the  board's  agony  delayed  action 
long  enough  that  the  sale  may  have 
been  more  difficult  than  if  they  had 
chosen  to  act  more  quickly. 

Although  the  trustees  would  like  to 
have  had  the  buildings  upgraded  for 
further  use,  no  financially  viable  con- 
tract was  ever  presented  to  Bethany 
or  its  representatives  that  would  have 

26  Messenger  May  1998 


continued  the  use  of  the  buildings. 
Some  type  of  commercial  develop- 
ment would  be  required.  Now, 
fortunately,  the  land  is  sold.  It  will  be 
developed  for  the  benefit  of  the  com- 
munity as  assessed  by  the  Lombard 
Village  Board.  Both  the  Village  Plan 
Commission  and  the  Village  Board 
voted  unanimously  to  approve  the 
needed  zoning  for  Fountain  Square 
of  Lombard.  As  a  part  of  its  quality 
design.  Fountain  Square  of  Lombard 
will  have  far  more  "green  space" 
than  the  village  ordinance  requires. 

We  are  very  grateful  to  Dennis 
Stine  of  The  Shaw  Company  in 
Chicago  and  Thomas  Karaba, 
Bethany's  counsel.  They  stayed  with 
Bethany  throughout,  giving  their 
time  and  expertise  to  the  very  com- 
plicated sale  of  the  property.  Both 
gave  Bethany  much  more  than  the 
contracted  time. 

Far  from  losing  its  ministry  in  its 
relocation  to  Richmond,  Ind., 
Bethany  has  rediscovered  its  mission 
to  train  people  for  service  in  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  Bethany's 
partnership  with  the  church  has 
grounded  its  ministry  training  in 
Brethren  congregations  of  all  sizes 
and  perspectives.  Bethany's  partner- 
ship with  the  Earlham  School  of 
Religion  has  promoted  an  effective 
ecumenical  dialog  that  has  strength- 
ened the  Brethren  identity  of 
Bethany.  Bethany's  partnership  with 
area  seminaries  in  Indiana  and  Penn- 
sylvania allows  its  students  to  attend 
classes  in  various  theological  semi- 
naries. 

While  joining  Mr.  Cassel,  Mr. 
Brown,  and  Mrs.  Weber  in  remem- 
bering fondly  Bethany's  past,  we 
celebrate  Bethany's  current  educa- 


tional program.  It  is  educationally 
effective,  financially  viable,  and 
embodies  the  heritage  of  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren. 

Henry  H.  Gibbel 
Lititz,  Pa. 

Generous  helpings 

The  Chiques  Church  of  the  Brethren 
of  Manheim,  Pa.,  is  to  be  com- 
mended for  generosity  in  giving  away 
holiday  dinners  (see  "Tons  of 
turkey,"  Messenger,  March  1998). 
However,  I  am  puzzled  by  some  of 
the  details. 

The  report  said  1 1,073  pounds  of 
turkey  were  used  for  850  meals.  That 
would  be  13  pounds  of  turkey  for 
each  meal.  After  eating  that  much 
turkey,  would  there  be  any  room  left 
for  one  of  the  850  pies? 

Melvin  Holt 
Bloomington,  III. 

Old  friends 

We  have  been  subscribers  to  the 
Messenger  for  many  years  through 
our  Brethren  churches.  Middle  Dis- 
trict at  Tipp  City,  Ohio,  and  West 
Charleston,  Troy,  Ohio,  then  back 
again  to  the  Middle  District  Church 
of  the  Brethren.  We  helped  build  the 
Troy,  Ohio,  Brethren  church  and 
spent  25  years  going  there.  My  wife, 


The  opinions  expressed  in  Letters  are  not  necessarily 
those  of  the  magazine.  Readers  should  receive  them  in 
the  same  spirit  with  which  differing  opinions  are  expressed 
in  face-to-face  conversations. 

Letters  should  be  brief  concise,  and  respectfid  of  the 
opiynom  of  others.  Preference  u  given  to  letters  that  respond 
directly  to  items  read  in  the  magazine. 

We  are  willing  to  withhold  the  name  of  a  writer 
only  when,  in  our  editorial  judgment,  it  is  warranted. 
We  ivill  not  consider  any  letter  that  comes  to  us 
unsigned.  Whether  or  not  we  print  the  letter,  th, 
writer's  name  is  kept  in  strictest  confidence. 

Address  letters  to  Messenger  editor,  1451  Dundee 
Ave..  Elgin,  IL  60120. 


dith  Rose,  spent  25  years  of  her  life 
It  the  new  church  as  a  Sunday 
School  teacher.  We  still  belong  to  the 
Middle  District  Church  of  the 
Brethren  at  Tipp  City. 

We  were  married  April  19,  1932, 
oined  Middle  District  church  in 
November  1933,  when  we  were 
isked  to  come  forward  and  live  a 
setter  life.  Now  we  have  been  mem- 
)ers  of  the  Brethren  65  years,  and 
'ery  proud  of  it. 

Now  we  are  happy  to  say  that  on 
\pril  19  we  are  celebrating  56  years 
:)f  marriage  together.  That  contract 
;aid  till  death  do  you  part  from  this 
ife  together.  We  are  now  living  in 
Sreenville,  Ohio,  at  the  Brethren's 
4ome,  which  is  a  very  nice  and 
jretty  place  to  spend  till  death  do  us 
Dart. 

If  we  make  it  to  our  birthdays  this 
'ear  we  will  be  very  happy.  We  are 
Doth  lune  bugs.  I  will  be  90  on  |une 
50  and  my  good  partner  Edith  Rose 
vill  be  84.  You  must  work  together 

is  a  good  team. 

Laurel  D.  Rose 
Greenville.  Ohio 

Brethren  caught  napping 

\ccording  to  Wendy  McFadden  (See 
'From  the  publisher."  March  1998), 
here  are  barely  enough  Brethren  left 
o  justify  a  Brethren  publishing 
louse.  The  church  is  withering. 
[Compare  this  to  a  century  ago  when 
t  was  remarked  that  it  wasn't  clear 
vhich  would  take  over  the  country 
'irst,  the  Dunkards  or  the  starlings. 

Why  does  a  branch  wither? 
Because  it  has  been  separated  from 
he  vine.  For  a  church,  life  comes 
Tom  the  vine  in  the  form  of  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

Gymnasiums,  air  conditioning, 
studies  in  feminist  theologies,  the 
atest  program  initiatives,  and  so  on 
ivill  do  nothing  but  bleed  the  church 
iry  and  dissipate  its  remaining 


strength.  Until  we  become  filled  with 
the  Spirit,  nothing  will  change  for 
the  better. 

At  one  time  we  were  the  salt  of  the 
earth.  We  stood  for  some  things,  and 
stood  against  other  things,  and  we 
knew  what  those  things  were.  What's 
more  we  weren't  much  scared  about 
what  the  world  thought  about  it. 

On  page  1 6  of  the  March  issue  we 
see  a  cartoon  drawn  by  a  10-year-old 
boy.  "Yada  yada  yada,"  says  the  min- 
ister, and  the  Brethren  doze.  The 
Messenger  then  asks  for  "other  short 
colorful  and  humorous  stories  of 
real-life  incidents  involving 
Brethren."  The  "real-life  incident" 
here  is  not  the  cartoon  but  the 
Brethren  caught  in  the  act.  and  there 


is  nothing  humorous  about  it. 

It  is  time  to  awake  from  our  slum- 
ber. There  is  no  power  on  earth  that 
can  hold  back  a  church  full  of  Spirit- 
filled  believers. 

James  D.  Kessler 
Hershey.  Pa. 

Indiana  geography  lesson 

In  the  March  issue  of  Messenger,  on 
page  16,  in  two  different  instances 
you  show  the  Elkhart  Valley  Church 
of  the  Brethren  as  being  located  in 
Elkhart.  Ind.  This  church  is  not 
located  in  Elkhart,  it  isn't  even  close. 
I  don't  know  exactly  how  many  miles 
it  is,  but  it  is  located  several  miles 
south  of  Elkhart,  and  I  think  just  a 
bit  east.  The  Elkhart  City  Church  of 


Make  plans  now  to  attend  the 

Messenger  Dinner 

at  Annual  Conference 

Sights y  sounds y 
&  stones  from 
southern  Sudan 

\\x\yl,  1998,  Orlando,  Florida 

David  R.  Raddiff,  directorof  Brethren  Witness, 
delivers  a  multimedia  report  from  the  recent  delegation 
visit  to  Sudan.  Learn  about  the  inspiring  faith  of 
Sudanese  Christians  and  the  new  Brethren  efforts  to 
build  a  Partnership  for  Peace. 

For  dinner  tickets,  call  the  Annual  Conference 
office  at  (800)  323-8039  or  order  from  advance  packet 
order  form.  Tickets  also  available  in  Orlando  at  Annual 
Conference  ticket  sales. 


May  1998  Messenger  27 


the  Brethren  is,  of  course,  located  in 
Elishart,  but  not  Ell^hart  Valley. 

How  do  1  know  all  this?  Because  at 
one  time  or  another,  each  of  these 
congregations  was  my  parents"  home 
church.  You  see,  I  was  born  at 
Elkhart,  and  when  1  was  three,  or 
thereabout,  my  parents  moved  to  the 
vicinity  of  Elkhart  Valley. 

Several  years  ago,  when  Dean 
Heisey  was  pastor  at  Elkhart  Valley, 
my  wife  and  I  visited  him  there.  So 
you  see,  I'm  familiar  with  the  loca- 
tion of  Elkhart  Valley. 

Don  Snyder 
Waynesboro.  Va. 

Editor's  note:  We  asked  Frank- 


Ramirez,  pastor  of  Elkhart  Valley 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  to  help  us 
with  this  matter.  He  writes  back: 

The  Elkhart  Valley  Church  of  the 
Brethren  is  located  in  Dunlap.  an 
unincorporated  part  of  Elkhart 
County,  and  depending  on  what  road 
you  take,  is  less  than  two  miles  from 
the  city  limits  of  Elkhart.  The  post 
office  has  given  us  an  Elkhart  mailing 
address,  and  that's  close  enough,  lit- 
erally, for  government  work. 

My  previous  church,  the  Ladera 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  was  located 
in  Ladera  Heights,  an  unincorporated 
part  of  Los  yAngeles  County.  It  had  a 
Los  Angeles  mailing  address.  When 
people  asked  me  where  I  was  from  I 


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said  L.A.  Now  when  they  ask  me 
where  I  live  I  say  Elkhart. 

The  matter  reminds  me  of  the 
scholar  who  spent  his  whole  life  prov- 
ing the  Iliad  ami  the  Odyssey  were 
not  written  by  Homer,  but  by  another 
Greek  with  the  same  name! 

School  of  the  Americas  Watch 


w 


p 


II 


Reading  the  article  "Speaking  out  for 
those  already  silenced,"  which 
appeared  in  the  lanuary/Eebruary 
Messenger,  causes  one  to  reflect  how 
murder  or  genocide  perpetrated 
against  any  living  person  is  uncon- 
scionable and  unchristian. 

The  manner  in  which  the  School  of 
the  Americas  Watch  was  able  to  plan, 
organize,  and  promulgate  a  demon- 
stration against  the  School  of  the 
Americas  by  an  estimated  2,500  per- 
sons at  Fort  Benning,  which 
climaxed  with  the  trespass  of  601 
protesters  into  Fort  Benning,  was 
quite  impressive.  It  made  me  think  of  i' 
what  a  powerful  statement  and  wit- 
ness as  to  the  sanctity  of  life  an 
action  of  that  caliber  can  make. 

But  if  the  School  of  the  Americas 
must  be  held  accountable  for  the 
actions  of  some  who  attended  it, 
should  not  medical  schools.  Planned 
Parenthood,  and  the  National  Orga- 
nization for  Women,  who  train  or 
endorse  people  who  perform  abor- 
tions, be  viewed  in  the  same  light? 
Has  the  School  of  the  Americas 
Watch  ever  taken  actions  against 
those  who  murder  unborn  babies? 

lack  Kruppenbach 
New  Holland.  Pa. 

A  life  of  prayer 

Thank  you  for  printing  David  Wine's 
excellent  piece  in  the  January/Febru- 
ary Messenger  on  how  he  is  doing 
with  his  vow  to  spend  an  hour  a  day, 
a  day  a  month,  and  a  week  a  year  in 
prayer.  What  a  wise  decision  he  has 


28  Messenger  May  1998 


nade!  For  me,  fesus"  relationship 
vith  God  was  indispensable  to  how 
^e  lived,  for  I  believe  His  actions 
md  power  flowed  from  this.  Thus 
hould  it  be  for  us.  As  David  said, 
alking  about  God  is  so  different 
jrom  knowing  God. 

Recently  I  decided  to  take  seriously 
lie  commandment  to  love  God  first, 
^hich  for  me  would  start  with  daily 
prayer  and  meditation.  However,  I 
^ften  found  at  the  end  of  the  day  that 
asks  and  interruptions  had  had  their 
vay  with  me.  But  I  was  determined. 
Ay  solution  has  been  to  pray  during 
he  night,  when  I  can  easily  lay  aside 
he  soap  opera  of  my  life  and  just 
njoy  God  for  about  an  hour.  Every 
light  1  wake  naturally  between  3  and 
■  a.m.,  sit  up  straight  in  bed,  and 
;ome  to  God  with  a  surrendered 
leart.  Then  it's  back  to  sleep  and 
weeter  dreams. 

I  can  testify  to  all  the  results  of 
iving  a  life  of  prayer  that  David 
isted.  They  come  quickly,  too.  It 
eems  true  that  if  we  take  one  step 
oward  God,  He  rushes  to  meet  us. 
n  addition,  if  we  truly  give  ourselves 
o  God  and  try  to  trust  Him  com- 
iletely,  great  and  subtle  changes  take 


--C',' 


Pontius'  Puddle 


Send  payment  for  reprinting" Pontius'  Puddle"  from  Messenger  to  Joel 
Kauffniann.  i  1 1  Carter  Road,  Goshen.  IN  46526.  $25  for  one  lime  use. 
SW  for  second  strip  in  same  issue.  $10  for  congregations. 


CHECK  OUT  ARIZONA! 


Community  Church  of  the  Brethren 
111  N.  Sun  Valley  Boulevard 
Mesa,  AZ  85207  (602)  357-981 1 

Sunday  Services  10:15  AM 

Glendale  Church  of  the  Brethren 
7238  N.  61st  Avenue 
Glendale,  AZ  85301       (602)937-9131 
Sunday  Services  10:30  AM 

Phoenix  First  Church  of  the  Brethren 
3609  N.  27th  Street 
Phoenix,  AZ  85016        (602)955-8537 
Sunday  Services  10:45  AM 

Tucson  Church  of  the  Brethren 
2200  North  Dodge  Boulevard 
Tucson,  AZ  857 16         (520)327-5106 
Sunday  Services  10:30  AM 


WITM  WAR  RA&lNCr 
BETWEEN  the:  FORCES 
OF  &OOD  AND  E.VIL, 
SOMEHOW  yOO  N^ANA&E 
TO  RE.^^^^N  Neotral. 


rVE  Just  beem 

AP^AON^SHED  BV 
THE  BEST  IN    , 
THE  BUSINESS  > 


place  in  our  lives.  Right  now  I  rejoice 
at  being  shown  tny  hidden  faults. 
And  it  seems  that  once  shown,  they 
are  taken  away  with  little  or  no  effort 
on  my  part.  Such  is  the  love  of  our 
True  Parent!  Intention  is  key,  I  think, 
and  when  we  really  want  to  know,  it 
is  not  withheld  from  us.  I  pray  for 
God  to  keep  purifying  my  heart  and 
intention.  Learning  to  know  God  has 
changed  my  life. 

Christine  Dull 

Englewood.  Ohio 

Lower  Miami  Church  of  the  Brethren 

Celebrate  ethnic  diversity 

Upon  receiving  the  January/February 
issue  of  the  Messenger,  we  were 
surprised  to  see  no  mention  was 
made  of  the  recent  Martin  Luther 
King,  |r.  Day  celebration,  nor  was 
there  any  mention  of  February  being 


designated  as  Black  History  Month. 

Black  History  Month  is  dedicated 
to  recognizing  the  achievements  and 
contributions  that  African  Americans 
have  made  to  world  history. 
Although  many  Black  Americans 
regard  this  designation  as  a  social 
paradox,  it  does  serve  to  zero  in  on 
the  positive  influences  of  a  people 
who  still  feel  plagued  by  racism  and 
conditional  citizenship. 

Although  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  is  of  German  ancestry,  it 
still  has  many  diverse  congregations. 
In  the  future  would  it  be  possible  for 
ethnic  recognition  such  as  "Black 
History  Month"? 

Mary  E.  Jackson 

Harbor  City.  Calif.,  and 

Imperial  Heights  Church  of  the  Brethren, 

Los  .Angeles,  Calif 


MESsENGER-on-Tape 

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Each  double  cassette  issue  contains  all  articles,  letters,  and  the  editorial. 


MESsENGER-on-Tape.  is  a  service  of  volunteers  for  the  Church  and  Persons  with  Disabilities 
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May  1998  Messenger  29 


New 
Members 

Note:  Congregations  are  asked 
lo  submit  only  tlie  names  of 
actual  new  members  of  the 
denomination.  Do  not 
include  names  of  people 
who  have  merely  transferred 
their  membership  from 
another  Church  of  the 
Brethren  congregation. 

Agape,  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.:  Neil 
and  Vicki  Groves.  Arny 
iVIiller-Colburn,  Greg 
Gause.  Melissa  Thomas, 
Kathy  Barnhart,  David 
Clifton 

Ankeny,  Iowa:  Connie  Burk- 
holdcr,  Lorcn  Snyder,  Terry 
and  Marcy  Davis,  |eff 
fHolton 

Arcadia,  Ind.:  Candace  Chase, 
Amber  Beard,  Stephanie 
Beard, lean  Barker 

Black  Rock,  Hanover.  Pa.: 
Terry  Nowlin,  lane  Wilson, 
Anita  Yanavitch.  Greg 
Shaffer,  lason  Werner. 
Brian  Wildasin.  Becky  Fouts 

Brandts,  St.  Thomas,  Pa.:  Ale.\ 
and  lennifer  Goods,  Carey 
Grove,  Allison  Heckman. 
lenae  Mummert,  Bob  and 
Shari  Ommert,  Ashton 
Price,  lane  Rhodes,  |oni 
Stanton,  Rachel  Stanton 

Bridgcwater,  Va.:  Leanne 
Alley,  Anthony  Copper, 


David  and  Susan  Huffman, 
Sarah  Huffman,  Kim  Miller 

Briery  Branch,  Dayton,  Va.: 
Bill  Pirece,  Michele  Pirece, 
Lanna  Strawderman,  Lorie 
Anderson,  Donna  Huffman, 
Ashley  Auville,  Brandon 
Cowens,  loel  Cosner,  Quin- 
ton  Long,  Sonya  Milstead, 
Tyler  Milstead,  Christy 
Teter,  Richard  Pope,  Ronald 
Guthrie,  LaVerne  Guthrie 

Buffalo  Valley,  Milllinburg, 
Pa.:Mike  Kingston,  Darlene 
Kingston,  Angela  Dye,  Matt 
Dye,  Tabitha  Allen,  Robert 
Fiske,  Abigail  Mullany 

Central,  Roanoke,  Va.:  Lynn 
Owens.  Robert  and  Ruth 
Corekin,  Clinton  Haith 

Chambersburg,  Pa.:  Lewis  and 
Doris  Fritz,  Mike  and 
Brenda  Winklbauer,  Terry 
and  Doris  Clopper 

Dupont,  Ohio:  Rod  Roehrle, 
Teresa  Roehrle.  Brittni 
Roehrle,  lennifer  Roehrle, 
Andrea  Webb,  Erica  Elkins, 
Brian  Ladd,  Mark  Wise, 
Travis  Rankin.  Curtis  Rayle 

Eastwood,  Akron.  Ohio: 
Theodore  Holt,  Adrianne 
Holt,  Shasta  Staten 

Green  Tree,  Oaks,  Pa.:  Anne- 
Dominique  Haas,  Lloyd  and 
Esther  Zieglcr,  Carol- loyce 
Anton.  Zoe  Smith,  Ed  and 
Donna  Brown,  |ason  and 
|eff  Brown,  Caitlin  Clark, 
David  Guzik,  Bryan 


O'Neill,  Brad  Keller.  Ian 
and  Nicholas  Bryan, 
Shaner-Etzler  family, 
Maggie  Randall,  Sam  and 
Sue  Tubiello 

La  Place,  111.:  Lois  Walden 

Midland,  Va.:  Isaac  Beahm, 
David  Ralliff,  Kanda  Ratliff, 
Carrie  Carroll.  Irene 
Frazier,  Chester  and 
Christina  Stoltzfus 

Moorefield,  West  Virginia: 
Lilli  Steele,  Michelle  Lynn 
Phares.  Mark  Landon 
Phares,  Cassandra  Michael 
Steele,  Richard  )ames  Ket- 
terman  |r.,  Michael  Harold 
High  |r. 

Myerstown,  Pa.:  Earl  and 
Shirley  Brandt,  Suzanne 
Kiguru,  Nancy  Yonkcr. 
William  and  )anet  Post, 
Mark  Bomberger,  Scott 
Bomberger,  Michelle 
Dohner.  Braden  Brubaker 

Myerstown,  Pa.:  William  and 
loanne  Muth 

Pleasant  Dale,  Decatur,  Ind.: 
Ed  and  Cherie  Gage,  Rachel 
Ehrsam 

Ross,  Mendon,  Ohio: 

Sallyanne  Calvert.  Karen 
Knepper 

University  Park,  Hyattsville. 
Md.:  Robert  and  Roberta 
Gammon 

Waynesboro,  Va.:  David  Isbell, 
Wanda  Isbell,  Ray  Banas. 
Pat  Banas,  Ricky  Mundy, 
Lindsay  Snider,  Buddy 


Decker,  Pam  Decker,  Angel 

Auman 
Welty,  Smithburg,  Md.:  lanet 

Hess.  Michael  Hurley 
Yellow  Creek,  Goshen,  Ind.: 

Phil  Sechrist 
Zion  Hill,  Columbiana,  Ohio: 

Tina  Simpson,  Ashley  Lynn 

McCoy 

Wedding 
Anniversaries 

Appleby.  Theodore  and  Geor- 

getta.  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  50 
Bane,  William  and  Velma, 

Burlington,  W.  Va.,  50 
Bather,  lohn  and  Wanda. 

Elgin,  111.,  50 
Bixler,  R.  Russell  and  Norma, 

Pittsburgh.  Pa..  50 
Brechbill,  Roy  and  Anna, 

Chambersburg,  Pa.,  60 
Bricker,  Andy  and  Gail, 

Chambersburg,  Pa.,  60 
Carpentier,  lesse  and  Virginia, 

Brightwood,  Va.,  50 
Carter,  lohn  and  Phyllis, 

Goshen.  Ind.,  50 
Cheek,  Calvin  and  Hilda. 

Richmond,  Ind..  60 
Chewning,  lames  and  Clau- 

dine,  Roanoke,  Va.,  50 
Cullen,  lohn  and  Mae,  Stevens 

Point,  Wis.,  60 
D'Amico,  Rev.  lames  and 

Grace,  Greensburg,  Pa.,  50 
Deardorff,  Duane  and  Marie, 

Lake  Odessa,  Mich.,  50 
Deardorff,  Duane  and  Marie, 


Lake  Odessa,  Mich.,  50 
DeSeelhorst,  Earl  and 

Dorothy,  Modesto,  Calif.,  61 
Diehl,  Robert  and  Charlotte, 

Uniontown,  Pa.,  50 
Diehl,  Robert  and  Charlotte. 

Farmington,  Pa.,  50 
Dixon,  Randolph  and  Ervel, 

Brightwood,  Va.,  50 
Dodd,  Lewis  and  Marjorie, 

Bowie  Md.,  50 
Dodson,  Milton  and  Christine. 

Bassett.  Va.,  50 
Dolph,  Ed  and  loyce,  Ply- 
mouth, Ind..  50 
Early,  Walter  and  lean,  Har- 
risonburg, Va.,  50 
Eaust,  Emerson  and  Joan, 

Greensburg,  Pa.,  50 
Fike,  Wade  and  Grace,  Union- 
town,  Pa.,  60 
Eirestine,  Earl  and  Ruth, 

Myerstown,  Pa.,  50 
Flora,  Edgar  and  Frances, 

Bridgewater,  Va.,  50 
France,  Cecil  and  Genoa, 

Bassett.  Va.,  55 
Cinder,  Elam  and  Ruth, 

Lancaster.  Pa..  60 
Graf,  Willard  and  Doris. 

McMillan.  Mich.,  50 
Gray,  Al  and  Louise,  Berea 

Ohio,  50 
Guengerich,  Carles  and 

Paulin.  Ontario,  Calif.,  55 
Gugelman,  Ralph  and  Wilma. 

Fort  Wayne,  ind.,  60 
Hall,  AiTios  and  Doris, 

Bassett,  Va.,  50 
Halt,  Elmer  and  loyce.  North 


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Messenger.  Reply  to  Messenger,  1451  Dundee  Ave., 
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INVITATIONS 

Cincinnati  Church  of  the  Brethren  fellowship 

meets  for  workshop  &  support  in  n.e.  area  of  Cincin- 
nati. We  welcome  others  to  join  us  or  bring  needs  to 
our  attention.  Contact  us  c/o  Cincinnati  Friends  Meet- 
ing Hou.se,  807t  Keller  Rd.,  Indian  Hill,  OH  -i52-t3.  Tel. 
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Come  worship  in  the  Valley  of  the  Sun  with  Com- 
munity Church  of  the  Brethren  at  1 11  N.  Sunvalley 
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30  Messenger  May  1998 


Salisbury  Community  Church  of  the  Brethren,  a 

new  and  growing  fellowship  in  Salisbury  .\ID.  invites 
Brethren  moving  into  or  vacationing  in  the  Salisbur)', 
Ocean  City,  MD.  area  to  worship  with  us.  We  are  will- 
ing to  provide  moving  assistance  (unloading,  child  care, 
area  info.)  to  persons  moving  into  the  area.  For  info, 
contact:  Salisbury  CoB,  RO.  ho\  2001,  Salisbury  MD. 
21802.  Tel.  (410)  219-S949  or  e-mail  NRCainfe'aol.com 

TRAVEL 
Annual  Conference.  Travel  with  us  in  air-conditioned 
coach  through  the  Shenandoah  Valley  to  Annual  Con- 
ference in  Oriando,  FL.  Included  will  be  visits  to  Atlanta, 
Savannah,  EPCOT  and  Kennedy  Space  Center  Please 
write  to  J.  Kenneth  Kreider,  1300  Sheaffer  Road,  Eliza- 
bethtown,  PA  17022. 

Oberammergau  Passion  Play  and  tour  of  Europe  in 

2000,  One  tour  ijuh  31-Aug.  27)  is  completely  filled. 
Reservations  now  being  accepted  for  June  26-July  17 
and  July  17-31, 2000  tours.  Tours  will  include  Paris,  the 
Swiss  Alps,  Venice,  Vienna,  Prague,  Berlin,  Schwarzenau, 
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BUSINESS 

Teniu'e-track  faculty  position  in  Department  of  Busi- 
ness. Preferred  teaching  areas  somewhat  flexible 
depending  on  qualifications  of  candidate  and  possible 
load  shifts  within  the  department.  Successful  candi- 
date will  have  teaching  strength  in  a  reasonable  selection 
of  the  following:  MIS/AIS,  managerial  finance,  invest 
ments,  microeconomics,  and  production  management. 
Also  helpful:  ability  to  cover  some  middle-level  account- 
ing courses  such  as  Intermediate  and  Cost.  Skill  in 
developmental  advising  and  building  mentoring  rela- 
tionships with  students  required.  Teaching  experience 
or  personal  educational  background  in  liberal  arts  set 
ting  strongly  preferred,  as  is  some  practical  experience 
in  the  nonacademic  business  world.  Institution  is  a  pri 
vate  liberal  arts  college  with  a  tradition  in  accounting 
and  CPA  preparation,  located  in  forward-looking  small 
towm  with  strong  diversified  economic  base.  Ph.D. 
encouraged;  M.Acc.  or  MBA  required.  Send  curriculum 
vitae,  transcripts,  and  three  reference  letters  to  Dr 
Steven  Gustafson,  Provost,  McPherson  College,  McPher- 
son,  Kansas  67460.  Application  materials  submitted  by 
May  1, 1998,  will  receive  full  consideration. 


Liberty,  Ind.,  50 
larmon,  Henry  and  Louise,  Roanoke, 

Va.,  55 
(arsh,  Ellis  and  Helen,  Bridgewater, 

Va.,  50 
(endricks,  Merle  and  Evelyn,  Tecum- 

seh,  Mich..  50 
[endricks,  Merle  and  Evelyn,  Tecum- 

seh,  Mich..  30 
luffman,  Earson  and  Lois,  Roanoke, 

Va.,  65 
^auffman,  Floyd  and  Thelma,  New 

Paris,  Ind.,  50 
ancaster,  Robert  and  Alice,  Wichita, 

Kan.,  50 
ineweaver,  Carl  and  Ruth,  Mt.  Craw- 
ford, Va.,  55 
lajka,  Matthew  and  Pauline,  Union- 
town,  Pa.,  50 
lartin,  Edgar  and  Fraces,  Mercers- 
burg,  Pa.,  60 
liller,  Ammon  and  Violet.  Lake 

Odessa,  Mich.  50 
leff,  Veloris  and  LaVerne,  Nappanee, 

Ind.,  50 
lissley,  Harold  and  Erma,  Palmyra, 

Pa.,  50 
tverholt,  George  and  Marion, 

Freeport,  Mich.,  60 
.eeves,  George  and  Hazel,  Bassett,  Va.,  50 
.ichard,  Harry  and  Eva,  Port  Republic, 

Va.,  50 
haffer,  Hollis  and  Rena,  Wichita. 

Kan..  72 
hock,  Lawrence  and  Helen,  Defiance, 

Ohio,  60 
mith,  William  and  Meredith.  Ligonier, 

Pa  ,  55 
milh,  Ardell  and  Margaret,  Myer- 

stown.  Pa.,  50 
Inavely,  Duane  and  loyce.  Freeport, 

Mich.,  50 
navely,  Duane  and  loyce,  Freeport. 

Mich..  50 
tone,  Claude  and  Barbara,  Bassett, 

Va.,  50 
wisher,  Edward  and  lune.  Myerstown. 

Pa..  50 
Thompson.  Clarence  and  Margaret. 

Independence,  Mo.,  55 
Jnderwood,  Gilbert  and  Estelle,  Bas- 
sett, Va.,  50 
Jtz,  N.  T.  and  Nellie.  Brightwood.  Va..  50 
I'alters,  Rev.  Robert  and  Marilyn. 

Phoenix.  Ariz..  60 
Vilkinson,  John  and  Mildred,  Dayton, 

Va„  50 

)eaths 

dlison.  lohn  T.  "lack,"  75,  Johnstown, 

Pa..  March  2 
Jtland,  Claudine  C.  Mummert,  93, 

Spring  Grove,  Pa..  Feb.  17 
wnthony,  Richard,  80,  Quincy,  Pa., 

March  4 
irk,  Violet,  90,  Greenville,  Ohio,  Feb. 

28 
laker,  Bessie  Virginia  Dorman,  88, 

Rockingham  County,  Va.,  Feb.  17 
taker,  Willard  W.,  58.' 

Edinburg.  Va.,  Dec.  30 
latdorf,  Robert,  67, 
I    Myerstown,  Pa.,  March  2 
taughman,  Treva,  100,  New  Oxford. 

Pa..  May  4.  1997 
teckner,  Sarah  Lucy.  68.  Brodbecks. 

Pa.,  Feb.  8 
terry.  |.  Roger,  58,  Harrisonburg,  Va., 

Ian.  8 
llystone,  Harold,  C,  69. 

Shelocta.  Pa..  Feb.  1  5 
lollinger,  Lillian.  91,  Ephrata,  Pa.. 

Feb.  27 
treidenstine,  loseph,  77.  Lebanon.  Pa.. 

March  12 
tuerkle.  Beulah  E.,  93. 

Holcomb.  Kan..  March  2 


Burkholder,  Karen.  39,  McPherson, 

Kan.,  March  1 5 
Busch,  Lora  Lee  Fleming,  95,  Mount 

lackson,  Va,,  |an.  3 
Carson,  Delbert  C,  90,  Canton,  111., 

March  9 
Cline,  Mary  Belle  Balser  Weaver,  64, 

Fishersville,  Va.,  Dec.  17 
Coffey,  lames  William  Ir.,  72,  Weyers 

Cave,  Va..  Feb.  9 
Combs,  Herbert  H..  66.  Tipp  City. 

Ohio.  lune  21 
Corbin,  Mary  |ane.  73,  Harrisonburg, 

Va.,  Feb.  5 
Cupp,  Clarence,  90,  Dayton,  Va.,  |an.  18 
Dellinger,  Bessie  Mae,  69,  Woodstock, 

Va.,  Feb.  25 
Delso,  Robert  F,  57,  lohnstown.  Pa., 

Oct.  5 
Detweiler,  Zola,  94, 

Bridgewater,  Va..  |an.  12 
Dickerson,  loe,  90.  Fort  Wayne.  Ind.. 

Ian.  26 
Donovan,  Vernon  E.  Sr..  57.  Edinburg. 

Va..  Dec.  30 
Douglass,  Grace,  103,  Roanoke,  Va,, 

Ian.  31 
Driver,  F.  Wise,  97, 

Bridgewater.  Va..  Feb.  26 
Emiet,  Roy.  92.  York,  Pa.,  Aug.  23 
Flora,  Edith  Leonard,  82,  Boones  Mill, 

Va.,  Feb.  25 
Follyman,  Blanche,  88,  Greenville, 

Ohio,  Feb.  24 
Freeman,  Wendell,  86, 

Uniontown,  Pa.,  Dec.  24 
Fulk,  Frederick  1..  85, 

Myerstown,  Pa.,  Dec.  16 
Fulk,  Peggie  Louise,  62.  Bridgewater, 

Va.,  Dec.  19 
Galentine,  Leona.  83,  Hyattsville,  Md., 

Ian.  5 
Cinder,  Elam,  79,  Lancaster,  Pa., 

March  20 
Cinder,  Dorothy,  78, 

Manheim,  Pa.,  |an.  23 
Clendye,  Bessie  L..  83, 

Stuarts  Draft,  Va.,  Ian.  23 
Crelner,  lohn.  84. 

Elizabethtown.  Pa..  March  20 
Halterman,  Lena  Virginia  Smith,  74. 

Broadway,  Va.,  March  4 
Harman,  Rena  V,  82,  Daylon,  Va,, 

Dec.  16 
Hawk,  Doneth.  82.  .Akron.  Ohio.  Oct.  4 
Heavner,  Sarah  R..  94,  Moorefield,  W, 

Va.,  Ian.  16 
Hefner,  Sarah.  Moorefield, 

W.  Va.,  Ian.  18 
Hefner,  Helen,  Moorefield, 

W.  Va.,  Nov.  24 
Henricks,  Stanley  T.,  79,  Peoria,  HI.. 

Feb.  2 
Highbarger,  |.  D.,  82,  El  Dorado,  Kan., 

March  4 
Hinegardner,  Vada  R.,  83,  Timberville, 

Va..  Dec.  25 
Hosteller,  Foster,  81, 

lohnstown,  Pa.,  Feb.  22 
Hostetter,  loyce  Anna,  63,  Winfield, 

Pa.,  March  10 
Hubbard,  Darlene  A..  64, 

Lost  City,  W  Va.,  Dec.  15 
Huffman,  Rayburn,  87,  Bridgewater, 

Va.,  Feb.  10 
Hurst,  Ray  L.,  81, 

Canton,  111.,  March  1 
Jarrels,  Lera  B.,  86,  Port  Republic,  Va.. 

Dec.  31 
Karper,  Paul  W.,  83.  Chambersburg. 

Pa..  Ian.  7 
Keagy,  Louis  |.,  90.  Harrisonburg.  Va., 

Ian.  26 
Keenen,  Luther,  86, 

West  Liberty,  Ohio.  Nov.  26 
Kessler,  Donald  E..  75.  Tipp  City, 

Ohio,  lune  21 
King,  Mabel,  76,  Champion,  Pa.,  lune 


20,  1997 
King,  Elmer  F.  Sr.,  90,  Champion,  Pa., 

Feb.  19 
Kline,  Robert  Miller  Sr..  62.  Broadway. 

Va..  Nov.  17 
Kline,  Homer  R.,  91,  LinviUe,  Va.,  April 

18,  1997 
Kline,  Goldie  Marie  Summers,  92, 

Linville,  Va,,  |an.  18 
Krall,  Clarence,  78, 

Myerstown,  Pa.,  Ian.  17 
Kramer,  Dorothy,  82,  Lima,  Ohio,  |an.  15 
Kreider,  Albert  V,  89,  Goshen,  Ind., 

Dec.  25 
Kulmack,  Beulah  Houston,  82,  Green- 
wood, Del.,  Feb.  27 
Kuster,  Gershon  S.,  62. 

Montezuma,  Va.,  Feb.  8 
Lambert,  Coy,  67,  Mount  Crawford, 

Va.,  Feb.  27 
Lamer,  D.  Bernice,  91, 

Marshalltown,  Iowa,  Feb.  6 
Lantz,  Lois  K.  Lineweaver,  69,  Broad- 
way. Va..  Ian.  12 
Lantz,  losephine  Wooding,  86.  Tim- 
berville. Va..  |an.  31 
Layser,  Frances.  66.  Myerstown.  Pa.. 

March  5 
Lehigh,  Roy,  86,  Lancaster,  Pa.,  Feb.  14 
Lineweaver,  Violet  C,  78,  Harrisonburg, 

Va„  Dec.  16 
Long,  Dorotha  1..  78,  Dayton,  Va.,  |an.  28 
Loughry,  F.  Glade,  87,  Lancaster,  Pa., 

March  6 
Ludwig,  Olive,  76,  Rothsville,  Pa,,  Feb.  25 
Markey,  David  L.,  79,  York,  Pa., 

March  15 
Merrifield,  Edna,  92,  Champaign,  111., 

March  1  3 
Miller,  Lester  A.,  94.  Palmyra.  Pa..  Feb.  18 
Miller.  Virginia  Mae.  60.  Moorefield, 

W.  Va.,  Feb.  26 
Mills,  Barbara  K.,  51,  Harrisonburg, 

Va..  Feb.  11 
Mongold,  Odie  C,  84,  Petersburg, 

W.  Va.,  Feb.  21 
Moore,  Dorothy  K.,  79,  Claremont, 

Calif.,  March  17 
Moreland,  Erna,  77,  Danville,  Ohio, 

March  1  3 
Moyers,  Lola  Caldwell,  78,  Mathias, 

W  Va.,  Ian.  29 
Mumaw.  Ethel  Mae,  75.  Ouicksburg, 

Va.,  Dec.  18 
Mumbert,  Ruth,  78,  Port  Republic,  Va., 

Ian.  31 
Newcomer,  Florence  Morris,  95, 

Uniontown,  Pa.,  |an.  26 
Nickson,  Richard.  85,  Cuyahoga  Falls, 

Ohio,  Feb.  13 
Nolen,  Gladvs  Y.,  87.  Harrisonburg. 

Va..  Dec.  22 
Norford,  Lena  B..  100.  Stuarts  Draft. 

Va..  Feb.  26 
Oellig,  Cora,  89,  New  Oxford,  Pa..  Feb.  1 
Puffenbarger,  Cleda  lane,  83, 

Harrisonburg.  Va..  Feb.  1 1 
Ridenour,  Linda,  61,  Smithsburg,  Md., 

Feb.  20 
Ross,  Pearl.  97.  Westerville,  Ohio,  Ian.  9 
Row,  Evelyn  Lucille  Blose,  88, 

Bridgewater,  Va..  Feb.  19 
Royer,  Mary,  88,  Arcanum,  Ohio,  Feb.  25 
Runkle,  Lovie,  96,  New  Oxford,  Pa., 

Nov.  30 
Seehorn,  Merle  T.  104,  Bridgewater. 

Va.,  Feb,  5 
Sellers,  Mary  L.,  93.  Chambersburg. 

Pa.,  Dec.  12 
Shaffer,  Florence.  79.  New  Oxford,  Pa., 

lune  29 
Shank,  lohn  H.,  82,  Harrisonburg,  Va., 

Dec.  27 
Shockey,  Richard,  69,  Waynesboro,  Pa., 

Ian.  14 
Shuli,  M.  Grace,  77.  Bridgewater.  Va., 

Dec.  22 
Shuman,  |ohn.  83,  Lebanon,  Pa.,  Feb.  24 


Sinclair,  Orlo,  80,  Smithville,  Ohio, 

Nov.  29 
Slater,  lames  L.,  88,  Canton,  111.,  Feb.  19 
Smith,  Avalon,  67,  Dayton.  Ohio.  |an.  30 
Smith,  Sterling,  76,  Schaefferstown, 

Pa.,  May  31,  1997 
Stephens,  Carl,  90,  Wichita,  Kan.,  May 

2,  1997 
Sterner,  Goldie,  92,  New  Oxford,  Pa., 

Sept.  2 
Strickler,  Stanley  S.,  87.  Roanoke.  Va., 

Ian.  20 
Strickler,  Feme  Elizabeth,  92.  New 

Market.  Va..  Feb.  6 
Turner,  Mary  Ellen.  91.  Keyser.  W  Va., 

Feb.  20 
Turner,  Mary,  Moorefield,  W.  Va,, 

March  1 
Van  Ness,  Fred,  83,  Wichita,  Kan., 

Aug,  26 
Wagoner,  Cleo  Margerette.  92. 

Chicago.  111..  Ian.  10 
Walker,  Mamie.  89.  Brodbecks,  Pa., 

lune  24 
Walter,  Dorothy  M.,  95,  Manchester, 

N,  H..  Dec.  27 
Walters,  Elbie  Thomas,  77, 

Columbiana,  Ohio,  Ian.  10 
Weaver,  Mary,  91,  Lititz,  Pa.,  March  8 
Weaver,  Arlene,  Largo,  Fla,,  March  7 
Weaver,  Elmer,  L,,  83,  Goshen,  Ind., 

May  7,  1997 
Weddell,  L.  Stanley.  91,  Wooster,  Ohio, 

Nov.  30 
Weldy,  Mary  E.,  82,  Wakarusa,  Ind.. 

Feb.  21 
Wetzel,  Ester  V,  80.  Woodstock,  Va„ 

Dec.  29 
Whetzel,  Goldie  C,  85,  Bergton,  Va., 

Dec.  28 
Wilkins,  Mollie  V.  Funkhouser,  98, 

Mathias,  W.  Va.,  Ian.  13 
Wilkins,  Mervin  D.,  62,  Mathias, 

W.  Va.,  Feb.  13 
Workman,  Harry,  83,  Danville,  Ohio, 

Ian.  3 

Ordinations 

Bitner,  Robert  L.,  Aug.  19,  Union  City, 

S.  Ohio 
Heller,  lack  B.,  Nov.  15.  Locust  Grove. 

lohnstown.  Pa. 
Longenecker,  David  L..  Oct.  28.  Lititz.  Pa. 
Rowe.  T\>.7la,  Oct.  28,  Lititz,  Pa.. 
Samland,  Vickie,  Aug.  1,  Prince  of 

Peace,  Littleton,  Colo. 
Williams,  Alfred  Lyons,  Sept.  16, 

Harrisburg,  Pa. 

Pastoral  Placements 

Harness,  Leah  O.,  from  Sandy  Creek. 

W.  Marva,  to  Newton,  Northern  Plains 
Hullihen,  lames,  from  Ten  Mile,  W, 

Pa.,  to  Sugar  Run,  Mid,  Pa. 


Licensings 


Bennett,  Melissa,  Feb.  7,  Prairie  City, 

Iowa 
Benton,  Walter  T  "Skip",  Feb,  7, 

Maxwell,  Iowa 
Bream,  lonathan  W.,  |an.  14, 

Huntsdale,  Pa. 
Grove,  Lois,  Feb.  7,  Ivester,  Grundy 

Center,  Iowa 
Hansen,  Philip,  Ian.  17.  Champaign,  111. 
Hosier,  Randy,  Oct,  7,  Chiques, 

Manheim,  Pa. 
Myers,  Lois,  Oct.  7,  Goshen  City, 

Goshen,  Ind. 
Schildt,  Dwane,  |an.  14,  Pleasant  Hill, 

Spring  Grove,  Pa. 
Schrock,  Randy  Lee.  |an.  I  7.  Green 

Hill.  Westovcr,  Md. 
Weyant,  lohn  S.,  |an.  14,  Shrewsbury.  Pa. 


May  1998  Messenger  31 


kioria 


The  meaning  of  meetings 


At  the  Association  of  Brethren  Caregivers  board  meet- 
ing in  March,  I  had  been  going  on  and  on  about  some 
item  of  business  when  our  chair,  Bob  Cain,  suggested 
that  the  item  might  need  to  be  tabled  since  there  was  no 
consensus.  My  fellow  board  member  Phil  Flory,  winking, 
said  that  was  a  good  idea,  because  I  wouldn't  be  at  the 
next  meeting  and  they  could  go  ahead  and  pass  it  without 
interference. 

It  was  true.  I  was  finished.  With  my  second  three-year 
term  on  the  ABC  board  coming  to  an  end,  this  was  to  be 
my  last  meeting.  During  the  past  six  years  I  have  sat 
through  many  meetings,  not  only  meetings  of  the  full 
board,  but  also  of  the  finance  committee,  the  executive 
committee,  the  membership  committee,  the  Homes  and 
Older  Adult  Council.  I  confess  I  spent  a  lot  of  my  time  in 
those  meetings  wondering  why  I  was  there.  Is  this  really 
necessary?  Did  lesus  go  to  meetings? 

I  was  involved  in  endless  budget  discussions,  con- 
tributed to  numerous  five-year  plans,  and  worked  on 
mission  statements  till  I  was  blue.  "Wait  a  minute,"  I 
protested  to  lay  Gibble,  then  our  executive  director,  once 
when  he  started  us  writing  another  statement.  "We  just 
did  that  last  meeting." 

"That  was  a  mission  statement,"  he  assured  me.  "This 
is  a  vision  statement." 

That  wasn't  the  only  thing  I  learned.  I  learned  the 
meaning  of  AAHA  and  ABMOAM  and  AARM  and  COCM 
(but  don't  ask  me  now).  I  finally  learned  to  find  the 
paperwork  for  agenda  item  1  7. 1  .a.  1  before  the  discus- 
sion on  it  was  over.  I  learned  the  fine  lines  of  distinction 
between  board  roles  and  staff  roles.  Whenever  I  would 
make  a  pitch  for  the  board  to  get  more  involved  in  the 
exciting  work  of  ABC,  like  the  Bethany  Brethren  Com- 
munity Center,  ministries  in  Puerto  Rico,  or  the  Lafiya 
program,  it  was  explained  to  me  that  these  are  staff 
responsibilities.  My  interpretation:  The  staff  gets  to  do 
the  fun  stuff. 

1  loved  serving  on  the  ABC  board  and  will  remember 
fondly  my  time  of  service  there.  But  not  because  we 
approved  a  new  logo  during  my  tenure,  or  adopted  a 
wonderful  marketing  plan,  which  we  did.  There  was  no 
particular  budget  we  approved  that  I  will  cherish  forever. 
I  do  remember  our  party  on  the  riverboat  at  the  Cincin- 
nati Annual  Conference,  and  going  out  for  ice  cream 
with  friends  after  a  night  meeting.  We  met  following 
National  Older  Adult  Conference  at  Lake  lunaluska,  and 
I  remember  the  deep  sharing  my  prayer  partner  and  I  did 
as  we  walked  around  the  lake  during  our  devotional  time. 
I  remember  my  conversations  with  Bill  Cable  and  Clyde 

32  Messenger  May  1998 


Weaver  and  foel  Thompson,  and  feel  privileged  ABC  gave 
me  the  opportunity  to  meet  them  before  they  died.  I 
remember  kindnesses  shown  to  me  by  older  and  wiser 
church  members  after  my  occasional  brash  remarks.  I 
remember  the  charisma  of  Jay  Gibble  and  the  admiration 
I  felt  watching  him  lead.  I  remember,  when  we  worked 
on  the  end-of-life  paper,  being  inspired  by  the  faith  of  my 
chaplain  colleagues  who  witness  death  daily.  If  they  are 
so  confident  that  death  is  a  passing  from  one  life  to 
another,  then  I  can  be  too. 

After  six  years  on  the  ABC  board,  and  many  years  on 
many  other  church  boards,  I'm  just  beginning  to  get  it. 
Church  business  is  not  about  business,  it's  about  rela- 
tionships. The  best  parts  are  not  the  budgets  but  the 
breaks,  not  the  meetings  but  the  meals.  God  spread  our 
churches  far  apart  so  we'd  have  plenty  of  time  to  talk  in 
the  car  on  the  way  to  meetings.  And  God  gave  us  busi- 
ness so  we'd  have  something  to  talk  about  until  we  get 
down  to  the  important  things. 

It  would  be  going  too  far  to  say  that  business  is  merely 
God's  pretext  for  human  interaction,  but  it  is  surely  no 
more  than  the  context  and  the  means  by  which  we  live 
our  faith.  What  gets  done  is  not  as  important  as  how  it 
gets  done,  and  even  the  process  is  not  as  important  as  the 
people,  those  involved  in  decisions  and  those  affected. 
That  said,  business  can  be  a  fine  way  to  do  God's  work 
and  share  faith  and  strengthen  relationships. 

It  is  a  joy  to  watch  those  who  understand  this  conduct 
business.  I  have  watched  church  leaders  recently  call 
meetings  to  build  trust,  and  shake  their  heads  perplexed 
when  trust  is  broken.  I  have  watched  rules  bent  to  help  a 
fragile  soul,  and  rules  strictly  enforced  to  stop  a  disaster 
in  the  making.  I've  seen  a  board  turn  down  a  request 
gently,  and  I've  seen  a  proposal  rejected  in  no  uncertain 
terms,  out  of  love  for  those  who  might  not  hear  the 
answer  otherwise.  I've  witnessed  faith  and  courage 
expressed  in  budget  proposals  and  even  in  five-year 
plans.  I  have  yet  to  see  a  mission  statement  lead  to  salva- 
tion, but  maybe  someday  1  will. 

The  kingdom  may  be  brought  nearer  by  business  meet- 
ings, but  only  if  we  don't  take  ourselves  too  seriously. 
God  can  get  along  without  our  boards.  If  we  must  meet, 
we  can  at  least  try  to  stick  to  God's  agenda  and  not  get 
sidetracked  with  our  own  plans.  We  can  take  breaks  and 
have  some  fun  and  meet  people  we  didn't  know  before. 
There  is  a  saying  familiar  in  our  Brethren  churches, 
"When  the  service  is  over  the  service  begins."  To  that  we 
might  add  a  corollary:  "When  the  meeting  is  over  the 
meeting  begins." — Fletcher  Farrar 


he  Brethren  Homes  of  the  Atlantic  Northeast  District, 
Freeaom  To  Live  Your  Lire  On  Your  Terms. 


^^     «? 


tSl 


1  our  lire,  your  dreams,  your 
hopes,  yoiu'  home.  These  are  hre  s 
important  thmgs.  The  retu-ement 
communities  or  the  Brethren 
Homes  OTier  a  niU  range  or  hviiig 
accommoclations  to  suit  yiiur  hLstyle 
and  your  needs.  All  are  located  in 
the  beautitul  southeastern  regiem 
or  Pennsylvania,  with  easy  access 
to  major  metropolitan  areas, 
vacation  sights,  shopping  centers 
and  tourist  attractions. 
MEMBERS  OF: 

•  Pennsylvania  Association  of  Non-Profit 
Homes  for  tlie  Aging  (PANPHA) 

•  American  Association  or  Homes  and 
Services  for  the  Aging  (AAHSA) 


\jntu!  y  of  Ccinniitnn'nt 


»^ 


3001  Lititz  Pike 

P.O.  Box  5093 

Lancaster,  PA  1  7606 


Lebanon  \klley 
Brethren  Home 


1200  GruLt  Street    J_L 
Palmyra,   PA  17078 

(717)  838-5406 


fe 


Peter 

Becker 

Community 


800  Maple  Avenue 
Harleysville,  PA  19438 

(215)  256-9501 


A 


212*  Annual  Conference 

Orlando,  Florida    June  30  -  July  5,  1 998 


r. 


SO  that  \^vocl 
Is  not  ashamed 
to  be  called  our 


Orange  County  Convention  Center 


FEATURED  SPEAKERS 
Tuesday 

William  H.  Willimon 

Wednesday 

Elaine  Sollenberger 
Acting  Moderator 

Thursday 

Fred  Swartz 

Friday 

William  Sloane  Coffin 

Saturday 

Donna  Forbes  Steiner 

Sunday 

Robert  Alley 
SATURDAY  EVENING  DRAMA 


Presented  by 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary 


'  iC  '  ^C"^  c^^< 


-"SP, 


Your  online 
passport  to  the 
Church  of 
the  Brethren  . . . 

WWW.  b  ret  h  re 


Go  online  at  http://www.brethren.org.  To  learn  more,  write 
cobweb@interaccess.com  or  call  600  323-6039,  e5ct.  257. 


Editor:  Fletcher  Farrar 
News:  Nevin  Dulabaum 
Subscriptions:  Vicki  Roche 
Pubiislner:  Wendy  McFadden 
Designer:  Marianne  Sackett 


(ji^:^^s;^^Sis:iiii; 


'>^S^M^&iM^»ii'fX^\iY^'i¥^vA^r^^^m^^^^^^^ 


On  the  cover:  The 
new  Bethany  The- 
ological Seminary 
building  in  Richmond,  Ind., 
shares  a  peaceful  and  beauti- 
ful campus  with  Earlham 
School  of  Religion.  Flower- 
ing trees  signal  the  season  for 
another  graduation,  one  of 
many  more  to  come. 


Departments 


2 

From  the  Publisher 

3 

In  Touch 

6 

News 

26 

Letters 

31 

Turning  Points 

32 

Editorial 

Features 

10     The  new  Bethany 

Bethany  Theological  Seminary  was  on  the 
verge  of  financial  collapse  when  it  moved 
from  Oak  Brook,  111.,  to  Richmond,  Ind., 
in  1994.  Now  it  has  finally  sold  the  former 
campus  and  is  debt-free,  facing  the  future 
with  new  confidence. 

14     Advice  from  church  fire  victims 

In  the  first  three  months  of  this  year,  three 
Brethren  churches  were  devastated  by  fire. 
Now  on  the  road  to  recovery,  the  churches 
are  eager  to  tell  other  churches  what  they 
did  right  and  wrong,  and  what  your  church 
should  do.  First,  check  your  insurance! 

17     Peace  first  in  southern  Sudan 

David  Radcliff,  director  of  Brethren 
Witness,  led  a  lanuary  delegation  to  war- 
ravaged  southern  Sudan.  Here  he  brings 
back  a  message  from  Sudanese  Christians 
that  education  and  training  are  just  as 
important  as  food  aid. 

22     Ethics  of  fetal  tissue  use 

The  chair  of  the  Annual  Conference  study 
committee  that  last  year  brought  a  paper 
recommending  approval  of  medical  use  of 
fetal  tissue  explains  the  ethical  pros  and 
cons.  The  paper  was  voted  down  last  year, 
but  the  issue  won't  go  away. 

24     Whatever  happened  to  Sunday 
school? 

Many  Brethren  can  remember  when  the 
problem  under  discussion  was  how  to  get 
the  hordes  who  came  for  Sunday  school  to 
stay  for  church.  Now  Sunday  schools  are 
mere  shadows  of  their  former  selves.  What 
happened?  And  what  can  be  done? 


June  1998  Messenger  1 


F 


\m 


Last  year  when  cleaning  out  files  I  ran  across  a  10-year-old  memo  from  a  col- 
league. In  it  he  was  encouraging  the  General  Board's  Administrative  Council  to 
consider  the  advantages  of  adding  personal  computers  to  the  office. 

At  that  time,  the  idea  of  providing  a  computer  for  every  employee  seemed  unthink- 
able. Nowadays  if  a  network  problem  or  power  failure  renders  our  computers 
unusable,  we  figure  we  might  as  well  go  home.  Almost  everything  we  do  in  the  office 
requires  a  computer. 

lust  a  few  years  ago,  the  Brethren  Press  designer  was  considered  a  bit  demanding 
when  he  upgraded  to  an  amazing  one  gigabyte  of  storage  memory.  This  issue  of 
Messenger  was  designed  on  a  computer  with  six  gigabytes  of  storage  memory. 

Not  long  ago,  all  news  releases  from  the  General  Board  were  mailed  first-class.  We 
were  limited  by  budget  and  time,  carefully  parceling  out  both  so  that  releases  went 
only  to  those  media  most  likely  to  use  the  news.  Now  the  news  goes  out  every  week, 
not  only  to  the  news  media  but  to  hundreds  and  hundreds  of  Brethren  individuals 
and  organizations.  Anyone  with  e-mail  or  fax  capabilities  can  keep  up  to  date. 

Some  might  complain  about  the  negative  side  of  technology — the  ubiquitous 
answering  machine  rather  than  a  human  being  on  the  other  end  of  the  line,  time 
wasted  surfing  the  Net,  databases  that  treat  people  like  data.  .  .  .  But  the  same  com- 
plaints that  are  made  about  computers  today  were  made  about  the  telephone  a 
century  ago.  Like  the  telephone,  computers  are  changing  the  ways  people  get 
together. 

Within  the  first  few  months  after  my  family  bought  a  personal  computer,  we  com- 
municated more  often  with  my  sister  and  her  family  in  Papua  New  Guinea  than  we 
had  the  entire  dozen  or  so  years  that  they  had  lived  there.  Somehow  the  speed  and 
ease  with  which  we  could  send  letters  electronically  prompted  us  to  do  it  much  more 
often. 

The  technology  is  not  just  a  province  of  the  young.  Consider  Irene  Bittinger,  who 
travels  the  world  every  day  via  the  Internet  (see  page  3).  My  parents,  who  have  more 
time  than  I  do  to  check  the  inbox,  hear  from  me  several  times  a  week —  more  often 
than  we  talk  by  phone. 

Within  two  days  of  the  burning  of  the  Manchester  Church  of  the  Brethren,  a  story 
and  photos  were  posted  on  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  Web  site.  Brethren  across  the 
country  wrote  in  to  tell  of  the  poignancy  of  that  connection. 

This  summer  those  visiting  the  Web  site  will  be  able  to  experience  three  major  con- 
ferences— Annual  Conference,  National  Youth  Conference,  and  the  National  Older 
Adult  Conference — through  updates  three  times  a  day.  Be  sure  to  check  it  out  at 
www.brethren.org.  Parents  will  be  able  to  see  what  their  youth  are  doing  in  Col- 
orado. And  a  few  weeks  later  these  middle  adults  can  see  what  their  parents  are 
doing  at  Lake  |unaluska. 

I  don't  think  we  need  to  fear  losing  the  personal  touch.  We'll  always  get  together 
in  person.  (After  all,  how  many  times  have  we  voted  not  to  make  Annual  Conference 
less  frequent?)  And  we'll  always  communicate  on  paper.  But  a  community  is  a  com- 
munity, whether  it's  virtual  or  in  the  same  room. 

And  maybe  a  virtual  community  isn't  that  unusual  an  idea.  I  remember  reading 
about  one  in  the  book  of  Hebrews.  That  "cloud  of  witnesses"  stretches  back  through 
the  centuries;  today  we  have  one  that  reaches  across  the  Internet. 

2  Messenger  June  1998 


How  to  reach  us 

Messenger 

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Subscriptions: 

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Fax:  (847)  742-6103 
Phone:  (847)  742-5100 

Subscription  rates: 

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If  you  move,  clip  address  label 
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Messenger  Subscriptions,  at  the 
above  address.  Allow  at  least  five 
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Connect  electronically: 

For  a  free  subscription  to 
Newsline,  the  weekly  Church 
of  the  Brethren  e-mail  news 
report,  call  (800)  323-8039,  ext. 
263,  or  write  cobnews@aol.com. 

To  view  the  official  Church  of 
the  Brethren  Web  site,  point 
your  browser  to  http://www. 
brethren.org. 


Messenger  is  the  official  publication  of  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren.  Entered  as  periodical  postage  matter 
Aug.  20,  1 9 1 8,  under  Act  of  Congress  of  Oct.  1 7, 
1917,  Filing  date,  Nov,  1 ,  1 984,  Member  of  the 
Associated  Church  Press,  Subscriber  to  Religion 
News  Service  &  Ecumenical  Press  Service,  Biblical 
quotations,  unless  otherwise  indicated,  are  from 
the  New  Revised  Standard  Version,  Messenger  is 
published  1 1  times  a  year  by  Brethren  Press,  Church 
of  the  Brethren  General  Board,  Periodical  postage 
paid  at  Elgin,  111,,  and  at  additional  mailing  office, 
March  1998,  CopjTight  1998.  Church  of  the  Brethren 
General  Board.  ISSN  0026-0355, 
Postmaster:  Send  address  changes  to  Messenger, 
1451  DundeeAve.,  Elgin,  1160120, 


® 


Printed  on  recycled  paper 


In 


m 


'Mom  B;  93,  has  her  own  Web  site 


■ene  Bittinger,  assisted  by 
er  son.  Richard,  goes  out 
nd  about  with  her  scooter 
he  travels  even  farther  via 
he  Internet. 


While  most  people  Irene 
Bittinger's  age,  and 
many  decades  younger, 
refuse  to  have  anything  to 
do  with  complicated,  high- 
tech  computers,  she  revels 
in  using  hers.  The  93-year- 
old  matriarch  has  a 
Comtrade,  a  Pentium  multi- 
media model,  with  a 
top-oi'-the-line  color 
printer.  It  sits  on  a  com- 
puter desk  near  her  bed  in 
the  Woods  Health  Center  at 
the  Brethren  Hillcrest 
Homes  retirement  complex 
in  La  Verne,  Calif. 

"The  nurses  urge  Mother 
to  get  more  rest  because 
she  was  staying  up  nights 
trying  to  master  Windows 
95,"  said  her  son,  Richard. 
"Although  Mother  lives  in 
the  hospital  section  because 
she  needs  full-time  assis- 
tance, she  has  her  scooter 
and  is  out  and  about  fairly 
regularly.  Her  Parkinson's 
tremor  makes  writing  diffi- 
cult, but  via  e-mail  she 


sends  letter-perfect  copy  to 
her  family,"  he  added. 

The  Bittinger  family 
includes  four  children,  ten 
grandchildren,  fourteen 
great-grandchildren,  and 
one  great-great  grandchild. 
Her  son,  Stanley,  instigated 
purchase  of  his  mother's 
computer.  And  loe  Vecchio, 
administrative  assistant  in 
the  Southwest  Pacific  Dis- 
trict office,  helped  set  up 
and  now  maintains  Bit- 
tinger's computer.  "Irene 
learned  computers  very 
quickly.  She  was  sending  e- 
mail  the  first  day,"  he  said. 

Recently  she  made  50 
greeting  cards  to  send  to 
people  around  Hillcrest. 
The  last  time  Richard  tele- 
phoned his  mother  because 
he  hadn't  heard  from  her, 
she  explained  she  had  spent 
the  week  writing  more  sto- 
ries for  her  Web  page, 
"How  Wide  Is  My  Valley." 
The  page,  set  up  by  grand- 
son Steve,  features  Irene 


and  her  late  husband, 
Desmond's  lifetime  experi- 
ences. Stanley  is  working  to 
add  pictures  to  her  text. 

Bittinger,  who  is  "Mom 
B"  to  students  who 
attended  McPherson  Col- 
lege during  her  husband's 
tenure  as  president,  is  hon- 
orary chair  for  the  college's 
fundraising  campaign. 

"She  may  use  a  scooter, 
but  she  greeted  all  of  us  by 
name."  marveled  college 
alumna,  Phyllis  Beam,  after 
that  dinner.  And  when  the 
college's  grand  dame  spoke 
into  the  microphone,  alums 
in  attendance  from  that 
period,  1950-1965, 
remarked,  "Forty-plus  years 
simply  vanished  at  the 
sound  of  her  voice." 

Irene  Bittinger's  e-mail 
address  is  grandma- 
irene(a'juno.com.  Her  Web 
page  is:  http://home.earthlink. 
net/~momb/ 

— Irene  S.  Reynolds 


Churches  challenged  with  $500  grants 

Every  congregation  in  Atlantic  Northeast  and  Southern  Pennsylvania  districts  has  received  a 
$500  grant  to  be  used  to  offer  immediate  aid  to  those  in  need.  The  grants  were  made  from 
The  United  Relief  Fund  (TURF),  a  fund  established  in  the  early  1990s  by  the  two  districts  as 
a  way  for  some  of  the  money  raised  from  their  large  annual  disaster  relief  auction  to  be  used 
by  congregations  for  local  needs. 

Fifteen  to  20  percent  of  the  auction  proceeds  are  sent  to  TURF  for  distribution.  About 
$270,000  has  been  used  for  various  projects  since  the  fund  was  established,  said  )oe 
Long,  TURF  chair.  Those  projects  include  providing  clothing  and  blankets  for  the  home- 
less, providing  transportation  to  disaster  relief  projects,  and  an  AIDS  ministry. 


June  1998  Mes.senger  3 


In 


Thompsons  assist 
in  Bangladesh 

Assessing  the  training 
resources  and  emergency 
response  preparedness  of 
various  disaster  response 
programs  witiiin 
Bangladesh  was  the  tasi< 
undertal<.en  Feb.  16-26  by 
|an  and  Roma  |o  Thomp- 
son, members  of 
Community  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Mesa,  Ariz.  Jan 
Thompson  is  a  former 
director  of  the  General 
Board's  refugee/disaster 
program. 

The  Thompsons  and  sev- 
eral other  consultants 
carried  out  the  assignment 
for  Church  World  Service. 
CWS's  involvement  in 
Bangladesh  is  in  coopera- 
tion with  Actions  by 
Churches  Together  (ACT), 
an  organization  formed 
several  years  ago  by  the 
World  Council  of  Churches, 
Lutheran  World  Relief,  and 
others  to  try  to  get  all 
response  agencies  working 
cooperatively. 

Roma  Jo  and  Jan  Thompson. 


Members  of  the  Spring  Creek  and  Haitian  cinirchc^  work  on 

the  sound  system  prior  to  a  joint  worsliip  service. 


Brethren  getting 
together 

The  Haitian  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Brooklyn,  N.Y., 
paid  a  visit  to  the  Spring 
Creek  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Hershey,  Pa.,  on 
World  Communion  Sunday 
last  October.  After  a  three- 
hour  bus  ride  from 
Brooklyn,  members  of  the 
Haitian  church  joined  in 
the  worship  service  and 
love  feast.  The  Haitian 
church's  band  and  choir 
performed,  and  the  visitors 
joined  in  the  feetwashing, 
the  meal,  and  the  bread  and 
cup  communion.  Several 
small  groups  of  Spring 
Creek  members  have  trav- 
eled to  Brooklyn  to  worship 
with  the  Haitian  church. 
Along  with  other  Atlantic 
Northeast  District 
churches.  Spring  Creek  is 
helping  the  Haitians  with 
funding  to  purchase  a 
larger  building  to  accom- 
modate their  rapidly 
growing  congregation. 


Economic  stations        | 
of  the  cross  j 

Sue  Wagner  Fields  of  Little] 
Swatara  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Bethel,  Pa.,  par- 
ticipated in  an  unusual 
Good  Friday  service  in         | 
Washington,  D.  C.  She  was] 
a  reader  at  one  of  the  "Eco-i 
nomic  Stations  of  the  j 

Cross,"  an  interfaith  effort 
to  focus  attention  on 
international  lending  insti- 
tutions and  the  role  these 
organizations  play  in  rela- 
tion to  human  welfare  and 
the  health  of  the  environ- 
ment. 

In  a  14-station  pilgrimagej 
reminiscent  of  Jesus'  journeji 
to  Golgotha,  the  procession 
moved  from  one  institution 
to  another,  including  the 
White  House,  each  time 
offering  statements  of  con- 
cern and  hope  interspersed 
with  scriptural  quotations.  I) 
policies  made  in  Washington 
can  be  changed,  "we  can 
change  the  world,"  said 
Wagner  Fields. 


4  Messenger  June  1998 


\niazing  handbells 

une  20-22  Kendra  and 
anelle  Flory,  daughters  of 
noderator-elect  Lowell 
"lory,  will  perform  a  jazzy 
nterpretation  of  "Amazing 
jrace,"  arranged  by  Kevin 
vlcChesney,  at  the  Area 
iight  Regional  Conference 
)f  the  American  Guild  of 
inglish  Handbell  Ringers. 
vlcChesney  will  critique 
heir  performance  there 
lefore  the  Florys  travel  to 
Annual  Conference  where 
hey  will  perform  the  same 
irrangement. 

Kendra  will  also  ring  a 
landbell  solo,  "The 
lejoicing,"  at  Annual 
Conference.  Kendra,  who 
lirects  the  second  through 
ixth  grade  handbell  choir 
or  Trinity  Lutheran 
Church  in  McPherson,  is  a 
ophomore  at  McPherson 
College.  Her  sister, 
anelle,  is  a  senior  at 
McPherson  High  School. 

— Irene  S.  Reynolds 


Jappanee  celebrates 
:entennial  in  July 

rhe  Nappanee  (Ind.) 
Church  of  the  Brethren 
vill  celebrate  its  centennial 
uly  1  8  and  19.  There  will 
)e  a  hog  roast  on  Saturday 
:vening,  and  on  Sunday 
norning  Bill  Kidwell, 
)astor  from  1963  to  1971, 
vill  preach  at  the  worship 
ervice.  Ruth  Angle  of  the 
Pukey  Creek  Church  of  the 
kethren  (4  miles  east  of 
Nappanee)  will  discuss  the 
listory  of  the  congrega- 
ion. 

Members  of  the  Turkey 
Creek  congregation  orga- 
lized  the  first  Brethren 


services  in  Nappanee  as 
early  as  1877,  but  Nappa- 
nee was  organized  as  a 
separate  congregation  in 
(uly  1898. 

VirlJna  adults  join  in 
Faith  Quest  weekend 

Adults  in  Virlina  District 
have  seen  evidence  of 
increased  commitment  and 
devotion  to  the  church  in 
youth  who  have  partici- 
pated in  "Faith  Quest" 
weekend  events.  Wanting  a 
life-changing  experience 
of  their  own,  46  adults 
attended  "Pilgrimage:  A 
Faith  Quest  for  Adults." 
Participants  at  the  March 
event  had  the  opportunity 
"to  share  and  learn  with 
others  as  we  journeyed 
together  on  the  road  to  a 
deeper  spirituality  and 
commitment,"  said  Doris 
Quarles,  associate  execu- 
tive. Two  similar  events 
have  been  scheduled  for 
1999 — one  for  youth 
(March  12-14)  and  one 
for  adults  (March  26-28). 


Expressions  of 
solidarity 

Manchester  Church  of  the 
Brethren  raised  a  special 
offering  on  Sunday,  April 
26,  in  memory  of  Cesar 
Humberto  Lopez,  follow- 
ing his  brutal  assassination 
in  El  Salvador  the  week 
before. 

Lopez,  head  of  the  youth 
and  children's  ministry  for 
Iglesia  Bautista  Emmanuel, 
was  gunned  down  walking 
to  the  church  offices  in 
San  Salvador. 

The  Manchester  Church 
and  Iglesia  Emmanuel  are 


Debbie  Roberts,  the  Brethren  campus  minister  at  University 
of  La  Verne:  Stephen  Morgan,  university  president:  and 
Beverly  Rupel,  member  of  the  board  of  trustees. 

Peace  Pole  planted  at  La  Verne 

On  March  26  a  peace  pole  was  "planted"  at  the  Univer- 
sity of  La  Verne,  La  Verne,  Calif.  The  pole  carries  the 
message  "May  Peace  Prevail  on  Earth"  in  eight  languages. 
Campus  organizations  sponsored  exhibits  in  the  university 
quad  pointing  to  areas  of  injustice  in  the  world. 


sister  parishes.  Manches- 
ter youth  group  members 
Ben  Welter  and  Ambrosia 
Brown,  who  stayed  in  the 
home  of  Cesar  Lopez  last 
summer  when  the  Man- 
chester church  sent  a 
special  youth  mission  to  its 
sister  church,  led  the  con- 
gregation in  prayer. 

Congregation  members 
David  Rogers  and  Worth 
Weller  flew  the  following 
week  to  San  Salvador  to 


carry  messages  of  consola- 
tion and  solidarity  and  to 
represent  the  congregation 
at  Iglesia  Bautista 
Emmanuel's  May  3  memo- 
rial service  for  its  slain 
youth  leader. 


"In  Touch" profiles  Brethren 
we  would  like  you  to  meet.  Send 
story  ideas  and  photos  to  "In 
Touch."  Messe\'cer.  1451 
Dundee  Ave..  Elgin.  IL  60120. 


June  1998  Messenger  5 


N 


The  36-year  conflict  has  seen 
indigenous  communities  hardest  hit. 
targeted  for  atrocities  and 
displacement.  Their  rights  continue 
to  be  an  issue  in  Guatemala. 


Guatemala  bishop  murdered 
after  war  memories  released 

The  people  of  Guatemala  let  their 
voices  be  heard  April  24  after  more 
than  three  decades  of  fear-induced 
silence.  On  that  day,  the  Project  for 
the  Recovery  of  the  Historic  Memory 
(or  REMHI,  as  it  is  known  in  Span- 
ish) was  released  in  the  cathedral  in 
Guatemala  City. 

The  report  gathers  the  testimonies 
of  some  5,500  Guatemalans,  each  of 
whom  had  seen  their  lives  and  the 
lives  of  their  loved  ones  torn  apart  in 
a  brutal  civil  war  that  left  over 
150,000  civilians  dead,  another 
40,000  "disappeared,"  200,000 
orphans,  and  1  million  refugees.  The 
Roman  Catholic  organizers  of  the 
project  hoped  that  in  the  retelling  of 
their  stories,  the  people  would  take  a 
significant  step  toward  personal  and 
community  healing  and  national  rec- 
onciliation. 

Two  days  later,  a  brutal  effort  was 
made  to  once  again  impose  a  reign 
of  silence.  |uan  Gerardi,  auxiliary 
bishop  of  Guatemala  and  general 
coordinator  for  the  human  rights 
office  of  the  archdiocese — the  office 
responsible  for  REMHI — was  mur- 
dered in  the  doorway  of  his  home  by 
an  assailant  wielding  a  cement  block. 
Even  in  a  nation  gripped  by  common 
crime,  robbery  has  been  ruled  out  as 
a  motive.  That  left  but  one  likely  cul- 
prit: those  angered  by  the  REMHI 
report.  This  would  include  a  collu- 
sion of  government,  economic,  and 
military  powers  that  have  conspired 
to  terrorize  and  control  the  country 
for  decades. 

Attending  the  April  24  presenta- 
tion was  Brethren  Witness  director 
David  Radcliff.  "If  it  proves  true  that 
this  murder  was  sanctioned  by 
Guatemalan  officials,"  Radcliff  com- 
mented the  day  after  the  assault,  "it 
is  an  affront  to  the  Christian  com- 


munity in  Guatemala  and  to  the 
people  of  Guatemala  as  a  whole. 
This  moment  in  history  offers  a 
long-awaited  occasion  for  healing 
and  reconciliation,  as  well  as  for  jus- 
tice and  peace.  Unfortunately,  some 
sectors  of  the  nation  may  do  any- 
thing to  keep  this  from  coming  true,  j 

"Let  us  pray  for  the  people  of 
Guatemala  that  they  may  have  the 
courage  to  continue  on  the  path  they* 
have  begun  to  walk.  And  we  must       ! 
also  call  on  our  government  to  pres- 
sure the  government  of  Guatemala  to 
thoroughly  investigate  and  vigor-        j 
ously  prosecute  this  crime.  The  | 

long-suffering  people  of  Guatemala   j 
deserve  no  less." 

PrJmeTlme:  'Brethren'  sect 
not  Church  of  the  Brethren 

Not  all  "Brethren"  are  the  same,  or 
even  close.  That  point  was  made 
quite  evident  in  a  March  episode  of 
ABC's  "PrimeTime  Live." 

The  broadcast  featured  a  cult 
called  "The  Brethren."  Although 
there  are  differences  among  the 
handful  of  communions  worldwide 
that  trace  their  roots  back  to  eight 
men  and  women  who  founded  the 
Brethren  movement  in  Schwarzenau, 
Germany,  in  1708,  they  are  minor 
when  those  denominations. are  com- 
pared to  The  Brethren  cult. 

According  to  "PrimeTime  Live," 
the  cult  was  formed  in  the  mid- 
1970s  by  lim  Roberts,  son  of  an 
evangelical  minister.  Its  members 
often  travel  to  colleges  and  universi- 
ties in  attempts  to  recruit  new 
members.  Cult  leaders  persuade 
members  to  dissociate  themselves 
from  their  families  out  of  the  fear 
that  family  members  may  try  to 
kidnap  or  "deprogram"  them. 
Members  of  the  cult  follow  a  near- 
transient  lifestyle,  routinely  living  in 
low-income  housing  and  garbage- 


6  Messenger  June  1998 


licking  their  food. 

Viewers  familiar  with  the  Church 
if  the  Brethren  called  "PrimeTime 
Ave"  during  the  program,  prompting 
ost  Diane  Sawyer  to  clarify  on  the 
ir  that  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  is 

legitimate,  well-established  denom- 
lation. 

"We  want  to  make  sure  that  you 
now  that  Jim  Roberts'  group,  those 
Irethren,  have  nothing  to  do  with 
hat  group,  the  Church  of  the 
Irethren,"  Sawyer  said. 

itaff  changes  at  OEPA,  BBT, 
Vashington  office,  Bethany 

.awrence  Hoover  of  Harrisonburg, 
'a.,  has  been  retained  by  the 
Irethren  Benefit  Trust's  Brethren 
'oundation  to  assist  with  estate  plan- 
ing for  the  foundation's  clients, 
loover,  who  has  worked  for  the  US 
itate  Department,  is  senior  partner 
t  Hoover,  Penrod,  Davenport  and 
!rist  in  Harrisonburg.  He  is  a 
lember  of  Harrisonburg  First 
Church  of  the  Brethren. 

He  and  James  Replogle  will  work 
ut  of  a  newly  opened  Brethren 
'oundation  satellite  office  in  Har- 
isonburg,  Va.,  and  can  be  reached  at 
88-3 1 1  -6530.  They  are  sharing 
pace  with  Ray  Click  and  Faye 
filler,  of  the  General  Board's  Fund- 
ig  staff,  who  can  be  reached  at 
40-434-7874. 

Loyce  Borgmann  of  Vienna,  Va., 
as  been  named  coordinator  of  the 
!hurch  of  the  Brethren  Washington 
)ffice.  She  is  a  volunteer,  working 
n-site  three  days  a  week.  Borgmann 
ains  Brethren  Volunteer  Service 
/orkers  Heather  Nolen  and  Costa 
Jicolaidis,  who  will  continue  their 
srms  as  legislative  assistants. 

Kaysa  McAdams  retired  May  10  as 
usiness  manager  for  Bethany  Theo- 
3gical  Seminary,  following  seven 
ears  on  the  Bethany  staff. 


McAdams  joined  the  Bethany  staff 
in  May  1991.  Following  the  move  by 
Bethany  to  Richmond,  Ind.,  in  1994, 
she  became  director  of  a  business 
office  that  serves  Bethany  and  Earl- 
ham  School  of  Religion  (ESR).  She 
also  has  handled  the  financial  aid 
programs  for  both  seminaries. 

Audrey  Osborne  of  Codorus,  Pa., 
has  been  named  program  coordina- 
tor for  On  Earth  Peace  Assembly,  an 
independent  Church  of  the  Brethren 
peace  and  reconciliation  ministries 
organization. 

Osborne,  a  graduate  of  Western 
Maryland  College,  has  served  as 
Christian  education/visitation  staff 
for  Westminster  (Md.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren  and  as  chaplain  and  assis- 
tant program  coordinator  for  Camp 
Eder,  Fairfield,  Pa. 

Churches  making  increasing 
use  of  computer  technology 

A  recent  survey  of  computer  technol- 
ogy in  the  local  church  shows  a  very 
high  level  of  computer  usage,  with 
more  than  half  of  those  users  report- 
ing Internet  access  now  or  in  the 
near  future. 

The  survey  was  conducted  by  the 
Protestant  Church-owned  Publishers 
Association  (PCPA),  of  which 
Brethren  Press  is  a  member.  Congre- 
gations surveyed  were  from  1 1 
denominations,  including  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren. 

Among  congregations  of  200  or 
more  members,  98  percent  have  at 
least  one  computer  in  their  church 
office.  Forty-two  percent  have  Internet 
access,  and  19  percent  expect  to  have 
Internet  access  in  the  near  future. 

Seventeen  percent  of  the  congrega- 
tions have  their  own  home  page  on  the 
World  Wide  Web,  and  1 3  percent 
expect  to  create  one  in  the  near  future. 

Survey  respondents  said  they  used 
the  Internet  for  e-mail  (41  percent). 


research  (22  percent),  ordering  sup- 
plies and  resources  (12  percent),  and 
receiving  denominational  informa- 
tion (12  percent). 

Brethren  survey  participants  listed 
the  following  benefits  of  having  a 
Web  site  and  Internet  connection — 
ability  to  connect  directly  with 
vendors,  access  to  other  members, 
receiving  information  from  the 
denomination,  personal  responses 
for  the  pastor,  e-mail  with  college 
students,  and  sermon  information. 

Access  to  the  Internet  by  PCPA's 
member  publishing  houses  increased 
from  81  percent  to  100  percent  from 
1996  to  1997.  In  that  year,  Web  site 
presence  increased  from  47  to  81 
percent. 

CPT  receives  second  death 
threat  linked  to  Middle  East 

An  April  5  death  threat  recorded  on 
the  answering  machine  of  Christian 
Peacemaker  Teams  was  similar  in 
content  and  timing  to  one  received  in 
January,  says  CPT.  While  the  more 
recent  threat  targeted  the  Chicago 
office,  the  January  message  threat- 
ened members  of  CPT  working  in 
the  West  Bank  city  of  Hebron. 

CPT  has  maintained  a  violence- 
deterring  presence  in  Hebron  since 
June  1995,  and  works  closely  with 
both  Palestinians  and  Israeli  peace 
groups.  The  team  has  periodically 
received  verbal  and  written  death 
threats  from  Israeli  settlers,  but 
detailed  phone  threats  to  the  Chicago 
office  suggest  a  new  level  of  inten- 
sity, according  to  CPT. 

CPT  says  this  latest  threat  comes 
at  a  time  when  Israel  is  under  major 
pressure  from  Palestinians  and  the 
international  community  to  imple- 
ment the  Oslo  Peace  accords,  which 
call  for  Israel  to  turn  over  additional 
land  to  the  Palestinians. 

Christian  Peacemaker  Teams  is  an 


June  1998  Messenger  7 


initiative  among  Church  of  the 
Brethren  and  Mennonite  congrega- 
tions and  Friends  meetings  that 
support  violence  reduction  efforts 
around  the  world. 

Giving  to  General  Board 
down  slightly  as  of  May 

Gifts  to  the  General  Board's  General 
Fund  for  the  first  quarter  of  1998 
were  up  from  1997's  first  quarter, 
but  were  trailing  1997  by  $52,000  in 
early  May. 

"1  want  to  express  my  sincere 
thanks  and  appreciation  to  the  con- 
gregations and  individuals  who 
continue  their  strong  support  of  the 
vital  ministries  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  General  Board,"  said  Ken 
Neher,  director  of  funding.  "We 
appreciate  the  confidence  and  trust 
you  place  in  us  to  be  good  stewards 
of  your  mission  and  outreach  funds." 

White  House  vigil  protests 
School  of  the  Americas 

A  vigil  was  held  April  26-28  at  the 
White  House  and  at  the  US  Capitol 
to  call  for  closing  the  School  of  the 
Americas  (SOA). 

The  Church  of  the  Brethren  Gen- 
eral Board  called  for  the  school's 
closing  in  a  luly  1997  resolution. 

Although  graduates  of  the  school 
have  been  linked  to  the  most  egre- 
gious human  rights  violations  in  this 
hemisphere,  the  US-operated  school, 
located  at  Fort  Benning,  Columbus, 
Ga.,  in  )anuary  received  additional 
funding  after  approval  from  a  Defense 
Department  subcommittee.  According 
to  the  committee's  certification 
report,  the  SOA  now  meets  certain 
conditions  that  allowed  it  to  receive 
the  funding,  which  stands  at  $20  mil- 
lion annually.  Congress  debated 
funding  of  the  school  last  fall. 

According  to  the  National  Council 
of  Churches,  many  problems  still 
remain  with  the  school:  there  is  still 
no  adequate  external  oversight  of 


curriculum;  flaws  in  past  curriculum 
are  not  fully  admitted  and,  thus,  are 
unlikely  to  be  corrected;  human 
rights  and  democratic  values  remain 
a  minimal  part  of  the  curriculum; 
there  is  no  objective  evaluation  of 
SOA  graduates. 

Heather  Nolen  of  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  Washington  Office  cites 
other  troubling  indicators  as  well, 
and  says  that  almost  1  50  SOA  gradu- 
ates have  been  linked  to  human 
rights  abuses  since  Congress  debated 
the  school  last  year. 

Brethren  send  emergency  aid 
to  victims  of  Alabama  storms 

In  the  wake  of  devastating  storms  in 
Birmingham,  Ala.,  $5,000  has  been 
allocated  from  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  General  Board's  Emergency 
Disaster  Fund.  The  allocated  funds 
will  provide  two  child  care  volunteers 
for  up  to  two  weeks  and  will  allow  an 
Emergency  Response/  Service  Min- 
istries representative  to  assess 
whether  a  rebuilding  project  needs  to 
be  established. 

Other  recent  ER/SM  efforts 
include: 

•  the  presence  of  Teresa  Matamora, 
a  Spanish-speaking  disaster  worker,  in 
Orlando,  Fla.,  to  help  disaster  victims 
contact  agencies  for  help. 

•  allocating  $2,600  to  Catholic 
Charities  of  Le  Center,  Minn.,  to 
help  displaced  children  with  trans- 
portation to  school. 

•  sending  720  school  kits  to 
McCalla,  Ala.,  for  children  whose 
school  was  destroyed  by  a  tornado. 

Church  leaders:  Halt  military, 
start  peace  in  Chiapas 

Over  300  religious  leaders  from 
throughout  the  United  States  have 
signed  a  statement  calling  for  the 
United  States  and  Mexico  to  end  the 
escalating  violence  against  indigenous 
communities  in  Chiapas,  Mexico. 


The  statement  was  signed  on 
behalf  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren) 
by  David  Radcliff,  director  of 
Brethren  Witness.  It  was  also  signed 
by  the  top  leadership  of  the  National 
Council  of  Churches.  It  calls  on  the 
two  governments  to  address  the 
"pattern  of  tolerance"  for  paramili- 
tary groups  like  the  one  responsible 
for  the  massacre  of  45  Tzotzil  Indi- 
ans in  Acteal  on  Dec.  22. 

Since  that  massacre,  the  military 
has  reportedly  stationed  an  addi- 
tional 5,000  troops  in  indigenous 
communities  in  the  Chiapas  high- 
lands, increasing  the  current  number 
of  soldiers  there  to  40,000.  Accord- 
ing to  the  NCC,  between  300  and 
600  people  have  been  killed  there  as 
a  direct  result  of  the  military  and 
paramilitary  since  a  1994  ceasefire. 
An  estimated  10,000  people  from  the| 
area  have  been  displaced. 

"We,  the  undersigned  religious 
leaders,  call  on  the  governments  of 
Mexico  and  the  United  States  to 
examine  official  policies  that  have 
resulted  in  stalled  peace  talks  and 
repeated  explosions  of  violence  in 
Chiapas,"  reads  the  letters  sent  to 
presidents  Zedillo  and  Clinton.  "Res- 
olute action  is  urgently  needed  to 
demilitarize  the  conflict  and  achieve 
a  negotiated  resolution.  Any  attempt 
at  a  military  solution  in  Chiapas  will 
only  lead  to  more  bloodshed  and 
unrest,  a  loss  of  credibility  for  the 
Mexican  government,  and  strained 
US-Mexico  relations." 

Brethren  lobby  on  welfare 
reform,  church-state  relations 

Brethren  traveled  to  Capitol  Hill 
twice  in  late  April  to  speak  with  leg- 
islators. 

Stephen  Longenecker,  professor  of 
history  and  religious  history  at 
Bridgewater  (Va.)  College,  visited  five 
legislative  offices  to  discuss  an  article 
he  wrote  opposing  the  Istook  Amend- 
ment, an  amendment  that,  according 
to  some,  would  weaken  the  balance 


8  Messi,nc;hr  June  1998 


iood  Ground:  Letting  the  Word  Take  Root  is  the  name  of  a 
lew  adult  curriculum  co-published  by  Brethren  Press  and 
^aith  &  Life  Press.  The  two  publishers  are  the  creators  of 
he  Generation  Why  youth  curriculum. 

According  to  Julie  Garber,  Brethren  Press  editor,  Good 
Iround  is  a  unique  approach  to  Bible  study.  "It  lets  the 
3ible  ask  most  of  the  questions  and  lets  participants 
itruggle  with  the  answers,"  Garber  said.  "When  we  ask, 
How  can  I  be  saved?'  the  Bible  asks,  'Whom  will  you 
lerve?'  When  we  ask,  'What  will  happen  to  me  when  I 
lie?'  the  Bible  asks,  'What  does  the  Lord  require  of  you?' 
Vhen  we  ask,  'Whom  does  God  loves  best?'  the  Bible 
isks,  'Who  is  your  neighbor?'  Good  Ground  goes  to  the 
scriptures  for  questions,  not  just  answers." 

Known  for  producing  children  and  youth  materials 
;eared  toward  "active  learners,"  the  publishers  oi  Good 
Iround  saw  a  need  for  an  interactive  Sunday  school  cur- 
iculum  for  adults,  said  Wendy  McFadden,  Brethren  Press 
)ublisher.  ''Good  Ground  is  created  for  a  broad  audience 
ige-wise,  but  targets  those  who  enjoy  using  a  range  of 
earning  styles." 

*'^'  y^/'-S^rA     Participants  make  connections 
^  jv 'V 'I     )  )etween  the  Word  and  the  world 

GP^^I     IIWir^'^'^°"S'^  ^  variety  of 
"^{BjL^r^t    /activities.  Beginning  with 
he  premise  that  everyone  has  equal  access  to  the  Bible's 
ruth,  all  participants,  including  the  leader,  use  identical 
esources.  "These  are  sessions  in  which  learning  happens, 
ather  than  sessions  in  which  teaching  happens,"  said 
(.en  Hawkley,  an  education  staff  member  for  the  General 
Conference  Mennonite  Church,  for  which  Faith  &  Life 
'ress  is  the  publisher. 
The  Good  Ground  name  is  inspired  by  the  parable  of 


the  sower,  in  which  some  seed  falls  on  good  ground  and 
brings  forth  grain. 

The  two  fall  units  of  Good  Ground  will  be  available  in 
lune.  Two  winter  units  will  be  off  the  press  in  July,  so  that 
users  will  be  able  to  start  the  Sunday  school  year  with 
four  titles  to  choose  from.  Over  the  four-year  cycle, 
nearly  all  books  of  the  Bible  will  be  covered.  Each  study  is 
six  sessions  long,  with  two  studies  offered  each  quarter. 
To  order,  contact  Brethren  Press  at  800-441  -3712. 


Church  of  the  Brethren  youth  groups  are  receiving  a  packet  of 
resource  materials  from  the  General  Board's  Brethren  Wit- 
ness office.  Included  in  the  packet  is  a  flier  that  describes  a 
"Turn  Down  the  Heat"  initiative,  an  activity  youth  can  help 
lead  in  their  churches  to  reduce  the  amount  of  carbon  diox- 
ide that  is  emitted  daily  by  automobiles. 

Also  included  are  a  "Take  the  Pledge"  flier,  which 
describes  the  campaign  that  asks  youth  and  adults  not  to 
fight  to  kill,  and  hunger  education  and  action  materials. 
For  more  information,  contact  Brethren  Witness  at  wit- 
ness_gb(S'brethren.org  or  at  800-325-8039. 

A  40-hour  course  in  mediation  and  conflict  resolution  is 

offered  |uly  27-Aug.  1  by  Education  for  Conflict  Resolu- 
tion, Inc.,  at  the  Manchester  College  Union,  North 
Manchester,  Ind.,  "Mediating  Interpersonal  Conflict" 
covers  the  basics  of  conflict  theory  and  communication 
skills  for  conflict  resolution,  win-win  negotiation,  and 
community  mediation,  along  with  guided  practice  in  the 
mediation  process.  The  training  fee  is  $350.  To  register, 
contact  ECR,  Inc.  PO.  Box  275,  North  Manchester,  IN 
46962,  call  219-982-4621  or  e-mail:  ecri(g'actinet.com. 


\m 


)etween  church  and  state,  encourag- 
ng  government-endorsed  prayer  and 
■eligion  in  schools. 

"Annual  Conference  clearly  opposes 
my  change  in  the  current  interpreta- 
ion  of  separation  of  church  and  state 
[codified  in  the  US  Constitution)," 
^ongenecker  said. 

The  Washington  Office  organized 
I'isits  for  three  Eastern  Mennonite 
University  students,  including  Shelly 
Ungemach,  a  Church  of  the  Brethren 
Tiember  from  Palmyra,  Pa.  The  visits 


to  three  legislative  offices  were 
intended  to  encourage  support  of  the 
Agriculture  Bill  (S.l  150/H.R.2534) 
and  co-sponsorship  of  legislation  to 
increase  the  minimum  wage. 

Enactment  of  the  Agriculture  Bill 
would  use  surplus  money  (ironically 
saved  by  the  federal  food  stamp  pro- 
gram) to  restore  food  stamps  to 
approximately  200,000  of  the 
900,000  legal  immigrants  who  lost 
them  under  the  new  Welfare  Law, 
said  Heather  Nolen  of  the  Washing- 


ton Office.  The  three  students 
expressed  concern  over  the  double- 
edged  state  of  welfare  reform,  which 
moves  individuals  from  welfare  into 
work,  but  often  without  providing 
them  with  living  wages. 

Washington  Office  staff  are  avail- 
able to  help  any  Brethren  interested 
in  meeting  with  their  members  of 
Congress.  For  more  information, 
contact  the  Washington  Office  at 
washofc@  aol.com  or  at  202-546- 
3202. 

June  1998  Messenger  9 


"S8S 


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wilf^ 


A  confident  new 


After  its  move  and  land  sale,  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
seminary  moves  forward  with  partnership  education 

BY  Fletcher  Farrar 


hree  weeks  before  graduation  at 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary,  the 
dozen  students  in  Prof.  Dan  Ulrich's 
advanced  seminar  on  the  Gospel  of 
John  are  defending  their  final  papers 
from  critiques  by  their  peers.  It  is  a 
diverse  group  that  includes  four 
women,  two  white-haired  older  men, 
and  one  African  man.  All  look  to  be 
over  30  and  are  bright  and  serious. 
The  situation  seems  ripe  for  cut- 
throat academic  competition.  So  I'm 
struck  by  how  kind  they  are  to  one 
another. 

The  discussion  is  seminary-ish,  to 


be  sure,  with  questions  like,  "In  what 
ways  does  the  evangelist  recast  the 
sign  source?"  And,  "How  would  you 
apply  the  Deuteronomy  13  correc- 
tive?" But  a  visitor  picks  up  signals 
that  this  study  goes  beyond  intellec- 
tual exercise.  "What  is  the  relevance 
for  our  own  faith?"  the  professor 
interjects.  Addressing  the  student 
who  wrote  about  jesus's  miracles, 
the  classmate  responding  to  his 
paper  concluded,  "1  believe  you 
believe  in  miracles  yourself."  The 
writer  acknowledged  with  a  smile, 
"Yes,  I  do." 


Insiders  describe  Bethany  as  a 
"believers"  seminary,  where  faculty 
and  administrators  make  no  secret  of 
their  Christian  faith  nor  apologies 
for  it.  But  it  is  also  a  seminary  where 
students  are  encouraged  to  be  "in 
dialogue  with  the  text"  to  find  their 
own  answers  to  their  faith  questions, 
rather  than  having  answers  dictated 
to  them.  Here  it's  okay  if  students 
believe  in  miracles  and  okay  if  they 
don't.  Bethany  is  sometimes  accused 
of  providing  more  questions  than 
answers.  But  it  points  to  where 
answers  can  be  found. 


10  Messenger  June  1998 


The  approach  seems  to  work.  Stu- 
dents from  many  points  on  the  faith 
spectrum  are  finding  an  intellectual 
home  here.  This  year  there  were  98 
students  altogether,  some  of  whom 
were  part-time.  The  number  of  "full- 
time  equivalent"  students  this  year 
was  44,  about  the  same  as  last  year, 
though  down  from  the  61  "full-time 
equivalents"  enrolled  during  1993- 
'94,  the  seminary's  last  year  in  Oak 
Brook,  111.  Though  there  are  fewer 
students  these  days,  there  are  more 
Church  of  the  Brethren  students, 
with  Brethren  making  up  95  percent 
of  the  student  body  now,  but  only  70 
percent  the  year  before  the  move. 

Bethany  is  now  settled  after  its 
1994  move  to  Richmond,  Ind.,  where 
it  shares  a  campus  with  Quaker 
schools,  Earlham  College  and  Earl- 
ham  School  of  Religion.  The  new 
Bethany  seems  clear  about  its  mis- 
sion. It  wants  to  be  the  seminary  for 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  as 
opposed  to  a  regional  ecumenical 
institution  or  a  seminary  marketing  a 
particular  academic  specialty.  And  it 
wants  to  prepare  students  to  be  pas- 
tors, leaving  to  others  specialties  like 
sacred  music  or  pure  academic  pur- 
suits. Now  debt-free,  the  seminary  is 
facing  the  future  with  renewed  confi- 
dence. There  are  challenges  ahead, 
but  the  Church  of  the  Brethren's 
seminary  seems  to  have  weathered  its 
latest  storm. 

The  biggest  cause  for  celebration  is 
the  $8  million  sale,  completed  April 
13,  of  its  51  -acre  former  campus  in 
Oak  Brook.  The  sale  allows  Bethany 
to  pay  off  its  1 993  loan  of  $4  million 
from  Brethren  Benefit  Trust,  plus 
interest  on  that  loan.  The  sale  pro- 
ceeds also  pay  back  the  money 
Bethany  has  borrowed  from  its  own 
endowment  fund  over  the  years  to 
stay  afloat,  and  it  allows  payment  of 
back  property  taxes  Bethany  owed  on 
the  Oak  Brook  campus  because  the 
property  had  lost  its  nonprofit 
exemption. 

Of  course  the  sale  is  a  tremendous 
relief  for  all  concerned.  Earle  W.  Fike 
Jr.,  chair  of  the  board  of  trustees, 
says  it  provides  "the  first  real  breath- 


ing room"  since  he  came  on  the 
board  10  years  ago.  "This  is  probably 
the  first  time  in  1 5  years  that  we've 
been  fiscally  sound." 

But  Fike  is  quick  to  add:  "We  need 
to  keep  telling  the  church  that  we're 
not  on  Easy  Street." 

Getting  across  the  dual  message 
that  yes,  the  debt  is  paid,  but  no,  the 
seminary  can't  get  by  with  less  sup- 
port from  donors,  is  one  of  the 
biggest  challenges  facing  Bethany 
officials  now.  "If  we  lose  significant 
annual  support  because  the  church 


Mow  debt-free, 
the  seminary 
is  facing  tlie 
future  wjtli 
renewed 
confidence. 


perceives  us  as  rich,  we  are  headed 
for  trouble,"  said  President  Eugene 
F.  Roop  to  the  board  in  February. 

The  reason  the  debt  payment  won't 
have  much  impact  on  the  operating 
budget  right  away,  Roop  explained, 
is  that  Bethany  hasn't  been  paying 
much  on  its  debt  for  the  past  five 
years.  The  only  interest  paid  before 
the  land  sale  was  4.5  percent  on  the 
money  Bethany  borrowed  from  its 
own  endowment.  So,  while  the 
absence  of  payments  during  the  loan 
period  helped  Bethany  survive  a 
tough  time,  it  means  there's  little 
relief  now. 

Keeping  a  tight  lid  on  spending  also 


has  kept  Bethany  sound  during  the 
transition.  Fike  gives  Roop  credit  for 
operating  the  seminary  in  the  black 
for  the  past  four  years,  adding  that 
the  president  "didn't  make  any  friends 
by  his  close  watch  over  things."  The 
close  watch  continues.  "We  will  be  in 
our  present  budgetary  situation  for 
the  next  five  years,"  Roop  told  the 
board.  "Adequate,  but  tight." 

Bethany  will  continue  to  rely  on 
annual  giving  from  Church  of  the 
Brethren  congregations  and  individ- 
uals for  more  than  half  of  its  annual 
budget.  Those  gifts  have  amounted 
to  over  $800,000  annually  in  recent 
years,  and  Roop  hopes  for  no  letup 
in  generosity.  "We  anticipate  that 
revenue  stream  to  remain  steady  in 
terms  of  dollars,"  Roop  told  the 
trustees,  "and  would  hope  that  it  will 
grow  to  keep  up  with  changes  in  the 
cost  of  living." 

Earnings  from  the  restored  endow- 
ment should  help  the  income  stream, 
but  only  gradually.  The  seminary 
uses  a  three-year  average  of  endow- 
ment income  to  determine  its 
operating  budget,  so  this  year's  boost 
to  the  principle  won't  be  fully 
reflected  in  operating  income  until 
the  budget  year  2000. 

The  endowment  is  expected  to  play 
a  larger  role  in  the  future,  however. 
Bethany  is  a  half  partner  in  Fountain 
Square  of  Lombard,  Inc.,  which  bor- 
rowed money  to  buy  the  Oak  Brook 
property.  As  Fountain  Square  gradu- 
ally sells  off  parcels  of  the  land  to  a 
planned  hotel,  condominiums,  and 
retail  stores,  some  of  the  proceeds 
will  flow  into  the  endowment  fund. 
Bethany  expects  another  $8  million. 
Thus,  Roop  says  cautiously,  "we 
have  a  solid  financial  basis  with  a 
sustainable  future." 

The  seminary  has  gotten  by  with  the 
help  of  its  friends.  It  has  attracted 
friends  by  making  "partnership"  the 
word  of  the  day.  There  are  partner- 
ships everywhere.  Bethany  has  formed 
a  partnership  with  Earlham  School  of 
Religion,  with  whom  it  shares  not  only 
a  campus  but  faculty  and  students  as 
well,  it  has  formed  a  partnership  with 
the  100  or  so  area  Brethren  congrega- 


June  1998  Messenger  11 


tions  in  the  Southern  Ohio  and 
South/Central  Indiana  districts. 
These  churches  regularly  take  in 
Bethany  students  for  their  field  educa- 
tion during  the  second  or  "middler" 
year.  And  it  has  formed  a  partnership 
with  eastern  Brethren  through  its 
Susquehanna  Valley  Satellite  opera- 
tion in  Elizabethtown,  Pa. 

A  key  partnership  is  the  Brethren 
Academy  for  Ministerial  Leadership, 
set  up  last  fall  and  jointly  funded  by 
Bethany  and  the  General  Board's 
Office  of  Ministry  [See  "Wanted:  A 
new  Heart  for  Ministry,"  Messenger, 
April  1998.]  The  academy  combined 
non-degree  programs  that  had  been 
under  a  program  called  the  Bethany 
Academy,  and  the  General  Board's 
EFSM  and  TRIM  certificate  pro- 
grams for  training  licensed  ministers 
who  are  not  able  to  pursue  a  gradu- 
ate degree  in  regular  seminary 
classes.  Coordinators  of  the  Brethren 
Academy  are  Harriet  and  Ron 
Finney,  who  share  one  full-time 
position  with  an  office  at  the  semi- 
nary. 

"Partnerships  take  time  and  effort, 
but  they  also  broaden  the  number  of 
people  working  toward  ministry 
training,"  says  Harriet  Finney.  "The 
best  way  to  go  about  expansion  is  to 
form  partnerships." 

The  Academy  sponsors  weekend 
"intensive"  classes,  summer  exten- 
sion schools  like  the  one  to  be  held 
this  year  at  Juniata  College,  and 
week-long  class  offerings  like  this 
year's  [anuary  class  on  Brethren  her- 
itage, which  attracted  33  students. 

Possibilities  for  expanding  educa- 
tional opportunities  for  the  church 
are  endless.  Next  fall  the  Academy 


A  workshop  led  by  lean  fanzen. 

plans  to  help  train  20  lay  leaders  in 
"creative  church  leadership."  Con- 
tinuing education  for  pastors 
through  advanced  seminars  may  be 
in  the  future.  The  Academy  is  facili- 
tating grants  for  educational  events 
in  Congregational  Life  Team  areas. 

ichard  Gardner,  the  academic 
dean,  said  the  seminary  is  looking 
for  new  ways  to  use  computer  tech- 
nology to  perform  "distance 
education,"  which  is  what  Bethany 
calls  taking  education  to  people 
rather  than  just  bringing  people  to 
the  campus. 

"My  dream,"  says  Marcia  Shetler, 
associate  for  public  relations,  "is  that 
when  people  think  of  developing  lay 
leadership  and  spiritual  leadership  in 
the  church,  people  will  automatically 
think  of  Bethany." 

Murray  Wagner,  veteran  professor 
of  church  history,  said  that  some 
seminaries  have  dropped  the  non- 
degree  education  programs  that  were 
called  Bible  training  schools,  as 
Bethany  did  at  one  time  in  order  to 
"maintain  respectability."  But  now 


the  Brethren  Academy,  which  he 
calls  "the  old  Bible  training  school 
put  together  in  a  new  way,"  is  being 
envied  and  emulated  by  other  semi- 
naries. Besides  benefiting  the  church 
by  making  educational  opportunities 
widely  available,  it  keeps  the  semi- 
nary in  touch  with  the  church.  "We 
see  a  lot  of  congregations.  We  get 
into  some  places  we  wouldn't  other- 
wise visit." 

Developing  grassroots  educational 
opportunities  in  cooperation  with  the 
General  Board,  churches,  and  dis- 
tricts has  kept  the  seminary  in  touch 
with  the  larger  church.  But  keeping  in 
touch  with  all  these  partners  has  also 
been  exhausting  work  for  the  faculty 
and  staff  who  are  involved  in  constant 
meetings  and  frequent  travel.  Presi- 
dent Roop  addressed  these  often 
unseen  costs  when  he  outlined  for  the 
trustees  future  challenges. 

"Partnership  education,  like  atten- 
tion to  community  which  is  so 
important  to  Brethren,  is  expensive  in 
terms  of  energy,"  he  said.  "While  we 
cannot  pull  back  from  our  partner- 
ships, we  must  look  repeatedly  for 
ways  in  which  the  partnerships  will 
work  efficiently  as  well  as  effectively." 
Though  he  didn't  propose  a  specific 
remedy,  he  said  the  current  faculty 
and  staff  can't  continue  to  handle  all 
the  work  involved  in  partnerships. 

Bethany  has  focused  nearly  all  its 
efforts  on  ministry  education.  And 
students  like  David  Miller,  38,  are 
what  the  seminary  has  to  show  for  it. 
Joining  a  steady  stream  of  second- 
career  students.  Miller  came  from 
Maryland  to  Bethany  after  15  years  as 
a  computer  programmer.  He  says  he 
thinks  he  experienced  a  call,  though 


Brethrening 


Service  with  a  smile 


The  signboard  in  front  of  our  church  is  sadly  in  need  of 
repair.  As  a  result,  one  snowy  night  last  winter,  someone 
with  a  sense  of  humor  was  able  to  make  some  slight 
changes  in  its  wording.  When  we  arrived  for  worship  the 
next  day,  the  board  was  announcing  to  the  community 
that  we  were  going  to  have  an  "Undy"  Service.  Since  we 
do  own  and  operate  a  daycare  center  which  cares  for 


infants  as  young  as  six  weeks  old,  it  occurred  to  us  that 
the  signboard  was  at  least  still  truthful.  For  we  do  have 
both  Undy  and  Sunday  services.  — MARIL^N  Scott 

Marilyn  Scolt  is  pastor  of  the  Naperville  (III.)  Church  of  the  Brethren. 

Messenger  would  lilie  to  publish  other  short,  colorful,  and  humorous  stories 
of  real-life  incidents  involving  Brethren.  Please  send  your  submissions  to 
Messenger,  Brethren  Press,  1451  Dundee  Ave..  Elgin.  It  60120-1694  or 
e-mail  to  the  editor  at  ffarrar_gb@brethren.org. 


12  Messenger  June  1998 


Music  is  an  important  part  of 
Bethany's  program. 


Steve  Reid  leads  an  "intensive, "  a  short  course  open  to  non-degree  students. 


"for  me  it  was  more  of  a  gentle  nudg- 
ing than  a  blind  flashing  light." 

One  reason  he  thinks  the  call  to 
seminary  was  authentically  from  God 
is  that  "it  made  no  sense  at  the 
time."  He  was  happy  in  his  work, 
had  just  recently  moved,  and  he  and 
his  wife  had  two  small  children.  But 
when  his  wife,  his  pastor,  and  his 
congregation  shared  in  the  nudging 
he  felt  toward  seminary.  Miller  felt 
that  the  call  was  confirmed. 

Three  years  ago  the  Millers  set  off 
for  Indiana.  The  transition  wasn't 
easy,  requiring  difficult  adjustments 
in  household  economics.  "We  had  to 
hand  things  over  to  God  to  make  this 
work,"  he  said.  Miller  thrived  at 
Bethany,  which  he  found  to  be  an 
exciting  place  full  of  ideas  and 
energy  in  its  new  life.  He  was  elected 
to  head  student  government. 

"The  most  valuable  things  I 
learned  in  seminary  were  about 
myself,"  he  says.  "I  learned  about  the 
value  of  reflection."  He  found  useful 


a  course  in  constructive  theology, 
which  taught  him  how  to  develop  his 
own  theology  after  study.  For  exam- 
ple, he  said,  he  had  always  had 
trouble  understanding  the  meaning 
of  the  cross.  So  he  studied  the  issue 
and  developed  a  sermon  that  he 
delivered  in  chapel,  focusing  on  "the 
ways  we  face  death  every  day  in 
change  and  letting  go." 

Miller  said  the  Bethany  experience 
changed  him  as  a  person.  "My  intent 
was  to  get  academic  training  in  how 
to  do  ministry,"  he  says.  "But  I 
learned  how  to  be  a  minister."  A  few 
weeks  before  graduation  he  was 
called  to  be  pastor  of  the  West  Rich- 
mond Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
Richmond,  Va.  Noting  that  he  has 
never  performed  a  wedding  or  a 
funeral.  Miller  is  green  but  excited. 
He  begins  his  new  vocation  this 
summer. 

"We  have  something  special  to 
offer,"  says  Murray  Wagner,  profes- 
sor of  church  history,  "We  have  a 


communal  style  of  education.  We 
practice  church."  Wagner  says 
Bethany  is  neither  evangelical  nor 
liberal  but  has  found  "a  third  way." 
That  way,  he  says,  is  to  ask:  "How 
does  the  community  together  appro- 
priate what  the  Scriptures  are 
saying?" 

Wagner  describes  Bethany's 
approach  as  "narrative  theology," 
which  he  defines  as  "theology  as  the 
telling  of  the  story."  Students  are 
taught  to  find  their  own  story  inside 
the  larger  biblical  story.  "The  story 
changes  as  life  changes.  But  it  is 
always  informed  by  the  tradition  of 
the  God  who  is  ever-faithful." 

The  seminary  itself  is  finding  its 
place  in  the  biblical  story  after  its 
exodus  from  Oak  Brook  and  its  new 
life  with  a  narrower,  more  focused 
mission.  What  Wagner  says  about 
narrative  theology  applies  to 
Bethany:  "We  are  always  on  the  way. 
On  the  pilgrimage.  In  process.      p— -, 
The  only  constant  is  change."        r'^j 


June  1998  Messenger  13 


j^ilb 


^ik 


H — I 

U—  —  — - 1 


Check  your  insurance 

and  other  advice  from  three  congregations 
recovering  from  fires 


BY  Fletcher  Farrar 

"We  were  definitely  underinsured." 

— Barry  Conn,  pastor.  Pike  Run 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  Somerset,  Pa., 
destroyed  by  arson  [an.  27,  1998. 
"We  were  underinsured.  And  we 
didn't  liave  enough  contents  insur- 
ance." 

— Erin  Mattesun,  pastor.  Faith  Church 
of  the  Brethren,  Batavia,  III,  heavily 
damaged  by  fire  March  2,  1998, 
"We  were  underinsured  on  our 
contents.  We  wish  we  had  done  a 
better  job  on  that.  We  lost  our 
entire  library." 

— Susan  Stern  Boyer,  pastor,  Man- 
chester Church  of  the  Brethren,  North 
Manchester,  Ind.,  destroyed  by  fire  Jan. 
7,  1998. 


Though  it  is  a  coincidence  that 
three  Brethren  churches  expe- 
rienced devastating  fires  early 
this  year,  the  combination  serves  to 
put  other  churches  on  notice  to 
check  their  preparedness.  The  three 
congregations  that  have  experienced 
losses  are  eager  to  tell  their  stories 
for  the  benefit  of  others. 

Their  stories  are  not  all  negative, 
to  be  sure.  In  each  case  the  pastors 
expressed  appreciation  for  their 
insurance  companies,  and  their  will- 
ingness to  go  beyond  the  letter  of  a 
contract  to  provide  repair  and  heal- 
ing. And  each  expressed  gratitude  for 
a  general  outpouring  of  love  and 
concern.  "We  have  learned  that  we 
are  brothers  and  sisters  to  people  all 


over  this  town  that  we  never  knew 
before,"  said  Susan  Boyer,  pastor  of 
the  North  Manchester  congregation. 

But  if  they'd  had  it  to  do  all  over 
again,  these  churches  would  have 
done  things  differently.  Their  stories: 

Pike  Run  is  a  small  rural  congre- 
gation where  40  to  45  usually 
worship  on  Sunday.  Because 
the  building  was  isolated  with  no 
close  neighbors  to  check  on  it,  some- 
one was  able  to  approach  the  church 
and  break  a  window  to  start  the  fire, 
leaving  footprints  in  the  snow. 
Though  two  other  nearby  churches 
had  been  recently  destroyed  by  fires 
blamed  on  arson,  the  congregation 
has  no  clear  idea  of  what  the  motive 


14  Messenger  June  1998 


might  have  been.  The  fire  was 
investigated  by  the  Federal 
Bureau  of  Investigation  and 
the  Bureau  of  Alcohol, 
Tobacco  and  Firearms,  but  the 
church  has  so  far  heard  no 
word  from  those  agencies. 

When  we  asked  in  April  for  a 
status  report,  the  building  ruins 
had  been  removed  and  the 
foundation  filled  in.  Pastor 
Barry  Conn  said  he  hoped  the      g 
church  would  start  construction  | 
on  a  new  building  this  spring.  A  s 
building  committee  has  prelimi- 1 
nary  plans  calling  for  a 
single-story  structure  that 
would  seat  1 50  and  include  a 
"good-sized"  fellowship  hall.  It 
would  be  built  on  the  same  property 
but  farther  from  the  road. 

"They  are  looking  for  a  contractor 
who  will  work  with  volunteer  labor," 
Conn  said.  He  said  the  church  is  not 
planning  to  hire  an  architect. 

Rebuilding  is  made  more  difficult 
by  the  fact  that  the  old  building 
wasn't  insured  for  nearly  enough  to 
pay  for  the  planned  replacement, 
which  Conn  says  will  cost  at  least 
$300,000,  based  on  an  estimate  of 
$50  per  square  foot. 

Construction  costs  vary  by  region, 
but  many  insurance  professionals 
advise  estimating  construction  costs 
at  at  least  $85  per  square  foot.  They 
suggest  multiplying  the  square 
footage  of  the  existing  building  by 
$85  and  insuring  for  at  least  that 
amount. 

Conn  declined  to  disclose  the 
amount  of  Pike  Run's  insurance  set- 
tlement. The  church  has  already 
received  a  check  for  75  percent  of 
the  total,  and  will  be  given  the  other 
25  percent  if  the  congregation 
rebuilds. 

Conn  said  the  new  building  will 
make  use  of  used  pews  donated  by  a 
Catholic  church,  and  a  donated 
organ,  one  of  13  used  organs  offered 
the  church.  The  donations  are  wel- 
comed particularly  because  the 
church  contents  were  insured  for 
$  1 3,000,  only  about  half  what  the 
congregation  estimates  replacement 
cost  to  be.  "It's  little  things  you 
don't  think  about,"  said  Conn.  "Like 
the  pulpit,  offering  plates,  the 


Manchester's  stained  glass  window  (opposite)  and 
sanctuary  were  open  to  the  sky  following  the  fire. 

copier,  piano,  and  organ." 

Though  the  insurance  amount  was 
low,  the  church  has  high  praise  for 
its  insurance  company.  Brotherhood 
Mutual.  "We've  been  with  this  com- 
pany for  a  long  time,"  Conn  said. 
"They  have  been  very  good  to  us." 

He  said  that  when  the  church 
wanted  to  make  donations  to  each  of 
the  eight  volunteer  fire  departments 
that  responded  to  the  fire,  the  insur- 
ance company  agreed  to  reimburse 
the  church,  even  though  that  was  not 
included  in  the  policy.  Insurance 
reimbursed  Conn  for  his  personal 
books  that  were  lost  in  the  fire.  And 
the  insurance  company  is  paying  the 
cost  of  renting  the  restaurant  where 
worship  services  are  now  held.  Even 
so,  the  pastor  said,  "It  is  really  tough 
to  worship  in  a  restaurant." 

Pike  Run  has  already  received 
some  $70,000  in  donated  cash, 
mostly  from  local  groups,  to  help  in 
the  rebuilding. 


T' 


though  the  fire  was  in  lanuary, 
the  burned-out  hulk  of  the 
Manchester  Church  of  the 
Brethren  was  still  standing  this 
spring  while  the  congregation  waited 
for  state  certification  that  asbestos 
had  been  removed  properly  before 
demolition  could  proceed.  Despite 
this  grim  daily  reminder  of  its  loss, 
the  Manchester  church  is  facing  the 
future  with  confidence. 

That's  partly  because  insurance 
coverage  on  the  building  had  been 
reviewed  not  long  ago,  during  the 
process  of  planning  for  a  $  1 .6  million 


education  wing  addition, 
which  was  less  than  a  third 
finished  at  the  time  of  the  fire. 
Because  the  total  coverage 
amount  was  adequate  for 
replacement  cost,  insurance 
loss  payments  from  the  old 
building  should  provide  a  new 
building  that  meets  the  needs 
of  the  congregation.  The  300 
to  400  who  attend  on  Sunday 
now  meet  in  Manchester  Col- 
lege's 1,300-seat  Cordier 
Auditorium,  which  swallows 
up  the  grateful  worshippers. 
With  its  insurance  settle- 
ment in  the  bank,  the 
congregation  has  been  enthu- 
siastically working  through  a 
discernment  process  to  "envision"  its 
future  needs.  Though  the  church  had 
been  in  the  midst  of  a  building  pro- 
gram already,  the  fire  means  that 
now  the  church  may  plan  anew.  "We 
want  our  building  to  fit  our  min- 
istry," said  Susan  Boyer,  pastor.  In  a 
series  of  meetings  held  over  two 
months,  the  congregation  wrote  a 
statement  listing  five  themes  to  be 
incorporated  into  its  new  building. 
The  themes  are  flexibility,  accessibil- 
ity, simplicity,  environmental 
responsibility,  and  beauty.  The  state- 
ment received  strong  approval  in  a 
church  council  meeting. 

Next  is  a  process  for  the  congrega- 
tion to  discern  where  to  build.  A 
decision  on  whether  to  stay  on  its 
old  site  or  move  to  a  new  one  was 
expected  by  early  lune.  If  the  deci- 
sion is  to  move,  another  process 
would  be  launched  to  pick  the  site. 
Though  insurance  on  the  building 
was  adequate,  coverage  on  the  con- 
tents is  another  story.  "We're  not  sure 
what  we  lost,"  Boyer  said.  "We  were 
underinsured  on  our  contents."  Boyer 
said  records  were  inadequate  for  the 
books  in  the  library,  which  was 
destroyed.  The  music  library  was 
destroyed  too,  but  at  least  the  sheet 
music  had  been  inventoried  recently. 

The  building  was  insured  by 
Mutual  Aid  Association  of  Abilene, 
Kan.,  which  insures  many  Brethren 
congregations.  Boyer  said  that  while 
the  congregation  doesn't  agree  on 
everything,  there  is  near-consensus 
on  one  thing:  "We're  extremely  glad 


June  1998  Messenger  15 


The  intense  heat  from  the  Batavia  fire  wreaked  havoc  on 
plastic  items  in  Erin  Matteson  's  second-  floor  study  .  .  . 


.  .  .  while  leaving  bulletins  and  hymnals  on  a  lectern 
near  the  fire's  point  of  origin  virtually  unscathed. 


we  were  insured  by  Mutual  Aid.  Tliey 
came  right  away.  They  flew  in  three 
people  from  Kansas.  They  talked 
openly  and  directly  with  us." 

She  said  a  local  priest  whose  con- 
gregation had  experienced  a  fire 
advised  her  to  hire  an  arbitrator  and 
prepare  to  do  battle  with  its  insur- 
ance firm.  "But  we  felt  that  we  were 
a  team  with  Mutual  Aid,  rather  than 
adversaries,"  she  said. 

Asked  what  advice  she  would  offer, 
Boyer  said  fire  prevention  would  be 
the  best  thing  to  look  at  first.  And 
make  an  evacuation  plan.  Though 
the  fire  started  at  night  when  no  one 
was  at  the  building,  "we  realized 
afterward  that  our  children's  Sunday 
school  room  would  have  been  a  fire- 
trap."  Finally,  she  said,  check  your 
insurance  annually. 

And  continue  to  thank  God  for 
blessings  and  help  that  come  out  of  a 
disaster.  As  just  one  example  of  the 
generosity  extended  to  the  Manches- 
ter church,  the  Springfield  (Ore.) 
congregation,  which  had  experienced 
a  fire  some  years  ago,  sent  a  $500 
Brethren  Press  gift  certificate  to  help 
the  church  replenish  its  suppHes. 
Manchester  has  designated  its  spring 
special  offering  to  be  divided 
between  its  fellow  fire  victims.  Pike 
Run  and  Faith  congregations. 


F 


aith  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Batavia,  111.,  has  a  new  message 
to  carry  to  other  churches. 


"Part  of  our  responsibility  now  is  to 
say  that  insurance  is  important,"  said 
Erin  Matteson,  pastor.  "All  our 
churches  get  too  much  into  a  mainte- 
nance mode,  and  important  things 
get  left  by  the  wayside." 

After  the  March  2  fire  that  heavily 
damaged  the  Batavia  sanctuary  and 
did  lesser  damage  to  other  parts  of  the 
building,  the  congregation  learned 
that  it  had  been  insured  only  for  the 
depreciated  value  of  the  church,  not 
for  its  replacement  cost.  How  that  was 
allowed  to  happen  has  been  the  source 
of  consternation  for  church  officials, 
some  of  whom  feel  that  had  the  insur- 
ance been  explained  better  they  would 
have  insured  better.  "But  that's  not 
important  now,"  says  the  pastor,  who 
is  trying  to  help  the  congregation  con- 
centrate on  the  future,  not  the  past. 

The  Batavia  church  was  also  cov- 
ered by  Mutual  Aid  Association, 
which  is  working  with  the  small  con- 
gregation to  come  up  with  a  solution. 
In  April  the  church  was  awaiting  a 
proposal  from  a  contractor  for  what 
repairs  would  cost  using  volunteer 
labor,  and  a  price  for  repair  without 
volunteer  labor. 

Matteson  said  the  insurance  firm 
was  planning  to  evaluate  the  repair 
proposal  to  see  if  it  might  be  feasible 
to  go  ahead  anyway,  rather  than 
strictly  enforcing  coverage  limits. 
Though  a  satisfactory  result  may 
come  out  of  this,  clearly  all  parties 
would  be  more  comfortable  had  the 


insurance  coverage  been  adequate  to 
replace  the  loss. 

Faith  Church  is  now  holding  its 
worship  services  at  a  funeral  home, 
which  is  providing  the  space  at  no 
charge.  The  temporary  arrangement 
only  required  a  half-hour  change  in 
the  regular  meeting  time.  The  con- 
gregation has  been  gratified  by  many 
donations  and  kindnesses,  including 
letters  of  encouragement  from 
Brethren  around  the  country  who 
have  had  some  connection  to  the 
church  over  the  years,  one  as  long 
ago  as  the  1920s. 

Like  the  two  other  fire-experienced 
pastors,  Matteson  advises  churches 
to  look  also  at  their  contents  cover- 
age, and  make  sure  there  is  an 
up-to-date  inventory.  "It's  a  big  job 
to  do  a  full  contents  inventory,"  she 
said.  "We  should  have  had  a  better 
file."  Some  churches  may  question 
whether  they  should  make  a  claim  on 
items  that  were  donated.  "Put  it  on 
the  inventory  anyway.  Be  aware  of 
what  you  have.  You  can  decide  what 
to  replace  later."  Matteson,  who  lost 
about  $5,000  in  personal  items, 
including  a  laptop  computer,  sug- 
gests that  pastors  make  sure  their 
possessions  in  the  church  building 
are  covered,  as  hers  were. 

"Reevaluate  your  insurance,"  she 
says.  "Reevaluate  all  the  time.  Every 
time  you  build  a  new  addition  or  add 
an  elevator  or  make  an  improve-     r— ^-^ 
ment,  reevaluate  your  insurance."  ^' 


16  Messenger  June  1998 


forfcNKi 


In  siNitlterii  Sudan,  there's  more  to  feeding 
the  hungry  than  pnyviding  focid 


story  and  photos  by  David  Rackliff 


Messengkk  17 


Iow  can  we  live  in  peace  when 
our  basic  needs  for  food,  cloth- 
ing, water  go  unmet?  And  how  can 
we  have  these  things,  until  we  live  in 
peace?" 

Posed  by  a  Christian  leader  at  the 
Kakuma  Refugee  Camp  in  northern 
Kenya,  these  questions  sharply  sum- 
marized the  dilemma  faced  by 
southern  Sudan's  war-weary  people. 
Driven  from  their 
homes  to 
makeshift  com- 
munities within 
and  outside  the 
country,  millions 
of  Sudanese 
experience  these 
twin  truths  on  a 
daily  basis.  Vio- 
lent conflicts 
break  out  over 
things  as  simple 
as  possession  of 
the  water  con- 
tainers so  vital  to 
carrying  water 
from  a  commu- 
nity's few  wells. 
And  yet,  had  the 
people  not  been 
driven  from  their 
homes  and  tradi- 
tional water 
sources  by  the 
war,  these  con- 
flicts might  not  exist. 

These  questions  also  pose  a  chal- 
lenge for  those  who  wish  to  stand  by 
people  in  Sudan  or  people  anywhere 
who  live  on  the  edge  of  survival.  It  is 
one  thing  to  offer  the  cup  of  cold 
water  in  Christ's  name,  and  this  bib- 
lical mandate  still  longs  for 
fulfillment.  But  when  a  war  has 
driven  people  to  places  where  water 
is  scarce,  or  when  sharing  these 
scarce  resources  becomes  a  flash- 
point for  violence  between 
competing  groups,  then  the  precious 
contents  of  the  cup  are  more  likely  to 
be  spilt  than  sipped.  What  is  the 
compassionate  Christian  response  in 


such  a  setting?  Is  our  good  will  in 
sharing  the  cup  or  the  rice  or  the 
seeds  or  the  heifers  enough,  or  do 
these  gifts  bring  anything  but  tempo- 
rary relief  when  other  needs  for 
peace,  security,  and  assurance  of 
equal  treatment  go  unmet? 

These  were  the  questions  con- 
fronting a  group  of  five  Brethren, 
four  from  the  United  States  and  one 


The  Blessed  Bakhita  Girls  School  in  Narus  is  an  oasis  of  opportunity  and  stability 
for  408  girls  from  across  southern  Sudan.  Girls '  education  is  vital  for  the  health 
and  future  of  families  and  communities. 

from  Nigeria,  during  a  recent  visit  to 
southern  Sudan.  Sponsored  by  the 
General  Board's  Global  Mission 
Partnerships  and  Brethren  Witness 
offices,  the  group  had  come  with 
open  minds  and  hearts  to  experience 
the  situation  and  witness  the 
renowned  faith  of  the  southern 
Sudanese,  to  show  Christian  support 
for  them  in  their  suffering,  and  to 
explore  additional  means  of  partner- 
ship with  churches  there. 

The  group  was  told  that  the  war 
with  the  government  of  Sudan  was 
the  ultimate  cause  of  their  misery. 
The  northern  government  has  sought 
to  impose  Islamic  law  on  the  nation 


as  a  whole.  It  also  seeks  control  of 
resources  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
country,  all  the  while  denying  the 
south  adequate  political  representa- 
tion or  access  to  economic 
development.  And  some  think  simple 
racism  is  also  at  work,  as  the  mostly 
Arab  north  ravages  the  primarily 
black  African  south. 

But  at  every  stop  along  the 

Brethren  group's 
10-day  journey 
men,  women,  and 
children,  church 
leaders,  and  laity 
also  were  desper- 
ately concerned 
for  things  closer 
at  hand.  Time 
and  time  again, 
they  sounded  a 
plea  for  aid  in 
their  daily  strug- 
gle to  survive. 
The  call,  how- 
ever, was  not  for 
bread  alone,  but 
also  for  help  in 
achieving  the 
things  that  make 
for  peace. 

For  instance, 
the  lustice  and 
Peace  committee 
at  the  Kakuma 
Camp  is  active  in 
dealing  with  intertribal  and  interper- 
sonal conflict  at  the  sprawling  camp, 
home  to  some  51,000  people,  most 
of  whom  are  Sudanese.  Conflict 
often  erupts  at  food  distribution 
points,  and  when  food  supplies  run 
low  is  a  time  for  marauding  bands  to 
steal  food. 

And  yet,  said  one  church  leader 
active  in  the  peace  work,  "It  is  diffi- 
cult to  tell  a  person  not  to  steal  when 
they  are  stealing  food  to  live." 
Another  pastor  told  of  apprehending 
a  young  person  who  had  stolen  a 
bicycle,  a  precious  commodity  in  the 
large  camp.  When  the  young  man 
explained  that  he  had  taken  the  bike 


18  Messenger  June  1998 


lecause  he  had  not  eaten  in  three 
[ays  and  sought  to  remedy  this  situa- 
ion,  the  pastor  kissed  him  and  gave 
lim  some  of  his  best  food. 

On  the  whole,  however,  violence  in 
he  camp  and  throughout  southern 
iudan  has  taken  on  a  troubling 
limension,  thanks  in  part  to  the  war 
nd  the  implements  of  war  sold  to 
he  combatants  from  the  nations  of 
he  world. 

"The  killing  we  see  now  was  not 
aking  place  in  the  old  days.  The 
aping  and  killing  of  women  and 
hildren,  the  burning  of  houses,  the 
iestruction  of  grain  stores — you  did 
lot  see  this  then.  There  is  wide- 
pread  social  erosion,  disrespect  for 
he  chiefs,  recruitment  of  children 
nto  the  army.  The  pattern  has  now 
hanged.  Our  weapons  have  made  us 
tiad,"  lamented  chaplain  Duku,  an 
rticulate  young  church  leader. 

The  work  of  the  peace  group  at 
Cakuma,  trained  by  Brethren  partner 
he  New  Sudan  Council  of  Churches, 
las  been  increasingly  recognized  as  a 
nodel  effort.  Indeed,  the  United 
Nations  is  seeking  to  spread  their 
pproach  to  other  refugee  communi- 
ies.  There  is  also  an  urgency  to  their 
I'ork  among  the  teeming  masses  of 
he  camp.  "Sometimes  it  seems  that 
he  world  has  become  a  place  where 
veryone  is  simply  looking  out  for 
hemselves,"  said  Duku.  "It  is  up  to 
he  church  to  shine  a  light  to  show 
nother  way."  These  Christians  are 


Overseeing  a  school,  inaiiitaining  a 
clinic,  hosting  guests,  working  with 
other  Christians — all  part  of  Sister 
Doreen  Oyela  's  mission  in  the 
resettlement  commimity  of  New  Cush. 

attempting  to  do  just  that. 

The  Sudanese  Women's  Voice  for 
Peace  in  the  displaced  community  of 
Narus  in  southwest  Sudan  has  been 
active  in  mediating  conflicts  within 
the  church,  the  family,  and  the  com- 
munity. Said  women's  leader  Flora, 
"Six  of  us  went  for  seven  days  of 
training.  In  the  beginning,  we  didn't 
see  how  this  might  work,  but  now  we 


are  able  to  call  people  together  to 
solve  community  and  family  prob- 
lems through  the  church." 

Even  here,  however,  peace  work 
does  not  go  unaffected  by  the 
broader  physical  situation.  ""We 
know  that  people  would  be  so  much 
more  receptive  to  our  message  if  we 
could  also  give  them  just  a  little  bit  of 
food.  You  can't  convince  someone  to 
have  peace  in  their  heart  if  that 
person  is  hungry  and  also  if  the 
agent  of  peace  is  hungry  as  well. 
When  I  have  gone  to  talk  about 
peace  with  another  woman,"  said 
Flora,  "she  will  say  to  me,  'You  leave 
me  alone:  1  am  suffering  with  my 
children.'"  Indeed,  over  the  past  year 
an  average  of  four  to  five  children  in 
Narus  perished  daily  from  hunger- 
related  causes. 

The  requests  of  the  community  are 
simple:  training  for  a  tailoring  or 
breadbaking  cooperative,  some 
emergency  food  rations  for  women 
and  children  in  need,  resources  for  a 
peace  library,  additional  training  for 
their  peace  committee.  A  strong 
sense  began  to  emerge  that  all  these 
are  part  of  what  it  may  take  for  there 
to  be  relative  health  and  stability  in 
this  community. 

An  invigorating  side  trip  in  Narus 
was  to  the  Blessed  Bakhita  Girls 
School  on  the  outskirts  of  the  com- 
munity. Home  to  over  400  primary 
age  girls.  100  of  whom  are  orphans, 
the  grounds  of  the  school  hum  with 

(continued  on  page  20) 


Srethrening 

Revive  us  again 


& 


've  done  a  lot  of  revival  meetings  during  my  years  of  ministry.  Several  years  ago  I  was  serving  in  a  revival  meeting  at 

he  Blue  River  Church  of  the  Brethren  near  Columbia  City.  Indiana.  One  evening  during  the  week  as  five-year-old  Elijah 

Creider  came  into  the  church  narthex  with  his  parents,  he  inquistively  looked  up  and  asked,  "Mom,  are  we  having  sur- 

'ival  again  tonight?" 

—Paul  W.  Bnibaker 

/Iessenger  would  like  to  publish  other  short,  colorful,  and  humorous  stories  of  real-life  incidents  involving  Ephrata.  Fa. 

trethren.  Please  send  your  submissions  to  Messenger.  Brethren  Press,  1451  Dundee  Ave..  Elgin.  IL  60120-1694 
r  e-mail  to  the  editor  at  ffarrar _gb(abrethren.org. 


June  1998  Messenger  19 


vitality.  Girls  soar  in  the  air  on 
one  end  of  a  pump  handle  bring- 
ing refreshing  water.  Others 
head  to  class,  books  under  their 
arms,  chatting  and  giggling  with 
friends.  When  guests  arrive,  the 
entire  school  gathers  to  sing  wel- 
coming songs  and  Christian 
choruses.  We  learned  that  diver- 
sity is  the  order  of  the  day,  as  the 
girls  speak  24  native  languages. 


(Clockwise  from  top)  A  troubling 
casualty  of  the  war  is  the  tens  of 
thousands  of  children  \]>ho  are  "unac- 
companied minors " — separated  from 
their  families.  Tlianl<fully,  this  is  not 
the  case  for  young  Mary,  who  lives 
with  Iter  baby  sister  and  parents  in 
Kal<uma  Camp.  The  combination  of 
hunger,  tribal  fighting,  and  the  daily 
struggles  of  life  at  the  Kakuma 
Refugee  Camp  are  a  burden  that 
weighs  heavily  on  church  leaders. 
Medical  care  and  other  basic  services 
are  minimal  or  nonexistent  in  many 
communities.  This  hospital  built  to 
serve  70  houses  700.  many  of  whom, 
like  this  boy  occupy  a  spot  in  a  corri- 
dor. He  is  kept  warm  by  a  blanket 
provided  by  Church  World  Service. 


When  the  school  was  first 
founded  5  years  ago,  this 
sometimes  led  to  conflict.  Now 
the  only  scuffles  are  of  the  kind 
to  be  expected  in  a  school  set- 
ting. The  schoolgrounds  feel 
something  like  an  oasis,  a  place  of 
refuge  amid  a  sweltering  desert  of 
violence  and  human  need. 

This  was  partly  a  mirage.  "There 
are  more  girls  wanting  to  enrol!  in 
our  school,  and  we  don't  have  ade- 
quate facilities.  Our  food  supply  at 
times  runs  short,  and  I  have  to  beg 
donors  for  assistance,"  lamented 
headmistress  Sister  Rita.  "And  a  few 
months  ago,  bombers  from  the  north 
dropped  bombs  near  the  village  on  a 
Sunday.  On  Monday  morning,  the 
girls  were  still  so  distraught  that  they 
jumped  at  any  sound.  We  decided  to 
take  them  into  the  bush,  away  from 
the  town.  We  stayed  there  for  a  week 
together,  doing  our  lessons  and 


singing.  We  would  send  back  into 
town  for  supplies." 

In  a  sense,  the  way  had  been  paved- 
for  these  visiting  Brethren  by  an  ear- 
lier Brethren  visit.  Sister  Rita 
recalled  with  fondness  that  one 
Brethren  woman  pulled  her  aside  as 
they  were  parting  and  said,  "We 
didn't  come  with  the  intention  of 
providing  material  support,  but  1 
remember  that  in  the  book  of  lames 
we  are  told  not  to 
pass  by  a  person  in 
need  saying  only  'go 
in  peace,'  without 
giving  them  assis- 
tance. Please  take 
this  small  gift."  And 
she  placed  a  one  hun- 
dred dollar  bill  in  her 
hand. 

The  education  of 
girls  anywhere  in 
Sudan  is  extremely 
important — and 
often  problematic.  At 
the  group's  next  stop, 
the  8,000-member 
displaced  community 
of  New  Cush,  the 
local  Catholic  sister 
explained  that  par- 
ents often  keep  their 
daughters  from 
school  after  the  first 
few  grades.  "They  say  it  makes  the 
girls  stubborn,"  lamented  Sister 
Doreen  Oyela.  "What  they  mean  is 
that  the  girls  may  not  want  to  go 
along  with  the  marriage  their  family 
has  arranged,  where  the  daughter 
often  goes  to  the  man  with  the  most 
cattle  to  offer,  even  if  he  is  elderly. 
But  it  is  women  who  carry  the 
burden  for  work,  community  life, 
and  the  health  of  their  families  in 
southern  Sudan.  Their  education  is 
essential." 

And  the  facts  bear  this  out.  While 
three  quarters  of  the  world's  illiterate, 
are  women,  when  women  do  have 
access  to  education,  the  benefits  are 
widespread.  Educated  mothers 
understand  how  to  care  for  their 
children,  and  the  children  then  eat 
better  and  have  better  health.  Edu- 
cated women  tend  to  have  fewer 
children,  reducing  food  demands  on 
a  strained  food  system.  And  literate 


20  Messenger  June  1998 


delegation  members  (from  left)  Fletcher  Farrar.  Marty 
iarlow.  Heather  Nolen.  and  fames  Zoaka  focus  on  a 
<resentation  by  a  Sudanese  Christian.  Zoaka.  from 
;V7V,  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Nigeria,  brought  a 
aluable  cross-Africa  perspective  to  the  group.  His 
resence  was  made  possible  by  the  Global  Mission 
Partnership  Office. 


k'omen  are  much  more  likely  to  lead 
conomically  productive  lives,  creat- 
ng  more  options  and  a  better  life  for 
heir  children. 

At  New  Cush  the  Brethren  visitors 
gain  heard  a  refrain  of  needs:  cloth- 
ng,  school  supplies,  food  for  the 
hildren  and  pregnant  mothers, 
ools,  seeds,  and  water  containers. 
When  we  had  a  feeding  program  for 
he  kindergartners,"  Doreen  said, 
we  would  tell  the  children  to  go 
lome  at  noon.  They  would  tell  us 
hat  they  didn't  want  to,  there  was  no 
ood  at  home." 

The  monthly  ration  for  a  typical 
slew  Cush  resident  is  14  cups  of 
orghum  flour,  half  a  mug  of  cooking 
)il,  and  2  mugs  of  lentils.  When  this 
neager  supply  is  combined  with  an 
l\  Nino-related  drought  last  season, 
he  food  situation  is  extremely  tenu- 
)us.  It  was  here  that  women's  group 
nember  Deborah  told  us,  "All  of  my 
;hildren  have  died,  but  I  have  not 
ost  my  faith  in  Christ." 

Another  woman  noted  with  appre- 
;iation  the  presence  of  women  in  the 
brethren  group.  "Other  visitors  have 
ilways  been  men.  You  mothers  can 
mderstand  our  situation.  You  know 
he  problems  of  the  women  where 
fou  live;  our  problems  are  the  same." 

And  it  was  Rhoda  who  issued  a 
iirect  challenge  to  the  visitors. 
'Three  other  groups  came  to  see  us, 
md  we  have  had  no  reply  from  them. 


If  you  are  Christians, 
you  will  not  deceive 
us." 

Feeding  the  hungry. 
In  some  ways  it  seems 
like  such  a  simple 
matter.  And  there  are 
times,  particularly  in 
the  wake  of  a  natural 
disaster,  that  simple 
shipments  of  food  aid 
can  do  the  trick.  But 
in  many  other  situa- 
tions affecting 
millions  of  the  world's 
people,  those  who 
would  feed  the  hungry 
need  to  consider  a 
wide  array  of  factors 
that  affect  whether  the 
cup  will  be  sipped  or 
spilt. 


fully  develop  their  potential  and  their 
potential  of  feeding  their  families.  In 
other  places,  weapons  from  the  out- 
side make  conflicts  more  deadly,  and 
the  social  disruption  much  more 
severe,  which  in  turn  disrupts  food 
security.  And  for  many,  there  are  not 
available  channels  or  skills  for  deal- 
ing with  conflicts  that  inevitably 
emerge,  and  people  suffer  the  conse- 
quences by  being  displaced  or  having 
food  stores  ravaged. 

As  a  denomination,  we  want  to 
assist  the  hungry  people  of  the  world 
in  having  the  food  they  need  to  survive 
and  flourish.  As  we  are  learning  in 
Sudan  and  elsewhere,  our  shipments 
of  seeds  and  tools  and  food  relief  also 
need  to  be  accompanied  by  an  ample 
supply  of  the  things  that  make  for 
peace:  conflict  resolution  training, 
human  rights  advocacy,  and  opportu- 


These  women  from  Narus,  with  their  US  visitors, are  members  of  the  Sudanese 
Women's  Voice  for  Peace,  a  movement  to  promote  reconciliation  on  the 
national  and  community  level.  They  attended  a  week-long  training  sponsored 
by  the  New  Sudan  Council  of  Churches.  One  obstacle  to  their  efforts  is  the 
hunger  of  their  neighbors,  for  whom  finding  food  is  often  more  pressing  than 
finding  peace. 


For  many  people,  there  is  little  or 
no  access  to  the  land  they  need  to 
grown  their  own  food:  the  good  land 
has  been  snapped  up  by  those  with 
wealth  or  by  corporations  growing 
food  for  export.  Racial  and  ethnic 
tension  keeps  large  segments  of  some 
nations  from  having  a  decent  oppor- 
tunity for  economic  development. 
Lack  of  education,  especially  for 
women,  does  not  allow  people  to 


nities  for  education  and  economic 
development.  Together  these  help 
insure  that  the  cup  of  cold  water  can 
be  enjoyed  as  the  thirst-quenching, 
gift  it  was  meant  to  be. 


a 


David  Radcliffis  director  of  Brethren  Wit- 
ness on  the  General  Board  staff.  .At  the  July  2 
Messenger  Dinner  at  Annual  Conference  Rad- 
cliff  will  present  a  program.  "Sights,  sounds, 
and  stories  from  southern  Sudan. " 


June  1998  Messenger  21 


fetal  tissue  issue 


D,  B.  Johnson  '='1993  Los  Angeles  Times  Syndicate 
Used  by  permission. 


a  cautious  approval  that 
Conference  rejected 


BY  James  Benedict 

How  dare  we  kill  innocent  babies 
just  to  make  things  a  little  easier 
for  old  people?" 

It  was  not  so  much  a  question  as 
an  accusation.  Others  at  the  hearing 
looked  expectantly  toward  me  as  I 
stood  at  the  podium.  I  took  a  deep 
breath.  Then  I  tried  once  again  to 
describe  the  process  by  which  fetal 
tissue  becomes  available  for  trans- 
plantation and  its  many  potential 
uses  for  recipients  of  various  ages — 
including  a  case  in  which  fetal  tissue 
was  transplanted  into  another  fetus 
in  iitero. 

The  asking  and  answering  of  that 
particular  question  took  place  last 
year  four  days  before  delegates  to  the 
Annual  Conference  of  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  rejected  a  position 
paper  that  expressed  cautious  and 
limited  approval  of  fetal  tissue  use  in 
the  treatment  of  disease  or  injury.  It 
will  be  up  to  the  1998  Annual  Con- 
ference Standing  Committee  to 
recommend  what  future  action,  if 
any,  should  be  taken. 

The  question  about  killing  babies 
to  benefit  the  elderly  did  more  than 
produce  a  tense  moment.  It  also 
reflected  two  features  common  to 
most  arguments  against  fetal  tissue 
use:  strong  emotion  and  caricature- 
like perception  of  the  practice  of  fetal 
tissue  procurement  and  transplanta- 
tion. Current  fetal  tissue  therapy  and 
experimentation  programs  in  the  US 

Copyright  1998  Christian  Century  Founda- 
tion. Reprinted  by  permission  from  the  Feb.  18. 
1998,  issue  of  the  Christian  Century. 

22  Messenger  June  1998 


obtain  fetal  tissue  from  legal  abor- 
tions under  strict  National  Institutes 
of  Health  guidelines.  These  guide- 
lines insist  on  anonymity  between 
donor  and  recipient  (so  one  cannot 
direct  that  fetal  tissue  be  donated  to 
help  a  loved  one)  and  forbid  payment 
to  the  woman  who  makes  tissue 
available,  thus  undercutting  what 
might  otherwise  be  strong  incentives 
for  abortion. 

The  guidelines  also  require  that 
signed  consent  to  abort  be  obtained 
before  the  option  of  fetal  tissue 
donation  is  discussed.  The  goal  is  to 
keep  separate  the  decision  to  abort 
and  the  decision  to  allow  the  fetal 
tissue  to  be  used.  Indeed,  the  woinan 
seeking  the  abortion  does  not  know 
with  certainty  that  her  fetal  tissue 
will  be  used,  thus  limiting  the  signifi- 
cance of  general  altruism  as  an 
incentive  to  abort. 

Fetal  tissue  obtained  under  these 
guidelines  is  used  or  may  one  day  be 
used  to  treat  a  wide  range  of  condi- 
tions, most  notably  neural, 
hematological,  and  endocrine  disor- 
ders. The  condition  which  has 
received  the  most  publicity  is  Parkin- 
son's Syndrome,  which  commonly 
manifests  itself  among  older  persons. 
This  has  led  to  the  charge  that  fetal 
tissue  use  sacrifices  the  very  young 
in  order  to  benefit  those  who  have 
already  had  a  long,  full  life.  Other 
promising  uses  of  fetal  tissue,  how- 
ever, include  the  treatment  of 
conditions  hardly  restricted  to  the 
elderly:  diabetes,  spinal  cord 
damage,  and  blood  diseases. 

In  many  ways,  fetal  tissue  trans- 


plantation is  merely  an  extension  of 
organ  donation,  which  has  been 
under  way  for  decades.  Instead  of 
replacing  whole  organs,  however, 
fetal  tissue  therapy  replaces  groups 
of  missing  or  defective  cells.  Fetal 
tissue  has  two  advantages  over  tissue 
from  adults  or  even  newborns.  First, 
fetal  cells  are  relatively  undifferenti- 
ated and  therefore  more  versatile  in 
their  ability  to  establish  residency 
and  function  normally  in  a  recipient. 
Second,  fetal  cells  are  less  readily 
recognized  as  foreign  by  the  recipi- 
ent's immune  system  and  therefore 
are  less  likely  to  be  rejected. 

Those  who  favor  using  fetal  tissue 
often  concede  that  elective  abortion 
is  morally  troubling.  Some  call  it  a 
sin,  or  even  "murder."  But  they 
argue  that  this  does  not  preclude  the 
possibility  of  using  the  tissue,  since 
organs  and  tissues  for  transplant  typ- 
ically come  from  tragic  events, 
including  murder.  They  claim  that 
agreeing  to  the  use  of  fetal  tissue 
does  not  imply  approval  of  past  abor- 
tions or  encouragement  of  future 
abortions,  any  more  than  the  trans- 
plantation of  a  heart  or  kidney 
implies  approval  of — or  encour- 
ages— drunk  driving,  domestic 
violence  or  drive-by  shootings. 

Yet  as  opponents  to  the  use  of  fetal 
tissue  are  quick  to  point  out,  the  use 
of  tissue  from  elective  abortions  dif- 
fers in  at  least  two  important  ways 
from  the  common  practice  of  using 
organs  and  tissues  from  people  who 
have  died.  First,  organs  and  tissues 
for  transplantation  from  the  "post- 
born"  tend  to  become  available 


hrough  events  that  are  either  unin- 
ended  or  illegal.  The  primary  source 
)f  fetal  tissue  (elective  abortion),  on 
he  other  hand,  is  both  intentional 
ind  legal.  Many  opponents  to  fetal 
issue  use  believe  that  without  legal 
anctions  against  elective  abortion, 
he  widespread,  successful  use  of 
etal  tissue  to  heal  will  inevitably  lead 
o  abortions  that  would  not  other- 
vise  have  occurred. 

The  second  important  difference 
)etween  fetal  tissue  use  and  other 
issue  and  organ  transplantation  con- 
:erns  the  issue  of  consent.  Consent  to 
ise  hearts,  kidneys,  corneas,  and 
ungs  typically  comes  from  the  next  of 
:in,  who  may  know  the  donor's  own 
eelings  or  expressed  wishes  about 
lonation.  Further,  that  next  of  kin 
vould  only  in  rare  cases  be  responsi- 
ile  for  the  death  of  the  donor.  By 
;ontrast,  consent  for  the  use  of  fetal 
issue  is  made  by  the  woman  who  has 
equested  the  abortion. 

Many  who  favor  fetal  tissue  use  in 
jeneral  see  a  problem  here.  Some 
lave  suggested  establishing  bioethics 
ommittees  to  offer  or  deny  consent 
)n  a  case-by-case  basis.  Others  have 
ailed  for  a  policy  of  presumed  con- 
ent,  under  which  the  tissue  may  be 
ollected  for  use  unless  the  woman 
or  in  some  cases  another  family 
nember)  objects.  Still  others  have 
;xpressed  their  concern  about  con- 
ent  through  semantics,  insisting  that 
)nly  the  fetus  itself  be  called  the 
donor,"  or  that  the  tissue  be 
eferred  to  as  the  woman's  "contri- 
lution"  but  not  as  her  "gift." 

Because  of  the  legality  of  abortion 
md  the  knotty  problems  that  arise 
iround  the  matter  of  consent,  it  is 
mpossible  to  regard  fetal  tissue  use  as 
he  ethical  equivalent  of  organ  and 
issue  transplantation  from  postborn 
lonors.  But  this  does  not  necessarily 
nean  that  Christian  faith  requires  us 
o  avoid  or  forbid  participation  in  fetal 
issue  experimentation  or  therapy. 

Those  who  oppose  the  use  of  fetal 
issue  tend  to  ignore  how  often 
cripture  and  tradition  emphasize 
lealing,  even  in  ways  that  raise  moral 
;oncerns.  According  to  the  [ewish 
radition,  all  but  three  command- 
nents  in  the  Torah  may  be  violated  in 
)rder  to  save  a  life  (idolatry,  adul- 


tery, and  murder).  Jesus  was  well 
within  this  tradition  when  he  violated 
purity  and  Sabbath  law  in  his  own 
ministry  of  healing. 

Scripture  and  tradition  thus  chal- 
lenge arguments  against  fetal  tissue 
use  based  on  the  moral  questions 
surrounding  the  issue  of  consent  and 
concerns  about  appearing  to  endorse 
the  act  of  abortion.  The  obligation  to 
save  and  heal  takes  precedence  over 
these. 

What  remains  to  be  considered  are 
the  effects  that  widespread,  success- 
ful use  of  fetal  tissue  may  have  on  the 
number  of  subsequent  abortions,  and 
the  degree  to  which  those  who  rec- 
ommend, transplant  or  accept  fetal 
tissue  will  be  responsible  for  those 
effects.  As  long  as  the  guidelines 
require  anonymity  between  donor 
and  recipient  and  prohibit  any  form 
of  compensation  for  women  whose 
fetuses  are  used,  general  altruism 
would  be  the  only  added  incentive 
for  women  to  seek  abortions.  Most 
who  have  considered  the  issue,  espe- 
cially women,  tend  to  feel  this  would 
lead  to  few  additional  abortions,  if 
any.  The  physical  and  emotional 
risks  of  abortion  are  simply  too  great 
to  be  significantly  influenced  by  the 
idea  that  one's  abortion  might  possi- 
bly do  a  stranger  some  good. 

Still,  one  cannot  deny  the  possibil- 
ity that  a  woman  might  be  moved  to 
abort  by  the  thought  that  her  abor- 
tion might  do  someone  some  good 
through  fetal  tissue  transplantation. 
In  this  case,  the  parallel  with  organ 
and  tissue  donation  from  postborn 
donors  is  apt.  There  is  certainly 
nothing  to  prevent  a  would-be  mur- 
derer from  deciding  to  go  ahead  on 
the  basis  of  his  knowledge  that  the 
intended  victim  has  an  organ  donor 
card.  Although  both  scenarios  are 
highly  unlikely,  neither  is  completely 
beyond  the  realm  of  imagination. 
The  point  is  that  the  act  is  not  justi- 
fied by  the  incentive.  Those  who 
have  retrieved,  transplanted,  or 
received  tissues  and  organs  in  the 
past  are  not  morally  responsible  for 
the  decision  the  other  person  made. 

In  the  biblical  description  of  the 
entry  of  suffering  and  evil  into 
human  experience  (Gen.  3),  it  is 
made  clear  that  suffering  and  evil 


become  intertwined  with  the  good 
that  God  has  created.  All  our  efforts 
to  alleviate  one  particular  form  of 
suffering  involve  the  risk  of  perpetu- 
ating or  increasing  some  other  form 
of  suffering.  This  is  clearly  the  case 
when  we  consider  the  unfortunate 
symbiotic  relationship  between  elec- 
tive abortion  and  fetal  tissue 
transplantation. 

Some  Christians  may  choose  to 
suffer  or  die  rather  than  benefit  from 
an  act  they  consider  morally  repre- 
hensible or  risk  creating  a  morally 
insufficient  incentive  for  any  future 
abortion.  Our  tradition  of  respect  for 
individual  conscience,  grounded  in 
New  Testament  teaching  (e.g.  Rom. 
14:13ff.),  leads  us  to  acknowledge 
the  validity  of  such  a  perspective. 
Patients  must  always  be  informed  of 
the  intention  to  use  fetal  tissue  so 
that  those  who  wish  may  decline  it. 

But  those  who  might  choose  to 
suffer  or  even  die  themselves  do  not 
have  the  right  to  require  others  to 
become  unwilling  martyrs.  In  cases 
where  no  other  treatment  of  equal  or 
greater  effectiveness  is  available,  and 
the  guidelines  prohibiting  designated 
donations  and  payment  are  followed, 
persons  may  recommend,  choose, 
and  participate  in  fetal  tissue  trans- 
plantation without  violating  their 
covenant  with  God  or  the  church. 

We  should  vigorously  pursue  the 
research  and  development  of  treat- 
ment options  that  may  decrease  or 
replace  the  use  of  fetal  tissue.  We 
should  renew  and  continue  efforts  to 
reduce  the  number  of  abortions, 
without  regard  for  how  the  reduction 
might  affect  the  supply  of  fetal  tissue 
for  transplantation.  We  should  hope 
for  and  work  toward  a  time  in  which 
the  use  of  tissue  from  elective  abor- 
tions is  replaced  by  other  treatments. 
But  meanwhile,  we  must  live  with 
respect  and  compassion  in  this  time 
when  fetal  tissue  is  the  last,  best,  ' 
or  only  hope  for  some. 

lames  Benedict  is  pastor  of  Union  Bridge 
(Md.)  Church  of  the  Brethren.  He  was  chair  of 
the  Annual  Conference  study  committee  on 
human  genetic  engineering  and  fetal  tissue  use, 
which  was  appointed  in  1995.  In  1995  he 
received  a  master  of  sacred  theology  degree 
from  Lutheran  Seminary.  Gettysburg.  Pa., 
where  he  studied  New  Testament  and  end-of- 
life  decision  mailing. 


June  1998  Messenger  23 


Whatever  happened  to  Sunday  school? 


BY  D.  Eugene  Lichty 

What  is  happening  to  the  Sunday 
school?  I  reahze  that  is  not  the 
current  name  for  it.  During  my  pas- 
toral ministry  of  more  than  25  years 
we  tried  to  change  it  to  the  church 
school.  But  that  confused  it  with 
parochial  day  schools.  Now  it  seems 
to  loosely  fall  under  the  topic  of 
Christian  education,  which  is  so 
inclusive  than  one  must  particularize 
it.  At  least  most  all  of  us  know  what  I 
am  writing  about  when  I  call  it  the 
Sunday  school. 

When  1  was  a  youth,  more  than  a 
half  century  ago,  in  the  South  Water- 
loo (Iowa)  Church  of  the  Brethren,  I 
recall  a  concern  discussed  frequently 
among  our  members.  It  was,  "How 
can  we  convince  parents  and  their 
children  who  come  for  Sunday 
school  to  remain  for  the  church  ser- 
vice?" The  church  register  board 
consistently  showed  a  larger  atten- 
dance for  Sunday  school  than  for  the 
worship  hour. 

In  those  days  the  church  was  grow- 
ing. Today,  when  I  return  to  that 
same  church,  plus  an  added  Christ- 
ian education  building,  the  Sunday 
school  attendance  will  be  approxi- 
mately half  that  of  the  worship 
service.  The  same  can  be  observed  in 


many  of  our  churches.  What  has 
happened?  With  millions  of  dollars 
spent  on  educational  buildings  and 
additions,  upgraded  curricula,  better 
educated  teachers,  modern  audiovi- 
suals,  copy  machines,  and  other 
technological  goodies,  we  have 
empty  classrooms,  smaller  classes, 
and  decreasing  attendance.  Along 
with  that  goes  smaller  worship  atten- 
dance, and  a  decline  in  membership 
of  the  church  at  large. 

According  to  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Yearbooks,  average  Sunday 
school  attendance  in  1955  was 
1 05.000.  By  1  996  it  had  dropped  to 
46,000.  Church  attendance  in  the 
same  year  was  86,000.  1  was  unable 
to  find  church  attendance  for  1955. 
Our  net  gain  in  membership  in  1955 
was  2,010.  By  1996  we  had  a  net 
loss  of  1,310.  If  this  trend  continues, 
what  will  our  membership  be  in 
another  40  years?  And  what  kind  of 
a  Sunday  school  will  remain? 

How  much  interest  has  been 
shown  in  the  Sunday  school  through 
our  official  church  publication.  Mes- 
senger? To  get  some  indication,  I 
examined  the  annual  indexes  of  1  3  of 
the  last  14  years.  There  is  no  longer 
an  index  topic  entitled  "Sunday 
school."  Five  of  the  13  years 
included  a  total  of  1 1  articles  on 


"Christian  education."  Among  these, 
only  3  made  reference  to  the  Sunday 
school.  Nearly  half  of  the  11  articles 
were  in  one  special  issue  (May/|une 
1989)  lifting  up  "Christian  education 
in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren."  The    | 
editor  introduced  these  articles  with 
a  paragraph  above  a  drawing  of  the 
tree  of  knowledge,  it  is  appropriate 
to  quote  a  portion  of  it: 

"Today  we  take  Christian  educa- 
tion for  granted — perhaps  too  much 
so.  In  the  cluster  of  articles  that  fol- 
lows, we  lift  up  Christian  education 
as  an  area  as  worthy  of  our  concern 
and  support  today  as  it  was  200 
years  ago  at  the  Great  Conestoga 
Annual  Meeting  of  1  789." 

lust  how  concerned  have  we  been? 
For  the  next  seven  years  there  were 
only  four  articles  listed  under  Christ- 
ian Education.  If  we  invite  someone 
to  come  to  "church"  does  that  refer 
to  the  Sunday  school?  Most  likely 
not.  Too  often  we  are  even  apologetic 
when  we  speak  of  the  Sunday  school 
Why?  After  all,  was  not  Jesus  better 
known  as  the  master  teacher  rather 
than  a  great  preacher?  Even  the  so- 
called  Sermon  on  the  Mount  was 
more  of  a  class  lecture  than  a 
sermon.  This  is  not  to  diminish  the 
importance  of  the  worship  service. 
Frequently,  however,  the  Sunday 


24  Messenger  June  1998 


chool  has  become  a  kind  of  warmup 
ime  for  the  worship  service  that  cus- 
omarily  follows.  A  considerable 
lumber  in  our  Sunday  school  class 
iave  1 5  to  20  minutes  early  to  robe 
nd  practice  with  the  choir,  or  to 
ake  their  stations  as  greeters, 
ishers,  deacons,  or  other  duties. 
Vhat  would  we  think  if  as  many 
/orshipers  walked  out  in  the  middle 
if  the  sermon  to  prepare  a  church 
(inner  or  some  other  function 
lunday  after  Sunday? 
The  1990  Messengers  had  one 
eference  under  "Christian  educa- 
ion."  It  reported  a  national  study 
nade  by  Religious  News  Service: 
Of  all  the  areas  of  congregational 
[fe  we  examined,  involvement  in  an 
ffective  Christian  education  pro- 
:ram  has  the  strongest  tie  to  a 
lerson's  growth  in  faith  and  to  loy- 
Ity  to  one's  congregation  and 
lenomination."  Does  this  not  speak 
0  our  current  condition?  At  a  time 
/hen  less  than  half  our  membership 

Brethrening 

lommunion  Bread  101 


t's  time  to  make  communion  bread.  1  don't  know  how  to 
reate  this  special  holy  symbol,  so  I  take  my  place  among 
he  seasoned  deacon  women  to  participate  in  and  learn 
his  time-honored  task. 

Who  could  count  the  number  of  times  these  all-knowing 
/omen  have  gathered  with  expectancy  to  prepare  this  very 
pecial  bread? 

First  we  prepare  the  dough. 

"I  don't  think  anyone  would  mind  if  we  used  half  &  half, 
lo  you?"says  one. 

"We've  used  it  before,  haven't  we?  And  it  turned  out  all 
ight,"  chimes  in  another. 

"OK,  we'll  use  half  &  half." 

Next  we  mix  until  the  dough  "feels  right."  When  it  does 
ve  sit,  pour  coffee,  and  divide  the  dough  among  us.  We 
legin  kneading.  When  one  of  the  ladies  decides  its  "time," 
ve  toss  our  sacrament-in-progress  to  the  person  on  our 
sft. 

The  tossing  to  the  left  continues.  "|ust  how  long  do  we 
mead?" 

"Don't  we  usually  go  for  about  an  hour?"  says  one  dea- 
;oness. 

"One  cookbook  says  you  go  30  minutes,"  says  another. 

"I've  read  you  just  knead  till  it's  done,"  claims  yet 
mother. 

"Sounds  to  me  like  you  just  keep  kneading  until  you've 
un  out  of  gossip,"  is  my  contribution.  Everyone  laughs. 
Ne  knead  until  Lois  has  to  leave  for  an  appointment. 


attends  worship  on  a  given  Sunday 
and  less  than  one  fourth  will  be  in 
Sunday  school,  and  at  a  time  when 
we  must  "redesign"  our  church  orga- 
nization primarily  because  reduced 
loyalty  is  reflected  by  our  giving  less 
than  3  percent  of  our  abundant 
incomes  to  the  church,  maybe  we 
should  again  give  the  Sunday  school 
its  rightful  priority. 

How  might  we  do  this?lt  is  not  my 
intention  here  to  propose  remedies. 
This  was  done  in  a  1992  Messenger 
article  by  Phyllis  Carter,  which  could 
profitably  be  repeated.  It  was  enti- 
tled, "How  to  revive  your  Sunday 
school" (February,  p.  22).  My  inten- 
tion is  to  raise  the  concern  for 
discussion  in  Messenger  and  else- 
where. Why  do  not  our  church- 
related  colleges  and  seminary  pro- 
vide some  therapy  for  what  appears 
to  be  a  sick  and  maybe  dying  educa- 
tional arm  of  the  church?  How  many 
queries  have  been  brought  to  Annual 
Conference  in  the  past  25  years 


involving  the  Sunday  school?  As  our 
membership  becomes  more  and  more 
biblically  illiterate,  maybe  we  need  to 
take  another  look  at  Bible  study  in 
the  Sunday  school.  As  the  number  of 
available  professional  ministers 
decreases,  perhaps  the  Sunday 
school  needs  to  again  become  the 
forcus  for  new  churches  as  it  did  a 
century  ago  when  the  first  meetings 
were  Sunday  school  classes  held  in 
homes  and  country  schools,  taught 
by  lay  men  and  women. 

The  current  condition  of  the 
Sunday  school  seems  to  me  to  be  a 
significant  concern.  Hopefully, 
others  will  come  with  significant 
remedies  or  a  better  substitute      nrr- 
for  the  Sunday  school.  i'^^* 


D.  Eugene  Lichty  of  McPherson.  Kaji.  was  a 
pastor  for  25  years  in  Missouri,  Ohio,  and  Ari- 
zona. He  also  served  as  director  of  development 
for  McPherson  College,  a  position  from  which  he 
retired  in  1 990.  .At  press  time  he  was  returning 
from  a  trip  to  Bangkok.  Thailand. 


Time  to  roll  the  dough  into  the  special  pans  and  mark 
the  pieces. 

"Do  we  go  five  ruler  widths  across  and  four  down?  I 
can't  remember." 

Now  fork  poking.  I  asked  if  it  mattered  how  many  pokes 
per  piece  or  how  deep.  Apparently  this  is  not  a  critical 
issue  in  our  congregation. 

"No,  it  doesn't  matter.  |ust  some." 

How  hot  should  the  oven  be  set  to  bake  this  holy  symbol 
of  Christ's  body  broken  for  us? 

"Don't  we  just  bake  it  in  a  hot  enough  oven  until  it's 
done?" 

By  this  time  I  have  to  laugh  and  exclaim, 

"You  guys  have  been  making  communion  bread  together 
forever.  Yet,  you  act  like  you've  never  made  it  before! 
Don't  you  have  a  recipe  or  something?" 

The  reply  was  simple... 

"Hazel  knew  how.  We  just  did  what  she  told  us.  Now 
that  she  isn't  here,  we  have  to  remember  it  on  our  own." 

Class  dismissed. 

If  I'm  the  next  generation  of  communion  bread  bakers, 
next  time.  I'm  taking  notes!  —Marsha  Miller  Neher 


Marsha  .Miller  Neher  is  a  new  deaconess  at  the  Sunnyslope  Church. 
Wenatchee.  Wash.  She  is  a  registered  nurse,  mother  of  three  daughters, 
and  married  lo  Ken  Neher.  director  of  Funding  for  the  General  Board. 

Messenger  would  like  to  publish  other  short,  colorful,  and  humorous  stories 
of  real-life  incidents  involving  Brethren.  Please  send  your  submissions  to 
Messenger.  Brethren  Press.  1451  Dundee  Ave..  Elgin.  IL  60120-1694  or 
e-mail  to  the  editor  at  ffarrar _gb((!.  brelhren.org. 


June  1998  Messenger  25 


iim 


The  Nigerian  church  wants  to  be  "closest 

of  family"  with  us.  They  do  not  want 

to  live  as  abandoned  stepchildren. 


Different  from  other 
churches  in  Nigeria 

(/;;  response  to  May  Messenger  arti- 
cles on  the  75th  anniversary  of 
Brethren  partnerships  in  Nigeria.) 

January  1  7  to  February  1  7  I  was 
part  of  the  20-member  workcamp  in 
Nigeria,  building  a  girls  dorm  for  a 
new  EYN  (Ekklesiyar  Yan'uwa  a 
Nigeria,  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
in  Nigeria)  secondary  school  near 
Mubi.  During  our  first  evening  at 
Kano,  Mervin  Keeney,  director  of 
Global  Ministry  Partnerships,  shared 
some  stories  about  Albert  Helser, 
one  of  the  pioneer  missionaries  to 
Nigeria. 

When  they  began  their  services  in 
Nigeria  in  1923,  Stover  Kulp  insisted 
that  the  mission  must  include  hospi- 
tals and  schools.  Albert  Helser  said, 
"No,  the  focus  must  be  on  evange- 
lism. Getting  involved  in  those  other 
things  would  only  slow  them  down." 
So  intense  was  the  disagreement  that 
eventually  Helser  left,  joining  the 
Sudan  Interior  Mission  which 
formed  ECWA,  the  Evangelical 
Church  of  West  Africa. 

Kulp's  tradition  lives  on.  Across  75 
years,  nearly  500  missionaries  have 
worked  at  helping  the  Nigerians 
develop  a  full  gospel  ministry. 

Karagama  Gadzama,  egg  farmer 
and  vice  president  of  EYN,  when 
asked  if  EYN  is  different,  said  what 
many  are  quick  to  say;  "Today  EYN 
has  been  engaged  in  digging  wells 
and  offering  seedlings  to  villagers  to 
help  preserve  the  water  table.  They 
have  built  18  dispensaries  across 
Nigeria  and  are  training  workers  for 
these."  They  practice  what  they  call  a 
holistic  approach  to  the  gospel:  the 
whole  gospel  for  the  whole  person. 


In  1972  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  turned  the  Nigerian  church 
over  to  the  Nigerians.  Nigerians  hold 
the  positions  of  leadership.  We  play 
supportive  roles. 

At  a  final  celebrative  event  at  the 
close  of  our  workcamp,  I  sat  with 
Toma,  Nigerian  principal  of  our  min- 
isterial training  school  at  Kulp  Bible 
College.  I  contrasted  his  role  as  a 
Nigerian  heading  our  theological 
training  school  with  a  wonderful 
American  missionary  couple  from 
another  denomination.  That  white 
man  was  the  head  of  their  denomina- 
tion's Nigerian  seminary.  Our 
seminary  is  run  by  a  Nigerian.  Toma 
said,  "That's  the  Brethren." 

I  told  how  John  and  fanet  Tubbs, 
our  one  remaining  missionary  couple 
in  Garkida,  have  a  home  which  is 
always  accessible.  Even  at  mealtime 
they  are  interrupted  by  visitors:  stu- 
dents, staff  of  the  Mason  Technical 
School,  visitors  passing  through. 
Then  we  went  to  a  long-term  mis- 
sionary couple's  home  for  a  meal. 
They  were  gracious  hosts.  Their 
home  was  several  miles  out  a  dirt 
road,  removed  from  the  nearest 
town.  There  were  high  walls  with 
barbed  wire  on  top,  and  barking  dogs 
and  a  Nigerian  security  guard.  In 
stark  contrast  with  the  open  home  of 
the  Tubbs.  Toma  said,  "That's  the 
Brethren." 

Ekklesiar  Yan'uwa  Nigeria  is  the 
name  they  have  chosen  for  them- 
selves. I  asked  some  seventh-grade 
students,  "What  does  EYN  mean?" 
They  said,  "Church  of  the  Brethren." 
But  Yan'uwa  means  more  than 
"Brethren."  It  means  "children  of 
one  mother."  In  Nigeria,  a  man  may 
have  several  wives.  But  to  be  children 
of  one  mother  is  to  be  the  closest  of 


family.  Sometimes  when  we  spoke 
before  groups  in  Nigeria,  I  intro- 
duced myself  as  being  from  EY-USA. 

The  Nigerian  church  wants  to  be 
"closest  of  family"  with  us.  They  do 
not  want  to  live  as  abandoned 
stepchildren.  They  very  much  want     | 
someone  to  come  teach  Brethren 
doctrine  to  all  of  their  new  pastors 
who  must  attend  Kulp  Bible  College.  I 
They  want  a  Brethren  professor  at       | 
the  Theological  College  of  Northern  \ 
Nigeria.  They  want  the  closest  of  ties  j 
with  us. 

Despite  having  their  schools  and 
hospitals  taken  from  them  and  given   • 
to  the  government  and  being  dirt         i 
poor,  they  remain  joyous,  faithful, 
committed  to  being  Brethren.  Today, 
EYN  is  one  of  the  fastest  growing 
churches  in  the  world.  They  are  dif- 
ferent from  other  denominations  in 
Nigeria:  in  their  focus,  in  the  place- 
ment of  power  (with  Nigerians  now 
in  full  control),  and  in  their  approach 
to  mission.  We  should  be  proud  to 
count  them  as  one  of  us:  the  closest 
of  family.  And  we  should  do  every- 
thing we  can  to  develop  the  strongest 
ties  possible. 

Wayne  Ziinkel 
Elizahethtown,  Pa. 


The  opinion  expye^sed  m  Letteib  are  not  nete^saitly 
those  of  the  magazine.  Readen  ihoidd  receive  them  in 
the  same  spirit  with  which  differing  opifiiom  are  expressed 
in  face-to  face  conversations. 

Letters  should  be  brief  concise,  arid  respectfid  of  the 
opinions  of  others.  Preference  is  given  to  letters  that  respond 
directly  to  items  read  in  the  magazine. 

We  are  willing  to  withhold  the  name  of  a  writer 
only  when,  in  our  editorial  judgment,  it  is  warranted. 
We  will  not  consider  any  letter  that  comes  to  us 
unsigned.  Whether  or  not  we  print  the  letter,  the 
writer's  name  is  kept  in  strictest  confidence. 

Address  letters  to  Messenger  editor,  1451  Dune 
Ave.,  Elgin,  II  60120. 


26  Messenger  June  1998 


dealing  with  death 

consider  Dale  Aukerman's  article 
n  "Living  with  Dying"  [Messenger, 
pril  1998]  one  of  the  most  signifi- 
ant  articles  Messenger  has  carried 
1  many  months.  Most  of  us  put  off 
ealing  with  death  because  it  is  such 
n  unknown,  and  therefore  frighten- 
ig.  And  death  brings  physical  pain, 
et  I  know  death  can  happen  to  any 
ne  of  us  at  any  time.  How  do  1  deal 
'ith  all  this?  Dale's  sharing  provides 
nportant  and  helpful  insights  into 
lis  personal  journey. 

It's  one  thing  to  say  that  death  is 
le  doorway  to  eternal  life;  it's  quite 
nother  discussion  to  deal  on  a  per- 
Dnal  level  with  one's  own  death, 
'ith  all  its  dimensions.  Most  of  us 
re  not  well  equipped  to  do  so;  we 
learn  on  the  job." 

Through  his  own  search,  Dale  is 
ble  to  share  some  important  biblical 
nderstandings  of  both  living  and 
ying.  Whether  or  not  we  agree  with 
)ale,  1  applaud  him  for  sharing  so 
itimately  of  his  journey,  and, 
lereby,  pushing  me  on  to  reflect 
lore  on  my  journey.  Thank  you, 
)ale,  and  Messenger. 

Louise  D.  Bowman 
Bluemont,  Va. 

Vill  you  hire  my  friend? 

n  answer  to  your  recent  advertise- 
lent  for  pastors  in  Messenger,  1  am 
leased  to  share  with  you  about  my 
ood  friend  who  fits  your  require- 
lents  perfectly.  She  has  invested 
me,  energy,  and  prayer  in  her  spiri- 
jal  growth,  and  she  has  been  a 
ource  of  inspiration  for  others  in 
er  congregation.  She  has  studied 
le  Bible,  she  has  spoken  out  for  jus- 
ice  for  oppressed  peoples,  and  she 
itegrates  spirituality  and  peacemak- 
ig.  She  has  been  a  church  leader, 
he  has  worked  in  church  education, 
nd  she  has  a  commitment  to  per- 
onal  and  spiritual  growth. 
In  the  last  two  years  this  friend  has 


slowly  and  carefully  discerned  God's 
call  to  enter  the  ministry,  she  has 
spent  prayerful  time  to  clarify  this 
call,  and  she  is  now  prepared  to  enter 
the  next  phase  of  her  preparation. 
My  friend  fits  your  advertisement 
perfectly.  She  has  been  called  by  God, 
and  she  has  been  called  by  her  con- 
gregation. She  is  willing  to  learn, 
grow,  and  minister  to  others.  One  last 
thing:  this  friend  has  made  a  life  com- 
mitment to  a  partner  who  happens  to 
be  a  woman.  This  commitment  does 
not  change  all  the  ways  this  woman 
fits  your  call.  Can  we  as  a  denomina- 
tion afford  to  lose  her  gifts?  Who  are 
we  to  say  that  her  call  from  God, 
carefully  discerned,  cannot  be  hon- 
ored in  this  denomination? 

Ineke  Way 
St.  Louis.  Mo. 


Love  the  unlovable 

In  response  to  the  letter  from  the 
Berkey  Church  of  the  Brethren 
deacon  board  in  April's  Messenger, 
I  would  simply  like  to  point  out  the 
last  new  commandment  that  |esus 
gave  at  the  Last  Supper:  "Love  one 
another." 

He  does  not  stipulate  that  we  love 
only  those  who  we  feel  deserve  it.  He 
meant  for  us  to  love  even  the  "unlov- 
able"— the  dirty,  the  poor,  the 
homeless,  the  sick,  the  homosexual.  1 
say,  let  God  be  the  judge.  And  1  feel 
that  he  will  judge  harshly  those  who 
judge  harshly. 

As  a  Sunday  school  teacher  of  chil- 
dren in  grades  3  through  5,  I  feel 
strongly  about  these  issues.  What 
about  the  children  in  your  own 


in     Religious     Leadership 

With  a  good  plan 

a  lot  can  be  accomplished 

IN  A  WEEK  .  .  . 


^^ 


COLGATE 
ROCHESTER 

DIVINITY     SCHOOL 


Spend  less  time  on  campus 

Earn  your  degree  by  tal<ing  intensive,  weei<-long  classes  wiiile 
completing  tine  remainder  of  your  course  work  in  tiie  comfort  of 
your  fiome.  Classes  are  offered  two  weel<s  in  January  and  two 
ivee/cs  in  June. 

Design  your  own  program 

Receive  a  Doctoral t^inistry  degree  in  Religious  Leadersfiip  witti 
interdisciplinary  areas  of  study.  Select  among: 

a      Spirituality  &  Social  Transformation  in  the 
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Q      Women  in  Religious  Leadership; 

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PRepARina 

PELIGIOUS 

LEADERS 

FOR  THE 

21STCEHTURY 


1100    Soulli    Goodman   Streel,    Rochester,    New   York    14620 


June  1998  Messenger  27 


Li' 


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Sunday  Services  10:30  AM 

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Sunday  Services  10:45  AM 

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humor.  Assignment  will  be 
at  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
General  Offices  in  Elgin.  III. 

Contact  Perry  Hudkins  in 

information  services 

410-635-8791. 


church  family?  When  they  reach  the 
age  of  maturity,  will  you  shun  them  if 
they  are  homosexual?  Will  they  drift 
away,  knowing  their  church  family 
no  longer  loves  them?  What  would 
lesus  do?  I  believe  he  would  reach 
out  to  them  in  love. 

Katie  Bryant 

Live  Oak  Church  of  the  Brethren 

Live  Oak.  Calif. 

Deacons  invited  to  Dancing 

We  read  with  interest  and  disap- 
pointment the  letter  from  the  deacon 
board  of  Berkey  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  Windber,  Pa.  Interest 
because  they  noticed  the  article  in 
Messenger  about  the  Wade  On  In 
conference  last  June;  disappointment 
that  a  deacon  board  could  be  so  anti- 
Christian. 

The  deacon  board  felt  Messenger 
should  not  have  carried  the  article. 
However,  more  than  200  Church  of 
the  Brethren  congregants  attended 
this  conference,  independent  of  any 
obligations  to  Annual  Conference  or 
the  General  Board.  Such  a  large 
gathering  is  surely  of  interest  to  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  This  letter  is 
to  say  thank  you  to  Messenger  for 
reporting  on  a  significant  event  in 
the  spiritual  lives  of  members  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren. 

Finally  if  members  of  the  deacon 
board  at  Berkey  Church  would  like  to 
know  firsthand  what  they  are  talking 


about,  we  invite  them  to  Wichita, 
Kan.,  for  Dancing  in  the  Southwind, 
July  24-26.  We  would  welcome  those 
brothers  and  sisters  as  Christ  has 
welcomed  us. 

Patrick  O.  Fiegenbaum 

Eileen  M.  Wilsor 

Peace  Church  of  the  Brethret. 

Portland,  Ore 

Global  warming  scam 

It  is  discouraging  to  see  the  Brethren] 
leadership  wasting  resources  of  time,' 
thought,  and  energy  on  a  "Chicken 
Little"  support  of  the  global  warming] 
scam.  The  minuscule  evidence  for 
global  warming  is  easily  balanced  by 
evidence  of  global  cooling,  and  both 
ideas  fade  in  the  light  of  past  temper -i 
ature  fluctuation  history.  The 
scientist  who  was  first  successful  in 
alerting  us  to  the  threat  of  global 
warming  later  reversed  himself  and 
said  his  calculations  were  in  error 
and  global  cooling  was  more  likely  to 
occur.  It  was  predicted  that  in  a  rela- 
tively few  years,  corn  could  not  be 
grown  as  far  north  as  Minnesota. 
Instead  of  a  much-ado-about- 
nothing  involvement,  why  not  invest 
our  resources  in  combating  the  very 
real  pollution  of  sex  and  violence  thai 
is  destroying  families  and  smothering 
the  minds  and  souls  of  our  replace- 
ment generation? 

Virgil  Rose 
Brethren.  Mich. 


Q^  Pontius' Puddle 


Send  payment  for  reprinting"  Pontius'  Puddle"  from  Messenger /o 
loel  Kauffmann.  Ill  Carter  Road.  Goshen.  IN  46526.  $25  for  one 
time  use.  $10  for  second  strip  in  satne  issue.  $10  for  congregations. 


rAooERN  cuR^sTl^^^s  M^VE  A  lot  tor. 

WUItUlOftt  GrRKTEfOL.  OUR  tAEO\EVA.L 
F0RE6E.ft.R.«.  SOFFEREO  P.ND  C>\tD  f  0«.  009, 
R\CrVU  TO  VEftO  TUE.  B\Bl£.  TUE 
INVEMTlOU  O^  |A0V^8LE  TYPE  G-^V&  OS 
THE  OPPORTON\Ty  TO  RE^O 
THE  BIBLE.   AMD  tAODEt^N 
EPUCATIOM  I4A«.  &l\/EH 
OS.  TWE  ABVUXy  TO 
REAO  THE  SVSLE:  . 


— 1 


TUtREfORE,  SHOULD  VJE  EVE^ 
CrET  AROUND  TO  READ\H&-  IT, 
WE  CAK  OO&T  DOST  OFF  OOR 
COPY  AMD  DO  SO  \ 


28  Messenger  June  1998 


M 


esus  in  disguise 

Editor's  note:  The  writer  explains 
lat  she  wrote  the  following  on  her 
loiights  after  reading  in  a  newspaper 
bout  a  person  sentenced  to  ten  years 
I  prison.] 

Mother  Teresa  once  commented. 
When  you  see  each  person  as  |esus 
1  disguise,  this  work  is  beautiful  and 
(tractive  because  it  fills  the  heart 
'ith  great  joy  and  great  love."  Our 
rayer  must  be  to  not  only  view  each 
erson  as  God  views  him,  but  to 
ctually  be  able  to  see  that  person  as 
;sus  in  disguise.  If  we  could  view 
le  unlovable  as  a  disguised  |esus, 


we  would  love  them,  forgive  them, 
and  minister  healing  to  them.  We 
would  not  be  fearful  of  connecting 
with  that  person. 

The  imprint  of  God  is  marked  on 
every  person.  It  may  be  buried 
beneath  layers  of  dirt,  but  it  is  there. 
It  is  up  to  us,  through  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  to  uncover  that  rare 
and  precious  treasure.  What  is  at 
stake  is  the  eternal  life  of  a  human 
soul — one  that  bears  the  imprint  of 
our  Father. 

Cathy  L.  Neubauer 

Licensed  minister 

Winfield.  Md. 


Victory  without  vulnerability 

We  are  in  a  period  of  travail.  As  some- 
one has  said,  "We  read  the  Gospel  as 
if  we  have  no  money,  and  we  spend  as 
if  we  know  no  Gospel." 

We  have  celebrated  Christ's  "victory 
through  vulnerability"  that  it  too  soon 
becomes  "victory  without  vulnerabil- 
ity." The  cross  so  easily  casts  a 
shadow  reminiscent  of  the  Crusaders. 

Do  we  press  too  vigorously  for  "by 
right"?  What  about  "He  that  would 
save  his  life  shall  lose  it"  (John 
12:25)1 

Kurtis  Friend  Naylor 
McPherson.  Kan. 


VOLUNTEER 
OPPORTUNITIES 


Volunteer  opportunities  abound 
for  the  New  Windsor  Conference 
Center  located  at  the  lovely,  his- 
toric Brethren  Service  Center  in 
New  Windsor,  Md.  The  Center  is  in 
a  peaceful,  rural,  treed  setting  with 
the  theme  of  "A  quiet  place  to  get 
things  done,"  but  is  also  conve- 
nient to  Baltimore  &  Washington, 
D.C.,  for  ease  of  travel  &  sightsee- 
ing opportunities.  We  need 
volunteer  hostesses/hosts  to  help 
coordinate/provide  hospitality  & 
conference  services  to  a  variety  of 
guests.  Maturity  &  detail  orienta- 
tion needed  along  with  outgoing 
personality  &  genuine  interest  in 
providing  excellent  customer  ser- 
vice. Furnished  apartment  &  meals 
provided  during  period  of  service. 
For  more  info.,  call  or  write  Hospi- 
tality Coordinator,  Box  188,  New 
Windsor,  MD  21776-0188.  (800) 
766-1553  (toll-free). 

Please  note:  this  ad  originated  by.  and 
partially  funded,  through  the  generous  caring 
of  a  current  volunteer  hostess  and  host. 


Make  plans  now  to  attend  the 

Messenger  Dinner 

at  Annual  Conference 

Sights y  soundsy 
&  stories  from 
southern  Sudan 

]\i\yl.  1998,  Orlando,  Florida 

David  R.  Radcliff,  directorof  Brethren  Witness, 
delivers  a  multimedia  report  from  the  recent  delegation 
visit  to  Sudan.  Learn  about  the  inspiring  faith  of 
Sudanese  Christians  and  the  new  Brethren  efforts  to 
build  a  Partnership  for  Peace. 

For  dinner  tickets,  call  the  Annual  Conference 
office  at  (800)  323-8039  or  order  from  advance  packet 
order  form.  Tickets  also  available  in  Orlando  at  Annual 
Conference  ticket  sales. 


June  1998  Messenger  29 


Classified  Ads 


DIABETICS  SERVICE 

Diabetics  If  you  ha\'e  Medicare  or  insurance,  you  could 
be  eligible  to  receive  your  diabetic  supplies  at  no  cost. 
(Insulin-dependent  only.)  Call  (800)  337-4144. 

WANTED 

News  photographers  to  cover  Annual  Conference  for 
Messenger.  Reply  to  Messenger,  1451  Dundee  Ave., 
Elgin,  IL  60120  or  e-mail  fffarrar(5'midwest.net. 

CONFERENCES 

A  Cup  of  Cold  Water:  Church  Services  for  the  World. 
June  18-20, 1998.  An  interdisciplinary  conference  spon- 
sored by  the  Young  Center  for  the  Study  of  Anabaptist 
and  Pietist  Groups  at  Elizabethtown  College,  Eliza- 
bethtown,  PA.  Speakers  include  representatives  from 
the  Brethren,  Friends,  and  Mennonlte  traditions.  There 
will  be  a  special  celebration  honoring  50  years  of 
Brethren  Volunteer  Service.  Contact:  The  Young  Center, 
(717)361-1470  or  youngctr@acad.etown.edu. 

INVITATIONS 

Cincinnati  Church  of  the  Brethren  fellowship 

meets  for  workshop  &  support  in  n.e.  area  of  Cincin- 
nati. We  welcome  others  to  join  us  or  bring  needs  to 
our  attention.  Contact  us  c/o  Cincinnati  Friends  Meet- 
ing House,  8075  Keller  Rd.,  Indian  Hill,  OH  45243.  Tel. 
(513)956-7733. 

Come  worship  in  the  Valley  of  the  Sun  with  Com- 
munity Church  of  the  Brethren  at  111  N.  Sunvalley 
Blvd.,  Mesa,  AZ  86207.  Mail  to:  8343  E.  Emelita  Ave., 
Mesa,  AZ  85208.  Tel.  (602)357-9811. 

Worship  with  Good  Shepherd  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Springfield,  MO  (in  the  heart  of  the  Ozarks, 
35  miles  from  Branson).  Address:  1024  East  Blaine.  1 
1/2  blocks  west  of  Glenstone,  business  65,  corner  of 
Glenstone  and  Blaine.  Sunday  school  meets  9:30  am. 
Worship  10:40am.  Look  for  us  in  the  Mennonlte  Your 
Way  Catalog  as  a  camping  facility  For  more  informa- 
tion call  the  church  office:  (417)865-3104  or  Pastor 
Lorene  Moore,  (417)862-5-191. 

Salisbury  Community  Church  of  the  Brethren,  a 

new  and  growing  fellowship  in  Salisbury  MD.  invites 
Brethren  moving  into  or  vacationing  in  the  Salisbury, 
Ocean  City,  MD.  area  to  worship  with  us.  We  are  will- 


ing to  provide  moving  assistance  (unloading,  child  care, 
area  info.)  to  persons  moving  into  the  area.  For  info, 
contact:  Salisbury  CoB,  RO.  Box  2001,  Salisbury,  MD. 
21802.  Tel.  (410)  219-5949  or  e-mail  NRCain(g)aol.com 

TRAVEL 

Visiting  Japan?  Why  not  stay  at  World  Friend- 
ship Center  in  Hiroshima!  Non-profit  bed  &  breakfast 
staffed  by  BVS  couple.  Located  within  walking  distance 
to  Peace  Park.  Traditional  Japanese  style  house.  Very 
reasonable  rates.  Sur\'ivor  stories  and  park  guides  avail- 
able. For  more  info.,  call/fax  Larry  or  Alice  Petty 
(330)733-2879,  or  contact  WFC  directly  at:  8-10  Higashi 
Kanon-Machi,  Nishi-ku,  Hiroshima,  Japan  733.  Tel.  Oil- 
81-082-503-3191.  Fax  011-S1-082-503-3179. 

Oberammergau  Passion  Play  and  tour  of  Europe  in 
2000.  One  tour  (July  3 1-Aug.  27)  is  completely  filled. 
Reservations  now  being  accepted  for  June  26-July  17 
and  July  17-31,  2000  tours.  Tours  will  include  Paris,  the 
Swiss  Alps,  Venice,  Vienna,  Prague,  Beriin,  Schwarzenau, 
and  many  other  places.  For  info.,  write  J.  Kenneth  Krei- 
der,  1300  Sheaffer  Road,  Elizabethtown,  PA  17022. 

Oberammergau  Passion  Play  year  2000  Bohrer 
tours  will  be  leading  three  tours  to  Europe  and  the  pas- 
sion play  during  the  year  2000.  (May,  July  and 
September)  Prices  will  begin  at  ^2099.00.  For  infor- 
mation write:  Wendell  and  Joan  Bohrer,  5067  Royal 
Meadow  Drive,  Indianapolis,  IN  46217  (317)882-50(37) 
Bradley  and  Bonnie  Bohrer,  283  Parkway  Drive,  Berea, 
OH  44017  or  Matthew  and  Noelle  Bohrer,  1860  Joseph 
Court,  Elgin,  IL  (847)697-2746. 

POSITIONS  AVAILABLE 

Director  of  Pastoral  Care.  Bridgewater  Retirement 
Community  is  looking  for  a  full-time  Director  of  Pas- 
toral Care.  Applicants  must  have  knowledge  of,  and 
appreciation  for.  Church  of  the  Brethren  beliefs,  prac- 
tices, and  traditions.  A  Master  of  Divinity  or  similar 
degree,  Clinical  Pastoral  Education,  and  five  or  more 
years  in  pastoral  ministry  (or  equivalent  experience) 
are  required.  Duties  include  weekly  worship  services, 
officiating  at  funeral  and  memorial  services,  and  spir- 
itual growth  activities  for  residents.  Applicants  should 
care  about  older  adults  and  be  able  to  minister  to  res- 
idents with  varied  faith  traditions.  Bridgewater 
Retirement  Communitv  offers  a  variety  of  senior  hous- 


ing options  on  a  lovely  46-acre  campus  in  the  BlU' 
Ridge  Mountains.  Located  in  a  historic  village  in  th^ 
beautiful  Shenandoah  Valley,  Bridgewater  is  only  a  twc 
hour  drive  from  Washington,  D.C.  and  Richmond 
Virginia.  If  you  are  interested  in  this  position,  pleasi 
contact  Phii  Flory  at  (540)828-2531  or  (800)419-9127 

Campus  Pastor.  Job  Description:  The  Campus  Pastoj 
is  responsible  for  planning,  supervising  and  providin: 
leadership  in  areas  of  spiritual  development,  campu 
ministry  and  Christian  faith.  She/lie  is  pastoral  and  pei 
sonal  counselor  to  students  and  other  members  of  thij 
college  community  The  Pastor  coordinates  worshi] 
programs:  advises  the  college  on  matters  of  spiritua 
development  of  students,  and  serves  on  committeesj 
organizations  and  boards  related  to  the  religious  lifii 
program  of  the  college.  Qualifications:  Candidates  mus 
identify'  with  and  be  committed  to  the  traditions  of  th( 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  It  is  expected  that  the  Campu 
pastor  is,  or  will  be,  ordained  in  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  A  Master  of  Divinity  degree  or  its  equivalent 
and  experience  and  demonstrated  proficiency  in  pas| 
toral  and  personal  counseling  is  required.  Ability  tti 
provide  leadership  and  support  for  persons  of  all  faiths' 
and  a  lifestyle  consistent  with  the  policies  and  tradii 
tions  of  Manchester  College  are  also  necessary.  Ii, 
addition,  strong  academic  preparation  in  theologil 
cal/Bible  studies.  Clinical  Pastoral  Education,  ant! 
counseling  is  desirable.  Experience  as  a  student  or  staf' 
member  at  a  church-related  independent  college,  and/o' 
pastoral  experience  is  helpful.  Salary:  Salary  depenj 
dent  upon  qualifications  and  experience,  10  montl; 
continuing  contract.  Employment  Benefits:  Grouji 
insurance  covering  hospitalization,  major  medical,  surl 
gical,  life,  accidental  death,  total  disability;  TIA/| 
retirement;  tuition  discounts  for  dependents,  and  othe: 
benefits.  Starting  Date:  On  or  before  August  17, 1998 
Application  Process;  Letters  of  application  should  bi 
accompanied  by  a  complete  resume  listing  training 
experience  and  a  summary  of  academic  preparation. 
Materials  should  be  received  as  soon  as  possible.  J\ 
screening  committee  will  begin  reviewing  application.: 
mid-May.  The  position  will  remain  open  until  a  sucj 
cessful  candidate  is  chosen.  Forward  applicatioi 
information  to:  Vicky  Eisenhut,  Vice  President  of  Humai 
Resources,  Manchester  College,  iNorth  .Manchester,  If 
46962.  Manchester  College  is  an  Equal  Opportu 
nity/Affirmati\'e  Action  Employer. 


MESSENGER-on-Tape 


Messenger  is  available  on  tape  for  people  who  are  visually  impaired. 

Each  double  cassette  issue  contains  all  articles,  letters,  and  the  editorial. 


MrssENCER-on-Tape,  is  a  service  of  volunteers  for  the  Church  and  Persons  with 
Disabilities  Network  (CPDN),  a  task  group  of  the  Association  of  Brethren  Caregivers  (ABC). 

Recommended  donation  is  $10  (it you  return  the  tapes  lo  be  recycled)  or  $25  (if  you  ivcep  the  tapes, ) 

To  receive  MESSENCER-on-Tape,  please  send  your  name,  address,  phone  number,  and  check  paj'able  to  ABC  to: 
Association  of  Brethren  Caregivers,  1451  Dundee  Avenue.  Elgin.  IL  60120 


30  Messenger  June  1998 


roninf  Points 


Jew 
/lembers 

lole:  Congregations  are  asked 
to  submit  only  the  names  of 
actual  new  members  of  the 
denomination.  Do  not 
include  names  of  people 
who  have  merely  transferred 
their  membership  from 
another  Church  of  the 
Brethren  congregation. 

.gape.  Fort  Wayne.  Ind.; 
loDean  Rhoades 

jnwell.  Flemington,  N.I.: 
Erik  Frankevich,  Kathy 
O'Neal,  Brandt  Kiskurno 

.ntioch.  Rocky  Mount,  Va.: 
Heather  Shepherd,  Stephen 
Crouse,  Lewis  Green,  Mary 
Green 

lear  Creek,  Accident,  Md.: 
Adam  Younkin,  Vicki 
Schlosnagle.  Angle  Rush, 
Rox  Ann  Wooden 

leaverton,  Mich.:Kris  Ranes 
McKimmy.  Ardis  Larkin 

iradford,  Ohio:  lennie  Clark, 
Brenda  Hinkle,  Scott 
Hinkle,  Rosemary  Wood, 
Stacy  Baker,  Mike  Harmon, 
Kendra  Hess,  Kisha  lone, 
Craig  "I.R."  Norris,  Ruby 
Smith,  Lyn  Trissell.  Rudy 
Trissell,  Rosemary  Wood, 
Angle  Baker,  Deanna  Baker, 
Michelle  Baker 

>ridgewater,  Va.:  Doris  D. 
Boyne,  Kjm  Merrick.  Jean 
Petre,  Clarence  and  Mary 
Quay,  Marguerite  K.  Smith 

!edar  Creek,  Garrett,  Ind.: 
loshua  Crain 

!ovenlry,  Pottstown,  Pa.:  Kim 
and  Kevin  Darlington,  Tim- 
othy Egalf,  Andrew  High, 
Lydia  lohnson,  Adam  Mess- 
ner,  Mark  Moran.  Brian 
Wade 

Iphrata.  Pa.:  Ruth  Coil,  Jef- 
frey Wolf.  Nikol  Peterman 

Iversole,  New  Lebanon,  Ohio: 
Patti  Zimmer,  Dustin 
Zimmer 

'irsi,  Reading,  Pa.:  John  and 
Michelle  Alexander.  Carl 
and  Linda  Kaucher 

'irst  Central,  Kansas  City. 
Kan.:  Robert  and  Pauline 
Frank,  Tawny  Magee 

'irst,  Harrisburg,  Pa.:  Wendy 
Barrick.  B.[.  Barrick.  Daryn 
Bullock,  Ethel  Bullock. 
Waverly  Chadwick.  Mary 
Ann  Coffman,  Shyla  Hamp- 
ton, Kenny  Horst,  Shirley 
Kiefer,  Fred  Lamar,  Tim 
Long,  Guillermo  Olivencia, 


Maricel  Olivencia,  Lisa 
Rhoades,  lohnny  Saft, 
Alfred  Williams' 

Geiger,  Friedens,  Pa.:  Christo- 
pher Haines,  Charles 
Shepley,  Daniel  Walker, 
Andrew  Ritenour,  lohn 
Ritenour,  Sherri  Ritenour, 
Michael  Miller,  Shirley 
Miller,  Eva  Lape 

Good  Shepherd,  Springfield. 
Mo:  Calvin  HIavaty.  Bryan 
Lucore,  Danielle  Lucore 

Greensburg,  Pa.:  Luke  Faust. 
Matthew  Felker.  Catherine 
Spicher.  Ronald  Spicher, 
James  Rnald  Spisso. 
Stephanie  Struzzi,  loshua 
Taylor,  [ames  Wheeler, 
Barbara  Spisso 

Hollidaysburg,  Pa.:  Dan  and 
Heidi  McCready,  lohn  and 
Carol  Miller,  Nicole  Brown 
Frank.  Heather  Claycomb, 
Bobby  Stahl,  Kele  Stuver- 
Pacheco,  Charles  and  Karen 
Brown,  Michele  Eastburn 

Hurricane  Creek,  Smithboro, 
111.:  Bobbie  Patterson 

Kokomo,  Ind.:  Dallas  Garrett. 
Tim  and  Susan  Swisher 

Maple  Spring,  Holsopple.  Pa.: 
Michael  and  Sharon  Toth 

McPherson,  Kan.:  Elijah 
Gehring.  Kyle  Gilbert,  Ryan 
Goering,  Scott  Hammar- 
lund.  Timothy  Lolling,  Mike 
Goering 

Mechanicsburg,  Pa.:  Mable 
Smith,  Linda  Wevodav, 
Sharon  Clark.  Terri  Martin, 
Heather  Martin,  loseph 
McCorkel,  Shane 
McCorkel.  Amanda  Crouse, 
Shane  Kumler.  Colin  Scott 

Mountville,  Pa.:  Margaret 
Longenecker,  Ken  Myers. 
Mary  Myers 

Mt.  Morris,  111:  Myrna  Stouffer 

New  Carlisle,  Ohio:  Brian 
White,  Amanda  Slattery, 
Laura  Spotts,  |ulie  Taylor 

New  Covenant  Fellowship, 
Gotha.  Fla.:|an  Daniels. 
Drew  Daniels.  Christopher 
Oilman,  |odi  Eller 

Nokesvllle,  Va.;|ohn  David 
Bowser.  Laura  Beth 
Bowser,  leremy  Hall.  Rusty 
Hall.  Jennie  Hay\vood, 
Amanda  Beth  Murphy, 
David  Robert  Murphy, 
Katherine  Millicent 
Murphy,  Kayla  Renee  Hill, 
Rashad  De|uan  Bland,  Lynn 
Renee  Messenger.  Matthew 
Arrott  Truschel,  Benjamin 
Lee  Truschel,  Vernon 
Funkhouser,  leannette 
Funkhouser,  David  Moore, 


Stephanie  Moore,  Paula 
Rusher.  George  Rusher. 
Margaret  Manuel,  Kevin 
Delano  Gough,  Kimberly 
Margaret  Gough,  Kristo- 
pher  Dean  Gough,  Kraig 
Delano  Gough,  Kory  Dustin 
Gough,  lacqueline  Gayle 
Bear,  Brittany  Jeannette 
Thrift 

Parker  Ford.  Pa.:  Bonnie 
Cameron.  Christina  Ewing, 
Paul  Russell 

Parsons,  Kan.;  Chris  Davis. 
Krista  and  Jayson  Warstler. 
Everett  and  Winnie  Griffin. 
Misty  Davis 

Roaring  Spring,  Pa.:  Kenneth 
Brumbaugh,  Sarah  Hall, 
Natalie  Hershberger, 
Nathan  Hershberger. 
Zachary  Miller.  Jordan 
Rhodes.  Carii  Rinker,  Kayci 
Russell.  Carrie  Saylor, 
Matthew  Witkovsky 

Sebring,  Fla.:  John  and 
Amanda  Sgro 

Wedding 
Anniversaries 

Barkley,  Meredith  and  Minnie, 

Davidsville,  Pa.,  55 
Funkhouser,  Cecil  and  Sylvia 

Midland,  Va.,  60 
DeBoll,  Chris  and  Erma 

Uniontown.  Pa.,  55  years 
Shroyer.  Dale  and  Florence 

New  Carlisle,  Ohio,  55 
Seltzer,  Harry  and  Claudia, 

Reading.  Pa..  55  years 

Deaths 

Alexander,  Velme,  86.  Haxtun. 

Colo.,  Nov.  22 
Allen,  Lola.  98,  Mt.  Morris, 

III.  Nov.  23 
Bechtold,  Jay,  91,  Mt.  Morris. 

III..  March  U 
Becker,  Richard  E.  61,  York 

County,  Pa.,  April  4 
Booth,  Elwyn.  San  Diego, 

Calif.,  Feb.  10 
Bowman,  Clarence,  94, 

Bridgewater,  Va.,  April  19 
Brumbaugh,  Berdella,  93, 

Canton,  Ohio.  March  31 
Burkholder,  Alden  H.,  93, 

Mentor,  Ohio,  Nov.  10, 

1997 
Burkholder,  Mary  E.,  91, 

Mentor,  Ohio.  Aug.  30, 

1997 
Cessna,  Vera  P.  90.  New 

Oxford.  Pa..  April  2 
Churchill,  Irvin.  85.  Cham- 
pion. Pa.,  March  27 
Coffman,  Marie  E..  72.  North 


English.  Iowa,  March  19 
Courtney,  Charles,  Reading, 

Pa..  Feb.  3 
Dell,  Mercelle,  74,  Golden- 
dale,  Wash..  March  10 
Dove,  Arnold,  76, 

Fredericksburg,  Pa. 
Edwards,  Ethelyn,  77, 

Haxtun,  Colo..  Jan.  26 
Emig,  William  Sr..  65, 

.Abbottstown.  Pa..  April  4 
Evans,  Willard.  79.  Hartville. 

Ohio,  March  24 
Favorite,  Russell  H..  51.  New 

Carlisle,  Ohio.  Feb.  12 
Fisher,  Pauline.  81.  Boones 

Mill,  Va..  Feb.  1 1 
Foltz,  Violet,  75,  Ephrata.  Pa., 

March  27 
Gibson,  Agatha.  79.  Fort 

Wayne.  Ind..  March  28 
Greene,  Paul,  89,  Mt.  Morris, 

111.,  Feb.  10 
Harnage,  Bertha  C,  87, 

Sebring.  Fla..  April  25 
Hawkey,  .Alberta  T,  65, 

Sebring.  Fla.,  April  1  2 
Hite,  Ralph,  86,  Enid,  Okla., 

June  29,  1997 
Hoffeditz,  Beulah  Vought 

Bridgewater.  Va..  March  8 
Holsopple,  Alice,  91 ,  Indiana, 

Pa..  April  6 
Hoover,  Thomas  D..  56, 

Sebring.  Fla..  Feb.  24 
Hoover,  Ethel  E..  89,  Sebring, 

Fla.,  March  24 
Hummer,  Emmett,  83, 

Parsons,  Kan..  Oct.  19 
Keeney,  Paul  W.  81. 

Loganville.  Pa..  April  2 
Keiper,  Pauline,  89,  Martins- 
burg,  Pa..  March  19 
Keiper,  Alma  N..  101,  Mar- 

tinsburg,  Pa..  March  23 
Kuykendail,  Amelda.  87.  Fort 

Seybert,  W.  Va..  March  30 
Ladage,  Ruth,  86,  Parsons, 

Kan.,  Jan.  18 
Larson,  Harold,  76,  Yuba  City, 

Calif.,  Feb.  26 
Lindeman,  Margaret  Eunice,  86, 

Waterloo,  Iowa,  March  25 
Lortie,  Peggye,  50,  Garrett. 

Ind..  Feb.  24 
Lucore,  Eula  Wolfe.  72,  San 

Marcos.  Calif..  Dec.  6 
McKimmy,  Howard.  67. 

Beaverton,  Mich..  Feb.  7 
Michaelis.  Dorothy.  80. 

McPherson.  Kan..  April  14 
Moore,  Akin.  86.  Fort  Wayne, 

Ind..  April  2 
Myers,  Lewis  Edward,  9 1 , 

Bealeton,  Va.,  March  27 
Nissly,  Jeffrey,  31,  Conestoga. 

Pa..  Jan.  19 
Nunn,  Bessie.  95,  Amboy,  III., 

March  1 
Putnam,  Ruth  I  Foust,  82, 


New  Oxford.  Pa..  March  30 
Rutledge,  Bessie.  105. 

Decatur.  111..  Ian.  24 
Schenk,  Homer,  78. 

Huntertown.  Ind..  Feb.  29 
Seveir,  Wilbur  ]..  92.  Franklin. 

W.  Va..  March  1 1 
Shockey,  Charles  Grant,  Sr., 

76,  Decatur,  III. 
Steinmetz,  Clyde,  90, 

Lancaster.  Pa.,  Jan.  20 
Stover,  Catharine,  86. 

Waynesboro,  Pa.,  April  1 
Stroble,  loan  S..  63,  Har- 
risonburg, Va.,  March  30 
Studebaker,  Ruth  Workman, 

81.  New  Carlisle,  Ohio. 

March  14 
Swihart,  Wilma.  Hart,  Mich., 

April  12 
Williar,  Alton  A.  T.  Sr..  85, 

Walkersville,  Md.,  April  8 

Pastoral 
Placements 

Bain,  Paris  "Pete,"  from  Red 
Hill.  Roanoke.  Va.,  to  leters 
Chapel,  Vinton.  Va. 

Miller,  David  W..  from 

Bethany  Theological  Semi- 
nary to  West  Richmond, 
Richmond,  Va. 

Thompson,  lohnny  L..  from 
interim  to  pastor  at  Henry 
Fork.  Rocky  Mount,  Va. 

Licensings 

Bailey,  Patrick,  March  14, 

Owl  Creek,  N.  Ohio 
Bennett,  Melissa,  Prairie  City, 

N.  Plains.  March  22 
Carlson,  Melinda  K.,  March  4, 

West  York,  S.  Pa. 
Gates,  Ginger  .M.,  March  3  1 . 

Brownsville.  Mid-Atlantic 
Grogg,  Timothy,  March  1 4, 

Owl  Creek.  N.  Ohio 
Lindley,  Kyle,  Feb.  7,  Salkum, 

Ore. /Wash. 
Lowry,  William  (Brett).  March 

31.  Brownsville.  Mid-Atlantic 
Mason,  Carol,  Feb.  7.  Lacev. 

Ore./Wash. 
Rummel,  Robert  L..  Feb.  22, 

Maple  Spring.  W.  Pa. 
Sweetman,  Don,  Salkum, 

Ore./Wash. 
Zurin,  |en,  Sept.  2. 

Hempfield.  Atlantic  NE 

Ordinations 

Bartholomew,  Paul,  March  14. 

Mohican.  N.  Ohio 
Routh,  Joe.  March  14.  E. 

Chippewa,  N.  Ohio 


June  1998  Messenger  31 


Then  what? 


During  public  radio  pledge  week  I  switched  to  a  coun- 
try station,  where  a  new  song  by  Clay  Walker  said 
what  I'd  been  thinking,  it's  called  "Then  What?": 

■7  got  a  good  friend  who 's  got  a  good  life/He 's  got  two 
pretty  children  and  a  real  nice  wifeAet  he  never  seems 
quite  satisfied/I  said  I  know  what's  on  your  mind/But  you 
better  think  about  it  before  you  cross  that  line/The  grass 
ain  't  always  greener  on  the  other  side. " 

Christians  may  think  it  goes  without  saying  that  our 
personal  conduct  should  be  righteous  to  be  pleasing  to 
God.  But  perhaps  it  has  gone  without  saying  too  long. 
I'm  bothered  by  fooling  around  in  the  White  House,  but 
I'm  bothered  more  by  polls  showing  that  most  of  the 
American  people  aren't  bothered  by  it.  The  attitude 
seems  to  be  that  as  long  as  the  economy  is  good  and  we 
aren't  at  war  what  the  President  does  in  the  privacy  of 
the  Oval  Office  is  his  own  business.  I'm  for  privacy  and 
tolerance,  and  I'm  not  sure  this  is  a  legal  issue.  But 
before  the  American  people  acquiesce  to  lower  standards 
of  acceptable  behavior  for  public  officials,  let's  have  a 
word  for  personal  ethics  and  integrity. 

"Then  what? /What  you  gonna  do/When  the  new  wears 
off  and  the  old  shines  through/And  it  ain't  really  love  and 
it  ain 't  really  lust/And  you  ain 't  anybody  anybody's  gonna 
trust. 

In  1966  Annual  Conference  adopted  a  statement  on 
"The  Theological  Basis  of  Personal  Ethics."  That  state- 
ment clarifies  that  we  should  be  good  not  because  it's  the 
law  but  because  of  love.  "The  gospel  is  not  a  new  code  of 
conduct.  Legalism  looks  to  a  law  or  principle  to  find  the 
specific  requirements  of  God  in  a  particular  situation, 
but  love  supersedes  the  most  exacting  legal  description  of 
an  act.  Love  will  not  steal  or  kill  or  commit  adultery." 

Cheating  hurts  people.  Marital  infidelity  is  a  painful 
form  of  domestic  violence.  And  don't  think  certain  fami- 
lies are  immune.  In  the  movie  Primary  Colors  there  is  a 
heart-rending  scene  in  which  Emma  Thompson,  who 
plays  the  presidential  candidate's  wife,  sobs  uncontrol- 
lably on  the  floor  upon  learning  that  her  husband  has 
bedded  a  young  girl.  Even  in  high  places,  it  hurts. 

Do  what  you  want,  do  what  you  wish/It's  your  life  but 
remember  this/There 's  bound  to  be  some  consequences/ 
For  sneakin '  under  other  fences. 

We're  not  perfect,  and  we  all  pray  with  the  psalmist, 
"Do  not  remember  the  sins  of  my  youth  or  my  transgres- 
sions" (Psa.  25:7).  Even  so,  while  acknowledging  God's 
mercy,  we  can  keep  trying,  and  speak  up  for  the  value  of 
integrity.  "Those  who  walk  blamelessly,  and  do  what  is 
right,  and  speak  the  truth  from  their  heart.  .  .  .  Those 


who  do  these  things  shall  never  be  moved"  {Psa.  15). 

If  the  Washington  scandal  were  just  about  one  man's 
marriage,  the  poll  respondents  would  be  right  that  it's 
none  of  the  nation's  business.  But  ethics  doesn't  stop  at 
the  door  to  the  White  House  private  apartment.  From  the 
Annual  Conference  statement:  "lesus'  summary  of  per- 
sonal ethics  is  that  'you  shall  love  the  Lord  your  God 
with  all  your  heart,  and  with  all  your  soul,  and  with  all 
your  mind,'  and  "you  shall  love  your  neighbor  as  your- 
self.' The  twofold  commandment  makes  brilliantly  clear 
that  love  of  God  always  entails  love  of  neighbor;  personal 
ethics  always  involve  social  ethics." 

The  connection  between  personal  and  social  isn't 
always  obvious,  but  here's  one  example.  A  person  with 
nothing  to  hide  can  lead  boldly  for  the  social  welfare, 
without  fear  that  adversaries  will  drag  out  skeletons  to 
stop  him.  It  seems  no  coincidence  that  during  President 
Clinton's  first  term,  health  care  reform  and  Whitewater 
heated  up  together,  and  faded  together.  The  nation  was 
deprived  of  substantial  benefit  because  its  leader,  under 
investigation,  lacked  the  political  power  to  get  the  job 
done.  The  church  also  has  been  deprived  at  times  when 
would-be  leaders  are  silenced  by  ethical  skeletons. 

Social  progress  requires  trust.  My  father's  best  friend 
had  a  saying  that  became  his  motto,  "I  will  if  I  say  I  will. 
It  was  humorous  because  he  used  it  in  every  instance. 
Are  you  coming  to  the  party?  "I  will  if  I  say  I  will."  We 
enjoyed  this  memory  at  his  recent  funeral.  This  good 
man  achieved  much  in  his  life,  and  was  able  to  help  many 
people,  because  he  kept  his  word.  Our  church  will  be 
stronger  if  it  has  more  people  we  can  count  on  to  do 
what  they  say  they  are  going  to  do. 

A  trusted  leader  can  do  a  lot  of  good  even  without 
holding  office,  (immy  Carter,  known  for  his  strong  mar- 
riage and  sometimes  painful  honesty,  in  his  retirement  is 
effectively  building  houses  and  building  peace.  Lesser 
leaders  will  retire  young  to  face  thirty  years  on  the  golf 
course  because  nobody  trusts  them  anymore. 

What  is  lost  with  a  decline  of  personal  integrity  goes 
beyond  the  loss  of  effectiveness  in  politics.  As  a  people 
we  lose  our  self-esteem,  our  nobility,  our  willingness  to 
stand  together  and  with  God  against  injustice.  If  we 
figure  everybody  is  out  for  themselves  we  stop  trying. 

"Then  what?/Where you  gonna  turn/When  you  can't 
turn  back  for  the  bridges  you  've  burned/And  fate  can 't 
wait  to  kick  you  in  the  butt/Then  what?  Oh  then  what?" 

But  if  we  try  to  be  good,  God  will  bless  a  virtuous 
people.  We  can  take  risks  together  because  we  trust  each 
other  and  God  trusts  us. — Fletcher  Farrar 


32  Messenger  June  1998 


Make  a  Positive  Decision 
FOR  Your  Future: 


Peace  of  mind  for  your  security  and  safety 
Your  health  and  wellness  in  comfort  and  dignity 
Fitness  in  a  challenging  environment 
Convenience  and  beaut}'  of  your  surroundings 
Enjoyment  of  being  in  a  friendly  community 


For  further  information  contact  the  Hillcrest  Marketing  Office: 


1^ 


EQUAL  HOUSING 
OPPORTUNITY 


MS'^mltmna  Ic  ^iWUmi 


HILLCREST 

A  RETIREMENT  COMMUNITY  RELATED  TO  THE  CHURCH  OF  THE  BRETHREN 

2705  MouNT.MN  View  Drtve,  La  Verne,  CA  91750-4398  •  (909)  593-4917  or  (800)  566-4636 

DSS  Certificate  of  Authority  #069,  DHS:  #950000005,  DSS   #191501662 


Area  1 

I.Janice  Glass  Kensinger* 
Hummelstown,  Pennsylvania 
888  411-4275** 

^^Wr%  ~ 

2.  Linda  McCauliff 
Johnstown,  Pennsylvania 
814  254-1048 

^K^ 

3.  Donald  E.  Myers 
York,  Pennsylvania 
717  747-9073 

^^^Blk^  '^SSI 

Area  2 

4.  Beth  SoUenberger-Morphew* 
Elgin,  Illinois 
800  323-8039** 

5.  Duane  Grady 
IndianapoHs,  Indiana 
317  546-3220 

^HH^^n 

6.  Jim  Kinsey 

Lake  Odessa,  Michigan 

616  374-8066 

CALL 
WAITING 


Area  3 

7.  Julie  M.  Hostetter* 
Roanoke,  Virginia 
800  244-5896** 

8.  CarolYeazell 
Orlando,  Florida 

407  523-0045 

(One  appointment  pending) 

Area  4 

9.  David  Smalley* 
Gardner,  Kansas 
888  526-9589** 

10.  Manny  Diaz 

Lake  Charles,  Louisiana 
318  479-1068 

Area  5 

11.  Jeff  Glass* 

San  Diego,  Cahfornia 
888  826-4951** 

12.  Carol  Bowman 
Wenatchee,  Washington 
509  663-2833 

13.  Nada  B.  Sellers 
Pasadena,  California 
626  797-5249 

Director's  Office 

14.  Glenn  Timmons 

15.  Joan  Pelletier 
Elgin,  Illinois 
800  323-8039** 

*coordinator  **toll  free  call 


An  effective  congregation,  in  Brethren  terms,  is  determined  not  by  status, 
influence,  or  numbers.  Rather,  congregational  faithfulness  comes  in  living 
as  a  reconciled  and  redeemed  community,  an  instrument  of  God's  vision. 

If  your  church  is  striving  to  be  such  a  community,  to  signal  the  dawn 
of  a  new  age  in  the  midst  of  the  old.  Congregational  Life  Teams  stand 
ready  to  work  with  you — in  worship  planning,  spiritual  formation, 
evangehsm,  stewardship  education,  small  membership 
churches,  and  urban  and  ethnic  ministries.  1 1 

You  have  our  number.  We  await  your  call.  "——J 


Congregational  Life  Teams 

Working  together:  congregations,  districts,  General  Board,  partner  agencies 


es  L   ^^ 


Church  of  the  Brethren  July  1998  www.brethren.org 


50  years  of  service 

How  «&e  BVS 
story  began 


***--^« 


DSS  Continuing  Care  Certificate  #069,  DSS 
#191501662,  DHS  #950000005 


Make  a  Positive 
Decision  for  Your 
Future 

■  Peace  of  mind  for  your  security 
and  saftey 

S     Your  health  and  wellness  in 
comfort  and  dignity 

■  Fitness  in  a  challenging 
environment 

■  Convenience  and  beauty  of  your 
surroundings 

■  Enjoyment  of  being  in  a  friendly 
community 


For  further  information  contact  the  Hillcrest  Marketing  Office 


HILLCREST 

A  RETIREMENT  COMMUNITY  RELATED  TO  THE  CHURCH  OF  THE  BRETHREN 


2705  Mountain  View  Drive,  La  Verne,  California  91750-4398 
(909)  392-4360  or  1-800-566-4636 


www.brethren.org 


On  the  cover: 
Brethren  Volun- 
teer Service 
celebrates  50  years  of  faith  in 
action  by  remembering  the 
past  and  rededicating  its 
energies  to  help  in  a  needy 
world.  In  its  history  BVS  has 
placed  more  than  5,000  vol- 
unteers in  projects  in  the  US 
and  all  over  the  world. 

Cover  photos  courtesy  of  Jeff  Leard.  Chen  Rieman, 
Brethren  Historical  Library  and  Archives  Design  by 
Marianne  Sackett  and  David  Van  Delmder 


Editor:  Fletcher  Farrar 
News:  Nevin  Dulabaum 
Subscriptions:  VIcki  Roche 
Publisher:  Wendy  McFadden 
Designer:  Marianne  Sackett 


i£-'S^'ti<iS&£iiiiii^iJl£^S!xi 


Features 

11  Cleaver's  Christian  connection 

Radical  activist  Eldridge  Cleaver  found 
Christ  in  his  later  years,  and  found  a  spiri- 
tual home  on  the  campus  of  University  of 
La  Verne,  where  he  taught  and  studied 
before  his  death  earlier  this  year. 

12  BVS  then:   The  miracle  of  1948 

Youth,  prayer,  and  history  came  together 
with  the  Holy  Spirit  at  the  1948  Annual 
Conference  in  Colorado  Springs,  where 
young  Ted  Chambers  stood  on  an  orange 
crate  and  made  the  modon  that  would 
create  Brethren  Volunteer  Service  and 
change  the  world. 

19     BVS  now:  At  work  in  the  Balkans 

Here  is  a  firsthand  report  on  the  difficult 
and  frustrating  work  of  peacemaking  as 
carried  on  by  three  young  people  sent  to 
Croatia  by  Brethren  Volunteer  Service. 
Rebuilding  lives  and  communities  after  a 
devastating  war  is  done  day  by  day  and 
household  by  household.  Former  BVSer 
Nathan  Hegedus  reports  from  Croatia. 

23     Pluralism  isn't  everything 

Dale  Aukerman,  veteran  churchman  and 
peace  activist,  argues  here  that  loving 
acceptance  of  diverging  viewpoints  is  all 
right  to  a  point.  But  on  certain  points  there 
can  be  no  compromise.  The  author  out- 
lines the  principles  on  which  he  stops 
accepting  and  takes  a  stand. 


Departments 


2 

From  the  Publisher 

3 

In  Touch 

6 

News 

27 

Letters 

31 

Turning  Points 

32 

Editorial 

July  1998  Messenger  1 


•^roiii  tk  hmm 


I  learned  two  new  words  recently.  They  are  "aboutness"  and  "isness."  It  was  Christ- 
ian Century  editor  [ames  Wall  who  passed  them  along  to  a  gathering  of  Mennonite 
and  Brethren  communicators.  A  film  aficionado,  he  described  two  contrasting  char- 
acteristics of  film — what  a  film  is  about  and  what  it  is. 

Aboutness  has  to  do  with  literalness.  It  has  to  do  with  facts,  but  not  the  meaning 
behind  the  facts.  For  example.  Titanic  is  about  an  ocean  liner  that  sinks  after  hitting 
an  iceberg. 

Isness  is  the  vision  of  life  that  the  filmmaker  is  conveying.  A  film  with  isness  does 
not  fill  in  all  the  answers,  but  rather  allows  the  ideas  and  images  to  be  completed  in 
the  viewer's  imagination.  Isness  allows  room  for  ambiguity.  |im  Wall  would  like  to 
see  Christians  focusing  more  on  isness. 

(Whether  Titanic  has  "isness"  is  a  question  I'll  leave  for  those  who've  seen  it.) 

I  was  intrigued  by  these  new  words  and  began  applying  them  to  more  than  film.  I 
thought  right  away  about  scripture  and  Bible  study.  There's  no  question  that  those 
of  us  who  make  Brethren  curriculum  have  placed  a  high  priority  on  introducing 
users  to  the  Bible  text — that  we  want  them  to  know  what  the  Bible  stories  are  about. 
But  we  also  want  users  to  internalize  the  story — to  explore  what  the  story  is.  and 
how  their  life  stories  interact  with  the  Bible  story. 

Curriculum  with  printed  answers  is  easier  to  teach,  but  curriculum  that  asks  you 
to  discover  the  questions  is  more  valuable.  Even  if  it  leaves  you  with  ambiguity. 

Then  I  thought  of  our  areas  of  disagreement  within  the  church.  Perhaps  we  don't 
hear  each  other  because  we  are  hung  up  on  the  arguments  the  other  side  is  making, 
not  on  what  really  is  at  issue.  Maybe  we're  uncomfortable  with  ambiguity. 

And  then  I  thought  of  Dale  Aukerman's  article  (page  23),  in  which  he  makes  a 
case  against  pluralism.  He  argues  that  we  have  not  been  willing  to  take  clear  stands, 
to  distinguish  between  contending  sides  and  go  with  right  and  truth. 

He  offers  guidelines  for  making  those  distinctions.  Among  them:  We  are  to  act  in 
love,  to  be  nonjudgmental,  to  take  out  the  log  from  our  own  eye  before  pointing  out 
the  speck  in  another's,  and  to  be  open-minded  and  willing  to  listen  and  change  when 
we  confront  a  brother  or  sister  in  accordance  with  Matthew  18. 

There's  something  classically  Brethren  about  these  guidelines.  So  classic  that  I 
wonder  whether  they  won't  lead  us  straight  back  into  ambiguity. 

Year  after  year  we  try  to  resolve  what  things  are  about,  but  when  it  comes  right 
down  to  it  we  are  a  relational  people  who  can't  escape  the  ambiguity  of  our  identity. 
In  other  words,  we  care  about  what  we  believe,  but  our  behavior  seems  to  show  that 
we  care  just  a  bit  more  about  the  relationships  we  have  with  each  other  and  the  way 
our  beliefs  in  God  are  lived  out. 

Does  that  make  us  wishy-washy? 

Maybe,  maybe  not. 


'3}:^Hdcy"l%^aMu^ 


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Messenger  is  ihe  official  publication  of  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren.  Entered  as  periodical  postage  matter 
.Aug.  20.  1918,  under  .Act  of  Congress  of  Oct.  17, 
1917,  Filing  dale.  Nov,  I,  1984,  Member  of  the 
Associated  Church  Press.  Subscriber  to  Religion 
News  Service  &  Ecumenical  Press  Service,  Biblical 
quotations,  unless  otherwise  indicated,  are  from 
the  New  Revised  Standard  Version.  MESSi:NCER  is 
published  1 1  times  a  year  by  Brethren  Press.  Church 
of  the  Brethren  General  Board,  Periodical  postage 
paid  at  Elgin,  III,,  and  at  additional  mailing  office, 
March  1998,  Copyright  1998,  Church  of  the  Brethren 
General  Board,  ISSN  0026-0555, 
Postmaster:  Send  address  changes  to  Messenger, 
1451  Dundee  Ave,  Elgin,  IL  60120, 

Printed  on  recycled  paper 


2  Messenger  July  1998 


Ill 


m 


Peace  churches  seminary  students  luur  Sojourners 
Community  Center  computer  lab  in  Washington.  D.C. 


Seminarians  work  on  race 
issues  in  capital 

The  ministry  of  the  historic  peace  churches  was  alive 
and  well  in  March  as  21  students  and  3  faculty  mem- 
bers gathered  in  Washington,  D.C.  focusing  on  race 
relations  and  "speaking  truth  to  power." 

The  students,  from  Associated  Mennonite  Biblical  Semi- 
naries, Earlham  School  of  Religion,  and  Bethany 
Theological  Seminary,  discussed  the  status  of  race  rela- 
tions with  Bill  Lann  Lee,  assistant  attorney  general  of  civil 
rights.  Working  with  staff  from  denominational  offices,  the 
Brethren,  Mennonites,  and  Quakers  made  their  concerns 
known  to  legislators  and  non-governmental  organizations, 
including  the  National  Council  of  Churches,  Sojourners, 
and  Call  to  Renewal,  — Deborah  Miller 


Ruhl  gets  honorary 
Elizabethtown  degree 

[anice  Ruhl  of  the  East 
Fairview  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Manheim,  Pa.,  was 
awarded  an  honorary  doctor- 
ate of  humane  letters  by 
Elizabethtown  (Pa.)  College. 

"She  is  a  role  model  for 
women  in  business  and  a 
living  reminder  of  the  col- 
lege's motto,  'Educate  for 
Service,'"  said  Theodore 
Long,  president.  "She  has 
been  a  devoted  advocate  for 
Elizabethtown  College  and 
a  loyal  keeper  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren 
heritage  at  the  college." 

Ruhl,  a  1954  Elizabeth- 
town  graduate,  currently 
serves  as  president  and 
chief  executive  officer  of 
Ruhl  Insurance,  Manheim. 


She  has  been  a  member  of 
the  college's  board  of 
trustees  since  1979.  She 
also  serves  on  the  Bethany 
Theological  Seminary 
Board  of  Trustees. 

Serving  meals  to  Old 
Order  "cousins" 

Members  of  Oakland 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  Get- 
tysburg, Ohio,  served  meals 
to  the  German  Baptist 
Brethren  Annual  Meeting 
near  Covington,  Ohio,  this 
spring.  According  to  Fred 
Bernhard,  Oakland  pastor, 
the  "Old  Order"  meeting  is 
much  like  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Annual  Confer- 
ence—  a  time  for  fellowship, 
worship,  and  business.  Often 
4,000  to  7,000  people 


attend,  he  said. 

During  1881-1885,  the 
members  of  the  historic 
Brethren  movement,  who 
trace  their  beginnings  to 
1708  Germany,  split  in 
three  ways,  becoming  indi- 
vidual denominations 
known  today  as  the 
German  Baptist  Brethren, 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
and  the  Brethren  Church. 

"It's  a  labor  of  love  on 
our  part  to  serve  our 
cousins,"  Berhard  com- 
mented on  the  event. 

Murray  honored  by 
Bridgewater  College 

"The  Fires  of  Peace"  was 
the  title  of  this  year's  com- 
mencement address  at 
Bridgewater  (Va.)  College, 


July  1 998  Messenger  3 


Ill 


delivered  by  Andrew 
Murray,  director  of  the 
Baker  Institute  for  Peace 
and  Conflict  Studies  at 
luniata  College,  Hunting- 
don, Pa.  Murray  was 
awarded  an  honorary 
degree,  doctor  of  humane 
letters.  Murray  is  a  1964 
Bridgewater  graduate. 

Church  builds  Habitat 
house  for  member 

After  sponsoring  many 
Habitat  for  Humanity 
houses  over  many  years  for 
many  people,  the  Sebring 
(Fla.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  April  dedicated 
a  house  it  had  sponsored 
for  one  of  its  own. 

The  house  went  to  Luz 
Wilson,  a  10-year  member 
of  the  church.  More  than 
three  years  ago  Wilson 
•applied  for  a  Habitat  house 
and  began  working  on 
other  Habitat  projects  to 


accumulate  the  400  hours 
she  needed  to  qualify  to 
receive  one  for  herself,  her 
daughter,  and  her  three 
sons.   In  lanuary  1997  the 
church  board  designated  a 
Luz  Wilson  Family  Habitat 
House  fund.  By  the  end  of 
the  year  enough  donations 
had  been  received  to  pay 
for  the  house. 

Lafiya  weekend  focus 
is  on  forgiveness 

"Forgiveness:  Going 
Against  the  Tide,"  a  Lafiya 
emphasis  weekend  featur- 
ing SueZann  Bosler  and 
lulie  Hostetter,  was  held 
last  month  at  Roanoke 
(Va.)  First  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  This  second 
annual  Lafiya  event  by 
Roanoke  First  used  sto- 
ries, discussion,  worship, 
and  Bible  study  to  examine 
forgiveness. 
Bosler  and  her  father. 


Bill,  former  pastor  of  First 
Miami  (Fla.)  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  were  brutally 
attacked  in  their  home  in 
1986.  Bill  died  from  his 
wounds  and  James  Camp- 
bell, the  attacker,  received 
the  death  penalty. 

For  about  a  decade, 
Bosler  worked  at  trying  to 
get  Campbell's  sentence 
commuted  to  life  in  prison; 
that  verdict  was  finally  ren- 
dered in  June  1997 
following  a  hearing  in 
which  only  Bosler  appeared 
and  spoke  on  Campbell's 
behalf. 

The  weekend  program 
included  a  "ritual  of  for- 
giveness." 

Peacemaker  of  the 
Year  award  to  Kindy 

Cliff  Kindy  of  North  Man- 
chester, Ind.,  was  named 
1 998  Peacemaker  of  the 
Year  in  April  at  the  annual 


Robert  D.  Cain,  ir.,  president  and  CEO  of  The  Brethren's. 

Home,  with  Euniee  Steinbrecher.  board  member,  and 
Wilbur  Mullen,  former  administrator. 


Brethren's  Home  gets  award 
for  integrity 

The  Brethren's  Home  Retirement  Community, 
Greenville,  Ohio,  May  I  5  won  the  Miami  Valley  Better 
Business  Bureau's  Integrity  Eclipse  Award.  The  award  is 
based  on  demonstrating  high  ethical  standards,  promoting 
truth  in  advertising,  and  practicing  honest  competition. 

Materials  submitted  in  support  of  the  nomination  noted 
the  Brethren's  Home  paid  off  bonds  in  1996,  nine  and  a 
half  years  earlier  than  required.  The  bonds  were  issued 
after  the  home  filed  for  Chapter  X  reorganization  during  a 
period  of  financial  difficulty  in  1977. 

Since  then  the  retirement  community  has  made  a  finan- 
cial turnaround  one  local  banker  called  "miraculous."  At 
no  time  has  any  resident  ever  been  asked  to  leave  The 
Brethren's  Home  for  reasons  of  lack  of  inability  to  pay. 

"Throughout  the  14  years  of  Chapter  X  proceedings, 
promises  to  residents  were  never  broken,"  said  Russ  Flora, 
chair  of  the  board  of  trustees.  The  Home,  founded  in 
1902,  now  provides  retirement  and  health  care  services  to 
more  than  500  residents. 


4  Messenger  July  1998 


iinner  meeting  of  the 
Ulantic  Northeast  District 
Brethren  Peace  Fellowship 
it  Brethren  Village,  Lan- 
;aster,  Pa. 

His  citation  read  in  part, 
'He  puts  his  body  where 
lis  mouth  is  —  both  in 
langerous  and  public  ways 
ind  quietly  in  private,  per- 
;onal  ways." 

Kindy,  who  for  nine 
'ears  has  served  on  the 
Christian  Peacemaker 
reams  Steering  Commit- 
ee,  was  a  member  of  the 
irst  long-term  team  sent 
o  the  refugee  camps  of 
jaza  Strip  in  the  Middle 
last.  He  also  has  traveled 
o  Israel  and  Palestine  on 
;everal  occasions.  Kindy 
md  his  family  have  inten- 
ionally  chosen  to  keep 
heir  income  below  the 
eve!  at  which  they  would 
)e  required  to  pay  war 
:axes.  They  affirm  that 
iimplicity  in  living  is  an 
mportant  first  step  in  jus- 
ice-building  for  those  of 
developed  countries. 

E-town  develops  ties 
lA/Jth  Korean  church 

Last  fall  for  ten  weeks 
Tiembers  of  the  Elizabeth- 
:own  Church  of  the 
Brethren  traveled  to  the 
lew  Korean  Grace  Christ- 
an  Church  of  the  Brethren 
in  Upper  Darby,  Pa.,  along 
mlh  teachers  named  by 
Donna  Steiner  and  the 
\tlantic  Northeast  Dis- 
trict, to  teach  Grace 
Christian's  youth  about 
the  Church  of  the 
Brethren. 

They  used  English  and 
Korean  versions  of  "To 
Follow  in  lesus'  Steps" 
and  the  accompanying 


video  series,  "Journey  in 
Jesus'  Way."  Members  of 
Grace  Christian  traveled 
to  Elizabethtown  to  share 
in  their  first  love  feast. 

This  spring  members  of 
Grace  Christian  traveled 
to  Elizabethtown  to  share 
in  the  morning  worship. 
Following  worship  the 
Korean  youth,  assisted  by 
Elizabethtown  youth, 
served  the  church  a  noon 
meal  of  Korean  delicacies. 
Offerings  totaled  over 
$1,400  to  help  the  Grace 
Christian  youth  join  the 
Elizabethtown  youth  to  go 
to  National  Youth  Confer- 
ence in  Fort  Collins,  Colo. 

— Wayne  Zunkel 


Church  anniversary 
celebrations  planned 

Germantown  Brick 
Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Rocky  Mount,  Va.,  will 
celebrate  its  1  50th 
anniversary  Oct.  10  with 
love  feast,  and  on  Oct.  1  1 
with  worship,  during 
which  all  former  pastors 
present  will  be  recognized. 

Spring  Creek  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  Hershey,  Pa., 
is  celebrating  its  1 50th 
anniversary  with  events 
throughout  the  year.  The 
final  event  will  be  a  home- 
coming Sunday  on  Oct.  25. 

Ninth  Street  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  Roanoke, 
Va.,  will  celebrate  its  75th 
anniversary  Sept.  20  with 
a  homecoming  Sunday. 
Featured  speaker  for  the 
worship  service  will  be 
Earle  W.  Fike,  Jr. 

Williamson  Road  Church 
of  the  Brethren,  Roanoke, 
Va.,  is  celebrating  its  50th 
anniversary  this  year  with 


activities  planned  for  each 
month.  Highlights  include  a 
spring  choral  concert,  a 
homecoming  weekend,  a 
cornerstone  service,  and  a 
performance  of  the  Bridge- 
water  College  Chorale. 

Veteran  pastor 
celebrates  90th 

Dorsey  E.  Rotruck  cele- 
brated a  90th  birthday  and 
a  lifetime  of  memories  in 
April  at  The  Cedars, 
McPherson,  Kan. 

Rotruck  was  a  Church  of 
the  Brethren  pastor  for  37 
years  before  his  retirement 
in  1973.  More  than  90 
friends  attended  the  celebra- 
tion, with  surprise  visits  by 
former  parishioners  from 
Kansas  City  and  Garden 
City.  Rotruck  received 
phone  calls  from  well-wish- 
ers in  Germany  and  from 
throughout  the  US. 

He  served  pastorates  at 
Purchase  Line,  Clymer, 
Pa.;  Tire  Hill,  Pa.;  Miami, 
Fla.;  Garden  City,  Kan.; 
Denver,  Colo.;  and  Kansas 


Dorsey  E.  Rotruck 

City,  Kan.  His  recent  pro- 
jects include  writing  his 
memoirs  and  building  a 
replica  of  the  Knobley  (W. 
Va.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren  where  he 
attended  as  a  child.  He 
and  his  wife,  Mildred 
Yoder  Rotruck,  have  7 
grandchildren  and  1  3 
great  grandchildren. 


Eighty  years  together 

On  June  14  Harley  and  Sylvia  Utz  celebrated  their  80th 
wedding  anniversary  with  a  reception  at  the  Pitsburg 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  Arcanum,  Ohio,  where  they  have 
been  longtime  members. 

Both  are  99  years  old  and  in  good  health,  according  to 
their  son,  Emerson  Utz,  of  Arcanum.  Since  last  Septem- 
ber they  have  resided  in  an  independent  living  apartment 
at  The  Brethren's  Home,  Greenville,  Ohio. 

Sylvia  Utz  says  at  the  Home  she  no  longer  needs  to  drive 
a  car,  which  she  did  up  until  last  year.  Harley  Utz,  who  has 
been  blind  for  the  past  20  years,  "reads"  300  non-fiction 
books  a  year  on  tape.  He  is  a  former  accountant;  she  was  a 
homemaker. 

They  have  lived  in  Dayton,  Ohio;  Rochester,  N.Y.; 
Chicago,  III.:  Arcanum,  Ohio;  Brookville,  Ohio;  and  Cali- 
fornia. According  to  their  son,  "They  both  believe  in 
covenants,  holding  true  to  their  word." 


July  1998  Messenger  5 


I 


Members  of  COURAGE  and  Church  of  the 
Brethren  employees  share  a  moment 
together  in  prayer  during  an  April  visit 
to  the  General  Offices.  The  COURAGE 
members  visited  the  Brethren  facility  in 
honor  of  the  denomination's  long-term 
ties  with  Heifer  Project  Intenuitional. 


COURAGE  unites  Cameroon 
and  Oklahoma  survivors 

Their  presence  together  at  first 
seems  puzzling:  What  is  the  connec- 
tion between  the  survivors  of  the 
Oklahoma  City  bombing  of  1995 
and  the  survivors  of  Cameroon's 
Lake  Nyos  disaster  of  1986,  a 
tragedy  in  which  1,700  people  and 
4,000  animals  were  suffocated  when 
a  natural  buildup  of  carbon  dioxide 
was  released  from  beneath  the  lake? 
There  was  no  connection  prior  to 
April  1997,  but  that  changed  when 
Heifer  Project  International  and 

Interfaith  Disas- 
ter Recovery 
Center  of  Okla- 
homa City  sent 
14  from  Okla- 
homa to 
Cameroon  tor 
three  weeks. 
From  that  experi- 
ence and  from  a 
three-week  trip 
by  eight 

Cameroonians  to 
the  United  States 
in  April,  a  close 
bond  has  been 
formed  out  of  the  firsthand  experi- 
ence of  losing  loved  ones  tragically. 
In  April,  members  of  COURAGE 
(Cameroon  Oklahoma  Uniting  in 
Recovery  and  Growth  through 
Exchange)  visited  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  offices  in  Elgin,  111.,  as  part 
of  a  seven-state  storytelling  and 
sightseeing  tour.  The  group  included 
seven  Lake  Nyos  survivors  and  sev- 
eral Oklahoma  City  bombing 
survivors.  They  were  hosted  by  Merv 
Keeney,  the  General  Board's  director 
of  Global  Mission  Partnerships. 

Their  stories  are  gut-wrenching, 
yet  inspirational,  as  many  have 


rebuilt  their  lives  and  are  able  to  see 
some  good  that  has  come  from  their 
ordeals.  It  is  also  obvious  that  mem- 
bers of  the  two  groups  have  helped 
each  other  greatly  through  listening 
and  compassion,  which  was  the  pur- 
pose of  bringing  these  two  groups 
together. 

From  the  Cameroonians  the  Amer- 
icans have  learned  that  they  need  to 
give,  not  just  receive.  They  also 
learned  to  show  compassion  and  love 
to  strangers. 

From  the  Americans  the  Cameroo- 
nians learned  to  talk  about  their 
tragedy.  In  one  meeting  last  year  in 
Cameroon,  only  the  survivors  from 
both  tragedies  were  allowed  to  par- 
ticipate. For  the  Cameroonians,  it 
was  like  a  floodgate  had  been  thrown 
open. 

"It  was  the  first  time  we  had  sat 
and  talked  about  the  disaster,"  said 
Sule  Umaru. 

As  his  village's  only  reader  and 
writer,  Sule  became  acquainted  with 
HPI  as  it  responded  to  the  Lake 
Nyos  tragedy.  This  connection  led 
him  to  Massachusetts  and  an  animal 
science  degree.  He  has  since 
returned  to  Cameroon  to  work  with 
Lake  Nyos  survivors. 

lanet  Walker,  whose  husband, 
David,  who  had  worked  on  the 
eighth  floor  of  the  Alfred  P.  Murrah 
Federal  Building,  said  his  death 
brought  her  to  face  to  face  with  her 
faith.  She  has  become  a  devout 
Christian  who,  with  lessons  learned 
from  David  and  the  Cameroonians, 
wants  to  devote  the  rest  of  her  life 
helping  others.  'T  want  to  be  a 
giver,"  she  said. — Nevin  Dulabaum 

Rubbermaid  contributes  to 
success  of  disaster  auctions 

Thanks  in  part  to  the  Rubbermaid 
Corporation,  four  Church  of  the 


6  Messenger  July  1998 


Brethren  district  disaster  auctions 
raised  nearly  $300,000  in  May  for 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  Emer- 
gency Disaster  Fund. 

Special  sales  of  Rubbermaid  prod- 
ucts have  helped  increase  the  totals 
af  several  district  auctions  over  the 
past  few  years.  Surplus  commercial- 
grade  items  or  slightly  damaged 
goods  that  have  not  sold  have  report- 
edly been  written  off  by  the  firm  and 
then  donated  by  the  truckload. 

Mid-Atlantic  District's  18th  annual 
\uction.  held  May  2  at  the  Westmin- 
ster, Md.,  Agriculture  Center,  raised 
aearly  $50,000.  The  auction  included 
16  quilts,  20  comforters,  three  baby 
quilts,  and  two  wall  hangings.  A  vari- 
ety of  items,  such  as  baseball  card  sets, 
:ollectable  trucks,  and  Longaberger 
Daskets,  were  also  sold. 

Middle  Pennsylvania's  second 
annual  auction,  held  May  9  at  Morri- 
son's Cove  Memorial  Park  in 
Martinsburg,  Pa.,  raised  over 
$80,000,  with  $60,000  of  that 
:oming  from  the  sale  of  10  semi- 
trailer trucks  of  Rubbermaid 
products.  The  auction  also  featured 
23  quilts,  livestock,  and  crafts. 

Shenandoah  District's  sixth  annual 
auction,  held  May  1  5-16  at  Rocking- 
ham County  Fairgrounds, 
Harrisonburg,  Va.,  raised  about 
$1  50,000.  This  auction  raised  an  esti- 
mated $32,000  from  livestock  and 
$100,000  from  arts,  crafts,  com- 
forters, and  quilts.  It,  too,  raised  funds 
from  the  sale  of  Rubbermaid  prod- 
ucts— since  last  year  the  district  has 
received  about  a  dozen  truckloads  of 
various  commercial-grade  products. 

The  fourth  auction,  West  Marva's, 
was  held  May  2  at  the  Barbour 
County  (W.Va.)  Fairgrounds.  About 
200  people  attended  the  event,  which 
raised  about  $4,700.  Antiques,  tools, 
and  toys  were  among  the  items  sold, 
as  was  a  butchered  cow. 


Brethren  Homes  Forum  II 
focuses  on  collaboration 

New  ways  of  working  together  was 
the  focus  representatives  of  many 
Church  of  the  Brethren  organizations 
discussed  at  the  Second  Brethren 
Homes  Forum  on  Collaboration  May 
1-3.  The  conference,  which  included 
representatives  from  18  retirement 
communities,  three  districts, 
Brethren  Benefit  Trust,  Congrega- 
tional Life  Teams  of  the  General 
Board,  and  the  Association  of 
Brethren  Caregivers  (ABC),  was  held 
at  the  New  Windsor  (Md.)  Confer- 
ence Center. 

Sponsored  by  the  Fellowship  of 
Brethren  Homes,  an  ABC  ministry 
group,  this  year's  event  was  the  next 
step  in  creating  a  new  model  of  col- 
laboration for  bringing  innovative 
services  to  participating  Brethren 
retirement  communities,  said  Mary 
Dulabaum,  ABC's  communications 
director.  Last  year's  forum  was  the 
first  time  members  of  the  Fellowship 
of  Brethren  Homes  and  agencies  of 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  met  to 
explore  collaborative  possibilities. 

Michael  Winer,  consultant  for  the 
American  Association  of  Homes  and 
Services  to  the  Aging,  again  served 
as  leader. 

Brethren  colleges  work 
together  to  recruit  students 

Admissions  officers  of  six  Brethren 
colleges  are  finding  new  ways  to 
work  together  rather  than  compete 
over  potential  student  recruits.  Their 
efforts  are  leading  to  broader  collab- 
oration efforts  among  the  colleges, 
and  renewed  attention  to  the 
Brethren  values  the  colleges  share. 
"We  have  more  in  common  than 
we  have  in  competition,"  says  David 
McFadden,  vice  president  of  enroll- 


ment and  planning  at  Manchester 
College,  North  Manchester,  Ind. 

The  Church  of  the  Brethren 
Admissions  Group  is  chaired  this 
year  by  Brian  Hildebrand,  dean  of 
enrollment  at  Bridgewater  College, 
Bridgewater,  Va.  The  group  met 
twice  in  1997,  and  again  in  lanuary 
this  year.  Another  meeting  is  sched- 
uled for  November. 

Out  of  those  meetings  has  come  a 
plan  to  develop  a  national  database 
of  Brethren  youth,  which  will  be 
begun  this  year  from  National  Youth 
Conference  registrations  and  supple- 
mented with  information  solicited 
from  pastors.  FnroUment-age  youth 
on  the  list  will  be  sent  a  joint  publi- 
cation with  information  about  all  the 
Brethren  colleges.  The  student  may 
then  request  information  from  any  of 
the  colleges. 

The  database  and  joint  publication 
replaces  an  old  system  of  Brethren 
college  recruiting  territories,  which 
gave  each  of  the  six  colleges  exclu- 
sive recruiting  rights  in  their 
geographical  area.  Though  the  exclu- 
sive territories  were  formally 
abandoned  a  decade  ago,  they 
remain  in  effect  in  the  minds  of  some 
church  members. 

"We  have  plans  in  place  for  collab- 
oration," McFadden  said.  "Now  we 
have  a  lot  of  work  to  do  to  get  the 
word  out."  The  joint  Brethren  col- 
leges promotional  brochure  is 
scheduled  to  be  available  at  Annual 
Conference  this  year. 

McFadden  said  that  while  the  six 
colleges  are  different  Irom  each 
other,  they  all  offer  a  high  quality  of 
education  with  good  value  for  the 
cost.  All  offer  good  financial  aid 
packages,  he  said. 

And,  while  there  has  not  yet  been  a 
formal  statement  of  values  the  col- 
leges hold  in  common,  they  all  reflect 
in  their  programs  the  core  Brethren 


July  1998  Messenger  7 


beliefs  of  peace,  justice,  and  service, 
McFadden  said.  "At  every  Bretiiren 
college  these  are  woven  into  the 
fabric  of  campus  life,"  he  said. 

"Some  colleges  tell  students  the 
answers,"  McFadden  said.  "Other 
colleges  don't  bother  with  the  ques- 
tions. Our  colleges  help  students 
answer  the  questions." 

All  the  colleges  have  agreed  to 
waive  their  application  fee  for 
Brethren  students.  They  plan  to 
advertise  jointly  and  create  a  joint 
Web  site.  And  they  are  funding  a 
joint  research  project  to  determine 
what  Brethren  families  are  looking 
for  in  higher  education. 

The  member  institutions  include 
Manchester;  Bridgewater;  Elizabeth- 
town  College,  Elizabethtown,  Pa. 
luniata  College,  Huntingdon,  Pa., 
McPherson  College,  McPherson, 
Kan.;  University  of  La  Verne,  La 
Verne,  Calif.;  Bethany  Theological 
Seminary,  Richmond,  Ind.;  and 
Brethren  Colleges  Abroad. 

Life  Teams  go  to  work  on 
working  relationships 

The  General  Board's  Congregational 
Life  Teams  (CLTs)  have  established 
formal  working  relationships  with  a 
number  of  Brethren  organizations, 
most  of  which  had  ties  with  the 
Parish  Ministries  Commission  before 
the  board's  redesign. 

A  CLT  member  has  been  assigned 
to  relate  to  the  Association  for  the 
Arts  (AACB),  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Association  of  Christian 
Educators  (CoBACE),  the  Ecumeni- 
cal Center  for  Stewardship  Studies 
(ECSS),  Education  for  a  Shared 
Ministry  (EFSM),  New  Life  Min- 
istries, and  the  Outdoor  Ministries 
Association  (OMA). 

Communications  links  have  been 
established  with  the  Association  of 
Brethren  Caregivers  (ABC),  the  His- 


i^    •• 


^^^ 


Bethany  Theological  Seminary  awarded  degrees  to  i8  students  duriiig  its  95rd 
coinmeitceinent  on  May  9.  Graduates  included,  front  row,  kneeling,  left  to  right: 
Christen  Miller,  Tracy  Knechel,  Laura  Van  Voorhis,  and  Jeff  Carter  Second 
row:  Shawn  Replogle,  Rhonda  Pittman  Gingrich,  Sharon  Nearhoof,  Steven 
Bollinger,  Deborah  Miller  fames  Bowyer,  Brenda  Petry.  and  Lisa  Hazen.  Third 
row:  David  Miller,  Andrew  Wright,  Paula  Carmicliael,  Dana  Statler,  Kevin  Derr, 
and  Michael  Grubb. 


panic  Committee,  Ministry  of  Recon- 
ciliation, New  Church  Development, 
On  Earth  Peace  Assembly  (OEPA), 
Urban/Black  Committee,  and  the 
Women's  Council. 

Eighteen  graduates  receive 
Bethany  degrees  in  May 

Eighteen  students  were  awarded 
graduate  degrees  during  the  93rd 
commencement  of  Bethany  Theolog- 
ical Seminary,  Richmond,  Ind. 

Thirteen  received  master  of  divin- 
ity degrees;  four  received  master  of 
arts  in  theology  degrees.  One  student 
was  awarded  a  graduate-level  certifi- 
cate of  achievement  in  theological 
studies.  Three  individuals  have  com- 
pleted a  degree  with  a  peace  studies 
emphasis. 

Jo  Young  Switzer,  vice  president 
and  academic  dean  at  Manchester 
College,  North  Manchester,  Ind., 
delivered  the  keynote  address  at  the 
worship  service. 


North  Koreans  grateful  for 
generous  relief  donations 

An  anonymous  gift  of  $53,000  has 
been  given  to  the  Global  Food  Crisis 
Fund's  $100,000  appeal  from  Octo- 
ber to  help  combat  hunger  in  North 
Korea.  This  money  will  be  forwarded 
to  Church  World  Service  in  addition 
to  the  $100,000  that  was  raised  by 
the  appeal  and  sent  by  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  General  Board  two 
months  ago  for  barley  seed  and 
emergency  relief. 

This  gift  comes  only  three  weeks 
after  North  Korean  officials  told  the 
National  Council  of  Churches  that 
food  supplies  have  run  out  and  short- 
ages will  continue  for  at  least  three 
years. 

Kim  Su  Man,  An  Song  Nam,  and  li 
Man  Bok,  three  officials  of  North 
Korea's  Flood  Damage  Rehabilita- 
tion Committee,  were  in  the  United 
States  earlier  this  year  to  thank  non- 
governmental organizations 


8  MESSENGFRjuly  1998 


(NGOs),  including  the  NCC,  for 
their  relief  aid  as  well  as  to  report  on 
their  country's  current  situation.  The 
visiting  officials  stressed  that  food  is 
still  the  number  one  priority, 
although  medicines,  livestock  and 
agricultural  equipment  also  are 
needed. 

David  Radcliff,  director  of  Brethren 
Witness  for  the  General  Board, 
announced  that  the  2,300  child  care 
kits  produced  by  Brethren  for  North 
Korean  children  will  be  shipped  to  Asia 
in  late  summer.  Additional  kits  may  be 
sent  to  the  Brethren  Service  Center  in 
New  Windsor,  Md.,byAug.  15. 

Board,  seminary,  districts 
announce  staff  changes 

Brenda  Reish  has  resigned  as  con- 
troller and  assistant  treasurer  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  General 
Board  to  begin  Aug.  1  as  business 
manager  and  treasurer  of  Bethany 
Theological  Seminary.  She  will  be 
responsible  for  Bethany's  financial 
operations  and  budget  planning  and 
will  supervise  an  office  that  provides 
institutional  business  and  student 
financial  aid  services  to  Bethany  and 
its  partner  seminary,  Earlham  School 
of  Religion. 

Reish  has  worked  for  the  General 
Board  since  1984.  She  holds  busi- 
ness administration  degrees  from 
Elgin  Community  College  and  Man- 
chester College. 

Tara  Lea  Hornbacker,  pastor  of 
Pleasant  Hill  (Ohio)  Church  of  the 
Brethren  since  1989,  has  been 
named  assistant  professor  of  ministry 
formation  at  Bethany  Theological 
Seminary.  She  has  been  an  adjunct 
faculty  member  at  Bethany,  super- 
vised student  ministers-in-training 
for  several  institutions,  and  served  as 
a  mentor  for  licensed  ministers  in 
Southern  Ohio  District. 

Hornbacker  has  degrees  from  Indi- 


Ann  Quay,  BBT  board  vice  chair, 
presents  a  gag  award  at  the  annual 
BBT  board/employee  dinner  Don 
Fecher,  pension  plan  director,  looks  on. 


ana  University  and  Earlham  School  of 
Religion.  She  is  pursuing  a  doctorate 
at  Fuller  Theological  Seminary. 

Kristi  Rittle,  of  Elgin,  HI.,  began  in 
May  as  Conference  assistant  in  the 
Annual  Conference  office.  A  member 
of  the  Highland  Avenue  Church  of 
the  Brethren  in  Elgin,  she  is  a  1998 
graduate  of  Millikin  University, 
Decatur,  111. 

loan  Dagget,  of  Tryon,  N.C., 
begins  |uly  15  as  associate  executive 
of  Shenandoah  District.  She  has 
served  as  a  co-pastor,  director  of 
Christian  education,  and  a  curricu- 
lum writer,  and  has  degrees  from 
Bridgewater  College  and  Bethany 
Theological  Seminary. 

Jorge  Rivera  began  |une  1  as  half- 
time  associate  executive  for  Atlantic 
Southeast  District,  serving  in  Puerto 
Rico.  He  is  pastor  of  the  Yahuecas 
Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Castaiier. 
He  has  been  director  of  the  Theologi- 
cal Institute  in  Puerto  Rico,  chair  and 
moderator  of  the  Puerto  Rico  board, 
and  a  member  of  the  General  Board. 

Eldon  Coffman  and  Esther  Norris 
have  been  named  interim  co-execu- 


tives of  Missouri/Arkansas  District. 
A  retired  pastor,  Coffman  worked 
many  years  at  a  Navaho  Indian 
school  in  Utah.  He  will  coordinate 
pastoral  placements  and  will  relate  to 
the  Council  of  District  Executives. 
Norris  has  served  many  years  in 
nursing  and  hospital  administration. 
She  will  relate  to  the  district's  con- 
gregations and  various  commissions. 

Religious  leaders:  Jerusalem 
should  be  the  City  of  Peace 

This  year's  50th  anniversary  of  the 
creation  of  Israel  is  a  time  for  reflec- 
tion. So  wrote  20  US  religious 
leaders  to  President  Clinton  on  May 
12,  including  loseph  Mason,  interim 
executive  director  of  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  General  Board. 

The  group  states  that  movement  in 
the  Middle  East  peace  process  is 
needed  while  there's  still  hope  for  a 
peaceful  solution.  And  a  large  por- 
tion of  that  solution  hinges  on 
Jerusalem,  which  has  been  subject  to 
war  and  bitter  dispute. 

"We  are  entirely  convinced  that  a 
resolution  of  the  question  of 
lerusalem  is  essential  for  peace  and 
cooperation  among  the  three  Abra- 
hamic  faiths,"  the  letter  states.  "We 
stand  at  a  point  in  history  where  the 
future  of  Jerusalem  is  open  to  peace- 
ful resolution.  As  Christians,  we  join 
lews  and  Muslims  in  longing  for  the 
time  when  lerusalem,  the  spiritual 
heritage  of  all  the  children  of  Abra- 
ham, will  truly  be  the  City  of  Peace 
for  humankind." 

"If  there  is  to  be  universal  and  whole- 
hearted celebration  of  the  creation  of 
the  State  of  Israel  this  year,  the  reality 
of  the  dislocation  and  suffering  experi- 
enced by  the  Palestinian  people  must  be 
acknowledged,  and  questions  of  resti- 
tution, self-determination  (statehood) 
and  a  just  peace  need  to  be  openly 
addressed  and  resolved." 


July  1998MESSENGfc.R9 


The  Brethren  World  Assembly,  scheduled  for  |uly  1  5- 1 8  at 
Bridgewater  College,  takes  up  the  theme:  "Faith  and  Family — 
Challenges  and  Commitments."  Study  papers  related  to  the 
theme  will  be  presented  by  Ronald  Clutter,  |ohn  Shultz, 
Brenda  Colijn,  Nancy  Faus,  and  Alvin  Conner.  The  Wednesday 
night  banquet  features  a  keynote  speech  by  Carl  Bowman  on 
"The  Impact  of  Modern  Culture  on  the  Brethren  Family."  The 
event  is  sponsored  by  The  Brethren  Encyclopedia,  Inc.,  and 
Bridgewater  College.  For  more  information  call  540-828- 
6548. 

"Dancing  in  the  Southwind:  Weaving  an  Inclusive  Spirit"  is 

the  theme  of  the  gathering  of  the  Supportive  Congregations 
Network  July  24-26  in  Wichita,  Kan.  It  is  an  international 
gathering  of  Mennonite  and  Church  of  the  Brethren  congrega- 
tions and  individuals  who  seek  to  welcome  gay,  lesbian,  and 
bisexual  members.  Workshops  will  focus  on  homosexuality  and 
the  Bible,  strategies  for  youth  leaders,  and  the  roles  of  congre- 
gational leaders.  For  more  information  call  the  SCN  office  at 
612-722-6906. 


The  53rd  annual  Civilian  Public  Service  reunion  will  be  Aug. 
19-20  at  Laurelville  Mennonite  Church  Center,  Mount  Pleas- 
ant, Pa.  The  gathering  is  open  to  all  who  served  in  a  CPS  camp 
during  World  War  II.  For  program  and  registration  form  write 
to  Irvin  E.  Cordell,  57  E.  Grandview  Ave.,  Mercersburg,  PA 
17236.  Or  call  717-328-2746. 

As  part  of  its  emphasis  on  health  maintenance,  the  Brethren 
Medical  Plan  staff  has  found  a  self-help  book  that  includes  the 
emotional,  social,  psychological,  and  spiritual  elements  of 
health  as  well  as  the  more  traditional  physical  considerations. 
It  is  The  Healthy  Mind.  Healthy  Body  Handbook,  by  David 
Sobel  and  Robert  Ornstein.  "Sobel  and  Ornstein  point  out  that 
instead  of  relying  on  someone  else  to  make  you  healthy,  a 
person  needs  to  become  aware  that  the  essentials  for  health  are 
within  and  begin  with  the  way  we  think  about  health,"  said 
Bruce  Rosenberger,  pastor  of  Greenville  (Ohio)  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  The  book  is  available  from  Brethren  Press  for  $14.95 
by  writing  to  brethren_press_gb(S  brethren.org,  calling  800- 
441  -371  2,  or  by  visiting  the  Brethren  Press  booth  June  30-|uly 
5  at  Annual  Conference  in  Orlando. 


Brethren  Benefit  Trust  to 
expand  financial  services 

At  its  April  meeting,  the  Brethren 
Benefit  Trust  (BBT)  board  added  an 
international  common  stock  manager 
and  approved  items  of  business  that 
will  be  presented  to  Annual  Confer- 
ence delegates  this  month. 

Walden  Capital  Management  of 
Boston,  Mass.,  has  been  hired  to 
serve  as  the  fourth  manager  of  the 
BBT  pension  plan's  common  stock 
fund,  reported  Darryl  Deardorff, 
chief  financial  officer.  An  estimated 
1  5  percent  of  the  common  stock 
lund,  which  currently  is  invested  in 
domestic  stocks,  will  be  allocated  to 
Walden's  socially  responsible  interna- 
tional common  stock  index  fund,  he 
said.  Deardorff  added  that  Walden's 


president,  Geeta  Bhide  Aiyer,  is  noted 
for  her  leadership  in  socially  respon- 
sible investing. 

Walden  will  also  serve  as  manager 
of  a  fifth  fund  choice  for  BBT's 
Brethren  Foundation  Asset  Manage- 
ment Service  —  an  international 
common  stock  index  fund  that  will  be 
active  by  |uly.  Foundation  clients  cur- 
rently have  four  fund  choices  —  a 
domestic  common  stock  fund,  a  bal- 
anced fund,  a  bond  fund,  and  a 
short-term  fund. 

The  BBT  board  will  ask  Annual 
Conference  delegates  to  approve 
revisions  to  its  Articles  of  Organiza- 
tion and  a  proposed  Church  Workers' 
Assistance  Plan. 

The  Articles  of  Organization  changes 
would  allow  BBT  to  provide  services  to 
non-Brethren  individuals  and  organiza- 


tions that  "share  the  values  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren,"  said  BBT 
president  Wilfred  E.  Nolen.  He  added, 
however,  that  "our  primary  function  is 
to  serve  the  Church  of  the  Brethren." 

If  the  proposal  is  approved,  BBT 
would  then  consider  offering  pension 
benefit  plans,  welfare  benefit  plans, 
financial  assistance  programs,  legal 
and  tax  information,  financial  man- 
agement, investment  management, 
and  other  services. 

Annual  Conference  delegates  will 
also  be  asked  to  approve  expanding  the 
Retired  Church  Workers'  Fund  and 
renaming  it  the  Church  Workers'  Assis- 
tance Plan.  The  approval  for  expansion 
would  enable  the  fund  to  provide  finan- 
cial, legal,  and  tax  assistance  to  active 
pastors  and  other  church  workers  who 
have  "extraordinary  financial  needs." 


10  Messenger  July  1998 


Part  of  the  solution 


In  the  last  days  of  his  life, 
Eldridse  Clearer  fornted  a  bond 


with  the  Unirersity  of  La  Verne 
and  its  Brethren  ralues 


Eldridge  Cleaver  1937-1998 


BY  Randy  Miller 

Eldridge  Cleaver,  consultant  to  the  Coalition  for  Diversity 
It  the  University  of  La  Verne  and  former  minister  of  infor- 
nation  for  the  Black  Panther  Party,  died  May  1  of  a  heart 
attack.  He  was  62. 

Cleaver's  affiliation  with  the  university  began  last  fall, 
rhe  author  of  Soul  on  Ice  spent  Nov.  1  7  on  campus, 
ipeaking  to  classes  and  addressing  members  of  the  faculty, 
student  body,  and  the  general  public.  He  spoke  not  only  of 
lis  years  as  a  Black  Panther  and  his  eight  years  in  exile 
"oUowing  a  gun  battle  with  Oakland,  Calif.,  police  officers 
n  the  late  1960s,  but  also  of  his  conversion  to  Christian- 
ty.  Some  students,  unsure  of  what  to  expect  based  on 
vhat  they  had  read  of  his  turbulent  past,  were  surprised  by 
vhat  they  encountered. 

"I  thought  [the  Black  Panthers]  were  a  racist  group 
because  of  the  way  history  had  portrayed  them,"  ULV 
reshman  Rachel  Eldredge  told  a  reporter  for  the  Campus 
rimes,  the  university's  weekly  newspaper.  "But  after  hcar- 
ng  Eldridge  speak,  I  began  to  understand  what  the  Black 
'anthers  were  really  about." 

At  the  end  of  the  day.  Cleaver  found  himself  unexpectedly 
Irawn  to  the  university.  The  welcome  he  had  received  from 
;tudents  and  faculty,  along  with  the  values  and  general  char- 
icter  of  the  institution,  intrigued  him.  According  to  Sharon  K. 
Davis,  professor  of  sociology  and  criminology,  the  feeling  was 
nutual.  "We  liked  him  and  he  liked  us."  Davis  and  Cleaver, 
ilong  with  other  faculty  members,  began  exploring  ways  a 
nore  formal  relationship  could  be  established.  On  Feb.  1  5, 
[^leaver  began  his  duties  as  a  consultant. 

lohn  Gingrich,  dean  of  arts  and  humanities  at  the  uni- 
'ersity,  acknowledged  that  the  atmosphere  of  the  campus, 
vith  its  strong  emphasis  on  community  service  and  its 
oots  in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  may  have  been  part  of 
vhat  Cleaver  found  so  appealing  the  day  he  spoke. 

"The  emphasis  on  service  at  the  university  is  a  part  of 
)ur  curriculum.  Our  general  education  program  is 
lesigned  to  fulfill  the  commitments  we  have  in  our  mis- 
sion statement.  So,  with  Eldridge  Cleaver's  interest  in 
service  and  justice,  I  can  see  how  he  might  have  been 


attracted  to  us." 

La  Verne's  Protestant  campus  minister,  Debbie  Roberts 
of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  echoes  Gingrich's  senti- 
ments. "Our  mission  statement  talks  about  service, 
community  awareness,  and  building  bridges.  This  comes 
from  Brethren  ideals.  And  Eldridge  Cleaver  was  very  much 
interested  in  building  bridges.  He  could  meet  you  on  your 
own  turf  and  help  you  across  your  turf  to  someone  else's." 

Cleaver,  who  had  participated  in  the  planting  of  a  "peace 
pole"  on  campus,  phoned  Roberts  from  Portland,  Ore., 
days  before  his  death  to  tell  her  he  had  noticed  a  miniature 
peace  pole  on  the  desk  of  a  faculty  member  at  a  college 
where  he  was  scheduled  to  speak. 

"People  who  knew  him  best  saw  him  as  a  very  wise 
person,"  Roberts  added.  "He  was  able  to  be  a  mentor  to 
students.  He  had  advice  for  them,  yet  he  was  always  lis- 
tening. Some  people  accused  him  of  selling  out  [when  he 
became  a  Christian],  but  people  who  knew  him  didn't  feel 
that.  He  gave  us  information  we  could  never  have  found 
elsewhere.  He  was  incredibly  valuable  to  ULV." 

Cleaver  often  could  be  seen  sitting  with  students  in  the  Dav- 
enport Dining  Hall,  or  chatting  with  a  small  gathering  in  the 
Wilson  Library,  where  he  had  his  own  cubby  and  computer. 

At  a  memorial  service  held  on  campus,  John  Gingrich 
pointed  out  that  Cleaver's  influence  on  the  university 
actually  spanned  three  decades.  He  told  those  in  atten- 
dance that  former  La  Verne  College  President  Leland 
Newcomer,  known  for  his  innovative  ideas,  was  fond  of 
quoting  Cleaver's  famous  phrase,  "If  you're  not  part  of  the 
solution,  you're  part  of  the  problem." 

"He  was  an  elder  to  the  community,  and  he  was  warmly 
received  by  everyone  on  campus,"  said  Richard  Rose, 
associate  professor  of  religion  and  philosophy  and  diver- 
sity consultant,  and  perhaps  Cleaver's  closest  friend  at  the 
university.  "We  were  the  last  community  to  claim  him  as 
their  own.  Let  the  record  show  that  this  is  where  the  story 
of  his  life,  on  this  side  of  eternity,  ends." 

Randy  Miller  is  managing  editor  of  llie  journal  Together,  and  editor  of 
the  MARC  Newsletter,  both  publications  of  World  Vision  International.  He 
is  an  adjunct  faculty  member  at  the  University  of  La  Verne.  He  and  his 
family  are  active  members  of  the  La  Verne  Church  of  the  Brethren. 


July  1998  Messenger  11 


The  spirit  that  gave  birth  to  BVS 

It  was  an  ele ctr ify ing  moment 
when  prayer  and  history   met   up 

with  youth  and  the  Holy  Spirit 
at  the   1948  Annual  Conference. 


BVS 

then 


Photos  courtesy  of  Brethren  Historical  Library  and  Archives 


BY  James  H.  Lehman 


Alma  Moyers  (Long)  was  the  one  who  approached  the  moderator. 
Dr.  Calvert  N.  Ellis,  with  the  young  people's  motion. 


A  small  young  man  with  big  ideas  stood  on  an  orange 
crate  to  make  a  motion  that  had  reached  the  floor  of 
Annual  Conference  through  a  highly  unorthodox 
process  allowed  by  a  moderator  who  usually  went  by  the 
book. 

This  dramatic  1948  beginning  for  BVS,  remembered 
and  turned  almost  into  legend,  overshadows  the  fact 
that  Brethren  had  been  volunteering  service  long  before 
Brethren  Volunteer  Service  began. 

Brethren  were  doing  volunteer  work  as  early  as  the 
1930s.  In  1942  Annual  Conference  considered  a  query 
from  the  Council  of  Boards,  the  forerunner  of  the  Gen- 
eral Brotherhood  Board  (GBB),  stating,  "Youth  of  the 
church  have  been  serving  for  a  number  of  years  in  areas 
of  human  need,  giving  one  year  of  their  lives  without 
compensation."  The  query  requested  "that  Annual  Con- 
ference approve  the  principle  of  volunteer  service  by       % 
members  of  the  church."  The  terse  decision:  "Request 
granted." 

This  authorization  was  never  acted  on.  By  then  World 
War  II  was  heating  up,  and  suddenly  the  Brethren  Ser- 
vice Committee  (BSC)  had  the  huge  task  of  creating       "^ 
placements  for  hundreds  of  Brethren  young  men  who 
were  choosing  Civilian  Public  Service  (CPS)  over  mili- 
tary service. 

Still,  volunteer  work  went  on.  At  the  same  time  men 
were  going  into  CPS,  Brethren  were  sending  volunteers 
(men  and  women)  to  Castaner,  Puerto  Rico;  the  state 
mental  hospital  in  Elgin,  III.;  the  new  clothing  process- 
ing center  at  New  Windsor,  Md.;  and  other  projects. 

In  1943,  BSC  already  had  Brethren  in  places  like  Eng- 
land and  Spain  dealing  with  war  prisoners  and 
beginning  relief  efforts.  This  activity  accelerated  as  the 
war  drew  to  a  close  and  Brethren  geared  up  for  the  relief 
and  reconstruction  they  knew  would  be  needed.  The 


12  Messenger  July  1998 


"If  you  want  to  get  the  Brethren  interested  in  the  peace  movement,  you 
have  to  get  the  ideas  of  the  young  people  out  into  the  churches. " 


reports  of  BSC  for  both  1 945  and 
1946  detail  these  efforts  and  call 
attention  to  ongoing  volunteer  work. 

Thus  the  seeds  were  planted.  The 
volunteer  movement  had  begun.  But 
it  wasn't  the  church  leaders  who 
brought  it  to  fruition.  It  was  the 
youth. 

Annual  Conference  in  1947  met 
lune  10-15  in  Orlando,  Fla.  M.R. 
Zigler,  the  executive  secretary  of 
BSC,  just  back  from  Europe,  spoke 
to  the  youth  in  a  football  stadium, 
telling  them  about  the  hunger  and 
homelessness,  the  illness  and  misery, 
the  devastated  land  and  leveled  cities 
all  over  Europe.  "His  [Zigler's]  first- 
hand accounts  of  the  suffering  he 
had  seen  in  Europe  shook  his  hear- 
ers," writes  Brethren  historian 
Donald  Durnbaugh.  "His  message 
was  electrifying.  It  shocked  the  youth 
into  a  state  of  horror.  Dismay  and 
soul-searching  followed,  then  the 
questions,  'What  can  we  do?'  The 
decision  was  to  begin  praying  and 
wait  for  an  answer." 

The  youth  cabinet,  with  Charlotte 
Weaver  (Anderson)  as  president  and 
Don  Snider  as  national  youth  direc- 
tor, called  a  round-the-clock  vigil  to 
pray  for  peace,  inviting  all  youth  and 
all  conferencegoers  to  participate. 
Plans  were  to  keep  it  going  all 
through  Conference  week. 

One  evening  after  a  BSC  session 
much  like  today's  "insight  sessions," 
some  youth  and  adults  lingered  to 
talk,  and  again  the  idea  of  voluntary 
service  came  up.  Edson  Sower,  a 
young  man  from  Ohio,  was  there,  as 
were  M.  R.  Zigler;  Kermit  Eby,  who 
was  a  labor  activist,  soon  to  join  the 
University  of  Chicago  faculty;  Dan 
West,  GBB  staff  member  and 
Brethren  innovator;  and  a  young 
woman,  also  from  Ohio,  named  Alma 
Moyers  (Long),  who  remembers 


what  Kermit  Eby  said:  "If  you  want 
to  get  the  Brethren  interested  in  the 
peace  movement,  you  have  to  get  the 
ideas  of  the  young  people  out  into 
the  churches."  In  Alma's  view,  that 
discussion  led  directly  to  the  activi- 
ties of  the  next  year  and  the  events  at 
the  1948  Conference. 

A  lot  happened  in  that  summer  of 
1947.  On  the  train  from  Conference, 
somewhere  between  Orlando  and 
Atlanta,  Charlotte  Weaver,  a  young 
man  from  California  named  Gerry 
Pence,  and  two  other  youth  decided 
the  prayer  vigil  was  too  important  to 
drop.  "Let's  continue  it  through  the 
summer,"  they  said.  They  contacted 
the  Brethren  summer  camps  and 
assigned  various  months  to  different 
camps.  The  idea  caught  fire. 

Later  in  the  summer,  Charlotte 
Weaver,  Don  Snider,  and  two  other 
youth  were  sent  by  the  church  to  an 
international  youth  conference  in 
Oslo,  Sweden,  where  they  met  and 
listened  to  1,400  youth  from  80 
countries.  Afterward,  these  four  trav- 
eled all  over  Europe  visiting  the 
places  where  Brethren  were  already 
at  work  in  their  relief  and  rehabilita- 
tion efforts.  Don  Snider  remembers 
zigzagging  across  international  bor- 
ders 33  times  and  bringing  back  a 
vivid  picture  of  the  need  and  of  the 
Brethren  volunteers  who  were 
already  responding  to  it. 

Meanwhile  about  40  youth  gath- 
ered in  Salina,  Kan.,  for  a  workcamp 
and  peace  institute.  They  built  a 
community  playground  and  did  a 
door-to-door  survey.  They  studied 
the  Bible,  discussed  international 
problems,  studied  the  history  of  the 
peace  movement,  looked  at  Jesus' 
teachings,  looked  at  the  post-war 
needs.  They  were  led  by  an  impres- 
sive group  of  church  leaders,  among 
whom  were  lack  and  Arlcnc  Kough, 


Dan  West,  and  Ed  and  Helene  Crill. 

Intended  to  be  a  two-week  event,  it 
was  such  a  high  spiritual  adventure 
that  the  campers  extended  it  for 
another  two  weeks.  They  were  very 
serious  about  peace.  Edson  remem- 
bers that  his  whole  reason  for  going 
was  to  push  for  a  volunteer  service. 

Dan  West  challenged  them  to  begin 
by  starting  peace  caravans.  The  idea 
caught  on: send  groups  of  young 
people  out  across  the  Brotherhood  to 
ask  Brethren  to  think  about  peace. 
One  of  the  workcampers  remembers 
hearing  Edson  Sower  say,  "Our  call- 
ing is  to  make  peace.  Let's  do  it!" 

Plans  were  to  keep  the  caravans 
going  for  a  whole  year.  Those  who 
could  pledged  themselves  to  travel. 
Other  who  could  not  travel  pledged 
themselves  to  pray  and  provide 
money.  One  Manchester  graduate 
from  Ohio,  Mary  Lou  Bowman 
(Smith),  gave  up  a  secure  job  with  a 
good  salary  teaching  school.  In  keep- 
ing with  the  ongoing  prayer  of  that 
summer,  the  workcampers  kept  a  24- 
hour  vigil  on  the  banks  of  a  creek, 
and  on  the  last  night  they  lit  candles 
and  floated  them  downstream  to 
symbolize  their  commitment. 

The  first  group  to  hit  the  road  was 
four  men  and  a  woman.  Soon  others 
joined.  They  divided  into  two 
groups,  traveling  mostly  in  the  Mid- 
west and  South.  They  went  to  a 
different  church  each  week,  staying 


Dr.  Calvert  N.  Ellis,  moderator,  and 

Dr.  Paul  Bcnvmaii.  moderator-elect 
and  president  of  Bridgewaler 
College,  together  at  the  1 948 
Annual  Conference. 


July  1998  Messenger  13 


"Somehow  I  knew  it  was  going  to  happen. 
It  was  just  like  a  gift  of  the  Spirit  or  something. " 


in  the  homes  of  members,  helping 
with  the  Sunday  service  if  asl<:ed, 
meeting  with  the  youth  and  any  other 
wilUng  church  group.  They  met  with 
community  groups  and  spoke  at  high 
schools.  One  of  the  caravaners,  Betty 
Wolfl<ill  (Rogers),  who  now  lives  in 
McPherson,  Kan.,  remembers  their 
self-assurance  with  some  embarrass- 
ment. "We  young  squirts  went  out 
and  told  them  what  to  think.  How 
presuming!"  Still,  the  Brethren 
received  these  idealistic  and  ener- 
getic youth  with  courtesy  and 
appreciation. 

Ted  Chambers,  a  Manchester  Col- 
lege student  from  Michigan,  missed 
the  workcamp  at  Salina,  but  joined 
that  first  1947  caravan,  and  stayed 
with  it  the  whole  time  until  the  fol- 
lowing summer.  He  remembers  they 
went  to  Churches  of  the  Brethren  in 
Texas,  Iowa,  Kansas,  Oklahoma, 
Indiana,  and  Illinois.  He  also 
remembers  they  sometimes  tried  to 
practice  their  peacemaking  by  offer- 
ing to  mediate  internal  disputes  in 
the  host  church.  In  one  little  congre- 
gation where  he  sensed  an  internal 
rift,  he  gave  a  speech,  invited  them  to 
stand  up  and  hold  hands,  and  had 
them  sing  together. 

During  the  holidays  that  winter, 
the  peace  caravaners  sent  Ted  to 
observe  the  United  Nations  in  action 
at  its  headquarters  in  New  York. 
What  he  learned  in  that  trip  became 
part  of  the  picture  he  presented  in 
his  peace  caravan  work.  Ted  had  a 
gift  for  communication.  He  enjoyed 
the  challenge  of  talking  to  people 
who  might  be  less  than  excited  about 
his  peace  message. 

Gerry  Pence  commented  fifty  years 
later,  "He  could  present  a  program 


Dr.  Calvert  N.  i\\\s,  president  ofluniata 
College  and  moderator  at  the  1948 
Annual  Conference,  made  an 
unprecedented  decision  to  ask  the 
delegate  body  to  consider  the  motion 
asking  for  the  creation  of  BVS.  even 
though  the  motion  had  not  come 
through  Stamling  Committee. 

in  a  way  that  you'd  say,  'Yeah,  that's 
right!'  When  he  visited  service  clubs 
(on  the  peace  caravans)  he'd  say, 
'Gentlemen!  I'm  going  to  make  you 
mad,  but  I'm  going  to  make  you 
think.'" 

The  youth  came  to  the  1948 
Annual  Conference  (|une  15-20)  at 
Colorado  Springs,  Colo.,  with  more 
momentum  than  anyone  realized, 
even  themselves.  They  had  kept  their 
prayer  vigil  and  their  peace  caravans 
going  all  year,  and  the  caravaners 
were  excited  about  volunteer  service. 
Young  leaders  from  all  over  the 
country  had  met  with  the  National 
Youth  Cabinet  in  a  sort  of  mini  youth 


conference  in  Chicago  just  before 
heading  to  Colorado  Springs,  and 
they  were  full  of  new  ideas.  After 
praying  and  working  for  peace  all 
year,  the  youth  were  saying,  "Let's 
do  something!  Come  on,  adults.  Get 
on  board." 

So  they  arrived  at  Conference 
ready  to  act.  Edson  and  Ted  were 
there,  active,  vocal,  full  of  vision. 
Dan  West  was  there,  lobbying  in  the 
background.  But  amazingly,  no  one 
came  with  a  plan.  No  proposal  had 
been  sent  to  Standing  Committee. 
No  one  came  with  a  prepared 
motion.  Instead,  there  was  all  this 
energy  and  prayer  and  talk  and  activ- 
ity. When  it  all  came  together, 
something  like  spontaneous  combus- 
tion happened. 

Each  day  activities  began  with  an 
early  morning  prayer  vigil  in  a  local 
park  where  the  young  people  would 
make  a  circle,  hold  hands,  and  pray 


Dan  West,  General  Brotherhood  Board 
staff  member  and  Brethren  innovator, 
played  an  important  role  behind  the 
scenes  helping  the  young  people  to 
present  their  motion  to  the  moderator 
at  the  1948  Annual  Conference. 


14  Messenger  July  1998 


"I'm  Ted  Chambers  from  Grand  Rapids,  Mich., 
and  believe  it  or  not,  I'm  22  years  old. " 


for  direction.  Then  on  Wednesday, 
June  16,  a  local  radio  station  inter- 
viewed three  people.  Two  of  them 
were  Dan  West  and  Alma  Moyers 
(Long).  "I  prayed  a  lot  about  what  I 
should  say,"  she  remembers  from  her 
present  home  in  Ohio,  "and  during 
that  interview  ...  I  found  myself 
saying  that  before  the  end  of  the  week 
the  young  people  would  be  proposing 
a  new  program  for  youth  concerning 
peace  and  service.  I  just  said  that!  And 
after  I  said  it,  1  thought,  'Well,  how  do 
you  know  that?'  It  was  just  kind  of 
like  it  was  a  word  of  knowledge. 
Somehow  1  knew  it  was  going  to 
happen.  It  was  just  like  a  gift  of  the 
Spirit  or  something." 

Alma,  Ted,  Edson,  and  a  fourth 
youth,  Doris  Ruth  Myers  (Brubaker), 
created  a  questionnaire  that  they  dis- 
tributed to  more  than  100  youth. 
Ninety-five  percent  said  a  volunteer 
program  should  be  started  and  89 
percent  said  they  would  join  it. 

The  next  morning,  Saturday,  June 
19,  the  youth  discussed  the  results  in 
a  large  meeting.  That  day,  they 
knew,  the  BSC  report  would  be  pre- 
sented to  the  Conference  body  in  the 
afternoon  session.  This  would  be  the 
time,  they  decided,  to  bring  up  the 
idea.  But  there  was  a  lot  to  do. 
Someone  had  to  write  it  up  and 
figure  out  how  to  get  it  on  the  Con- 
ference floor. 

Dan  West  helped  them  hurriedly 
draft  the  proposal  and  coached  them 
on  how  to  present  it.  They  knew  it 
was  a  long  shot.  It  was  nearly  impos- 
sible to  bring  an  item  of  new 
business  to  the  floor  at  the  last 
minute.  The  polity  was  clear;  items 
had  to  go  through  Standing  Com- 
mittee and  be  placed  on  the  agenda 


M.  R.  Zigler,  who  was  executive 
secretary  of  the  Brethren  Service 
Committee  inspired  the  young  people 
in  a  speech  at  the  1947  Annual 
Conference  in  Orlando.  Florida. 

ahead  of  time. 

Because  Alma  was  a  delegate  from 
her  home  congregation  in  Ohio,  she 
was  stuck  with  the  unenviable  job  of 
approaching  the  moderator.  Dr. 
Calvert  N.  Ellis,  president  of  luniata 
College.  She  looked  for  him,  discov- 
ered he  had  gone  to  lunch,  waited, 
and  finally  caught  him  backstage. 

"It  was  just  before  the  afternoon 
session,"  Alma  recalls.  "I  was  back 
behind  this  curtain,  and  I  had  this 
paper  in  my  hand.  I  felt  like  a  mouse 
against  a  giant.  I  told  him  the  young 
people  have  an  idea  they'd  like  to 
bring  up  at  Conference.  I  felt  like  I 
was  only  two  inches  high.  You  can 
imagine,  being  a  delegate  and  talking 
to  the  moderator! 

"He  said,  'Well,  we've  never  done 
this  before.  Standing  Committee  has 
to  pass  on  everything.' 

"Of  course,  I  knew  that.  Dan  West 
had  already  told  us  he  didn't  know  if 
we  could  get  this  done.  Calvert  Ellis 
didn't  put  us  down.  He  just  said. 


'We'll  see  what  we  can  do  about  it.'" 

Dr.  Ellis  was  a  man  who  appreci- 
ated correct  procedure.  He  was  not 
rigid,  but  he  did  not  quickly  abandon 
practices  that  worked  well  and  were 
designed  for  a  good  purpose.  He  had 
only  a  lew  minutes  to  make  up  his 
mind.  He  knew  he  had  the  option  of 
asking  the  delegate  body  if  they  were 
willing  to  accept  this  as  an  item  of 
new  business. 

On  the  podium  that  year  were  the 
writing  clerk.  Dr.  William  Beahm, 
dean  of  Bethany  Biblical  Seminary; 
the  reading  clerk,  Paul  Robinson, 


A  whimsical  drawing  by  Kermon 
Thomasson  of  how  Ted  Chambers 
might  have  looked  when  he  climbed 
onto  the  orange  crate  at  the  1948 
Annual  Conference  to  make  the  motion 
asking  for  the  creation  ofBVS. 


June  1998  Messenger  1  5 


The  motion  that  made  history 

The  motion  placed  by  the  youth  before  the  1948  Annual  Conference, 
which  resulted  in  the  creation  of  Brethren  Volunteer  Service:  The  type- 
written original  is  in  the  possession  of  Alma  Moyers  Long. 


We,  a  group  of  young  people  at  the  1948  Annual  Con- 
ference, because  of  a  concern  for  Brethren  youth,  in 
the  event  of  conscription,  wish  to  present  to  the  dele- 
gate body  this  plan  for  immediate  action. 

1.  We  plead  for  a  plan  of  definite  action  to  implement 
the  general  statement  of  the  conference  on  the  posi- 
tion and  practices  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
relation  to  war. 

2.  We  recommend  that  a  broad  plan  of  volunteer  ser- 
vice be  instituted  for  Brethren,  especially  those  of 
conscription  age,  at  once.   We  further  recommend  that 
this  plan  carry  over  into  any  crisis  period  as  the  core 
of  our  alternative  service  program.  We  are  willing 
and  anxious  to  cooperate  with  the  General  Brother- 
hood Board  in  constructing  such  a  plan. 

3-  Finally,  we  ask  for  the  immediate  and  continuing 
support  of  the  entire  Brotherhood  in  the  carrying  out 
and  financing  of  such  a  program. 


16  Messenger  July  1998 


7  can  still  see  him  coming  down  the  aisle  carrying  his 
orange  crate,  and  everybody  laughing  about  it. " 


pastor  of  the  Hager- 
stown,  Md,, 
zongregation  and  later 
^resident  of  Bethany; 
and  the  moderator- 
;lect,  Dr.  Paul 
Bowman,  president  of 
Bridgewater  College. 
Beahm  and  Robinson 
A'ere  willing  to  bend 
:he  rules  and  allow  the 
tern.  They  sensed  its 
mportance  and  nei- 
;her  was  quite  as 
starchy  as  Ellis.  But  it 
vas  Paul  Bowman, 
"ellow  college  presi- 
dent, who  helped  Ellis 
Tiake  up  his  mind. 
'We'd  better  listen  to 
he  young  people," 
Bowman  said. 

So  Ellis  decided, 
rhe  call  had  to  be  his 
3wn,  because  there 
vas  no  time  to  run  the  idea  past 
Standing  Committee.  The  afternoon 
session  was  about  to  begin.  The 
/oung  people  had  selected  Ted 
[Chambers,  who  was  a  delegate  from 
lis  home  church  in  Grand  Rapids, 
Vlich.,  to  make  the  proposal.  Ellis 
nade  an  arrangement  with  Ted  to 
^ive  him  a  sign  when  it  was  time  to 
King  up  the  item. 

All  the  young  people  gathered  in 
he  balcony.  It  was  agreed  that  Alma 
Vloyers  and  Charlotte  Anderson  and 
Fed  would  speak  to  the  motion.  But 
here  was  one  small  problem.  Ted 
[Chambers  was  very  short.  How 
vould  he  reach  the  mike?  How 
vould  he  be  seen?  It  was  Dan  West 
A'ho  came  up  with  the  solution.  That 
Tiorning  he  went  out  and  fetched  an 
grange  crate  from  a  nearby  grocery 
store. 

Everything  was  ready.  Alma  and 
Fed  were  sitting  side  by  side  in  the 


In  addition  to  its  huge  task  of  organizing  Civilian  Public  Service  during  World 
War  II,  the  Brethren  Service  Committee  coordinated  vohmteer  service  for  men 
and  women  during  the  war  years.  Here  is  BSC  in  a  1944  meeting. 


delegate  section  with  the  orange 
crate  beside  Ted's  seat.  Calvert  Ellis 
was  explaining  that  the  youth  were 
asking  to  bring  a  matter  to  the  Con- 
ference floor.  "The  officers  have 
met,"  he  said,  "and  we  believe  this  is 
of  such  importance  that  it  ought  to 
be  admitted  as  business."  A  vote  was 
taken  and  the  delegates  agreed  to 
consider  the  matter. 

Ellis  gave  Ted  the  sign.  "I  can  still 
see  him  coming  down  the  aisle  carry- 
ing his  orange  crate,  and  everybody 
laughing  about  it,"  Paul  Robinson 
remembers. 

He  climbed  up  on  the  crate,  all  4 
feet  1 0  inches  of  him,  and  took  the 
mike.  "Ladies  and  gentlemen,"  he 
said,  "I'm  Ted  Chambers  from  Grand 
Rapids,  Mich.,  and  believe  it  or  not, 
I'm  22  years  old."  People  laughed. 
The  ice  was  broken.  "And  I  have  to 
interrupt  this  meeting,"  he  went  on, 
reading  the  motion  and  then  making 


a  speech. 

One  of  the 
extraordinary 
things  about 
that  moment 
is  that  beyond 
those  few 
opening 
words,  no 
one  living 
remembers 
what  Ted 
said — not 
Ted,  not  Paul 
Robinson, 
not  Alma 
Moyers 
Long.  They 
remember 
that  it  was  a 
persuasive 
speech,  that  it 
generated 
excitement,  that 
it  stirred  almost 
immediate  support. 

After  Ted,  Alma  Moyers  spoke,  and 
so  did  Charlotte  Weaver.  None  of 
them  can  remember  what  they  said, 
nor  does  anyone  else  remember. 
Authorized  audio  recordings  of  Con- 
ference began  only  the  following 
year.  There  is  no  tape  for  1948.  It 
was  an  historic  moment.  People 
remember  what  it  felt  like,  what  they 
thought,  but  not  the  words  that  actu- 
ally made  it  happen. 

There  were  no  speeches  in  opposi- 
tion, and  when  the  vote  was  taken,  it 
was  unanimous.  The  motion  to 
create  a  volunteer  service  for  young 
people  had  passed!  The  youth  in  the 
balcony  broke  into  cheers,  something 
Brethren  of  the  time  did  not  do  in 
business  sessions  or  anywhere  else. 
"It  took  Conference  so  much  by 
storm,"  Edson  Sower  remembers.  "It 
was  amazing  the  support  it  got 
almost  immediately.  Ted  really  won 


July  1998  Messenger  17 


"You  could  just  feel  the  power  of  God  in  that  place!" 


Don  Snider,  wlw  was  natioiud  youth 
director  in  1948.  would  later  become 
BVS  training  director  ill  the  1960s. 


Participants  in  the  workcamp  and  peace  institide  at 
Salina.  Kan.,  in  the  summer  of  1947. 


the  support  of  Conference." 

"We  felt  it  was  a  kairos  moment," 
Paul  Robinson  says.  "The  time  was 
right.  The  young  people  were  con- 
cerned. We  felt  it  was  a  great  cause. 
We  felt  all  of  this  overruled  the 
objections  of  protocol." 

Calvert  Ellis  admitted  in  a  conver- 
sation many  years  later  in  1994,  just 
before  he  died,  that  he  never 
expected  the  program  to  amount  to 
anything  and  how  wrong  he  was. 

"I  don't  suppose  any  of  us  recog- 
nized how  significant  that  moment 
was,"  Paul  Robinson  says.  "We  never 
dreamed  that  Brethren  Volunteer 
Service  would  become  what  it  has 
become.  But  we  did  think  this  was  an 
idea  whose  time  had  come.  If  the 
youth  had  not  been  as  insistent  as 
they  were,  if  Dan  West  had  not  been 
insistent,  probably  it  would  never 
have  come  to  Conference  that  year. 


The  unusual  thing  was  that  it  came 
without  being  on  the  agenda." 

"When  the  young  people  stood  up 
and  cheered,"  Alma  Moyers  Long 
recalls,  "the  whole  Conference  was 
surprised.  I  remember  that  evening 
at  suppertime  everybody  was  talking 
about  it.  It  was  a  big  thing.  .  .  .  The 
Holy  Spirit  was  just  so  in  evidence.  It 
was  just  like  Pentecost!  |ust  like  a 
football  game!  You  could  just  feel  the 
power  of  God  in  that  place!" 

She  also  remembers  Dan  West's 
comment,  "This  baby's  born  now! 
What  do  we  do  with  it?" 

The  Brethren  did  more  with  BVS 
than  anyone  expected,  even  those 
idealistic  young  people.  In  the  50 
years  since  the  Colorado  Springs 
action,  Brethren  Volunteer  Service 
has  placed  more  than  5,000  volun- 
teers in  projects  in  the  US  and  all 


over  the  world.  It  has  provided 
countless  opportunities  for  volun- 
teers to  serve  people  in  need  and  to 
build  relationships  across  barriers  of 
religion,  race,  language,  and  eco- 
nomic status. 

Equally  important,  it  has  offered 
challenging  experiences  where  the 
volunteers  can  learn  about  them- 
selves and  grow.  It  has  given 
invaluable  training  to  several  genera- 
tions of  Brethren  leaders  and  has 
encouraged  many  youth  to  go  into 
full-time  service  in  the  church  and 
elsewhere.  As  it  celebrates  its  50th 
year,  it  remains  one  of  the  most  vital 
programs  of  the  Church  of  the      nrr 
Brethren.  I 

lim  Leizman  of  Elgin.  III.  is  a  writer  and 
publisher  of  children's  stories.  He  is  working  on 
a  new  project  to  collect  and  publish  folk  songs 
and  stories  for  Brethren  and  people  of  like 
mind.  His  daughter.  Jessica,  is  currently  a  BVS 
worker  in  Northern  Ireland. 


18  Messenger  July  1998 


BVS  healing  the  wounds  of  war 

After  a  devastating  war  in  Croatia,  reconciliation  is 
a  long,  slow  process.  Brethren  Volunteer  Service  is  there  to  help. 


Nathan  Hegedus  stayed  on  in  a  new 
assignment  in  Pakrac,  Croatia, 
after  his  BVS  tour  there  ended. 


"•''■  taster, 


'nteer  ^^^^^W 


now 


BY  Nathan  Hegedus 


The  war  in  Croatia  is  over.  The 
Croatians  gained  their  indepen- 
dence from  a  repressive,  Serb- 
dominated  Yugoslavia  and  the  Croatian 
Army  brutally  crushed  the  Croatian 
Serb  rebellions  inside  the  country. 

But  the  effects  of  the  war  linger  in 
the  most  basic  ways.  Housing  is  the 
most  important  issue  facing  every 
group  in  the  war-affected  areas.  Many 
houses  were  destroyed  in  the  fighting. 
Many  were  burned  by  vengeful  people 
on  all  sides.  And  many  houses  are 
occupied  by  refugees  from  the  war  in 
Bosnia.  At  least  three  groups — local 


Croatians,  Serbs  from  Croatia  who 
want  to  return  to  their  homes,  and  the 
Bosnian  refugees  who  occupy  Serb 
houses —  are  all  confused  and  more 
than  a  little  desperate.  These  housing 
problems  simply  exacerbate  the  ten- 
sions left  over  from  the  war  in  Croatia 
fought  in  1991  and  1992. 

Reconciliation  is  a  long,  slow 
process  and  there  is  pain  on  all  sides. 
Imagine  how  difficult  it  would  be  to 
start  the  process  of  rebuilding  trust  if 
you  were  not  allowed  to  enter  your 
own  home.  Or,  on  the  other  hand,  if 
you  were  occupying  someone  else's 
home  but  had  no  place  else  to  live. 
What  happens  when  the  owner  wants 
to  return  and  has  the  government  on 


his  side?  Besides  these  problems,  all  of 
former  Yugoslavia  is  just  starting  to 
undergo  the  transition  from  socialism 
to  capitalism,  further  complicating 
questions  of  ownership. 

Technically,  the  state  owned  all  of 
these  houses.  But  the  state  does  not 
make  much  effort  at  reconciliation. 
Croatia  is  a  country  still  flush  with 
military  victory  and  its  first  true  inde- 
pendence in  700  years  and  so  does  not 
want  to  give  much  ground  to  Serbs 
who  want  their  houses  back.  One 
Brethren  Volunteer  Service  worker 
and  two  ex-BVSers  are  active  in  work- 
ing on  the  housing  problems  in  three 
regions  of  Croatia  with  three  types  of 
organizations. 


July  1998  Messenger  19 


Gail  Long  was  in  BVS  for  over 
three  years,  volunteering  in  Bel- 
grade, Serbia,  and  Vukovar,  a  town 
in  Eastern  Slavonia,  on  the  eastern 
border  of  Croatia,  which  recently 
completed  a  United  Nations-admin- 
istered transition  to  Croatian  control. 
After  BVS  Gail  became  a  UN  volun- 
teer, working  on  housing  problems. 

The  problems  were  for  the  most  part 
the  same.  Gail  says  that  her  UN  job 
involves  more  "emotional  support  and 
listening  to  their  problems  than  any- 
thing else."  She  met  with  local 
government  officials  and  tried  to 
direct  the  mostly  elderly  clients  to  the 
proper  government  offices.  This  was 
frustrating  since  she  knew  that  the 
government  officials  would  not  help. 

Gail  thinks  that  the  UN  mission 
helped,  and  some  people  were  able  to 
return  to  their  homes.  But  she  is  not 
optimistic  for  the  future  of  the  area. 
The  number  of  violent  incidents  is 
actually  low,  but  the  general  attitude 
of  the  authorities  is  reactionary  and 
depressing.  Much  will  be  decided 
this  summer  when  the  weather  allows 
more  Croats  to  come  to  Eastern 
Slavonia  and  more  Serbs  to  leave  the 
region  and  return  to  their  original 
homes  elsewhere. 

According  to  Gail,  her  BVS  experi- 
ence was  invaluable  for  preparing  her 
for  her  UN  job.  She  learned  to  have 
faith  in  herself  and  to  find  her  own 
way.  She  needed  a  strong  sense  of 
purpose  to  be  effective  in  the  sur- 
prisingly unstructured  though 
bureaucratic  UN.  Most  of  the  people 
Gail  met  through  BVS  in  the  Serbian 
peace  movement  and  women's  move- 
ment were  devoted  to  their  work. 
The  UN,  on  the  other  hand,  is  just  a 
regular  paycheck  for  many  of  the 
internationals.  BVS  also  immersed 
Gail  in  the  ex-Yugoslavia.  She  had 
already  extended  her  BVS  term  an 
extra  year  but  did  not  want  to  leave 
the  region  because  she  felt  too  close 
to  the  people  and  events. 

Here's  an  example  of  the  complex- 
ity of  her  work:  A  Serb  and  a  Croat 


came  to  Gail's  office  to  try  to  solve 
their  housing  problem  together.  The 
Serb  was  occupying  the  Croat's 
home.  But  the  Serb  could  not  leave 
because  a  second  Croat  was  occupy- 
ing his  original  home  in  Osijek.  And 
this  third  man  refused  to  leave,  even 
though  his  original  home  had  been 
rebuilt.  He  did  not  want  to  be  one  of 
the  first  to  return  to  the  "Serb-domi- 
nated" war  zone  where  he  formerly 
lived. 

The  first  Croat  and  the  Serb  were 
cooperating,  but  the  authorities 
refused  to  help  because  of  the  inter- 
ethnic  cooperation.  When  they 
insisted  the  Serb  leave  the  office,  the 
Croat  always  left  too.  But  even  this 
cooperation  broke  down  under  the 
pressure  of  the  Croatian  reintegra- 
tion of  Eastern  Slavonia.  The  first 
Croat  eventually  told  his  Serb  friend 
that  he  would  kick  him  out  of  his 
house  if  he  did  not  leave  immedi- 
ately. The  Croat  was  frustrated  and 
desperate. 

This  three-way  mess  is  typical  of 
housing  problems  in  the  war-torn 
Balkans.  But  this  one  was  "easy," 
compared  to  some  problems,  in  that 
all  three  involved  were  from  the  same 
area.  Out  in  Western  Slavonia,  that  is 
not  the  case. 

My  name  is  Nathan  Hegedus  and 
I  work  for  America's  Develop- 
ment Foundation  in  Pakrac,  a  town 
in  Western  Slavonia,  about  two 
hours  west  of  Osijek.  I  was  one  of 
four  Brethren  Volunteer  Service 
workers  to  work  here  in  Pakrac 
between  1994  and  1997  in  a  grass- 
roots peace  project. 

I  stayed  in  the  Volunteer  Project 
Pakrac  for  over  a  year  and  then 
helped  start  a  youth  newspaper  in  a 
project  in  Eastern  Slavonia.  I  took 
this  job  back  in  Pakrac  because  it 
gave  me  a  chance  to  become  more 
intensively  involved  in  this  one 
region  rather  than  start  over  some- 
place new.  I  could  build  on  my  BVS 
work  here.  In  fact,  my  BVS  experi- 


ence in  Pakrac  is  what  made  me 
qualified  for  the  job.  I  knew  the 
region,  1  knew  the  language,  and  I 
knew  how  to  function  in  a  difficult 
place  like  Pakrac. 

ADF  is  an  American  organization 
that  provides  funding  to  local 
groups.  In  Western  Slavonia,  the 
focus  is  on  free  legal  assistance. 

Western  Slavonia  was  a  former 
UN-protected  zone  like  Eastern 
Slavonia  but  with  an  important  dif- 
ference. In  Western  Slavonia  in  May 
1995,  the  Croatian  Army  invaded  the 
Serb-held  part  of  the  region  and 
conquered  it  in  a  matter  of  days. 

Between  the  initial  fighting  in 
1991,  which  destroyed  80  percent  of 
Pakrac,  and  the  1995  action,  most  of 
the  region's  80,000  Serbs  left.  The 
question  now  is  whether  they  can 
return  if  they  want  to  rebuild  their 
lives  in  Croatia. 

The  problems  with  returns  are 
legion.  If  these  Western  Slavonian 
Serbs  were  refugees  in  the  UN-con- 
trolled Eastern  Slavonia  they  could 
easily  get  Croatian  documents.  But  if 
they  were  in  Serbia  itself  or  in  the 
Serb  republic  in  Bosnia  to  the  south, 
then  getting  Croatian  documents  is 
almost  impossible. 

The  next  important  question  is 
about  housing.  Is  their  house  still 
standing?  Thousands  of  homes  were 
destroyed  in  the  war.  Many  Serb 
homes  in  "peaceful"  areas  were 
burned  or  bombed  in  retaliation  for 
the  war  going  on  elsewhere.  Yet  there 
are  enough  homes  to  house  all  the 
Croats  and  Serbs  who  stayed,  as  well 
as  the  returning  Serbs. 

However,  Western  Slavonia  is 
filled  with  ethnic  Croat  refugees 
from  Bosnia  and  Serbia.  The  occu- 
pation of  Serb  homes  was  legal 
under  an  old  Croatian  law.  Now, 
under  pressure  from  the  interna- 
tional community,  the  government  is 
changing  the  laws.  But  new  laws 
mean  nothing  if  the  local  authorities 
are  unwilling  to  move  the  Bosnians 
out.  It  would  be  political  suicide  for 


20  Messenger  July  1998 


a  mayor  to  move  out  Bosnian  victims 
of  Serb  aggression  and  then  move  in 
Serbs,  whom  tiie  locals  blame  for  the 
"aggression"  in  Croatia. 

Of  course  most  of  the  returning 
Serbs  are  not  guilty  at  all.  War  crimi- 
nals will  not  return  to  Croatia.  But 
emotions  run  deep  after  a  war.  And  if 
the  Bosnians  were  kicked  out,  then 
where  would  they  go?  Even  local 
Croats  think  many  Bosnian  Croats 
have  exploited  the  social  system,  but 
the  majority  of  Bosnian  Croats  are 
also  innocent  victims.  They  are  just 
in  the  way. 

So  international  organizations  and 
governments  both  try  to  promote  the 
almost  impossible  "three-way 
return."  Here's  an  example:  A  Serb 
who  occupies  a  Croat  home  in  East- 
ern Slavonia  wants  to  return  to  his 
home  in  Western  Slavonia,  which  is 
occupied  by  a  Bosnian  Croat.  The 
Bosnian  Croat's  home  in  Bosnia  is 
occupied  by  a  Serb  from  the  Muslim 
part  of  Bosnia  whose  house  is  now 
occupied  by  a  Muslim  refugee  whose 
house  is  occupied  by  a  Serb  from 
Croatia.  The  confusion  can  go  on 
and  on  and  on. 

My  job  with  ADF  is  to  monitor  and 
support  the  legal  aid  project.  This 
means  that  my  two  assistants  and  1 
drive  around  to  talk  to  the  lawyers. 
The  lawyers  handle  citizenship  and 
property  issues  as  well  as  social 
issues  such  as  pensions  and  back 
taxes.  All  these  issues  were  compli- 
cated by  the  war. 

The  lawyers  often  cannot  help  their 
clients  in  the  face  of  government 
"administrative"  silence.  So  they 
listen  to  the  clients'  problems  and  try 
to  comfort  them.  I,  subsequently,  go 
to  listen  to  the  lawyers  and  give  them 
a  chance  to  discuss  their  problems, 
such  as  emotional  exhaustion  and 
overwork. 

I  am  now  one  level  removed  from 
my  volunteer  days  when  I  talked  to 
the  people.  So  I  understand  how 
important  that  support  is  for  the 
lawyers.  We  also  work  with  the  orga- 


nization to  help  it  run  more  effi- 
ciently. I  write  reports  intended  to 
influence  to  some  small  degree  the 
political  pressure  on  the  Croatian 
government. 

After  the  pure  grass-roots  experi- 
ence of  volunteering  with  BVS,  it  is 
interesting  to  be  slightly  involved  in 
the  higher  political  games.  I  still 
believe  that  the  everyday  life  of  the 
citizens  in  Western  Slavonia  is  the 
most  important  area  for  work.  But 
the  high-level  political  pressure  is 
also  necessary,  especially  in  a  cen- 
tralized, almost  authoritarian 
country  like  Croatia. 

Chris  Weller,  a  Brethren  from 
Virden,  111.,  is  a  Brethren  Volun- 
teer Service  worker.  He  works  for 
the  Balkan  Peace  Team  (BPT)  in 
Split,  Croatia,  which  is  on  the  sea- 
coast  and  is  a  paradise  compared  to 
Vukovar  or  Pakrac.  Chris  is  the  fifth 
BVSer  to  work  for  the  Balkan  Peace 
Team.  BVS  was  integrally  involved  in 
the  Balkan  Peace  Team  from  its 
beginnings. 

Before  going  to  work  for  the  Balkan 
Peace  Team,  Chris  volunteered  in  a 
rural  region,  which  had  also  been 
under  Serb  control,  near  the  Croatian 
capital  of  Zagreb.  The  Balkan  Peace 
Team  is  an  international  NGO  (non- 
governmental organization)  that 
monitors  the  political  situation  and 
provides  support  to  local  activists  by 
accompanying  them  in  situations 
where  an  international  presence 
ensures  safety. 

Split  was  not  in  the  war  but  is  near 
Knin,  the  heart  of  the  Serb  rebellion 
in  Croatia.  The  area  around  Knin 
was  known  as  the  Krajina  when  it 
was  controlled  by  the  Serbs.  The 
Croatian  military  was  brutal  in  the 
Krajina,  murdering  elderly  Serbs  and 
burning  entire  villages  to  the  ground. 
Over  100,000  Serbs  tied  from  the 
Krajina  into  Bosnia  and  Serbia. 

So  the  basic  issues  here  are  the 
same  as  in  Western  Slavonia.  Serbs 
want  to  return,  but  manv  of  their 


homes  are  occupied  by  Bosnian 
Croat  refugees,  and  the  government, 
despite  public  assurances  to  the  con- 
trary, does  not  really  want  the  Serbs 
back. 

But  one  cannot  just  paint  the 
Bosnian  Croats  as  the  bad  guys. 
According  to  Chris  Weller,  "one  of 
the  most  difficult  things  about  the 
housing  issues  is  that  many  of  the 
Bosnian  Croats  do  not  have  any- 
where else  to  go.  It  would  be  easy  to 
look  at  them  as  opportunists,  here 
only  for  the  free  house.  But  this  is 
not  always  true." 

The  Balkan  Peace  Team  often 
serves  as  a  crucial  link  between  local 
grass-roots  groups  and  big  interna- 
tional organizations.  This  also  helps 
the  local  organizations  by  developing 
their  capacities. 

All  of  us  internationals  will  go 
home  one  day  and  hopefully  Croat- 
ian civil  society  will  be  strong  enough 
to  keep  moving  the  country  towards 
openness  and  democracy. 

"Without  constant  international 
pressure  it  will  be  difficult  for  Serbs 
to  return  to  their  homes,"  Chris  says. 
He  heard  from  one  local  that  over  70 
percent  of  Serb  refugees  would  like 
to  return  to  Croatia.  But  under  what 
conditions  would  people  actually 
return? 

There  are  some  empty,  unde- 
stroyed  villages  in  the  ex- Krajina 
region,  but  they  are  too  isolated  for 
Bosnian  Croats  or  even  the  Serbs 
who  used  to  live  there,  due  to  the 
destruction  of  the  local  railroad  line. 
The  security  situation  is  improving 
for  returnees,  in  that  the  burnings, 
lootings,  and  physical  harassment 
have  almost  stopped,  is  that  enough? 

The  bureaucratic  harassment  of 
the  government  makes  life  difficult  in 
different  ways.  Chris,  Gail,  and  I  are 
all  daily  frustrated  by  our  jobs.  The 
situation  can  be  a  bit  surreal. 

Says  Chris:  "1  was  speaking  with  one 
human  rights  worker  who  lived  in  Knin 
the  entire  time.  She  said  that  the  rela- 
tions between  the  Croats  and  Serbs 


July  1998  Messengef^21 


(continued  from  page  1  7) 
who  lived  in  Knin  before  the  war  are 
relatively  good.  The  biggest  tensions 
are  between  not  only  the  Serbs  and 
Bosnian  Croats  but  also  between  the 
'local'  Croats  and  the  Bosnian  Croats. 
This  means  that  the  relationships 
between  the  two  groups  that  fought  the 
war  seven  years  ago  now  are  the  small- 
est source  of  tension." 

There  are  small  victories  to  go  with 
the  frustrations.  Chris  knew  a  few 
Serb  families  that  were  evicted  from 


their  homes  but,  with  United  Nations 
help,  were  allowed  to  return  because 
the  local  government  had  no  one  to 
move  into  the  homes.  The  changes  in 
the  housing  laws  are  also  hopeful, 
but  will  the  government  ever  have  the 
courage  to  implement  the  changes? 
Will  the  international  community 
have  the  courage  to  challenge  Croa- 
tia to  change? 

Chris,  Gail,  and  I  are  working  on 
issues  that  will  not  be  solved  quickly. 
Millions  of  people  will  need  to  work 


for  years  and  years  in  order  for 
Croatia  or  Bosnia  to  reach  stability 
and  prosperity.  But  one  has  to  hope 
that  the  small  steps  being  taken  in 
Croatia  by  BVSers  and  ex-BVSers, 
among  many  others,  will  pay  off  in 
the  long  run.  The  hope  is  that  one 
day  all  the  people  in  this  region  will 
be  able  to  live  in  the  area  and  in    rrj- 
the  homes  that  they  choose.  f^' 


Nathan  Hegediis  is  a  former  BVS  worker. 
His  story  came  to  Messenger  by  e-mail  from 
Pakrac.  Croatia. 


Brethrening    ^^  ^ 

A  word  to  work  for         ^ 

Her  deep  brown  eyes  send  question  marks.  I  try  again, 
this  time  adding  gestures.  The  question  marks  continue.  I 
use  different  words.  Then  I  see  flashes  of  recognition. 
"Understand."  Azra's  face  rela.xes.  She  smiles. 

All  through  the  hour  and  a  half  we  are  together,  we 
struggle  to  connect.  I  point  to  pictures  and  their  labels 
from  the  Sunday  advertisements.  "This  is  a  skirt.  This  is  a 
shirt.  These  are  shoes.  This  is  a  cupboard.  This  is  a  sink." 

Words  with  r's  and  //7"s  cause  facial  contortions. 
"Skirt,"  I  pronounce. 

"Skirt"  is  echoed. 

"Good."  I  point  to  the  calendar.  "I'll  say  the  days  of  the 
week.  Then  you  say  them.  Monday,  Tuesday,  Wednesday, 
rftursday."  Goran  has  watched  my  mouth.  He  sticks  out 
his  tongue  and  snickers.  "T/zursday." 

"Excellent!  Bravo!"  We  all  laugh. 

"Now,  let's  practice  the  alphabet.  Azra." 

"1,  beh." 

"A,  b,"  I  correct. 

We  continue  until  I  see  they  are  tired.  Concentrating  on 
new  sounds  and  trying  to  ascertain  meanings  is  hard 
work.  The  Yugoslavian  alphabet  and  sounds  are  different. 
Occasionally  I  sense  recognition  as  Azra  tells  me  their 
word  that  is  similar. 

I  sing  "America  the  Beautiful"  and  ask  about  their 
national  anthem. 

"No  national  song,"  Azra  replies.  "The  war."  (ust  as  she 
had  told  me  a  previous  day  when  I  showed  pictures  of  my 
family.  "No  pictures.  The  war."  I  feel  sad. 

When  we  began  meeting  six  weeks  ago,  I  kept  raising 
my  voice  to  make  myself  understood.  I  explained  an  apol- 
ogy. "I  TALK  LOUD  TO  HELP  YOU  UNDERSTAND. 
I'm  sorry." 

They  smile.  "Okay."  They  were  not  offended. 

Azra  and  Goran  Trifkovic  came  to  St.  Petersburg  from 


Sarajevo  in  August  last  year.  They  have  both  worked  in  a 
microchip  factory  in  Largo  with  other  immigrants,  some 
Bosnian,  some  Cuban,  some  Vietnamese.  Many  weeks 
they  work  six  days  and  some  days  overtime.  Recently 
Goran  began  carpentry,  his  trade,  with  a  friend  who 
knows  a  little  English.  He  likes  the  work  but  struggles 
with  inches,  feet,  yards,  and  directions.  His  supervisor  is 
American. 

Azra  is  a  beautician  but  has  no  license,  so  must  con- 
tinue working  in  the  factory.  She  has  beautiful  black  hair 
cut  stylishly  short,  olive-toned  skin,  and  dark  brown  eyes. 

Goran  loves  to  say,  "You  are  welcome."  He  calls  me 
"teacher."  He  is  balding,  has  a  round  face,  and  a  few 
teeth  missing  in  front.  When  he  pronounces  words  cor- 
rectly he  beams.  "Good,"  he  brags.  "Good,"  I  affirm.  We 
both  smile. 

I  must  be  careful  that  my  responses  to  their  truncated 
attempts  at  communicating  are  not  more  chopped 
phrases.  So  we  work  on  complete  sentences.  "My  work, 
Yugoslavia,  Vietnam,  Cuba.  No  English,"  Azra  explains. 

I  write,  then  say,  "At  my  work  there  are  Yugoslavians, 
Vietnamese,  and  Cubans  around  me.  No  one  speaks  Eng- 
lish." She  repeats  the  sentences.  Underneath,  on  the 
yellow  legal  pad  I  write,  "At  my  work  I  am  surrounded  by 
Yugoslavians,  Vietnamese,  and  Cubans." 

"What  surwiinded?" 

I  show  a  circle  with  my  finger — "surrounded." 

"Understand."  Her  word  and  her  eyes  have  told  me. 
What  a  beautiful  moment.  After  grappling,  searching,  ges- 
turing, trying  again,  "understand."  A  word  to  work  for. 

— [ean  Lersch.  First  Church  of  the  BreiSiren,  St.  Petersburg.  Fla. 

Messenger  would  like  to  publish  other  short,  colorful,  and  humorous  stories 
of  real-life  incidents  involving  Brethren.  Please  send  your  submissions  to 
Messenger.  Brethren  Press.  1451  Dundee  Ave..  Elgin.  IL  601 20- 1694  or 
e-mail  to  the  editor  at  ffarrar_gb@brethren.org. 


22  Messenger  July  1998 


^^  ^J    ^ 

m  ppobitn  WITH  Piupniisn 

There's  more  to  the  gospel  than  live  and  let  live 


BY  Dale  Aukerman 

rj  recent  sermon  preached  by  a 
I  I  lawyer  friend  of  mine  was  for  me 
Dotln  stimulating  and  disturbing.  He 
iet  forth  a  position  that  I've  heard  a 
jreat  many  times — most  notably  in 
\nnual  Conference  worships  and 
nessages.  His  concern  was  that 
people  and  groups  in  the  church  are 
io  inclined  to  criticize  and  attack  one 
mother.  He  pointed  to  those  who  see 
hemselves  as  standing  for  God's 
ruth  over  against  those  who  have 
urned  away  from  it. 

His  plea  was  that  we  be  accepting 
jf  one  another  in  spite  of  our  differ- 
;nces.  He  urged,  as  is  so  often  done, 
hat  we  Brethren  accept  our  plural- 
sm  and  thus  accept  everyone,  no 


matter,  he  seemed  to  say,  what  posi- 
tion is  held.  We  were  called  to  accept 
positions  we  may  personally  disagree 
with  as  having  a  place  within  the 
church. 

I  share  the  concern  about  mean 
and  hostile  attitudes.  Love  should 
shape  all  interactions  between  Chris- 
tians, even  when  there  are  major 
differences  in  understanding.  About 
this  side  of  things  1  agree  with  my 
friend  and  so  many  others  I  have 
heard.  But  he  and  they  focus  com- 
pletely on  that  one  side.  He  said  that 
what  is  crucial  is  not  so  much  what 
we  believe  but  how  we  behave  toward 
each  other;  what  is  overridingly 
important  for  the  church  is  that 
members  be  civil,  gracious,  and 
loving  toward  each  other,  especially 


when  they  disagree. 

This  approach  fails  to  recognize 
that  there  is  another  side,  which  is 
very  much  in  tension  with  the  first 
side.  If  the  New  Testament  is  our 
rule  of  faith  and  practice,  the  focus 
on  loving  acceptance  taken  just  by 
itself  is  a  grave  misunderstanding.  If 
lesus  had  lived  out  the  stance  that  is 
being  called  for,  he  would  hardly 
have  gotten  into  trouble  with  the 
leaders  of  the  religious  establish- 
ment. He  did  criticize  and  challenge. 
He  stated  plainly  that  he  saw  his 
opponents  as  going  against  the  true 
way  of  God.  That  upset  them. 

In  the  Gospels  jesus  warned  about 
false  prophets  and  said  that  the  com- 
munity of  his  disciples  would  need  to 
deal  with  that  threat.  ("Beware  of 


July  1998  Messenger  23 


false  prophets,  who  come  to  you  in 
sheep's  clothing  but  inwardly  are 
ravenous  wolves.  You  will  know  them 
by  their  fruits."  — Matt.  7:15-16) 

Many  passages  in  the  apostolic 
writings  take  up  this  motif;  certain 
teachings  and  movements  appearing 
even  within  the  church  are  seen  as 
constituting  a  denial  of  the  gospel. 
("I  am  astonished  that  you  are  so 
quickly  deserting  him  who  called  you 
in  the  grace  of  Christ  and  turning  to 
a  different  gospel — not  that  there  is 
another  gospel,  but  there  are  some 
who  trouble  you  and  want  to  pervert 
the  gospel  of  Christ."  — Gal.  1 :6-7) 

A  pluralistic  acceptance  approach 
does  not  face  the  possibility  of  false 
teachings  that  go  against  the  heart  of 
the  gospel.  It  focuses  only  on  the 
imperative  to  love  others  and  gives 
no  attention  to  the  imperative  to 
defend  the  Christian  message  against 
whatever  would  distort  or  deny  it. 
But  the  latter  imperative  is  expressed 
many  times  in  the  New  Testament. 

Soon  after  Nazism  came  to  power 
in  Germany,  the  German  Christians 
took  over  the  leadership  of  the 
national  churches.  Their  Christianity 
was  shaped  by  Nazi  ideology.  Later 
there  was  general  agreement  that  this 
German  Christianity  with  its  German 
ultra -nationalism,  anti-Semitism, 
and  total  allegiance  to  an  idolized 
leader  was  a  perversion  of  Christian 
faith  and  that  the  so-called  Confess- 
ing Church  was  right  to  oppose.  A 
pluralistic  acceptance  approach 
would  seem  to  have  no  recognition 
that  there  can  be  situations  like  that 
for  the  church.  It  is  pathetically  inad- 
equate for  any  such  situation. 

A  question  for  those  who  cham- 
pion such  an  approach  is  this:  Is 
there  anything,  any  view  or  behavior 
(in  addition  to  unaccepting  atti- 
tudes), that  must  be  seen  as 
out-of-bounds  and  untenable  for  the 
Christian  church?  II  there  isn't,  a 
person  or  group  can  advocate  any- 
thing at  all  in  terms  of  beliefs  or 
actions  and  still  be  viewed  as  having 


a  rightful  place  within  the  church. 
The  church  is  seen  as  standing  for 
nothing  (except  perhaps  loving 
acceptance  of  everyone) . 

If  those  who  take  this  approach 
will  admit  that  some  things  are  out- 
of-bounds  and  untenable  for  the 
church,  then  they  too  are  recognizing 
that  this  imperative  that  others  with 
differing  views  be  lovingly  accepted 


W^ 


■;^»iMtiiiataMMiiMtmMitUiiMiMM^ 


The  biblical 

writers  saw  in  the 

human  story  the 

continuous  struggle 

between  right  and 

wrong,  betweeyi 
truth  and  falsehood. 


=^s^ 


is  not  without  limits.  Then  the  ques- 
tion becomes.  Where  are  the  limits? 

The  biblical  writers  saw  in  the 
human  story  the  continuous  struggle 
between  right  and  wrong,  between 
truth  and  falsehood.  They  saw  for  all 
human  beings  the  urgent,  awesome 
need,  before  God,  to  distinguish 
between  the  contending  sides  and  to 
go  with  right  and  truth.  A  pluralistic 
acceptance  approach  lacks  this  seri- 


ousness about  those  alternatives,  for 
it  does  not  see  them  in  the  biblical 
way.  This  approach  moves  with  the 
intellectual  and  moral  relativism  that 
prevails  in  our  society:  Whatever 
beliefs  and  behaviors  people  hold  to 
are  all  right  and  fine  for  them,  if  not 
obviously  destructive  of  others. 

Love  is  at  the  heart  of  Christianity, 
and  it's  easy  to  conclude  that  a  plu- 
ralistic acceptance  approach  focuses 
on  what  is  most  basic.  But  the  love 
revealed  in  lesus  of  Nazareth  was  not 
grounded  in  a  relativism  with  regard 
to  what  may  be  right  and  true.  It  was 
grounded  in  who  God  is  as  holy, 
righteous,  and  sovereign,  lesus  in 
that  love  commanded,  rebuked, 
showed  anger,  made  amazing  claims 
about  himself. 

lesus  and  the  New  Testament  writ- 
ers assumed  that  his  disciples  should 
and  could  stand  for  truth  over 
against  error,  for  righteousness  over 
against  sin,  for  faithfulness  over 
against  unfaithfulness.  Not  only 
God's  love  but  also  God's  truth  can 
be  furthered  by  human  beings.  Our 
comprehension  of  God's  truth  is  lim- 
ited and  inadequate.  Yet  God  gives 
us  as  Christians  the  task  of  striving 
to  live  and  communicate  that  truth.  A 
pluralistic  acceptance  approach 
focuses  total  attention  on  loving 
acceptance,  but  does  not  come  to 
grips  with  the  question  of  truth. 

Can  we  find  in  the  New  Testament 
a  contrasting  stance  that  meets 
the  difficult  issues  being  considered? 
I  believe  there  are  the  elements  of 
such  a  stance  set  forth  in  a  wide 
range  of  passages. 

1 .  Some  differences  of  opinion 
among  Christians  are  about  rela- 
tively minor  matters  and  are  to  be 
accepted  and  lived  with  in  the 
church.  Romans  14-15:6  and  1 
Corinthians  8  and  10:23-33  deal 
with  differing  points  of  view,  espe- 
cially in  regard  to  what  one  can 
rightly  eat  (because  of  Old  Testa- 
ment dietary  laws  and  the  pagan 


24  Messenger  July  1998 


jractice  of  sacrificing  meat  to  idols). 
n  such  matters  Paul  urged  that 
Christians  welcome  each  other  in 
heir  differences  (Rom.  15:7),  not 
:ondemn  others,  and  not  do  things 
hat  could  bring  the  spiritual  ruin  of 
hose  who  are  weak. 

His  prayer  for  the  disagreeing 
;roups  in  Rome  was,  "May  the  God 
)f  steadfastness  and  encouragement 
;rant  you  to  live  in  such  harmony 
vith  one  another,  in  accord  with 
[Christ  Jesus,  that  together  you  may 
vith  one  voice  glorify  the  God  and 
^ather  of  our  Lord  lesus  Christ" 
Rom.  1  5:5-6).  The  different  posi- 
ions  could  be  brought  into  a 
larmony  in  accord  with  Christ  )esus. 

In  our  present-day  Brethren  con- 
ext  many  questions  about  the 
pecifics  of  baptism,  feetwashing, 
md  the  love  feast  or  church  polity 
md  program  can  be  seen  similarly  as 
juite  secondary  matters. 

2.  There  are  other  issues  where 
[Christian  faith  itself  is  at  stake.  In 
hese.  Christians  must  hold  to  and 
;ontend  for  what  is  the  heart  of  the 
aith.  Jesus  claimed  to  be  the  way, 
md  the  truth  and  the  life  (John 
14:6).  What  God  revealed  and  did  in 
esus  Christ  is  put  before  us  in  the 
*Jew  Testament.  In  these  writings 
;ertain  teachings,  views,  and  lines  of 
iction  are  seen  as  clearly  in  opposi- 
ion  to  Christ.  Some  things  are,  and 
ilher  things  are  not,  in  accord  with 
[Christ  Jesus.  Moving  against  the 
jospel  of  Christ  are  contrary 
gospels — even  within  the  church 
Gal.  1:6-9). 

The  unity  and  harmony  of  the 
;hurch  comes  not  because  all  people, 
;roups,  and  views  should  be  seen  as 
laving  an  accepted  place  in  the 
;hurch,  but  because  "there  is  one 
spirit  .  .  .  one  hope  .  .  .  one  Lord, 
jne  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and 
■^ather  of  us  all"  (Eph.  4:4-6).  Jesus 
;aid,  "If  you  continue  in  my  word, 
/ou  are  truly  my  disciples,  and  you 
vill  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth 
vill  make  you  free"  (John  8:3  1  -32). 


By  immersion  in  the  revelation  given 
through  and  in  Jesus,  Christians 
come  to  know  the  truth.  They  are 
also  enabled  to  identify  what  is  deci- 
sively important  and  what  is  less 
important. 

John,  the  apostle  of  love,  warned: 
"Beloved,  do  not  believe  every  spirit, 


but  test  the  spirits  to  see  whether  they 
are  of  God;  for  many  false  prophets 
have  gone  out  into  the  world"  ( 1  Jn. 
4:1).  John  did  not  see  the  command  to 
love,  which  he  gave  first,  as  going 
against  his  warning  about  deceivers: 
"Any  one  who  goes  ahead  and  does  not 
abide  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ  does  not 
have  God;  he  who  abides  in  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ  has  both  the  Father  and 
the  Son.  If  any  one  comes  to  you  and 
does  not  bring  this  doctrine,  do  not 
receive  him  into  the  house  or  give  him 
any  greeting;  for  he  who  greets  him 
shares  his  wicked  work"  (2  Jn.  9-1 1). 

Strong  words  indeed!  Those  who 
spread  teachings  about  Jesus  Christ 
that  are  contrary  to  those  of  Jesus 
and  the  apostles  are  not  even  to  be 
given  hospitality  lest  one  slip  into 
providing  support  for  false  min- 
istries. 

It  is  of  course  possible  to  dismiss 
or  ignore  all  such  passages  in  the 
Gospels  and  the  rest  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament. But  that  involves  rejecting  a 


considerable  portion  of  those  writ- 
ings and  the  aspects  of  biblical 
understanding  about  God  and  Christ 
that  lie  behind  them. 

3.  The  New  Testament  standard 
for  relating  to  persons  in  the 
church  with  whom  we  disagree  is 
love.  Love  as  set  forth  in  the  New 
Testament  can  include  acceptance  in 
its  common  meaning,  but  does  not 
necessarily  need  to.  Christians  may 
see  certain  people  in  the  church  as 
advocating  views  that  go  against  the 
heart  of  the  faith  and  still  reach  out 
to  them  in  love,  even  while  contend- 
ing against  views  they  advocate. 
Disciples  in  their  shared  tie  with 
Christ  are  to  speak  the  truth  in  love 
(Eph.  4:15);  and  it  is  the  Spirit  who 
brings  about  needed  change  in  heart 
and  mind  (John  16:8). 

If  that  direction  is  taken,  the  temp- 
tation to  become  self-righteous, 
self-exalting,  and  condemnatory  can 
be  very  strong.  But  the  New  Testa- 
ment assumes  that  by  God's  grace 
Christlike  love  can  be  lived  out  toward 
individuals  seen  as  caught  up  in  grave 
error.  "My  friends,  if  anyone  is 
detected  in  a  transgression,  you  who 
have  received  the  Spirit  should  restore 
such  a  one  in  a  spirit  of  gentleness. 
Take  care  that  you  yourselves  are  not 
tempted"  (Gal.  6:1  NRSV).  Even  if  it 
develops  that  a  person  or  group  needs 
to  be  seen  as  having  put  themselves 
outside  the  Christian  fellowship,  they 
are  still  to  be  appealed  to  in  love 
(Matt.  18:17:  2  Tim.  2:23-26). 

4.  In  such  matters  it  is  crucial 
that  we  keep  in  mind  Jesus'  com- 
mand to  deal  first  with  the  log  in 
one's  own  eye  (Matt.  7:3-5).  The 
intense  seriousness  given  in  the  New 
Testament  to  adherence  to  the  truth 
should  impel  us  to  ask  first  of  all: 
Where  am  I  in  error?  In  what  ways 
am  I  not  living  out  the  truth  given  in 
Jesus  Christ?  None  of  us  are  free 
from  being  taken  in  at  some  points 
by  deceptions  dominant  in  the  world. 
Who  of  us  heeds,  in  full  obedience, 
the  commands  of  Jesus  to  share  what 


July  1998  Messenger  25 


we  have  with  those  who  have  little? 
Yet  in  Matthew  7:5,  taking  the  log 
out  of  one's  own  eye  is  not  to  foster 
a  relativistic  attitude  of  live-and-let- 
live.  It  is  rather  to  get  spiritually 
ready  to  go  to  the  other  person.  Then 
you  will  see  clearly  to  take  the  speck 
out  of  your  brother's  eye. 

5.  fesus  calls  us  to  listen  intently 
to  each  other  in  our  conflicts  and 
disagreements.  From  the  beginnings 
of  the  church,  Brethren  have  seen 
Matthew  18: 1  5-20  as  a  key  passage. 
We  are  to  go  to  the  other  person 
when  there  is  a  conflict  or  broken 
relationship.  The  hope  is  that  the 
person  being  called  into  question  will 
listen.  But  there  is  the  implication 
that  the  person  taking  the  initiative 
will  also  go  in  a  spirit  of  listening. 
Perhaps  something  vital — even 
something  that  will  change  the  out- 
look of  the  person  going — will  be 
learned  from  the  person  being 
approached.  So  it  can  be  too  when 
the  interaction  has  to  do  with  con- 
flicting views  in  the  church. 

One  can  move  from  guidelines  to 
examples.  It  is  from  jesus  and 
the  New  Testament  that  Christians 
together  in  the  church  can  discern 
what  is  crucial  to  faith  and  faithful- 
ness. I  venture  the  following  points: 
"^  fl .  In  scripture  God  is  Thou,  the 
supreme  Person,  who  knows  and 
loves  us;  God  is  transcendent  Cre- 
ator, distinct  from  the  creation;  God 
is  ever  active  in  and  sovereign  over 
creation  and  history.  Views  that  go 
against  the  basic  biblical  understand- 
ing of  God  tear  down  the  faith  of  the 
church.  An  example  is  the  view  that 
God  is  the  force  of  creativity,  good- 
ness, and  love  within  the  universe, 
somewhat  comparable  to  gravity. 
13  5.   lesus  and  the  apostles  saw  his 
death  as  having  ultimate  significance 
for  the  relationship  of  God  with 
humanity.  "This  is  my  blood  of  the 
covenant,  which  is  poured  out  for 
many  for  the  forgiveness  of  sins" 
(Matt.  26:28).  "God  was  in  Christ 
reconciling  the  world  to  himself,  not 
counting  their  trespasses  against 


them"  (2  Cor.  5:19).  Teachings  that 
see  his  death  simply  as  a  supreme 
example  of  selfless  love,  commitment, 
and  nonviolence  go  against  the  gospel. 


Everything  that 
Jesus  taught  and 


lived  is  in  total 


contrast  to  what  is 


in  making  war. 


C?  C  The  resurrection  of  |esus  as 
person  is  central  to  the  gospel. 
Teachings  that  go  against  what  is 
given  in  the  New  Testament  about 
that  resurrection  are  a  threat  to  the 
church.  An  example  is  looking  to  an 
eternal  Christ  that  is  said  to  have 
been  in  (esus  but  is  not  the  person 
who  taught  and  healed  in  Galilee  and 
died  on  the  cross. 

^  [).  The  earliest  Christian  confes- 
sion of  faith  was  the  proclamation, 
}esus  is  Lord  (1  Cor.  12:3).  This 
understanding  is  expressed  in  the 
Great  Commission  given  by  lesus 
(Matt.  28:18-20).  Teachings  that 
view  some  aspects  of  human  living  as 
not  meant  to  be  subject  to  his  lord- 
ship contradict  this  understanding. 
^  E  .  Everything  that  )esus  taught  and 
lived  is  in  total  contrast  to  what  is  done 
in  making  war.  Alignment  with  the 
military  and  with  going  to  war  goes 


starkly  against  the  lordship  of  Jesus. 
^  f  .  lesus  Christ  by  his  dying  has 
broken  down  every  dividing  wall  of 
racial,  ethnic,  and  national  hostility 
and  superiority  so  that  all  who 
become  members  of  the  one  body 
can  live  in  unity  and  peace  (Eph. 
2:11-18).  Views  and  actions  that 
build  up  such  walls  negate  this  part 
of  what  lesus  has  done  for  humanity. 
^  (3.  lesus  stood  with  the  poor,  the 
suffering,  and  the  victimized  of  his 
time.  He  called  his  disciples  to  live 
out  his  way  of  love,  sharing,  and  sac- 
rificial service.  Alignment  with  the 
United  States  in  its  role  as  the  rich- 
est and  most  powerful  nation  in  the 
world  moves  in  a  direction  opposite 
to  that  taken  by  Jesus. 

For  the  first  two  centuries. 
Brethren  generally  held  to  the  stance 
that  the  New  Testament  is  to  be 
taken  as  the  rule  of  faith  and  prac- 
tice. There  was  relatively  little 
disagreement  about  basic  beliefs 
about  God  and  lesus.  These  were 
seen  as  quite  clear  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. This  consensus  unraveled  in 
the  20th  century,  and  Brethren  were 
poorly  equipped  to  deal  with  the 
divergent  and  conflicting  theological 
streams  that  emerged.  This  lack 
remains  with  us. 

In  the  New  Testament,  Christians 
are  called  to  hold  to  what  has  been 
revealed  in  Jesus  Christ  and  to  dis- 
cern and  reject  what  goes  against 
him.  They  are  to  test  the  spirits  to 
see  whether  they  are  of  God  (1  Jn. 
4: 1 ).  We  in  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  need  to  return  to  this  New 
Testament  perspective.  The  church 
does  not  have  creeds  or  an  elaborate 
confession  of  faith.  But  where  it  does 
not  veer  from  its  heritage,  it  looks  to 
Jesus  as  Lord  and  to  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  the  rule  of  faith  and 
practice.  This  is  how  we  hold  to    ^j^ 
the  truth  and  reject  what  is  false. 


\jL 


Dale  Aukerman,  both  a  contender  and  a 
mediator  in  many  church  conflicts  through  the 
years,  lives  near  Union  Bridge,  Md.  All  scrip- 
ture references  are  from  the  RSV  unless 
indicated  otherwise. 


26  Messenger  July  1998 


Mm 


Pifty  years  ago  I  used  to  say 

if  there  are  telephones,  mimeograph 

machines  and  committee  meetings 

in  heaven,  I  ain  't  goin '/ 


>ource  of  identity  confusion      Wholly  impatient 


rhe  article  beginning  on  p.  6  of  the 
une  issue  of  Messenger  reports  on 
he  confusion  of  our  identity  on 
'PrimeTime."  (Good  for  the  callers- 
n  who  reminded  Diane  Sawyer's 
producers  that  it  was  not  us  who  was 
)eing  referred  to.) 

But,  we  (including  Messenger) 
;ontribute  regularly  to  this  confusion 
)f  identity.  The  reference  on  page  1  to 
he  article  on  page  14  says  that  "three 
brethren  churches  were  devastated  by 
ire."  There  is  a  denomination  known 
IS  The  Brethren  Church  .  .  .  but  that 
sn't  us!  The  sentence  should  read 
'three  Churches  of  the  Brethren  were 
ievastated  by  fire." 

If  we  can't  keep  our  identity 
itraight,  we  have  no  reason  to  expect 
hat  others  will  do  so. 

Clyde  R.  Shallenberger 
Baltimore.  Md. 


rhe  meaning  of  meetings 

Vlany  of  us  can  relate  to  your  May 
;ditorial,  "The  meaning  of  meetings." 
fo  paraphrase  Ecclesiastes  12:12: 
'Of  making  many  committee  meet- 
ngs  there  is  no  end  and  much  such 
neetings  is  a  weariness  of  the  tlesh." 
-ifty  years  ago  1  used  to  say  if  there 
ire  telephones  (always  ringing), 
mimeograph  machines  (messy),  and 
;ommittee  meetings  (long  and 
coring)  in  heaven,  I  ain't  goin'! 

Then  1  ran  across  Proverbs  15:22: 
'Without  counsel,  plans  go  wrong, 
3ut  with  many  advisers  they  suc- 
;eed."  And  what  about  |esus' 
assurance:  "Where  two  or  three  are 
gathered  in  my  name,  I  am  there 
imong  them"  (Matt.  18:20). 

For  Bible  study,  prayer,  worship, 
'ellowship?  Of  course!  For  purposeful, 
creative  committee  work?  Why  not! 

Harold  Z.  Bamberger 
Palmvra.  Pa. 


Concerning  the  article,  "Holy 
impatience"  [see  May  Messenger], 
about  William  Sloane  Coffin  who  is 
to  be  a  featured  speaker  at  the 
Orlando  Annual  Conference:  1  would 
suggest  in  all  fairness  to  the  conserv- 
ative Brethren  that  there  should  be 
another  featured  speaker  right  after 
Coffin's  speech.  1  would  suggest 
Billy  Graham.  Perhaps  at  the  altar 
call  the  leaders  and  adherents  to 
Coffin  could  go  forward  and  confess 
their  sins  and  ask  forgiveness  for 
having  had  Coffin  speak. 

Coffin  has  some  good  ideas.  You 
can  find  some  good  things  even  in  a 
garbage  dump. 

Rav  Rowe 
Rovul  Cit\.  Wash. 


What's  in  a  name? 

In  the  late  1960s  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Mission  Board  was  encour- 
aging the  Indian  Brethren  to  join  an 
ecumenical  movement  to  form  a  new 
church  of  North  India. 

The  Elgin  office,  concerned  that 
we  drop  the  vestiges  of  colonialism, 
wrote  to  me  as  medical  superinten- 
dent of  the  Brethren  Mission 
Hospital  at  Dahanu  Road,  India, 
suggesting  that  1  work  with  the  local 
church  and  the  non-Christians  to 
find  a  new  name  for  the  hospital  that 
would  not  have  connotations  of  colo- 
nialism. So  I  sought  the  opinions  of 
local  people. 

A  Zoroastrian  man  said,  "Don't 
change  the  name.  We  always  name 
our  hospitals  after  the  founding 
person  or  organization.  It  seems 
right  to  us."  Hindus  and  |ains  who 
also  were  supporters  of  the  hospital 
showed  no  interest  in  a  name 
change. 

Local  Muslims  were  more  difficult 
to  engage  in  discussion,  although 


they  utilized  the  hospital's  services. 
So  when  I  went  to  a  gathering  of 
multiple  religious  faiths  in  Allahabad, 
North  India,  I  determined  to  ask  the 
Muslim  speaker  his  opinion.  He 
responded,  "In  India  mission  hospi- 
tals have  always  given  top  quality 
care  to  all  people.  The  word  'mis- 
sion' connotes  quality.  But  if,  for 
instance,  you  were  to  use  the  word 
'royal'  in  naming  your  hospital,  we 
would  have  problems  with  that." 

Now  30  years  later  and  1 2  years 
since  the  last  funds  were  sent  by  the 
Elgin  office,  the  hospital  continues  to 
operate  in  the  city  of  Dahanu  Road 
with  the  name  Brethren  Mission 
Hospital  over  the  front  entrance 
greeting  all  who  enter. 

Fred  W.  Wampler 
Mountain  Citv.  Tenn. 


Publish  or  perish 

I  am  interested  in  the  heritage  of  our 
church  and  influences  which  continue 
through  colleges  such  as  Elizabeth- 
town  College. 

Can  we  preserve  the  heritage  and 
continue  to  preserve  the  values  into 
the  next  century?  1  recently  lound  a 
book  by  Murray  Wagner  Sr.,  pub- 
lished in  1 965,  titled  To  Heal  the 
Broken.  I  ordered  all  nine  copies  avail- 
able from  the  Brethren  Historical 


The  opinions  expressed  in  Letters  are  not  neeessiirily 
those  oftl)e  magazine.  Readers  should  receive  them  in 
the  same  spint  with  which  dijfeiing  opinions  are  expressed 
in  face-to-face  conversations. 

Letters  should  be  brief,  concise,  and  respectful  oj  the 
opinions  of  others.  Preference  is  given  to  letters  that  respond 
directly  to  items  read  in  the  magazine. 

We  are  willing  to  withhold  the  name  of  a  writer 
only  when,  in  our  editorial  judgment,  it  is  warranted. 
We  will  not  consider  any  letter  that  comes  to  us 
unsigned.  Whether  or  not  we  print  the  letter,  the 
writer's  name  is  kept  in  strictest  confidence. 

Address  letters  to  Messenger  editor,  1451  Dundee 
Ave.,  Elgin,  IL  60120. 


July  1998  Messenger  27 


Library  and  Archives  to  show  to  staff 
members  at  Brethren  Village,  where 
Murray  is  a  resident.  Then  I  saw 
another  book  with  more  of  Murray's 
sermons,  entitled  Watchers  of  the 
Springs,  a  collection  of  rural  life  ser- 
mons published  in  1950. 

Murray's  sermons  have  humor,  but 
always  made  a  valuable  point.  He  won 
first  prize  for  all  three  of  his  sermons 
included  in  the  collection,  and  was 
recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  rural 
pastors  and  preachers  in  America. 

Just  as  we  preserve  the  classics  in 
poetry  and  literature,  we  as  a  denomi- 
nation have  a  responsibility  to  preserve 
this  heritage.  1  believe  it  is  important  to 
publish  the  works  of  the  many  historic 
giants  in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
who  have  formed  the  foundation  of 
our  values,  and  to  preserve  this  her- 
itage for  the  next  century. 

Arlene  Bucher 
Lancaster.  Pa. 


In  touch  with  Butler  Chapel 

Recently  my  husband  and  I  attended 
the  Butler  Chapel  A.M.E  church  near 
Orangeburg,  S.C.  [see  "A  dream  ful- 
filled," March  Messenger].  Pat,  my 
husband,  worked  two  weeks  last  year 
helping  to  rebuild  the  church. 

We  attended  Sunday  morning  ser- 
vices, and,  much  to  our  surprise, 
there  were  two  other  Brethren  cou- 
ples there,  one  from  Mount  Pleasant, 
Canton,  Ohio,  and  the  other  from 
Pleasant  Valley,  Middlebury,  Ind. 


Pat  had  made  a  white  birch  cross 
which  he  presented  to  the  church 
that  morning.  Pastor  Patrick  Meller- 
son  said  he  would  preach  a 
"sermonette"  that  morning,  even 
though  a  Brethren  pastor  had  told 
him  that  "sermonettes  are  preached 
to  Christianettes."  After  listening  to 
this  20-minute  "sermonette,"  I  asked 
him  what  a  real  sermon  was  like! 

We  also  experienced  something 
there  that  I  suggested  could  be  inte- 
grated into  the  Brethren  worship 
service:  a  drummer!  With  a  full  set  of 
drums,  the  drummer,  who  sat  imme- 
diately behind  the  pastor,  kept  up  a 
steady  beat  (including  cymbals  at  the 
really  high  points),  emphasizing  each 
point.  Who  could  sleep  with  the 
drummer  drumming? 

We  spent  some  time  out  at  the 
burned-out  church.  The  church,  with 
the  overgrown  cemetery  and  the 
moss  hanging  from  the  trees,  surely 
was  a  quiet  and  lonely  place.  I 
brought  a  wild  cactus  back  with  me 
to  remind  me  of  all  that  I  felt  over 
that  weekend. 

Lucy  Easier 
Webster.  Wis. 


Statement  on  war 

The  1970  "Statement  of  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren  on  War"  says  the 
church  expresses  "complete  dissent" 
from  assumptions  that  the  nation 
must  be  prepared  to  go  to  war,  that 
"every  young  man  must  spend  time 


Controller/Assistant  Treasurer 

The  General  Board  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  seeks  a  person  to  develop 
and  maintain  accounting  and  financial  systems  and  procedures;  manage  day- 
to-day  financial  operations;  and  be  responsible  for  cash  management,  corporate 
financial  procedures,  non-expendable  funds,  risk  management,  and  corporate 
reports.  Assignment  will  be  at  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Offices  in 
Elgin.  Ill,  Applications  due  July  21. 

For  information  contact: 

Elsie  Holderread  at  800-742-5100 
Office  of  Human  Resources 


in  the  military,"  and  that  "an  over- 
whelming share  of  our  heavy  federal 
taxes"  must  be  devoted  to  military 
needs. 

a.  The  Preamble  to  the  US  Consti- 
tution states  that  the  "people"  desire 
provision  for  "defense."  b.  The  people 
entrust  their  elected  representatives  to 
raise  and  support  military  forces  to 
suppress  "insurrections"  and  repel 
"invasions."  c.  The  public  does  accept 
as  "norma!  and  inevitable"  prepara- 
tion for  defense  from  foreign  and 
domestic  enemies,  d.  The  public  does 
not  expect  "every  young  man  to  spend 
time  in  the  military  service."  Provi- 
sions exist  for  conscientious  objection 
and  alternate  servie.  e.  An  "over- 
whelming share  of  our  heavy  federal 
taxes"  are  not  allocated  to  the  armed 
forces.  Annually  $300  billion  are 
required  to  pay  interest  on  national 
debt,  while  the  present  allocation  for 
national  defense  is  approximately 
$250  billion  annually. 

I  recommend  that  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  which  appears  to  be  at 
odds  with  the  Constitution,  direct  its 
energies  toward  abolition  or  amend- 
ing the  US  Constitution. 

Section  III  of  the  statement  says 
that,  "We  cannot,  in  the  event  of 
war,  accept  military  service  or  sup- 
port the  military  machine  in  any 
capacity."  My  recommendation: 
Honor  those  who  have  made  the 
supreme  sacrifice  and  all  others  who 
served  to  preserve  all  freedoms, 
including  freedom  to  worship  and 
freedom  to  avoid  military  service  as  a 
conscientious  objector. 

The  statement  implies  that  military 
expenditures  are  not  "constructive 
purposes  of  government."  Therefore, 
the  church  suggests  several  tax  pay- 
ment options,  including  withholding 
the  estimated  portion  of  taxes  allo- 
cated for  war. 

I  recommend  reminding  members 
who  unilaterally  withhold  that  por- 
tion of  federal  income  tax  allocated 
for  national  defense  to  voluntarily,  in 
the  absence  of  an  audit  by  the  Inter- 
nal Revenue  Service,  pay  the  penalty 
for  their  illegal  action.  If  the  church 


28  Messenger  July  1998 


Pontius'  Puddle 


Send  payment  for  reprinting"  Pontius'  Puddle"  [rum  Messenger  to 
Joel  Kaufftnann.  Ill  Carter  Road.  Goshen,  IN  4b526.  $25  for  one 
time  use.  S 10  for  seeond  strip  in  same  issue.  $10  for  congregations. 


;hooses  to  provide  legal  services  for 
hose  who  violate  the  law,  inform 
nembers  of  this  action  in  order  to 
lUow  non-violators  the  opportunity 

0  withhold  financial  support  for 
hese  cases. 

During  my  56  years  of  experience, 
ncluding  active  military  duty  in 
A'orld  War  II  and  the  Korean  war, 
ictive  reserve  military  duty,  and  in  my 
;ontact  with  many  veterans,  never  has 

1  soldier  or  a  veteran  expressed  to  me 
I  desire  to  fight  in  a  war. 

I  believe  those  who  drafted  and 
ipproved  the  1970  statement  acted  in 
;ood  faith.  However,  as  one  who 
)bserves  considerable  departure  of  the 
itatement  from  the  US  Constitution,  it 
s  difficult  to  defend  the  US  from  all 
:nemies,  foreign  and  domestic,  and 
;oncurrently  subscribe  to  the  state- 
nent.  The  "Just  War"  concept, 
ieveloped  by  Augustine  and  later 
efined  by  Thomas  Aquinas,  which 
lolds  that  war  is  morally  permissible 
mder  certain  conditions,  is  not  con- 
idered  in  the  statement.  As  a  result, 
nembers  of  the  Church  of  the 
brethren  face  difficult  choices  of 
vhether  to  accept  the  statement  with- 
)ut  reservation,  to  selectively  accept 
ind  reject  portions  of  the  statement, 
o  ignore  it,  or  to  avoid  hypocrisy  by 
issociating  with  a  fellowship  which 
loes  not  force  choosing  between  it 
ind  the  Constitution. 


CHECK  OUT  ARIZONA! 


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Mesa,  AZ  85207  (602)357-9811 

Sunday  Services  10:15  AM 

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Phoenix,  AZ  85016        (602)955-8537 
Sunday  Services  10:45  AM 

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Sundav  Services  10:30  AM 


MO  ftMlWKUS  VJERC  Wottr  ktA  Trt\s 

OF  WOHVtK.  TR(kSV\  k  GOUPl-E   OC  ETUWvt 

«rUfr\0OS  SKNSvTMLVTvES    OP 
OUR  v/ltVilN&  ^UOvt^iCE. 


* 


Congregations  are  encouraged  to 
examine  the  statement  and  support 
resolution  of  the  differences  between 
the  position  ot  the  church  on  war, 
and  the  role  of  citizens  established  by 
the  Constitution.  May  the  Lord  be 
with  those  who  are  involved  in  this 
spiritual  and  moral  struggle. 

Robert  H.  Saylor.  D.Ed. 

Professor  Emeritus 

Indiana  University  of  Pennsylvania 

Windber.  Pa. 


Thoughts  on  homosexuality 

In  this  letter  I  refer  to  that  of  the 
Berkey  (Pa.)  church  deacons'  letter 
in  the  April  Messenger. 

Perhaps  the  responding  letters  came 
from  persons  who  know  the  deacons 
personally.  If  so,  they  may  know 
something  that  the  letter  does  not 
reveal.  But  the  letter  itself  tells  ine  that 
the  deacons  wrote  with  tears — with 
sorrow,  not  hatred — including  confes- 
sion of  their  own  sins. 

All  indications  suggest  that  the 
critics  see  the  deacons  as  hateful 
because  the  deacons  follow  |esus' 
pattern  of  loving  concern  for  all  of  us 
sinners,  while  bluntly  identifying 


their/our  sins.  No,  of  course  we  do 
not  have  a  record  of  lesus'  position 
on  homosexuality,  but  we  do  have  his 
ringing  endorsement  of  the  Genesis 
proposition  as  to  God"s  creation  plan 
for  human  families.  And  his  readi- 
ness to  name  sins  of  his  fellow  jews, 
when  they  violated  Torah.  "Go,  sin 
no  more!" 

Sadly,  when  scriptures  do  not  sup- 
port our  preferred  ethical  decisions 
and  conduct,  we  wiggle  and  squirm 
until  we  can  wriggle  out  of  the 
dilemma,  or  else  conclude  that  scrip- 
tures are  not  uniformly  binding  on  our 
"advanced"  stage  of  ethical  insight! 

Finally,  I  affirm — what  we  cannot 
objectively  accuse  the  deacons  of 
failing  to  notice — that  homosexuals 
suffer  agonizing  personal  contlicts 
and  pain.  And  that,  perhaps,  it  could 
just  as  well  have  been  me.  But  1  am 
told  that  Christian  ethics  offers  rig- 
orous discipline  of  bodily  appetites 
as  a  path  to  righteousness  and  spiri- 
tual health.  And,  last  of  all,  hard  as  it 
is  for  me  to  understand  and  believe, 
believers  daily  do  get  healings  for 
which  science  has  no  explanation. 

/.  Roy  Valencourt 
Goshen.  Ind. 


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July  1998  Messenger  29 


Classified  Ads 


DIABETICS  SERVICE 

Diabetics  with  Medicare  or  insurance.  Save  money  on  dia- 
betic supplies.  For  more  information  call  (800)  3374144. 

HELP  WANTED 

Brethren  Professor  of  Theology  and  Single  Parent 

needs  help  caring  for  four  children.  I  am  looking  for  a 
member  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  or  related 
Anabaptist  tradition  (River,  Grace,  or  Mennonite),  who 
is  willing  to  become  part  of  a  Christian  household  and 
assist  me  with  Jacob  (9),  Angelle  (11),  Isaiah  (14),  and 
Kathryn  (15).  My  work  as  a  professor  at  The  Divinity 
School  requires  research,  writing,  and  teaching:  day- 
time library  hours  during  the  summer,  evenings  during 
the  school  year  The  specific  assistance  needed  includes 
supervision  of  children  after  school,  transponation  to 
athletic  activities  (soccer  Dad!),  homework  help,  and 
evening  meals.  I  am  willing  to  provide  living  quarters, 
board,  expenses,  honorarium.  Prefer  female  who  is  25 
years  or  older,  practicing  Christian  with  Anabaptist 
values,  drivers  license,  with  love  for  well  behaved,  cre- 
ative, highly  verbal  children.  Please  contact:  Or  Gilbert 
I.  Bond,  Yale  Divinity  School.  409  Prospect  Street,  New- 
Haven,  CT  06511.  (203)432-3240,  or  e-mail: 
gilbert. bondC&yale.edu 

INVITATIONS 

Cincinnati  Church  of  the  Brethren  fellowship 

meets  for  workshop  &  support  in  n.e.  area  of  Cincin- 
nati. We  welcome  others  to  join  us  or  bring  needs  to 
our  attention.  Contact  us  c/o  Cincinnati  Friends  Meet- 
ing House,  8075  Keller  Rd.,  Indian  Hill,  OH  45243.  Tel. 
(513) 956-7733. 

Come  worship  in  the  Valley  of  the  Sun  with  Com- 
munity Church  of  the  Brethren  at  111  N.  Sunvalley 
Blvd.,  Mesa,  AZ  86207.  Mail  to:  8343  E.  Emelita  Ave., 
Mesa,  AZ  85208.  Tel.  (602)  357-9811, 

Concord  Church  of  the  Brethren  Fellowship  is  the 

only  Brethren  outpost  in  the  Charlotte,  N.C. 
metropolitan  area.  We  provide  a  full  program  of  Chris- 
tian Education,  Worship  and  Spiritual  Growth 
opportunities.  Come  and  join  us!  For  more  informa- 
tion contact  us  by  writing:  Concord  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Fellowship,  929-F  Clear  Springs  Shopping 
Center,  Concord,  NC  28027,  telephone  (704)782-3641 
or  e-mail  <marklara(5'gocarolinas.com> 

TRAVEL 

Oberammergau  Passion  Play  year  2000.  Bohrer 
tours  will  be  leading  three  tours  to  Europe  and  the  pas- 
sion play  during  the  year  2000.  (May,  July  and 
September)  Prices  will  begin  at  $2099.00.  For  infor- 
mation write:  Wendell  and  Joan  Bohrer,  5067  Royal 
Meadow  Drive,  Indianapolis,  IN  46217  (317)882-5067) 
Bradley  and  Bonnie  Bohrer,  283  Parkway  Drive,  Berea, 
OH  44017  or  Matthew  and  Noelle  Bohrer,  1860  Joseph 
Court,  Elgin,  IL  (847)697-2746. 

Travel  with  a  purpose.  You  are  invited  to  travel  with 
Wendell  and  Joan  Bohrer  on  a  Tour  of  Spain,  Portugal 
and  Morocco,  August  5-18, 1999,  from  Chicago.  Visit 
Lisbon,  Elvas,  Seville,  Granada,  Madrid  and  a  full  day 


of  touring  Tangier,  Morocco.  Breakfast  and  Dinner  daily 
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Limited  Space  Available. 

POSITIONS  AVAILABLE 

Director  of  Major  Gifts.  Juniata  College,  an  inde- 
pendent, highly  selective  college  of  the  liberal  arts  and 
sciences,  seeks  a  senior  development  officer  to  serve 
as  the  Director  of  Major  Gifts.  The  College  is  located 
in  the  rolling  hills  of  central  Pennsylvania  near  the 
largest  interior  lake  in  the  northeast,  the  beautiful  Juni- 
ata River,  and  abundant  woodlands.  Juniata's 
international  emphasis  and  its  emphasis  upon  com- 
munity among  other  values,  have  been  influenced  by 
its  relationship  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  one 
of  the  historic  peace  churches.  The  Director  of  Major 
Gifts  at  Juniata  College  carries  responsibility  for  obtain- 
ing gifts  for  current  operations,  capital  projects,  and 
endowment  funds.  The  Director  of  Major  Gifts  relates 
to  a  select  group  of  donor  prospects  that  have  the 
potential  to  give  five  and  sb:  figure  gifts.  Relationship 
building  with  prospects  and  donors  will  require  sig- 
nificant travel.  Involvement  with  Juniata's  alumni  will 
be  extensive.  The  Director  of  Major  Gifts  reports  to  the 
Associate  Vice  President  for  Development  of  Gift  Plan- 
ning and  serves  as  a  key  member  of  the  development 
and  gift  planning  team.  Management  by  objective  in 
fulfillment  of  the  College  mission  organizes  the  indi- 
vidual and  collaborative  efforts  of  the  team  and  the 


College  advancement  and  marketing  group.  Key  respon- 
sibilities for  the  Director  of  Major  Gifts  include:  Planning' 
and  implementing  strategies  for  the  identification  and 
cultivation  of  potential  donors;  effective  and  timely 
solicitation  for  gifts;  expressing  thanks  and  practicing 
good  stewardship  of  contributed  resources;  develop- 
ing campaign  events  and  meetings;  assisting  with  alumni 
events  and  service  opportunities;  preparing  briefing 
materials  on  major  donor  prospects  as  required;  accom- 
panying the  president,  board  members,  faculty  and 
volunteers  on  calls;  fulfilling  annual  goals  and  objec- 
tives for  contacts,  proposals  developed,  gifts  received, 
and  new  prospects  identified.  Candidates  should  have^ 
the  following  qualifications:  Demonstrated  philan- 
thropic success;  minimum  of  5  years  experience; 
outstanding  interpersonal,  organizational,  written  and 
verbal  skills;  experience  working  with  volunteers;  a 
minimum  of  a  four-year  baccalaureate  degree;  advanced 
degree  desirable;  computer  literacy  and  desire  to 
develop  additional  knowledge;  abilit\'  to  establish  objec- 
tives and  set  performance  standards.  The  successful 
candidate  w411  identify  with  Juniata's  mission,  be  highly 
motivated  to  succeed  both  quantitatively  and  qualita- 
tively, and  show  evidence  of  being  able  to  relate  to  a 
wide  variety  of  persons  with  integrity  and  confiden- 
tiality Send  a  letter  of  application,  resume,  and  the 
names  of  three  references  to  Gail  Leiby  Ulrich,  Direc- 
tor of  Human  Resources,  Juniata  College,  Huntingdon, 
PA  16652.  Applications  accepted  until  the  position  is 
filled.  AA/EOE 


Bible  Commentary  Series 


"This  readable  commentai7  series  is  for  all 
who  seek  more  fully  to  understand  the  original 
message  of  Scripture  and  its  meaning  for  today."' 
—From  the  Series  Foreword 

Hosea,  Amos 

Allen  R.  Guenther  uncovers  unicjue  features  of 
the  proplieeies  of  Hosea  and  Amos.  He  brings 
an  evangelical  Believer's  Church  perspective  to 
the  study  of  these  two  eighth  centuiy  prophets. 


Paper,  434  pages.  $19.99:  in  Canada  $28.50. 


2  Corinthians 

\'.  George  Shillington  \lews  this  letter  as  Paul's 
personal  testimony  of  his  ministry  of  reconcili- 
ation among  Corinthian  Christians  and  his 
ministry  in  defending  the  truth  of  the  gospel. 

Paper.  336  pages,  $19.99;  in  Canada  $28.50. 


Available  from  Brethren  Press. 
Orders:  1  800  441-3712 


30  Messenger  July  1998 


New  members 

Antelope  Valley,  Billings,  Okla.:  Tori 
Reaves,  Hayley  DeVilbiss 

Black  Rock.  Glenville,  Pa.:  Amanda 
Brant,  Amy  Brant,  loshua  Brant,  R. 
Kyle  Fake,  Kayla  Fake.  Amber 
Hanson,  Kyle  Hubbell.  Kevin 
Hubbell.  Katie  Renfro 

Blue  Ridge.  Va.:  Ann  and  George  Ferrell 

Chiques.  Manheim,  Pa.:  Esther  Donley, 
Brian  Miller,  Marlin  Shellenberger 

Dixon,  III.:  Christine  D.  Mekeel.  jason  M. 
Mekeel.  Mary  E.  jacobson,  Olivia  R, 
Harms.  Kelsey  E.  Reed,  Sarah  A.  Fis- 
cher, Megan  M.  Whitson.  Melissa  A. 
Fordham.  Falon  Nicole  Larson,  lustin 
A.  Shaffer.  Diana  L.  Manderscheid 

Dupont.  Ohio:  Scott  Mcintosh.  Eric 
Homier.  Sara  Mcintosh.  Lisa  Taylor, 
Heidi  Dix,  Heather  Dix,  Kira 
Rankin,  Kristen  Rankin.  Tayla  Dix. 
Crystal  Taylor,  Lynn  Ellerbrock, 
lohn  Dix 

Dundalk.  Baltimore.  Md.:  lody  Elling- 
son  Gunn.  Allison  Barr.  Jennifer 
Frank.  Sheila  Scarboro 

Good  Shepherd.  Springfield,  Mo.: 
Calvin  Hlavaty.  Bryan  Lucore. 
Danielle  Lucore 

Highland  Ave.,  Elgin,  111.:  |eff  Abbott.  Steve 
and  Bonnie  Graham,  Scott  lohans,  Pam 
Keller,  Bettina  Perillo,  Matthew  Rucker, 
Gerald  and  Shirley  Witt 

Hooversville,  Pa.:  Douglas  Diamond 

Lebanon.  Pa.:  Alicia  Breidenstine.  Harry 
Carpenter.  B.  Alan  Dissinger,  Ir.,  Patri- 
cia Fulk.  Jonathan  Hurst,  Kristin 
Kettering,  Amy  O'Byle,  Staci  O'Byle, 
lulie  Price.  Keith  Price.  Katie  Smith, 
Amanda  Soliday,  Rebecca  Stuckey. 
Alex  Wolfe.  Vicki  Wolfe 

Lewiston.  Minn.:  Timothy  Radatz 

Lititz.  Pa.:  loseph  Bingeman.  Alysa 
Diller.  Megan  Fleming,  Matthew 
Getz.  Michael  Getz,  Benjamin  Hess, 
David  Hess.  Matthew  Hess.  Martha 
Hess.  Howard  Mowrer,  Hyla 
Mowrer.  Brittany  Ober,  Katie  Stauf- 
fer,  Ashley  Tennis.  Georganne  Way. 
Karin  Charles.  Larry  Earhart,  Ruth 
Earhart.  Coanne  Luckenbill.  Duane 
Luckenbill,  Christopher  Moseman, 
nil  Moseman,  Bruce  Ulrich,  Floy 
Ulrich,  lames  Charles 

Manchester,  N.  Manchester,  Ind.:  Ken 
and  Christen  Miller-Rieman.  Gene 
and  Beth  Stone,  lohn  and  Naomi 
Mishler,  Dan  and  Mary  Riccius. 
Olden  and  Myrtle  Mitchell,  Clara 
Zimmerman,  1.  Edward  and  Mildred 
Gilbert.  Ron  and  Bev  Petry.  Lowell 
and  Martha  Yohe 

Maitland.  Lewistown.  Pa.:  Pam 
McCarter.  Guy  Moscato 

Maple  Grove,  Ashland.  Ohio:  Judy 
Cook,  Adeline  Godby,  Gail  Streit, 
lason  Keener,  Sharon  Keillor 

Maple  Grove.  New  Paris.  Ind.:  Ron 
Cripe.  Darin  Bernaert 


Mechanicsburg.  Pa.:  Mable  Smith, 
Linda  Wevodau,  Sharon  Clark,  Terri 
Martin.  Heather  Martin,  loseph 
McCorkel.  Shane  McCorkel. 
Amanda  Crouse.  Shane  Kumler. 
Colin  Scott 

Middle  Creek.  Lititz,  Pa.:  Lindsey 
Hosier,  leremy  Kline 

Modesto,  Calif.:  loe  Duncanson,  Casey 
Duncanson 

Mohler.  Ephrata.  Pa.:  Kevin  and  Tara 
Deiter,  Andrew  Miller,  1.  D.  Kreamer. 
Spencer  and  Augusta  Nissly 

Monroeville.  Pa.:  lennifer  loy  Hernley 

Monte  Vista,  Callaway,  Va.:  Kristen 
Furrow,  Shannon  Clingenpeel.  Alan 
and  lulie  Scott,  Michael  Furber, 
Kevin  Furber,  Andrew  Furber 

Nappanee,  Ind.:  Becky  Hufford.  Brenda 
Herr,  ferry  and  Connie  Sauhart 

Peters  Creek.  Roanoke,  Va.:  Elizabeth 
Bolt.  Rita  Craft,  lames  Garst.  Kevin 
Otey.  Todd  Plunkett.  Steve  Poff, 
Pam  Poff,  lason  Stevens,  Chris 
Stevens,  Rick  Tuggle,  lanet  Tuggle, 
Amy  Williams,  Darrell  Woolridge. 
Sharon  Woolridge,  Barbara  Wright 

Pine  Creek,  N.  Liberty.  Ind.:  Ryan 
Flickinger,  Diana  Godfrey,  Mildred 
Hunter.  Barbara  Pearson,  Rebekah 
Replogle.  Becky  Trusty,  Marcus 
Trusty,  Richard  Trusty,  Ashley  Wolff, 
Vickie  Wolff 

Prairie  City,  Iowa:  Sarah  Elrod,  Tawnya 
Hopkins,  Betsy  Kane.  Cindy  Kane 

Quakertown.  Pa.:  Michelle  Balkit.  Brandon 
Crouthamel.  Rosemary  and  Christopher 
Vanelli.  Steve  and  Cindy  Hunter 

Ridge,  Shippensburg,  Pa.:  Faye 

Koontz,  Amy  Byers,  Scott  Lamason, 
Santell  Miller 

Sangerville,  Va.:  Adam  Shank.  Nathan 
Shank.  Bethany  Shank 

Si.  Petersburg,  Fla;  lean  Figueroa.  Axel 
Figueroa.  .Anna  Belle  Sipe 

Union  Bridge.  Md.:  Ion  Lamb,  Susan 
Lamb,  Gene  Straub.  Dennis  Hof- 
facker.  Sue  Hoffacker,  Robin 
DiMartino,  Martha  Pennington. 
Dawn  Fritz,  Sara  Yingling,  Bryan 
Amsel.  Caroline  Amsel 

Walker's  Chapel,  Mt.  fackson,  Va,: 
Amelia  Allen,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ernest 
Coffman.  Tiffany  Mobley.  Diane 
Ludwig.  Edward  Ludwig  Ir.,  lamie 
Pennington,  lohanna  Pennington, 
lacob  Grogg.  Vivian  Ryan 

Waynesboro.  Pa.:  Carolyn  Misner 

West  Eel  River,  Silver  Lake,  Ind,: 
Thomas  Meredith,  Valerie  Meredith. 
Richie  Reynolds 

Wilmington.  Del.:  Kevin  Anderson, 
Karen  Anderson,  Bob  Hoy,  Alice  Hoy 

Woodbury,  Pa.:  Beth  Gearhart,  Scott 
and  Sue  Black,  Luther  and  Dorothy 
Steele,  Ryan  Claire,  Kenneth  Wyant, 
Christine  Bowser 

Yellow  Creek.  Goshen.  Ind.:  Phil  Sechrist. 
Ashley  Schrock.  Sonia  Luevano 

Wedding 
Anniversaries 

Abshire,  Randy  and  Helen.  Roanoke, 

Va..  60 
Bollinger.  Abram  and  Ruth.  Lititz.  Pa,.  55 
Brubaker,  Leo  and  Norma.  Prairie 

City.  Iowa,  60 
Clapper,  Marion  R.  and  Kathryn  ].. 

Hollidaysburg,  Pa..  55 
George.  David  and  Betty.  Quakertown. 


Pa..  50 
Helser.  Raymond  and  Everil.  Nappanee. 

Ind.,  70 
Moherman.  Will  and  Virginia,  Ashland, 

Ohio,  50 
Rothrock,  Dayton  and  Rebecca  Spear, 

McPherson,  Kan..  50 
Shaub.  Howard  G.  and  Frances. 

Hollidaysburg.  Pa.,  50 
Tucker,  lames  and  Rachel,  Nova.  Ohio.  50 
Utz.  Harley  and  Sylvia,  Pittsburg, 

Ohio,  80 
Walters,  William  and  Dorothy,  Sebring. 

Fla..  50 
Watring.  Glenn  and  Billie.  Ashland. 

Ohio,  60 

Ministry  Summer  Service 
Placements: 

Berkey.  Holly  |o.  to  Palmyra,  Pa. 
Brockway,  loshua,  to  Crest  Manor,  Ind. 
Carter.  Keith,  to  Briery  Branch. 

Dayton.  Va. 
Eshleman,  lohn,  to  Palmyra.  Pa. 
Gordon.  Mary,  to  Eillisforde/ 

Whitestone,  Va. 
Haas,  Amy,  to  Nampa.  Idaho 
Hade.  Rebecca,  to  Linville  Creek,  Va. 
Helsel.  Rebekkah,  to  Oakton,  Va. 
Hood,  lessica,  to  Germantown,  Pa. 
Rivera.  .%ige!  Gullon.  to  Moorefield,  W  Va 

Licensed 

Doudt.  David  W..  May  2.  S.  Whitley, 

South/Central  Ind. 
Hosteller.  Elvin  D.,  March  4,  Buffalo 

Valley.  Southern  Pa. 
lohnson.  Randy,  May  2,  Big  Sky, 

Northern  Plains 
Lawver,  Charles  Franklin,  March  4, 

Buffalo  Valley.  Southern  Pa. 
Murphy.  Granville.  May  2,  New  Hope, 

South/Central  Ind. 

Ordained 

Douglas.  Scott,  April  18,  Highland  Ave., 
Elgin.  111. 

Pastoral 
Placements 

Black.  Rachel,  from  Hagerslown.  Md. 

to  Beaver  Creek,  Hagerstown,  Md. 
Burk.  Kelly,  seminary  student,  to 

Richmond,  Ind.  (part-time) 
Cooper.  Leslie,  from  Waterford,  Calif., 

to  Pipe  Creek,  Peru,  Ind. 
Knapp.  Mark,  from  other  denomination  to 

Arcadia,  Ind. 
Miller-Rieman,  Christen,  from  seminary 

to  .Manchester,  N.  Manchester.  Ind. 

Deaths 

Albright.  Harold,  74,  Roaring  Spring,  Pa. 
Barclay,  Violet,  89,  Rockwood.  Pa.. 

April  30 
Barr.  Aileen.  F.,  83,  Ashland,  Ohio, 

March  29 
Benson,  Robert,  58,  La  Verne,  Calif.. 

Dec.  28 
Blevins.  Otis  U.,  83,  Taylors  Valley. 

Va.,  May  3 
Brumbaugh,  Grayce,  87.  La  Verne, 

Calif..  March  16 
Carver,  George,  62,  Falls  Church.  Va., 

April  30 
Case,  Aimeta  Ramsey,  66.  Wichita, 

Kan.,  March  21 
Casteel.  Naomi,  85,  New  Oxford,  Pa., 

April  16 


Coleman,  Richard  F..  81,  Roanoke.  Va., 

April  15 
Cox,  Rev.  Alvin  S..  83,  McClure,  Pa., 

March  30 
Crumpacker,  Morris,  79,  Roanoke, 

Va.,  April  1 
Driver,  Rev.  F.  Wise,  97,  Bridgewater, 

Va..  Feb.  26 
Fay.  Iva  M..  83,  Waterloo,  Iowa,  May  3 
Flora,  Margaret.  85.  Roanoke.  Va.. 

May  4 
Fox,  Delbert  L.,  85,  Goshen,  Ind.,  April  2 
Frantz,  Delmond.  92.  Hastings,  Mich.. 

Ian.  17 
Garber,  Dennis,  Austria,  Feb,  5 
Grady,  Marvin  E.,  84,  Waterloo.  Iowa. 

April  28 
Graybill.  Mazie.  Stevens.  Pa.,  March  25 
Guyer,  Velma.  95.  Woodbury.  Pa.,  Ian.  16 
Harley.  Elsie  H..  88.  Sebring,  Fla.. 

May  3 
Heinbaugh.  Ray,  102,  Somerset,  Pa., 

May  14 
Hess,  Laura.  90.  Neffsville,  Pa..  Oct.  17 
Hildreth,  Carl,  80.  San  Diego,  Calif.. 

March  22 
Hoffman.  Franklin  D.  Ir.:  58.  Ashland. 

Ohio,  March  28 
Horst,  Harvey.  67.  Ephrata,  Pa.,  April  13 
Hunter,  Charles  Ray,  74,  Muncie,  Ind., 

May  I  3 
Iglima,  Alice,  76,  Baltimore,  Md..  Ian.  7 
Keiper,  Alma  N.,  101.  Martinsburg, 

Pa,,  March  23 
Keiper.  Pauline  M..  88.  Martinsburg, 

•  Pa..  March  19 
Kirchner.  Carol  Ann.  54,  Cass  Lake. 

Minn..  May  14 
Kulp.  Robert.  50,  Ephrata,  Pa.,  March  8 
Lutes.  Clifford.  75.  Nappanee,  Ind., 

March  10 
Mahoney.  Daniel,  87.  La  Verne,  Calif.. 

Ian.  8 
Marlin.  Gladys  S.,  86.  Sebring.  Fla.. 

April  30 
Marlin.  Lora  R..  89.  Thurmont.  Md.. 

May  19 
Matheny.  Russell  B..  74.  Dalton.  Ohio. 

April  10 
Nelson.  Esther.  N.  Manchester.  Ind.. 

May  5 
Orange.  Hubert.  94.  Troutville,  Va., 

April  4 
Rife,  Paul.  81,  N.  Manchester,  Ind., 

March  17 
Rogers.  Gertrude,  92,  Roanoke.  Va.. 

April  6 
Sanner.  lohn,  87,  Rockwood,  Pa..  May  8 
Shaffer,  Ruth,  84,  Nappanee,  Ind.. 

March  10 
Shaffer.  Toylie.  100.  Hooversville,  Pa., 

March  29 
Stiles,  lohn  W.  63.  Hershey,  Pa..  March  22 
Sludebaker.  Marie.  101,  Tipp  City, 

Ohio.  March  29 
Swigarl.  George,  77,  McClure,  Pa., 

March  12 
Trible.  Charles,  72.  Akron.  Ohio.  April  I  7 
Warden.  Doris  M..  51.  Laurel 

Bloomery,  Tenn.,  May  5 
Warner,  Alice  M.,  94,  Thurmont,  Md., 

April  22 
Way,  Alice  L.  66,  Ashland,  Ohio.  Ian.  25 
Weimer.  Paul  E..  86,  New  Madison, 

Ohio,  April  29 
Whilacre,  Alan  L.,  65,  Lancaster,  Pa.. 

Ian.  24 
Wines.  Peggy,  57,  Roanoke,  Va..  Feb.  4 

Zink,  Hazel,  66,  Champaign,  111.,  May  7 


July  1998  Messenger  31 


I 


di 


Freedom  to  be  dangerous 


Ponder  the  story  of  lesus  again."  This  is  the  theologian 
Walter  Brueggemann  speaking.   "We  forget  how  odd 
the  story  of  Jesus  is.  Jesus  subverted  everything  that  had 
been  trusted.  It  is  the  small  body  of  the  subverters  who 
are  the  hope  of  the  world." 

With  this  introduction,  the  50  of  us  in  the  weekend 
seminar  in  Washington,  D.  C,  began  a  wild  ride  through 
Acts  and  Luke,  then  to  Genesis,  then  the  Psalms,  Isaiah, 
back  to  Mark.  "A  lot  of  people  think  the  Bible  is  about 
sex,"  says  Brueggemann,  who  is  Old  Testament  professor 
at  Columbia  Theological  Seminary,  Atlanta,  Ga.  "It's  not 
about  sex.  It's  about  economics." 

Upside-down  economics.  Subverting  the  established 
order.  The  Jews  celebrated  the  Sabbath  as 
a  way  to  distinguish  themselves  from  the 
Babylonians.  They  would  not  submit  to 
the  demands  of  the  managers  on  that  day. 
As  God  had  rested,  they  would  rest,  in  the 
belief  that  "We  are  not  the  maker  but  the 
made  ones."  Likewise,  we  are  always 
having  to  decide  how  much  to  submit  to 
the  demands  of  the  managers  of  our  own 
economy,  those  who  believe  resources  are 
scarce.  We  must  strive  because  there  is 
not  enough  to  go  around. 

Though  the  Jews  were  captive  they  were 
free.  They  remembered  that  God  had 
freed  them  from  the  Egyptians  and  pro- 
vided the  gift  of  manna,  the  central 
symbol  of  abundance  in  the  Bible.  God 
would  provide  freedom  and  abundance 
again.  They  were  free  from  the  grip  of 
scarcity  and  emboldened  by  the  belief  that  God  would 
provide.  There  is  enough  for  everybody.  God  defeated 
the  powers  of  Babylon  and  told  his  people  to  go  out  in 

joy- 
In  the  same  way  God  will  defeat  the  forces  that  have 
power  over  us.  First  we  have  to  trust  that  God  will  pro- 
vide for  our  needs.  There  will  be  enough.  Brueggemann: 
"The  central  task  of  our  lives  is  to  accept  God's  freedom 
and  depart  from  Babylon." 

It  was  this  same  spirit  of  freedom  and  newness  that 
whooshed  into  the  church  at  Pentecost.  The  spirit  took 
over  the  lives  of  this  small  band  and  set  them  loose  in  the 
Roman  Empire  to  turn  the  world  upside  down.  They  no 
longer  recognized  the  power  of  the  established  economic 
and  political  system,  but  found  their  security  in  the  spirit 
It  caused  them  to  do  what  they  had  never  intended  to  do. 


"In  the 
shadow  of  a 

generous  God, 
we  will  learn 

ourselves  to  he 
generous. " 


Like  heal  people  and  drive  out  demons. 

They  were  to  heal  without  money.  In  Luke  9,  when 
Jesus  sent  the  disciples  out  with  the  power  to  heal  he  told 
them  to  "take  nothing  for  your  journey."  It  was  because 
they  took  nothing,  and  were  dependent  on  only  God  for 
security,  that  they  were  able  to  heal.  In  Acts  3  Peter  told 
the  lame  man  he  had  no  silver  or  gold.  It  was  not  in  spite 
of  but  because  of  Peter's  penniless  condition  that  he  was 
able  to  heal  the  man  and  send  him  off  "walking  and  leap- 
ing and  praising  God." 

Jesus  was  full  of  the  spirit  of  God's  newness  when  the 
devil  tried  for  40  days  in  the  wilderness  to  talk  him  out  ol 
it.   Instead  of  succumbing  to  the  voice  of  the  established 
order,  he  went  out  and  read  from  Isaiah 
6 1 .  His  inaugural  announcement  was  that 
God  had  anointed  him  to  turn  the  world 
upside  down.  He  would  proclaim  the 
jubilee  year,  when  the  rich  give  back  to 
the  poor. 

Luke  begins  with  songs  on  this  theme. 
The  song  of  Mary,  the  song  of  Zechariah, 
the  song  of  Simeon.  These  are  songs  of 
treason  against  the  political-social-eco- 
nomic order  of  the  day.  "He  has  brought 
down  the  powerful  from  their  thrones, 
and  lifted  up  the  lowly"  (Luke  1 :52). 
These  are  dangerous  songs,  says  Bruegge- 
mann: "Newness  happens  in  the  world 
when  long-silenced  people  get  voice 
enough  to  sing  dangerous  songs." 

Dangerous  is  not  a  word  often  applied 
to  Christians  these  days.  Is  it  because  we 
are  too  tied  to  the  established  political  and  economic 
order?  Is  the  church  so  much  geared  to  control  and 
security  that  the  spirit  of  Pentecost  doesn't  have  a  chance 
with  it?  Are  we  afraid  we  might  lose  our  jobs?  Is  it 
because  we  don't  trust  God  to  provide  abundance? 

If  it's  money  we  want,  and  the  power  that  comes  from 
money,  there  will  never  be  enough.  All  the  hard  work  and 
striving  produces  anxiety  and  results  in  brutality.  But  if 
we  accept  God's  generosity,  we  are  promised  (Matt.  6) 
an  endless  supply  of  food,  water,  health,  and  friends.  We 
will  be  so  rich  that  we  need  not  be  greedy.  We  are  given 
new  openness  to  our  neighbor.  "In  the  shadow  of  a  gen- 
erous God,"  says  Brueggemann,  "we  will  learn  ourselves 
to  be  generous." 

The  invitation  is  always  open  for  us  to  depart  from 
Babylon. 


32  Messenger  July  1998 


ne  Bretnren  Homes  oi  tne  Atlantic  Nortneast  District. 
Freedom  To  Live  Your  Lire  On  Your  Terms. 


i^ 


Your   liie,  your  dreams,  your 
hopes,  your  home.  These  are  hre  s 
important  things.  The  retu-ement 
communities  or  the  Brethren 
Homes  offer  a  full  range  of  living 
accommodations  to  suit  your  lifestyle 
and  your  needs.  All  are  located  m 
the  beautiful  southeastern  region 
of  Pennsylvania,  with  easy  access 
to  major  metropolitan  areas, 
vacation  sights,  shopping  centers 
and  tourist  attractions. 
MEMBERS  OF: 

•  Pennsylvania  Association  or  Non-Prorit 
Homes  for  tlie  Aging  (PANPHA) 

•  American  Association  or  Homes  and 
Services  for  tke  Aging  (AAHSA) 


% 


Vtv/^///y  of  L^vntuitnit'tit 
301)1    Lititz  Pike 

P.O.  Bc.v  5093 

Lancaster,  PA  17606 


Lebanon  Valley 
Brethren  Home 

1.200  GruLli  Street     J_i_ 
Palmyra,  PA  1  7078 

(717)  838-5406 


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Peter 

Becker 

Community 


800  Maple  Avenue 
Harleysville,  PA  19438 

(215)  256-9501 


McPlieirsot 


^!B»' 


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Founded  in  1887  by  the  Church  of  the  Brethre 

For  information  about  enrolling  at  McPherson, 
or  about  teaching  opportunities  available  at  thi 
college,  please  call  or  write  to  us: 

1600  East  Euclid 
P.O.  Box  1402 
McPherson,  KS 
67460-1402 

1-800-365-7402 
1-316-241-0731 


www.mcpherson.edu 


1999  Annual  Conference 
Moderator  and  Professor 
of  Business/Economics  at 
McPherson  College,  Lowell 
Flor\'  is  a  representative  of 
lay  leadership  within  the 
Church  at  its  best.  Whether 
guiding  students  in  a  classroom 
setting  or  sharing  leadership  around  a 
governing  board  table,  Professor  Flory 
is  known  for  his  abilit}'  to  frame  tough 
questions  in  such  a  way  as  to  invite 
others  into  a  search  for  the  best 
possible  solution. 

McPherson  College  —  its  alumni, 
trustees,  faculty,  staff,  and  smdents  — 
is  enthusiastic  and  supportive  of 
Moderator    Lowell  Flory 's  leadership 
within  the  life  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  We  like  the  way  he  exemplifies 
the  mission  of  McPherson  College! 


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Church  of  the  Brethren  August  1998     www.brethren.org 


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Collaboration  IN  Orlando 


Celebrating  50  years  of  Brethren  Volunteer  Service 

The  Good  News,  the  story  of  Jesus,  is  to  be  proclaimed 
and  celebrated.  In  words,  yes,  but  also  in  the  wordless 
words  of  love:  feeding  the  hungry,  housing  the  homeless, 
healing  the  sick,  consoling  the  lonely,  bringing  together 
the  estranged,  working  for  peace  and  justice. 

To  tell  the  story  by  living  the  story:  that's  what  50 
years  of  Brethren  Volunteer  Service  and  5,376  volunteers 
and  420  projects  in  40  countries  are  all  about.  God's  call 
to  reconciliation  is  a  ministry  that  never  ends.    \^ 

In  your  support  of  Brethren  Volunteer  /'''"^"^ 

Service,  you  help  make  Jesus'  love  visible. 


Telling  the  story.  Living  the  story. 


to 

years 

*^  948-1 998 


www.brethren.org 


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On  the  cover:  Ruth  Halde- 
man.  left,  of 
Greencastle,  Pa.,  and 
Ruth  Bushong,  of  Columbia,  Pa., 
work  on  the  Annual  Conference 
quilt  sponsored  by  the  Association 
for  the  Arts  in  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  Bushong,  a  member  of 
the  Mountville  (Pa.)  congregation 
said  she  has  been  quilting  "all  my 
years"  and  works  on  the  quilt  at 
Annual  Conference  every  year. 
Haldeman,  a  member  of  the 
Shanks  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
said  quilting  offers  a  good  time  to 
socialize  and  discuss  Conference 
business,  "but  we  were  pretty  quiet 
this  year." 


K  bout  the  photographer:  This 
Yissue  features  Annual  Confer- 
nce  photographs  by  Phil  Grout  of 
/estminster,  Md.  Grout  is  a  fine 
rt  photographer  and  writer  who 
as  worked  as  a  photojournalist 
round  the  world  since  1966.  He  is 
le  author  of  numerous  books, 
icluding  Seeds  of  Hope,  published 
y  Brethren  Press.  He  has  recently 
armed  a  "micro  press,"  The  Pub- 
sher  at  Treehouse,  which 
pecializes  in  handmade  artist 
ooks.  This  is  the  si.xth  Annual 
'onference  he  has  photographed 
Dr  Messenger. 


Departments 


2 

From  the  Publisher 

3 

In  Touch 

6 

News 

29 

Letters 

31 

Turning  Points 

32 

Editorial 

10 


22 


26 


28 


Editor:  Fletcher  Farrar 
News:  Nevin  Dulabaum 
Subscriptions:  Vickl  Roche 
Publisher:  Wendy  McFadden 
Designer:  Marianne  Sackett 

Features 

Orlando  '98:  Annual  Conference 
in  photos 

Photographs  by  Phil  Grout  capture  the 
spirit,  the  drama,  and  the  fellowship  of  the 
212th  Annual  Conference  of  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren.  Highlights  of  Conference 
included  a  gathering  of  Brethren  Volunteer 
Service  workers  from  around  the  world, 
and  special  guests  from  Nigeria. 

Memories  of  Guatemala 

To  recover  from  the  painful  memories  of 
death  and  destruction  during  their  pro- 
tracted civil  war,  Guateinalans  were 
encouraged  to  overcome  their  fear  and 
publish  their  stories.  But  the  priest  who  led 
the  project  then  was  murdered  in  retalia- 
tion. The  article  is  by  David  Radcliff, 
director  of  Brethren  Witness,  who  was 
himself  a  witness  to  these  events  of 
courage  and  faith. 

Dangerous  dunking 

This  is  a  warning.  Baptism  will  change 
your  whole  life.  Forever.  It  is  a  near-death 
experience  that  kills  your  old  way  of  think- 
ing. That  is  replaced  by  a  radical  new  way 
of  living,  the  way  of  the  cross.  Ken  Gibble, 
pastor  of  the  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  congre- 
gation, explains  the  danger. 

How  we  can  be  like  Zacchaeus 

Duane  Grady  of  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  a 
pastor  and  Congregational  Life  Team  staff 
mernber,  shows  readers  how  jesus  can 
transform  their  lives  like  he  transformed 
Zacchaeus.  All  they  have  to  do  is  to  climb 
up  in  the  sycamore  tree. 


August  1998  Messenger  1 


M  tie  PuMiskr 


I  always  enter  each  Annual  Conference  season  with  a  mixture  of  dread  and  excite- 
ment. Dread  because  the  two  months  before  Conference  are  the  busiest  time  of 
year  for  those  ol  us  preparing  printed  materials,  merchandise,  a  bookstore,  exhibits, 
meal  events,  insight  sessions,  and  endless  other  things.  And  dread  because  of  the 
exhausting  marathon  of  meetings  that  begins  days  before  Conference  itself  begins. 

But  excitement  because  of  the  energy  created  when  several  thousand  Brethren 
come  together  for  work  and  worship.  Excitement  because  the  total  of  Annual  Con- 
ference is  much  more  than  the  sum  of  its  parts. 

It's  impossible  to  convey  the  value  of  Annual  Conference  to  those  who  have  never 
attended  one.  I  believe  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  would  be  a  different  church — a 
more  vital  one — if  every  member  attended  Annual  Conference  at  least  once. 

If  1  had  to  pick  just  two  elements  from  Brethren  life  that  most  profoundly  symbol- 
ize our  belief  and  practice,  I  would  choose  love  feast  and  Annual  Conference. 

Love  feast  goes  to  the  root  of  who  we  are.  It  marries  serving  and  being  served,  the 
individual  and  the  communal,  daily  bread  and  the  Body  of  Christ,  the  practical  and 
the  transcendental. 

Annual  Conference  does  some  of  the  same  things  on  a  larger  scale.  In  this  arena 
we  struggle  and  laugh,  we  fight  and  love,  we  speak  and  listen.  No  matter  how  frus- 
trated we  get.  we  come  back  year  after  year  for  more  of  the  same.  We  keep  coming 
back  because,  when  all  is  said  and  done,  we  want  to  be  together. 

One  ot  the  reasons  my  husband  and  I  take  our  three  children  to  Conference  is  for 
them  to  experience  this  uniquely  Brethren  event.  They  are  developing  Annual  Con- 
ference friendships.  They  are  gaining  a  sense  of  how  wide  their  church  is. 

They  are  also  asking  questions.  Why  do  we  refer  to  other  conferencegoers  as 
"sister"  and  "brother"?  Can  anyone  come  to  Annual  Conference,  whether  they're 
Brethren  or  not?  What  makes  Brethren  different  from  other  people? 

Like  the  ritual  questions  raised  by  Jewish  children  during  the  Passover  meal,  the 
questions  raised  by  our  children  give  us  the  opportunity  to  tell  the  Brethren  story. 

Someday  our  children  may  distance  themselves  from  the  church.  I  hope  they  don't, 
but  questioning  and  challenging  is  a  normal  part  of  developing  a  mature  relationship 
with  God.  I  believe  the  experiences  we  give  them  now  build  up  a  reservoir  from 
which  they  can  draw  when  they  are  grown.  They  may  not  be  able  to  articulate  now 
what  Annual  Conference  means,  but  they  know  it  feels  good  to  be  there.  They  know 
the  big  community  i  i  gathered  for  work  and  worship,  and  that  we  are  earnestly  seek- 
ing what  it  means  to  do  the  will  of  God. 

1  need  that  reservoir  too.  While  I'm  exhausted  at  the  end  of  Conference,  I'm  also 
rejuvenated.  I'm  refreshed  by  being  with  the  sisters  and  brothers. 

See  you  next  year  in  Milwaukee — for  the  pause  that  refreshes. 


\^HAi^'7)1oMdu\_ 


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Primed  on  recycled  paper 


2  Messenger  August  1998 


In 


m 


lildred  Siek,  jlaiiked  by  Kay  Troyer  Schrock  ami  Larry 
'cliruck  in  front  of  the  fireplace  wall  where  the  plaque 
'edicating  McPherson  College's  special  dining  room  to 
diss  Siek  will  hang. 


A  dining  room  for  legendary  home  ee  prof 

A  walnut-framed  plaque  honors  Mildred  Siek,  professor  emerita,  and  hangs  in  the 
special  dining  room  in  McPherson  College's  Student  Union.  Siek  taught  many  classes 
during  her  27  years  as  head  of  McPherson  College's  home  economics  department.  She  is 
a  legendary  perfectionist — but  practical. 

Students  in  her  Quantity  Cookery  Class  made  "to-the-minute"  schedules  of  tasks  to  be 
done,  when  and  by  whom.  "1  still  do  that  when  I  manage  fund-raising  dinners,"  said  former 

student  Kay  Troyer  Schrock  at  the  April  1 0  dedication  of  the 
refurbished  dining  room  she  and  her  entrepreneur  husband, 
Larry,  financed  and  gave  to  the  college. 

This  scheduling  worked  for  Siek  when  she  orchestrated 
the  annual  Booster  Banquets  served  to  about  550  college 
alumni  and  friends  during  the  1940s  and  50s.   "After  orga- 
nizing those  banquets,  serving  1  50-200  in  a  class  project 
seemed  easy,"  recalls  the  92-year-old  Siek. 

She  stressed  strengthening  the  family  to  "her  girls"  and 
set  a  professional  example.   She  served  frequently  on  com- 
mittees, and  spoke  on  panels  and  programs. 

She  retired  in  1971  and  in  1975  moved  into  the  nearby 
Brethren  retirement  complex,  The  Cedars.  For  14  years 
she  was  president  of  The  Cedars  Service  Guild  that 
planned  chapel  services  three  days  a  week.  She  managed 
the  Gift  Nook  for  eight  years:  was  chairperson  of  the 
scholarship  committee  for  six;  and  launched  the  home's 
annual  fund-raising  bazaar. 

As  an  octogenarian  she  decided  to  cut  back  her  actvities. 
She  became  telephone  coordinator  of  meals  to  church 
members,  and  often  ended  up  cooking  and  delivering  those 
meals  herself.  She  continues  to  make  bibs  for  the  resi- 
dents. 

Siek,  whose  hair  is  lightened  with  silver  now,  confided 
she  had  made  the  bright  blue  dress  she  wore  to  the  dedica- 
tory luncheon  in  her  honor.  It  fit  her  perfectly,  of  course. 

— Irene  S.  Reynolds 


Panora  celebrates 
'Heritage  and  Hope' 

The  Panora  (Iowa)  Church 
of  the  Brethren  has  declared 
1 998  to  be  a  year  of  "Her- 
itage and  Hope."  Throughout 
the  year  various  activities 
will  take  place  to  celebrate 
the  history  of  the  congrega- 
tion and  its  faith. 

Each  quarter  a  service 
celebrating  different  phases 
in  church  history  is  held. 


The  years  chosen  to  be  rep- 
resentative of  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  faith  are  1  740, 
1863,  and  1950. 

The  celebration  has 
included  a  beard-growing 
contest,  a  series  of  one-act 
dramas  written  by  member 
Avis  Finley,  and  a  songfest. 
On  August  23  there  will  be 
an  old-fashioned  picnic 
with  the  opening  of  a  time 
capsule  buried  by  the  junior 
high  youth  30  years  ago. 


Those  who  have  been 
members  50  years  or  more 
will  be  honored  at  an  Oct. 
18  homecoming  celebra- 
tion. Past  members  and 
pastors  are  encouraged  to 
attend.  Anyone  who  has  a 
special  memory  from  the 
Panora  church  is  encour- 
aged to  send  it  to  Beth 
Ferree,  PO  Box  693, 
Panora.  lA  50216.  These 
will  be  included  in  a  book 
to  be  published  this  year. 

— Beth  Fe:rree 


August  1998  Messengers 


Ill  Toiirli 


Outpouring  of  love 
for  injured  Amish  man 

On  Oct.  5,  1997  there 
were  1  50  members  of  the 
Amish  community  of  Sauk 
County,  Wis.  gathered  for 
worship  on  a  farm.  The 
second  story  lloor  of  the 
building  in  which  they 
were  worshiping  collapsed, 
sending  the  congregation 
into  the  stable  below.  Six 
persons  were  injured,  one 
of  them,  Henry  Yoder, 
seriously.  His  neck  was 
broken. 

In  lanuary  the  Wiscon- 
sin Council  of  Churches 
(WCC)  sent  a  letter  to 
member  churches  asking 
them  to  help  the  Amish 
community  with  Mr. 
Voder's  medical  bills, 
which  then  totaled 
$170,000.  The  office  of 
the  District  of  Illinois  and 
Wisconsin  also  circulated 
the  appeal  to  its  Church  of 
the  Brethren  congregation. 
By  spring  the  Henry  Yoder 
Medical  Fund  had  received 
$63,000  in  response.  The 
Amish  community  has 
reported  to  WCC  that, 
although  Mr.  Yoder  is  not 
expected  to  walk  again,  his 
condition  is  stable  and  he 
has  limited  use  of  his  arms 
and  legs.  The  contribu- 
tions received  in  response 
to  the  letters,  together 
with  those  from  Amish 


communities  around  the 
country,  covered  all  of  Mr. 
Voder's  medical  bills. 
— FROM  Ecu-News 

Generation  of 
BVSers  remembers 
Rensberger 

Annamae  Rensberger,  60, 
of  Pomona,  Calif.,  died 
May  26. 

Upon  graduation  from 
college,  Rensberger 
entered  Brethren  Volun- 
teer Service.  She  served 
assignments  in  numerous 
European  countries, 
including  Germany. 
Sweden,  and  the  former 
Yugoslavia.  She  then 
joined  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  General  Board 
staff  as  assistant  director 
of  BVS  training,  a  position 
she  held  for  more  than  1  1 
years,  during  which  time 
she  connected  with  more 
than  1,270  BVS  volun- 
teers. She  resigned  from 
the  General  Board  staff  in 
1977. 

Rensberger  then  joined 
the  staff  of  Woodbury  Uni- 
versity, where  she  served 
as  an  administrator  for  1  7 
years  prior  to  her  retire- 
ment. She  was  a  member 
of  La  Verne  (Calif.) 
Church  of  the  Brethren, 
where  she  sang  in  the 
choir  and  designed  liturgi- 
cal furnishings. 


A  pastor  is  nearby  for 
Brethren  at  Mayo's 

Knowing  that  people  from 
all  over  the  US  are 
referred  to  the  Mayo 
Clinic  and  connecting  hos- 
pitals in  Rochester,  Minn., 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
Northern  Plains  District  is 
offering  pastoral  contact 
for  Brethren  patients  and 
their  families  while  at  one 
of  the  medical  facilities. 
The  clinic  is  within  the 
district's  boundaries  and  is 
within  easy  driving  dis- 
tance for  two  pastors  — 
Gordon  Hoffert,  pastor  of 
Lewiston  (Minn.)  Church 
of  the  Brethren,  and 
Frances  Townsend,  pastor 
of  Root  River  (Minn.) 
Church  of  the  Brethren. 
Hoffert  and  Townsend  are 
making  themselves  avail- 
able because  most  j 
Brethren  patients  at 
Mayo's  are  too  far  away 
for  care  from  their  own 
pastors.  The  district  will 
pay  for  the  pastors' 
expenses  out  of  its 
"Rochester  Ministry"  ! 
fund.  Pastors  who  have 
parishioners  at  Mayo's  are 
encouraged  to  contact  the 
district  at  5 1  5-964-48 1 6  or 
CBurkholder_ds(((  brethren, 
org.  Or  call  Hoffert  (507- 
523-3  1 1  7)  or  Townsend 
(507-765-4772). 


The  newly  renovated  Glade  Valley  Church  u]' the  Brethren. 


Glade  Valley  finishes 
renovation  projeet 

Glade  Valley  congregation.  Glade  Towne,  Md..  dedi- 
cated its  newly  renovated  facility  on  April  26. 
Originally  built  to  be  a  college  chapel  and  recital  hall,  the 
building's  interior  was  remodeled  to  provide  adequate  class- 
rooms, nursery,  restrooms,  administrative,  and  fellowship 
areas.  The  redesigned  sanctuary  now  provides  a  more  inti- 
mate worship  setting  for  the  small  congregation.  The  roof 
and  heating  systems  were  replaced  and  a  new  entry  con- 
structed as  part  of  the  $500,000  renovation  project. 


4  MESStlNtlER  August  1998 


Followino  in  John  Kline's  hoofprints 


ilder  John  Kline  is  portrayed  by  Einmert 
3ittiiiger.  right,  and  Elder  Daniel  Thomas, 
eft.  is  fason  Baiiserman.  They  arrived  on 
lorseback  to  greet  the  congregation  waiting 
m  the  knvn  of  Miner  Church  of  the  Brethren. 


The  |ohn  Kline  Missionary 
Riders,  dedicated  to  reviving  the 
fading  memory  of  Elder  Kline's  visits 
to  Brethren  families  of  western  Vir- 
ginia, retraced  his  trail  on  horseback 
May  29-|une  1.  Twelve  riders  took 
part  in  this  second  annual  "celebra- 
tion ride"  of  about  60  miles  through 
some  of  the  country's  most  scenic 
areas  in  Virginia,  where  Kline  rode 
between  1835  and  1864.  The  riders 
retraced  one  of  the  typical  mission- 
ary rides  of  the  famous  Dunker  in 
celebration  of  his  20 1  st  birthday.  It 
was  sponsored  by  the  Shenandoah 
District  Historical  Committee  and 
Emmert  F.  Bittinger.  The  group 
began  its  ride  in  Rockingham 
County.  Va,  spent  its  first  night  at 


the  Crummett  Run  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  West  Virginia,  then  trav- 
eled across  Shenandoah  Mountain 
to  Hiner  Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
Virginia.  There  they  attended 
Sunday  services  led  by  Ceroid 
Senger,  pastor  of  the  Hiner  church, 
and  four  of  the  riders  told  more 
about  Kline's  life  and  ministry 
among  the  mountain  people  of  Vir- 
ginia, Riders  this  year  included: 
Marion  Bowman,  Maria  Bowman, 
Fayc  Wampler,  joe  Wampler,  Fred 
Garber,  Kathryn  Ludwick,  joe 
Evans,  Glenn  Bollinger.  Ned  Con- 
klin,  Teresa  Townsend,  Margaret 
Geisert,  and  |oel  Geisert.  Emmert 
Bittinger  organized  the  event  and 
drove  the  support  vehicle. 


iinging  homebuilders 
:ravei  to  Malawi 

^  team  of  20  "Habitat 
singers,"  mostly  from 
31ympic  View  Church  of 
he  Brethren  in  Seattle, 
Vash.,  will  travel  to 
vlalawi  in  August  for  three 
veeks.  This  Global  Village 
vork  team,  sponsored  by 
-fabitat  for  Humanity,  is 
mique  in  that  it  is  a  choir 
md  a  construction  crew. 
vlembers  will  build  friend- 
;hips  through  the  sharing 
)t  music  while  construct- 
ng  a  home  alongside  the 
ecipient  family. 

The  group  is  being  led 
)y  Bob  Kauffman, 
Dlympic  View  Church  of 
he  Brethren  choir  dircc- 
or,  who  has  experience 
caching  music  in  Africa. 
A'ith  Thelma,  his  wife: 
ohn  Braun,  Olympic 
/lew's  pastor:  and  Braun's 
vife.  Velda;  and  daughter, 
Fali,  the  team  has  already 
performed  throughout  the 
Seattle  area  at  various 
undraising  events. 


Other  team  members 
from  Olympic  View  are 
Patty  Berg,  Roger  Edmark, 
Frosty  Wilkinson,  Martha 
Bosch,  Sid  Bosch, |anet 
Lamont,  and  Mike  Stern. 

Stern  is  a  Brethren 
songwriter  who  composed 
"Count  Well  the  Cost"  for 
last  year's  Annual  Confer- 
ence. He  has  written  a  new 
song  for  Habitat  For 
Humanity  called  "Every 
One  Of  Us  Deserves  A 
Home." 

Contact  Mike  Stern  at 
mstern(f(u.  washing  ton.edu 
for  ways  to  support  the 
group  or  to  obtain  sheet 
music  of  his  songs. 

Youth  lead  others  to 
'Take  the  Pledge' 

Eleven  young  people  from 
West  Charleston  (Ohio) 
Church  of  the  Brethren 
have  learned  about  the  his- 
toric peace  position  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
a  church  heritage  class. 

The  lesson  inspired  them 
to  promote  peace  in  their 


own  church  by  signing  the 
pledge  against  violence 
distributed  through  the 
Brethren  Witness  office. 
Then  they  set  up  a  table  at 
church  and  encouraged 
other  congregation  mem- 
bers to  take  the  pledge. 

After  two  Sunday  morn- 
ings, 61  people  had  signed 
the  pledge,  thus  saying  yes 
to  these  statements:  "1 
won't  fight  to  kill.  I  will 
fight  injustice.  I  will  fight 
hatred.  1  will  fight  racism. 
I  will  fight  hunger.  I  will 
fight  to  make  sure  that 
everyone  has  what  they 
need  to  live  as  God 
intends.  I  just  won't  fight 
to  kill." 

The  class  was  taught  by 
Thomas  Hanks,  youth 
director,  who  commented: 
"I  especially  like  the  sixth 
statement.  It  implies  that  we 
should  work  not  only  to 
make  sure  that  people  have 
their  material  needs  met,  but 
also  to  make  sure  that  they 
hear  the  Good  News  of 
lesus."  Contact  Hanks  at 
thanks@wesnet.com. 


At  87,  she  delivers 
meals  to  the  elderly 

Miriam  Kolle  was  in  her 
mid-bOs  when  she  began 
delivering  for  Meals  on 
Wheels.  Now,  22  years  later, 
the  87-year-old  member  of 
the  Harmonyville  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  Pottstown,  Pa., 
is  still  driving  a  25-mile  route 
to  serve  meals  to  elderly 
clients,  most  of  whom  are  10 
years  younger  than  her.  In 
April  Kolle's  volunteer  work 
was  featured  in  the 
Pottstown  Mercury,  which 
said  she  also  maintains  large 
flower  and  vegetable  gardens 
and  helps  her  son  mow  acres 
of  lawn.  Her  son  is  |ohn 
Kolle,  pastor  of  the  Har- 
monyville church.  How  long 
will  she  deliver  meals? 
"That's  up  to  the  Lord,"  she 
told  the  newspaper. 


"In  Touch  "  profiles  Brethren 
H'e  woiilil  like  you  to  meet.  Send 
story  ideas  and  photos  to  "In 
Touch."  Messenger.  1451 
Dundee  Ave..  Ehiu.  IL  60120. 


August  1998  Mhssenglr  5 


N 


Ministry  Summer  Service 
interns  begin  assignments 

Eleven  Church  of  the  Bicthrcn  young 
adults  headed  to  their  summertime 
assignments  in  lune  as  Ministry 
Summer  Service  interns.  Now  in  its 
third  year,  the  MSS  program  pro- 
vides young  adults  the  opportunity 
to  spend  a  summer  with  a  mentor  in 
the  pastoral  ministry  field. 


Ministry  Summer  Service  interns  and 

leculcrs  met  for  orientation  at 
Bethany  Theologieal  Seminary.  They 
are.  front  row:  liuly  Mills  Reiiner 
lohn  Eslileman.  Lancaster.  Pa. 
Middle  roil',  from  left:  .Angel  Giillon. 
Castailer  Puerto  Rico:  Holly  Berkey. 
Holsupple,  Pa.:  Amy  Haas,  Overlaitd 
Park.  Kan.:  Alleit  Hansell:  Mary 
Gordon.  Waynesboro,  Va.:  and 
Rebecca  Hade,  State  College,  Pa. 
Back  rail';  Chris  Donglas:  Joshua 
Brockway.  Louisville.  Ohio:  Keith 
Carter.  Decatur  Ind.:  Rebekah 
Helsel,  .Altoona,  Pa,:  Jessica  Hood, 
Flora,  Ind.:  and  Richard  Sti\'er 
Ansonia.  Ohio. 


Disaster  aid  helps  Alabama, 
Africa,  and  Afghanistan 

Three  grants  totaling  $18,750  have 
been  allocated  recently  from  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  Emergency 
Disaster  Fund. 

•  $  1 1 ,250  for  support  of  Church 
World  Service's  $225,000  response 
to  spring  storms  and  floods  that 
struck  across  the  country.  These 
funds  will  support  inter-religious 
recovery  efforts  in  South  Dakota, 
Pennsylvania,  and  New  York. 

•  $5,000  in  response  to  a  May  50 
earthquake  in  Afghanistan  that  mea- 
sured 7.1  on  the  Richter  scale, 
killing  over  3,500  people  and  leaving 
more  than  60,000  homeless.  This 
grant  will  help  Church  World  Service 


purchase  1 ,500  tents,  3,000  blan- 
kets, and  1,500  food  baskets  that 
will  be  distributed  to  1 ,500  house- 
holds in  1  5  villages. 

•  $2,500  to  support  Western 
Pennsylvania  District's  response  to 
the  tornadoes  and  high  winds  that 
blew  through  the  Salisbury,  Pa.,  area 
May  3  1  -  |une  1 .  There  were  43 
homes  destroyed  and  37  homes  suf- 
fered major  damage 

Two  20-foot  containers  of  medical 
supplies  were  shipped  by  the  General 
Board's  Emergency  Response/Ser- 
vice Ministries  in  |une  from  the 
Brethren  Service  Center,  New  Wind- 
sor, Md..  to  the  Republic  of  Congo 
on  behalf  of  the  Medical  Benevo- 
lence Foundation.  Twenty-five 
5,000-gallon  canvas  water  contain- 
ers have  also  been  shipped  to 
Ecuador,  along  with  5,000  five- 
gallon  water  jugs. 

Thirty  thousand  dollars  was  allo- 
cated from  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Emergency  Disaster  Fund 
to  assist  with  two  ongoing  disaster 
response  projects  of  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  General  Board's  Emer- 
gency Response/Service  Ministries. 
An  additional  S20.000  has  been  allo- 
cated for  a  rebuilding  project  of  six 
months  to  one  year  in  Birmingham, 
Ala.  Following  tornadoes  that  struck 
in  April,  $5,000  was  allocated  to 
support  child  care  volunteers  and  to 
pay  for  the  delivery  of  720  Church 
World  Service  school  kits.  This  com- 
mitment to  a  building  project  is 
needed,  said  ER/SM  manager  Miller 
Davis,  because  45  percent  of  the 
people  being  assisted  in  the  region 
have  no  insurance.  The  allocation 
will  be  used  to  work  with  a  local 
interfaith  agency  in  opening  this 
long-term  project. 

An  additional  $10,000  has  been 
allocated  in  response  to  spring  tor- 
nadoes and  floods  that  struck 


6  MlSSENGER  August  1998 


Florida.  Of  the  $50,000  that  was 
approved  in  May,  $43,555  has  been 
jsed.  The  additional  funds  will  allow 
ER/SM  to  continue  its  repair  and 
rebuilding  work. 

An  allocation  of  $7,500  from  the 
[Church  of  the  Brethren  Global  Food 
Crisis  Fund  (GFCF)  was  approved 
:o  assist  famine  relief  in  the  west 
\frican  nation  of  Mauritania.  This 
noney  will  be  forwarded  to  Action  by 
Churches  Together,  which  is  seeking 
i  total  of  $52,506  to  establish  a 
nother/child  feeding  program.  Food, 
nedicines,  and  training  will  be  pro- 
dded by  the  World  Food  Program 
md  UNICEF. 

>taff  changes  announced  for 
JVS,  SERRV,  On  Earth  Peace 

fodd  Reish  of  Elgin,  111.,  has 
esigned  as  coordinator  of  Brethren 
/olunteer  Service  Orientation,  effec- 
ive  Nov.  6.  At  that  time  he  will  move 
o  Richmond,  Ind.,  to  join  his  wife, 
Jrenda,  who  in  August  will  begin 
employment  at  Bethany  Theological 
Seminary  in  Richmond.  She  cur- 
ently  serves  as  controller  for  the 
jeneral  Board  in  Elgin. 

Todd  Reish  has  served  the  General 
Joard  since  [uly  1994,  coordinating 
6  BVS  orientation  units 

Ned  Stowe  of  Lombard,  111.,  has 
greed  to  serve  as  the  General 
Joard's  volunteer  controller  while  a 
earch  for  Brenda  Reish's  successor 
ontinues.  Ned  is  a  retired  adminis- 
rator  from  George  Williams  College. 

Kate  lohnson,  On  Earth  Peace 
assembly's  program  director,  has 
esigned  effective  early  August  to 
lursue  studies  at  Bethany  Theologi- 
al  Seminary,  Richmond,  ind. 

According  to  Tom  Hurst,  OEPA 
lirector,  lohnson  joined  the  organi- 
ation  in  luly  1996  and  provided  a 
tabilizing  influence  on  OEPA's  pro- 


gram that  had  been  carried  the  three 
previous  years  by  short-term 
Brethren  Volunteer  Service  workers. 
During  her  tenure,  more  than  a 
dozen  peace  academies  for  junior 
and  senior  high  students  were  held 
and  a  new  peace  retreat  for  young 
adults  was  established. 

First  hunger  funds  on  their 
way  to  southern  Sudan 

An  initial  Global  Food  Crisis  Fund 
grant  of  $1  32,500  has  been  for- 
warded to  the  New  Sudan  Council  of 
Churches  (NSCC)  for  hunger  relief 
and  development  assistance  in  south- 
ern Sudan. 

Sudanese  communities  of  dis- 
placed people  will  be  the  principle 
beneficiaries  of  the  aid,  part  of  a 
$238,000,  three-year  project 
approved  by  the  General  Board  in 
March. 

One  grant  will  support  Blessed 
Bakhita  Girls  School,  home  to  over 
400  girls  from  across  southern 
Sudan.  The  village  of  New  Cush  will 
receive  funds  for  a  child-feeding  pro- 
gram, school  supplies  for  adults  and 
children,  and  seeds  and  tools  for 
community  members.  A  women's 
development  program  in  Narus  will 
receive  grants  for  small-scale 
income-producing  projects,  includ- 
ing tailoring  and  bread-baking. 

The  NSCC's  peace  department  will 
receive  assistance  for  its  conflict  res- 
olution training  programs.  Bicycles 
will  be  purchased  for  justice  and 
peace  committee  members  at  the 
sprawling  Kakuma  refugee  camp. 
Emergency  food  relief  will  be  pro- 
vided for  the  drought-stricken 
community  of  Mundri. 

The  New  Sudan  Council  of 
Churches  is  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren's  partner  in  Sudan.  "We  are 
pleased  to  move  ahead  in  providing 


this  first  installment  of  our  multi- 
year  commitment  to  our  brothers 
and  sisters  in  southern  Sudan,"  said 
Global  Mission  Partnerships  director 
Merv  Keeney. 

For  information  on  how  Sunday 
School  classes,  youth  groups,  and 
congregations  can  participate  in  this 
project,  or  to  borrow  a  Sudan  photo 
display,  contact  David  Radcliff, 
director  of  Brethren  Witness. 

SERRV  teaches  Guatemalans 
what  Americans  want 

How  does  an  expert  weaver  living  in 
the  Guatemala  highlands  begin  to 
understand  the  needs  of  a  young 
woman  from  Manhattan  and  incor- 
porate this  knowledge  into  her 
weaving? 

This  seemingly  insurmountable 
gap  was  bridged  recently  by  SERRV 
International,  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  self-help  handcrafts  organi- 
zation, when  it  brought  44 
representatives  of  21  community- 
based  artisan  organizations  from 
Guatemala  and  El  Salvador  together 
with  a  group  of  highly  skilled  people 
of  different  perspectives.  The  semi- 
nar was  held  May  1  5  -  1  7  in 
Guatemala. 

Robert  Chase,  SERRV  director, 
initiated  the  seminar  to  help  artisans 
regain  some  of  the  Guatemalan  gift, 
housewares,  and  textile  markets  that 
have  been  lost  in  recent  years  to  pro- 
ducers from  other  developing 
nations. 

Experts  from  the  United  States, 
Holland,  the  United  Kingdom,  and 
Guatemala  led  workshops  and  panel 
discussions  for  the  artisan  represen- 
tatives. "They  thirst  to  understand 
the  North  American  and  European 
consumer  and  to  be  informed  of  the 
trends  as  they  develop,"  said  Chase 
of  the  artisans  and  their  representa- 


August  1998  Messenger  7 


U1 


tives.  Chase  challenged  crafts  and 
clothing  producers  to  integrate  the 
information  gleaned  from  the  confer- 
ence with  the  rich  cultures  of  their 
countries  and  their  unique  skills  to 
develop  new  products  for  domestic 
and  international  markets. 

Summer  workcamps  offer 
lessons  for  a  life  of  service 

Seven  workcamps  offered  this  year 
by  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  Gen- 
eral Board's  Youth/Young  Adult 
Ministries  will  involve  1  54  youth, 
young  adults  and  advisers. 

The  first  workcamp,  a  young  adult 
trip  to  El  Salvador,  took  place  in 
lune.  This  group  helped  build  a  play- 
ground and  Children's  Ministry 
Center  in  Los  Talpetates. 

Also  in  lune.  Brethren  Revival  Fel- 
lowship cosponsored  a  senior  high 
workcamp  to  the  Dominican  Repub- 
lic. They  painted  two  churches,  one 
in  San  Salvador  and  one  in  Arroyo 
Saludo. 

The  second  senior  high  workcamp 
was  June  22-28  in  St.  Croix,  US 
"Virgin  Islands.  There  the  youth 
assisted  elderly  residents,  painted  a 
home  for  mentally  and/or  physically 
challenged  adults,  performed  routine 
maintenance  jobs,  and  worked  with 
children  at  a  residence  for  abused  or 
neglected  children. 

The  first  junior  high  workcamp 
was  June  17-21  in  Harrisburg,  Pa. 
The  youth  worked  for  the  Brethren 
Housing  Association  at  Harrisburg 
First  Church  of  the  Brethren.  A 
second  junior  high  workcamp  was 
luly  5-9  at  Camp  Ithiel  in  Gotha. 
Fla.  Work  projects  focused  on  con- 
servation efforts  at  a  state  park  and 
wilderness  preserve. 

Another  workcamp  was  held  |uly 
8-1 2  at  Northvicw  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Indianapolis,  Ind.  This 
group  helped  refurbish  homes  in 
Indianapolis'  inner  city.  The  final 
junior  high  workcamp  will  be  Aug. 
12-16  in  Washington,  D.C.  Partici- 


pants will  volunteer  in  soup  kitchens 
and  food  banks. 

This  year's  workcamp  coordinator 
is  Emily  Shonk,  a  Brethren  "Volunteer 
Service  worker,  lonathan  Brush  is 
serving  as  summer  workcamp  assis- 
tant. 

"Workcamps  provide  a  unique 
opportunity  for  youth  to  follow  in 
lesus'  footsteps  as  they  learn  what 
serving  others  is  all  about,"  said 
Shonk.  "A  lifetime  dedicated  to  help- 
ing others  is  not  at  the  top  of  most 
'when  I  grow  up  I  want  to  ...'  lists  — 
it's  a  perspective  that  has  to  be 
learned.  This  summer  we'll  be  mod- 
eling and  teaching  service  at  each  of 
our  workcamps." 

Washington  Office  calls  for 
support  of  Peace  Tax  Fund 

Now  is  the  time  to  support  the  Peace 
Tax  Fund  bill  (H.R.2660)  in  light  of 
verbal  support  from  Rep.  Tom  Delay 
(R-Tex.),  House  majority  whip. 
Although  he  is  not  an  official  sponsor 
of  the  proposed  bill,  the  National 
Campaign  for  a  Peace  Tax  Fund 
reported  that  he  spoke  in  favor  of  it 
recently  while  in  Texas. 

Now  he  needs  to  hear  from 
Brethren  and  others  who  oppose 
taxes  for  military  purposes.  His  sup- 
port could  help  bring  on  other 
legislators  as  cosponsors. 

Since  its  inception  in  1  708,  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  has  openly 
expressed  its  opposition  to  war. 
During  the  Revolutionary  War, 
recorded  minutes  indicate  that 
Brethren  were  struggling  to  define 
what  action  to  take  with  regard  to 
government  conscription  and  the 
payment  of  "war  taxes."  The  recom- 
mendation by  the  Conference  body 
was  to  examine  one's  conscience  and 
to  act  as  a  result  of  Christ's  leading, 
with  support  being  given  to  all  those 
who  chose  to  pay  or  not  to  pay  taxes. 

Some  Brethren  who  paid  their 
taxes  would  designate  the  money 
"for  the  needv."  but  would  allow  the 


government  to  decide  ultimately  how 
to  use  those  funds.  During  the  Civil 
War,  the  peace  churches  were  suc- 
cessful in  convincing  the  Union  to       I 
modify  its  approach  to  the  use  of  tax 
revenues.  The  government  agreed  to 
use  monies  collected  as  bounty  from 
conscientious  objectors  for  "the  ben- 
efit of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers" 
rather  than  for  hiring  substitutes. 

The  Church  of  the  Brethren  has 
recently  called  for  the  establishment 
of  a  World  Peace  Tax  Fund  through 
several  General  Board  and  Annual 
Conference  statements. 

By  supporting  the  establishment  of 
a  Peace  Tax  Fund,  we  can  lift  up  an 
integral  part  of  our  Brethren  her- 
itage.  In  April  1972  the  World  Peace 
Tax  Fund  bill  was  introduced  by  Rep. 
Ron  Dellums  of  California;  the  offi- 
cial national  campaign  was  launched 
in  May. 

Thanks  to  legislation  passed  in 
1940  establishing  alternative  service 
for  drafted  conscientious  objectors, 
CO's  have  not  been  required  to  par- 
ticipate in  active  combat.  Even  so, 
more  than  one  quarter  of  every  tax 
dollar  goes  to  current  military  expen- 
ditures. Over  19  percent  goes  to  pay 
for  past  military  debt. 

A  Peace  Tax  Fund  would  allow 
conscientious  objectors  and  others 
acting  out  of  conscience  to  designate 
that  total  portion,  44  percent  of 
every  tax  dollar,  to  life-giving  gov- 
ernmental programs.  They  include 
the  Special  Supplemental  Food  Pro- 
gram for  Women,  Infants,  and 
Children:  Head  Start;  the  U.S.  Insti- 
tute of  Peace:  and  the  Peace  Corps. 

The  Washington  Office  urged 
Brethren  to  contact  Tom  Delay, 
urging  him  to  support  the  Peace  Tax 
Fund  bill.  Letters  should  be 
addressed  to:  Representative  Tom 
DeLay,  U.S.  House  of  Representa- 
tives, Washington,  DC  20515.  Phone: 
202-225-5951;  Fax:  202-225-5241: 
e-mail:  the  whip(a  mail.house.gov. 

— Heather  Nolen 


8  Messenger  August  1998 


icwffs  anil  (liiiitoiilies 


i^nnual  Conference  resources — audio, 
/ideo,  and  printed — are  available  fol- 
owing  this  year's  annual  meeting: 

•  a  video  wrap-up  —  concise  high- 
ights  from  the  week,  including 
business,  worship,  and  social  activities. 
rhe  video  is  20  minutes  long,  and  costs 
?26.95. 

•  a  printed  wrap-up  summarizing  the 
Conference  week  through  text  and  pic- 
ures.  Printed  wrap-ups  are  used 
primarily  by  churches  for  distribution  to 
Tiembers  in  conjunction  with  congrega- 
ional  reports  by  Annual  Conference 
ielegates.  Cost  is  SI 2.50  per  50. 

•  a  video  of  the  General  Board's  Live 
ileport,  an  hour-long  report  using 
irama  and  video  to  tell  the  story  of 
jeneral  Board  ministries.  Cost  is 
M9.95. 

•  a  sheet  detailing  the  official  actions 
jf  the  1 998  Annual  Conference,  at  no 
;harge.  Contact  the  Annual  Conference 
jffice  at  annualconf(«  aol.com  or  800 
525-8039. 

•  audiotapes  of  each  worship  service 
iermon  and  three  sessions  by  William 
kVillimon  at  the  Minister's  Association 
;onference.  Cost  is  S4.95  each.  Orders 
nay  be  placed  by  calling  800-441-5712. 

rhe  Western  Plains  District  of  the 

Church  of  the  Brethren  has  prepared  a 
videotaped  1 2-session  study  of  Chalmer 
Faw's/4c-/s  (Herald  Press,  1995).  The 
/ideo  features  Faw,  former  professor  of 
Mew  Testament  at  Bethany  Theological 
Seminary,  personally  introducing  his 
;ommentary  section  by  section.  This 
nexpensive  videotape  is  available  from 
Lahman-Sollenberger  Video.  Route   1, 
Box  164.  Annville,  PA  17005  (717-867- 
1-187).  This  tape  would  be  useful  for 
Bible  study,  or  for  anyone  who  might 
ivant  to  present  a  workshop  on  Acts, 
rhe  Western  Plains  District  office  (516- 
241-4240,  or.  Rich  Hanley,  RO.  Box 
594,  McPherson,  KS  67460)  will  sug- 
gest a  person  ready  to  lead  a  workshop. 
Reviewers  of  Chalmer  Faw's  commen- 
tary have  responded,  "It  makes  Acts 
truly  live  in  our  day,"  promoting  a  mes- 


sage that  "confronts  individuals,  groups, 
and  systems  with  jesus,  who  brought  a 
gospel  of  love  and  forgiveness  that  chal- 
lenged the  very  foundations  of  society." 
Acts  and  all  other  titles  in  the  Believers 
Church  commentary  series  are  available 
from  Brethren  Press. 

Some  of  the  most  stirring  passages  of 
scripture  are  the  songs,  poems,  psalms, 
hymns,  and  laments  found  throughout 
the  Bible.  How  these  texts  were  used  by 
the  early  church  and  how  they  connect 
with  the  songs  and  hymns  of  today  is 
examined  in  Hymns  and  Songs  of  the 
Bible  by  Mary  Ann  Parrott,  a  forthcom- 
ing title  in  the  Covenant  Bible  Studies 
series.  Parrott,  a  musician  specializing 
in  organ  and  composition,  lives  in 
Pomona,  Calif.  The  book  is  available  for 
S5.95  plus  postage  and  handling.  Con- 
tact Brethren  Press  at 
brethren_press_gbca  brethren.org  or 
800-441-3712. 

A  different  style  of  mission  support  is 
being  initiated  in  the  General  Board's 
search  for  a  mission  coordinator  for  the 
Dominican  Republic.  The  board  is  seek- 
ing congregations  and  individuals  to 
support  this  new  mission  venture.  Given 
recent  cutbacks  in  mission,  this  place- 
ment can  proceed  only  as  supporting 
partners  come  forward.  "This  is  an  effort 
to  respond  to  congregations  and  individu- 
als who  wish  to  designate  funds  to 
support  mission,"  according  to  Merv 
Keeney,  director  for  Global  Mission  Part- 
nerships. "The  idea  is  to  raise  funds  for 
this  placement  specifically,  rather  than 
through  the  unified  budget.  A  key  goal  is 
to  foster  a  closer  connection  between  the 
funders  of  the  mission  and  the  mission 
personnel."  For  further  information  con- 
tact Global  Mission  Partnerships, 
financial  resource  counselors,  or  Congre- 
gational Life  Team  members. 

"Games  That  Byte:  Helping  Youth  Eval- 
uate Computer  Games"  is  a  new 
hands-on  curriculum  "that  helps  youth 
evaluate  the  unspoken  assumptions  and 


harmful  effects  of  violent  video  games." 
This  new  resource  uses  Philippians  4:8 
as  a  foundational  biblical  text  to  help 
youth  consider  values  alternative  to 
those  implied  in  violent  video  games.  It 
is  produced  jointly  by  Mennonite  Cen- 
tral Committee,  Ontario,  and  Christian 
Peacemaker  Teams.  The  resource  is 
geared  primarily  to  junior  high  Sunday 
school  classes  or  youth  groups.  Partici- 
pants play  games  on  church-based 
computers  or  on  computers  brought 
from  homes.  An  appendix  with  quota- 
tions, data,  and  additional  resources  on 
violence  is  included.  Order  from 
Brethren  Press. 

The  Brethren  Encyclopedia's  1998  cata- 
log has  been  released.  New  additions  to 
this  year's  edition  include  a  Brethren 
video  series,  consisting  of  50  video  ses- 
sions on  seven  videocassettes  containing 
over  1  5  hours  of  teaching.  William 
Eberly  of  North  Manchester.  Ind., 
serves  as  instructor.  A  study  guide  is 
included.  Cost  is  S95.  Another  new 
offering,  "God's  Means  of  Grace,"  writ- 
ten in  1  908  by  C.F.  Yoder,  studies  the 
church's  important  practices.  Ten  addi- 
tional Brethren-related  items  are 
included  in  the  catalog.  To  receive  one. 
call  215-646-1  190. 

Plans  are  underway  to  produce  a  fourth 
volume  of  The  Brethren  Encyclopedia. 
The  schedule  calls  for  the  manuscript  to 
be  completed  next  year,  with  the  new 
volume  to  be  published  in  2000. The 
new  volume  will  include  additions  and 
corrections  to  the  first  three  volumes 
(published  in  1985-1984).  new  articles 
on  topics  that  have  emerged  since  1980, 
and  a  comprehensive  index.  Carl 
Bowman  of  Bridgewater  (Va.)  College 
and  Don  Durnbaugh  of  luniata  College, 
Huntingdon,  Pa,  are  co-editors.  The 
editorial  board  is  seeking  corrections 
and  additions  to  the  previously  pub- 
lished volumes  for  inclusion  into  volume 
four.  These  corrections  should  be  sent 
to  Durnbaugh  at  Box  948,  Juniata  Col- 
lege, Huntingdon,  PA  16652. 


August  1998  Messenger  9 


Orlando  '98 

Faithfully  taking  care  of  business  for  the  21 2*  time 

Collaboration"  was  the  word  of  tl 
day  at  the  2 1 2th  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Annual  Conference  |u 


the 


ne 


50-|uly  5  in  Orlando,  Fla. 

The  conference,  which  drew  a  total 
of  5.509  registered  attendees  to  the 
cavernous  Orange  County  Convention 
Center,  was  sedate  and  cheerful  as 
Brethren  steered  clear  of  controversy. 
In  business  sessions,  delegates  recog- 
nized two  organizations  — Association 
of  Brethren  Caregivers  and  On  Earth 
Peace  Assembly  —  as  "fully  reportable 
and  accountable"  to  Annual  Confer- 
ence, thereby  establishing  a  more 
decentralized  but  collaborative  style  of 
organizing  denominational  affairs. 

Judy  Mills  Reimer  was  installed  as 
executive  director  of  the  General 
Board.  On  the  day  after  Conference, 
Reimer  was  on  the  job  addressing  her 
new  duties  at  General  Offices  in  Elgin, 
111. 

In  other  business,  the  Conference 
delegates: 

•  Gave  Brethren  Benefit  Trust 
authority  to  offer  expanded  financial 
services,  including  mutual  funds,  to 
church  members. 

•  Approved  a  paper  on  "World  Mis- 
sion Philosophy  and  Global  Church 
Mission  Structure,"  which  outlines 
procedures  for  establishing  and  equip- 
ping new  overseas  mission  projects. 

•  Returned  without  action  a  query 
requesting  study  of  medical  uses  of 
fetal  tissue. 

•  Accepted  a  report  on  Free  Min- 
istry and  adopted  its  statement  on 
Plural  Non- Salaried  Ministry. 

•  Approved  a  paper  reaffirming 
"The  New  Testament  as  Our  Rule  of 
Faith  and  Practice." 

•  Assigned  thi'ee  committees  to 
study  queries  and  report  back  to 
Annual  Conference  in  the  future. 
Study  committees  were  assigned  to 
research  Congregational  Structure, 
Review  of  Process  for  Calling  Denom- 
inational Leadership,  and  Caring  for 
the  Poor. 

10  Messengi-r  August  1998 


tooSBY 

Phil  Grout 


Story  BY 
Fletcher  F  Farrar 


Top  photo:  An  Annual  Conference  protest  organized  by  Christian 
Peacemaker  Teams  asks  the  Disney  Corporation  to  pay  fair  wages  to 
Haitian  workers  who  sew  Disney  clothing.  Second  row,  left:  In  the 
General  Board  Live  Report,  Judy  Mills  Reimer,  Amanda  Sgro,  and  Roy 
Stern  make  the  best  of  their  situation  on  a  stuck  elevator.  Right:  Judy 
Mills  Reimer  takes  charge  as  the  General  Board's  new  executive  direc- 
tor. Third  row:  On  an  elevator  together  for  the  entertaining  General 
Board  Live  Report  were,  from  left,  Judy  Mills  Reimer;  Amanda  Sgro 
of  Sebnng,  Fla,;  Roy  Stem,  pastor  of  Lorida,  Fla,  congregation;  Bonnie 
'rel  Filer,  Sebnng,  Fla.;  and  Amanda  Osborn,  Sebnng,  Fla. 


^  to  tm  c 


Top  photo:  "The  land  is  sold!"  reported  Earle  Fike,  Jr.,  third  from  right,  president  of  the 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary  board  during  Bethany's  report  to  Conference.  Sale  of  the 
seminary's  former  campus  in  Oak  Brook,  III.  enabled  the  seminary  to  pay  off  the  $4  mil- 
lion loan  made  to  it  by  Brethren  Benefit  Trust  for  the  seminary's  relocation  to  Richmond, 
Ind.  Here  Wil  Nolen,  left,  president  of  Brethren  Benefit  Trust,  and  John  Flora,  BBT  board 
chair,  present  a  framed  copy  of  loan  papers  marked  "Paid  in  full"  to  Fike  and  Eugene 
Roop,  president  of  Bethany  Bottom  left:  Chris  Bowman,  chair  of  the  General  Board, 
said  in  his  report:  "This  was  a  tough  year!  We  tned  to  be  faithful.  Lots  of  folks  put  pres- 
sure on  us  to  follow  their  own  vision  of  the  church-to  go  left  or  right  or  backwards-but 
the  Annual  Conference  elected  us  and,  with  prayer  and  consensus,  we  had  to  stay  faith- 
ful to  what  we  felt  was  right,  despite  the  maneuverings  of  others."  Bottom  right:  Don 
Tharpe  of  Midland,  Va.,  addresses  an  item  of  business  from  the  Conference  floor. 


August  1998  Mes.senger  11 


People 


Annual  Conference  is  always  a 
time  for  getting  friends  together, 
for  relaxed  visiting,  and  formal 
celebrations.  For  many  who  attend 
Conference  each  year,  it  is  primarily 
a  social  gathering,  interrupted  only 
occasionally  by  business,  worship, 
and  sleep. 
Among  the  highlights  this  year: 

•  Twenty-six  golfers  played  in  the 
annual  Brethren  Benefit  Trust  golf 
outing  at  the  International  Golf  Club 
in  Orlando.  After  a  tie-breaking  play- 
off, first  place  went  to  Todd  Reish, 
Dan  Poole,  Dave  Rogers,  and  lean 
Fike. 

•  lay  Gibble  was  honored  upon  his 
retirement  as  executive  director  of 
the  Association  of  Brethren  Care- 
givers, after  1  7  years  of  work  with 
the  ministry.  "It's  been  a  great  joy," 
said  Gibble,  who  continues  as  a  part- 
time  ABC  staff  member,  working 
with  deacon  ministries  and  the 
Lafiya  program. 

•  The  annual  5lv  run/walk,  spon- 
sored by  the  Outdoor  Ministries 
Association,  drew  a  crowd  of  ener- 
getic early-risers.  First  and  second 
place  winners  in  the  men's  run  were 
Fernando  Coronado  and  |erry 
Crouse.  Deb  Morris  and  Rachel 
Long  led  the  women.  In  the  walking 
division,  Dave  Fonts  won  for  the  men 
and  Becki  Ball-Miller  won  for  the 
women. 

•  Service  took  first  place  for  38 
Brethren  conferencegoers  who  con- 
tributed a  combined  57  volunteer 
days  assisting  Project  LOVE  by 
repairing  houses  in  nearby  Winter 
Garden.  The  houses  had  been  dam- 
aged by  storms  that  swept  through 
central  Florida  in  February. 

In  a  separate  response  to  disaster. 
Brethren  at  Conference  donated 
more  than  $13,000  for  the  Red  Cross 
to  help  victims  of  Florida  wildfires. 


Top  photo:  Dorotha  Fry  Mason  of  N.  Manchester,  Ind,,  and  longtime  fnend  Eisie  Eicher  of  Harrisonburg,  Va,,  share  family 
photos.  Middle:  Magician  Barry  Sink  pulls  a  rabbit  out  of  a  hat  during  children's  time,  led  by  worship  leader  Cindy  Barnum- 
Steggerda,  Below:  Ludovic  St.  Fleur,  pastor  of  Eglise  des  Freres  Haitiens,  Miami,  Fla,,  with  Karen  Carter  of  Daleville,  Va,, 
greeting  members  of  the  Haitian  church  choir,  which  performed  for  Tuesday  evening's  worship  service. 


12  MrsstNGER  Aueust  1998 


Top:  Emily  Barker,  with  her  grandmother,  Violet  Miller,  a 
member  of  Hope  Church  of  the  Brethren,  Freeport,  Mich. 
Middle:  Friends  get  together  From  left:  ByrI  Shaver,  pastor, 
Longmeadow  Church  of  the  Brethren,  Hagerstown,  Md,; 
Manny  Diaz  of  Lake  Chades,  La,  a  Congregational  Life 
Team  staff  member  and  Southern  Plains  district  executive; 
and  Don  Self ,  associate  pastor.  Lake  Charles  (La.)  Com- 
munity Church  of  the  Brethren.  Bottom:  John  Wenger  of 
Anderson,  Ind.,  a  clinical  psychologist,  leads  a  panel  dis- 
cussion in  an  insight  session  on  mental  health  issues. 


August  1998  Mi.s,si.nci:r  13 


Worship 

P 

1.     V 


aithfulness"  was  the  common 
theme  explored  by  each  of  the 
worship  preachers  at  Annual 
Conference.  A  quotation  from  each: 

William  Willimon,  dean  of  the 
chapel  and  professor  of  Christian 
ministry,  Duke  University,  Durham, 
N.C.,  was  Tuesday  night's  speaker: 
"The  Bible  is  a  book  about  the  imagi- 
nation of  God.  It's  a  book  meant  to 
stoke,  to  fund,  to  kindle  the  imagina- 
tion of  the  church.  That's  how  1  want 
you  to  think  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  as  a  people  produced  by 
the  imagination  of  God,  as  a  people 
with  faithful  imagination." 

Elaine  SoUenberger,  Annual  Con- 
ference moderator,  of  Everett,  Pa., 
spoke  Wednesday:  "Somehow  we 
need  to  find  the  grace  to  value  those 
things  we  have  in  common  as  well  as 
those  we  do  not.  ...  At  this  time  in 
our  lives,  one  of  the  things  we  need 
most  is  to  find  ways,  or  the  way,  to 
hold  this  body,  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  together  during  a  time  of 
some  uncertainty  and  some  lack  ot 
clarity  about  who  we  are." 

Fred  Swartz,  pastor  of  Manassas 
(Va.)  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
preached  Thursday  evening:  "Often 
what  is  required  of  us  is  a  real  sur- 
prise, what  we  least  expect.  For 
example,  maybe  we  need  to  give  up 
some  of  our  obstinacy  toward  others' 
views  in  order  for  the  church  to  make 
some  headway  toward  unity  and  wit- 
ness for  Christ.  Maybe  we  need  to 
give  up  some  of  our  social  prejudice 
so  that  Christ's  love  for  all  people 
can  shine  through." 

Duane  Ramsey,  former  moderator 
and  recently  retired  pastor  of  Wash- 
ington City  Chui'ch  of  the  Brethren, 
Washington,  D.C.,  spoke  Friday 
evening:  "1  have  never  found  it  easy 
to  walk  and  talk  with  God.  Any  seri- 
ous commitment  to  follow  Christ  is 
not  easy." 

Donna  Forbes  Steincr  of  Lan- 
disville.  Pa.,  associate  district 
executive  of  Atlantic  Northeast  Dis- 
trict, spoke  Saturday  evening:  "The 
nature  of  God's  love  is  inclusion  of 


Fred  Swartz 


Donna  Forbes  Steiner 


Robert  Alley 


14  Messenger  August  1998 


all  persons.  No  area,  no  people,  no 
group  is  separated  from  God's 
mercy.  Whatever  or  whomever  con- 
tributes to  excluding  another  from 
the  Christian  community  works  at 
cross-purposes  with  God's  redemp- 
tive intention." 

Robert  Alley,  pastor  of  Bridgewater 
(Va.)  Church  of  the  Brethren,  was  the 
Sunday  morning  preacher:  "This 
week,  we  have  listened  to  words  of 
faithfulness  ....  Now  as  we  prepare 
to  leave  Annual  Conference,  the  chal- 
lenge for  us  is  to  go  aware  of  God's 
faithfulness  to  us  and  be  unashamed 
to  be  called  God's  people!  Remember 
who  goes  with  us!" 


Top:  A  human  tableau,  called  a  "living  banner,"  was  pre- 
sented at  the  beginning  of  each  night's  worship.  Here, 
representing  different  stages  in  life,  from  a  youth  being 
baptized  to  a  seminary  graduate  living  a  life  of  faithful- 
ness are  (from  left):  Joel  Kline,  Jill  Kline  (kneeling),  Liz 
Bidgood-Enders,  Eugene  Roop,  and  Cathy  Folk,  Second 
row  left:  Jimmy  Ross,  pastor  of  the  Lititz,  Pa.  congrega- 
tion, leads  singing.  Ross,  who  had  been  elected  to  serve 
this  year  as  moderator  but  had  to  resign  a  year  ago  for 
health  reasons,  came  to  Conference  demonstrating  that 
he  has  been  restored  to  good  health.  Second  row  right: 
Belita  Mitchell,  a  member  of  Impenal  Heights  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  Los  Angeles,  Calif.,  served  as  Thursday 
evening  worship  leader  Third:  Janelle  Flory  (left),  a  fresh- 
man at  McPherson  College,  and  Kendra  Flory,  a  junior  at 
Bridgewater  College,  dazzle  conference  goers  with  a 
handbell  duet.  The  sisters,  from  McPherson,  Kan.,  are 
daughters  of  Lowell  Flory,  1999  Annual  Conference  mod- 
erator. Bottom:  NoelleBallinger  performs  ballet  to  the 
music  of  "The  Lord's  Prayer." 


August  1998  Messenger  1  5 


Global  snapshot 

The  world  comes 
together  at  Orlando 

There  was  not  a  more  inspirational 
moment  at  Annual  Conference 
than  when  the  Brethren  Volunteer 
Service  volunteers  came  forward  one 
by  one  to  announce  their  name,  pro- 
ject, and  location.  From  10  countries 
and  1  3  states  they  came,  52  volun- 
teers in  all,  each  serving  God  under 
the  Brethren  banner.  For  this  time  it 
seemed  the  church  had  indeed  been 
faithful  to  the  command,  "Go  ye 
therefore  into  all  the  world  .  .  .  ." 

As  part  of  the  BVS  50th  anniver- 
sary celebration,  current  volunteers 
from  around  the  globe  had  traveled 
to  Conference;  most  of  them  had 
their  trips  made  possible  by  the  gift 
of  an  anonymous  donor. 


1 .  Laura  Stepp,  Pesticide  Action  Network,  San  Francisco,  Calif,;  2.  Mimi  Copp,  teaciier,  Kulp  Bible  College,  Mubi,  Nigena;  3.Jessica  Lehman, 
Northern  Ireland  Children's  Holiday  Scheme,  Belfast,  Northern  Ireland;  4.  Matt  Stauffer,  assistant  to  BVS  orientation,  Elgin,  III.;  5,  Diane 
Dubble,  Community  Mediation  Center,  Harrisonburg,  Va.;  6.  Jean  Morgan,  Women's  Aid,  Belfast,  Northern  Ireland; 
7,  Nancy  Zook,  Christian  Campaign  for  Nuclear  Disarmament,  London,  England;  8.  Mary  Ann  Albert,  World  friendship  Center,  Hiroshima, 
Japan;  9,  Caria  Kilgore,  Religious  Coalition  for  Emergency  Human  Need,  Frederick,  Md.;  10.  Mandy  Kreps,  peace  consultant  of  Shenan- 
doah District,  Harrisonburg,  Va,;  11.  Anna  Szymaska,  Tri-City  Homeless  Coalition,  Fremont,  Calif,;  12.  Mary  Miller,  Tri-City  Homeless 
Coalition,  Fremont,  Calif,;  13.  Jenn  Brown,  National- Coalition  to  Abolish  the  Death  Penalty,  Washington,  D,C.;  14,  Andrea  Wells,  Cafe 
Joshua,  West  Palm  Beach,  Fla,;  15.  Ruth  Hess,  Camp  Bethel,  Fincastle,Va,;  16,  Robert  Stiles,  San  Antonio  Catholic  Worker  House,  San  Anto- 
nio, Texas;  17.  Kryss  Chupp,  Christian  Peacemaker  Teams,  Chicago,  III,;  1 8,  Heather  Nolen,  Church  of  the  Brethren  Washington  Office, 
Washington,  D,C,;  19.  Tina  Rieman,  assistant  to  the  director  of  Volunteer  Service  Ministries,  Elgin,  III,;  20,  Chen  Rieman,  San  Antonio 
Catholic  Worker  House,  San  Antonio,  Texas;  21,  Megan  Blinn,  L'Arche  Community  Republic  of  Ireland;  22.  Melissa  Collett,  World  Wide 
Web  administrator,  Elgin,  III.;  23.  Karin  Davidson,  program  assistant  to  Brethren  Witness  Office,  Elgin,  III,;  24.  ien  Flory,  Religious  Coali- 
tion for  Emergency  Human  Need,  Frederick,  Md,;  25.  Chip  Wood,  Camp  Myrtlewood,  Myrtlepoint,  Ore.;  26.  Aaron  Durnbaugh,  Northern 
Ireland  Children's  Holiday  Scheme,  Belfast,  Northern  Ireland;  27.  Curtis  Bryant,  Trees  For  Life,  Wichita,  Kan,;  28.  Charles  Albert,  World 
Fnendship  Center,  Hiroshima,  Japan;  29.  Jeffrey  Faus,  Trees  For  Life,  Wichita,  Kan,;  30.  Travis  Reich,  Washington  City  Church  of  the  Brethren 
Soup  Kitchen,  Washington,  D.C;  31.  Ean  Frank,  San  Antonio,  Metropolitan  Ministry,  San  Antonio,  Texas;  32.  Bekah  Rieke,  Trees  For  Life, 
Wichita,  Kan,;  33.  Tom  Benevento,  Trees  For  Life,  Guatemala;  34.  Dennis  Kingery,  teacher,  Hillcrest  School,  Jos,  Nigeria;  35.  CaryJossart, 
Kilcranny  House,  Coleraine,  Northern  Ireland;  36.  Sarah  Shreckhise,  Casa  de  Esperanza  de  los  Ninos,  Houston,  Texas;  37.  Jenny  Stover, 
Cafe  458,  Atlanta,  Ga,;  38.  Brian  Yoder,  National  Youth  Conference  coordinator,  Elgin,  111,;  39,  Megan  Joseph,  Casa  de  Esperanza  de  los 
Ninos,  Houston,  Texas;  40.  Costa  Nicolaidis,  Church  of  the  Brethren  Washington  Office,  Washington,  D.C;  41.  Torin  Eikenberry,  Su  Casa 
Catholic  Worker  House,  Chicago,  111,,  42.  Bryan  Wave,  Interfaith  House,  Chicago,  III,;  43.  Daniel  Opoku,  National  Farm  Worker  Ministry, 
Benson,  North  Carolina;  44.  Jeff  Bibler,  Trees  for  Life,  India;  45.  Stephan  Kruft,  Tri-City  Homeless  Coalition,  Fremont,  Calif,;  46.  Scott  Shiv- 
ely,  Kilcranny  House,  Coleraine,  Northern  Ireland;  47,  Raif  Ziegler,  EIRENE  Organization,  Neuwied,  Germany;  48.  Andreas  Tillmann, 
Washington  City  Church  of  the  Brethren  Soup  Kitchen,  Washington,  D,C,;  49.  Chris  Weller,  Balkan  Peace  Team,  Split,  Croatia;  50.  Nathan 
Backus,  Gould  Farm,  Monterey,  Mass,;  51 .  Andrew  Taylor,  Proyecto  Libertad,  Hariingen,  Texas;  52.  Todd  Reish,  coordinator  of  BVS  Orien- 
tation (full-time  staff),  Elgin,  III,;  53.  Michael  McCarthy,  Proyecto  Libertad,  Harlingen,Texas;  54.  Elaine  Campbell,  Multi-Cultural  Resource 
Centre,  Belfast,  Northern  Ireland;  55.  Knstin  Flory,  BVS  Europe  coordinator  (full-time  staff),  Geneva,  Switzerland;  56.  Dan  McFadden,  direc- 
tor of  Volunteer  Service  Ministries/BVS  (full-time  staff),  Elgin,  111, 


(ilA"     - 


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42  ..^"44    i45^'*  48^^11  52153^55" 


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39 


15 


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16  Messenger  August  1998 


Alma  Long  of  Ada,  Ohio,  who  played  a  key  role  in'the  foundin'g  of  BVS  in  1948,  spoke  at  the  50th  ,anni\/ersary  dinner. 


"The  founding  of  BVS  at  the  1948 
Annual  Conference  was  the  most  excit- 
ing event  of  my  life." 


"You  can  tackle  a  lot  of  problems  if  you 
know  that  somebody  somewhere  loves 
you." 


"It's  the  chain  reaction  of  the  spirit-how 
one  life  touches  another  life-that  gets 
the  job  done." 


"BVS  wound  me  up  for  life." 


BVS  CHANGES  PEOPLE 

Celebrating  histofy  and 
hope  at  the  50'' anniversary 

More  than  400  persons  attended 
the  Brethren  Volunteer  Service 
50th  anniversary  dinner  in  Orlando. 
Most  of  them  were  current  or  former 
BVS  volunteers.  All  agreed  that  BVS 
not  only  changes  the  world,  but 
changes  the  people  who  enter  the 
program,  too. 

Several  former  volunteers  were  rec- 
ognized from  the  first  official  BVS 
unit  in  1948.  and  from  volunteer  pro- 
jects before  that.  Volunteers  from  each 
decade  were  then  asked  to  stand. 
When  the  crowd  was  asked  how  many 
had  met  their  spouse  through  BVS, 
dozens  of  hands  were  raised. 

Bob  Gross,  a  former  volunteer  from 
N.  Manchester,  Ind.,  told  the  audi- 
ence that  BVS  deepens  a  person's 
values  permanently.  "BVS  volunteers 
are  changed  in  a  way  that  they  don't 
quite  fit  into  the  world  anymore," 
Gross  said.  He  suggested  networking 
among  former  volunteers  so  that 
BVSers  "can  stay  ruined  for  life." 

Kristin  Flory,  the  coordinator  of 
Brethren  Volunteer  Service  in  Europe, 


came  to  Annual  Conference  from  her 
base  in  Geneva,  Switzerland,  where 
she  has  been  supervising  BVSers  for 
the  past  ten  years.  She  now  has  charge 
of  about  25  volunteers. 

Preferring  to  work  quietly  behind 
the  scenes,  Flory  reluctantly  agreed  to 
be  interviewed  in  Orlando  about 
changes  she  has  seen  over  the  years. 

She  said  it  continues  to  be  a  chal- 
lenge to  find  the  right  kind  of  people, 
and  enough  of  them,  to  fill  the  need. 
In  Europe  alone,  she  said,  she  knows 
of  10  or  12  organizations  which  are 
"desperately"  seeking  volunteers. 
Recent  cutbacks  in  BVS  recruitment 
personnel  contribute  to  the  problem. 

"The  volunteers  are  more  honest 
about  what  they  want  to  get  out  of 
their  BVS  service,"  she  said.  While  in 
the  past  participants  said  they  were 
motivated  only  by  their  desire  to 
serve,  today  the  motivation  is  mixed. 
"There  is  an  increased  consciousness 
that  this  is  part  of  their  education," 
Flory  said.  Though  less  than  half  of 
the  volunteers  are  members  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  Brethren 
values  are  emphasized.  "Some  are 
clear  that  they  are  living  out  of  their 
faith,"  Flory  said. 

Regardless  of  their  motives  for 
coming  into  BVS,  the  volunteers 
always  leave  the  program  changed  by 
it.  "They  are  changed  by  seeing  a  dif- 


ferent way  of  approaching  problems. 
They  get  another  cultural  perspec- 
tive. It's  inevitable  that  they're  going 
to  see  things  differently  than  when 
they  came." 

"We're  all  going  to  be  changed  and 
challenged,"  Flory  said,  offering  a 
glimpse  into  her  own  motivation. 
Some  volunteers'  lives  take  on  a  whole 
new  perspective,  oriented  to  peace  and 
justice  for  the  poor.  "I'm  thrilled  when 
that  happens." 

Dan  McFadden,  who  heads  BVS  as 
director  of  Volunteer  Service  Min- 
istries for  the  General  Board,  said 
currently  there  are  79  open  BVS  posi- 
tions with  only  25  volunteers  currently 
available  to  fill  them.  "We  need  volun- 
teers," he  said. 

Bob  Gross  told  the  dinner  audience 
he'd  like  to  see  BVS  get  more  involved 
in  Brethren-initiated  group  projects, 
rather  than  just  being  a  clearinghouse 
to  recruit  volunteers  for  existing  pro- 
jects. "We  need  to  be  washing  the  feet 
of  the  world,"  he  said.  "But  we  need  to 
be  challenging  oppression  too." 

Alma  Long  of  Ada,  Ohio,  who 
regaled  the  dinner  crowd  with  tales 
from  the  beginnings  of  BVS  50  years 
ago,  ended  her  presentation  with  a 
look  toward  the  future.  "God  isn't 
done  with  BVS  yet,"  she  said.  "There 
lies  the  hope.  And  there  lies  the  chal- 
lenge." 


August  1998  Messenger  17 


leYouna 


Children  and  youth  at  Conference 
learned  about  their  faith,  made  new 
friends,  performed  service  work,  and 
shared  their  talents.  The  young  at 
Annual  Conference  are  not  only  the 
church's  future,  they  are  its  present 
vitality. 


Dawn  Hanes,  left,  of  Union,  Ohio,  Drew 
Jones  of  Durfiam,  N.C,  and  Amy  Rhoades 
of  Dalevile,  Va,  get  their  heads  together 
at  senior  high  youth  activities. 

Editor's  Note:  This  photo 
is  by  Jessica  Ramirez  of 
Elkhart,  Ind..  who  will  be 
a  high  school  senior  this 
fall.  She  is  considering  a 
career  in  photography. 


ues 

and  friends  performed  a  spirited  God- 
speli  for  conferencegoers  Saturday 
night.  Pictured,  from  left,  are:  Holly 
Hathaway  John  Harvey,  Barb  Sayler, 
Shad  Scarrette,  Rhonda  Pittman  Gin- 
gnch,  Liz  Bidgood-Enders,  Jim  Bowyer, 


Jason  and  Heidi  Fishburn  perform  dunng  a  senior  nign  concert. 


Mycal  Gresh  of  New  Plains,  Pa.  pours  her  heart  into  children's  rhythm  band  performance . . . 


. , .  but  once  off  stage  she  succumbs  in  the  arms  of  her  father,  Pastor  Ken  Gresh. 


18  Messenger  August  1998 


Guests 


)p:  Bitrus  Bdlia,  general  secretary  of  Ekklesiyar  Yan'uwa  a  Nigeria,  delivers  greetings  in  Orlando,  with  Bitrus  Tizhe,  EYN 


a,  left,  and  Tizfie  enjoy  American  food 
atives  in  famine-gripped  North  Korea, 


resident,  and  Men/  Keeney,  director  of  Global  Mission  Partnerships.  Second:  1 

Orlando.  Bottom  photo:  Kim  Joo,  a  consultant  for  several  Brethren  relief  initic 

lived  in  Orlando  direct  from  her  latest  visit  to  the  Asian  nation.  She  discusses  the  situation  in  North  Korea  with  Brethren 

astor  Dan  Kim,  left,  and  General  Board  vice  chair,  Lon  Sollenberger  Knepp.  Joo  hosted  Knepp  on  a  February  visit  to 

orth  Korea. 


They  could  never  imagine  a  rule 
limiting  the  length  of  speeches 
at  their  Annual  Conference,  or 
limiting  a  delegate  to  only  one 
speech  on  a  particular  subject.  In 
Africa,  speeches  go  on  and  on. 

Despite  differences  in  microphone 
decorum,  guests  from  Nigeria  at 
Annual  Conference  found  much  in 
common  with  their  US  church  part- 
ners. The  guests  were  the  two  top 
leaders  of  Ekklesiyar  Yan'uwa  a 
Nigeria  (EYN),  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  Nigeria.  They  are  Bitrus 
Bdlia,  general  secretary,  and  Bitrus 
Tizhe,  president. 

They  came  as  part  of  the  celebra- 
tion of  75  years  of  partnership 
between  the  US  Church  of  the 
Brethren  and  the  Nigerian  church. 
Some  80  Brethren  who  have  served 
in  Nigeria  or  visited  there  joined  the 
visitors  on  stage  during  a  special  pre- 
sentation, and  many  others  with 
special  ties  to  the  African  church 
greeted  the  visitors  at  a  reception. 

The  church  leaders'  visit  to 
Orlando  followed  meetings  at 
Church  of  the  Brethren  offices  in 
Elgin,  ill.  This  was  the  "biennial  con- 
sultation" between  Nigerian  church 
leaders  and  their  church  partners, 
which  include  the  Basel  Mission  of 
Basel,  Switzerland,  in  addition  to  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren. 

These  visitors  would  go  home  to  a 
land  in  political  turmoil  over  leader- 
ship struggles.  Nigeria's  political 
problems  affect  the  EYN  church  pri- 
marily through  the  economic 
problems  resulting  from  government 
corruption.  Problems  between  Chris- 
tians and  Muslims  are  intensifying  as 
Muslim  fundamentalism  spreads. 

Despite  these  problems,  or  because 
of  them,  EYN  is  growing  so  rapidly  it 
is  experiencing  a  leadership  shortage. 
There  are  full-time  pastors  for  only  a 
third  of  the  356  congregations. 

Tizhe  said  service  is  key  to  the 
church's  evangelism  in  Nigeria.  A 
rural  development  program  digs  wells 
even  in  Muslim  areas  as  a  demonstra- 
tion of  Christian  love.  He  recited  a 
favored  saying:  'Tf  I  go  empty- 
handed,  what  will  my  Lord  say?" 


August  1998  Messenger  19 


New  Leadershio 


The  new  executive  director  of  the 
General  Board,  Judy  Mills 
Reimer,  received  a  standing  ova- 
tion as  she  was  officially  installed  at 
the  conclusion  of  Thursday  morn- 
ing's General  Board  Live  Report. 
Family,  friends,  and  church  officials 
surrounded  Reimer  as  she  took  her 
vows  from  Chris  Bowman,  chairman 
of  the  General  Board,  and  received 
anointing  with  oil  and  laying  on  of 
hands. 

Reimer  gave  all  in  attendance  a 
bookmark  bearing  the  words  of  Eph- 
esians  4:5  —  "Make  it  your  aim  to 
be  at  one  in  the  Spirit  and  you  will  be 
bound  together  in  peace."  —  and  led 
the  body  in  reading  the  passage  in 
response.   "It  is  my  sincere  hope, 
friends,"  Reimer  said,  "that  we  will 
continue  on  the  journey  and  that  we 
would  truly  be  about  God's  busi- 
ness." 

Lowell  Flory,  a  college  professor 
and  attorney  from  McPherson,  Kan., 
assumed  the  position  of  Annual  Con- 
ference moderator,  the  highest 
elected  office  in  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  after  serving  one  year  as 
moderator-elect. 

Emily  Metzger  Mumma,  pastor  of 
Hollidaysburg  (Pa.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  was  elected  moderator- 
elect.  She  will  assume  the  position  of 
moderator  next  |uly,  and  will  preside 
over  the  2 1 4th  Annual  Conference  in 
2000.  Mumma,  of  Duncansville,  Pa., 
has  served  the  church  in  numerous 


Top:  Judy  Mis  Reimer,  new  executive  director  of  the  Gen- 
eral Board,  Second:  Reimer  being  anointed  with  oil  by 
Chris  Bowman,  chair  of  the  General  Board.  Bottom:  Laying 
on  hands,  from  left,  are:  Chris  Bowman;  Troy  Reimer,  son, 
of  Roanoke,  Va.;  George  Reimer;  Judy  Mills  Reimer;  David 
Shumate,  Virlina  distnct  executive;  and  Jane  Mills,  sister, 
of  Louisville,  Ky 


20  Mi.ssENi.ER  August  1998 


)p:  Tracy  Wenger  Sadd,  left  of  Manheim,  Pa,  was  elected  vice  chair  of  the  General  Board  and  Mary  Jo  Flory-Steury,  of 
ettering,  Ohio,  was  elected  chair.  Middle:  Kneeling  dunng  Sunday's  consecration  service  are  Lowell  Flory,  the  new  mod- 
^ator,  and  Emily  Metzger  Mumma,  moderator-elect.  Standing,  from  left,  are  Barbara  Flory,  Cathy  Huffman,  Elaine 
ollenberger,  Berwyn  Oltman,  and  Luke  Mumma.  Below:  Lowell  Flory  says  thanks  and  farewell  to  departing  moderator 
laine  Sollenberger,  with  whom  he  has  served  for  the  past  year. 


leadership  positions  on  the  congre- 
gational, district,  and 
denominational  levels. 

Among  other  election  results: 

Annual  Conference  Program  and 
Arrangements  Committee:  Paul 
Roth,  Broadway,  Va. 

General  Board:  At-large — R.  |an 
Thompson,  Mesa,  Ariz.  Atlantic 
Southeast — Merle  Crouse,  St. 
Cloud,  Fla.  Missouri/Arkansas — 
Cynthia  Loper  Sanders,  Cabool,  Mo. 
Southern  Pennsylvania — Warren 
Eshbach.  Thomasville,  Pa. 

Pastoral  Compensation  and  Bene- 
fits Advisory  Committee:  Eunice  Erb 
Culp,  Goshen,  Ind. 

Committee  on  Interchurch  Rela- 
tions: lames  Beckwith,  Dayton,  Va. 

Bethany  Theological  Seminary 
electors:  Representing  the  laity — 
Peggy  Mangus  Yoder,  Huntingdon, 
Pa.  Representing  the  ministry — 
Susan  Stern  Boyer,  North 
Manchester,  Ind. 

The  General  Board  elected  Mary  Jo 
Flory-Steury,  pastor  of  the  Prince  of 
Peace  congregation,  Kettering,  Ohio, 
as  its  new  chair.  Tracy  Wenger  Sadd 
of  Manheim,  Pa.,  was  elected  vice- 
chair.  Other  executive  committee 
members  are  Phyllis  Davis,  Ernest 
Bolz,  Stafford  Frederick,  and  Bill 
Eberly. 

Ann  Ouay  of  the  La  Verne  (Calif.) 
Church  of  the  Brethren  was  intro- 
duced as  new  chair  of  Brethren 
Benefit  Trust.  Ray  Donadio  was 
elected  vice-chair  and  is  joined  by 
new  board  members  Lamar  Gibble 
and  Richard  Pogue.  Cheryl  Otte- 
moeller  Ingold  was  re-elected  by 
Conference  delegates. 

The  Association  of  Brethren  Care- 
givers has  chosen  Marilyn  Lerch 
Scott  as  chair-elect  to  fill  a  vacancy 
created  by  the  resignation  of  Judy 
Mills  Reimer.  New  ABC  board  mem- 
bers elected  to  a  three-year  term 
were  Connie  Burk  Davis.  Ralph 
McFadden,  Sue  Moore,  and  Bentley 
Peters. 

lanice  Ruhl  and  Mark  Baeverstad 
were  confirmed  as  members  of  the 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary  board 
of  trustees.  Donna  Ritchey  Martin  of 
Mt.  Morris,  III.,  was  elected  to  the 
officers  committee  of  the  Minis 
ters  Association. 


/*t. 


August  1998  Messenger  21 


Guatemala 


War-weary  people  gather 
the  courage  to  tell  their  stories 


Guatemala  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  places  on  God's 
earth.  Lush  forests,  volcanic  soils, 
monuments  to  ancient  civilizations. 
Gracious  and  generous  people 
dressed  in  every  color  of  the  rain- 
bow. Yet  there  has  been  no  pot  of 
gold  at  the  end  of  this  rainbow  in 
recent  years;  for  the  past  three  and  a 
half  decades  a  brutal  civil  war  has 
drained  the  colors  of  life  from  this 
Central  American  nation. 

The  numbers  themselves  command 
our  attention:  over  these  past  3  5 
years  there  were  1  50,000  killed, 
another  50,000  disappeared, 
200,000  orphans,  40,000  widows,  1 
million  refugees — and  all  this  in  a 


country  about  the  size  of  Virginia 
with  a  total  population  of  only  6  mil- 
lion people.  The  victims  of  this 
violence  were  mostly  poor,  mostly 
rural,  mostly  indigenous — although 
beyond  that  the  destruction  was 
coldly  impartial. 

Children  were  killed  along  with 
their  parents,  sometimes  wrenched 
from  their  mothers'  wombs.  In  half 
of  the  over  400  recorded  massacres, 
women  as  well  as  men  were  killed. 
Men  were  forced  to  watch  their  wives 
being  violated  by  groups  of  soldiers. 
Ninety  percent  of  the  victims  were 
civilians,  belonging  neither  to  the 
government  nor  guerilla  forces. 
Everyone  cowered  under  a  pale  of 
fear.  Afraid  to  see,  afraid  to  talk, 


Photos  and  story  by 
David  Radcliff 


afraid  to  know,  afraid  to  live. 

One  priest  told  our  group  a  story 
to  illustrate  the  curtain  of  fear  that 
hung  over  many  communities.  In  a 
certain  community,  a  man  had  been 
murdered.  The  priest  only  knew 
about  this  from  cryptic  comments 
made  by  villagers.  "You  see,"  the 
priest  explained,  "no  one  wanted  to 
admit  that  they  knew  anything  about 
this.  Even  though  it  would  have  been 
common  knowledge  that  the  para- 
military forces  were  responsible,  the 
people  were  afraid  that  they  would  be 
blamed  for  the  killing." 

Einally  someone  indicated  that  per- 
haps the  lake  near  the  village  could  be 
the  site  of  the  crime.  The  priest  spent 
all  of  the  next  morning  searching  for 


22  Messenger  August  1998 


the  body.  After  combing 
the  lake  shore  for  hours,  a 
man  came  by  driving  his 
cattle.  "Pastor,  do  you 
have  anything  for  fear," 
he  asked,  as  one  would 
ask  for  a  dose  of  medi- 
cine. By  his  ashen 
appearance  and  shaken 
manner,  the  priest  sus- 
pected he  had  stumbled 
upon  the  body.  He 
retraced  the  tracks  of  the 
cattle  until  he  came  to  a 
wooded  area,  just  in  time 
to  see  a  small  dog  come 
out  of  the  forest  carrying  a 
human  arm  in  its  mouth. 

How  does  a  nation 
overcome  such  a  legacy? 
Even  after  the  signing  of 
an  historic  peace  accord 
in  September  1996,  the 
fear — and  the  accompa- 
nying silence — remained. 
This  was  in  part  due  to 
the  fact  that  many  of  the 
conditions  that  gave  rise 
to  the  conflict  still 
remain.  "The  social  and 
economic  problems  that 
provoked  the  contlict  in 
the  past — the  poverty,  the 
lack  of  land,  the  oppres- 
sion of  indigenous  people 
and  women — are  still  pre- 
sent, and  getting  worse," 
according  to  Guatemalan 
human  rights  advocate 
Frank  LaRue.  "And  there 
is  the  feeling  that  the  mil- 
itary can  make  a  move 
and  set  us  back  20  years. 
The  past  can  happen 
again.  That  is  why 
REMHI  is  so  important." 

Indeed.  REMHI  was 
why  I  had  come  to 
Guatemala  in  April  along 
with  a  dozen  other  US 
church  representatives. 
The  Recuperation  of  His- 
toric Memory  project 
(REMHI  is  the  Spanish 
acronym)  was  an  attempt 
sponsored  by  the  Catholic 
church  to  both  deal  with 


Families  living  in  the  village  ofNuevo  Mexico,  a 
sister  community  in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren's 
Guatemalan  Accompaniment  program,  each  liave 
their  ozim  REMHI-like  stories.  Translation  and 
comments  are  provided  by  Melinda  Van  Slyke, 
Brethren-supported  "accompanier." Melinda  will 
finish  her  one-year  stay  in  Nuevo  Mexico  this  fall. 


Modesta 


"We  lived  in  tine  Ixcan  region  when  the  repression 
started.  They  burned  our  house — they  burned  every- 
thing we  had.  With  machetes  they  cut  down  our 
trees.  First  we  went  into  the  jungle,  because  we  didn't 
want  to  die.  We  were  just  lil<e  animals.  The  arnny 
would  come  at  night  and  kill  anyone  they  saw.  And  so 
we  left  for  Mexico.  We  walked  for  22  days.  Along  the 
way,  we  ate  anything  we  could  find — weeds,  leaves. 
And  now  we're  here,  and  they  want  each  family  to 
pay  a  huge  sum  for  this  land.  It  hasn't  rained  for 
months,  we  can't  plant,  and  we're  running  out  of 
food.  The  government  built  us  a  basketball  court.  Can 
we  eat  a  basketball  court?!  It  was  a  completely  ridicu- 
lous project.  I  have  a  very  painful  abscessed  tooth,  but 
I  cannot  afford  treatment.  Before,  we  were  caught 
between  the  army  and  the  guerillas;  now  it's  the  rob- 
bers. The  former  soldiers  and  guerillas  are  now  the 
bandits.  Who  knows  what  we're  going  to  do?  It's  very 
sad." 


the  past  by  giving  people 
the  opportunity  to  speak 
of  what  they  had  seen, 
heard,  and  experienced, 
and  to  build  for  the 
future,  by  taking  a  step 
toward  national  reconcil- 
iation. In  order  to  move 
into  a  more  peaceful 
future,  the  trauma  of  the 
past  needed  to  be  recog- 
nized and  addressed. 
REMHI  was  to  be  pre- 
sented on  Friday,  April 
24  to  the  nation  at  a  spe- 
cial ceremony  in  the 
cathedral  in  Guatemala 
City,  an  event  our  delega- 
tion had  been  invited  to 
witness. 

Indeed  the  people 
spoke,  for  the  first  time  in 
decades.  Over  6,500 
people  came  forward  over 
the  course  of  two  years  to 
tell  their  personal  and 
community  horror  stories. 
These  testimonies  were 
collected  by  some  600 
"animators" — common 
people  trained  to  inter- 
view their  neighbors.  The 
results  bore  out  what 
everyone  had  suspected. 
While  there  were  atroci- 
ties committed  by  every 
party  to  the  conflict,  the 
vast  majority,  over  80 
percent,  were  carried  out 
by  government  forces. 
Here  is  case  #5  1 64, 
San  Cristobal  Verapaz, 
Aha  Verapaz,  1982: 

Without  asking  any 
questions,  the  soldiers  tied 
up  everyone  inside  the 
house.  They  poured  gaso- 
line on  tlie  house  and  set 
it  on  fire.  Everyone  inside 
died  in  the  fire,  including 
a  two-year-old  child.  My 
jnother.  sister,  and 
brother-in-law  died  along 
with  their  three  children. 

The  purpose  of  REMHI 
was  not  to  make  accusa- 
tions or  to  be 


August  1998  Messenger  23 


confrontational.  This  was 
evident  at  the  April  25 
presentation.  "Speaker 
after  speaker  stressed  the 
pastoral  focus  of  the 
work,  primarily  the  idea 
that  speaking  the  truth 
was  necessary  lor  the 
mental  health,  healing, 
and  reconciliation  of  the 
country,"  noted  longtime 
Guatemala  activist  Kathy 
Ogle,  of  the  US-based 
Ecumenical  Program  on 
Central  America  and  the 
Caribbean. 

The  speaker  that  after- 
noon who  garnered  the 
most  robust  applause  was 
bishop  |uan  Gerardi. 
Although  he  had  just 
recently  been  in  charge  of 
the  REMHI  project,  Ger- 
ardi had  once  been  bishop 
of  the  Quiche  region,  the 
area  in  which  the  repres- 
sion had  been  the  most 
severe.  At  one  point  in  the 
early  1980s,  he  had  to 
close  down  his  parish  due 
to  the  assassination  of  so 
many  priests.  Threats 
were  made  on  his  own 
life,  sending  him  into  exile 
for  several  years. 

I  first  met  the  bishop 
soon  after  that  period,  a 
large  man  with  dark  hair 
and  sharp  features,  during 
a  visit  to  Guatemala  in 
1986.  His  hair  has  grayed 
over  the  years,  but  his 
commitment  to  Guatemala's  margin- 
alized people  and  to  living  out  the 
gospel  in  this  difficult  situation  has 
not  lessened. 

When  asked  recently  if  he  had  for- 
given the  military  officials  who 
slaughtered  the  pastors  of  his  parish 
and  tried  to  kill  him,  Gerardi  easily 
and  confidently  answered,  "Yes."  He 
quickly  added,  "It's  difficult,  I  know. 
Forgiving  doesn't  mean  forgetting  the 
monstrosities  of  that  time.  But  if  God 
forgives  someone,  then  that  person 
has  to  forgive  others,  although  at 


Tomas 

"My  two  brothers  and  my  wife's  mother  were  killed  in 
massacres  by  the  army.  Once  when  my  wife  was  walking 
with  her  father  to  the  fields,  the  soldiers  stopped  them. 
'Why  do  you  have  all  these  tortillas?  Are  you  feeding  the 
guerillas?'  Of  course  they  were  only  for  them  to  eat  for 
lunch  that  day,  but  the  soldiers  didn't  believe  them.  We 
eventually  had  to  flee  to  Mexico.  And  after  all  these  years 
we  have  returned,  and  to  the  government,  the  peace 
accords  are  just  paper.  They  don't  follow  them.  Condi- 
tions are  worse  than  they  were  before;  they  provided  us 
with  this  land,  but  now  want  to  make  us  pay  over  080 
million  (over  $1  million)  for  it,  and  there  is  no  way  for  us 
to  raise  the  money  to  pay  for  it." 


times  we  remember  and  that  memory 
makes  us  angry." 

During  his  speech  on  April  24,  Ger- 
ardi said,  "We  want  to  contribute  to 
the  building  of  a  country  different 
from  the  one  we  have  now.  For  that 
reason  we  are  recovering  the  memory 
of  our  people.  This  path  has  been  and 
continues  to  be  full  of  risks,  but  the 
construction  of  the  reign  of  God  has 
risks  and  can  only  be  built  by  those 
who  have  the  strength  to  confront 
those  risks." 

On  April  26,  two  days  after  I  saw 
him  last,  Gerardi  lay  dead  in  the 


garage  of  his  home,  slain 
by  an  assailant  wielding  a 
cement  block.  While  no 
one  has  yet  been  convicted 
of  the  assassination,  most 
suspect  it  was  carried  out 
by  the  same  elements 
whose  identity  had  begun 
to  be  unmasked  by 
REMHI.  So  used  to  acting 
under  the  cover  of  fear- 
induced  darkness  in 
carrying  out  their  dirty 
deeds,  these  same  forces 
would  likely  strike  back 
when  suddenly  exposed  to 
the  light  of  day.  And  what 
better  target  than  Gerardi? 
Strike  the  shepherd, 
silence  the  lambs. 

Other  acts  of  intimida- 
tion were  unleashed  in  the 
weeks  following  REMHI, 
including  death  threats 
delivered  and  carried  out. 
Indeed,  many  of  the  people 
with  whom  our  group  had 
met  had  expressed  concern 
over  the  tenuous  state  of 
the  nation  in  the  wake  of 
the  peace  accords,  even  as 
they  rejoiced  at  the  new 
"space"  to  speak  up  and 
speak  out. 

But  perhaps  it  is  too  late 
for  even  a  heinous  act  like 
the  murder  of  the  bishop 
to  carry  the  weight  it  might 
have  only  several  years 
ago.  Due  both  to  REMHI 
and  to  newfound  political 
openness,  the  lid  of  repres- 
sion is  not  so  firmly  in  place  anymore. 
Once  rolled  away  from  the  tomb,  per- 
haps the  stone  of  silence  and  fear  will 
not  be  rolled  back.  For  the  first  time 
in  decades  the  voices  of  countless 
Guatemalans  have  been  heard,  and 
their  painful  yet  healing  words  are 
there  for  all  to  see  in  REMHI — black 
and  white  and  red  all  over. 

Many  challenges  for  Guatemalans 
remain.  Indigenous  people  still  need 
respect  for  their  rights  and  access  to 
land.  Women,  thousands  of  whom 
must  now  head  their  families  in  the 


24  Messenger  August  1998 


absence  of  murdered  hus- 
bands, need  to  be  assured 
of  equal  treatment  and 
full  respect.  A  judicial 
system  used  to  offering 
impunity  must  instead 
present  impartiality.  In  a 
nation  where  annual  per 
capita  health  care  expen- 
ditures are  under  $10  and 
many  live  in  abject 
poverty,  means  must  be 
found  to  improve  the  lives 
of  Guatemala's  citizens. 
The  military  and  eco- 
nomic structures  that 
often  ruled  by  force  in  the 
past  are  still  in  evidence, 
and  they  must  be  put  in 
their  proper  place  in 
national  life. 

The  United  States  has 
at  best  a  checkered  past 
in  Guatemala.  Indeed,  the 
Deginning  of  the  trauma 
of  the  past  decades  can 
oe  traced  to  a  US-orches- 
trated overthrow  of  the 
sleeted  Guatemalan  gov- 
ernment in  1954.  Since 
then,  the  US  has  often 
overlooked  gross  govern- 
mental misconduct  in 
deference  to  having  a 
'strategic  partner"  in  a 
k'olatile  region.  We  must 
now  encourage  our  gov- 
ernment to  use  its 
influence  to  foster  peace 
and  justice  in  Guatemala, 
including  a  thorough 
investigation  of  the  death 
of  Bishop  Gerardi. 

As  a  church,  we  must 
:ontinue  to  stand  along- 
side the  people  of 
Guatemala  as  they  face 
the  truth  of  their  past, 
and  seek  a  peace  for 
tomorrow.  The  Partners 
in  Accompaniment  pro- 
gram, connecting 
Brethren  congregations 
with  Guatemalan  com- 
munities of  returned 
refugees,  gives  a  sense  of 


Marabel 


"I  am  not  sure  where  I  was  born.  My  grandparents  fled 
Guatemala  because  soldiers  frequented  their  area.  They 
threatened  to  tal<e  their  daughters  away  as  wives  and 
their  sons  off  to  the  army.  So  my  family  lived  for  many 
years  in  Mexico.  Now  that  we  are  back,  things  are  still 
difficult.  We  live  in  this  community,  but  do  not  own  land. 
So  we  have  no  say  in  community  decisions.  We  are  like 
refugees  in  a  community  of  refugees.  School  for  my 
daughter  will  cost  about  $6.50  a  year  after  this  year.  This 
will  make  it  difficult  to  keep  her  enrolled.  It  is  very  impor- 
tant for  my  daughters  to  go  to  school — otherwise  they 
will  have  little  choice  about  how  to  earn  money;  all  they 
can  do  is  to  be  a  domestic  worker.  I  only  completed  the 
third  grade.  I  was  married  when  I  was  14.  I  made  the 
choice  for  myself.   I  thought  marrying  my  husband  would 
change  my  life.  It  didn't.  My  husband  is  very  hard  on  me. 
He  will  not  let  me  teach  the  children  my  native  language, 
Cankobal.  I  have  thought  about  leaving  a  thousand 
times,  but  cannot  because  of  the  children." 

[Melinda  Van  Siyke:    "He  beats  her — and  not  just  push- 
ing her  around — he  really  hits  her — at  least  once  a 
month.  And  once  she  came  home  to  find  him  with  her 
best  friend.  She  came  running  to  my  house  crying."] 


solidarity  and  provides 
protection  of  human 
rights.  Visiting  Brethren 
delegations  sponsored  by 
the  Brethren  Witness  and 
Global  Mission  Partner- 
ships offices  will  continue 
to  let  Guatemalans  know 
that  they  are  not  forgot- 
ten, and  will  help  us 
understand  the  strength 
as  well  as  the  struggles  of 
these  neighbors.  And  the 
denomination  is  currently 
seeking  opportunities  to 
support  small-scale  devel- 
opment initiatives  like 
those  being  carried  out  by 
Brethren  Volunteer  Ser- 
vice worker  Tom 
Benevento  in  the  impover- 
ished northeast  corner  of 
the  country. 

As  Bishop  Gerardi  said 
not  long  before  his  death, 
"Many  have  blamed  the 
church  for  pointing  out 
the  abuses  of  the  past 
because  we're  the  ones 
putting  our  finger  into  the 
wound.  We  didn't  create 
the  problems,  we've  only 
shed  light  on  them,  and 
that's  what  bothers  some 
people.  The  church  is 
called  to  reconcile  per- 
sons. Sure,  it's  a  difficult 
task,  but  it's  a  very  appro- 
priate task  for  the  church. 
And  if  the  church  doesn't 
do  it,  no  one  will." 

Guatemala — a  trou- 
bled nation  experiencing 
both  the  peril  and  the 
promise  of  trying  to 
reclaim  its  future  by 
recalling  its  past.  Our 
prayers,  our  presence, 
and  our  compassion  go 
with  these  neighbors  in 
their  risky  journey  to 
a  better  day. 


M. 


David  RaJcUff  is  director  of 
the  Brethren  Witness  office  of  the 
General  Board  staff. 


August  1998  Messenger  25 


DANGEROUS 
DUNKING 

Baptism  is  a  matter  of  death  and  life 


New  Covenant  Church  of  the  Brethren,  Gotha,  Fla..  celebrated  a  baptism  on  Christmas  Day,  1997.  The  first  Brethren 
baptismal  service  in  America  was  on  Cliristmas  Day,  1  725. 


BY  Kenneth  L.  Gibble 

V 

^m   our  baptism.  What  does  it 

H    mean  to  you? 

My  own  baptism  means  more  to 
me  the  older  I  get.  I  value  it  now  far 
more  than  when  as  a  boy  I  walked 
down  the  steps  of  the  baptistry  in  the 
East  Fairview  Church  of  the  Brethren 
and  one  of  our  ministers,  Willis 
Stehman,  immersed  me  three  times 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit. 

There  is  a  sense  in  which  every 
Christian  spends  the  rest  of  his  or 
her  life  discovering  what  their  bap- 
tism signifies. 

1  like  what  William  Willimon  has 
said  about  baptism:  "When  you  join 
the  Rotary  they  give  you  a  handshake 
and  a  lapel  pin.  When  you  join  the 


church  we  throw  you  in  the  water 
and  half  drown  you."  Let's  face  it,  if 
somebody  who  didn't  know  anything 
about  the  Christian  faith  ever  walked 
into  our  church  when  we  were  bap- 
tizing someone,  they  would  think  we 
were  all  crazy.  And  really,  the  whole 
thing  is  kind  of  crazy,  isn't  it? — 
pushing  a  person's  head  under  water 
three  times  so  they  come  out  soaking 
wet,  hair  all  mussed  up.  It's  not  a 
very  reasonable,  sensible  thing  to  do 
to  someone,  is  it? 

It's  more  than  that.  It's  dangerous. 
Baptism  is  a  dangerous  dunking 
indeed.  Why  do  I  say  that? 

It's  dangerous  because  it's  a  kind  of 
dying.  Here's  how  the  Apostle  Paul 
described  it  in  Romans:  "Do  you  not 
know  that  all  of  us  who  have  been 
baptized  into  jesus  Christ  were  bap- 
tized into  his  death?"  (Rom.  6:3). 


"Baptized  into  his  death."  What 
did  Paul  mean  by  that?  I'm  not  sure, 
but  I  think  Paul  was  referring  to  the 
fact  that  baptism  signifies  dying  to 
our  old,  self-centered,  sinful  nature. 
It  means  putting  to  death  the  attitude 
of  "I've  gotta  be  me"  and  "I  did  it  my 
way."  That  attitude  is  quite  popular 
these  days.  It  insists  that  what  I  think 
is  right  and  worthwhile  and  impor- 
tant is  the  only  thing  that  counts.  It 
declares,  "Nobody  can  tell  me  what 
to  do."  It  is  the  voice  of  American 
individualism. 

Baptism  is  dangerous  because  it 
means  the  death  of  that  way  of  think- 
ing. When  you  are  baptized,  doing  it 
your  way  is  replaced  by  doing  it 
lesus'  way.  And  that  can  get  you  into 
trouble.  The  way  of  Jesus  is  the  way 
of  the  cross.  Baptism  never  lets  you 
forget  that.  Baptism  means  that  your 


26  Messenger  August  1998 


life  is  no  longer  your  own:  now  it 
belongs  to  the  Lord. 

Baptism  is  a  dangerous  dunking  in 
another  way.  Baptism  means  you  are 
adopted  into  the  craziest  family  you 
can  imagine.  Now  every  family  is 
crazy  in  its  own  way,  1  suppose. 
There  is  the  colorful  uncle  who 
always  shows  up  at  the  family  gath- 
erings with  a  new  car  and  a  new 
girlfriend.  There  is  the  little  brother 
who  is  such  a  pest.  Maybe  there  is 
the  mother  who  drives  everyone  nuts 
with  her  perfectionism,  the  father 
who  still  hasn't  learned  how  to  say  "I 
love  you"  to  his  kids. 

But  the  family  you  are  adopted  into 
when  you  are  baptized  is  even  cra- 
zier. It's  the  kind  of  family  only  God 
could  love.  In  this  family  there  are 
holy  rollers  and  Pentecostal  shouters 
and  there  are  monastics  who  take 
vows  of  silence.  There  are  Bible- 
thumping  fundamentalists  and  there 
are  left-wing  liberals.  In  this  world- 
wide family  there  are  people  who 
speak  a  multitude  of  languages,  who 
dress  for  church  in  everything  from 
priestly  robes  to  African  dashikis  to 
cut-off  shorts. 

There  are  Democrats  and  Republi- 
cans. There  are  black  people  and 
white  people  and  people  of  every 
shade  in  between.  There  are  people 
who  believe  abortion  is  a  mortal  sin 
and  people  who  believe  it  is  a  matter 
of  choice.  There  are  gay  people  and 
straight  people.  There  are  people 
who  make  a  career  out  of  military 
service  and  there  are  people  who 
would  rather  go  to  jail  than  wear  a 
military  uniform.  There  are  people 
who  will  tell  you  they  know  with 
absolute  certainty  when  the  Lord  will 
return,  and  there  are  people  who  will 
tell  you  they  don't  have  a  clue.  There 
are  people  in  this  family  you  probably 
couldn't  stand  to  be  in  the  same 
room  with  for  more  than  five  min- 
utes. 

But  like  them  or  not,  agree  with 
them  or  not,  this  is  the  family  you 
become  part  of  when  you  are  baptized. 
We  call  it  the  church.  And  it's  not  our 
church.  It's  the  Lord's  church.  He 
gave  his  life  for  it  and  He  loves  it.  He 
loves  each  one  in  it.  loves  me  and  loves 
you  and  loves  the  craziest  member  of 
it.  Paul  said  it  this  way: 


In  Christ  Jesus  you  are  all  children  of 
God  through  faith.  As  many  of  you 
were  baptized  into  Christ  have 
clothed  yourselves  with  Christ.  There 
is  no  longer  Jew  or  GreeJi.  there  is  no 
longer  slave  or  free,  there  is  no  longer 
male  and  female:  for  all  of  you  are 
one  in  Christ  Jesus.  (Gal.  3:26-28.) 

You  see  now  why  I  say  baptism  is  a 
dangerous  dunking.  It  means  you  are 
part  of  this  family,  the  church,  this 
worldwide  conglomeration  of  baptized 
people  known  as  the  body  of  Christ. 

There's  another  way  baptism  is 
dangerous.  It's  dangerous  because  it 
marks  you  for  life.  Like  all  the  rest  of 
it.  this  is  God's  doing.  It's  a  mystery 
I  don't  pretend  to  understand.  But  I 
believe  it  with  all  my  heart — that 
when  you  are  baptized,  you  are 
changed  forever,  you  will  never  be 
the  same. 

Some  people  who  are  baptized  drop 
out  of  church  life.  I  think  I  understand 
why  that  happens.  They  get  busy  with 
other  things.  Maybe  something  that 
happens  in  the  church  offends  them  or 
turns  them  off.  Maybe  circumstances 
in  their  life  make  them  feel  ashamed 
or  guilty.  And  so  they  gradually  stop 
attending  worship.  And  after  awhile, 
they  just  don't  feel  part  of  the  church 
anymore. 

Does  that  mean  they  are  "lost"?  In 
one  sense  it  does.  They  are  lost  to 
the  rest  of  us  because  we  no  longer 
have  the  benefit  of  their  ideas,  their 
questions,  their  tears  and  laughter. 
We  no  longer  can  see  their  faces, 
shake  their  hands.  It  is  our  loss — 
and  their  loss  too  because  they  no 
longer  have  the  benefit  of  our  ideas 
and  questions,  our  tears,  our  laugh- 
ter. And  because  of  this  lostness,  we 
want  them  back.  We  pray  for  their 
return  and  their  recommitment. 

But  are  they  lost  to  God?  I  don't 
know  that.  But  I  do  know  this — that 
there  is  One  who  is  constantly 
watching  for  them,  like  a  father  wait- 
ing for  his  prodigal  son.  There  is 
One  who  is  seeking  them,  like  a 
shepherd  who  leaves  the  99  and  goes 
searching  for  the  lost  sheep. 

It's  dangerous  to  be  baptized 
because  for  the  rest  of  your  life  you 
will  never  be  able  to  get  away  from 
the  Holy  One  who  has  named  you 
and  claimed  vou,  the  Lord  to  whom 


you  belong.  The  Lord  of  life  will 
suffer  any  pain,  any  indignity  for 
you,  no  matter  where  you  go  or  what 
you  do. 

When  I  was  a  youngster,  the  bap- 
tisms of  our  church  were  held  in  the 
creek  that  ran  near  our  house.  One 
Sunday  when  several  people  were 
baptized,  everything  went  fine  until  it 
was  the  turn  of  one  teenage  girl  to 
enter  the  stream.  She  was  terrified  of 
the  swiftly  flowing  current,  and  the 
minister  had  to  gently  coax  her  to  go 
with  him  and  to  kneel  down  in  the 
water.  After  doing  his  best  to  reas- 
sure her,  he  pushed  her  head  under 
the  surface  for  the  first  time.  She 
came  up  out  of  the  water  with  a 
shout  of  terror  and  headed  for  the 
bank.  No  amount  of  coaxing  could 
get  her  back  for  the  second  and  third 
dunks.  It  was  kind  of  funny,  really, 
but  nobody  laughed.  And  the  impres- 
sion it  made  on  me  at  that  tender  age 
was  that  getting  baptized  is  a  dan- 
gerous business. 

Nothing  I  have  seen  or  heard  since 
then  has  made  me  change  my  mind. 

So,  if  baptism  is  this  scary,  this 
dangerous,  why  would  anyone  want 
to  be  baptized?  The  answer  is: 
because  it's  the  best  thing  you  can 
ever  do.  You  give  yourself  to  the 
Lord  and  the  Lord  gives  you  new 
life.  Remember  what  Paul  said  about 
being  baptized  into  the  death  of 
lesus?  Well,  this  is  the  very  next 
thing  Paul  wrote: 

Therefore  we  have  been  buried  with 
him  by  baptism  into  death  so  that,  just 
as  Christ  was  raised  from  the  dead  by 
the  glory  of  the  Father,  so  we  too  might 
walk  in  newness  of  life.  (Rom.  6:4.) 

There's  the  answer:  new  life.  When 
you  come  out  of  the  water,  you  are 
new  and  clean.  You  are  changed  for- 
ever, by  the  grace  of  God.  You  are  no 
longer  your  own  man  or  woman,  boy 
or  girl.  And  that  is  why  I  say  to  each 
person  as  1  help  them  get  to  their  feet 
after  their  baptism:  "Now  you  belong 
to  lesus. " 

There  is  nothing  better,  no  oner 
better,  to  belong  to. 


m 


Ken  Gibble  is  pastur  of  the  Chaiiibersburg 
(Pa.)  Cinirch  of  the  Brethren  and  a  frequent 
contributor  to  Messenger 


August  1998  Messenger  27 


Transformation 

When  we  least  expect  it^  God  can  turn  us  around  like  he  did  Zacchaeus 


BY  DuANE  Grady 

Zacchaeus  was  a  wee  little  man 
A  wee  little  man  was  he. 
He  climbed  up  in  a  sycamore  tree 
For  the  Lord  he  wanted  to  see. 

rhus  went  one  of  the  earliest  the- 
ological lessons  1  can 
remember,  sung  to  a  catchy 
tune.  At  the  time  1  had  no  idea  1  was 
being  taught  theology,  nor  did  1 
much  understand  the  kind  of  trans- 
formation which  is  at  the  heart  of 
this  story  told  in  Luke  19:1-10. 

As  children  we  were  told  that  Zac- 
chaeus, who  was  short  of  stature, 
could  teach  us  something  about 
lesus'  way  with  the  "little  people"  of 
the  world.  This  lesson  remains  a 
good  one  as  we  strive  to  find  our 
place  in  a  world  with  big  problems 
and  weighty  concerns. 

When  Zacchaeus  climbed  into  that 
sycamore  tree,  he  intended  to  catch  a 
glimpse  of  lesus.  He  had  an  outward 
focus,  lesus,  however,  changes  the 
location  of  Zacchaeus'  interest  and 
leads  him  to  look  at  himself.  A  key 
lesson  for  us  today:  where  you  look 
for  change  makes  all  the  difference. 

The  story  of  Zacchaeus  is  about 
transformation.  Zacchaeus,  the  chief 
tax  collector  in  the  town  of  Jericho, 
is  rich  in  possessions  and  poor  in 
spirit.  Something  sparked  an  interest 
in  him  to  see  |esus.  Intending  to  be  a 
spectator,  Zacchaeus  chooses  a  safe 
and  secure  perch  in  a  sycamore  tree 
far  from  the  crowd  and  unlikely  to  be 
noticed  by  the  prophet  passing  by. 
lesus  not  only  notices  but  declares, 
"1  must  stay  at  your  house  today." 
lesus  in  this  simple  sentence  bridges 
the  gap  of  culture,  religion,  and 
custom  and  begins  the  process  by 
which  Zacchaeus  is  transformed 
from  a  tax  collector,  one  who  takes 
from  others,  into  a  generous  follower 
who  gives  to  others. 

28  Messenckr  August  1998 


The  most  important  need  in  our 
churches  today  is  for  transformation. 
Too  often  when  we  talk  about  change 
we  are  content  to  tinker.  Maybe  we 
will  change  the  place  in  our  worship 
where  the  offering  is  collected.  More 
radical  churches  might  consider 
learning  a  new  hymn  or  two.  And 
there  is  the  standard  answer  to  all 
our  problems — changing  pastors. 

In  the  Zacchaeus  story,  |esus  calls 
us  to  a  transformation  of  our  spirit. 
This  call  will  stimulate  real  changes 
of  the  heart  so  that  the  lives  we  lead 
and  the  way  we  act  in  the  world  will 
be  distinctively  different  from  what 
we  have  known. 

Does  this  sound  frightening? 
Intimidating?  Is  it  beyond  your 
reach?  Good.  The  Zacchaeus  story 
will  remind  us  that  it  is  |csus  who 
does  the  changing.  All  Zacchaeus  has 
to  do  is  accept  it  and  move  into  the 
new  life  that  Christ  has  opened  up  as 
possible. 

From  my  experience  as  a  pastor  of 
the  Northview  congregation  in  Indi- 
anapolis, let  me  share  two 
transforming  experiences.  One 
Mother's  Day  during  our  worship 
service's  "time  for  children"  I  asked 
each  of  the  children  to  bring  with 
them  a  mother  from  the  congrega- 
tion, not  necessarily  their  own 
mother.  Among  our  children  that  day 
were  several  whose  real  mothers 
never  came  with  them  to  worship. 
These  children  walked  to  church 
from  our  immediate  neighborhood 
and  their  behavior  had  been  experi- 
enced as  a  challenge  during  both 
worship  and  Sunday  school. 

One  Sunday  school  teacher  had  men- 
tioned earlier  that  she  was  growing 
weary  of  the  difficulties  in  maintaining 
order  in  her  class  and  was  not  sure  she 
wanted  to  continue  teaching. 

And  then  something  changed  with 
subtle  awesomeness.  One  of  our 
neighborhood  children  chose  to 


bring  her  Sunday  school  teacher  for- 
ward. I  will  never  forget  the  power  of 
seeing  that  little  girl  leading  her 
teacher  by  the  hand  for  the  children's 
time.  Nor  will  I  forget  witnessing  the 
transformation  happening  within  the 
teacher  who  suddenly  saw  her  role 
no  longer  limited  to  that  of  a  teacher. 
Now  she  was  "mother." 

About  this  same  time,  our  church 
provided  a  transforming  moment  in 
our  ministry  with  our  neighborhood. 
Years  ago  the  church's  back  parking 
lot  had  developed  into  a  gathering 
place  for  unpleasant  activities.  To 
prevent  cars  from  driving  onto  the 
back  parking  lot  which  lies  behind 
our  church,  a  locked  cable  was 
strung  across  the  driveway.  This  bar- 
rier allowed  the  lot  to  become  a  safer 
place  to  play  and  ride  bikes.  So  it 
changed  the  kind  of  activity  which 
happened  there.  A  sign  was  posted 
which  read  "Private  Property." 

Was  this  sign  the  message  we 
wanted  to  send?  After  several  years,  a 
new  idea  came  to  one  of  our  neigh- 
bors. The  old  sign  was  replaced  with  a 
new  one  reading  "Children  Playing." 
A  transformed  message  sent  a  very 
different  signal.  Now  the  purpose  of 
the  barrier  has  less  to  say  about  keep- 
ing others  out  and  more  about  being  a 
nurturing,  caring  place  of  safety.  The 
distinction  has  not  been  lost  on  our 
neighbors  nor  on  us. 

If  we  wish  to  become  more  com- 
plete disciples  of  lesus  as  our  church 
enters  a  new  century,  we  will  need 
transforming  experiences.  These  will 
come  when  we,  like  Zacchaeus, 
earnestly  seek  to  see  lesus  and  then 
bid  welcome  when  the  Christ  desires 
to  enter  our  lives  and  change  our 
hearts.  The  power  is  great.   The    ■ /* 
potential  is  unlimited.  I ' 

DiiaiK'  Grady  \forks  part  time  tritli  tite  Con- 
gregational Life  Team  in  Area  2  and  is 
co-pastor  of  the  Nortliview  eongregation  in 
Indianapolis,  where  he  has  been  since  1989. 


A 


The  very  idea  of  needing  to  recruit  two  teachers 
for  every  class  was  horrifying  initially. . . 


Here's  what  happened  to 
Sunday  school 

In  response  to  Eugene  Lichty's  arti- 
cle, "Whatever  happened  to  Sunday 
school?"  [see  June  Messenger],  I 
would  advise  that  it  is  alive  and  well 


and  living  in  Glendale,  Ariz. 

A  few  years  ago  our  congregation 
faced  a  dilemma  similar  to  that  of 
many  of  our  sister  churches  around 
this  country — slowly  declining  mem- 
bership, especially  among  young 
families  and  children.  We  routinely 


■m^- 


A  great 

place 

^  to  come 

home  to... 

ill  Ridge  Village 


A  new  retirement  living  opportunit}'  is  on  the  horizon  lor  retiree's  in 
the  Danon,  Ohio  area,  and  surrounding  communities.  Mill  Ridge 
Village  will  combine  the  securir}'  of  being  a  member  of  a  continuing 
care  retirement  community  with  the  comlort  of  knowing  your 
neighbors  share  similar  lifestyles,  values  and  interests. 

Mill  Ridge  Village  will  offer  several  spacious  cottage  home  floor 
plans  featuring  rvvo  bedrooms  with  some  floor  plans  offering 
screened  porches  and  a  second  car  garage.  Outdoor  plans  include 
walking  trails,  landscaped  grounds  with  recreational  areas,  and  gar- 
den plots  for  those  who  enjoy  raising  vegetables,  flowers,  and  fruits, 
hlome  maintenance,  yard  upkeep,  and  snow  removal  services,  as  well 
as  an  emergenq'  response  system  and  securirv'  services,  are  included 
in  the  communin'  programming. 


Call  Susi  or  Edie  todav  for  more  information. 
(937)  547-8654,  or  from  Da\ion,  (937)  832-8654 


Mill  Ridge 
Village 


f=j 


\  member  of  The  B  re  I  h  ten's  Ho  me 

R e I i r e m e n I  (' o m m u n il v 

(i  r  e  e  n  V 11 1  e ,  (I  h  i  o 


coming    soon    to    union,    Ohio 


struggled  with  finding  volunteers  will- 
ing to  staff  children's  programming 
and  faced  an  uncertain  future  as  a  con- 
gregation almost  void  of  youngsters. 

Then  something  happened.  From 
the  most  unlikely  source  came  our 
call.  The  insurance  company  cover- 
ing us  for  our  liability  insurance  sent 
some  information  about  managing 
our  risk  in  terms  of  children's  pro- 
gramming. The  company  proposed  a 
"two-adult"  rule  in  any  church- 
related  children's  activity.  The  very 
idea  of  needing  to  recruit  two  teach- 
ers for  every  class  was  horrifying 
initially,  and  we  imagined  that  it 
might  be  the  end  of  our  program,  for 
if  we  struggled  finding  one  teacher, 
how  would  we  find  two? 

This  spawned  our  brainchild, 
which  was  to  have  two-teacher 
teams,  which  teach  Sunday  school 
on  an  every-othcr-month  rotation. 
This  limited  any  one  person's  level  of 
commitment  to  one  month  at  a  time, 
which  was  manageable  and  increased 
our  children's  exposure  to  adults  in 
their  faith  community.  The  concept 
took  off.  In  the  beginning,  however, 
I  answered  a  lot  of  questions  from 
Brethren  Press  as  I  called  to  order 
"four  teacher's  guides  and  two  stu- 
dent packs."  Our  student  pack 
orders  currently  outnumber  our 
teacher's  guides! 

The  team  teaching  has  built 
bridges  in  our  congregation  and  our 
children  feel  valued  and  blessed  by 
personal  relationships  with  so  many 
in  their  faith  community.  With  aver- 
age church  attendance  of  about  1 00, 
we  currently  have  22  church  mem- 
bers who  teach  Sunday  school! 

Our  average  of  30  or  so  children 
who  now  attend  Sunday  school 
weekly  can  be  heard  bounding  down 
our  hallways  singing  the  latest  song 
from  the  Noah  Cantata  or  reciting 
the  books  of  the  Old  Testament.  We 
feel  blessed  indeed! 

Debru  L.  Meirifield 
Siiiiduy  school  siiperinlendeni 

Glendale  (Ariz.)  Cluirch  of  the  Brethren 


August  1998  Messencir  29 


Pontius'  Puddle 


Send  payment  for  reprinling"Pontius^  Puddle"  from  Messenger /o 
Joel  Kauffmann,  111  Carter  Road,  Goshen.  IN,  46526.  $25  for  one 
time  use.  $  1 0  for  second  strip  in  same  issue.  $10  for  congregations. 


With  a,  POPl)L#vTiO(J  ExPLOSlOrJ 
THR.EATCWIM&-  TO  OVESWHELM 
the:  E/k»rH'S  RESooRCES, 
rA^vSE  yoo  O0&-HT  TO  atcoMSioti? 

Y<?OR  IKSTROCTiON 
foe.  OS  TO  "  SET 
FROiTPOU  „ 


PERHAPS,  GUT  OIVEW  you're. 
X^e^tn  r?EC0«.O  OfJ  THE 
T£n1  liOfAMAKDMENTS, 
rO  HATTE  -TO  RETRAC-r 
THE  OtJE  REQOESr- 
YOOVE  AtrUALLV 
iOfAPLIED  Wirrt  I 


Telling  Voices 

Brethren  Song  &  Story  Quarterly 

A  new  periodical  publishing 
stories  and  folk  songs  to  en- 
gage and  inspire  Brethren 
and   people   of  like   mind 


Featuring  \vork.s  by  Brethren  .sto- 
rytellers, stories  from  Brethren 
roots,  anecdotes,  sermon  illustra- 
tions, stories  from  many  faith 
traditions,  tall  tales,  stories  for 
and  by  children,  and  songs  by 
Brethren  folk  singers  about  hope, 
service,  community,  and  peace. 

For  a  complimentary  copy  of  the 
first  issue  and  information  about 
subscribing  write  to: 

James  H.  Lehman 

Brotherstone  Publishers 

1340  Pleasant  Drive 

Elgin,  IL  60123 

Fax:  847-697-7774 

E-mail: 

jameslehman  @  CompuServe,  com 


Classified  Ads 


DIABETICS  SERVICE 

Diabetics  with  Medicart;  or  iiisurantt.  Save  money  on  dia- 
betic supplies.  For  more  information  call  (800)  337-4144, 

INVITATIONS 

Cincinnati  Church  of  the  Brethren  fellowship 

meets  for  worship  &  support  in  n,e,  area  of  Cincinnati, 
We  welcome  others  to  join  us  or  bring  needs  to  our 
attention.  Contact  us  c/o  Cincinnati  Friends  Meeting 
House,  8075  Keller  Rd„  Indian  Hill,  OH  45243.  Tel, 
(513)956-7733, 

Come  worship  in  the  Valley  of  the  Sun  with  Com- 
munity Church  of  the  Brethren  at  111  N,  Sunvalley 
Blvd,,  Me.sa,  AZ  85207,  Mail  to:  8343  E,  Emelita  Ave., 
Mesa,  AZ  85208.  Tel.  (602)357-9811, 

Concord  Church  of  the  Brethren  Fellowship  is  tlie 
only  Brethren  outpost  in  the  Charlotte,  N.C. 
metropolitan  area.  We  provide  a  full  program  of  Chris- 
tian Education,  Worship  and  Spiritual  Growth 
opportunities.  Come  and  join  us!  For  more  informa- 
tion contact  us  by  writing:  Concord  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Fellowship,  929-F  Clear  Springs  Shopping 
Center,  Concord,  NC  28027,  telephone  (704)782-3641 
or  e-mail  <marklara(a'gocarolinas.com> 

POSITIONS  AVAILABLE 

Coordinator  of  Centralized  Services.  The  Associ- 
atii  m  of  Brethren  Caregivers  is  kxiking  for  a  full-time 
Coordinator  of  Centralized  Services  to  assist  the  Exec- 
utive Director  with  programming  and  services  to  the 
association  and  the  Fellowship  of  Brethren  Homes,  a 
ministry  with  Brethren  retirement  communities.  Ideal 
candidates  will  demonstrate  the  following  qualifica- 


Coordinatior  oF  Orientation 
Volvin^teer  Ser^^ice  IVIin^istries 

A  full-time  position  located  in  Elgin,  III.,  with  overall  responsibility  for  devel- 
oping and  coordinating  orientation  training  programs  and  application  process 
for  Brethren  Volunteer  Service  and  Volunteer  Service  Ministries.  Position  is 
available  October  15.  Applications  due  September  7. 

For  information  contact: 

Elsie  Hoiderread  at  800-742-5100 
or  e-mail  eholderread_gb@brethren,org 

Office  of  Human  Resources 
Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board 


tions:  working  knowledge  of  the  mechanisms  and 
processes  which  impact  services  to  the  aging;  experi- 
ence in  retirement  community  management; 
understanding  of  Church  of  the  Brethren  heritage; 
bachelor's  degree  in  a  related  field;  proficiency'  in  inter- 
pretation and  consensus  building;  comfort  providing 
leadership  in  an  environment  with  diverse  interests; 
excellent  communication,  organization  and  computer 
skills.  Send  letter  of  application,  resume  and  three  ref- 
erences to  Steve  Mason,  Executive  Director,  ABC,  1451 
DundeeAve.,  Elgin,  IL  60120, 

TRAVEL 

Oberammergau  Passion  Play  year  2000,  Bohrer 
tours  will  be  leading  three  tours  to  Europe  and  the  pas- 
sion play  during  the  year  2000,  (May,  July  and 
September)  Prices  will  begin  at  J2099.O0.  For  infor- 
mation write  to:  Wendell  and  Joan  Bohrer,  5067  Royal 
Meadow  Drive,  Indianapolis,  IN  46217  (317)882-5067) 
Bradley  and  Bonnie  Bohrer,  283  Parkway  Drive,  Berea, 
OH  44017  or  Matthew  and  Noelle  Bohrer,  1860  Joseph 
Court,  Elgin,  11(847)697-2746. 

Travel  with  a  purpose.  You  are  invited  to  travel  with 
Wenileil  and  Joan  Bohrer  on  a  tour  of  Spain,  Portugal 
and  Morocco,  August  5-18, 1999,  from  Chicago.  Visit 
Lisbon,  Elvas,  Seville,  Granada,  Madrid  and  a  full  dav 
of  touring  Tangier,  Morocco.  Breakfast  and  dinner  dailv 
For  information,  write  Bohrer  Tours,  8520  Royal  Meadow- 
Drive,  Indianapolis,  IN  46217.  Tel/Fax  (317)882-5067. 
Limited  space  available 


CHECK  OUT  ARIZONA! 


Community  Church  of  the  Brethren 
III  N.  Sun  Valley  Boulevard 

Mesa,  AZ  85207  (602)357-9811 

Sunday  Service  10: 15  AM 

Glendale  Church  of  the  Brethren 
7238  N.  6 1  St  Avenue 
Glendale,  AZ  85301       (602)937-9131 
Sunday  Service  10:30  AM 

Phoenix  First  Church  of  the  Brethren 
3609  N.  27th  Street 
Phoenix.  AZ  850 1 6        (602)  955-8537 
Sunday  Service  10:45  AM 

Tucson  Church  of  the  Brethren 
2200  North  Dodge  Boulevard 
Tucson,  AZ  85716  (520)  327-5 106 

Sunday  Service  10:00  AM 


30  Messenger  August  1998 


New  members 

Barren  Ridge,  Staunton,  Va.:  Travis 
Movers,  Melissa  Moyers.  Billy  Duff, 
Dorcus  Duff,  Holly  Duff,  lenny 
Duff.  Chris  Coffman,  larrod  Coff- 
man,  Bobbie  Packard 

Big  Creek,  Cushing,  Okla.:  Rosalea  Cox 

Bush  Creek,  Monrovia,  Md.:  Mindee 
Brashear,  Ron  Brashear,  Becky  Burke, 
Doris  Flynn,  loshua  Flynn,  William 
Goode,  lacqueline  Goode,  Britnie 
Greene.  Michelle  Hartley,  fames 
Lehman,  Curtis  Keeney.  Lisa  Keeney, 
Carol  Poole,  lennifer  Shea,  Nancy 
Shea,  Sandy  Shea,  Donna  Ward 

Champaign,  111.:  Robin  Trudeau 

Elizabelhtown,  Pa.:  Laura  Barlet.  Adri- 
enne  Keesey.  Megan  Baum,  Amanda 
Bunting,  Erin  Bunting,  Joshua 
Bunting,  Anna  Eller,  Jessica  Hoover, 
loseph  Bedenbaugh,  loshua  Day, 
Laura  Viscome,  Miranda  Sweigart, 
Philip  Rhodes,  Ryan  Corso,  Shelby 
White,  lesse  Eisenbise,  Brian  Helm, 
lonathan  Young,  lennifer  Baum, 
Gregg  Epps,  Pete  Fox,  Melissa 
Musser,  Dean  and  Megan  Sweigart, 
Cindy  Tschudy.  Heidi  and  Heather 
Tschudy,  Dorothy  White,  lodi  Yountz. 
loseph  and  Becky  Zateski.  Pat  and 
Terri  Dennehy.  Gene  and  Barbara 
Ellis.  Carol  Tobias.  Scott  and  Richelle 
Trayer.  Paul  and  Marie  Williams,  Paul 
and  Dorothy  Worman,  Donna  Weaver. 
Mike  Mast.  Martha  and  lere  Bunting. 
Bill  and  Susan  McSherry.  Bob  and 
Svlvia  Lightner,  Louise  Pippin.  Ryan 
Baum 

Harrisonburg,  Va.:  Sarah  Carothers. 
Kali  Dove.  Crystal  Lantz.  leannie 
Loker.  Melissa  Martz.  Daniel 
Mason.  Chad  Rhodes.  Kristin 
Ruscher.  Dawn  Lokey.  Chandra 
Mitchell.  Steve  Spart.  Rebecca 
Bowser.  Timothy  Coffman.  Daniel 
Garst.  lanna  Morris,  lohn  B.  Neff. 
Mary-lo  Ritchie.  Caite  White- Kohl. 
Michael  and  Lori  King.  Ed  and  Edie 
Pritt.  Dick  and  Peg  Rainbolt.  Karen 
Moyers.  Allen  and  Kathy  Shull. 
Laura  Stemper.  Lauren  Somers. 
Elaine  Taylor.  Ray  and  Eleanor 
Flanagan,  lim  and  Phyllis  Pickett 

Huntsdale,  Carlisle,  Pa.:  Winnie  Beam, 
lennifer  Wright.  Beatrice  Miller. 
Carol  lones.  William  lones 

Lampeter,  Pa.:  Charlene  Book.  April 
Brackbill.  Lindsey  Koch.  Kelli  Rath, 
lay  Lance.  |ared  Spence.  |ason 
Spence.  lustin  Feeney.  Adrie  Fry. 
Kelly  Hockenbroacht.  |amie  Peflley. 
Nichole  Peffley.  Benjamin  Thomas. 
David  and  Carol  Work.  Matthew  and 
Marie  Cooper 

Linville  Creek,  Broadway,  Va.:  Valerie 
Fleming.  Ron  Gentry.  Michele  and 
Tim  Reger.  )anet  Smallwood,  Tracey 
Wooddell.  Clair  and  Phyllis  Cheuvront. 
Harold  and  lune  Fleming.  Cameron 
Pond 

Meyerslown,  Pa.:  Betty  Williard. 
Ashley  Hoover.  Sara  Hibshman. 
Chad  Shelly.  Kevin  Foster 

Modesto,  Calif.:  Muriel  Alexander.  |im 
Costello.  Patty  Geer.  Ila  Shelor 


Monroeville,  Pa.:  lennifer  loy  Hernley. 
Meredith  Ritchey 

New  Enterpise,  Pa.:  lohn  and  Annabell 
Frazier.  Cathy  lo  Hart.  Dennis 
Brumbaugh.  Linda  Brumbaugh. 
Alisha  Brumbaugh.  Roger  and 
Sherry  Wright.  Dylan  and  Britta 
Snowberger.  Bill  and  Carol  Robin- 
son. Sam  Spice 

Northern  Colorado,  Windsor.  Colo.; 
Ann  and  Fred  Norton 

Peoria,  111.:  Cathy  Gilbert,  lonathan 
Grabb,  Lisa  lohnston.  Wendy  Math- 
eny.  leremiah  Smith.  Timothy  Van 
Autreve.  Austin  Giles.  Greg  lohn- 
ston. lustin  Matheny.  Lindsay 
Nelson,  loseph  Smith 

Prince  of  Peace,  Kettering.  Ohio:  Bar- 
bara Marshall.  Elizabeth  Reiter 

Ridgeway  Community,  Harrisburg. 
Pa.:  Matthew  Dotter.  Ashley  Hanna. 
Amanda  Horoschak.  Elizabeth 
Humphreys.  Stephanie  Rowe 

Stevens  Hill  Community,  Elizabeth- 
town.  Pa.:  Tim  Bryan.  Carl  and 
Michelle  Davis.  Duane  Smith.  Bill 
Sturn.  Zachary  Sturn.  Brad  White- 
man.  Shelley  Smith.  Cindy  Sturn. 
Dennis  and  Audean  Bryan.  Leara 
Kline.  Brooke  Robertson.  Linda 
Whiteman 

Sugar  Creek  West,  Lima,  Ohio: 
Rhonda  Swallow.  Delores  Vice. 
.Angela  Thomas 

Woodbury,  Pa.:  Michelle  Whetstone. 
Michael  Whetstone 

Wedding 
Anniversaries 

Brill,  Betty  and  Norm.  Dayton.  Ohio.  55 
Fisher,  Bryant  and  Margaret.  Monrovia. 

Md..  50 
Fleming,  Walter  and  Betty.  Monrovia. 

Md,,  50 
Helsel,  Walter  Ir.  and  Martha, 

Lancaster.  Pa..  50 
Peterman,  Kenneth  and  Louise, 

Harrisburg,  Pa..  50 
Robinson,  Paul  and  Mary.  Sebring. 

Fla,.  60 
Shumaker,  Thomas  and  Alah  Mae. 

Burlington.  W.  Va..  55 

Deaths 

Alger,  Edna  Henry.  71.  Front  Royal, 

Va..  March  15  ' 
Alt,  Ottis  R.  59.  Petersburg.  W.  Va.. 

April  3 
Ballard,  Wilbur,  79.  Dayton.  Ohio. 

Feb.  1  I 
Barnhouse,  limmie.  60.  Mathias. 

W.  Va..  April  8 
Beahm,  Henry  E..  93.  Roanoke.  Va.. 

April  1 
Benson,  Talitha  C.  82.  Staunton.  Va.. 

April  2 
Biegel,  Beverly  B..  74.  Harrisonburg. 

Va..  March  30 
Bloom,  Geneva,  Elkhart,  Ind.,  May  23 
Bollinger,  Blance  A..  78,  New  Oxford. 

Pa..  May  7 
Bowman,  Clarence  R..  94.  Bridgewa- 

ter.  Va..  April  19 
Brantner,  Eva.  89,  Keyser.  W  Va..  May  21 
Brown,  loshua  F..  90.  Wyndmoor,  Pa.. 

May  29 
Butzler,  loanne  V.  61.  Bridgewater. 

Va..  April  1  5 
Carper,  Raymond  A..  79.  Fitzgerald. 

Ga..  March  29 
Cave,  Bessie  L..  86.  Luray.  Va.,  March  50 
Clark,  Mildred,  89,  Grottoes,  Va..  May  12 
Cooper,  Marv.  93.  North  Manchester, 

Ind.,  Oct.'ig 
Daniel,  Gazel,  81 .  Cushing,  Okla.. 


May  29 
Danner,  Marianna.  Astoria,  ill..  Dec.  28 
Davis,  Oliver  1.  "Dick".  77.  Harrison- 
burg, Va..  March  23 
Delawder,  William  H.,  85.  Moorefield. 

W.  Va..  March  24 
Diehl,  Russell  1..  83.  Mount  Crawford. 

Va..  April  28 
Dove,  Dennis  Dow.  81.  Baker.  W.  Va.. 

March  1  7 
Dove.  William  Howard.  89.  Fulks  Run. 

Va..  March  16 
Fellon,  Elsie  Florene.  88.  Rowlesburg. 

W.  Va..  Dec.  30 
Pike,  Clarence  B..  93.  Sebring.  Fla.. 

May  28 
Ford,  Maude  E..  95.  Oakton.  Va..  April  29 
Fyock,  Nellie.  80.  Penn  Run.  Pa.. 

December,  1997 
Garber,  Willie  P.  87.  Timberville.  Va.. 

Mav  27 
Griffith,  Elbert  E..  74.  Linville.  Va.. 

May  1  5 
Grore,  Vivian,  77,  Elkhart,  Ind..  Dec.  16 
Hearn,  Cloyd  A..  79.  Dover.  Pa..  |une  5 
Herbst,  Fred  H.  Sr..  89.  York  Pa.,  lune  9 
Hoffeditz,  Beulah  V,  94.  Bridgewater. 

Va..  March  8 
Hoover,  Nora  E..  85,  York.  Pa..  May  1  7 
Hurst,  Wilmer.  R..  67.  Harrisonburg. 

Va..  May  24 
Hylton,  Ena  1..  90.  Roanoke.  Va..  April  23 
loseph.  Pearl  E..  71.  Front  Royal.  Va.. 

March  29 
Keller,  Annie  Ruth,  89.  Mount  lackson. 

Va..  April  6 
Kuykendall,  Anielda.  87.  Fort  Seybert. 

W.  Va..  March  30 
Laughman,  Harold  E..  New  Oxford. 

Pa..  lune  6 
Laughman,  Ruth  M..  90,  Glen  Rock. 

Pa,,  lune  7 
Ledine,  Clifford.  86.  Dixon.  111.,  lune  22 
tiller,  Sarah  Elizabeth,  87,  Keyser, 

W.  Va..  Dec.  1  5 
Ludwick,  Georgia  M..  97.  Keyser. 

W.  Va..  Ian.  1  3 
Markey,  Harry  T.  65,  York  County. 

Pa. ."May  20 
Mauck,  Cleve  Sr..  75.  Woodstock.  Va.. 

March  27 
Moyers,  Conley  |..  78.  Franklin.  W.  Va.. 

.April  18 
Moyers,  lames  W. .  86.  Harrisonburg. 

Va..  lune  9 
Myers,  Berniece  Miller,  94. 

Harrisonburg.  Va..  March  7 
Myers,  Lucinda  M..  93,  East  Berlin. 

Pa.,  lune  1 
Ness,  Odessa  D..  53.  York,  Pa..  April  10 
Ours,  Mary  1 ..  64.  Fisher,  W.  Va., 

.March  1  1 
Patton,  lohn  L.  (Larry).  64, 

Winchester.  Va..  May  7 
Pennybacker,  luanita  Swecker.  81. 

Blue  Grass.  Va.,  March  10 
Pickett,  Nina  Sue.  Winston-Salem. 

N,  C.  48.  March  20 
Plaugher,  lohn  Paul.  77.  Bridgewater. 

Va..  March  16 
Fletcher,  Sarah.  69.  Elkhart.  Ind.. 

March  13 
Propst,  Roberta  P..  67.  Franklin. 

W.  Va.,  May  2 
Rensberger,  Annamae.  60.  Pomona. 

Calif..  May  26 
Rhodes,  Nelson  L..  70.  Dayton.  Va.. 

May  1  1 
Rice,  John.  94.  Penn  Run.  Pa..  May  10 
Robinson,  Wilson  W..  78. 

i4arrisonburg.  Va..  lune  9 
Sandridge,  Dennis.  67.  Bridgewater. 

Va..  April  2 
Secrisi,  Waldo  R.  72.  Broadway.  Va.. 

April  17 
Seveir,  Wilbur  James.  92.  Franklin. 

W.  Va.,  March  1 1 


Shearer,  Clara.  New  Oxford.  Pa.,  April  30 
Shiflett,  Elmer  Thomas.  96. 

Charlottesville.  Va..  May  24 
Shull,  Ralph  H.,  84.  Harrisonburg. 

Va..  May  14 
Simmons,  Hattie  H..  94.  Bridgewater, 

Va..  April  1  5 
Simmons,  Lucille  Swilzer  Wise.  92. 

Staunton.  Va..  April  1 
Simmons,  Ervin  Richard.  77, 

Harrisonburg.  Va..  May  12 
Smith,  Cecil  Hav.  76.  Harrisonburg. 

Va..  March  1  l' 
Sowles,  Maxine.  79.  Elkhart.  Ind.. 

May  23 
Spitzer,  Reba  Phares.  92.  Bridgewater. 

Va..  .April  22 
Stead,  Peggy.  55,  Strasburg.  Va.. 

March  25 
Stine,  Gladys  1..  94.  Dallas  Center. 

Iowa.  Feb.  14 
Strawderman,  Luther  Lee.  79.  Dorcas. 

W  Va,.  April  27 
Stroble,  |oan  S.,  63,  Harrisonburg. 

Va..  March  30 
Taylor,  A.  Wayne.  80.  Petersburg, 

W  Va..  March  26 
Thompson,  Michael  D..  42.  .Austin. 

Texas.  April  5 
Traughber,  Earl  E..  95.  Decatur.  111.. 

lune  18 
Trout,  Howard  L..  81.  York.  Pa..  May  5 
Tyler,  Elva  E..  92.  Keyser.  W.  Va..  Ian.' 10 
Vance,  Elsie  M..  93.  Onego.  W.  Va.. 

April  16 
Via,  Lyda.  87.  Staunton.  Va..  |une  14 
Warner,  .Alice  L..  95,  Thurmont,  Md., 

April  22 

Pastoral 
Placements 

O'Malley,  Beth,  Columbia  United 
Christian  Church,  Columbia.  Md.. 
April  5 


Licensings 


Belcher,  Marvin.  Nov.  22.  Bakersfield, 

Calif. 
Clark,  Randv.  March  14.  Wiley  Ford. 

W.  Va. 
Hullihen,  lames.  Ian.  19.  Sugar  Run. 

Mount  Union.  Pa. 
Keeling,  |.  Matthew,  Nov.  22. 

Bakersfield.  Calif. 
Russel,  Charles,  Nov.  22.  Community, 

Mesa.  Ariz. 
Satvedi,  Valentina,  Ian.  1  7,  N.  County, 

San  Marcos.  Calif. 
Sexton,  Norma.  Nov.  22,  Bakersfield, 

CaliL 
Snyder,  Ernest  M..  |an.  1  7.  Tucson.  Ariz. 
Sparks,  George.  Nov.  22.  Pomona.  Calif. 
Sparks,  Sharon.  Nov.  22.  Pomona.  Calif. 
Thomas,  Daniel  R..  Feb.  22, 

Locust  Grove,  lohnstown.  Pa. 

Ordinations 

Carter,  leffrey.  May  16.  Manassas,  Va. 
Charlton,  Burl.  March  14.  Tear  Coat, 

Augusta.  W.  Va. 
Combs,  Daniel.  March  14.  Capon 

Chapel.  West  Marva 
Derr,  Fl,  Kevin.  May  14.  Beech  Grove. 

Hollansburg.  Ohio 
Lambert,  Linda,  May  16.  Thurmont.  Md. 
Lehigh,  Daniel  Grant.  April  4.  Upper 

Conewago.  East  Berlin.  Pa. 
Nearhoof,  Sharon,  Feb.  7. 

Spring  Mount.  Warriors  Mark.  I'a. 
Snyder,  Ernest  M..  April  19.  Tucson. 

Pacific  Southwest 
Weatherholt,  Otis  "Buzz".  March  14, 

Moorefield.  West  Marva 


August  1998  Me.ssenger  31 


Big  tent 


With  one  of  the  top  items  of  business  a  revision  of  the 
Articles  of  Incorporation  for  the  Brethren  Benefit 
Trust,  some  may  get  the  impression  that  this  year's  Annua! 
Conference  was  a  yawner.  One  observer  commented  that 
there  was  "an  almost  perplexing  level  of  agreement"  on 
business  items  by  the  delegate  body  in  Orlando.  The  good 
professor  William  Willimon  said  he'd  seen  our  agenda  and 
noticed,  "A  lot  of  that  business  is  yesterday's  business." 
Former  moderator  Chuck  Boyer,  the  ever-truthful  pastor  of 
La  Verne  (Calif.)  Church  of  the  Brethren,  said  what  others 
were  thinking  when  he  told  a  luncheon  crowd,  "This  con- 
ference has  bored  the  Dickens  out  of  me." 

Even  so,  worship  was  wonderful,  friends  were  plentiful, 
and  the  gathering  of  Brethren  Volunteer  Service  workers 
from  around  the  globe  was  inspirational.  Besides,  the  Spirit 
is  moving  behind  the  scenes.  Forces  are  gathering,  relation- 
ships are  forming,  treasuries  are  growing,  new  leaders  are 
emerging.  This  is  a  time  for  regrouping;  perhaps  it  is  the 
calm  before  a  holy  storm. 

Collaboration  is  beginning.  This  year  Annual  Confer- 
ence officially  recognized  the  Association  of  Brethren 
Caregivers  and  On  Earth  Peace  Assembly  as  agencies 
"fully  reportable  and  accountable"  to  Annual  Confer- 
ence, joining  the  General  Board,  Bethany  Seminary,  and 
Brethren  Benefit  Trust.  These  agencies  have  always  been 
closely  related  to  the  official  church,  so  the  significance 
is  not  so  much  to  change  present  reality  as  it  is  to  begin  a 
new  "model"  for  the  church's  future  organization. 
Rather  than  the  General  Board  and  its  staff  being  seen  as 
the  church,  the  new  picture  has  the  Annual  Conference 
and  its  Standing  Committee  as  the  central  body,  with 
other  agencies  "reporting"  to  Annual  Conference.  This 
offers  the  possibility  that  Annual  Conference  could  in  the 
future  bring  other  groups  into  its  big  tent,  allowing  these 
groups  to  retain  their  autonomy  while  still  being  firmly 
entrenched  as  part  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 
Though  there  are  no  plans  now  for  adding  more  groups, 
collaboration  offers  possibilities  for  expanding  ministry, 
for  offering  multiple  giving  options  to  donors,  and  for 
keeping  us  together  in  times  of  disagreement. 

Making  collaboration  work  takes  work.  One  difficult 
issue  is  how  congregations  should  allocate  their  giving. 
There  was  some  concern  that  congregations  might  start 
dividing  their  denominational  giving  into  thirds,  sending 
equal  amounts  to  the  General  Board,  ABC,  and  OEPA. 
That  could  spell  trouble  for  the  General  Board  and  its  $5 
million  budget,  or  a  windfall  for  ABC  and  OEPA,  which 
each  spent  well  under  $500,000  last  year.  The  immediate 
goal  for  the  newly  recognized  organizations  was  not  to 

32  Messenger  August  1998 


gain  equal  funding  with  the  General  Board,  but  to  ask 
congregations  to  "replace"  the  funding  they  formerly 
received  through  the  General  Board.  Last  year  ABC 
received  $1  11, 500  through  the  General  Board  ($60,000 
a  year  continues,  from  the  Behold  campaign,  through 
2000)  and  OEPA  received  $35,000  through  the  General 
Board,  of  which  $25,000  continues,  from  the  Behold 
campaign,  in  1998  and  1999. 

My  hunch  is  that  congregations  will  recognize  the  rela- 
tive size  of  the  church's  organizations  and  their  program 
responsibilities,  then  fund  them  accordingly.  Ideally, 
congregations  won't  slice  the  pie  thinner  but  rather  bake 
a  bigger  pie.  The  General  Board  doesn't  need  less  fund- 
ing, but  the  church's  new  agencies  need  more.  ABC  and 
OEPA  represent  new  opportunities  for  congregations  to 
participate  in  wider  denominational  ministries. 

Giving  remains  solid.  As  of  May  3 1 ,  congregational 
support  of  the  General  Ministries  Fund  was  essentially 
identical  to  last  year,  not  decreased  as  expected.  Giving 
to  the  Emergency  Disaster  Fund  was  up  substantially. 
Global  Food  Crisis  Fund  giving  was  up,  and  special  gifts 
from  congregations  were  nearly  double  those  of  this  time 
last  year.  "Overall,  the  income  situation  for  the  most  par 
is  better  than  many  expected,"  said  Ken  Neher,  funding 
office  director,  "and  there  is  room  now,  though  the  year 
is  far  from  over,  for  guarded  optimism."  Add  this  to  the 
$3  1  5,000  operating  surplus  that  treasurer  |udy  Keyser 
reported  the  church  experienced  at  year-end  1997,  and 
there  is  still  more  room  for  optimism. 

Brethren  Benefit  Trust  is  strong.  Boring  or  not,  this 
year's  Annual  Conference  approval  of  expanded  services 
from  BBT  is  a  reminder  that  this  church  partner  is 
healthy,  growing,  and  ambitious.  The  successful  comple: 
tion  of  BBT's  relocation  loan  to  Bethany  Seminary  bring 
to  mind  that  BBT  could  be  helpful  with  future  building 
and  property  issues  facing  the  church.  As  an  expanded 
Site  Coinmittee  explores  options  to  consolidate  the 
church's  national  offices  in  a  "denominational  center," 
BBT's  financial  strength  may  prove  useful. 

The  General  Board  staff  has  a  new  executive  direc- 
tor. Annual  Conference  marked  the  beginning  of  Judy 
Mills  Reimer's  service  as  head  of  the  General  Board  staf 
With  her  business  background  and  church  experience, 
Reimer  brings  excellent  credentials  for  leading  the 
church's  business.  From  her  energy  and  savvy,  we  can 
expect  much. 

William  Willimon  called  on  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  1 
become  "a  people  with  faithful  imagination."  It's  coming. 
We  are  getting  ready  for  things  hoped  for,  things  unseen. 


i^: 


IS  Be  Knowi 


|- 


'%         "Va 


C  u  r  f  I  (  u  I  u 


i^-s^ 


'JUL 


if-*: 


'^&^s 


i-^ 


Three  hundred 3/ears  ago.  the  first  Brethren  looked  to  the  future  by  recovering  the  practices 
of  the  ancient  church.  Today  we  lool<  to  the  future  by  recovering  the  early  Brethren  vision. 

When_you*re  looking  toward  the  future, 
it  helps  to  know  where 3/ouVe  been. 


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adults  look  at  why  Brethren  believe  as  they  do.  The  curriculum 
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Fax:800-667-8188   •   E-mail:  brethren_press_gb@brethren.org 

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September  1998    www.brethren.org 


On  the  cover:  Gloves  dis- 
tributed to  NYCers  at 
tlie  closing  worship  ser- 
vice symbolize  the  courage  to  live 
"with  eyes  of  faith,"  and  the 
unique  memories  they  will  take 
home. 


25 


2 

3 

25 

31 

32 


Editor:  Fletcher  Farrar 
News:  Nevin  Dulabaum 
Subscriptions:  Vicki  Roche 
Publisher:  Wendy  McFadden 
Designer:  Marianne  Sackett 


Features 

A  Brethren  family  reunion 

At  the  second  Brethren  World  Assembly, 
the  denominations  that  trace  their  history 
from  the  courageous  1  708  baptism  in 
Schwarzenau  studied  their  common  her- 
itage and  explored  the  theme  "Faith  and 
Family — Challenges  and  Commitments." 
Frank  Ramirez  was  there  to  chronicle  the 
education  and  the  fellowship. 

Beyond  right  and  wrong 

The  luly  Messenger  stirred  the  thinking  of 
Bethany  professor  Murray  Wagner,  who 
wrote  this  thoughtful  essay  with  fatherly 
advice  on  how  to  live  life  when  it's  not 
always  to  know  what's  right. 

Special  section: 

National  Youth  Conference 

If  you're  looking  for  signs  of  hope  in  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  check  out  this 
gathering  of  more  than  4,500  youth  and 
advisors.  Randy  Miller  covers  the  high- 
lights, finds  out  what  the  youth  thought, 
and  leaves  you  feeling  optimistic  about  the 
direction  of  the  church. 

Letters,  letters,  letters 

The  letters  to  the  editor  section  is  espe- 
cially full  of  vim  and  vinegar  this  month, 
with  Brethren  adding  their  perspectives  on 
pluralism,  the  military  and  patriotism, 
Bethany  seminary,  Annual  Conference,  and 
the  Holy  Spirit.  What  do  you  think? 


Departments 

From  the  Publisher 
In  Touch 
Letters 

Turning  Points 
Editorial 


September  1998  Messenger  1 


D, 


ilistier 


The  last  time  I  went  to  National  Youth  Conference  was  12  years  ago,  back  in  the 
old  days  when  it  was  small  enough  to  be  housed  at  Estes  Park.  Now  it's  50  per- 
cent bigger — a  real  sign  of  hope  in  a  denomination  that  worries  about  diminishing 
numbers. 

Just  as  the  attendance  was  bigger,  so  was  the  coverage.  In  the  old  days,  NYC  was 
covered  by  one  or  two  people  carrying  notepads  and  cameras.  This  year's  conference 
was  covered  by  a  team  of  people  operating  out  of  a  press  room  linked  to  the  Internet. 

Through  a  partnership  between  the  Brethren  Press  communication  team  and  the 
NYC  staff,  the  1998  conference  was  thoroughly  covered  onsite  by  a  daily  newssheet, 
a  four-page  printed  wrap-up,  and  a  Web  site  that  was  updated  several  times  a  day 
(and  can  still  be  accessed  at  www.brethren.org) — all  orchestrated  by  General  Board 
staff  member  Nevin  Dulabaum. 

Our  post-NYC  coverage  is  right  here.  This  special  section  is  something  of  a  depar- 
ture for  Messenger.  It's  a  16-page,  full-color  mini-magazine.  Written  in  a  breezy, 
slightly  irreverent  style,  it's  aimed  a  little  more  at  the  youth  than  at  the  regular  read- 
ership of  Messenger.  But  don't  be  fooled.  Despite  the  light  touch,  the  articles  make 
clear  that  there  was  plenty  of  spiritual  depth  to  NYC. 

The  cluster  was  made  possible  through  the  volunteer  efforts  of  Randy  Miller,  who 
wrote  the  articles  and  supervised  the  team  of  photographers — which  included  leff 
Leard,  Jim  Tomlonson,  and  Frank  Klein — that  documented  the  event  for  both  Mes- 
senger and  the  NYC  archives. 

A  photojournalist  by  background.  Randy  is  managing  editor  of  World  Vision  Inter- 
national's journal  Together.  He  is  a  member  of  La  Verne  (Calif.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren  and  a  part-time  faculty  member  at  the  University  of  La  Verne.  Years  ago  he 
served  Messenger  as  its  first  editorial  assistant,  volunteering  through  BVS.  Prior  to 
that  he  was  associate  coordinator  of  the  1974  National  Youth  Conference. 

To  help  youth  remember  their  experiences  in  Colorado,  the  NYC  office  is  sending 
this  issue  of  Messenger  to  every  conference  participant.  Extra  copies  are  available 
by  sending  $2  per  copy  to  Messenger,  1451  Dundee  Ave.,  Elgin,  IL  60120. 
(Brethren  Press  also  has  a  limited  number  of  copies  of  the  NYC  theme  song  cassette, 
which  can  be  ordered  by  calling  customer  service  at  800-441  -3712.  And  NYC  wrap- 
up  videos  are  available  from  the  NYC  office  at  800-323-8039.) 

By  the  way:  Randy  did  an  informal  survey  of  youth  at  NYC  and  found  that  one- 
third  to  one-half  didn't  recognize  Messenger  as  their  denominational  magazine.  We 
hope  this  issue  gets  them  hooked.  After  all.  Messenger  is  one  of  the  best  ways  to 
keep  them  connected  to  the  wider  church. 

Keeping  them  connected  will  help  them  build  on  their  life-changing  experience 
this  summer.  But  maybe  more  important,  it  will  also  allow  their  enthusiasm  to  infect 
us  all. 


How  to  reach  us 

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Messenger  is  the  official  publication  of  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren.  Entered  as  periodical  postage  matter 
Aug,  20,  1918,  under  Act  of  Congress  of  Oct.  17, 
1 9 1 7.  Filing  date,  Nov.  1 ,  1 984,  Member  of  the 
Associated  Church  Press.  Subscriber  to  Religion 
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quotations,  unless  otherv/ise  indicated,  are  from 
the  New  Revised  Standard  Version.  Messenger  is 
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of  the  Brethren  General  Board.  Periodical  postage 
paid  at  Elgin,  III.,  and  at  additional  mailing  office, 
March  1998,  Copyright  1 998,  Church  of  the  Brethren 
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Postmaster:  Send  address  changes  to  Messenger, 
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® 


Printed  on  recycled  paper 


2  Messenger  September  1998 


Ill 


rr 


Built  on  spacious  grounds  un  a  hill  next  to  Bridgewater  College,  the  church  looks  out  over  the  town  of  Bridgewater,  with 
views  of  the  Allegheny  and  Blue  Ridge  mountains. 


Bridgewater  chureh  to  be  dedieated  Nov.  1 

The  $5  million  new  building  for  the  Bridgewater  (Va.)  Church  of  the  Brethren  will  be 
dedicated  in  special  worship  services  Nov.  1.  A  new  pipe  organ,  scheduled  to  arrive  in 
mid-September,  may  be  installed  in  time  for  the  dedication.  The  congregation  moved 
into  the  new  facility  in  June.  The  sanctuary  has  seats  for  550,  plus  a  50-seat  choir  sec- 
tion. The  building  includes  a  library  and  three  education  wings  as  well  as  rooms  for  the 
food  pantry  and  community  pre-school  housed  in  the  church,  according  to  Wendell  Eller, 
associate  pastor  for  visitation.  A  dual-purpose  room  doubles  as  a  basketball  court  and  a 
fellowship  hall  that  will  seat  400.  The  church  is  built  on  one  level  for  complete  accessibil- 
ity. The  state-of-the-art  sound  system  also  has  special  provisions  for  the  hearing 
impaired.  The  congregation's  former  building  was  purchased  by  Bridgewater  College  for 
use  as  a  chapel. 


September  1998  Messfnger  3 


Ill 


Remembered 

Hazel  N.  Kennedy,  89,  died 
July  14  at  her  home  in  La 
Verne,  Calif.  She  was  a  cur- 
riculum editor  for  children 
and  educational  planner  for 
the  General  Board  in  Elgin, 
111.,  for  25  years,  retiring  in 
1974.  Upon  her  retirement  a 
Messenger  editorial  spoke 
of  her  quiet  wisdom:  "Wher- 
ever she  goes.  Hazel  Kennedy 
probably  won't  be  shouting  to 
make  herself  heard.  But  out 
of  a  rich  life  she  has  much  to 
share.  People  who  know  her 
will  listen." 

•Morley  |.  Mays,  presi- 
dent of  Elizabethtown 
College  from  1966  to  1977, 


Modesto's  senior  committee,  which  plans  monthly  programs, 
includes,  from  left  in  back,  Pliyllis  Hari'ey,  Neva  Forney, 
Roy  Owen,  and  Lois  Northrup.  In  front  are  Bob  Coulson 
and  Max  Bashor. 

Seniors  "celebrate  life'' at  Modesto 


Seniors  at  the  Modesto 
(Calif.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren  have  an  active 
program  of  monthly  meet- 
ings with  lunch  and 
fellowship.  One  month's 
program,  called  "Celebrate 
Life,"  honored  those  80 
and  older.  Other  programs 
have  been  an  update  on 
Nigerian  missions,  a  high 

4  Messenger  September  1998 


school  choir  performance, 
tours  of  local  industries, 
and  a  trip  to  Calaveras  Big 
Tree  State  Park.  Seventeen 
seniors  from  the  Modesto 
congregation  were  planning 
to  attend  the  National 
Older  Adult  Conference 
Aug.  31 -Sept.  4. 

— Phyllis  Harvey,  coor- 
dinator of  senior  ministries 


died  July  5  in  Lancaster,  Pa. 
He  was  85.  Prior  to  being 
president  he  was  first  vice 
president  for  academic 
affairs  at  Juniata  College. 
He  was  a  founder  and 
chairman  of  the  administra- 
tive committee  for  Brethren 
Colleges  Abroad.  He  was  a 
member  of  Trinity  Lutheran 
Church  in  Lancaster. 

•Teresa  Crawford  Lowe 
of  Hanover,  Pa.,  died  June 
29  at  the  age  of  108.  She 
was  a  resident  of  The 
Brethren  Home  Community 
at  New  Oxford,  Pa.  Raised 
in  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  she  came  from  a 
Pennsylvania  Dutch  back- 
ground. She  was  known  for 
her  sense  of  humor.  Inter- 
viewed by  a  local  newspaper 
on  her  birthday  this  year, 
she  said  her  family  moved 
around  a  lot  while  she  was 
growing  up.  "I  once  asked 
my  father  if  the  sheriff  was 
after  me  because  we  moved 
so  much,"  she  said. 


Remarkable  marriages 

Congratulations  to  Glen  and 
Mabel  Moyer,  who  cele- 
brated 77  years  of  marriage 
June  20.  They  live  at  The 
Brethren's  Home,  Greenville, 
Ohio. 

Wilbur  and  Florence 
Lauver,  of  Ottawa,  Kan., 
marked  70  years  of  mar- 
riage July  18. 

Norman  and  Beryl 
Patrick,  of  Hershey,  Pa., 
observe  their  70th 
anniversary  Sept.  22. 

Groups  collaborate  to 
control  health  costs 

Gary  N.  Clouser,  president 
of  Brethren  Village  in  Lan- 
caster, Pa.,  was  named  to 
the  board  of  directors  of 
Kairos  Health  Systems, 
Inc.,  Mechanicsburg,  Pa. 
Kairos  is  an  innovative 


effort  at  collaboration 
among  14  groups  that  pro- 
vide services  to  seniors  in 
Pennsylvania,  Maryland, 
and  Delaware.  It  negotiates 
contracts  with  health  main- 
tenance organizations  and 
serves  as  administrator  for 
its  members'  managed  care 
patients.  Clouser,  who  was 
elected  board  vice  chairman 
of  Kairos,  has  been  presi- 
dent of  Brethren  Village 
since  1983. 

Children's  Daily  News 
reports  from  Orlando 

Children's  activities  at  Annual 
Conference  in  Orlando 
included  publishing  a  daily 
newspaper.  The  children's 
center  planning  committee 
was  made  up  of  Mary  Boyd, 
of  Venice,  Fla.,  Arlene  Rite- 
nour,  of  Bradenton,  Fla.,  and 
Jean  Lersch,  of  St.  Petersburg, 
Fla.  Jean  Lersch  provided 
these  excerpts  from  the  chil- 
dren's work. 

By  Jonathan:  Today  all  of 
the  children  activity  kids 
went  to  the  Orlando  sci- 
ence museum  and  we  had 
fun.  First,  we  got  to  go 
where  ever  we  wanted. 
Then,  we  saw  a  play  called 
mysteriest  mosquitos  and 
it  was  funny. 

Aaron's  lead  story  was 
headlined,  "No  air  condi- 
tioning": Today  in  the 
children's  center  the  air 
conditioning  wasn't  work- 


Gary  N.  Clouser 


ing.  Everybody  was 
exausted  because  it  was 
soooooo  HOT!  lanitors 
were  on  the  sene  trying  to 
fix  it  but  they  couldn't. 
Hopefully  they  will  have 
fixed  it  by  tomorrow. 

Stephen  highlighted  an 
important  part  of  Confer- 
ence in  his  article,  "My  too 
best  friends'":  I  have  a 
friend  named  Andrew.  He 
is  so  cool.  He  has  a  play 
station  and  a  Netendo  64! 
I  met  a  kid  named  Ryan. 
He's  cool  to.  He  lives  in 
Dayton,  Ohio.  He  has  a 
dog  and  a  rabbit. 

(ohnathon,  Evan,  Mike, 
and  Tyler  were  sportswrit- 
ers:  The  Chicago  Bulls 
have  won  there  6th 
chamionship.  it  wuld  be 
better  if  it  was  in  a  row. 
GO  Bulls! 

Another  sports  report: 
Cow  ripkin  made  5  home- 
runs  in  one  game  on  |uly 
3,  1998,  in  Orlando. 

In  a  column  headlined 
"Kid  Talk"  was  this  com- 
ment: Lunch  was  not  such 
a  success.  The  cheese 
sandwiches  could  have  had 
ham  and  other  food  could 
have  been  more  junky. 

Sarah  was  positive  in  her 
report:  We  played.  I  was  a 
helper  and  I  have  fun!  We 
did  faces.  It  was  fun!  We 
had  sand  art.  It  was  fun!  I 
loved  it.  I  did  Spanish.  It 
was  so  fun! 

Coming  home  to  Long 
Green  Valley 

Homecoming  is  Oct.  1 1  for 
the  Long  Green  Valley  con- 
gregation in  Glen  Arm,  Md. 
The  church  built  its  first 
meetinghouse  90  years  ago. 
"All  are  invited  to  join  in 
rejoicing  with  us  over  how 
God  has  been  meeting  with  us 
in  this  house  and  the  facility 
that  succeeded  it,"  said  Peter 
Haynes,  pastor. 

— Ianet  Bowman 


Renovation  to  make 
church  accessible 

Topeco  Church  of  the 
Brethren  near  Floyd,  Va.,  is 
undergoing  a  $500,000  ren- 
ovation, which  includes  a 
new  front  entrance, an  ele- 
vator and  accessible 
restrooms,  an  expanded 
narthex,  and  an  expanded 
kitchen  and  fellowship  hall. 
Topeco  is  the  "mother 
church"  of  Floyd  County, 
which  at  one  time  was  the 
only  county  in  the  US  where 
Brethren  were  the  predomi- 
nant Christian 
denomination. 


1998  Youth  Peace  Travel  Team  members  are  Linetta  Alley,  of 
Bridgewaier.  Va.:  Rachel  Carroll,  of  Osceola.  IiuL:  Lori 
Van  Order,  of  York,  Pa.:  and  Liz  Geisewite,  of  Logantown, 
Pa.  The  teani  traveled  to  camps  and  congregations  in  the 
western  US.  with  a  stop  at  National  Youth  Conference, 
faintly  sponsored  by  the  General  Board's  Youth  and  Young 
Adult  Ministries  office  and  Brethren  Witness  office,  along 
with  On  Earth  Peace  Assembly  and  the  Outdoor  Ministries 
Association,  this  year's  team  was  the  eighth  straight  to 
make  a  summer  of  sharing  the  Brethren  peace  message 
with  their  peers. 


Honored  in  Harrisburg,  from  left,  Gerald  Rhoades.  Allen  Hansell.  Irvin 
Heishman.  and  Aa«cv  Heishman 


A  pastor  and 
admirers:  Larry 
Click,  Joseph 
Wayne  Pence. 
Dennis  Brown,  and 
Doug  Phillips. 


Anniversaries  worthy  of  celebration 


Surpise!  The  Lebanon 
Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Mt.  Sidney,  Va.,  surprised 
their  pastor,  Joseph  Wayne 
Pence,  with  a  special  service  in 
honor  of  his  1 0  years  of  ser- 
vice to  the  congregation.  The 
service  included  a  sermon  by 
Larry  Click,  a  presentation  on 
the  history  of  Wayne's  life, 
and  a  video  prepared  espe- 
cially for  the  occasion. 


On  |une  1  First  Church 
of  the  Brethren,  Harris- 
burg, Pa.,  celebrated  the 
25th  anniversary  of  the 
ordination  of  its  commu- 
nity minister,  Gerald  W. 
Rhoades,  as  well  as  his  15 
years  of  service  to  First 
Church.  Also,  co-pastors 
Irvin  and  Nancy  Heishman 
were  recognized  for  their 
10  years  of  service  to  the 


congregation.  Guest 
speaker  for  the  morning 
worship  was  Allen  Hansell, 
director  of  ministry  on  the 
General  Board  staff. 


'7,\  Touch"  PRoriiES  Brlthren 

WE  WOULD  LIKE  YOU  TO  MEET. 
Se.\D  STOR)  ideas  .4ND  PHOTOS  TO 

'7.V  Touch,"  Messescer.  1451 
DusDEE.AvE..  Elci\.  IL  60120. 


September  1998  Messenger  5 


Brethren  family  reunion 

Six  denominations  gather  at  second  World  Assembly 


Linville  Creek's  Paul  Roth  led  tours  of 
John  Kline  historical  sites. 


Family  life  was  the  focus  of  the  papers 
presented  at  Bridgewater  College. 


Photos  and  Story  by  Frank  Ramirez 


Speaking  to  the  theme  of  the 
second  Brethren  World  Assem- 
bly, "Faith  and  Family  —  Challenges 
and  Commitments,"  keynote  speaker 
Carl  Bowman  compared  the  difficult 
life  Brethren  faced  in  the  1890s,  with 
Brethren  life  in  the  1950s  and  1990s. 

Brethren  men  and  women  worked 
in  partnership  in  their  own  realms  on 
the  farm,  according  to  Bowman,  who 
is  chair  of  the  sociology  department 
at  Bridgewater  College.  Each  was 
essential,  and  strong-armed  men  and 
women,  along  with  the  children  and 
extended  family,  worked  hard  for  the 
success  of  the  enterprise.  On  many 
occasions  one  would  enter  the  realm 
of  the  other  to  get  the  work  done. 

The  family  consisted  of  the  house- 
hold, with  aunts  and  uncles  and 
grandparents,  and  in  a  larger  sense, 
the  entire  church.  By  contrast,  life 
had  changed  enough  by  the  1930s 
that  the  so-called  "modern"  family 
came  into  being.  Father  left  home  to 


work,  and  mother,  now  considered 
frail,  stayed  at  home  at  "women's 
work."  People  came  to  think  of  the 
family  as  consisting  of  only  husband, 
wife,  and  children. 

Bowman  insists  that  period,  extend- 
ing through  the  1940s  and  '50s  into 
the  '60s,  was  an  anomaly,  and  that 
we're  better  off  comparing  our  lives 
with  the  1 890s  if  we  look  to  the  past 
for  solutions  to  family  problems. 

Now  the  family  is  stretched  in 
many  different  directions,  Bowman 
claimed.  There  are  more  single 
households,  consisting  of  the  wid- 
owed and  widowers,  young  people 
delaying  marriage,  and  single  parents 
raising  children. 

"What  does  this  have  to  do  with 
Brethren  families?"  Bowman  asked. 
"Young  Brethren  differ  little  from 
their  religious  peers.  Although  there 
is  some  indication  they  had  experi- 
enced fewer  broken  homes,  they 
looked  like  other  people.  Their  atti- 
tude towards  violence,  the  death 


penalty,  and  Christian  patriotism  are 
the  only  differences." 

Bowman  said,  "Family  challenges 
spring  from  the  very  challenges  of 
life  at  the  end  of  the  20th  century. 
Even  though  some  of  us  are  not  of 
the  world,  we're  still  in  it.  .  .  .  It's 
popular  to  say  the  family  is  in  crisis, 
but  that  suggests  something  that 
might  be  solved.  This  is  wishful 
thinking.  The  crisis  is  chronic,  so 
this  is  not  a  crisis  but  a  new  reality. 
Family  is  a  work  we  need  to  engage 
in  as  we  turn  to  our  faith  for 
answers." 

It  was  all  part  of  the  second 
Brethren  World  Assembly,  held  fuly 
15-18  at  Bridgewater  College, 
Bridgewater,  Va. 

Twenty-five  years  ago  M.R.  Zigler 
gathered  together  representatives  of 
the  five  major  Brethren  groups  in 
America  for  what  he  called  a  hand- 
shake at  the  nearby  Tunker  Meeting 
House.  For  nearly  a  century  before 
that  the  groups  that  traced  their 


6  Messenger  September  1998 


roots  back  to  the  1  708  baptism  in 
Schwarzenau  had  studiously  avoided 
each  other.  In  a  way  it  was  no  differ- 
ent than  members  of  the  same  family 
who  are  too  proud  to  admit  they'd 
really  like  to  get  together.  Over  the 
years  the  issues  that  had  divided 
some  of  the  groups  had  lessened  in 
importance. 

The  representatives  so  enjoyed  get- 
ting together  that  the  practice  of 
gathering  face  to  face  continued. 
Rather  than  trying  to  settle  differ- 
ences or  seek  formal  unification,  the 
meetings  focused  on  joint  projects 
that  all  could  support,  especially  the 
Brethren  Encyclopedia.  In  1992  the 
first  Brethren  World  Assembly  came 
together  in  Pennsylvania  on  the 
campus  of  Elizabethtown  College. 
And  at  this  second  assembly,  some 
1  30  Brethren  came  together  for  wor- 
ship, fellowship,  sightseeing,  and  a 
number  of  papers  on  the  confer- 
ence's theme. 

In  addition  to  the  American 
Brethren,  lose  Rivero,  the  national 
supervisor  of  the  Brethren  Church  in 
Argentina,  and  Dan  Kim,  former 
Church  of  the  Brethren  missionary  to 
South  Korea,  were  in  attendance. 

Throughout  the  conference,  other 
speakers  examined  the  theme  of  the 
family.  Though  the  speakers  often 
had  different  approaches,  a  common 
thread  ran  through  many  of  the 
papers  read.  Brethren  need  to 
reclaim  their  traditional  understand- 
ing of  the  extended  family,  the 
relationship  of  the  family  to  the 
larger  family  known  as  the  church, 
and  rediscover  home  devotions. 
Brethren  obviously  did  not  agree  on 
biblical  language  regarding  a  hierar- 
chical structure  in  the  basic  family, 
but  all  agreed  that  Christian  love  and 
discipleship  had  to  undergird  the 
family  structure. 

Different  Brethren  groups  hold  dif- 
ferent views  on  the  place  of  women 
in  the  ministry.  Some  confined 
women  to  subordinate  roles  in  the 
church,  with  the  greatest  expression 
of  God's  gift  to  be  found  in  the  mis- 
sion fields.  The  groups  hold  different 
views  on  the  authority  of  the  church, 
running  the  gamut  from  those  who 
embrace  an  entirely  congregational 
structure,  to  those  who  recognize 


Annual  Meeting's  rulings  on  the 
Scriptures  to  be  authoritative. 

For  all  Brethren,  the  Bible  is  key. 
All  the  groups  would  argue  in  the 
same  fashion.  Plunk  down  the  Bible 
and  say,  "Show  it  to  me  in  the  Word 
of  God."  There  are  differences  of 
interpretation,  but  the  centrality  of 
God's  word  was  a  common  thread  in 
all  the  presentations. 

Brenda  Colijn  of  the  Brethren 
Church,  for  instance,  spoke  about 
the  biblical  understanding  of  the 
family  as  a  household,  and  empha- 
sized that  in  the  New  Testament  that 
definition  was  broadened  to  include 
a  wider  range  of  people.  "This  is  a 
significant  development,"  she  noted. 
"In  the  Old  Testament,  God  has  a 
house  but  no  household."  In  the  New 
Testament,  she  said,  the  house  of 
God  is  a  spiritual  building,  which 
includes  God's  people.  She  added 
that  one  of  Alexander  Mack's 
favorite  images  for  the  church  was 
that  of  the  household. 


The  centrality  of  God's 

word  was  a  common 

thread  through  all  the 

Brethren  groups. 


Nancy  Faus,  retired  professor  from 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary, 
recounted  the  history  of  family  spiri- 
tuality and  devotions  among  the 
Brethren,  and  prescribed  several 
remedies  for  the  difficulties  faced  by 
the  modern  family,  including  the 
suggestions  that  family  devotions, 
scripture  reading,  and  singing  be 
restored. 

"Don't  worry  or  feel  guilty  if  daily 
worship  is  not  always  possible.  Once 
or  twice  a  week  is  more  often  than 
what  many  families  are  doing.  Find  a 
regular  time,  make  it  intentional,  and 
put  it  on  your  calendar  in  ink,  so  it  is 
as  important  as  everything  else  you're 
doing  that  week.  So  often  we  say  that 
family  time  will  come  when  we  have 


finished  other  things.  It  never  will." 

But  as  informative  as  these  papers 
were  (and  they  will  eventually  be 
published  by  the  Brethren  Encyclo- 
pedia), it  was  obvious  that  most  of 
those  in  attendance  simply  enjoyed 
meeting  old  friends  and  making  new 
ones  across  denominational  bound- 
aries. Brethren  ate  and  talked 
together,  two  things  that  all  the 
groups  are  good  at,  regardless  of 
their  denominational  addresses. 

At  the  last  Brethren  World 
Assembly  there  were  five 
denominations  that  came  together. 
This  time  there  were  six.  In  addition 
to  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  the 
Brethren  Church,  the  Dunkard 
Brethren,  and  the  Old  German  Bap- 
tist Brethren,  the  Grace  Brethren  had 
split  in  the  interim,  and  given  birth  to 
the  Conservative  Grace  Brethren 
Churches  International.  The 
church's  name  is  derived  from  the 
fact  that  there  are  nearly  as  many 
congregations  overseas  as  in  the 
United  States. 

From  1708  to  1881  there  are  175 
years  of  shared  history  for  all 
Brethren.  Elder  [ohn  Kline,  martyred 
during  the  Civil  War,  was  part  of  that 
shared  history.  Paul  Roth,  pastor  of 
the  Linville  Creek  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Broadway.  Va.,  led  assem- 
bly participants  in  tours  of  sites 
associated  with  the  life  of  KJine. 

Virginian  lohn  Kline  (1797  - 
1864)  served  as  moderator  of  the 
denomination  during  the  Civil  War 
and  over  the  course  of  his  long  min- 
istry traveled  over  100,000  miles, 
visiting  Brethren  all  across  the  coun- 
try. He  was  eventually  murdered  by 
Confederate  guerrillas. 

There  is  a  stone  marker  on  the  spot 
where  Kline  was  murdered.  Some  of 
the  Brethren  made  the  arduous  walk  to 
that  site,  now  an  open  field.  The 
solemnity  and  quiet  there  was  finally 
broken  when  Brethren  visitors  began  to 
sing,  "God  Be  With  You  Till  We  Meet 
Again."  The  unity  of  Brethren,  present, 
past,  and  future,  seemed  solidly 
symbolized  by  that  sacred  stanza. 

?rank  Ramirez  is  pastor  of  Elkliarl  Valley 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  Elkhart,  hid.,  and  a 
frequent  contributor  to  Messenger. 


September  1998  Messenger  7 


Living  beyond 
right  and  ^vrong 


BY  Murray  L.  Wagner 

One  of  the  nation's  favorite  writ- 
ers, Calvin  Trillin,  recently 
published  a  moving  memoir,  Messages 
from  My  Father  (1996).  Trillin's  trib- 
ute to  his  father,  a  Kansas  City  grocer 
whose  family  immigrated  from  east- 
ern Europe,  recounted  his  vexations 
over  what  it  means  to  be  Jewish. 
What's  orthodox  and  what's  not? 
Lists  of  prescriptions  and  proposi- 
tions and  postulates,  with  collections 
of  admonitions  and  prohibitions  and 
bills  of  particulars  on  what's  kosher 
and  what's  not  (not  unlike  Dale  Auk- 
erman's  list  on  what's  Christian  and 
what's  not  in  the  July  Messenger). 
All  the  do's  and  don'ts  drove  old  Abe 
Trillin  nuts!  Finally,  he  asked,  "Why 
not  just  be  a  meiich?"  And  that's  the 
question  I'd  like  to  put. 

Mench  in  Yiddish  means  much 
more  than  the  German  Mensch: 
"person."  In  Yiddish  it  means 
"upright,  honorable,  decent."  Parents 
tell  their  children,  "Act  like  a  mench; 
be  a  menchl"  To  say  that  someone  is  a 
mench  is  the  finest  thing  you  can  say 
about  anybody.  It's  a  person  of  char- 
acter, rectitude,  and  dignity.  Time 
and  again  I've  heard  it  as  a  Yiddish 
understanding  of  the  biblical  impera- 
tive, "be  a  menchV 

But  I  don't  think  that's  the  way 
Aukerman  reads  the  Bible.  He  says, 
"the  biblical  writers  saw  in  the  human 
story  the  continuous  struggle  between 
right  and  wrong,  between  truth  and 
talsehood."  And  i  would  guess,  to 
spin  out  the  bipolar  differences  a  litde 
further,  it  would  be  between  the  elect 
and  the  reprobate,  the  saved  and  the 
lost,  and  who  deserves  to  win  the 
annual  Brethren  Peacemakers  trophy 
and  who  doesn't. 

No,  I  think  not.  I  think  the  biblical 
story  tells  of  the  "Hound  of  Heaven" 
in  hot  pursuit  with  the  question, 
"Why  not  be  a  mench?" 

Besides  the  Aukerman  piece  in  the 


July  Messenger,  several  other  articles 
and  letters  in  the  same  issue  have 
inspired  my  reflections  on  the  mean- 
ing of  mench. 

Thirty-eight  years  ago  I  entered 
Brethren  Volunteer  Service  to  do 
alternative  service  as  a  conscientious 
objector.  They  sent  me  to  Poland  to 
teach  English  to  agricultural  students. 
It  was  quite  a  menschlish  thing  to  do, 
we  all  thought,  so,  as  the  July  Mes- 
senger reports,  we  are  celebrating  50 
years  of  it  this  year. 

But  think  back  and  imagine  this.  I 
was  in  Poland  during  the  grimmest 
days  of  the  Cold  War  in  the  very  year 
the  Berlin  wall  went  up.  Every  day 
Soviet  troop  trains  were  heading  west 
toward  Berlin.  The  Polish  army  was 
on  full  alert.  And  I,  a  BVSer  from 
southern  Ohio,  was  collecting  quite  a 
nice  stipend  from  a  communist  gov- 
ernment. Relatively  speaking,  it  was 
the  best  money  I've  made  teaching 
anytime  since!  Meanwhile,  drawing 
infantry  pay  as  an  American  army 
conscript,  one  of  my  high  school 
classmates  was  heading  east  toward 
Berlin.  Quick,  will  someone  who 
knows  the  truth  tell  me  the  difference 
between  right  and  wrong? 

Thanks  to  the  efficiency  of  the 
German  military  machine,  Poland's 
nearly  three  million  Jews  had  been 
annihilated.  The  cradle  of  European 
Jewry  was  Judenrein  by  the  time  I  got 
to  Poland.  So  I  never  met  a  Jew  in 
Poland,  nor  had  I  ever  met  one  in  any 
of  the  communities  where  I  grew  up, 
not  even  at  Manchester  College. 

Little  could  I  know  that  one  day  I 
would  be  back  in  eastern  Poland 
trying  in  vain  to  uncover  traces  of  my 
wife's  lost  ancestors.  I  knew  next  to 
nothing  about  the  Shoah  until  I  stared 
into  the  Polish  genocidal  pit  of 
unmenschlichkeit.  My  denomination 
slept  through  the  Holocaust  like  Rip 
Van  Winkel  slept  through  the  revolu- 
tion, uttering  not  a  mumbling  word  of 
protest.  What  then  does  someone  with 


the  name  Wagner  (the  conscientious 
objector)  have  to  say  either  to  Polish 
friends  who  survived,  or  to  Jewish  in- 
laws whose  relatives  did  not?  Will 
someone  quick  tell  me  how  to  hold  to 
the  truth  and  to  reject  what  is  false? 

I  really  don't  trust  either  ideologues 
from  the  left  spouting  party  lines  or 
theologues  from  the  right  thumping 
holy  writ.  Wherever  they  line  up  on 
the  political  spectrum,  they  all  seem 
to  lay  positive  claim  to  the  knowledge 
of  good  and  evil.  But  what  they  know 
about  the  difference  between  right 
and  wrong  is  mostly  presumption. 
That's  what  I  think  anyway.  And  I 
also  have  concluded  after  nearly  30 
years  of  teaching  Christian  history 
and  religious  studies  in  college  and 
seminary  classrooms  that  religion  can 
make  good  people  better,  but  it  can 
also  make  bad  people  worse. 

What  does  it  take  to  be  a  better 
person?  I  think  I  got  the  same  mes- 
sage from  my  father  as  Trillin  got 
from  his.  My  dad  got  some  apprecia- 
tive recognition  from  Arlene  Bucher 
in  a  letter  also  appearing  in  the  July 
Messenger.  Years  ago  when  I  called 
him,  a  Brethren  pastor  for  40  years, 
and  my  stepmother,  Martha  Bucher, 
to  tell  them  I  was  about  to  marry  a 
lew,  the  pause  was  short.  Then  came 
the  message,  "If  you  love  her,  we  love 
her."  And  did  they  ever. 

The  tribe  expanded  from  Lancaster 
County  to  include  the  New  Jersey  in- 
laws. They  didn't  ask  what's  right, 
what's  wrong;  what's  true,  what's 
false;  who's  in  and  who's  out.  "Why 
not  be  like  a  mench?"  they  asked  (the 
word  in  Pennsylvania  Dutch  is  the 
same  as  in  Yiddish),  and  they 
answered  in  lives  lived.  I  can  do  no 
better  than  to  keep  the  question  alive 
for  my  children  and  for  my  rjTn 

grandchildren.  I — 1 

Murray  L.  Wagner,  of  Richmond.  IncL.  is 
professor  of  historical  studies  at  Bethany  Theo- 
logical Seminary. 


8  Messenger  September  1998 


7998    /Vationai  V  o  ci  t  k    Conii 


*»^-Nt« 


,-  "^  li 


Til 


wg^^ 


Jeff  Leard 


Stories  by  Randy  Miller 
What's  wron..^  m^itli  these  kids? 


Moslilng-,  body 
surfino"...  what- 
ever the  proper  term  is  for  hoisting 
teenagers  overhead  and  passing 
them  around  during  a  rock  concert, 
could  not  be  resisted  even  by  a 
crowd  of  Brethren  youth  who,  less 
than  20  minutes  before,  were 
anointing  each  other's  foreheads 
with  oil  and  dabbing  their  eyes  with 
handi<.erchiefs,  when  the  Top-40 
band  Jars  of  Clay  kicked  off  their 
show  in  Moby  Arena  Saturday  night. 
Bodies  ride  high  in  what  appears  to 
be  some  kind  of  massive  "trust  your 
neighbor"  exercise.  Maybe  they're 
just  practicing  what  they  heard  Friday 


morning,  when  youth  speaker  Cindy 
Laprade  told  of  her  experience  in  a 
workshop  in  which  she  had  to  take  a 
crash  course  in  trust  by  falling  back- 
wards from  a  five-foot  platform  into 
the  arms  of  her  friends.  They  didn't 
drop  her,  nor  are  these  Brethren 
dropping  any  of  their  newfound 
brothers  and  sisters.  If  you're  going 
to  body  surf  at  a  rock  concert,  what 
better  place  than  over  the  heads  of 
4,500  youth  who've  spent  the  week 
bonding  and  hugging  and  generally 
learning  to  care  about  each  other? 

No  one  got  dropped.  No  limbs  were 
broken.  One  kid  stubbed  his  toe.  Sev- 
eral lost  their  pillows — at  least 
temporarily — many  of  which  had 
been  carefully  crafted  by  women's 


sewing  circles  back  home,  and  were 
last  seen  flying  through  the  air  over 
the  arena  floor.  Some  lost  their  voices 
(including  dean  Steve  Van  Houten). 

But,  overall,  it  was  a  relatively  safe 
place  to  spend  the  evening.  Certainly 
safer  than  the  anointing  service  that 
preceded  it.  According  to  NYC  coun- 
selor John  Wenger,  there  were  more 
medical-related  problems  arising  from 
the  anointing  service  than  there  were 
from  the  Jars  concert. 

Frankly,  it  was  a  relief  to  see  at 
least  some  form  of  misbehaving 
going  on — albeit  rather  minor.  I  was 
beginning  to  worry.  These  kids  were 
being  far  too  nice.  Everyone  was  on 
his  or  her  best  behavior.  How  would 
they  ever  fare  in  the  world  beyond 


Septemie.i'    7  9  9  8 


Mf^SfMffi? 


J998    /Vatio/iaf   ^  o  a  t  i.    Coi^ 


e-  1^  e-  n  c  e 


the  bounds  of  NYC? 
Being  around  them  was 
like  hstening  to  banjo 
music  all  the  time — no 
one  can  listen  to  banjo 
music  and  be  anything 
but  chipper  and  perky. 

Evidence  of  this 
creeping  niceness  was      | 
apparent  from  the 
moment  they  arrived  on  Tuesday. 
Granted,  the  NYC  staff  had  done  a 
bang-up  job  of  streamlining  the  reg- 
istration process.  But  even  when 
several  buses  disgorged  their  weary 
travelers  and  sent  them,  parade-like, 
to  the  registration  tables,  there  was 
no  shoving,  no  bickering,  no  snide 
remarks. 

Colorado  State  University  police    ^ 
officer  Frazier  M.  Damon,  assigned  t 
to  keep  an  eye  on  things  during  reg-  - 
istration,  said  our  NYCers  were 
among  the  most  well-behaved  kids 
he's  ever  dealt  with.  The  smaller 
groups  are  generally  easier  to 
handle,  he  said.  But  NYC  was  one  of 
the  two  largest  he's  been  responsible 
for  this  summer.  Even  with  that,  he 
said  it  was  one  of  the  easiest  he's 
experienced.  "I'd  take  these  kids  any 
day,  versus  the  opening  day  of 
school  here." 

Standing  in  the  middle  of  all 
4,500  of  them  the  next  morning, 
after  they'd  just  spent  45  minutes  in 
blistering  heat  waiting  for  their  pic- 
ture to  be  taken,  the  strangeness  was 
unnerving.  No  one  swore,  smoked, 
drank,  uttered  a  discouraging  word, 
or  littered.  Some  were  even  picking 
up  bits  of  trash.  They  all  remem- 
bered their  manners  as  they  wove 
their  way  toward  their  small  group 
locations  at  various  spots  around 

Stpte  m  ier    7  9  9  8 


campus. 

Halfway  to  his  small  group  site, 
Dylan  Fanning,  15,  of  the  Glendale 
(Ariz.)  Church  of  the  Brethren,  real- 
ized he'd  left  his  pillow  on  the  grass 
in  the  middle  of  the  picture  site. 
Certain  it  would  be  gone  by  the  time 
he  returned,  he  nevertheless  felt 
compelled  to  check  it  out.  His  pillow 
was  right  where  he  had  left  it. 

Later,  three  girls  witnessed  a 
fellow  NYCer  shoplift  three  $7  neck- 
laces from  a  jeweler  in  the  Lory 
Student  Center.  At  last,  you  may 
think — someone  behaving  like  the 
teenagers  we  are  accustomed  to 
hearing  about  on  the  news.  Before 
you  get  your  hopes  up,  the  next 
morning  the  three  girls  returned  to 
the  jeweler  with  $2 1  of  their  own 
NYC  spending  money  to  cover  the 
amount  he'd  lost  at  the  hands  of 
their  fellow  conferee. 


'T  don't  know  what 
you're  teaching  those 
kids,"  the  jeweler  told 
Steve  Van  Houten,  "but 
keep  it  up." 

NYCers  are  so  well 
behaved  that,  according 
to  one  world-weary 
youth  I  spoke  with  after 
the  |ars  of  Clay  concert, 
they  don't  even  know  how  to  mosh 
properly.  "They  don't  go  to  enough 
concerts,"  he  lamented.  "They  aren't 
doing  it  right.  They're  going  to  hurt 
somebody."  They  didn't.  But  being 
seen  in  the  presence  of  so  many 
embarrassingly  inexperienced  mosh- 
ers  and  body  surfers  had  clearly  put  a 
crimp  in  his  evening. 

What's  with  these  kids  who  can't 
even  misbehave  properly?  Can 
being  exposed  to  non-stop  kindness 
for  five  days  have  long-term 
effects?  It  appears  so.  How  could 
this  happen?  Who  have  they  been 
listening  to?  What  have  they  been 
reading? 

Their  counselors.  Their  peers.  The 
Bible.  And  maybe  a  little  Jars  of  Clay. 


/fffSSf/Vffie 


7998    /Vationai   Y  o  a  Ci,    Con^e 


Build  your 
relationship 

Ywith  God 
ou  could  hear  it  in  lier  voice,  in 
the  cadence  and  rhythm  with  which  she  deHvered 
her  message.  You  could  see  him  in  her  face,  and  in  the  way 
she  moved.  That  she  was  Dr.  Martin  Luther  King,  |r.'s 
daughter  was  unmistaicabie.  Yet,  as  her  words  unfolded 
before  the  crowd  assembled  in  Moby  Arena  Friday  night,  it 
was  clear  that  the  Rev.  Bernice  King  was  more  than  just  the 
daughter  of  a  legendary  figure.  Here  was  a  woman  who  had 
been  through  struggles  of  her  own,  and  learned  valuable 
lessons  about  survival,  and  about  the  importance  of  building 
a  relationship  with  God. 

She  did  not  begin  by  speaking,  however.  She  began  with  a 
song. 

"Anybody  here  play  the  piano?"  she  asked.  NYC  pianist 
Shawn  Kirchner  leapt  onto  the  stage  and  took  a  seat  at  the 
Steinway.  King  began  to  sing,  "The  |esus  in  me  loves  the 
Jesus  in  you.  You're  easy,  so  easy,  you're  easy  to  love."  In 
moments,  the  entire  arena  was  rocking  to  the  gentle  gospel 
beat.  Then  she  began  to  speak. 

"1  was  five  when  my  father  was  assassinated,"  she  said. 
She  related  the  struggles  of  growing  up  without  a  father. 
She  also  described  the  pressure  she  felt  in  being  the  daugh- 
ter of  a  larger-than-life  figure.  How  could  she  ever  live  up  to 
that?  What  if  she  failed?  She  got  so  low  that  at  one  time  she 
considered  ending  her  life. 


"It  was  as  if  nobody  could  reach  me,"  she  said.  "In  a 
sense,  1  had  lost  all  hope.  But  as  soon  as  1  picked  up  that 
knife,  the  voice  of  God  spoke.  It  said,  'Put  that  knife  down, 
because  you  do  have  a  future,  and  you  do  have  a  destiny.' 

"1  don't  know  what  you've  had  to  deal  with,"  she  told  the 
spellbound  youth,  "but  I  came  here  to  tell  you  that  God 
says,  'Your  destiny  is  greatness.'  Not  material  greatness,  but 
spiritual  greatness." 

The  key  to  achieving  that  greatness,  she  said,  lies  in  form- 
ing a  strong  relationship  with  God. 

"No  matter  what  is  going  on  in  your  life,  always  hold  onto 
God.  Always  stay  connected  to  God.  And  when  you  do  that, 
it  doesn't  matter  how  bad  it  gets.  He'll  take  you  over,  under, 
around  or  through.  He  is  faithful." 


NYCers  young  and  old  were  gripped  by  Bernice  King's  message: 


Greg  Brown,  15, 
Lebanon  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Mount 
Sidney,  Va.:  "She  was  s 
one  of  the  people  who  5 
got  through.  Some-      | 
times  it's  hard  to  get 
through  to  teens." 

Valerie  Messenger, 
Nokesville  (Va.) 
Church  of  the 
Brethren:  "1  remem- 
ber when  her  father 
was  shot.  1  was  in  Los 
Angeles.  1  felt  so  sad 
that  one  of  those  who  was  for  us  was 
no  longer  there.  Bernice's  testimony 
of  hope  for  kids  is  so  great.  When 
things  get  tough,  God  will  pick  you 
up.  I  wish  I'd  had  her  message  taped 
so  I  could  play  it  over  and  over  again 
for  my  kids." 


Caria  Senger,  18,  Barren 
Ridge  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Staunton, 
Va.:  "It's  nice  to  know 
that  others  go  through 
the  same  anxieties  you 
do.  Hers  were  more 

serious  than  what  most  of  us  deal 

with." 

Jenni  Dols,  17,  Oakton 

Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Vienna,  Va.: 
"It  was  very  moving — 
her  personal  story. 
People  next  to  us  were 
so  moved  they  were 
crying.  For  people  our  age,  suicide  is 
a  real  issue.  That's  why  her  speech 
was  so  moving." 


Jackie  Snoots, 
Brownsville  (Md.) 
Church  of  the 
Brethren:  "She  held 
the  attention  of  our 
young  people.  She 
gave  them  something 
to  think  about.  I  felt  sad  listening  to 
her.  I  remember  the  riots  and 
destruction  in  Washington,  D.C. 
[after  Martin  Luther  King's  death].  I 
remember  driving  through  the  city 
and  seeing  the  destruction.  I  couldn't 
imagine  how  people  could  do  that  to 
other  people.  I  admire  her.  I'm  sure  it 
was  hard  for  her  to  grow  up  without 
her  father.  Such  a  loss." 


Se  d  C 


c  M  D  c  r 


7  9  9c 


C^ 


MfssfiV^ee 


7  998    N  a  t  i  0  It  0- ^   ioatk    Con^e-i^citos- 


Medema  likes 

Brethren  down-horae 

gentleness 


Ken  Medema 
travels  the 
world  slng-liig'his  original 
songs  and  entertaining  audiences  of 
all  ages.  He  sang  lor  NYC  in  1990 
and  again  in  1994,  and  has  also  per- 
formed at  Annual  Conference. 

Ken  was  born  blind,  but  sees  more 
than  most  fully  sighted  people.  If 
anyone  knows  what  it  means  to  see 
"with  eyes  of  faith,"  it's  this  guy.  We 
were  lucky — again — that  he  con- 
sented to  perform  for  us. 

Messengfr:  "You've  performed  for 
many  groups  like  this.  Is  there  any- 
thing that  sets  Brethren  youth  apart?" 

Medema:  "This  crowd  probably  has 
some  of  the  most  sound  kingdom-of- 
God  theology  you'll  find  anywhere, 
with  a  faith  and  passion  you  don't 
commonly  find  among  the  more  lib- 
eral churches.  A  lot  of  liberal 
churches  have  strong  social  con- 


St/itemicf   7  9  9  8 


cerns,  but  are  spineless  when  it 
comes  to  enthusiasm.  Here  I  find  a 
wonderful  combination  of  the  two. 

"It's  taken  this  group  a  little  longer 
to  embrace  some  of  the  more  con- 
temporary Christian  music.  They're  a 
little  slower  than,  say,  the  Methodists 
or  the  Baptists  in  that  regard.  This 
group  seems  to  be  more  careful, 
more  thoughtful  about  embracing 
some  of  the  new  music.  They  don't 
just  go  rushing  in.  They  take  time  to 
evaluate  it.  .  .  .  Kind  of  a  slow-but- 
certain  approach. 

"There's  a  'down-home'  kind  of 
gentleness  about  this  group  that  I 
really  appreciate.  I  come  across 
youth  in  other  denominations  who 
have  seen  it  all,  and  I  find  them  a 
little  jaded,  a  little  spoiled.  They  need 
more  stuff  to  get  them  excited.  This 
group  is  not  like  that.  They  can  still 
get  excited  about  someone  shouting 
out  the  name  of  a  state,  and  they  can 
sing  a  capella.  They  don't  need  a  lot 
of  'stuff  to  get  them  excited." 


What  did  youth 
think  about 
Paul  Grout? 


Rachel  Bucher,  17, 
Mount  Wilson  Church 
of  the  Brethren, 
Lebanon,  Pa.:  "Paul 
Grout  was  very 
moving.  I  had  never 
thought  about  how 
we  nailed  Jesus  to  the  cross.  I  liked 
where  he  told  us  that  Jesus  loves  us, 
which  gives  us  self-esteem.  I  think 
his  presentation  will  change  me 
because  I  now  know  how  special  I 
am.  I  can  be  unafraid  to  stand  up  for 
Christ." 


Valerie  Taft,  Middle-  k 
bury  (Ind.)  Church  c 
of  the  Brethren:  "At 
first,  I  didn't  think 
he  looked  like  much 
fun.  He  was  older 
and  seemed  really 


serious  and  traditional.  I  thought  he 
was  going  to  get  up  there  and  say 
something  like,  'This  is  what  I  say 
about  this  and  you  should  believe  it.' 
But  he  was  really  good.  Right  now, 
after  hearing  him,  I  feel  better  than  I 
ever  thought  I  would." 


]f 


lai 


NickJuday,  17,  Wate 
ford  Community 
Church,  Goshen, 
Ind.:  "That  was  th 
most  unbelievable 
thing  I've  ever  seen 
in  my  life.  Nothing 
ever  made  sense  or  hit  me  like  this 
before.  This  guy  really  knows  God 


M^sse/v(;ee 


7  998   national   Y  a  u  t  k    Con^ 


e-  !•■  e-  It  c  e- 


Transfixed 

by  the 

Crucifix 


Wednesday  evening.  The  songs 
have  been  sung,  the  prayers  prayed.  Paul 
irout,  pastor  of  the  Genesis  Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
'utney,  Vt.,  the  evening  speaker,  is  getting  to  work. 

Shirtsleeves  rolled  up  above  his  elbows,  Paul  hauls  a  long 
/hite  canvas  bag  onto  the  stage  and  begins  to  unpack  it.  He 
5  nowhere  near  the  lectern,  and  he  does  not  look  like  he's 
ilanning  to  speak.  He  lays  the  contents  of  the  bag — a  bunch 
if  wood  pieces — out  on  the  floor.  Then  he  begins  pounding 
in  them,  using  wooden  pegs  to  tap  pieces  into  place. 

Tap,  tap,  tap.  The  arena  is  silent  except  for  some  guy  in  the 
losebleed  section  who  shouts,  "Preach  it,  Paul."  Paul  ignores 
lim  and  continues  tapping.  David  Sollenberger,  video 
amera  in  hand,  is  now  on  stage,  and  soon  we  see  an  image 
if  Paul  projected  onto  the  two  huge  screens  flanking  the 
tage.  There  it  is,  a  little  wood  figure  that  looks  kind  of  like  it 
ould  be  lesus.  Yep,  there  is  something  that  looks  vaguely 
ross-like  about  what  is  taking  shape  up  there. 

Tap,  tap,  tap.  He  works  on  this  thing  for  a  good  10  to  15 
linutes.  Moby  Arena  is  spellbound.  Finally,  Paul  lays  his 
,ammer  aside  and  raises  the  cross,  slowly,  slowly.  He  raises 


it  until  it  is  vertical.  Then  he  lifts  it,  straining  under  the 
weight  of  the  thing,  and  struggling  to  hold  it  upright,  the 
way  circus  jugglers  struggle  to  balance  poles  in  their  acts. 
The  crucifix  is  at  least  20  feet  tall.  Paul  teeters  a  few  times, 
steps  quickly  backwards,  then  steadies  himself.  At  last,  he 
sinks  the  thing  into  the  wooden  base  he  had  placed  on  stage 
earlier.  The  crowd  sighs  audibly,  then  erupts  in  cheers. 
Dozens  of  cameras  Hash.  |esus  didn't  fall  over  after  all. 
Everyone  is  relieved. 

(Actually,  he  did,  less  than  an  hour  before  the  service 
began.  Twenty  feet  of  wooden  crucifix  went  crashing  to  the 
Moby  Arena  stage,  barely  missing  evening  worship  coordina- 
tor |im  Chinworth,  who  wondered  how  on  earth  the  show 
would  ever  go  on.  Not  to  worry.  It  was  only  the  wooden  pegs 
that  broke,  and  Paul  fished  new  ones  from  somewhere  in  the 
depths  of  his  canvas  bag.) 

Having  finished  his  building,  Paul  takes  to  the  lectern,  still 
shaken  from  the  workout.  "I'm  always  nervous  when  I  do 
that,"  he  tells  the  crowd.  "When  I  stop  being  nervous  I  will 
no  longer  do  it.  I  get  nervous  because  when  I  do  it  1  feel  like 
I  am  nailing  Christ  to  the  cross. 

"My  goal,"  he  continued,  "is  to  make  you  see  this  cross 
and  understand  how  lesus  had  to  let  his  crucifixion  happen." 


Maria  King,  18,  West  York  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
York,  Pa.:  "What  moved  me  was  what  he  said 
about  how  we  were  blind  but  now  we  see.  And 
how,  even  if  we're  afraid,  he's  with  us  and  com- 
forts us.  .  .  . 

"I've  always  wanted  to  help  people.  Sometimes 
people  at  our  church  say  to  us,  'Oh,  you're  too 
young,'  as  if  we  really  aren't  capable  of  doing 
much.  But  we  have  so  much  energy.  And  here  at 
NYC  we  have  all  these  people  behind  us.  I'm  not 
afraid  to  take  what  I've  learned  back  to  my 
church." 


Leah  Werner,  16,  Waterford  Community 
Church,  Goshen,  Ind.:  lust  seeing 
everybody  crying,  being  touched,  you 
know  something  happened  tonight.  A 
lot  of  kids  from  our  youth  group 
came  down  here  [for  the  altar  call]. 
They  were  crying.  Our  youth  group 
wasn't  really  alive  before  tonight,  but 
I  think  it's  going  to  be  different  now. 
I  know  I've  changed.  I  just  want  to 
know  God  better." 


6e^  p  C  e-  /I 


7  991 


03> 


/iffssf/Vffie 


19  9  8    /]/  a  C I  0  n  a  i    'i  o  a  t  k    oo/iret^e/(C& 


Worship  services  to  remember 

Photos  by  Jeff  Leard 

I        eii  worsliip  services  in  five  clays  is  an  impressive  number  for  anyone,  much  less  for  a  seg- 
iJL-     ment  of  the  population  not  usually  known  for  its  enthusiastic  response  to  an  hour  of  worship  a  week.  But 
then  these  weren't  your  typical  Sunday  morning  worship  services. 

In  addition  to  Paul  Grout  and  Bernice  King,  NYCers  were  led  in  worship  by  Paul  Mundey,  pastor  at  Frederick,  Md.; 
the  three  NYC  staff  members,  Brian  Yoder,  |oy  Struble,  and  Emily  Shonk  (pictured  on  page  23);  Ted  and  Lee,  a  Men- 
nonite  drama  team:  |udy  Mills  Reimer,  executive  director  of  the  General  Board  (picured  on  page  1  7);  youth  speech 
contest  winners  Linetta  Alley  and  Cindy  Laprade;  Milton  Garcia,  a  Church  of  the  Brethren  minister  from  Puerto  Rico; 
Debbie  Eisenbise,  co-pastor  of  Skyridge  Church  of  the  Brethren,  Kalamazoo,  Mich.;  and  David  Radcliff,  director  of 
Brethren  Witness  for  the  General  Board. 


Paul  Mundey 


Milton  Garcia 


David  Radcliff 


"Don't  just  party 
this  week.  Partic- 
ipate in  finding 
God's  purpose  in 
your  life.  Lean  on 
others,  especially 
this  week,  and 
soak  up  their 
support  and 
encouragement." 


"Take  time  today 
to  name  the 
demons  that  sur- 
round you  and 
cast  them  away, 
so  that  when  you 
go  back  to  your 
communities, 
you  can  be  a  wit- 
ness to  the  Lord 
[esus  Christ." 


"God  doesn't 
want  you  just  to 
go  to  church.  God 
wants  you  to  be 
the  church." 


Linetta  Alley 


"We  may  not 
know  what's  in 
store  for  us,  but 
we  can  only  get 
this  information 
if  we  keep 
[moving  foward], 
and  seeing  with 
eyes  of  faith." 


"When  we  put 
our  faith  in  him, 
we  can  feel  his 
presence.  We 
need  to  take  a 
leap  of  faith  and 
fall  into  God's 
outstretched 
arms." 


Eisenbise  por- 
trayed blind 
Bartimaeus  as  a 
way  to  set  the 
stage  for  the  Sat- 
urday evening 
anointing  service. 
The  oil  flowed,  as 
did  tears,  amid 
hugs  and  a 
renewed  conviction 
to  see  the  world  through  eyes  of  faith. 
Said  Tyler  Montgomery,  18,  of  Bedford 
(Pa.)  Church  of  the  Brethren,  "I  can't 
fully  explain  this  experience.  It  was  like 
a  lightning  bolt.  I'm  not  one  to  share 
my  feelings,  but  I  had  chills  running  up 
and  down  my  spine  pretty  much  the 
whole  night." 


Debbie  Eisenbise 


Cind.v  Laprade 


Professional  Gospel 

m^d^^M 

Goofballs 

Scripture  meets  Saturday  Night  Live. 

^^^^^^^^^^v  ^ 

"Ted  and  Lee  were  really  fun,"  said 
Reanie  Conrad,  14,  Bush  Creek 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  Brunswick, 

BfT!^^^^^^H^^RP^ 

M 

Md.  "They  make  you  understand 

■wiqf^^^^^r                i 

^H  ^' 

things  better.  Pastors  are  usually 

^H'' 

talking  to  adults.  Ted  and  Lee  made 

scripture  understandable  here,  for 

us." 

Ted  and  L-ee 

Sc  item  Ur    7  9  9c 


C10 


MesseM^ee 


p 


Are  ray  kids  safe? 


arents  who've  just 
sent  their  pride  and 

joy  off  to  a  conference  with  the  same 
acronym  as  America's  most  dangerous 
city  naturally  want  to  know  that  their 
children  are  safe  and  that  they  will  be 
having  meaningful  spiritual  experi- 
ences at  NYC.  They  also  want  to  know 
that  they  are  eating  their  vegetables, 
getting  enough  sleep,  and  generally 
behaving  themselves. 

Having  witnessed  the  most  recent 
conference  first-hand,  1  can  address 
some  of  their  concerns. 

No  one  got  more  than  three  hours  of 
sleep  a  night.  And  the  advisors  got  less 
because  they  had  to  stay  awake  to 
make  sure  that  the  youth  bellowing 
coyote  hoots  between  dormitories  at 
curfew  were  not  actually  causing 
themselves  or  others  physical  harm.  1 
saw  four  youth  eat  vegetables,  but  this 
was  early  in  the  week.  My  guess  is  that 
they  were  still  homesick,  and  eating 
vegetables  made  them  feel  more  like 
they  were  still  at  home.  By  the  end  of 
the  conference,  the  cafeteria  staff  had 
removed  most  healthful  items  from  the 
menu.  By  Saturday,  pizza  delivery 
trucks  became  the  most  frequently 
sighted  vehicles  on  campus. 

Parents  want  their  kids  to  have 
deep,  life-changing  spiritual  experi- 


ences at  NYC,  but  not  too  deep,  and 
not  so  life-changing  that  they  feel 
suddenly  compelled  to  book  reserva- 
tions for  a  shuttle  to  the  next  comet 
that  passes  by  the  planet,  a  la 
Heaven's  Gate.  Thankfully,  this  NYC 
seemed  to  get  the  mix  just  right,  pro- 
viding something  for  everyone. 

Brethren  Revival  Fellowship  pillar 
|im  Myer  began  each  day  with  a  half- 
hour  Bible  study  in  Moby  Arena. 
Volunteer  staff  member  Kimber 
Mitchell  brought  the  gospel  to  NYCers 
via  grease  paint,  goofy  wigs,  and 
clothes  that  looked  like  .  .  .  well,  like 
what  some  youth  found  at  a  nearby 
thrift  store.  It  came  via  music  from  the 
folk  group  KJndling  (who  did  nol  sing 
"Light  My  Fire"),  the  Top-40  band 
|ars  of  Clay,  and  the  NYC  theme  song 
from  Lee  Krahenbiihl. 

Sometimes  the  spirit  came  through 
when  least  expected.  NYC  counselor 
lohn  Wenger  told  about  a  girl  he 
spotted  coming  out  of  Moby  Arena 
following  the  Wednesday  evening 
worship,  at  which  Paul  Grout  had 
spoken.  "She  was  a  tall,  beautiful 
blonde  girl,  and  she  was  sobbing,"  he 
said.  "I  asked  her  what  was  wrong, 
but  she  was  crying  so  hard  she 
couldn't  tell  me.  I  invited  her  to 
come  to  the  counseling  center,  so  we 
walked  across  the  street  to  Durrell 


Center  and  sat  in  my  office  until  she 
calmed  down.  When  she  was  able  to 
speak,  she  said,  T've  been  an  athlete 
all  my  life.  I  play  volleyball,  and  I 
always  thought  people  liked  me 
because  I  was  a  good  athlete.  But 
tonight  at  the  worship  service,  I 
lound  out  that  people  love  me  for 
who  I  am.'  1  hear  all  kinds  of  stories, 
but  that  one  really  made  my  week." 

At  the  Sunday  morning  worship 
service,  David  Radcliff  encouraged 
the  youth  to  carry  home  with  them 
what  they  had  experienced  at  NYC. 
"I  hope  what  you  have  seen  and  felt 
this  week  will  take  you  to  higher 
ground,  where  you  can  see  more 
clearly.  And  when  you  get  home,  you 
can  tell  those  folks  at  your  church 
that  they  got  a  good  return  on  the 
investment  they  made  on  all  that 
spaghetti  they  ate." 

This  week  in  Ft.  Collins,  your 
youth  ate  well  enough,  did  not  injure 
themselves  beyond  repair,  and 
seemed  to  leave  with  their  spiritual 
batteries  fully  charged.  No  one  was 
talking  about  hitching  their  wagon  to 
a  star — or  comet — as  they  boarded 
their  buses  for  home  on  Sunday.  But 
most,  if  not  all,  were  different  people 
from  the  ones  who  had  arrived  at 
NYC  five  days  before.  What  more 
could  a  parent  hope  for? 


dea t  e  m  ^  e 


7  99  8 


mc-t  * 


iW^ 


W" 


§^^     ^  \veltering'  lieat.  No  breeze.  Where's  my  sunscreen? 

More  than  4,500  young  people  are  sitting  in  a  pie-shaped  (well,  kind  oO  wedge  in  front  of  scaffolding  holding  a  few  pho- 
tographers and  their  assistants.  A  man  with  an  achingly  twangy  "Missourah"  accent  is  down  on  the  grass  shouting 
way-too-loud  instructions  over  a  way-too-loud  P.A.  system. 

"Sit  down,  all  you  in  the  yellow  shirts,"  Missourah  hollered.  "You,  in  the  Hawaiian  shirt,  sit  down.  We're  all  waiting  on 
you."  Hawaiian  Shirt  shouts  back,  "Allergies."  He  didn't  want  to  get  his  nose  too  close  to  the  grass  until  the  last  minute, 
and  it  took  a  good  45  of  those  to  get  to  the  "gang's  all  here"  stage  and  begin  smiling  for  the  camera. 

Finally,  the  gang  got  close  enough  into  position  enough  to  satisfy  Missourah  Accent. 

"On  three,"  Missourah  twanged.  "Take  off  your  hats  and  sunglasses."  Okay  on  the  hats,  but  the  squinty  sun  made  most 
people  keep  their  sunglasses  perched  on  their  noses. 

Days  from  now,  when  the  10-x-16s  are  in  their  hands,  NYCers  will  only  be  able  to  spot  themselves  by  the  color  of  their 
T-shirts  anyway,  and  their  general  position  in  the  big  pie  wedge.  But  the  memory  of  being  together  will  last  for  years. 


BVS  @  NYC 


Brethren  Volunteer  Service  director  Dan  McFadden  intro- 
duces Orientation  Unit  229  to  NYCers  Thursday  evening.  As 
part  of  their  orientation,  unit  members  participated  in  various 
leadership  duties  diring  the  conference.  This  was  the  first 
time  a  BVS  unit  has  participated  in  NYC  as  part  of  orienta- 
tion. McFadden  invited  NYCers  to  consider  BVS  in  their 
future.  "If  you  give  a  year  of  your  life  to  BVS,  it  will  change 
you,  no  matter  what  profession  you  enter." 


Sc  ptcirUr-   19  9  8 


Ciel 


^fSSf/VffiP 


Where's  tlie 
honeymooii  dorra? 


We"i*e  celebri- 
ties now." 

20-year-old  Aurora  Rubio  de  Garcia 
said,  laughing.  She  and  Saul  Garcia, 
2 1 ,  her  husband  of  barely  two  weeks, 
had  been  featured  in  Thursday's  NYC 
newsletter,  Insight.  "Many  people 
whom  we've  never  seen  come  up  to  us 
and  wish  us  congratulations.  We  often 
don't  understand  what  they  are 
saying,  but  they  are  always  very  nice." 

Saturday  morning  NYC  speaker 
Milton  Garcia,  of  Puerto  Rico,  inter- 
preted for  the  couple  as  they  retreated 
from  the  summer  heat  in  the  comfort 
of  the  NYC  press  room.  They  had 
arrived  in  Ft.  Collins  on  Tuesday  from 
Tijuana,  via  Southern  California's 
Bella  Vista  and  La  Verne  congrega- 
tions. They  began  their  journey  at 
Tijuana's  Shalom  Ministries,  where 
Saul  is  minister  of  transportation,  and 
for  which  Friday's  NYC  offering  was 
designated. 

After  26  hours  on  a  bus  with  some 
45  youth  and  advisors,  Saul  and 
Aurora  picked  up  their  bags  and  went 
separate  ways:  she  to  a  girls'  dorm,  he 
with  the  guys.  And  this  is  how  they 
chose  to  spend  their  honeymoon? 

"We  knew  we'd  be  sleeping  in  sepa- 
rate quarters  this  week,"  Saul 


explained.  "But  we  still  wanted  to 
come  here." 

"This  is  the  beginning  of  our  mar- 
ried life,"  Aurora  added.  "This  is 
where  we  are  building  our  founda- 
tion. So,  in  the  future,  when  we  have 
differences,  we  can  reflect  on  this 
special  experience.  We  feel  like  we 
are  starting  in  the  right  direction." 

Wearing  powder-blue  NYC  T-shirts 
and  holding  hands,  the  newlyweds 
said  that  what  they  have  encountered 
at  CSU  was  different  from  what  they 
had  expected. 

"A  friend  told  us  that  it  would  be  a 
camp  with  5,000  people,"  Saul  said. 
"We  thought  it  might  be  held  in  tents. 
We  were  surprised  when  we  got  here 
to  this  big  university." 

In  addition  to  the  physical  layout, 
the  experience  itself  had  exceeded 
their  expectations  by  midweek. 

"I've  really  appreciated  the  warmth 
of  the  people,"  Aurora  said,  "and  the 
feeling  during  the  worship  services." 

Not  to  rush  them  into  things,  but 
would  they  tell  their  future  children 
to  attend  NYC? 

"Of  course,"  Saul  said.  "I  would 
tell  them  that  they  would  have  a  good 
time.  And  I  would  tell  them  to  expect 
to  be  strengthened  spiritually,  and  to 
have  their  commitment  deepened." 


Wl^at 

I  hope 

for  these 

youth 


Judy  Mills  Reimer,  a 
former  BVSer  and  Annual 
Conference  moderator  who 
was  recently  installed  as 
executive  director  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren 
General  Board,  is  billed  at 
NYC  as  a  "cheerleader  for 
youth  in  the  church."  Chat- 
ting informally  at  the  Tuesday 
evening  picnic,  she  talked 
about  what  she  hoped  young 
people  would  take  with  them 
from  the  conference. 

"I  hope  that  they  will  come 
away  with  a  deepened  sense  of 
their  own  spirituality,  plus  an 
appreciation  for  the  church  at 
large.  So  that  when  they  leave 
here  they  will  carry  with  them 
an  understanding  that  we  all 
need  to  work  together." 


Septcm  itr   7  9  9  8 


MfS^f/VffiP 


7  998    National  Hoatk    C  o  it  ^ 


&  t^  &  /I  c  & 


'     Ben  Ht'ir.    Hi.  Walinil  Ciroxf 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  Johns- 
town, Pa.,  joins  Wendy  Driver,   15, 
Montezuma  church,  Staunton, 
Va.,  In  tacking  shingles  to  the  roof 
of  one  of  the  Habitat  for  Humanity 
houses. 

-s  Pete  Bailors  .  10.  of  the  Mon- 
tezuma church,  joins  Ben  and 
Wendy  In  tacking  shingles. 


If  you  build  it.  tliey 
will  come. 

Actually,  if  you  just  lay  the  lounda- 
tion,  they  will  come,  hammers  in 
hand,  tool  belts  around  their  waists. 

Dozens  of  them  did  come  to  the 
Moby  Arena  parking  lot,  ready  to 
work  on  two  Habitat  for  Humanity 
houses  as  part  of  the  service  projects 
offered  at  NYC.  And  they  all  looked 
very  impressive,  in  a  "Tim,  The  Tool 
Man,  Taylor"  sort  of  way. 

And,  guess  what?  In  three  days 
(sounds  vaguely  biblical,  doesn't 
it?),  they  built  the  darned  things.  All 
those  years  fooling  around  with 


Legos  paid  off. 

Building  the  Habitat  houses  was  one 
of  several  service  projects  to  which 
youth  could  donate  a  few  hours  a  day. 
Money  from  two  anonymous 
donors— $60,000— funded  the  NYC 
Habitat  project.  Shifts  ran  from  I  1 
a.m.  to  3  p.m.,  and  3  p.m.  to  7  p.m. 
each  day.  And,  rain  or  shine,  they 
pounded,  sawed,  shingled,  and  tacked. 

Under  cloudy  skies  on  Friday 
afternoon,  16-year-old  Ben  Herr,  of 
the  Walnut  Grove  (Pa.)congregation, 
took  a  break  from  nailing  shingles  to 
talk  about  why  he  chose  to  work  on 
the  project.  "1  do  a  lot  of  this  for  my 
dad.  I  love  it.  I'm  just  signed  up  for 


Building 
Habitat 


today,  but  I'd  like  to  do  more.  I  like 
helping  out  on  this  project.  Maybe 
I'll  sign  up  for  tomorrow." 

Saturday  morning,  amid  smiles 
and  tears,  new  owners  Rita  and 
lavier  Loya,  along  with  Felisita  Mon- 
tanez  and  her  four  sons,  were 
presented  their  Habitat  homes. 
Asked  how  he  felt  about  moving  into 
a  house  built  by  a  bunch  of 
teenagers,  lavier  smiled  and  said,  "At 
first  1  didn't  believe  they  could  do  it. 
But  they  did." 

The  homes  will  be  moved  from  the 
Moby  parking  lot  to  the  nearby  town 
of  Severence,  where  they  will  receive 
finishing  touches  in  the  weeks  ahead. 


St-ptcm ill-   7  9  9  8 


Me^Sf/VffiC 


/  V  V  o    l\l  a  I  I  0  If  a  t    1  0  a  I  li    ionkei'e.nce. 


>    Lt.  Jeff  Booth,  based  in 
Cheyenne,  is  greeted  by  NYCers 
follo\ving  the  Brethren  demonstra- 
tion at  the  missile  silo  launch  site. 

Peace  vigil 

Wednesday 
afternoon,  the 

Brethren  Witness  office  sponsored  a 
peace  demonstration  at  the  site  of  a 
missile  silo  an  hour  northeast  of  Col- 
orado State  University.  David 
Radchff,  NYC  Sunday  morning 
speatcer,  and  director  of  Brethren 
Witness  for  the  General  Board,  coor- 
dinated the  visit. 

Youth  gathered  in  rain-soaked 
grass  across  a  gravel  road  from  the 
silo.  Linetta  Alley.  Rachel  Carroll 
and  Lori  Van  Order,  members  of  the 
Brethren  Youth  Peace  Travel  Team, 
led  the  group  in  singing  "One  Tin 
Soldier"  to  begin  the  demonstration. 
Costa  Nicolaidis,  legislative  associate 
in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  Wash- 
ington office,  spoke  to  the  group 
about  the  Comprehensive  Test  Ban 
Treaty,  and  encouraged  them  to 
write  letters  to  their  senators  and 
representatives  voicing  their  con- 
cerns about  it. 

Participants  were  given  handfuls  of 
grass  seed,  which  they  tossed  toward 
the  silo  launch  site  as  a  demonstra- 
tion of  the  power  of  life  over  the 
forces  of  death. 

As  they  left  the  site,  individuals 
greeted  surprised  soldiers  guarding 
the  site  with  hugs  and  handshakes. 

— Melissa  Collett 


YOUTH 

comment  about 
tlie  week 

Photos  by  Randy  Miller 


Aspen  Di  loll,  16,  La  Verne  (Calif.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren:  "This  week  was  great.  1  liked  seeing  how 
everybody  came  together.  Everyone  was  really  close 
during  the  conference.  It  was  fun  to  meet  new 
people  who  suddenly  acted  like  your  best  friends." 


Amanda  Adjetey,  15,  Dayton  (Va.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren:  "The  week,  overall,  has  been  great.  1  had 
more  experiences  than  I  thought  I  would:  small 
groups,  workshops,  worship  services.  I  especially 
appreciated  the  worship  services.  Paul  Grout  and 
Bernice  King  really  stood  out  for  me." 


Sam  Barns,  Locust  Grove  (Ind.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren:  "One  thing  I  noticed  here  at  NYC  was 
that  the  youth  and  advisors  are  very  friendly. 
They  don't  just  walk  past  you.  They  say  'Hi!' 
There  ain't  no  loners  here,  like  at  school. 
Nobody's  picking  on  people  or  making  fun  of 
them.  Even  though  you  don't  know  each  other, 
you  start  talking  and  become  friends.  I've  made  a 
lot  of  friends  here." 


Jamee  Eriksen,  17,  Dayton  (Va.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren:   For  me,  this  week  was  more  like  a  road 
sign  than  a  door.  It  was  symbolic  of  where  my  jour- 
ney is  going  to  start.  It  was  like  a  starting  point. 
When  1  was  baptized,  1  had  a  lot  of  questions  and 
issues  to  deal  with.  I  came  here  to  learn  more  about 
who  I  am  and  where  I'm  going." 


oe- p  C C  HI  D  c 


J  998 


is^ 


MfssfiVfff 


1998   /Vat/o/taf  H  o  «.  i  h    C  t 


^r,hor  for  sin  and 


Can 


ourse 


"^ip 


% 


Jars  of  Clay 

Photos  by  Randy  Miller 


bring  kettles  of  tunes 


J 

ofnarnK 


ars  of  Clay  brought 
barrels  of  fun.  buckets 
ot  narmony,  jugs  of  laughs  and  kettles 
of  tunes  Saturday  night  when  they 
played  to  a  packed  Moby  Arena.  The 
popular  Top-40  band,  whose  hit  song, 
"Flood,"  from  their  self-titled  debut 
album,  catapulted  them  from  the  con- 
fines of  Christian  audiences  to 
mainstream  listeners,  met  with  a 
receptive  crowd  at  NYC.  No,  receptive 
is  not  the  right  word.  Enthusiastic? 
Maybe.  Giddy?  Closer.  On  the  edge  of 
their  homemade  pillows  in  nail-biting 
anticipation?  Yes. 

The  youth  were  not  disappointed. 
|ars  of  Clay  kicked  off  their  show  in 
high  gear  and  never  let  up.  Although 
some  of  their  musical  influences — the 
Beatles,  Peter  Gabriel,  the  Beach 
Boys — were  evident  in  their  tunes, 
they  definitely  have  their  own  sound, 
rich  in  layered  harmonies,  lilting 
melodies,  and  a  driving  beat.  With  two 
albums  under  their  belts,  a  hit  song  on 
the  charts,  and  enough  pull  to  open 
for  the  likes  of  Sting,  one  might 
wonder  how  the  little  old  Church  of 
the  Brethren  ever  snagged  them. 

"Persistence,"  explained  NYC  coor- 
dinator Brian  Yoder.  "I  just  kept 
calling  and  calling  until  they  finally 


called  me  back." 

But  surely  they're  used  to  playing 
bigger  venues  than  NYC.  Why  would 
they  include  a  little  group  like  this  one 
on  their  tour? 

"Actually,  this  one's  fairly  big,"  said 
lead  guitarist  Stephen  Mason,  as  he 
puttered  around  the  stage  in  frayed 
blue  jeans,  Nikes  and  a  T-shirt,  hours 
before  the  concert.  "We  play  at  col- 
leges and  youth  conferences  fairly 
often." 

Still,  for  a  band  that  has  enjoyed 
such  critical  and  commercial  success 
in  a  relatively  short  time,  one  could 
imagine  that  their  hat  sizes  might  have 
increased  an  inch  or  two.  Not  so. 
Instead,  they  seem  remarkably  normal 
for  rock  stars — or  for  anyone. 

"They  even  grabbed  their  own  lug- 
gage off  the  carousel,"  said  Shawn 
Replogle,  one  of  the  NYC  staff  who 
met  the  band  at  the  Colorado  airport. 
"They  seemed  very  appreciative  of  the 
welcome  we  gave  them." 

Sitting  in  folding  chairs  in  a  vacant 
hallway  backstage  before  the  concert, 
Steve  and  singer  Dan  Haseltine  talked 
about  their  spiritual  influences,  and 
about  how  the  band  got  started. 

"Dan,  [keyboardist]  Charlie 
[Lowell]  and  I  were  roommates  at 
Greenville  (III.)  College,"  Steve  said. 
All  of  the  band  members  grew  up  in 


Christian  homes,  and  the  types  of 
songs  they  wrote  grew  out  of  their 
spiritual  orientation.  Today,  do  they 
see  their  music  as  a  form  of  ministry, 
or  is  it  more  just  a  performance? 

"Being  a  Christian,  everything  in  life 
is  a  ministry,"  Steve  responded.  "Our 
music  is  part  of  our  walk  with  the 
Lord." 

When  asked  about  the  origins  of 
their  hit  song,  "Flood,"  Dan  said,  "We 
started  writing  that  song  in  college.  It 
is  a  metaphor  for  sin  and  how  we  can 
drown  ourselves  in  sin.  It's  really  a 
prayer  to  be  lifted  out  of  that  situa- 
tion." 

The  name  of  their  band,  too,  is  a 
metaphor,  as  Dan  explained  later  on 
stage  in  Moby  Arena.  It  is  drawn  from 
2  Corinthians  4:7,  in  which  the  Apos- 
tle Paul  talks  about  how  "  we  have  this 
treasure  [God's  spirit]  in  earthen  ves- 
sels [our  bodies].  .  .  ." 

Dan  says  he  hopes  |ars  of  Clay  can 
help  serve  as  a  catalyst  for  other 
Christian  bands  to  cross  over  into  the 
mainstream  of  popular  music. 

"I  think  the  Christian  community 
has  isolated  itself  from  the  world,"  he 
said.  "We  need  to  be  part  of  it  in  order 
to  influence  it." 

Saturday  night  at  NYC,  they  defi- 
nitely influenced  4,524  young  people 
and  their  advisors. 


SeptomUi-   19  9c 


20i 


Mfs^f/vffe 


7998    iVationai  (/ o  a  t  k    Con^ 


e  I"-  e  n  c  & 


*    One  of  the  dozens  of  service  piojects  youth 
signed  up  for  was  cleaning-  and  sorting  thou- 
sands of  eyeglasses  donated  for  shipment  to  El 
Sal\ador.  Here  NYCers  don  specs  for  the 
camera. 

(         -\   Michelle  Keim.  Beacon  Heights  Church  of 
the  Brethren.  Fort  Wayne.  Ind.  "These  aie 
%veird.  I  think  my  dad  has  some  like  this." 

r  Chris  Harmon,  of  the  Greenhill  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  West  Dover.  Md..  uses  an  old 
toothbrush  to  scrub  sjjecs. 


Making 


spectacles  of  tliemselves 


IIJ" 

■         ■    ow  to  spend 
m         m    your  after- 
noons at  NYC?  Let  me  count 
the  ways.  There  were — how  did  Lin- 
coln put  it? — at  least  four  score 
workshops  or  service  projects  from 
which  to  choose. 

Among  them:  Eeyore's  Birthday 
Party  (are  we  having  fun  yet?);  Do 
We  Have  Faith  in  Washington?  (they 
were  serious  about  this);  Brethren 
Youth  Dating  in  the  21st  Century 
(why  rush  into  things — wait  till  the 


next  millennium);  The  Gospel  of  Se.x 
(wait  a  minute  ...  I  think  my  Bible  is 
missing  a  chapter),  and  Mountain 
Dew  for  the  Soul  (Pepsi  for  the 
spirit?). 

Several  dozen  youth  spent  their 
afternoons  cleaning  glasses  under 
the  shelter  of  the  Moby  Arena  over- 
hang. More  than  4,602  were  donated 
in  a  special  offering  during  the 
Wednesday  evening  worship  service. 
Most  needed  a  good  overhaul,  and 
youth  turned  out  in  droves  to  pick  up 
toothbrushes  and  scrub  specs  in  tubs 


of  sudsy  water. 

An  added  incentive  to  do  this  was 
the  afternoon  downpour  that  discour- 
aged participation  in  other  activities 
scheduled  for  the  great  outdoors.  On 
Friday,  there  must  have  been  three 
dozen  youth  sorting,  scrubbing,  and 
generally  goofing  around,  trying  on 
glasses,  many  of  which  had  been 
around  since  the  Howdy  Doody  days. 
Guys  wound  up  looking  like  Buddy 
Holly;  girls,  like  Lisa  Loeb.  For  some, 
the  improvement  in  appearance  was 
astonishing  and  immediate. 


Se-pt^m  Ur-   19  9  8 


/<^ess£V(;ee 


7  998    n  a  t  i  0  n  a  i   ^oatk    Co/t^er-ence. 


■       lie  sraaller  tlie 
^       denomination, 
the  more  imj^ortant 
quantification  seems  to 
l3e.  How  many  of  us  Brethren  are 
there?  Where  are  we  located?  What  is 
our  background?  How  come  99.999 
percent  of  us  live  in  Pennsylvania? 

If  you're  under  19,  numbers  don't 
really  matter.  You  get  home  from 
NYC.  They  ask  at  your  church,  "How 
was  it?"  You  tell  them,  "Cool.  There 
were  like  tons  of  people  from  all  over." 
What  more  do  you  need  to  say? 

But  older  folks  like  numbers.  Fool- 
ing around  with  numbers  gives  them 
something  to  do  (exhibit  A:  Annual 
Conference).  They  like  numbers 
almost  always  except  when  talking 
about  their  age.  Anyway,  you  were 
there.  You  know  there  were  tons  of 
people  and  most  of  them  were  just  like 
you,  or  at  least  they  acted  like  they 
wanted  to  be  just  like  you.  For  those 
who  weren't  there — and  those  over 
1 9 — here  are  the  numbers: 

— This  was  the  biggest  gathering  of 
Brethren  in  one  place  since  the  1 996 
Annual  Conference;  4,524  attended 
this  NYC  (okay,  this  includes  advi- 
sors— but  they  are  very  young  in  their 
thinking).  They  came  from  59  states, 
Germany,  Croatia,  Mexico,  El  Sal- 
vador, and  Puerto  Rico.  The  ones 
from  Germany  were  especially 
impressed  with  the  efficiency  of  the 
organization  during  registration. 

— Every  NYC  is  bigger  than  the 
last.  In  1982,  3,000  attended  the 
conference;  in  1986:  5,500;  in  1990: 
3,500;  in  1 994:  4, 1  20.  This  year, 
more  people  attended  NYC  than 
attended  Annual  Conference.  Mem- 
bership in  the  church  at  large  keeps 
declining,  but  our  youth  keep  coming 
to  these  things.  Maybe  there's  hope 
for  us  after  all. 

— A  grand  total  of  1 ,570  youth  and 
advisors  traveled  by  whatever  means 
possible  from  Pennsylvania  to  Col- 
orado. This  might  sound  like 
something  to  brag  about  unless  you've 
spent  a  summer  in  Pennsylvania. 


Scptcmie^    r  99  c 


^\>^^ 


and  5 


°^f« 


t     *     t    Two  ri-iencis 
f'loni  the  weather. 


sliare  shelter 


>     >       NYC  niirs( 
tencLs  to  a  hlistei 


Shai-on  Stephens 


'     NYCei-s  gather  for  tlieh'  daily 
small  group  session. 


22 


— One  person  came  from  each  of 
the  following  states:  Georgia,  Massa- 
chusetts, Maine,  New  Hampshire, 
New  lersey,  Nevada,  and  Wisconsin. 
These  states  may  be  better  vacation 
spots  than  most  of  us  have  given 
them  credit  for.  No  one  wants  to 
leave,  even  to  come  to  NYC. 

— Fifty-one  youth,  advisors  and 
staff  came  from  Frederick,  Md. — the 
most  from  any  single  church.  They 
deserve  something  for  this,  don't  you 
think?  How  about  a  mention  in  Mes- 
senger? There,  that's  done. 

— Belly-up  to  the  buffet:  NYCers 
ate  8 1 ,452  meals  during  their  week 
at  Colorado  State  University.  Most 
of  these  were  consumed  in  the 
campus  cafeterias,  despite  the  menu. 
However,  a  good  many  were  eaten 
out  of  cardboard  boxes,  courtesy  of 
Papa  John's  Pizza.  Those  delivered 
after  the  12  a.m.  curfew  were  taken 
care  of  handily  by  those  on  the  NYC 
staff  who  were  foolish  enough  to  be 
up  at  that  hour. 

—  Digging  deep:  Youth  and  advi- 
sors coughed  up  $10,015  for  Shalom 
Ministries  in  Tijuana,  4,602  pairs  of 
eyeglasses  for  shipping  to  El  Sal- 
vador, and  $7,482  for  the  NYC 
scholarship  fund.  They  also  lugged 
2,412  pounds  of  canned  goods  to  Ft. 
Collins  for  the  Larimer  County  Food 
Distribution  Center.  (Unfortunately, 
no  one  thought  to  donate  a  can 
opener.) 

— Sprains,  strains  and  general  funk: 
During  the  week,  259  people  called  on 
the  medical  services  staff  for  sprains, 
strains,  stomach  viruses,  and  colds. 
Would  they  have  fared  better  had  they 
been  at  home?  How  dangerous  is  it  to 
be  a  couch  potato  in  Northern  Ohio  in 
luly?  Of  course  they're  going  to  bang 
themselves  up  when  they  hit  the  Rock- 
ies. It  comes  with  the  territory. 
Besides,  after  they  see  the  NYC 
nurses,  they  get  to  impress  their 
friends  with  Barney  stickers  when  they 
leave  the  dispensary. 

— Some  5,800  NYCers  traveled  to 
Rocky  Mountain  National  Park  to 
hike  in  the  wilderness. 


'/>p 


1998    /y  a  t  i  0  It  a  ^   ^  o  a  t  k    Con^e-i^ence- 


etf  Leard 

■■■Tl 

p^^^^^ 

Ifc:,s1fff-i' "ill 

\       '-';j^^^^      Vl 

r^J^  1  -m   :  . J^   ^..^^i^^H 

E»rp^ 

r^i^^ 

1t-j__^M 

IJL.^ 

^ii^i^^^SHI 

R,i;  ■!,  Miiler 


Jim  Tomlonson 


Beliind  the  scenes 

National  Youth  Conference  was  cre- 
ated by  the  NYC  steering  committee 
and  a  volunteer  staff  of  three — coor- 
dinator Brian  Yoder  and  assistant 
coordinators  |oy  Struble  and  Emily 
Shonk.  The  three  shared  personally 
about  their  faith  journeys  during  the 
Wednesday  morning  worship  service. 


StptcKie.r  7  9  9  8 


/lff^Sf,Vfff 


J  998    /y  a  t  i  0  n  a  c    Houtk    Coit^ef-e/ice 


-b 

V,*' 


..i*- 


¥!^<^M 


-^^ 


:i:  ♦ 


How  to  bring  NYC  liorxie 


NYC  worship  ser- 
vices are  just  like 
church  services  back  home,  except 
that  they're  about  a  hundred  times 
bigger,  and  they're  fun. 

A  quick  glance  at  the  crowd  assem- 
bled in  Moby  Arena  at  any  NYC 
worship  leads  one  to  conclude  that  at 
these  services  you  get  to  wear  any- 
thing you  want,  you  can  bring  snacks 
(Ted  and  Lee  found  plenty  when  they 
tried  to  feed  the  5,000  during  the 
Thursday  morning  worship)  and, 
instead  of  sitting  on  hard  pews,  you 
get  to  slouch  on  the  floor  on  pillows — 
some  the  size  of  chaise  lounge 
cushions.  Plus,  if  you  stick  around 
afterwards,  you  get  a  rock  concert. 
Who  wouldn't  want  to  go  to  a  church 
that  looks  to  some  like  one  big  slum- 
ber party? 

hlow  can  churches  back  home  com- 
pete with  that?  Must  they  rip  out  their 
pews,  provide  pillows  for  everyone, 
hand  out  snacks,  book  |ars  of  Clay, 
and  invest  in  an  audio-visual  system 
that  would  drain  most  district  bud- 
gets? 

NYCers  sometimes  are  disappointed 
when  they  return  home  to  the  same  ol' 
same  ol'  alter  their  Colorado  Rocky 
Mountain  high.  They  naturally  want  to 
take  home  some  of  the  great  feelings 
and  experiences  they  had  at  Ft. 

ScpCe.KUi-   7  9  9  8 


Collins.  Folks  at  home  are  glad  they 
had  a  good  time,  but  sometimes  find  it 
difficult  to  grasp  what  their  youth  are 
trying  to  tell  them. 

There  may  be  no  quick  or  easy  solu- 
tions to  transporting  the  "NYC 
experience"  back  home,  but  a  few 
NYCers  already  have  come  up  with 
ideas  about  how  to  try  to  keep  the 
spirit  alive.  Soon  after  arriving  home, 
Wendi  Hutchinson,  former  NYC  coor- 
dinator, and  eyeglasses  cleaning 
director  this  time,  wrote  to  the  COB-L 
electronic  Brethren  chat  line  about  her 
group's  experience. 

"I  have  been  amazed  at  [our 
group's]  enthusiasm,"  she  wrote. 
"One  youth  is  even  passing  up  a  trip 
to  Disney  World  in  order  to  be  here  on 
the  16th  [for  their  group's  report  to 
the  congregation].  They  are  so  excited 
to  share  what  they  saw  and  heard  at 
NYC. 

"[Since  this]  was  the  largest 
Brethren  gathering  this  year,"  she 
continued,  "we  should  be  talking 
about  how  to  capture  the  energy  and 
enthusiasm  and  spirit  that  filled  Moby 
and  share  it  with  the  whole  denomina- 
tion." As  to  how  she  and  her  group  are 
going  to  try  to  keep  that  spirit  alive  at 
home,  she  said,  "One  response  to  this 
experience  is  that  we  are  beginning  a 
mid-week  Bible  study  in  addition  to 
our  regular  youth  meetings.  Our  hope 


is  that  this  will  help  some  of  our  youth 
...  to  keep  the  commitments  they 
made  at  NYC." 

Groups  like  Wendi's  across  the 
country,  as  well  as  Puerto  Rico  and 
maybe  even  Tijuana,  will  be  presenting 
NYC  reports  to  their  home  congrega- 
tions in  the  weeks  ahead.  Hopefully, 
not  too  many  churches  will  be  forced 
to  pull  out  their  pews  to  satisfy  their 
youth.  There  must  be  some  middle 
ground  where  those  back  home  and 
their  newly  on-fire  youth  can  meet. 

"I  hope  the  adults  [back  home]  will 
allow  you  the  space  to  put  into  prac- 
tice what  you've  learned  here," 
Sunday  morning  speaker  David  Rad- 
cliff  told  NYCers  in  the  final  hour  of 
their  week  together.  "This  generation 
is  ready  to  lead  the  church  into  the 
future.  If  they  are  not  allowed  to  do 
this,  it  will  be  their  loss.  But  the 
greater  loss  will  be  to  us  as  a  church. 
The  spirit  is  moving  in  these  lives,  andi 
we  squelch  it  at  our  peril." 

How  about  this:  The  folks  back 
home  get  to  keep  their  pews  and  their 
budgets  intact,  but  they  have  to 
promise  not  to  squelch  the  NYC  spirit. 
And  NYCers  get  to  wear  their  favorite 
jeans  and  bring  pillows  to  church. 
(Sorry,  no  snacks.)  Who  knows,  in  a 
few  weeks,  you  might  even  have  the 
whole  congregation  tapping  their  toes 
and  singing  the  NYC  theme  song. 


lim 


I,  alas,  will  have  to  go  on  being  tolerant  of 

those  who  disagree  with  my  stand  on  these  issues, 

on  the  basis  of  the  very  remote  but  real  possibility 

that  I  might  be  wrong  about  something. 


Solution  to  pluralism 

\ha!  At  last  we  know  how  to  get  all  of 
those  thorny  issues  settled  which  dwell 

n  those  distressingly  gray  areas  caus- 

ng  so  much  dissension  in  our  beloved 
:hurch:  Simply  ask  Dale  Aukerman! 

See  "The  problem  with  pluralism," 

uly.] 

He  says  all  we  have  to  do  is  go  back 
to  basic  beliefs  made  quite  clear  in  the 
New  Testament.  Apparently  the  clear 
and  unarguable  light  of  biblical  truth 
shines  on  him  and  those  who  agree 
with  his  interpretation  of  scripture. 
The  rest  of  us  will  wait  in  breathless 
anticipation  until  he  tells  us  in  unam- 
biguous language  what  God  has  to  say 
about  homosexuality,  abortion,  and  the 
use  of  fetal  tissue. 
In  the  meantime  I,  alas,  will  have  to 


go  on  being  tolerant  of  those  who  dis- 
agree with  my  stand  on  these  issues, 
on  the  basis  of  the  very  remote  but  real 
possibility  that  I  might  be  wrong  about 
something. 

Edward  Huber 
Philadelphia.  Pa. 

Aukerman  on  authority 

I  want  to  commend  Dale  Aukerman 
for  his  article  in  the  )uly  Messenger 
dealing  with  a  major  problem  facing 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren.  I  encour- 
aged all  those  in  the  worship  service  in 
the  church  I  serve  as  interim  pastor  to 
study  this  article,  and  if  they  do  not  get 
Messenger  regularly  to  borrow  a  copy 
so  they  can  read  it. 

The  core  issue  Dale  was  concerned 
about  seems  to  me  to  be  the  most  cru- 


^  ^pur  Faith 


'\j ' 


Increase 


■■■J 


A 


f'^. 


■,y 


Your  Knowledge 

^  Enrich 

Your  Life 


V. 


; 


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ypu  can  do  all  these  things,  and  more. 
Bethany  offers  masters  degree  and  certificate  pnr^rams 
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cial,  and  the  most  critical,  facing  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  today.  Does 
lesus  still  speak  with  authority  to  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren?  Is  He  still  the 
author  and  the  authority  of  our  faith  as 
Brethren? 

As  we  observe  our  response  as  a 
denomination  to  Jesus'  commission  as 
given  in  Matthew  28: 1 8-20,  we  do  not 
see  much  evidence  of  interest  in  or 
enthusiasm  for  making  disciples  of  all 
nations,  or  of  any  nation.  There  is  not 
much  evidence  of  Brethren  congrega- 
tions giving  a  high  priority  to  the 
highest  priority  of  lesus,  calling  and 
making  disciples,  teaching  them  to 
know  and  do  all  that  He  had  taught. 

Denominational  leaders  as  well  as 
congregations  and  individual  Brethren 
need  to  hear  and  heed  the  call  of 
Brother  Aukerman,  and  again  allow 
lesus  to  speak  with  authority  to  all  of 
us,  I  pray  that  it  may  be  so,  and  soon! 
Olden  D.  Mitchell 
North  Manchester,  hid. 

Higher  patriotism 

Robert  Saylor's  thoughtful  critique  of 
our  1970  Annual  Conference  state- 
ment on  war  in  the  [uly  Messengi-r 
deserves  an  answer.  He  proposes  that 
Brethren  statements  be  consistent  with 
the  US  Constitution.  From  our  begin- 
nings, however,  Brethren  have  given 
priority  to  their  interpretations  of  the 
way  of  jesus  over  human  laws  and 
authority.  Though  striving  to  be  good 
citizens,  whenever  the  demands  of  the 
state  conflict  with  the  life  and  teach- 
ings of  lesus.  Brethren  have 
endeavored  to  "obey  God  rather  than 
any  human  authority"  (Acts  5:29). 

By  focusing  primarily  on  constitu- 
tional support  of  military  forces,  he 
neglects  the  preamble's  assertion  that 
our  government  "promote  the  general 
welfare."  If  we  truly  love  our  country 
we  will  not  want  it  to  experience  the 
fate  of  nations  that  have  maintained 
huge  military  establishments  in  peace- 
time. This  is  what  President 

September  1998  Messengkr  25 


1(1 


Eisenhower  had  in  mind  when  he 
warned  against  the  military-industrial 
complex  and  observed  that  every 
weapon  made  constitutes  robbery  of 
the  poor.  Militarism  saps  the  strength 
of  a  nation. 

Brethren  can  empathize  with  honor- 
ing those  who  have  died  in  battles  of 
our  country.  In  treasuring  stories  of 
our  heritage,  however,  we  believe  we 


have  gained  our  religious  freedom  and 
the  choice  of  conscientious  objection 
because  our  forebears  were  willing  to 
die  or  go  to  prison  by  refusing  to  train 
to  kill  or  to  kill.  Nations,  including  our 
own,  only  granted  the  status  of  consci- 
entious objection  when  pressured  to 
stop  persecuting  and  grant  alternative 
service  to  exemplary  citizens. 
Brother  Saylor  regrets  the  absence  of 


i 


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\  nicmbM'  of  The  Bit'llii'pn's  Homp 

K  ('  I  i  r  p  m  ('  n  I  I'  ii  ni  m  ii  n  11  v 

(i  r  p  p  n  t  i  1 1  p ,  II  Ii  i  ii 


coming    soon    to    union,    o  li  i  o 


26  MrssENGER  September  1998 


the  "just  war  concept,"  which  holds 
that  war  is  permissible  under  certain 
conditions.  However,  none  of  the 
major  20th-century  wars  can  be  justi- 
fied by  classical  just  war  theories 
primarily  because  they  have  involved 
killing  large  numbers  of  innocent  civil- 
ians. 

To  correct  the  notion  of  an  "over- 
whelming share  of  our  federal  taxes" 
going  to  the  military,  he  contrasts  the 
$250  billion  defense  budget  with  the 
$300  billion  interest  on  the  national 
debt.  He  fails  to  acknowledge  that 
large  portions  of  this  interest  are  due 
to  exorbitant  expenditures  during  the 
nuclear  arms  race  in  the  1980s. 

1  could  approve  Saylor's  desire  to 
amend  the  US  Constitution.  It  proba- 
bly would  be  impossible  for  the  most 
powerful  and  wealthy  nation  to  abolish 
the  notion  of  war  as  a  way  to  setde  dif- 
ferences. But  we  could  focus  on  a 
proposal  that  much  greater  energy  and 
money  be  devoted  to  appropriating 
knowledge  of  mediation,  conflict  reso- 
lution, diplomacy,  and  other 
nonviolent  ways  to  reduce  and  hope- 
fully eliminate  the  prevailing  reliance 
on  weapons  of  mass  destruction. 

Finally,  |ohn  Kline's  diary  offers  a 
wonderful  definition  of  higher  patrio- 
tism. Rather  than  firing  cannons  or 
rehearsing  past  battles,  he  believes  a 
higher  conception  of  love  for  country 
to  be  found  in  a  person  who  loves  God 
and  neighbor.  From  this  spring  subor- 
dinate love  for  one's  country, 
companions,  relatives,  and  friends  and 
takes  in  the  whole  human  family. 

Dale  W.  Brown 
EUzabethtown.  Pa. 

RS.  I  recommend  to  Brother  Saylor 
and  others  the  1 99 1  statement  of 
Annual  Conference:  "Peacemaking:  The 
Calling  of  God's  People  in  History." 

The  military  and  the  choice 

Robert  Saylor's  letter  [|uly]  makes 
very  clear  the  conflict  between  the 
1 970  "Statement  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  on  War"  and  the  US  Consti- 
tution. He  is  in  good  company  with 
that  understanding  of  the  conflict 


setween  the  reign  of  God  and  the  reign 
Df  the  powers. 

lesus  tells  us,  "You  have  heard  that  it 
ivas  said,  'You  shall  love  your  neighbor 
and  hate  your  enemy."  But  1  say  to  you, 
Love  your  enemies.  .  .  "  (Matt.  5:45- 
+4).  Paul  encourages  us  to  not  be 
:onformed  to  this  world  but  to  "be 
transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your 
minds.  .  .  "  (Rom.  12:2).  All  three  are 
making  very  clear  that  there  is  a  choice 
to  be  made:  Will  we  serve  God  or  will 
vve  serve  other  powers? 

I  suspect  we  would  be  in  agreement 
that  there  is  a  cost  that  comes  with  our 
:hoice.  But  1  would  disagree  that  there 
is  a  resolution  between  the  church's 
statement  on  war  and  Saylor's  under- 
standing that  the  US  Constitution  calls 
for  a  military  defense. 

I  would  understand  it  much  as  the 
choice  presented  by  Moses  to  the 
Hebrews  about  to  cross  into  the 
promised  land:  "I  have  set  before  you 
life  and  death,  blessings  and  curses. 
Choose  life.  .. '■  (Deut.  30:19-20).! 
think  the  Brethren  choose  the  way  of 

lesus. 

Cliff  Kindy 
North  Manchester.  Ind. 

Communion  Bread  101 

Our  baking  of  communion  bread  here 
in  Garden  City,  Kan.,  is  a  bit  different 
than  that  described  in  Messenger. 
[See  Brethrening,  "Communion  Bread 
101,"  in  |une  Messenger.] 

Each  new  deacon  lady  is  given  a 
written  page  of  how  the  bread  is 
made — how  and  what  to  put  on  the 
table  and  how  to  cook  the  meats.  As 
the  bread  represents  the  Lord's  body, 
we  use  only  the  best  ingredients — pure 
butter  and  heavy  whipping  cream. 
After  it  is  mixed,  we  divide  it  into  three 
equal  parts  to  knead.  We  pass  it  from 
one  lady  to  the  next  one  several  times. 
This  is  because  everyone's  hands  are 
not  all  the  same  temperature  and  all  do 
not  knead  it  the  same,  so  this  helps  the 
bread  to  be  more  all  the  same. 

The  bread  is  cut  with  a  sharp  knife 
after  about  30  minutes  of  kneading  to 
see  if  it  is  ready  to  roll  out.  If  there  are 
no  bubbles  and  the  bread  is  smooth  we 


then  roll  it.  If  there  are  bubbles  we 
knead  it  more  and  then  check  it  again. 
We  use  special  cookie  sheets  that  we 
don't  use  for  anything  else. 

We  measure  by  width  of  ruler  length 
and  four  inches  crosswise.  The  four 
inches  is  two  servings.  A  cross  is  made 
on  each  serving  with  five  pierces  each 
way.  The  five  pierces  represent  the  five 
pierces  of  lesus'  body.  We  don't  toss 


the  bread  or  poke  it.  It  is  kneaded 
gently  as  it  represents  the  Lord's  body. 
The  bread  is  watched  closely  while 
cooking  and  when  done  is  cut  into 
two-piece  servings  to  break  with 
another  person. 

I  might  add  that  while  we  do  this 
there  is  no  coffee  break,  no  gossiping. 

Deacon  ladies 

Garden  Cit\'  Cliurch  of  the  Brethren 

Garden  Cifv.  Kan. 


A  Wofid  of  Opportunity 
thraugh  Brethren  Education 


A  Church  of  the  Brethren  educa- 
tion is  .distiiictivel  Students  find 
opportunities  for  academic 
achievement;  intellectual  curiosit/i 
and  spiritual  development,  and 
programs  that  foster  maturity, 
leadership,  and  service.The  six 
Church  of  the  Brethren  colleges, 
along  with  Bethany  Seminary  and 
Brethren  Colleges  Abroad  (BCA) 
are  collaborating  to  encourage 
Brethren  students  to  study  and 
grow  in  a  Brethren  setting. 
Join  us  in  promoting  Brethren 
higher  education. 


<rTr\ 


Brethren  Colleges  Abroad 
North  Manchester,  Indiana 

Bethany  Theological  Seminary 
Richmond,  Indiana 

Bridgewater  College 
Bridgewater,  Virginia 

Ellzabethtown  College 
Elizabethtown,  Pennsylvania 

Juniata  College 
Huntingdon,  Pennsylvania 

University  of  La  Verne 
La  Verne,  California 

Manchester  College 
North  Manchester,  Indiana 

McPherson  College 
McPherson,  Kansas 


COBCOA 


The  Brethren  Recruiting  Project  •  Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board 
1451  DundeeAve.  •   Elgin, I L  60120-9958 


September  1998  Messenger  27 


:'s 


Seminary  sadness 

If  it  is  true,  as  the  cover  on  the  |une 
Messenger  states,  that  "The  seminary 
is  on  solid  ground  again,"  that  obvi- 
ously is  cause  for  rejoicing.  However, 
for  some  of  us  who  have  been  inti- 
mately involved  with  Bethany 
Theological  Seminary  over  the  years,  it 
is  also  a  time  of  deep  sadness.  The  cur- 
rent status  of  Bethany  was  not 
achieved  without  considerable 
anguish,  and  some  painful  lessons  of 
which  the  church  should  be  aware 
when  other  major  decisions  face  the 
denomination. 

1  write  as  the  chairman  of  the  build- 
ing committee  for  the  Oak  Brook 
campus,  and  it  is  from  that  perspective 
that  1  offer  the  following: 

1.  Regarding  the  financial  crisis  that 
triggered  the  move  to  Richmond,  Ind., 
the  seminary  administration,  and  espe- 
cially the  board  of  directors,  must  bear 
responsibility  for  not  addressing  the 


problem  sooner.  Had  they  done  so,  the 
move  might  not  have  been  necessary. 

2.  When  the  Bethany  board  was 
struggling  with  the  issue  of  whether  to 
remain  at  Oak  Brook  or  move,  several 
of  us  offered  what  we  felt  were  creative 
solutions  to  resolve  the  financial  needs 
of  the  seminary  and  still  allow  it  to 
remain  at  Oak  Brook.  These  options 
were  never  seriously  considered  by  the 
Bethany  board. 

3.  1  was  a  member  of  the  Bethany 
board  when  the  decision  was  made  by 
Annual  Conference  to  move  from 
Chicago  to  the  Oak  Brook  campus.  As 
a  board,  we  felt  we  had  a  legal  right  to 
make  that  decision  without  Conference 
action,  but  also  that  we  had  a  moral 
and  ethical  obligation  to  consult 
Annual  Conference.  That  was  done, 
and  the  Conference  confirmed  the 
board's  recommendation  that  Bethany 
move  to  a  new  location.  The  over- 
whelming support  of  Annual 
Conference  was  a  tremendous  affirma- 


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tion  of  the  board's  research  and  its 
eventual  recommendation.  As  we 
moved  to  build  the  new  campus  at  Oak 
Brook  we  felt  we  had  the  backing  of 
the  entire  church. 

4.  1  feel  now,  as  others  do,  that  the 
Bethany  board,  in  its  push  to  move 
from  Oak  Brook,  made  that  decision 
without  full  discussion  and  a  deci- 
sion from  the  delegate  body  of 
Annual  Conference. 

5.  The  process  by  which  that  deci- 
sion was  made  has  alienated  some  very 
fine  Brethren.  This  has  resulted  in 
some  loss  of  financial  support  for 
Bethany  from  these  people,  and  more 
to  the  point,  a  feeling  that  the  Bethany 
board  has  been  insensitive  to  the  hurt 
and  negative  feelings  engendered  by 
the  move  to  Richmond. 

6.  Some  of  my  friends  from  other 
denominations  have  expressed  to  me 
their  dismay  over  the  Brethren  leaving 
what  they  considered  to  be  one  of  the 
most  exciting  and  creative  theological 
settings  in  America,  with  the  accompa- 
nying benefit  of  proximity  to  other 
seminaries  in  the  theological  center  of 
America. 

Some  will  say  this  is  "sour  grapes" 
on  my  part,  but  I  felt  in  all  fairness  this 
needed  to  be  said  on  behalf  of  all  those 
Brethren  who  still  do  not  understand 
the  rationale  and  the  process  by  which 
this  major  relocation  of  an  important 
church  institution  was  made. 

Dean  L.  Fnint: 
New  Haven.  Ind 


Lottery  is  Satan's  hope 

1  would  like  to  say  two  things  to  reli- 
gious people  who  support  the  lottery 
by  purchasing  tickets. 

First,  the  lottery  gives  hope  to  sin- 
ners who  had  no  hope  except  to 
repent  of  their  sinful  ways  and  turn 
to  God.  Sinners  are  putting  off  the 
decision  to  turn  to  God,  hoping  they 
will  hit  the  big  one  on  Wednesday  or 
Saturday.  I  call  the  lottery  Satan's 
hope,  because  it  has  opposed  evan- 
gelism, social  change,  character 
development,  and  virtue. 

Second,  playing  the  lottery  is  poor 


28  Messenger  September  1998 


Vll 


stewardship,  and  those  guilty  of  poor 
stewardship  need  not  expect  the  finan- 
cial blessings  of  God.  Either  your  faith 
is  in  God's  blessings  or  it  is  in  a 
chance  to  be  struck  by  lightning. 

C.  Gregory  Dukes 

National  Alliance  of  Evangelicals 

to  Stop  the  Lottery 

Mooresville.  Incl. 


First-time  conferencegoer 

|l  thank  ail  of  the  1 998  Annual  Confer- 
ence organizers  for  their  hard  work 
and  preparation.  As  a  first-time  partic- 
ipant and  delegate,  it  surprised  me  to 
find  business  proceeding  as  quickly 
and  efficiently  as  it  did.  I  think  that  the 
Conference  staff  did  an  excellent  job! 

I  gratefully  acknowledge  the  Lake 
Charles  (La.)  Community  Church  of 
the  Brethren  for  sending  me  as  a  dele- 
gate. This  was  our  church's  first 
opportunity  to  send  a  delegate  other 
than  our  pastor,  Manny  Diaz,  to 
Annual  Conference.  Even  though  our 
church  is  five  years  young,  we  do  have 
approximately  80  signed  members  with 
an  average  attendance  on  Sunday  of 
over  100  people.  This  would  not  have 
been  accomplished  without  the  loving 
support  of  the  Chiques  church  in  IVIan- 
heim.  Pa.,  the  Roanoke,  La.,  church, 
the  New  Church  Start  Committee,  and 
others  throughout  the  Brotherhood. 

I  have  some  thoughts  about  some  of 
the  issues  brought  out  at  Conference. 

•The  words  "pluralism"  and  "diver- 
sity" seemed  to  be  cast  in  a  negative 
light.  The  implication  was  that  if  we 
embrace  pluralism  or  diversity,  then 


we  are  accepting  an  "anything  goes," 
or  even  a  "laissez-faire"  mentality.  Plu- 
ralism, in  one  instance,  was  even 
equated  with  "polytheism"!  To  me, 
pluralism  and  diversity  simply  reflect 
the  reality  of  today's  world.  We  are 
many  in  the  Body  of  Christ.  We  repre- 
sent many  functions  and  views.  If  we 
expect  everyone  to  believe,  to  act,  to 
look,  and  to  speak  like  ourselves,  we 
will  be  sorely  disappointed. 

•I  appreciate  the  query  process  in 
the  development  and  study  of  the 
position  of  the  church  on  different 
matters.  However,  it  seems  to  me 
that  there  needs  to  be  a  more  effi- 
cient, effective  way  of  dealing  with 
technological  issues.  Technology 
changes  on  a  daily  or  weekly  basis. 
Responses  that  come  years  after  the 
initial  query  are  outdated. 

•I  am  impressed  and  excited  by  the 
Association  of  Brethren  Caregivers 
and  the  On  Earth  Peace  Assembly. 
These  two  groups  will  take  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  into  new 
communities  and  introduce  Christ's 
love  and  compassion  to  new  groups. 
What  an  amazing  opportunity! 

Don  S.  Self 

Associate  pastor.  Lake  Charles 

Community  Church  of  the  Brethren 

Lake  Charles.  La. 


Wake  up  to  Holy  Spirit 

lames  D.  Kessler  stated  some  good 
points  in  his  letter  in  the  May  Messen- 
ger. 1  intentionally  waited  for  a  couple 
of  issues  to  see  if  anyone  would  follow 
up  on  Kessler's  concerns.  No  one  did. 


Volunteer  Opportunities 

VOLUNTEERS  are  needed  for  the  New  Windsor  Conference  Center,  located  at  the 
lovely,  historic  Brethren  Service  Center  in  New  Windsor,  MD.The  Center  is  located  in  a 
historic  peaceful,  rural  treed  setting  with  the  theme  of  "A  quiet  place  to  get  things  done." 
It  IS  also  convenient  to  Gettysburg,  Baltimore,  and  Washington.  DC  with  opportunities  for 
travel,  cultural  and  recreational  events.  We  need  volunteer  hostesses/hosts  to  help  provide 
hospitality  and  conference  services  to  a  variety  of  guests  in  a  cozy  and  homey  atmos- 
phere. Maturity  and  detail  orientation  needed  along  with  outgoing  personality  and 
genuine  interest  in  providing  excellent  customer  service.  Furnished  apartment  and  meals 
provided  during  period  of  service.  Small  stipend  also  available.  Join  us  for  tew  weeks  or 
longer,  if  you'd  like.  For  more  information,  call  or  write  Bonnie  Grady,  Conference  Coor- 
dinator, Box  188,  New  Windsor,  MD  21776-0188:  1-800-766-1553  (toll  free). 


Maybe  I  should  not  be  surprised.  For 
the  past  two  decades  it  has  been  very 
clear  to  me  why  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  has  lost  membership,  leader- 
ship, and  vitality. 

The  Holy  Spirit  has  not  fully  been 
invited  into  the  church.  We  baptize  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Spirit.  We  say  our  creed  is  the  New 
Testament,  but  what  do  we  do  with  the 
giftsof  the  Spirit  (1  Cor.  12)?  Can  we 
not  accept  the  power,  prophecy,  and 
miracles  manifested  by  the  Spirit?  Or 
do  we  write  them  off  by  saying  they 
were  for  yesterday?  In  the  last  days  the 
Holy  Spirit  will  be  poured  out  (|oel 
2:28).  Indications  are  that  time  is  upon 
us. 

For  two  years  in  the  early  1980s  our 
young  family  relocated  to  the  Shenan- 
doah Valley  of  Virginia  for  economic 
reasons.  We  ended  up  attending  a 
charismatic  church  where  we  grew 
spiritually  by  leaps  and  bounds.  Fully 
one  half  of  the  congregation  there  were 
former  Church  of  the  Brethren  mem- 
bers. 

In  1994  our  son  entered  Bridgewa- 
ter  College.  He  attended  a  local 
charismatic  church  where  he  was  sur- 
prised to  find  all  10  in  the  college-age 
youth  group  were  from  Church  of  the 
Brethren  backgrounds.  Some  of  our 
best  young  leadership  is  drawn  to  ser- 
vices where  there  is  exuberant  praise 
and  worship,  prophecy  comes  forth, 
tongues  and  interpretations  are 
uttered,  and  healings  are  expected  and 
do  take  place.  Some  serious  needs  are 
met.  Can  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
invite  in  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy 
Spirit?  Kessler  is  right  in  stating,  "It  is 
time  to  awake  from  our  slumber." 

Will  our  pastors  continue  in  the  tra- 
ditional church  service,  to  please  men 
and  let  the  church  slumber?  Or  will 
they  take  a  risk,  invite  the  Holy  Spirit 
in,  and  see  the  power  of  God  meet 
needs  in  a  dynamic  and  growing 
church?  The  Church  of  the  Brethren  is 
at  a  crossroads.  Will  we  accept  the 
offered  gifts  of  the  Spirit  or  are  we 
ashamed  of  them?  Which  direction  will 
our  members  and  pastors  choose  for 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren? 

lason  Baiisennan 
Bartow.  W.Va. 


September  1998  Messenger  29 


Classified  Ads 


DIABETICS  SERVICE 

Diabetics  with  Mcdiauv  ( )i"  iiiMirance.  Save  money  on  dia- 
betic supplies.  For  more  inft  irniation  call  (800)  337-4l'i4. 

INVITATIONS 

Cincinnati  Church  of  the  Brethren  fellowship 

meets  for  worship  &  support  in  n,c.  area  of  Cineinnati 
We  welcome  others  to  join  us  or  bring  needs  to  our 
attention.  Contact  us  c/o  Cincinnati  Friends  Meeting 
House,  8075  Keller  Rd.,  hidian  Hill,  OH  4S243.  Tel. 
(513)956-7733. 

Come  worship  in  the  Valley  of  the  Sun  with  Com- 
munity Church  of  the  Brethren  at  111  N.  Sunvalley 
Blvd.,  Mesa,  A2  86207.  Mail  to;  8343  E.  Emelita  Ave., 
Mesa,  AZ  85208.  Tel.  (602)357-9811, 

Concord  Church  of  the  Brethren  Fellowship  is  tlie 
only  Brethren  outpost  in  the  Charlotte,  N.C. 
metropolitan  area.  We  provide  a  full  program  of  Chris- 
tian Education,  Worship  anil  Spiritual  Growth 
opportunities.  Come  and  join  us!  For  more  informa- 
tion contact  us  by  writing:  Concord  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Fellowship,  929-F  Clear  Springs  Shopping 
Center,  Concord,  NC  28027,  telephone  (704)782-3641 
or  e-mail  <marklara(y.'gocarolinas.com> 

POSITIONS  AVAILABLE 

Coordinator  of  Centralized  Services.  The  Associ- 
ation of  Brethren  Caregivers  is  looking  for  a  full-time 
Coordinator  of  Centralized  Services  to  assist  the  Exec- 
utive Director  with  programming  and  services  to  the 
association  and  the  Fellowship  of  Brethren  Homes,  a 
ministry  with  Brethren  retirement  communities.  Ideal 
candidates  will  demonstrate  the  following  qualifica- 
tions: working  knowledge  of  the  mechanisms  and 
processes  which  impact  services  to  the  aging;  experi- 
ence in  retirement  community  management; 
understanding  of  Church  of  the  Brethren  heritage; 
bachelor's  degree  in  a  related  field;  proficiency  in  inter- 
pretation and  consensus  building;  comfort  providing 
leadership  in  an  environment  with  diverse  interests; 
excellent  communication,  organization  and  computer 


/S-x  Pontius'  Puddle 


Send  payment  for  reprinting" Pontius'  Puddle" [rum  IMessenger  to 
loel  Kauffmann.  Ill  Carter  Road,  Goslien.  IN.  46526.  $25  for  one 
time  use.  $10  for  second  strip  in  same  issue.  $10  for  congregations. 


■  ■  -OKAV,  MOWTHAT  VJtVE  Uf\D  CX)R   COFFEE,  TAKEN!  ^  ARE  Oi?  CL^SS 
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TME  SONOAV  SCHOOL  LESSOK 


skills.  Send  letter  of  application,  resume  and  three  ref- 
erences to  Steve  Mason,  Executive  Director,  ABC,  1451 
DundeeAve.,  Elgin.  IL  60120. 

RETIREMENT 

Active  Retirement  Community.  The  Palms  Estates 
of  Highlands  County,  located  in  central  Fla.,  s.e.  of  his- 
toric Sebring,  offers  place  in  the  sun  away  from 
unpleasant  winter  weather.  Away  from  major  Fla.  storm 
paths.  Not  lifestyle  for  rich  and  famous,  but  comfort- 
able, active  living.  Christian  retirement  atmosphere. 
Choice  of  lots  available  for  lease.  Some  homes  listed 
for  resale.  RC  camping  space  available  by  se;ison,  month, 
week.  Open  to  anyone  age  55  or  over  regardless  of 
race,  religion,  ethnic  background.  For  info.,  contact; 
The  Palms  Estate  of  Highlands  County,  Inc.,  PO.  Box 
364,  Lorida,  FL  33857.  Telephone  (941)655-1909. 

TRAVEL 

Brethren  Heritage  Tour/Passion  Play  2000.  Reg- 
ister now  for  thejuly  29-August  11,  2000,  European 
tour  emphasizing  Brethren  values  and  heritage.  For 
information  contact  our  tour  leaders  Don  and  Hedda 
Durnbaugh  (tel/fax  (814)658-3222,  e-mail: 
durnbaughd(5'juniata,edu)  or  Randall  and  Peggy  Yoder 
(814)643-3221.  Brochure  with  full  itinerary  and  price 
will  be  available  by  late  fall  1998.  To  ensure  space,  send 
v^lOO  per  person  (made  payable  to  MTS  Tours)  before 
December  31, 1998,  to  Tour  2000,  R.D.  1,  Box  312,  Hunt- 
ingdon, PA  16652. 

Greece:  Heros  Scholars  and  Saints.  ^January  18-28, 
1999;  Travel  to  Athens,  Epidarus,  Olympia,  Corinth, 
and  other  cultural  sites.  Enjoy  a  tree-island  cruise  in 
the  Aegean.  This  trip  promises  to  be  a  feast  for  the 
palate,  the  eyes,  and  the  mind.  Cost  11799  from  Chicago 


Teacher,  Business  Education 

Hillcrest  School,  Nigeria 

A  special  opportunity  to  teach  in  a  K-12  international  Christian  school  with 
an  excellent  reputation.  Placement  in  January  1999;  negotiable. 

For  more  information  contact: 

Elsie  Holderread  at  800-742-5100 
or  e-mail  eholderread_gb@brethren.org 

Office  of  Human  Resources 
Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board 


(includes;  first  class  hotels,  breakfasts/dinners/all  travt 
and  admission  fees).  Contact;  Drs.  Herb  orjeanm 
Smith,  McPherson  College,  McPherson,  KS  674O0 
(316)241-0731  ext.  1244. 

Oberaramergau  Passion  Play  year  2000.  Bohre 
tours  will  be  leading  three  tours  to  Europe  and  the  p;i.^ 
sion  play  during  the  year  2000.  (May,  July  an( 
September)  Prices  will  begin  at  S2099.00.  For  infor 
niation  write  to;  Wendell  and  Joan  Bohrer,  8520  Roya 
Meadow  Drive,  Indianapolis,  IN  46217  (317)882-5067 
Bradley  and  Bonnie  Bohrer,  283  Parkway  Drive,  Berea 
OH  44017  or  Matthew  and  Noelle  Bohrer,  1860  Josepl 
Court,  Elgin,  11(847)697-2746. 

Panama  Canal  Cruise.  Cruise  the  Caribbean,  thi 
Panama  Canal,  and  the  Pacific  Coast  of  Mexico  (Marcl 
9-March  20, 1999)  aboard  the  Sun  Princess  at  a  bar 
gain  price.  For  a  brochure  and  details,  contact  Wayne 
F  Geisert,  President  Emeritus,  Bridgewater  College 
Bridgewater,  VA  22812.  Phone  (540)433-1433  or  828 

5494. 

Travel  with  a  purpose.  You  are  invited  to  travel  witl 
Wendell  and  Joan  Bohrer  on  a  tour  of  Spain,  Portiig;: 
and  Morocco,  August  5-18, 1999,  from  Chicago.  Visi 
Lisbon,  Elvas,  Seville,  Granada,  Madrid  and  a  full  tla 
of  touring  Tangier,  Morocco.  Breakfast  and  dinner  daih 
For  information,  write  Bohrer  Tours,  8520  Royal  Meadov 
Drive,  Indianapolis,  IN  46217.  Tel/F;LX  (317)882-5067 
Limited  space  available. 


CHECK  OUT  ARIZONA! 


Community  Church  of  the  Brethren 
I  1  1  N.  Sun  Valley  Boulevard 
Mesa,  AZ  85207  (602)  357-98 U 

Sunday  Service  10:15AM 

Glendale  Church  of  the  Brethren 
7238  N.  61st  Avenue 
Glendale,  AZ  85301       (602)937-9131 
Sunday  Service  10:30  AM 

Phoenix  First  Church  of  the  Brethren 
3609  N.  27th  Street 
Phoenix,  AZ  85016        (602)955-8537 
Sunday  Service  10:45  AM 

Tucson  Church  of  the  Brethren 
2200  North  Dodge  Boulevard 
Tucson.  AZ  85716  (520)327-5106 

Sunday  Service  10:00  AM 


30  Messenger  September  1998 


Mew  members 

Mtoona  28lh  St.,  Altoona.  Pa.:  Nathan 

Davis.  Bobby  Frye,  Robin  Porta. 

lamie  Porta 
Beaver  Creek,  Tenn.:  Roy  Kelly. 

Michelle  Adams,  leremiah  Googe 
Beaverton,  Mich.:Dan  Shaffer 
Bethel,  Everett.  Pa.:  Michael  Cottle, 

Eleanor  Ross 
Bridgewater,  Va.:  Jonathan  Alley.  Colin 

Ackerman.  Chad  Craun.  Carrie 

Draper.  Sharon  Flalen.  David  May. 

David  Metzler.  leremy  Monk.  Ster- 
ling Ritchie,  lason  Rummel 
rhiques.  Manheim,  Pa.:  Katelynn 

Balmer.  April  Gainer 
Dayton,  Va.:  Anita  Adjetey,  Kristian 

Caricofe.  Ches  Crawford.  Matthew 

Reish,  Tiara  Saufley.  Jonathan 

Saufley 
Douglas  Park,  Chicago.  III.:  Melody 

Mackowiak 
Ephrata,  Pa.:  lack  Harley 
Everett,  Pa.:  Amy  Calhoun.  Chad 

Schulze 
Fairview,  Unionville,  Iowa:  Sharon 

Brinegar,  Melissa  Neher,  Sheila 

Selix 
Florin,  Mount  loy.  Pa.:  Marc  Mack, 

Curtis  Dchmey.  Justin  Brinkman, 

Paul  Butterfoss 
Sermantown  Briek,  Rocky  Mount,  Va.: 

Brian  .Angle.  Deanna  Flora.  Emily 

Flora,  iared  Flora.  Melia  Flora, 

Charles  Huffman,  Bonnie  Minnix, 

Christopher  lohn  (C.i.)  Page 
jreenville,  Ohio:  Layla  Carter,  Katie 

Bonduvant 
Harmony,  Myersville.  Md.:  Tammy 

McFarland 
liarper  Woods,  Mich.:  Philip 

Ladouceur.  Karen  Ladouceur 
liarrisburg.  Pa.:  Marisel  Olivencia, 

Guillermo  Olivencia 
liighland  Avenue,  Elgin,  III.:  [onathan 

Keeney 
Vlapic  Spring,  Holsopple.  Pa.:  |ohn 

and  Patsy  Shaffer.  Paul  McClucas 
Vlechanic  Grove,  Quarryville,  Pa.: 

Brent  Landis.  Dustin  Hunter,  lamie 

Piatt,  Anthony  Johnson,  Ellis  Krei- 

der,  Kyle  Young,  Natalie  Osborne, 

Faith  Howell.  Amanda  Lloyd.  Erica 

Findley 
Vliddle  Creek,  Lititz,  Pa.;  lesslyn 

Oberholtzer 
Vlountville,  Pa.:  Art  Thomas,  Tom  Bastian 
Pleasant  Dale.  Decatur.  Ind.:  Chandler 

Harnish.  Abbi  Hirschy 
Pleasant  Hill,  Spring  Grove,  Pa.:  Daniel 

R.  Bair.  Eric  A.  Bievenour.  Katie  S. 

Churchfield.  Kristina  |.  Gable.  Wesley 

B.  Hill,  Melita  J.  Hilty.  Brian  S.  Hunt. 

Joel  A.  Lehigh.  Caleb  N.  Miller.  Emily 

S.  Miller.  Erika  L.  Miller,  Isaac  P. 

Miller,  Jeremy  E.  Miller.  Tanya  B. 

Miller.  Dustin  R.  Nell,  Ervin  P  New- 
comer, loani  L.  Noecker.  Danielle  B. 

Schildt,  Tiffany  L.  Schildt,  Tina  M. 

Stump.  Tamara  S.  Stump,  Daniel  T. 

Walmer,  Andrea  M.  Yohe.  Nicole  A. 

Yohe 
Pyrmonl,  Delphi,  Ind.:  Christine 

Adams 
Roann,  Ind.:  Norma  Draper,  Dennis 

Cripe,  ludy  Cripe,  Michelle  Cripe, 


David  Hahn.  Audrey  Hahn,  Brad 

Wilson,  Susan  Wilson.  Andy  Brower, 

Ryan  Hahn,  Megan  Hahn,  Kyle  Mus- 

selman,  Ryan  Musselman,  Lynisa 

Bruce 
Ross,  Mendon,  Ohio:  Deena  Knepper. 

Paul  Hamilton 
Sugar  Ridge,  Custer,  Mich.:  Fred 

Smith,  Lee  Bates,  Ardath  V.  Regan 
Uniontown,  Pa.:  Jamie  Balsley.  Julia 

Hyjurick.  Eric  Kalivoda.  Lauren 

Stein 
West  Goshen,  Goshen.  Ind.:  Scott 

Galloway.  Alyssa  Bates 

Wedding 
Anniversaries 

Baile,  Glen  and  Betty.  Warrensburg. 

Mo..  50 
Bailey,  Doyle  and  Frances,  Centerville, 

Iowa.  50 
Bayer,  Ogretta  and  Daniel,  Roanoke. 

Va..  50 
Beahm,  Aliene  and  Robert.  Nokesville. 

Va.,  50 
Burket,  Herman  and  Mae, 

Martinsburg,  Pa..  65 
Carpenter,  Sidney  and  Alice, 

Warrensburg,  Mo..  60 
Ebersole,  Lynn  and  Jennie.  La  Verne, 

Calif..  65 
Erbaugh,  James  and  Phyllis,  Dayton, 

Ohio.  50 
Erisman.  Ethmer  and  Kathryn. 

Warrensburg.  Mo..  50 
Evans,  Tom  and  Rose,  Wyomissing, 

Pa.,  55 
Flora,  Kermit  and  Pauline.  Bridgewa- 

ter.  Va.,  60 
Gillin,  Thelma  and  Ralph.  Johnstown. 

Pa.,  50 
Greiner,  Lester  and  Naomi,  Manheim, 

Pa.,  60 
Grove,  Charles  and  June.  Unionville, 

Iowa,  50 
lackson,  Florence  and  Inez,  Norcatur. 

Kan..  50 
Jenkins,  Dempsy  and  Mary  Louise, 

Warrensburg.  Mo.,  55 
King,  Tom  and  Opal,  Centerville,  Iowa,  50 
Lauver,  Wilbur  and  Florence,  Ottawa, 

Kan..  70 
Lentz,  Marie  and  Paul.  Johnstown.  Pa..  50 
Mason,  John  and  Blance,  Moulton, 

Iowa.  50 
Meckley,  Donald  and  Goidie, 

Waynesboro,  Pa.,  50 
Miller,  Paul  and  Kathryn,  Manheim, 

Pa..  50 
Mosler,  Marlin  and  Mae,  Manheim. 

Pa..  55 
Meyer,  Glen  and  Mabel,  Greenville, 

Ohio,  77 
Patrick,  Norman  and  Beryl,  Hershey, 

Pa..  70 
Sensening,  Raymond  and  Theda. 

Ephrata.  Pa.,  50 
Stein,  Robert  H.  and  Betty,  Uniontown, 

Pa.,  50 

Licensed 

Battle,  Michael  Glenn,  April  4,  Copper 

Hill,  Va. 
Bishop,  Granville  Lee,  April  4,  Pleasant 

Valley.  Alum  Ridge.  Va. 
Bloom,  Geneva,  Elkhart,  Ind,,  May  25 
Borne,  Fredric.  May  2.  Pleasant  Dale. 

Decatur,  Ind. 
Bowman,  Ben  S..  April  4.  Peters  Creek. 

Roanoke.  Va. 
Cooper,  Mary,  93,  North  Manchester. 

Ind..  Oct.  19 


lohnson,  Kendall  Mark,  April  4.  Green 

Hill.  Salem.  Va. 
Naff,  ierry  Wayne,  April  4.  Cedar  Bluff. 

Boones  Mill,  Va. 
Ober,  Barbara,  April  19,  Live  Oak, 

Calif. 
Schrag,  Rick.  Nov.  15,  McPherson, 

Kan. 
Thompson.  Johnny  Lewis.  Sept.  6,  1997. 

Henry  Fork.  Rocky  Mount.  Va. 

Ordained 

McKinnell,  Leth  Miriam  Miller,  April  4, 
New  Covenant  Fellowship,  Chester,  Va. 

Pastoral 
Placements 

Bitner,  Robert,  from  Union  City.  Ohio. 

to  Brookville.  Ohio 
Brumbaugh,  Galen  H,,  from  Pleasant 

Valley.  Meyers  Cave.  Va..  to  Roaring 

Spring.  Pa. 
Cannistraci,  Kristen.  from  other 

denomination,  to  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
Durr,  Stephen,  from  Bethany,  to  Learn- 

ersville.  Duncansville.  Pa. 
Fike,  Matthew,  to  Pleasant  Valley. 

Weyers  Cave,  Va. 
Greiser,  Terrence.  from  Pleasant  View, 

Burkittsville.  Md..  to  I\7  Farms. 

Newport  News,  Va. 
Longanecker,  Kevin,  to  Kent,  Ohio 
Sayre,  lohn.  to  Grottoes.  Va. 
Sonafrank,  Hal,  from  Middle  River. 

New  Hope,  Va..  to  Leakes  Chapel. 

Stanley,  Va. 
Truitt,  David,  to  Woodbury,  Pa, 
Vaught,  Terry,  from  Pittsburg.  Delphi. 

Ind..  to  Mansfield,  Ohio 
Vaught,  Sherry,  from  Beacon  Hts,  Fort 

Wayne,  Ind..  to  Mansfield.  Ohio 

Deaths 

Alcala,  lanice.  55.  Modesto,  Calif.,  July  7 
Babb,  Beatrice  H.  "Bee,"  80,  Freeport. 

III,.  July  16 
Bender,  Ruth  V,  88,  lohnstown,  Pa.. 

Ian.  24 
Bollinger,  Rachel,  88.  Neffsville.  Pa.. 

June  7 
Boone,  Sylvia  Meek.  65.  Roanoke.  Va.. 

March'25 
Brinegar,  Tommie.  50.  Moulton.  Iowa. 

Sept.  20 
Brock,  Frances  E.,  Elkhart,  Ind.,  July  10 
Buhrt,  Richard  E..  61.  Goshen.  Ind,, 

Feb.  2 
Carter,  Fred  LeRoy,  Sr..  90.  Selnia, 

Va..  April  2 
Clark,  Maude  M..  94.  Elkhart.  Ind.. 

June  7 
Cleland,  Nannie  Maxion,  101, 

Warrensburg,  Mo..  |une  12 
Clement,  Vera,  82,  Salem,  Va.,  Jan.  21 
Chrisman,  Lee,  75.  San  Diego,  Calif.. 

June  5 
Clark,  Richard.  84.  North  Liberty. 

hid,.  July  9 
Conaway,  Doris.  71.  Detroit.  Mich.. 

May  24 
Cripe,  Sereata  L..  88.  Mishawaka.  Ind,. 

Ian,  9 
Crumley,  Shirley  Spangler,  75, 

Knoxville,  Tenn, 
Davidson,  Eldon  Dale.  82.  Virden,  III,. 

luly  3 
Dooley,  Norita.  62.  New  Paris.  Ind,. 

June  I  3 
Elder,  Curvin.  84.  Littlestown.  Pa..  luly  16 
Gelz,  Elvin.  89.  Lancaster.  Pa.,  lune  27 
Grove,  Vivian,  77,  Elkhart,  Ind..  Dec.  16 


Harris,  Woodrow,  82.  Salem  Va., 

March  1  7 
Holdeman,  Lavon  B..  81.  Goshen. 

Ind..  Feb.  2 
Jacobsen,  Stanley.  85.  San  Diego. 

Calif..  May  31 
lames,  Rachel  (Merle).  93.  North  Man- 
chester, Ind.,  June  20 
lefferson,  Tressie.  86.  Danville.  Va.. 

lune  22.  1997 
Kaucher,  Elva.  67.  Ephrata,  Pa.,  luly  8 
Keim,  Rebecca.  104,  Davidsville,  Pa., 

April  27 
Kennedy,  Hazel  M..  89,  La  Verne, 

CaliL.  luly  14 
Kepler,  James  P..  74.  Kansas  City. 

Kan,.  June  1  5 
King,  Norma  lean  Boone.  67,  Roanoke, 

Va,.  March  10 
Lehman,  Roy.  84,  Mechanicsburg.  Pa.. 

May  6 
Long,  Esther,  90,  Salem,  Va..  lune  5 
Long,  Ralph.  87.  Salem.  Va.,  lune  5 
Lowe,  Katharine  Kline,  87,  Roanoke, 

Va..  lune  1  4 
Lowe,  Teresa,  108,  New  Oxford.  Pa.. 

lune  29 
Lucas.  Elmer.  67.  Rocky  Mount.  Va.. 

June  12 
Manamay,  Ruth  E..  84.  Ashland.  Ohio. 

June  16 
Manning,  Retha  Boone.  93,  Roanoke. 

Va..  April  23 
Marshall,  Judie,  97,  Danville,  Va.. 

Sept.  18.  1997 
Mays,  Morley  |..  86.  Lancaster.  Pa.. 

luly  5 
Meccia,  Lee,  89,  Yuma.  Ariz..  March  10 
Miller,  Dorothy.  85.  Goshen.  Ind..  |une 

18 
Miller,  Theresa,  84.  Nokesville,  Va., 

luly  14 
Moherman,  Will  T.  72.  Ashland.  Ohio, 

lune  28 
Mohler,  Caroline.  100.  Ephrata,  Pa.. 

April  1  7 
Moorcfield,  loseph.  78.  Danville.  Va.. 

April  11.  1997 
Mostoller,  Scott  Allen,  35, 

Hooversville,  Pa.,  May  22 
Murty,  Beatrice  F.,  92.  lohnstown.  Pa.. 

March  9 
Nelson.  Zora.  99.  Pyrniont.  Ind.. 

March  8 
Patrick,  Betty  L.,  68.  Lafayette.  Ind.. 

April  1  1 
Ressler,  Susie,  79,  Lancaster,  Pa. 
Rhoades,  Vernon  C.  Rocky  Ford. 

Colo..  April  28 
Roach,  Lillie  Mae,  83,  Centerville, 

Iowa.  Oct.  1 
Smith,  Leta  Wine,  92.  Chicago.  111.. 

lune  1  5 
Sludebaker,  Florence.  102.  La  Verne. 

Calif.,  lune  17 
Svabek,  Norma,  74,  Chicago.  111.,  Nov.  13 
Terry,  Helen,  63,  Fayetteville,  WVa.. 

luly  12 
Throne,  Feme,  89,  Cleveland.  Ohio. 

April  9,  1997 
Tritlle,  Charles,  72,  Akron,  Ohio.  April  1  7 
Vorhis,  Emory  O..  91.  Goshen.  Ind.. 

April  25 
Weik,  Leroy.  81.  Palmyra,  Pa.,  lune  29 
Williams,  Edva  Slusher,  Floyd,  Va., 

May  15 
Winklebauer,  Pat.  72.  Beecher.  III., 

March  2 
Wood,  Virginia  E..  80.  Ashland.  Ohio, 

May  8 
Wyant,  Clayton  F,  91.  Wichita.  Kan.. 

'lulv  13 
Yardc,  Edith,  89.  Avilla.  Ind..  lune  5 
Voder,  Le  Roy  N..  68.  Goshen.  Ind.. 

May  23 
Young,  Alice.  90.  Ferndale,  Md..  lune  13 


September  1998  MesseN'.;er  31 


11 

Casting  out  fear 

I  went  to  coni'ront  my  homophobia-phobia.  I  don't  fear 
homosexuals  so  much  as  the  issue  of  homosexuahty  in 
the  church.  I'm  afraid  of  the  anger  the  issue  ehcits,  and 
of  the  danger  that  it  will  divide  the  church,  both  the  con- 
gregation and  the  denomination.  I  shrink  from  the 
confrontation  that's  sure  to  result  whenever  the  sugges- 
tion is  made  that  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  should 
welcome  gays  and  lesbians.  "Nothing  scares  me  like 
scared  people,"  says  William  Sloane  Coffin,  and  I  agree. 
One  Anabaptist  suggested  that  the  peace  tradition,  which 
ought  to  give  us  tools  for  dealing  with  controversy,  keeps 
us  silent  instead.  Some  are  silently  hostile  to  homosexu- 
als; others  are  silently  supportive.  President  Clinton 
didn't  invent  the  policy  of  "don't  ask,  don't  tell"  regard- 
ing homosexuality.  Churches  keep  quiet  too. 

But  it's  time  to  break  the  silence,  and  to  get  over  this 
fear  of  fear.  To  help  me  do  so  I  went  to  the  "Dancing  in 
the  Southwind"  conference  in  Wichita,  Kan.  |uly  24-26. 
This  fourth  annual  conference  was  billed  as  a  gathering 
of  the  Supportive  Congregations  Network,  sponsored  by 
the  Brethren  Mennonite  Council  for  Lesbian  and  Gay 
Concerns  (BMC)  and  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
Womaen's  Caucus.  I  went  to  find  out  what  the  issues  are. 
What  do  these  people  want? 

The  "gay  agenda"  here  was  pretty  low  key.  This  was 
more  like  a  revival  meeting  than  a  political  rally.  Much  of 
the  time  was  spent  in  worship,  which  revolved  around  the 
dual  metaphors  of  dancing  and  wheat  processing.  The 
worship  was  aimed  more  at  personal  repentance  and  sal- 
vation than  at  societal  change.  We  planted  wheat  to 
"grow  into  our  true  selves,"  then  separated  the  wheat 
from  the  chaff  to  get  rid  of  sin  in  our  lives.  When  we 
prayed  for  tolerance,  it  was  for  us  to  be  more  tolerant  of 
others,  rather  than  for  them  to  be  more  tolerant  of  us. 
Inclusivity  was  discussed  as  a  practice  of  including  and 
welcoming  those  who  disagree  with  homosexuals  and 
their  supporters.  "We  don't  have  to  like  each  other  to  get 
along,"  the  speaker  said. 

I  heard  no  talk  here  of  gay  rights,  or  of  same-sex  mar- 
riages, or  even  of  ordination  for  homosexuals.  That  is 
not  to  say  these  issues  aren't  important  or  that  the  people 
here  don't  work  on  them.  It  is  just  that,  at  this  confer- 
ence, the  issue  was  simply  acceptance.  Can  the  church 
open  its  doors  wide  enough  to  welcome  gays  and  les- 
bians? Other,  more  difficult,  issues  can  be  decided  after 
that  one  is  decided.  One  speaker  said  the  church  must 
have  a  compassionate  heart.  "If  someone  is  hungry,  you 
lecd  them,"  he  said.  "If  someone  wants  to  fellowship 
with  you,  you  give  them  your  love." 

32  Messenger  September  1998 


Many  at  this  conference  are  merely  wanting  to  find 
their  place  in  the  church,  which  too  often  has  become  no 
the  healer  but  the  cause  of  pain.  The  first  night  we  broke 
into  small  groups  to  talk  about  why  we  had  come.  Two 
Mennonite  women  in  my  group  were  both  mothers  of  ga; 
sons.  They  had  come  to  support  their  sons  and  to  find 
ways  to  bring  their  churches  along.  One  mother  shared 
the  pain  of  watching  her  grown  son  have  to  leave  the 
ministry  after  he  had  accepted  his  homosexuality.  The 
other's  congregation  had  been  supportive  of  her  son  and 
other  homosexuals,  but  then  was  "disciplined"  by  its 
Mennonite  conference  for  doing  so. 

Another  in  our  group  was  a  lesbian  schoolteacher  in  a 
small  town  in  Canada  who  keeps  her  homosexuality  a 
secret  for  fear  of  losing  her  job.  Though  she  has  a  strong 
faith  and  longs  for  the  guidance  and  support  of  her 
pastor  and  church  family  as  she  wrestles  with  being  mort. 
open  about  her  life,  she  feels  she  can't  ask  for  help  from 
her  faith  community.  Not  only  is  the  church  made  up  of 
the  parents  of  her  pupils,  it  recently  passed  a  measure 
condemning  homosexuality. 

It  seems  not  much  to  ask  for  churches  to  do  in  this 
instance  what  they  do  best  otherwise — love  and  support 
those  seeking  love  and  support.  When  it  is  discussed  at 
all,  homosexuality  can  be  treated  more  like  a  cold  debalc,^ 
topic  rather  than  a  subject  of  human  concern.  Some  havti 
grown  weary  of  debating.  In  her  speech  to  the  BMC  lun-P 
cheon  at  Annual  Conference,  Karen  S.  Carter,  Brethren 
activist  from  Daleville,  "Va.,  said  the  attempts  by  all  sides 
"to  convince,  to  convert,  to  coerce"  are  contrary  to  )esus 
ministry  because  they  "divert  our  limited  physical  and 
mental  and  spiritual  resources  from  the  larger  task  to 
which  we  have  been  called:  To  feed  the  hungry,  clothe  th 
naked,  visit  the  sick  and  the  imprisoned  .  .  .  ."  Her  solu- 
tion is  for  the  church  to  give  homosexuals  and  their 
supporters  at  least  as  much  latitude  and  respect  as  it 
gives  racists,  or  those  who  refuse  to  accept  women  in 
ministry.  The  attitude  must  be  one  of  accepting  differ- 
ences: "We  differ.  We  differ  with  one  another  on  a  matte 
of  interpretation  of  the  scriptural  meaning  for  our  day." 

It  will  be  difficult  for  the  church  to  move  from  silence 
to  a  more  inclusive  position.  It  was  suggested  that  on  thi 
issue  we  can  expect  help  from  the  gay  community  itself. 
In  the  parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan,  the  church  is  the 
wounded  person.  Excluded  persons  are  the  healers, 
treating  the  festering  wounds  of  hypocrisy.  The  opening 
night  speaker  named  the  challenge  ahead:  "We  are  here 
to  be  the  new  church,  changing  patterns  of  fear  to  love." 

— Fletcher  FARl^\ 


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ut  of  75  years  of  mission  partnership,  a  vital 
young  church  in  Nigeria  has  come  to  hold  a  special 
place  in  the  hearts  of  US  Brethren.  The  assurance 
Paul  gave  to  the  church  at  Ephesus,  "You  are  no 
longer  strangers,"  is  the  message  of  the  church  in 
-   America  for  Ekkleslyar  Yan'uwa  a 
Nigeria  (EYN),  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  Nigeria. 

Resources  for  the  World  Mission 
Offering  on  October  4  recount  the 
courage  of  this  vital,  witnessing 
church.  In  a  climate  of  repression, 
EYN  announces  God's  justice  and 
mercy.  In  a  fractured  society,  EYN 
proclaims  the  unity  Christ  brings 
across  tribes  and  languages.  Amid 
conflicting  interpretations  of  the 
gospel,  EYN  strives  to  be  both  faithful 
to  biblical  teaching  and  relevant  to 
African  culture. 

loin  in  celebrating  75  years  of 
solidarity  with  the  Nigerian  church. 
Assist  EYN  in  training  leaders 
for  a  new  century.  Express  your 
heartfelt  support  with  a  generous 
gift  to  the  World  Mission  Offering. 


World  Mission  Offering 

Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board 


c^  tiniE,  to  Laacjk 

iyaiic98 


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*Mh<H/ntei*e^  at ^icarcincfay 


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n  the  cover:  What  are 
these  people  so  happy 
about?  They're  attend- 
ing the  fourth  National  Older 
Adult  Conference,  sponsored  by 
the  Association  of  Brethren  Care- 
givers, at  beautiful  Lake 
lunaluska,  N.C.  And  they  are 
being  entertained  by  74-year-old 
Merrilyn  Belgum,  who  calls  hersel 
the  Queen  Mother  of  Comedy. 
The  photo  is  by  Nevin  Dulabaum,  manager  of  news  services  for 
the  General  Board.  Nevin  photographed  the  conference  with  a 
digital  camera,  which  uses  a  computer  chip  instead  of  film.  His 
photos  also  appeared  on  the  denomination's  Web  site, 
www.brethren.org. 


10 


14 


21 


24 


Features 

The  spirit  of  the  National  Older 
Adult  Conference 

Nigeria:  No  longer  strangers 

A  tour  group  of  5  1  Church  of  the  Brethren 
members,  many  of  them  former  mission 
workers,  traveled  to  Nigeria  earHer  this 
year  to  help  celebrate  the  75th  anniversary 
of  EYN,  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
Nigeria.  In  a  special  package  of  articles  for 
the  October  World  Mission  emphasis  on 
Nigeria,  Charles  Bieber  chronicles  the  trip, 
and  Donna  Forbes  Steiner  recounts  lasting 
impressions.  Mervin  Keeney  describes  a 
powerful  moment  at  Mason  Technical 
School,  and  Chalmer  Faw  recalls  lessons 
he  has  learned  in  Nigeria. 

When  a  sister  church  has  trouble 

It  called  for  disaster  response  of  a  different 
kind  when  Manchester  Church  of  the 
Brethren  learned  that  a  leader  of  its  sister 
church  in  El  Salvador  had  been  assassi- 
nated. Both  churches  learned  more  about 
what  sisters  are  for. 

Successful  Sunday  school 

When  David  S.  Young  made  a  study  of  the 
characteristics  of  several  successful 
Sunday  schools,  he  found  they  had  12  fac- 
tors in  common.  See  how  many  of  these 
ingredients  are  in  your  church's  Christian 
education  program.  And  how  many  more 
can  vou  add? 


Departments 


2 

From  the  Publisher 

3 

In  Touch 

28 

Letters 

29 

Opinions 

31 

Turning  Points 

32 

Editorial 

October  1998  Messenger  1 


km  tk  PuMiskr 


Anyone  who  gets  involved  in  church  finds  out  that  meetings  are  ubiquitous.  It 
seems  that  just  about  any  tasl<  requires  a  meeting  to  get  it  accomplished. 

Several  years  ago  I  discovered  that  my  life  had  too  many  meetings  when  I  over- 
heard my  two  older  children  play  "going  to  a  meeting."  Whatever  happened  to 
playing  house? 

But  once  in  a  while  a  meeting  is  actually  inspiring.  The  best  meeting  I've  experi- 
enced in  a  long  time  was  the  first  gathering  of  the  Hymnal  Pocket  Series  Committee, 
which  met  in  August  (see  page  8). 

We  began  with  worship.  We  cried  together  over  the  death  the  day  before  of  a  friend 
just  beginning  her  ministry.  We  shared  deeply  about  our  families  and  ourselves.  We 
read  scripture  and  prayed  and  sang  hymns.  (In  fact  we  ended  the  meeting  by  singing 
our  way  through  an  entire  hymnal,  and  I  felt  privileged  to  have  a  job  where  I  can  be 
paid  for  singing  for  two  hours.)  In  these  ways  we  set  the  stage  for  worshipful  work 
carried  out  within  the  context  of  community. 

Our  small  committee  had  a  long  list  of  decisions  that  needed  to  be  made  over  the 
two-day  period.  But  those  tasks  were  accomplished  against  a  backdrop  of  ongoing 
conversation  about  the  meaning  of  worship,  of  community,  of  life  in  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren.  We  chewed  on  the  perennial  question  of  "contemporary"  music  versus 
traditional  music.  What  distinguishes  a  "good"  hymn  from  a  "bad"  hymn?  How  do 
people  evaluate  the  theology  in  their  hymns? 

Underlying  our  work  was  the  conviction  that  worship  is  at  the  center  of  our  life  as 
a  church  and  that  we  cannot  be  truly  faithful  if  we  do  not  take  our  worship  seriously. 
"Good  worship  should  be  our  top  priority,"  says  Marva  |.  Dawn  {Reaching  Out 
without  Diinibiiig  Down),  "since  it  is  the  only  thing  the  Church  does  that  no  one  else 
can  do.  Moreover,  good  worship  is  worth  the  effort — not  only  to  praise  God,  but 
also  to  form  the  character  of  the  believers  and  to  nourish  the  Christian  community." 

When  people  complain  about  the  quality  of  a  worship  service,  perhaps  it  is  because 
the  service  is  not  truly  worshipful.  If  our  worship  services  do  not  help  people 
encounter  God,  then  it  matters  little  whether  they  are  contemporary  or  traditional, 
crowded  or  half-empty. 

What  would  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  look  like  if  all  of  us  put  as  much  energy 
into  our  worship  services  as  we  do  our  committee  meetings?  How  can  we  better  help 
people  encounter  God?  How  can  we  guide  worshipers  into  a  faith  that  is  personal 
without  being  private?  How  can  we  make  sure  that  every  element  of  the  worship 
experience  proclaims  the  true  gospel,  not  some  sugary  substitute? 

Ponder  these  questions  as  you  prepare  your  hearts  for  your  next  worship  service. 
Take  time,  also,  to  send  the  Hymnal  Pocket  Series  Committee  your  suggestions  for 
hymns  whose  art  and  message  connect  the  worshiping  community  with  God. 


2  Messenger  October  1998 


How  to  reach  us 

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Messenger  ii  the  uiiicial  publication  of  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren.  Entered  as  periodical  postage  matter 
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Printed  on  reL-ycled  paper 


Ill  Tom 


Nebraska  Brethren  is  'Up  with  People' 

Genelle  Wine  had  wanted  to  be  part  of  Up  With  People  ever  since  she  heard  them 
give  a  concert  baci<  home  in  Nebraska.  The  fifth  of  six  children  in  a  Brethren  family 
in  the  Enders,  Neb.,  church,  Wine  was  a  sophomore  at  McPherson  College  when  the 
world-traveling  musical  group  gave  a  performance  there  last  spring.  She  applied. 

Out  of  6,000  who  applied,  she  became  one  of  750  accepted  to  join  the  musical  group. 
Genelle  was  excited  and  went  about  campus  singing  the  Up  With  People  theme  song. 
Genelle  reported  to  Up  With  People  in  Denver  this  past  July.  After  six  weeks  she  was 

placed  in  one  of  three  casts.  Two  other  casts  had  been 
deployed  in  [anuary.  All  casts  do  some  international 
traveling  and  Genelle  was  scheduled  to  leave  for  the 
Netherlands,  Sweden,  Denmark,  and  Germany  on  Oct. 
4.  Before  leaving  from  Michigan  for  Europe,  Genelle's 
cast  sang  at  Hays,  Kan.,  as  well  as  her  hometown  of 
Imperial,  Neb. 

The  Up  With  People  program  strives  to  promote  cul- 
tural awareness  and  peace.  Wine,  who  had  never 
traveled  outside  the  US  before,  said,  "I'm  looking  for- 
ward to  learning  about  a  variety  of  cultures."  She  also 
anticipates  being  involved  in  Up  With  People's  service 
projects — working  on  Habitat  houses,  youth  hospices, 
and  homes  for  the  elderly. 

"By  staying  with  80  to  90  host  families  and  being  in 
each  town  three  or  four  days  during  the  10-month  pro- 
•^»v^,/'    ^v    ^^^^^^^m    gram,  I'll  experience  family  life  in  different  cultures," 
\y<*  ^^w    ^^^^^^^H    said  Wine.  By  the  summer  of  1999  Wine  will  definitely 
yT     ^^^7  ^^^^^^^^^^    be  experienced  singing  the  Up  With  People  theme  song. 

— Irene  Shull  Reynolds 


Tragic  accidents  claim 
two  church  leaders 

janelle  Pheasant- Penning- 
ton, a  senior  at  Bethany 
Theological  Seminary, 
Richmond,  Ind.,  died  Aug. 
4  from  injuries  sustained  in 
a  single-car  auto  accident. 
At  the  time  of  the  accident, 
Pennington  was  en  route  to 
The  Brethren's  Home  in 
Greenville,  Ohio,  where  she 
was  serving  as  a  summer 
chaplain. 


A  graduate  of  luniata  Col- 
lege, Huntingdon,  Pa., 
Pennington  was  to  begin  as 
pastor  of  Spring  Run 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  near 
McVeytown,  Pa.,  in  Septem- 
ber. Funeral  services  were  at 
Stone  church,  Huntingdon. 

Harry  L.  Stover,  76,  of 
Dayton,  Va.,  died  Aug.  1 6 
in  a  two-vehicle  crash  in 
which  the  other  driver  was 
also  killed.  News  reports 
said  the  other  driver  had 
apparently  fallen  asleep. 


Stover  was  a  member  of 
Mount  Bethel  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  Dayton, 
where  he  served  on  the 
church  board.  He  had  long 
been  active  in  Gideons 
International,  the  organiza- 
tion known  for  distributing 
Bibles,  and  was  en  route  to 
a  Gideons  prayer  breakfast 
at  the  time  of  his  death. 
Stover's  daughter,  Martha 
S.  Barlow,  of  Dayton,  Va., 
serves  on  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  General  Board. 


October  1998  Messenger  3 


Ill  Toil 


Two  churches  mark 
historic  milestones 

Mount  Pleasant  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  Bremen.  Ind.. 
celebrated  its  150th 
anniversary  |uly  26  with  an 
event  called  "A  Great  Cloud 
of  Brethren  Witnesses." 
Participants  came  as  their 
favorite  Brethren  historical 
person  or  as  a  representa- 
tive of  an  area  in  which 
Brethren  have  offered  mis- 
sion and  service.  Attendees 
also  participated  in  a  love 
feast.  Mount  Pleasant,  the 
mother  church  of  Bremen, 
Camp  Creek,  and  Walnut 
congregations,  also  held  a 


special  worship  celebration 
on  Aug.  9. 

Poplar  Grove  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  4  miles  south- 
east of  Union  City,  Ohio, 
will  celebrate  the  centennial 
of  its  present  building  Oct. 
1 9-25.  There  will  be  preach- 
ing services  nightly, 
Monday- Friday,  a  special 
Sunday  worship  service  and 
dinner,  followed  by  an  after- 
noon service  Oct.  25.  The 
first  church  meeting  house 
was  built  in  1 878,  followed 
by  the  present  building  in 
1898.  Pastor  James  Lucas 
asks  friends  of  the  church  to 
join  the  celebration  and 
bring  photos  and  mementos. 


Blue  River  Church  of  the  Brethren  Youth  Missions  Team, 
from  left:  Adam  Sliively,  fessica  Kreider.  Marl<  Ray.  Rachel 
Frank,  and  Jason  Gipe. 

Indiana  youth  go  to  Ireland 
on  a  mission 

Four  youth  and  one  adult  from  Blue  River  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Columbia  City,  Ind.,  went  to  Northern  Ireland 
for  three  weeks  in  )uly  to  participate  in  a  mission  trip  in  con- 
junction with  Youth  for  Christ's  Project  Serve. 

in  Northern  Ireland  they  stayed  in  the  homes  of  local 
Christian  leaders.  Later  they  went  to  Athy,  in  the  Irish 
Republic,  where  they  assisted  a  local  congregation  and 
youth  ministry  with  an  evangelistic  outreach. 

4  Messenghr  October  1998 


Happy  300th 
birthday  to  the 
Kurtz  organ 

It  was  500  years 
ago  that  a  German 
craftsman  put  the 
followinginscription 
on  his  latest  master- 
piece: "  In  the 
forenoon  of  Sep- 
tember 25,  1698,  I 
lohan  Christoph 
Harttman,  organ 
maker  of  Nurttin- 
gen,  firmly  closed 
this  small  wind 
chest.  May  God 
grant  that  many 
beautiful  and  spiri- 
tual psalms  and  songs  be 
played  and  struck  on  this 
work  to  His  name's  honor." 

Nothing  more  is  known 
about  the  history  of  what 
today  is  known  as  the 
"Kurtz"  organ  until  it 
came  into  the  possession 
of  Henry  Kurtz,  the  19th- 
century  Brethren  leader 
who  is  remembered  as  a 
publisher,  editor,  printer, 
Annual  Meeting  clerk,  and 
minister. 

Today  the  organ  is  in 
the  basement  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren 
General  Offices  in  Elgin, 
111.,  as  part  of  the 
Brethren  Historical 
Library  and  Archives  col- 
lection. A  short 
celebration  of  the  organ's 
500th  anniversary  was 
held  there  on  Sept.  25. 

Holocaust  research 
presented  in  Israel 

Scott  Holland,  pastor  of  the 
Monroeville,  Pa.  congrega- 
tion, was  at  Haifa  University 
in  Israel  during  August  to 


present  a  paper  on  the  Holo- 
caust. His  presentation  was 
based  on  his  research  of 
Dietrich  Bonhoeffer's  experi- 
ence in  New  York  City  and 
how  that  influenced  his  resis- 
tance to  European  fascism 
and  Hitler. 

'Little  Stories'  now 
available  in  Japanese 

Congratulations  to  Donna 
McKee  Rhodes,  pastor  of 
nurture  at  Stone  Church  of 
the  Brethren  in  Hunting- 
don, Pa.  Her  book.  Little 
Stories  for  Little  Children, 
has  just  been  translated  into 
Japanese.  Previously  this 
popular  worship  resource 
was  translated  into  Chinese, 
Thai,  and  Portuguese. 

— Eva  Wamplf:r 

Oldest  bicyclist  for  MS 
gets  media  attention 

Dean  Farringer,  retired 
pastor  and  member  of  the 
Prince  of  Peace  Church  of 
the  Brethren  in  Littleton, 
Colo.,  became  a  media 


celebrity  in  the  Multiple  Scle- 
rosis 1 50  Bicycle  Challenge. 
As  the  oldest  rider,  at  age  78, 
in  the  1 50-mile  bike  ride 
through  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, he  attracted  the 
attention  of  Denver  print  and 
broadcast  journalists.  He  par- 
ticipated in  the  fundraiser  out 
of  concern  for  the  300,000 
people  with  MS,  including  his 
youngest  daughter.  Mary 
Wiens  of  Houston,  Tex.  In  a 
poignant  moment  caught  by  a 
local  television  crew.  Dean 
was  greeted  at  the  finish  line 
by  Mary,  who  had  been  flown 
in  by  her  sisters  as  a  surprise. 
Farringer,  who  has  been 
a  pastor  in  Moscow.  Idaho; 
Fredericksburg,  Iowa;  and 
Lima.  Ohio;  said  his  inspi- 
ration for  biking  through 
the  mountains  was  Isaiah 
40;4;  "Every  valley  shall  be 
lifted  up  and  every  moun- 
tain and  hill  be  made  low; 
the  uneven  ground  shall 
become  level,  and  the 
rough  places  a  plain." 
— Sarah  Leatheraian  Yolng 


Boulder  Hill  gets 
building  "ready  for 
the  future" 

More  than  100  people  came 
to  a  |uly  26  open  house  at 
Boulder  Hill  Neighborhood 
Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Montgomery.  Ilk,  to  cele- 
brate extensive  building 
renovations.  To  accommo- 
date wheelchairs,  an 
automatic  door  opener  was 
installed  and  bathroom  facili- 
ties upgraded.  To  make  room 
for  a  ramp  to  access  the 
chancel  area,  the  old  bap- 
tistry was  removed  and  the 
church  purchased  a  portable 
baptistry  that  can  be  stored 
elsewhere.  Air  conditioning 
was  installed  in  the  sanctu- 
ary, where  walls  were 
painted,  floors  carpeted, 
upholstered  chairs  added, 
and  sound  and  lighting  sys- 
tems enhanced.  "We  are 
ready  for  the  future,"  said 
pastor  Anna  Lee  Hisey  Pier- 
son,  "with  a  building  that  can 
accommodate  all  people." 


Anniversary  gifts  for  Cindy  and  Don  Boo:  Included  a  silver 
chafing  dish. 

'Celebration  of  Booz' 
in  Me  Pile  IS  on,  Kan. 


A  painting  party  at  Boulder  Hill,  with  Cathy  Rienienschncider 
and  Marlee  DeRudder 


Ten  years  of  ministry  to 
one  congregation  and 
25  years  of  marriage — both 
are  cause  for  celebration. 
Recognizing  this,  the 
McPherson  (Kan.)  Church 
of  the  Brethren  honored  its 
pastor,  Don  Booz,  and  his 
wife,  Cindy,  with  a  "Cele- 
bration of  Booz"  (COB) 
Day.  Following  worship, 
Don  and  Cindy  were  called 
to  the  front  of  the  church 
and  treated  to  a  year-by- 
year  review  of  Don's  10 
years  as  pastor.  For  each  of 
the  10  years,  the  Boozes 
receved  a  crisp  $100  bill. 
This  was  followed  by  a 


catered  dinner  and  anniver- 
sary cake.  After  a  serenade 
by  a  strolling  violinist,  Don 
and  Cindy  opened  anniver- 
sary gifts,  and  many  cards 
and  letters.  In  his  words  of 
thanks  to  the  congregation, 
Don  said,  "If  more 
churches  did  this,  there 
would  not  be  a  shortage  of 
pastors  in  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren," 


"In  Touch"  profiles  Brethren 
we  would  like  you  to  meet.  Send 
story  ideas  and  photos  to  "In 
Touch."  Messenger  1451  Dundee 
.Are..  Elgin.  IL  60120. 


October  1998  Messenger  5 


N 


Clintort  urged  to  'Beat  the 
Heat'  of  global  warming 

|udy  Mills  Reimer,  executive  direc- 
tor of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
General  Board,  has  joined  other 
heads  of  communions  in  urging 
President  Clinton  to  sign  the  Kyoto 
Protocol  to  the  Climate  Convention. 


The  229th  Unit  of  Brethren  Volunteer 
Service  was  based  at  Northern 
Colorado  Chureh  of  the  Brethren  for 
its  orientation  July  19  to  Aug.  7,  and 
the  unit  participated  in  National 
Youth  Conference  at  Fort  Collins, 
Colo.  First  row.  from  left:  Lars 
Neumeister,  Amy  Garrison.  Tina 
Rieman  (staff),  Ftelice  Agria. 
Stephanie  Osborne,  Rosita  Huston, 
Debbie  Fleming.  Ginger  Gates, 
Elizabeth  Hernon.  Second  row: 
Stevan  Curcija,  Darryl  Rock.  Sean 
Dell,  Andreas  Peschke,  Sandy  Rock, 
Paul  Tomcho,  Matt  St.  Clair  Third 
row:  Anne  May,  Frank  Klein,  Doug 
Pierce,  Matt  Stauffer  (staff),  Fabian 
Sattler,  Matt  Hershey.  Todd  Reish 
(staff).  Waltraut  Meiners,  Steve 
Wilson,  Greg  Frantz,  Gabe  Garrison. 


The  Kyoto  treaty  calls  for  indus- 
trial nations  to  reduce  emissions  of 
greenhouse  gases,  with  the  United 
States  cutting  1990  levels  by  seven 
percent  over  the  next  1 0  to  15  years. 
Last  year,  US  carbon  dioxide  emis- 
sions were  about  10  percent  higher 
than  1990,  said  David  Radcliff, 
director  of  the  General  Board's 
Brethren  Witness  office. 

"With  five  tons  of  carbon  dioxide 
emissions  per  person  per  year  in  the 
United  States,  our  nation  has  the 
moral  responsibility  to  take  the  lead 
in  curtailing  activities  that  threaten 
the  creation,"  Radcliff  said.  "Many 
scientists  predict  that  the  cycles  of 
floods,  fires,  and  other  natural  disas- 
ters that  we've  seen  of  late  will 
become  standard  fare  in  the  future. 


unless  we  can  reverse  the  process  of 
global  warming." 

While  noting  their  encouragement 
at  the  Clinton  Administration's 
public  comments  concerning  climate 
change,  the  letter  signers  stated, 
"Leadership  from  the  United  States 
is  crucial  for  global  efforts  on  climate 
change  to  be  successful.  Simply  put, 
we  believe  that  the  earth  is  the  Lord's 
and  that  we  as  God's  stewards  must 
care  for  its  well-being." 

A  Beat  the  Heat  packet  to  assist 
congregations  in  taking  steps  to 
combat  global  warming  is  available 
from  the  Brethren  Witness  office. 
Contact  Radcliff  at 
dradcliff_gb(«'brethren.org  or  800- 
325-8039  for  more  information. 

'Servant  church'  is  theme  for 
1999  Annual  Conference 

"Let  the  Servant  Church  Arise!" 
based  on  Luke  10:1-11,  has  been 
chosen  as  the  theme  for  the  2 1 3th 
Church  of  the  Brethren  Annual  Con- 
ference, which  will  be  |une  29-|uly  4, 
1999,  in  Milwaukee. 

This  theme  was  selected  in  August 
during  a  meeting  of  the  Annual  Con- 
ference Program  and  Arrangements 
Committee  at  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  General  Offices,  Elgin,  111. 
Subthemes  for  the  six  worship  ser- 
vices "will  highlight  awakening  to 
leadership,  spiritual  centeredness, 
servant  community,  reconciliation, 
evangelism,  and  empowerment/mis- 
sion," said  Duane  Steiner,  Annual 
Conference  executive  director. 

Specific  scriptures,  preachers,  and 
worship  leaders  for  each  worship 
service  are  still  being  finalized. 
Brethren  artists  are  being  sought  to 
design  the  Annual  Conference  logo. 
Entries  are  due  by  Nov.  5. 

For  details,  contact  the  Annual  Con- 
ference office  at  annualconf@aol.com 
or  at  800-325-8059. 


6  Messenger  October  1998 


Brethren  take  on  medical 
mission  work  with  Clinic  Box 

Districts  surrounding  New  Windsor, 
Md.,  are  being  invited  to  i\ici<  off  a 
pilot  medical  mission  project  this 
fall.  This  Church  ot  the  Brethren 
Clinic  Box  program  will  help  provide 
medicines  and  medical  supplies  to 
clinics  for  the  poor  in  the  Dominican 
Republic. 

Brethren  congregations  are  being 
asked  to  gather  specific  over-the- 
counter  medical  products  and  collect 
funds  to  make  up  part  of  a  Clinic 
Box.  The  remainder  of  the  products 
will  be  added  by  interchurch  Medical 
Assistance,  Inc.,  with  donations  from 
American  pharmaceutical  companies. 
Success  in  the  pilot  program  will 
create  opportunities  to  expand  the 
program  into  other  interested  dis- 
tricts, and  perhaps  into  other 
countries  equally  in  need  of  basic, 
reliable  healthcare  and  quality  med- 
ical products. 

Church  aids  refugees  and 
ships  tons  of  supplies 

Two  Bosnian  refugee  families  were 
resettled  in  August  by  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  Emergency 
Response/Service  Ministries. 

One  family,  with  five  members,  will 
locate  in  the  Annapolis,  Md.,  area. 
The  other,  with  three  members,  will 
be  resettled  in  Thurmont,  Md. 
Through  the  first  seven  months  of 
this  year,  ER/SM  reports  it  has 
resettled  196  refugees  from  14  coun- 
tries. 

ER/SM  also  recently  sent  a  20- 
foot  container  of  medical  supplies 
and  equipment  to  Nairobi,  Kenya,  on 
behalf  of  the  Medical  Benevolence 
Foundation.  Five  40-foot  containers 
that  included  400  rolls  of  plastic 
sheeting,  16,000  five-gallon  water 
containers,  7,200  blankets,  and  320 


tents  were  recently  shipped  to  Guam 
for  the  US  Office  of  Disaster  Assis- 
tance. These  items  will  be  stored  in 
Guam  for  use  in  future  disasters. 

ER/SM  also  sent  a  20-foot  con- 
tainer of  medical  supplies  to  North 
Korea. 

It  has  shipped  out  2,015,000 
pounds  of  blankets;  quilts;  layettes; 
and  health,  cleanup,  and  school  kits, 
at  a  value  of  more  than  $7.5  million. 
These  shipments  were  on  behalf  of 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  and 
Church  World  Service,  Lutheran 
World  Relief,  and  United  Methodist 
Committee  on  Relief. 

ER/SM  has  also  shipped  over 
980,000  pounds  of  medical  supplies, 
valued  at  nearly  $6  million,  for  agen- 
cies such  as  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  and  Interchurch  Medical 
Assistance. 

ABC  and  Brethren  Homes  take 
next  steps  on  collaboration 

The  first  of  several  programs 
designed  by  the  Fellowship  of 
Brethren  Homes  to  help  Brethren 
retirement  communities  develop  a 
collaborative  approach  to  common 
concerns  has  been  announced  by  the 
Association  of  Brethren  Caregivers, 
which  manages  the  Fellowship  as  one 
of  its  ministry  groups. 

The  first  initiative,  the  forming  of  a 
new  core  group  of  collaboration 
advisers,  will  be  followed  by  the 
hiring  of  a  new  staff  position,  a  col- 
laboration consultant,  and  planning 
for  a  new  interactive  communication 
forum. 

These  initiatives  are  a  result  of  rec- 
ommendations from  participants  of 
the  Second  Forum  on  Collaboration, 
a  conference  sponsored  by  the  Fel- 
lowship of  Brethren  Homes  for 
administrators  of  retirement  commu- 
nities and  denominational  leaders, 
which  was  held  May  3-5  at  the  New 


Windsor  (Md.)  Conference  Center. 

The  new  Collaboration  Core 
Group,  which  will  work  to  formalize 
a  structure  for  focusing  on  collabo- 
rative possibilities,  met  Aug.  29-50 
at  Lake  lunaluska,  N.C. 

Future  initiatives  will  include  filling 
a  new  ABC  staff  position  to  provide 
additional  staff  support  for  the  Fel- 
lowship and  its  programs;  retaining 
Michael  Winer,  president  of  Synop- 
tics Inc.  of  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  as  a 
consultant  on  collaboration  efforts; 
and  establishing  an  online  forum  on 
ABC's  Web  site  for  members  to  dis- 
cuss issues  and  pose  questions. 

Emergency  food,  seeds,  tools 
headed  for  southern  Sudan 

With  over  2  million  people  at  risk  of 
starvation  in  southern  Sudan  due  to 
war  and  drought,  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  has  responded  with  a 
$75,000  emergency  appeal. 

This  Global  Food  Crisis  Fund 
effort  will  provide  food  relief,  seeds, 
tools,  and  blankets  to  the  people  of 
the  Blue  Nile  and  Bahr  el  Ghazal 
regions,  where  the  suffering  is  most 
intense. 

This  initiative  is  in  addition  to 
Sudan:  Partnership  for  Peace,  a 
three-year,  $238,000  Church  of  the 
Brethren  effort  to  provide  develop- 
ment aid,  food  for  children,  and 
peace  training  for  the  people  of 
southern  Sudan. 

A  postcard  was  sent  to  every  con- 
gregation in  early  September 
outlining  the  emergency  appeal  and 
inviting  responses  by  Thanksgiving. 
Gifts  can  be  designated  for  Sudan 
Famine  and  sent  to  the  Global  Food 
Crisis  Fund,  1451  Dundee  Ave., 
Elgin,  IL  60120.  Contact  the 
Brethren  Witness  office  for  more 
information  or  for  additional  inter- 
pretive materials. 

•A  $10,000  grant  from  the  Church 


October  1998  Mi:ssenger  7 


of  the  Brethren  Global  Food  Crisis 
Fund  was  made  in  July  for  refugees 
in  Chiapas,  Mexico.  Civil  conflict  in 
areas  populated  by  indigenous  com- 
munities has  temporarily  left  citizens 
unable  to  plant  or  tend  crops.  This 
grant  will  help  provide  corn  and 
beans  for  displaced  people,  feeding 
about  500  people  in  two  displace- 
ment camps  for  the  next  three 
months,  until  harvest  season. 

•A  grant  of  $36,000  from  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  Emergency 
Disaster  Fund  was  made  in  late  |uly 
to  cover  the  work  of  Brethren  Volun- 
teer Service  workers  in  the  former 
Yugoslavia.  There  currently  are  six 
BVSers  in  the  region  and  openings  in 
at  least  four  additional  projects.  The 
mission  of  these  projects  is  to  assist 
local  groups  in  the  pursuit  of  peace 
and  reconciliation. 

Group  seeks  suggestions  for 
new  Hymnal  Pocket  Series 

First  steps  have  been  taken  by 
Brethren  Press  to  produce  a  Hymnal 
Pocket  Series  by  the  summer  of 
2000. 

The  project  resurrects  an  idea  con- 
ceived by  the  hymnal  publishers  — 
that  of  a  series  of  booklets  that  fit 
into  the  pocket  in  the  back  of 
Hymnal:  A  Worship  Book.  A  first  in 
the  series,  Favorite  Gospel  Songs  and 
Hymns,  was  published  in  1992,  but 
the  series  was  never  continued. 

Brethren  Press  plans  to  produce  five 
titles.  The  planning  committee  of 
Nancy  Faus,  Lani  Wright,  Jonathan 
Shively,  and  Wendy  McFadden  held  a 
first  meeting  in  August.  An  advisory 
group  of  some  40  people  is  being 
established  to  provide  broad-based 
input  to  the  selection  of  the  hymns. 

The  committee  is  inviting  all  mem- 
bers of  the  denomination  to  submit 
suggestions  for  hymns  and  songs,  as 
well  as  topics  for  the  booklets.  Sug- 
gestions should  be  sent  by  Nov.  30  to 

8  Messenger  October  1998 


committee  chair  Nancy  Faus,  545  S. 
48th  St.,  Richmond,  IN  47574. 

The  suggestions  should  include  a 
copy  of  the  hymn  and  complete  sup- 
porting information — composer,  text 
writer,  source,  and  copyright  infor- 
mation. Also  include  the  name, 
address,  and  phone  number  of  the 
person  making  the  suggestion. 

The  committee  seeks  hymns  and 
songs  that  are  of  high  quality,  are 
singable  by  congregations,  embody 
Brethren  values,  are  inclusive,  and 
enhance  the  worshiping  community. 

Hymnal:  A  Worship  Book  was  co- 
published  by  Brethren  Press,  Faith  & 
Life  Press,  and  Mennonite  Publish- 
ing House.  The  publishers  are 
currently  preparing  for  a  sixth  print- 
ing of  the  hymnal. 

Miller  Davis  retires;  other 
staff  changes  announced 

Miller  Davis,  manager  of  Emergency 
Response/Service  Ministries  for  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  General 
Board,  has  announced  his  retirement 
effective  Dec.  5  1 . 

Throughout  his  tenure  Davis  has 
worked  at  the  Brethren  Service 
Center  in  New  Windsor,  Md.  After  a 
two-year  stint  as  a  New  Windsor- 
based  Brethren  Volunteer  Service 
worker,  Davis  joined  the  General 
Board  staff  in  1971  as  director  of 
General  Services  in  New  Windsor.  In 
1977  he  became  director  of  Center 
Operations,  duties  he  held  until  |uly 
1997  when  he  became  manager  of 
Emergency  Response/Service  Min- 
istries. 

Among  his  many  ecumenical  activ- 
ities, Davis  represents  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  on  the  board  of  Heifer 
Project  International. 

In  August,  Bonnie  Grady  became 
conference  coordinator  for  the  New 
Windsor  (Md.)  Conference  Center. 
Grady  is  a  graduate  of  Western 
Maryland  College  and  has  worked  at 


Maryland  Public  Television. 

joe  Detrick,  pastor  of  Codorus 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  Loganville, 
Pa.,  began  Oct.  1  as  executive  of 
Southern  Pennsylvania  District.  Det- 
rick previously  pastored  Logansport 
(Ind.)  Church  of  the  Brethren,  and 
served  on  the  General  Board  staff  as 
orientation  director  of  Brethren  Vol- 
unteer Service. 

Dennis  Kingery  has  accepted  the 
position  of  controller/assistant  trea- 
surer for  the  General  Board.  He 
recently  completed  a  two-year 
assignment  for  the  General  Board  at 
Hillcrest  School  in  jos,  Nigeria, 
where  he  taught  business  and 
accounting. 

Kingery  received  his  B.S.  degree 
in  accounting  and  business  finance 
from  McPherson  (Kan.)  College. 
He  has  served  on  his  local  church 
board  and  as  a  volunteer  for  other 
agencies. 

Harvey  Leddy  of  Dayton,  Va.,  and 
Miriam  Copp  of  Richland,  Pa.,  have 
begun  working  as  full-time  educators 
in  Nigeria  on  behalf  of  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  General  Board. 

In  his  salaried  staff  position,  Leddy 
is  teaching  at  Hillcrest  School  in 
|os.  Leddy  and  his  wife  and  their 
infant  daughter  arrived  in  Nigeria  in 
August.  Leddy  is  a  1998  music  edu- 
cation graduate  of  Bridgewater  (Va.) 
College,  and  a  member  of  Bridgewa- 
ter Church  of  the  Brethren. 

Copp  traveled  to  Nigeria  in  |uly  to 
become  the  Church  of  the  Brethren's 
first  teacher  at  the  new  Ekklesiyar 
Yan'uwa  a  Nigeria  (Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  Nigeria)  Comprehensive 
Secondary  School,  adjacent  to  Kulp 
Bible  College  near  EYN  headquarters 
and  close  to  Mubi. 

Copp,  who  took  this  assignment  as 
a  Brethren  Volunteer  Service  worker, 
is  a  1997  graduate  of  Hanover  Col- 
lege. She  is  a  member  of  Little 
Swatara  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Bethel,  Pa. 


aiiii  ii||(i 


Online  services  connect  Brethren 

Here  is  a  guide  to  staying  connected  with  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren  and  its  members  on  the  Internet. 

Web  page.  The  official  Church  of  the  Brethren  Web 
page  is  located  at  http://www.brethren.org.  The 
administrator  is  Nevin  Dulabaum 
(cobnews@aoi.com).  In  addition  to  the 
General  Board,  the  partners 
are  the  Association  of 
Brethren  Caregivers, 
Bethany  Theological 
Seminary,  Brethren 
Benefit  Trust,  and 
Brethren 
Employees 
Credit 

Union.  These 
agencies, 

plus  the  Annual  Confer- 
ence office,  are  all  online 
and  may  be  accessed  by  links  from  the  main 
page. 

An  unofficial  Church  of  the  Brethren  Web  page  is 
located  at  http://www.cob-net.org.  For  more  infor- 
mation, contact  Ron  Gordon  at 
rongordon@cob_net.org. 

Staff  e-mail  addresses.  Most  employees  of  the  Annual 
Conference  office  (AC),  Association  of  Brethren  Care- 
givers (ABC),  Brethren  Benefit  Trust  (BBT),  and  General 
Board  (GB)  have  brethren.org  e-mail  addresses.  A  typical 
address  uses  the  employee's  first  initial  and  complete  last 
name,  followed  by  an  underscore  and  the  abbreviation  of 
the  organization  (noted  above),  followed  by 
@  brethren.org.  General  Board  staff  e-mail  addresses  are 
listed  in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  Yearbook.  BBT 
addresses  are  listed  at  www.brethren.org/bbt/staff.htm. 

On  Earth  Peace  Assembly  can  be  reached  at 
oepa@oepa.org.  OEPAs  Ministry  of  Reconciliation  is  at 
mor@'oepa.org.  OEPAs  Web  page  is  at 
http://www.oepa.org. 

Addresses  at  Bethany  Theological  Seminary  use  up  to 
five  letters  of  a  person's  last  name  and  the  first  two  char- 
acters of  the  first  name,  followed  by  (aearlham.edu. 
Bethany's  general  e-mail  address  is 
be thanysem(o  aol.com. 

E-mail  directory.  A  directory  of  more  than  800 
Brethren  internet  addresses  is  available  at  http://mem- 
bers.aol.com/jeminer/internet.txt.  Those  who  would  like 
a  copy  but  are  unable  to  access  it,  may  send  a  request  to 
cob_list@'bigfoot.com. 

Listservers.  Two  services,  called  listservers,  have  been 


created  by  church  member  Mike  Willoughby.  They  are 
cob-l  tor  general  Brethren  discussion  and  cob-yya  for 
youth  and  young  adult  discussion.  Both  are  now  hosted 
by  Bridgewater  College.  To  join,  send  e-mail 

Iwith  a  blank  subject  to 
J       listserv(o'bridgewater.cdu  and  type  the  fol- 
^m  lowing  in  the  body  of  the  note:  subscribe 

^^       , — -       <list>  <your  name>.  Substitute  cob- 
1  or  cob-yya  for  <list>,  and  your  full 
name  (not  your  e-mail  address)  for  <your 
name>.  Do  not  type  the  <>  characters. 
PORTANT  NOTE:  The  subject  line 
must  be  left  blank  in  all  commands 
sent  to  listserv(5>bridgewater.edu. 
However,  if  your  e-mail  pro- 
gram requires  a  subject  line, 
enter  the  single  character  X. 
For  full  instructions,  send  e- 
mail  with  a  blank  subject  to 
lis  tserv(a)bridgewa  ter.edu 
and  type  the  following  com- 
mand in  the  body  of  the 
message:  help. 
History  and  genealogy.  To 
subscribe  to  a  Brethren  history  and 
genealogy  listserver,  send  e-mail  to 
brethren-request@'rootsweb.com  and  place  the  following  in 
the  body  of  the  message:  subscribe.  Send  messages  to 
brethren@'rootsweb.com.  For  more  information,  contact  )oe 
Bosserman  at  joe.boss@'erinet.com.  The  home  page  for  the 
Fellowship  of  Brethren  Genealogists  is 
http://www.cob-net.org/fobg/. 

The  Brethren  colleges  web  page,  which  includes  links  to 
the  colleges  associated  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
may  be  found  at 
http://www.brethren.org/genbd/relcol.htm. 


Women's  sermons  requested 

Church  of  the  Brethren  women  are  invited  to  submit  up  to 
three  sermons  to  the  Sermons  of  Women  Project,  an 
effort  to  publish  a  collection  of  sermons  by  Brethren 
women.  Mail  submissions  by  Nov.  30  to  Sermons  of 
Women,  Bethany  Theological  Seminary,  615  National 
Road  West,  Richmond,  IN  47374.  Include  name,  address, 
phone  number,  and  e-mail  address;  scripture  and  version 
of  the  Bible  used;  season  of  the  church  year  or  ritual  for 
which  the  sermon  was  written;  bibliographic  citations  for 
any  quotes,  illustrations,  or  references  to  other  published 
writings:  the  location,  date,  and  occasion  or  situation  for 
which  the  sermon  was  preached. 


October  1998  Mhssenger  9 


i'X^i!^ 


1' 


OX  Eijsxutkina 


E%E  L±  a  ±sa±on 


Walter  J.  Burghardt  of  Wushiiigtoii.  DC.  led  tnoming  Bible 
study:  "The  practice  of  Biblical  justice  was  an  exercise  of  love. 


The   spirit   of   IMO/XC    l\/ 


Stcary    kDy    Fletcher    Farrar 
NO/\C    phcstos    fc)y    Nevin    Dulaloaum 


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10  Messenger  October  1998 


Ventriloquist  Steve  Engie  and  his  buzzard  "Buzz"  delighted  NOACers  with  liis  inixed-up  l^nowledge  of  the  Bible. 


^__/JjlQv  four  days  at  the  National 
— '/'older  Adult  Conference  you 
;an  feel  what  it  means  to  say  yes  to 
/ears.  There  is  a  spirit  here  that 
jutumn  of  life  is  a  fine  season,  not 
without  storms  and  cold  days,  but 
generally  sunny,  crisp,  and  colorful. 
t"s  no  longer  what  you  own  that's 
mportant,  but  who  you  are. 

"As  we  grow  older,  we  have  less  to 
Drove  to  others,"  said  one  speaker, 
'and  more  to  learn  about  ourselves." 

"I  am  no  longer  what  1  do,"  said 
mother  speaker.  "I  am  who  I  am." 

The  flowered  shores  of  Lake 
unaluska.  watched  over  by  North 
Carolina's  Smoky  Mountains, 
ittracted  1,010  Brethren  to  this 
ourth  biennial  NOAC.  The  event, 
iponsored  by  the  Association  of 
Brethren  Caregivers,  has  grown  each 
ime,  beginning  with  621  registered 
or  the  first  one  in  1992.  Many  of 
hose  who  came  this  year  were 
•eturning  for  the  second,  third,  or 
"ourth  time.  A  reunion  with  friends 
n  a  beautiful  setting,  a  leisurely 
jace,  a  program  of  thoughtful  speak- 
ers and  entertainment,  and 
ipirit-filled  worship.  What  more 
;ould  seniors  want?  'Tt's  just  like 
\nnual  Conference  without  the 
/oting,"  said  one. 

There  was  laughter  all  around, 
v^ideo  announcements,  by  David  Sol- 
enberger,  Larry  Click,  and  Chris 
Brown,  chronicled  the  exploits  of  a 
arge  talking  bottle  named  Bob.  One 
light  by  74-year-old  standup  comic 
VIerriiyn  Belgum,  who  calls  herself 
he  National  Older  American  Act, 


When  "paper  plate  aerobics"  were  led 
by  Gayle  Appel  Doll .  .  . 


...  an  enthusiastic  crowd  Juuiid  the 
plates  could  be  used  for  something 
more  healthful  than  hot  dogs. 


had  many  wisecracks.  She  joked 
about  marriage:  "My  husband  used 
to  be  romantic  before  we  got  mar- 
ried." And  adult  children  who  come 
back  to  live  at  home:  "1  told  my  son, 
T'm  downsizing.  I'm  afraid  I'm 
going  to  ha\'e  to  let  you  go.  This  is 
the  end  of  welfare  as  you  know  it." 
And  what's  going  on  in  Washington: 
"I'm  peeved.  I  checked  and  there  was 
not  one  White  House  intern  over  the 
age  of  74." 

When  Belgum  turned  serious,  it 
was  about  being  funny. "We  must 
breathe  in  the  humor  of  our  life  situ- 
ation," she  said.  "It  shelters  us  from 
the  wall  of  darkness.  Humor  is  a 
prayer  because  it  helps  us  see  our- 
selves as  human  beings.  When  I'm 
laughing  I  feel  close  to  God." 

There  were  other  serious  issues. 
Andrew  Anchenbaum.  a  University  of 
Michigan  professor  who  specializes 
in  issues  of  aging,  reminded  those 
attending  NOAC  that  the  nation  has 
left  unanswered  many  serious  public 
policy  questions  involving  aging, 
notably  health  care  and  Social  Secu- 
rity. "The  advocacy  situation  is 
critical,"  he  said.  "This  group 
deserves  a  place  at  the  table  when 
these  issues  are  decided." 

Father  Walter  |.  Burghardt.  a  Jesuit 
theologian  from  Washington,  D.C., 
began  each  morning  with  his  Bible 
study  lectures,  which  were  eloquent 
reflections  on  the  conference  theme 
in  Ecclesiastes  5,  "For  everything 
there  is  a  season.  .  .  ." 

He  talked  about  the  need  for 
Christians  to  "love  the  stranger"  as 


October  1998  Messenger  11 


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lesus  loved  the  Samar- 
itan woman  at  the  well 
in  lohn  4.  "The  mira- 
cle of  lacob's  well 
continues  through  you 
and  me.  Today,  if  you 
hear  God's  voice, 
harden  not  your 
hearts.  Go  out  and 
spread  Christ's  love  to 
the  stranger,  so  that 
ultimately  there  will  be 
no  strangers." 

This  was,  of  course, 
a  group  that  has  been 
spreading  Christ's  love 
in  many  ways  for  many 
years.  It  was  impres- 
sive to  meet  at  the 
meal  table  one  day  a 
former  general  secre- 
tary and  then  a  retired 
seminary  professor  the 
next.  One  meal  part- 
ner had  served  1  5 
years  on  the  General 
Board  staff,  and 
another  as  missionary 
to  India.  There  was 
much  to  learn  from  a 
retired  district  executive,  a  former 
moderator,  a  chaplain,  a  retired  col- 
lege professor. 

Though  many  here  had  called  a 
halt  to  their  formal  employment  and 
busy  careers,  they  were  actively  serv- 
ing God  in  other  ways,  often  as 
volunteers.  "We  have  an  obligation 
to  stay  active,"  one  speaker  exhorted. 
"We  can't  afford  to  be  sponges." 

And  while  NOACers  were  happy  to 
share  the  wisdom  gained  from  their 
experience,  they  were  careful  not  to 
glorify  the  past.  I  heard  one  man  in 
his  90s  admonish  a  friend  who  had 


Early  morning  t-jUiei  by  tlu-  Like  piu\  ult-d  spiritual  refreshment 
Reiclieiibuch  of  Freeport.  Mich. 

started  going  on  about  "the  good  old 
days":  "We  mustn't  overplay  our  his- 
tory," he  said,  "or  we'll  get  too 
negative  about  the  future." 

I  heard  no  pessimistic  conversa- 
tions about  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  but  then  I  heard  few  talk- 
ing about  denominational  business  at 
all.  Most  talk  centered  instead  on 
local  congregations,  things  like  the 
search  for  a  new  pastor,  or  the  wel- 
come new  crop  of  young  families  to 
carry  on  the  work.  I  began  to  wonder 
if  there  is  a  lack  of  interest  in 
denominational  affairs,  so  1  dropped 


by  the  late-night  ses- 
sion about  the  future 
of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  The  large 
room  was  packed  with 
perhaps  300  obviously 
interested  seniors. 

The  program,  titled 
"Looking  Ahead  and 
Moving  On,"  was  a 
panel  comprising 
leaders  of  the  Annual 
Conference,  General 
Board,  Association  of 
Brethren  Caregivers, 
On    Earth  Peace 
Assembly,  Bethany 
Seminary,  and 
Brethren  Benefit 
Trust.  They  discussed 
the  denomination's 
emerging  organiza- 
tional structure  and 
fielded  questions, 
rhough  the  church 
leaders  were  cautious 
in  their  answers  to 
some  questions  and 
said  they  didn't  know 
the  answers  to  others, 
many  in  the  room  came  away  saying 
they  were  reassured  that  the  denomi- 
nation is  in  capable  hands. 

It  was  this  perspective  of  letting  go 
while  staying  involved,  of  caring 
about  issues  while  caring  about 
people  more,  that  characterized  the 
older  adults  at  Lake  Junaluska. 

At  the  closing  worship  service,  sev- 
eral were  asked  to  share  their 
reflections.  Ray  Sollenberger  of 
Everett,  Pa.,  said  he  was  inspired  and 
challenged  by  the  conference  to  be 
more  vocal  about  his  love  for  God.  "I 
am  reminded  of  a  line  in  Fiddler  on 


for  Paidette 


12  Messenger  October  1998 


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Raymond  Petets,  fanner  general  secretary 
of  the  General  Board,  explains  a  point  to 
Loyce  Borgniann.  coordinator  of  the 
General  Board's  Washington  Office, 
during  the  inaugural  ABC  Resource  Fair 
Peters,  92.  ofSebring,  Fla..  was  one  of 
several  attendees  over  90  years  old. 


"Looking  Ahead  and  Moving  On"  was  the  billing  for  this  panel  of  church  leaders, 
who  fielded  ijuestions  from  a  large  late-night  crowd  with  keen  interest  in  the 
future  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 


the  Roof,  when  Tevye  asked  his  wife 
Goida,  'Do  you  love  me?' 

'■'Do  I  what?  For  25  years  I've 
milked  your  cow,  washed  your 
clothes,  cooked  your  meals.  .  .  ."" 

"The  point  is,"  said  Sollenberger, 
"we  can  reflect  our  experience  here  by 
our  living.  But  I  hope  we  will  not  miss 
the  added  joy  that  can  be  ours  by  shar- 


Brethrening 


$^. 


ing  our  week  with  others  back  home." 

Alice  Golden,  of  Girard,  111.,  said 
she  felt  lucky.  "I  feel  lucky  to  have 
walked  the  Lake  lunaluska  path,  and 
to  have  witnessed  the  wonderful 
hills,  the  dark  tree  silhouettes,  and 
the  rising  mists  against  the  pinks  of 
the  morning.  And  i  feel  lucky  to  have 
experienced  the  community  of  the 


week  with  you  all." 

Earle  Fike,  Ir.,  of  Bridgewater,  Va., 
said,  "No  business  was  conducted,  and 
that  was  wonderful.  I  remember  the 
sounds  of  frogs  and  crickets,  and  the 
soft  murmur  of  conversations  that  were 
unfinished,  and  that  was  peaceful." 

He  concluded,  "It  rarely  gets     rzri 
any  better  than  this."  1 — J 


Church  treasurers,  here's  an  idea 

Upon  learning  of  plans  for  the  official  closing  of  the 
South  Whitley  (Ind.)  Church  of  the  Brethren,  Vernon  H. 
Stinebaugh  of  York,  Pa.,  who  had  pastored  the  South 
Whitley  congregation  for  a  total  of  23  years  in  two  difler- 
ent  terms  of  service,  contributed  several  memories, 
including  this: 

The  church  had  been  involved  in  the  General  Board 
project  called  the  "Micah  Mission."  At  one  of  the  church 


board  meetings  the  treasurer.  Donna  Patrick,  had  just 
given  her  report  and  asked  if  there  were  any  questions. 
When  someone  on  the  board  asked  if  all  the  bills  had  been 
paid  to  date.  Donna  replied,  "All  exept  Micah  Mission." 
The  pastor  quickly  quipped,  "I  didn't  know  the  treasurer 
got  a  commission." 


Messenger  uwuli/  l/kc  in  liulilhh  otitcr  simrt.  colorful,  luimoroiis  or  /loigiiiiiil  slories  of  rcil-lifc 
incidents  involving  Brclhrcu.  I'lcnc  h-iiiI  your  siilftnisiio'i  lo  Ml  ssEN*..!  u.  J -1 51  Dundee  Am:. 
Elgin.  IL  60I20-I6'J-I  or  e-in,iil  lo  llie  cdiliir  al  ffiirmr_gh<S>l>relhren.org. 


October  1998  MhSSENGiiR  13 


The  Nigeria  Jubilee  tour 

Celebrating  75  years  of  successful  partnership  in  ministry 


Thirty-one  Brethren  jruin  the  US.  including  nniiiy  former  inissiun  workers,  traveled  to  Nigeria  for  the  EYN  anniversary 
celebration  in  March. 


BY  Charles  Bieber 

So  then  you  are  no  longer 
strangers  and  aliens,  but  you  are 
citizens  with  the  saints  and  also  mem- 
bers of  the  household  of  God.  .  .  ." 

It  was  this  verse  from  Ephesians 
2: 1 9  which  Stover  Kulp  and  Albert 
Helser  used  in  the  first  Christian 
worship  service  in  Garkida,  March 
1  7,  1 923.  It  is  also  the  verse 
inscribed  in  English  and  Hausa  on  a 
monument  under  the  tamarind  tree 
where  that  first  service  took  place. 
Out  of  that  beginning,  the  first  four 
converts  would  be  baptized  four 
years  later. 

In  front  of  that  same  tamarind  tree 
and  monument,  a  tour  group  of  5  1 
persons  from  the  United  States 
joined  the  Ekklesiyar  Yanu'wa  a 
Nigeria  (EYN— Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  Nigeria)  on  March  17, 
I  998,  for  a  six-hour  service  to  cele- 
brate their  Diamond  jubilee.  The 

14  Messenger  October  1998 


o  longer 
strangers 

About  the  articles:  October 
is  the  month  congregations 
will  be  highlighting  the 
World  Mission  Offering, 
which  supports  the  global 
mission  partnerships  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  The 
focus  of  this  year's  offering 
is  the  ministry  of  Ekklesiyar 
Yan'uwa  a  Nigeria  (EYN), 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
in  Nigeria,  which  this  year 
celebrated  75  years  of  part- 
nership with  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren.  As  part  of  that 
focus,  Mt^ssENGER  presents 
a  group  of  four  articles  on 
the  work  for  Christ  in  Nige- 
ria: "No  longer  strangers." 


celebration  was  marked  by  praise  of 
God  for  this  "thing  of  wonder,"  by 
gratitude  to  the  mission  workers 
whom  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
had  shared  across  the  years,  by  a 
pervasive  sense  of  satisfaction  for  all 
that  God  has  done  through  that 
church,  and  by  excited  anticipation 
of  all  the  church  is  yet  to  be. 

it  was  also  marked  by  the  warm 
welcome  extended  to  the  tour  group. 
it  was  poignantly  clear  that  Nigerian 
brothers  and  sisters  felt  just  as  much 
joy  at  the  presence  of  these  guests  as 
the  guests  felt  to  be  there,  not  simply 
because  there  were  reunions  with  old 
friends,  but  also  because  these  guests 
loved  people  and  church  enough  to 
want  to  be  there. 

The  tour  had  been  a  dream  of 
Monroe  Good  and  me,  missionaries 
to  Nigeria  in  the  distant  past,  with 
Good  as  the  prime  mover  and  me  the 
support.  Twenty-three  of  the  group 
had  been  missionaries  or  were  the 


children  of  missionaries,  one 
was  a  former  workcamper,  two 
had  previously  visited  Nigeria 
to  congratulate  and  encourage 
the  women  of  the  church,  and 
five  were  first-time  visitors. 
Although  all  were  warmly 
received,  the  warmest  greet- 
ings came  to  Mary  Dadisman, 
nurse,  teacher,  administrator, 
deeply  loved  and  fondly 
remembered  by  the  many 
whose  lives  she  had  touched 
[see  sidebar  page  16]. 


The  journey  before 
Jubilee 

Already  the  guests  had  spent  1 2  days 
in  the  country,  visiting  local  churches, 
observing  Nigerian  culture,  meeting 
government  officials,  experiencing  the 
richest  imaginable  welcome,  enjoying 
seven  overnight  visits  in  Nigerian 
homes,  and  learning  to  understand 
and  appreciate  EYN. 

They  had  visited  the  ugliest  church 
any  of  them  could  remember,  a 
building  with  walls  of  reclaimed 
roofing  metal,  unpainted,  undeco- 
rated,  unidentified.  Inside,  they 
found  the  church  comfortable  and 
the  700  people  enthusiastic.  They 
learned  that  the  original  church  there 
in  Kano  had  been  twice  burned  by 
Muslims  and  once  bulldozed  by  the 
government,  possibly  as  an  eyesore. 
Rebuilt,  it  can  hold  1,500  worship- 
pers on  a  Sunday,  has  planted  three 
other  new  congregations  in  the  area, 
and  looks  forward  to  a  new  location 
and  a  new  building.  Ugly?  Not  in  the 
eyes  of  God. 

The  tour  group  had  also  visited  the 
Suleja  church,  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
nation's  capital,  Abuja,  and  enjoyed  a 
"launching,"  a  Nigeria-style  fund 
drive  to  complete  and  equip  the  build- 
ing. They  had  worshiped  in  the  Abuja 
church,  set  in  the  area  of  the  Federal 
Capital  Territory  reserved  for  religious 
groups.  The  area  is  filled  with  build- 
ings for  worship,  so  close  together  as 
to  be  almost  inaccessible,  and  cur- 
rently with  no  street  arrangement.  The 
Abuja  brothers  and  sisters  showed  the 
new  site  they  have  obtained,  in  a  desir- 
able location,  where  they  have  begun  a 
building  that  will  eventually  cost 


The  present  church  at  Abuja. 


nearly  $2  million. 

From  Abuja  the  group  had  traveled 
to  |os.  where  the  Brethren  had  estab- 
lished Hillcrest  School,  originally  for 
missionary  children,  but  now  with  a 
wide-ranging  student  body.  Arriving 
at  the  |os  church,  the  guests  had 
been  engulfed  by  a  welcoming  crowd 
with  smiling  faces,  singing  voices, 
clasping  hands,  and  hugging  arms. 
During  their  |os  visit,  they  learned 
that  the  district,  new  in  the  last  10 
years,  has  more  than  5,000  members 
and  a  dozen  preaching  points. 

The  tour  also  included  a  visit  to  the 
Theological  College  of  Northern 
Nigeria,  which  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Mission  and  seven  other 
churches  and  missions  had  estab- 
lished in  1959. 

Then  had  come  a  visit  to  Maiduguri, 
capital  of  Borno  Province  and  site  of 
the  first  city  church  of  EYN.  Estab- 
lished in  the  early  1980s  as  the  result 
of  the  dream  of  a  dozen  men  whose 
work  was  in  that  city,  the  Maiduguri 
church  is  the  largest  Brethren  church 
in  the  world,  has  regular  Sunday  atten- 
dance of  about  4,000,  and  has 
established  10  other  congregations  in 
the  area.  The  district  has  more  than 
10,000  members.  Following  the  Maid- 
uguri example,  city  churches  have  also 
been  planted  in  Yola,  Kano,  Kaduna, 
Abuja,  |os,  Sokoto,  Zaria,  Lagos,  Port 
Harcourt,  and  others,  covering  the 
entire  country. 

Next  was  a  visit  to  the  Creative 
Arts  College  of  the  University  of 
Maiduguri,  where  EYN  member 
Nggida  Gadzama,  who  had  just  com- 


pleted a  five-year  term  as  vice 
chancellor,  brought  gifts  of 
small  clay  pots  marked  "EYN 
75." 

From  there  the  tour  group 
had  motored  to  EYN  head- 
quarters and  Kulp  Bible 
College.  They  had  traveled 
through  territory  earlier  served 
by  the  Basel  Mission  (of 
Switzerland  and  Germany), 
since  1 963  a  full  partner  with 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
and  the  Brethren  Church.  At 
headquarters  they  had  learned 
of  the  continuation  of  pro- 
grams originally  begun  by  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  Mis- 
sion: the  rural  health  program  known 
as  Lafiya,  well  digging,  rural  develop- 
ment, and  Kulp  Bible  School  (now 
Kulp  Bible  College). 

They  had  also  heard  of  programs 
new  or  expanded:  Theological  Edu- 
cation by  Extension,  a  kind  of  roving 
college:  the  Mason  Technical  School; 
a  vigorous  literacy  program;  the 
Comprehensive  Secondary  School; 
evangelism  among  the  Fulani  people 
and  in  Mulgwe;  and  five  district 
Bible  schools.  On  the  second  week- 
end, visits  were  made  to  churches  at 
Lassa,  Yola,  and  Wandali. 


Celebration  day 

On  to  Garkida,  where  Celebration 
Day  dawned  warm  and  sunny. 
Arrivals  at  the  seats  set  up  near  the 
tamarind  tree  found  the  crowd — 
which  would  exceed  5,000 — already 
gathering.  The  program  was  con- 
ducted in  both  English  and  Hausa, 
and  was  easy  to  follow. 

Dignitaries —  in  particular  tradi- 
tional rulers,  government  officials, 
and  military  administrators,  about  20 
of  them — arrived  in  their  chauffeur- 
driven  autos.  Ordained  ministers  of 
EYN,  in  pale  blue  robes  and  carrying 
briefcases  that  had  just  been  pre- 
sented to  them,  followed  EYN 
president  Bitrus  Kwaghui  Tizhe  and 
vice  president  Karagama  Apagu 
Gadzama  in  an  impressive  proces- 
sion. The  special  dignitaries  were 
introduced  and  a  welcome  extended 
to  the  tour  group. 

The  Zamuntar  Mattan  Ekklesiya 


October  1998  Messenger  15 


(Association  of  Women  of  the 
Church)  from  Garkida  and  from  the 
whole  of  EYN,  sang  in  their  stirring, 
rhythmic  fashion.  Their  presence  was 
a  reminder  that  ahiiost  hah'  of  the 
EYN  members  are  women,  who  are  a 
powerful  evangehstic  force.  Other 
musical  groups  sang,  notably  a  group 
of  young  men  and  women  and  the 
EYN  national  choir.  The  Boys 
Brigade,  Girls  Life  Brigade,  technical 
school  students,  and  Comprehensive 
Secondary  School  Students, 
marched  and  sang.  Speakers 
reviewed  the  history  of  EYN  and 
noted  the  church's  broad  current 
intluence,  as  well  as  pointing  into  the 
future.  A  new  book,  The  Progressive 
History  of  the  Ekklesiyur  Yunu  'wa  A 
Nigeria,  by  five  EYN  authors,  was 
officially  "launched."  Finally,  dances 
from  their  tribal  traditions  were  per- 
formed by  groups  from  several 
nearby  villages. 

Official  greetings  to  the  assembly 
were  brought  by  Wilhelm  Scheydt  of 
Basel  Mission.  I  read  the  official 
letter  of  greeting  from  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Annual  Conference  moder- 
ator Elaine  Sollenberger,  interim 
executive  director  loseph  Mason, 
and  director  of  Global  Mission  Part- 
nerships Mervin  Keeney.  Personal 
gifts  to  each  of  the  tour  group  were 
presented  by  EYN  and  by  the  tradi- 
tional ruler,  the  head  of  the  Garkida 
District.  Out  of  appreciation  for 


Friends  reunited:  Bonnie  Bieber 
Corcoran,  left,  and  Maria  Bieber  Abe 
witli  Paul  Gadzama.  whom  the 
Biebers  had  known  during  their 
growing-up  years  in  Nigeria. 

founder  Stover  Kulp  and  his  wife, 
Christine,  the  assemblage  honored 
their  daughter,  Naomi  Kulp  Keeney, 
who  had  been  born  at  Lassa,  receiv- 
ing her  greetings  and  presenting  her 
with  a  decorated  cake. 

In  his  address  reviewing  the  years 
from  1923  to  date,  Musa  Mambula 
also  pointed  to  the  future.  "The  1997 


church  statistics,"  he  reported,  "have 
revealed  to  us  that  from  1973  until 
now,  ordained  ministers  have  risen 
from  51  to  230,  and  with  others 
approved,  soon  to  be  252.  The  dis- 
tricts have  risen  from  6  to  36, 
communicant  members  from  18,000 
to  1 40,000,  while  the  average  wor- 
shipers on  Sundays  has  risen  from 
40,000  to  240,000  with  about  1 ,070 
preaching  points  from  the  earlier  430." 

He  added:  "The  EYN  now  has  a 
new  vision  of  looking  into  the  possibil- 
ity to  extend  her  evangelistic  outreach 
to  neighboring  countries  like 
Cameroon,  Chad,  Niger,  and  Ghana." 

"No  longer  strangers  and  aliens,  but 
you  are  citizens.  ..."  The  Diamond 
jubilee  Anniversary  Celebration 
praised  God  for  EYN's  beginnings,  75 
years  ago,  but  recognized  that  the  real 
beginning  was  with  a  crucified  and 
resurrected  Savior.  Today  is  the  begin- 
ning, it  may  very  well  be  that  the  verse 
which  describes  EYN  in  years  ahead 
will  suggest  that  they  want  to  fulfill 
another  favorite  Kulp  verse,  that  of 
Christine:  "...  for  the  earth  will  be  full 
of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the 
waters  cover  the  sea" 
(Isa.  I  1:9b). 


^< 


Cliartefi  Bieber.  of  Ephrata,  Pa.,  served  as  a 
missionary  to  Nigeria  from  1950  to  1963.  imrl^- 
iiig  primarily  in  Garicida  and  Lassa.  Since  then 
lie  has  served  as  pastor  and  district  executive  and 
was  .Annual  Conference  moderator  in  1977. 


Fond  greetings  for  Mary  Dadisman 


She  came  to  Nigeria  for  the  first  time  in  October  1941 . 
Mary  N.  Dadisman  started  her  work  there  in  Garkida, 
where  she  combined  study  of  the  Bura  language  with 
nursing  at  the  Ruth  Royer  Kulp  Memorial  Hospital.  Her 
genuine  love  of  people  combined  with  her  skills,  how- 
ever, and  Mary's  missionary  career  included  teaching 
and  administration  as  well  as  hospital  work. 

Mary  was  the  first  teacher  at  Hillcrest  School  when  it 
opened  in  1942  for  the  children  of  missionaries,  and  is 
still  remembered  fondly  by  early  students.  She  also 
served  for  a  time  as  the  principal  of  Waka  Teacher  Train- 
ing School.  She  was  frequently  elected  to  the  mission's 
field  committee,  which  was  administratively  responsible 
for  the  work  of  the  mission  in  Nigeria.  On  occasion  she 
would  speak  in  the  Garkida  church,  and  from  time  to 


time  would  be  the  leader  in  the  station  prayer  meetings. 

Most  of  Mary's  ministry,  however,  was  in  the  hospital, 
briefly  at  Lassa  but  generally  at  Garkida.  A  registered 
nurse,  she  also  had  special  training  in  midwifery.  She 
gave  of  herself  so  freely  and  lovingly,  as  well  as  skillfully, 
that  she  touched  hundreds  of  lives. 

One  of  the  tour  group  to  celebrate  the  Diamond 
lubilee  of  Christian  ministry,  Mary  was  the  one  most 
frequently  sought  and  most  fondly  greeted  by  Nigerian 
brothers  and  sisters.  Former  patients  and  former  hospi- 
tal workers  expressed  deep  appreciation  and  warm 
welcome.  The  way  she  had  affected  the  lives  of  so  many 
persons  became  clear  to  others  in  the  tour  group,  and 
we  recognized  that  in  her  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
had  their  own  Mother  Teresa.  — Charles  Bieber 


1 6  Messenger  October  1 998 


Icons,  images,  impressions  Vj 

Tour  members  recount  meaningful  moments  in  Nigeria  P^l 


Children  greet  the  US  tour  group  at  the  Lassa  EV'/V  church. 


BY  Donna  Forbes 
Steiner 

Do  you  really  want  to  travel  to 
Nigeria?"  "Isn't  that  a  Third 
World  country?"  "Won't  it  have 
changed?"  "Do  you  need  inocula- 
tions?" 

"Yes"  was  my  answer  to  each  of 
those  questions.  But  still  the  yearning 
to  go  was  compelling.  And  there  were 
months  of  preparation.  But  the  great- 
est preparation  was  preparation  of 
the  heart. 

Still  vivid  were  my  memories  of 
Nigeria  and  Hillcrest  School  in  (os 
38  years  ago,  when  I  served  25 
months  in  Brethren  Volunteer  Ser- 
vice. I  struggled  to  preserve  the 
longtime  images  and  to  prepare  for 
the  inevitable  changes.  As  I  desired  to 
cling  to  my  wonderful  memories  of 
experiences,  beauty,  and  relation- 
ships, I  knew  in  my  heart  I  needed  to 
make  room  for  new  impressions.  Had 
I  made  an  idol  of  all  that  was  before 


and  could  not  still  be?  Or  could  I  still 
look  at  my  mementos  of  that  earlier 
time  — tiny  thorn  carvings  and  a 
carved  ivory  tusk —  and  remember? 

Madeleine  L'Engle  defines  an  icon 
as  "something  through  which  I  can 
look  and  get  a  wider  glimpse  of 
God."  For  me  these  mementos  — 
carefully  selected  and  for  which  I 
ruthlessly  bargained —  along  with  the 
precious  memories,  help  me  see  God. 

When  I  returned  to  Nigeria  last 
March  with  a  tour  group  of  3  1 
Brethren,  I  did  observe  many 
changes.  I  shed  tears  over  lack  of 
recognition  of  the  Hillcrest  School 
compound  I  had  grown  to  love, 
because  it  is  now  a  government-oper- 
ated school,  and  much  different  from 
when  I  worked  there  years  ago.  I 
struggled  to  survive  in  the  dry  atmos- 
phere. 

But  I  came  away  with  a  new  icon.  I 
will  always  treasure  the  batik  table- 
cloth and  napkins  made  by  Rebecca 
Samuel  Dali,  a  preacher  and  teacher. 


and  my  newfound  friend  and  sister  in 
Christ.  It  is  an  "open  window"  help- 
ing me  glimpse  the  beauty  of  God 
through  the  potential  of  a  woman  of 
leadership,  example,  and  faith.  [For 
more  on  Rebecca,  see  "Is  Sarah 
Major  alive  and  well  and  living  in 
Nigeria?"  November  1996.] 

Travel  to  Nigeria  elicited  many 
wonderful  stories  to  be  relived, 
retold,  and  told  in  new  ways.  The 
story  theme  is  common  to  Americans 
and  Nigerians  alike,  to  the  "sea- 
soned" missionary  and  the 
short-term  volunteer  of  a  few  weeks 
or  a  few  years. 

For  Irene  Bollinger  of  Manheim, 
Pa.,  this  trip  fulfilled  a  dream  of  trav- 
eling to  the  "mission  field."  For 
others  it  was  the  first  experience  of 
traveling  to  a  Third  World  country. 
Some  traveled  to  glimpse  the  country 
and  its  beauty,  the  people  and  their 
uniqueness,  the  church  and  its  vital- 
ity. For  most  in  our  group  this  was  a 
memorable  return  visit,  even  a 

October  1998  Messenc;!  R  17 


llElLIVUIII4IPll«Ua 


"return  home." 

Here  are  the  reflections  of  three 
members  of  our  travel  group: 


Celia  Shankster 

Cclia  Shankster.  of  Roann,  Ind,,  who 
served  the  people  in  Nigeria  for  42 
years,  recalls  our  reception  at  EYN 
headquarters: 

"The  president  of  EYN,  Bitrus  Kwaji 
Klwajigwhi  Tizhe;  the  vice  president  of 
EYN,  Karagama  Gadzama;  and  the 
secretary  general  of  EYN,  Bitrus 
Bdliya,  were  all  on  hand  to  greet  us  on 
our  arrival  at  the  offices  and  to  make  us 
feel  welcome.  We  received  information 
from  the  heads  of  each  of  10  depart- 
ments. 

"The  Rural  Development  Program  of 
Agriculture  has  encouraged  various 
women's  groups  to  grow  soybeans,  and 
this  has  become  a  cash  crop  for  them. 
A  revolving  loan  fund  for  women  is 
working  well.  We  rejoice  in  the  growth 
of  the  church:  132,000  in  1997;  now 
over  140,000  communicant  members 
in  1998.  We  thrilled  at  reports  of  out- 
reach to  new  tribes  around  Abuja,  the 
hope  of  the  church  in  Lagos  to  reach 
out  to  neighboring  countries,  and  the 
success  of  approaching  Fulbe  herders. 
We  applauded  news  of  the  eight  women 
taking  men's  classes  at  Kulp  Bible  Col- 
lege, and  were  amused  by  the 
principals'  observation  that,  unless  the 
men  took  their  presence  seriously,  the 
women  would  tie  them  with  their  head- 
ties. 

"After  24  years,  theology  by  exten- 
sion is  still  training  lay  leadership  and 
providing  basic  Bible  knowledge  for  all 
church  members.  We  rejoice  that  the 
Rural  Health  Program  has  been  self- 
supporting  since  1991,  and  we  became 
aware  of  its  need  for  refrigeration  for 
vaccines  and  for  updated  vehicles.  We 
exulted  in  the  report  of  the  opening  of  a 
comprehensive  secondary  school,  now 
with  a  second  intake  of  80  students. 

"Surely  the  EYN  has  embraced  the 
tent-making  style  of  ministry  in  a  won- 
derful way  and  is  working  a 
transformation  in  the  lives  of  all  her 
adherents. 

"How  glad  we  are  for  the  villages 
who  benefit  from  the  5,000  wells 


which  the  Well  Digging  Project 
helped  to  make  possible.  How  practi- 
cal to  have  a  school  for  training 
mechanics  and  secretaries.  How 
expedient  the  literacy  classes,  now 
teaching  such  things  as  typewriting, 
sewing,  and  making  mud  stoves." 


Owen  Shankster 

Owen  Shankster,  of  Roann,  Ind., 
headed  the  Well  Digging  Project  for 
42  years,  and  reflects  on  his  goals 
and  methods  of  attaining  them. 
Telling  the  story  of  Ayuba  Gwani 
Shalmighili,  Owen  admits,  "I  have 
often  noted,  ...  I  think  too  small": 

"Ayuba  came  from  the  extended 
family  of  our  one-time  evangelist  at 
Waka,  loshua  Katsala.  |oshua  had 
taken  in  the  children  of  his  brother 
when  the  brother  died,  adding  ten  to 
his  own  family  of  eight. 

"How  could  he  support  all  these 
extras  on  a  meager  evangelist's 
income?  He  bought  a  sewing 
machine  and  did  tailoring  during  his 
off  hours.  Thus  he  managed  to  pay 
the  fees  for  Ayuba  to  attend  sec- 
ondary school. 

"At  the  time  loshua  talked  of  tailor- 
ing, I  still  selfishly  wanted  all  his  time 
for  church  work.  But  truly  a  sec- 
ondary education  was  needed  for  this 
man  before  he  could  obtain  a  civil 
engineering  degree." 

Owen,  an  engineer  of  water  wells 
and  a  designer  of  church  buildings 
himself,  knows  a  good  blueprint 
when  he  sees  one.  This  same  Ayuba  is 
the  civil  engineer  who  has  drawn  the 
blueprint  and  explained  to  our  group 
the  plans  for  the  permanent  structure 
for  the  first  church  building  at  the 
chosen  site  in  Abuja,  the  federal  capi- 
tal of  Nigeria. 

Says  Owen  Shankster:  "Today,  1 
am  forced  to  say,  'Well  done,  loshua,' 
as  I  look  on  a  civil  engineer  and  the 
blueprint  for  a  church  building  befit- 
ting the  federal  capital." 


Laurie  Kieffaber 

Laurie  Kieffaber,  of  Wabash,  Ind., 
affirms  the  growing  potential  of 
Nigerian  leadership  with  this  story: 


"While  staying  at  the  EYN  head- 
quarters outside  Mubi,  my  sister  and 
1  attended  the  evening  devotions  of 
the  secondary  school  on  the  com- 
pound. A  hundred  or  so  students 
gathered  on  the  cement  porch  and 
the  bare  dirt  in  front  of  their  sleeping 
quarters.  For  45  minutes  they  sang 
hymns  in  loud,  clear  voices,  smiling, 
dancing,  and  clapping  their  hands. 
Energy  and  joy  shone  in  their  faces  as 
they  praised  God.  We  were  privileged 
to  join  in  their  worship,  singing  along 
with  some  of  the  songs  we  knew  in 
common  and  teaching  them  a  few 
new  ones. 

"Designated  students  took  turns 
standing  and  leading  the  group  in 
prayer.  Some  were  barely  audible 
while  others  spoke  boldly  and  from 
the  heart.  Miss  Yemi,  the 
schoolmistress,  critiqued  each  stu- 
dent's performance.  One  young  lady 
was  told,  'That  was  fine,  Esther,  but 
we  could  hardly  hear  you.  Remember 
children,  if  you  are  to  be  good  lead- 
ers, you  must  speak  loudly  and  you 
must  speak — ' 

"  'in  English!'  the  students  shouted. 

"At  the  end  of  the  meeting,  Miss 
Yemi  asked  for  volunteers  to  lead  the 
next  night's  worship,  and  many  clam- 
ored for  the  job.  I  was  impressed  by 
the  strong  faith  of  these  young  Chris- 
tians, and  am  hopeful  that  the  future 
of  the  EYN  is  in  good  hands." 

Each  tour  member  returned  from 
the  trip  with  strong  memories,  be 
it  an  icon,  a  lingering  image,  or  a 
latent  impression.  To  be  sure,  most 
will  remember  the  heart  of  the  coun- 
try, its  Christian  people.  They 
embrace  the  gospel,  the  seed  of  faith 
that  they  are  committed  to  nurture 
for  decades  and  centuries  to  come. 
Is  the  American  church  as  commit- 
ted? Our  challenge  is  to  stand  alongside 
them  in  the  struggle  to  help  new  mem- 
bers understand  church  polity;  to  train 
pastors  and  leaders:  and  to  express 
evangelism  in  ways  that  spread         tTjT] 


God's  word. 


Donna  Forbes  Steiner,  of  Landisville.  Pa.,  is 
associate  executive.  Atlantic  Northeast  District. 


18  MissiNciR  October  1998 


What  American 
Brethren  might  learn 
from  Nigerian  Brethren 


BY  Chalmer  E.  Faw 

Parents  are  sometimes  willing  to 
learn  from  their  children  if  they 
are  desperate  enough  or  have  the  right 
kind  of  humility.  Since  1923,  when 
Brethren  first  took  the  gospel  to  Nige- 
ria, new  lessons  have  been  in  the 
making  for  us  to  consider.  What 
should  we  learn  from  our  Nigerian 
friends? 

First,  we  might  learn  to  put  a  child- 
like faith  in  the  Lord  |esus  Christ.  The 
Master  himself,  with  a  knowledge  of 
the  educated  of  his  day,  once  prayed, 
"I  thank  you.  Father,  Lord  of  Heaven 
and  earth,  because  you  have  hidden 
these  things  from  the  wise  and  the 
intelligent  and  have  revealed  them  to 
infants"  (Matt.  1 1:25).  And  one  of  his 
most  intellectually  advanced  followers 
stated  that  though  he  was  far  ahead  of 
some  of  his  day  in  human  qualifica- 
tions, he  had  come  to  regard  such 
advantages  as  loss  "because  of  the  sur- 
passing value  of  knowing  Christ  )esus 
as  Lord"  (Phil.  3:8).  My  personal 
experience  of  some  16  years  among 
our  people  in  Nigeria  is  that  illiterate 
people  often  possess  a  grasp  of  the 
gospel  that  is  profound  and  precious. 

Along  with  a  childlike  faith  in  |esus, 
let  us  put  next  an  assurance  of  being 
born  again  from  above.  Our  Nigerian 
converts  have  accepted  what  Jesus  told 
the  highly  sophisticated  Nicodemus: 
"No  one  can  see  the  kingdom  of  God 
without  being  born  from  above"  (|ohn 
3:3).  Miracles  of  regeneration  like 
those  of  Mary  Magdalene,  the  Prodigal 
Son,  and  Saul  of  Tarsus,  are  to  be 
expected  and  treasured  above  all  else, 
making  life  on  earth  a  "heaven"  in 
spite  of  hardships  and  persecutions. 

Daniel  Kwaha  was  a  Higi  tribesman 
from  the  rugged  highlands  who  con- 
tracted the  dreaded  disease  of  leprosy. 
This  was  in  the  late  1960s.  He  could 
no  longer  walk  on  his  stumps  of  feet  so 
got  a  donkey  and  sat  astride  it  as  he 
rode  over  his  tribal  area  proclaiming 
Jesus.  Within  a  few  years,  he  led 
between  4,000  and  5,000  of  his  tribe 
to  the  Lord.  He  built  up  a  branch  of 


EYN  (Ekklesiyar  Yanu'wa  a  Nigeria) 
that  was  to  become  one  of  its  most 
evangelistic.  I  knew  "Pastor  Daniel" 
well.  He  was  no  educator,  but  as  one 
who  could  share  Jesus  with  others,  he 
had  no  equal. 

Others  have  also  demonstrated  this 
miracle  of  new  birth.  Mai  Sule  Biu  was 
from  an  entirely  different  part  of  EYN, 
a  Muslim  of  high  rank,  in  line  to 
become  the  Emir  of  the  whole  area,  but 
he  too  contracted  leprosy  and  had  to 
be  sent  away  for  treatment.  It  was  in 
the  leprosarium,  in  the  late  1960s,  that 
he  first  experienced  Christian  love  and 
through  it  found  himself  yielding  to  the 
claims  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  He  gave  his 
heart  completely  to  the  Lord  and, 
through  the  skill  of  medical  staff,  both 
expatriate  and  Nigerian,  found  his  dis- 
ease arrested. 

Then,  before  long,  his  talents  as  a 
song  leader  and  a  powerful  speaker 
became  known.  He  rose  to  prominence 
as  the  Nigerian  director  of  evangelism 
for  the  whole  area. 

A  third  characteristic  of  most  of  our 
Nigerian  Brethren  that  we  might  well 
learn  is  zeal  for  Christ.  This  grows  out 
of  their  acceptance  of  Him  as  the  Lord 
of  all  life.  Like  the  early  Christians  in 
the  Book  of  Acts,  once  they  believe  in 
Jesus  and  commit  all  to  him,  nothing 
can  stop  them.  He  is  their  main  reason 
for  existence. 

In  the  early  1940s,  a  Bura  student 
named  Migawa  heard  the  call  of  a  very 
primitive  neighboring  tribe,  the 
Whona,  and  volunteered  to  go  live 
among  them  at  great  sacrifice  to  him- 
selL  his  wife,  and  family.  Each  market 
day  as  he  showed  up  in  Garkida  he 
would  be  a  little  thinner,  but  invariably, 
when  I  asked  him  how  he  was  with  all 
his  troubles,  he  would  reply,  "Sir, 
where  there  is  blessing,  there  is  no 
trouble!" 

it  was  he  who  insisted  that  we  take 
the  love  feast  out  into  the  bush  where 
the  people  were.  There  he  made  a  wit- 
ness so  powerful  that  the  chief  wanted 
to  become  a  Christian  and  wanted  all 


Daniel  Kwaha 

his  people  to  as  well,  because  for  the 
first  time  in  his  long  life  he  saw  a  white 
man,  me,  get  down  on  his  knees  and 
wash  an  African  man's  feet. 

A  fourth  lesson  we  might  learn  is 
how  to  endure  persecution.  Opposition 
to  the  faith  in  Nigeria  comes  in  many 
different  forms  and  to  various  degrees, 
ranging  from  mild  social  pressure  to 
bloody  purges.  We  American  Brethren 
have  had  little  experience  of  martyr- 
dom. 

But  in  Nigeria,  persecution  has 
become  a  fact  of  life.  The  witness  of 
the  Nigerians  is  distinctively  Christian 
enough  so  that  it's  clear  they  are  being 
attacked  primarily  because  they  are 
followers  of  Jesus,  or,  as  Acts  puts  it, 
that  they  are  "considered  worthy  to 
suffer  dishonor  for  the  sake  of  the 
name"  (Acts  5:41 ).  This  then  calls  for 
faithfulness  in  following  the  Lord.  And 
it  means  they  will  persevere,  no  matter 
what  the  cost  of  their  stand.  This  will 
not  be  an  easy  lesson  to  learn,  but  we 
may  well  need  to  learn  it  if  we  are   rrfl 
to  be  true  to  our  calling.  i 'j 

Cluiliuer  Faiv.  uf  McPlierson.  Kun..  serwd  as  a 
village  worker  ill  Garl<ida.  Nigeria,  from  1940  to 
1945.  then  tvas  professor  of  New  Testament  at 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary  for  20  years.  In 
1965  he  returned  to  Nigeria,  where  he  was  a 
Bible  teacher  at  Kulp  Bible  College  and  the  Theo- 
logical College  of  Northern  Nigeria. 


October  1998  Mfssfnci  R  19 


start  your 
engines, 
tea 


A  graduation 
to  remember 


BY  Mervin  Keeney 
AS  TOLD  BY  John  and 
Janet  Tubes 

For  graduation  at  Mason  Technical 
School  our  staff  wanted  to  demon- 
strate the  quality  of  the  school's 
training  in  automotive  mechanics.  We 
decided  to  grab  people's  attention  by 
assembling  our  two  practice  engines 
from  start  to  finish  during  the  gradua- 
tion ceremony. 

Our  four  top  graduates  were  to  do 
the  assembling,  two  on  each  engine. 
The  demonstration  engines,  a  Nissan 
and  a  Toyota,  were  purchased  by  the 
late  co-founder  of  our  school,  Ralph 
Mason,  and  mounted  on  stands  he 
had  built. 

The  graduation  ceremony  was  con- 
ducted in  front  of  an  old  mission 
house  turned  into  classrooms.  About 
an  hour  before  the  graduation  cere- 
mony, we  moved  the  two  engines  to 
the  courtyard.  There  our  students 
took  each  engine  completely  apart. 
The  pistons,  the  heads,  and  compo- 
nents large  and  small  were  laid  on 
tables  beside  the  engine  stands. 

About  500  people  gathered  for  the 
graduation  ceremony,  including  the 
top  leadership  of  Ekklesiyar  Yan'uwa 
a  Nigeria,  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
in  Nigeria.  After  the  welcome  and 
opening  words,  we  explained  what 
we  were  planning.  Many  people 
shook  their  heads  at  the  suggestion 
that  the  pile  of  parts  could  be  rebuilt 
within  the  time  frame  of  the  gradua- 
tion exercises.  The  crowd  was  clearly 
intrigued  by  the  challenge  we  had  set 
for  ourselves. 

The  ceremony  proceeded  with  intro- 
ductions, five  or  six  speeches,  and 

20  Messenger  October  1998 


John  Tubbs,  center,  with  Mason  Technical  Sclwul  sluilcnts.  The  I99S  classes,  the 
largest  ever,  graduated  12  mechanics  and  IS  secretaries. 


music  coming  trom  the  low  porch  at 
the  front  of  the  building.  Off  to  the 
side,  the  four  students  were  gradually 
building  the  engines  piece  by  piece. 
The  audience  watched  with  a  growing 
sense  of  excitement,  paying  more 
attention  perhaps  to  the  mechanics 
than  to  the  speakers. 

About  10  minutes  before  the  grad- 
uates were  to  receive  their  diplomas, 
the  engines  were  assembled.  By  now, 
we  had  grown  a  bit  hesitant  over 
starting  both  at  the  same  time,  won- 
dering whether  this  had  really  been  a 
good  idea.  We  began  to  realize  that  it 
would  be  difficult  to  redeem  a  fail- 
ure. But  Daniel,  the  teacher  for  the 
automotive  practical  shop,  was  con- 
fident of  the  ability  of  his  students. 

So  the  mechanics  put  gasoline  in 
the  carburetors,  hooked  up  batteries, 
and,  on  signal,  cranked  and  turned 
over  both  engines.  They  both  started! 

The  observers  began  jumping  and 
shouting  like  we  had  just  made  the 
touchdown  that  won  the  Super  Bowl! 
Added  to  the  clapping  was  the  trilling 
sound  of  women  expressing  joy.  The 


tension  of  the  audience  gave  way  to 
triumph. 

Two  of  the  students  working  on  the 
engines  were  from  Garkida,  so  this 
event  touched  the  host  community  in 
a  special  way.  The  chief  of  Garkida 
was  so  impressed  that  he  remarked 
that  soon  Americans  would  be  bring- 
ing their  cars  all  the  way  to  Garkida 
to  be  repaired,  and  that  in  time 
Garkida  would  be  building  cars  and 
shipping  them  all  over  the  world. 

A  couple  of  days  later  we  were  in  the 
town  of  Biu  exploring  with  a  banker 
the  prospect  of  an  office  management 
student  serving  as  an  apprentice  at  the 
bank.  All  the  banker  wanted  to  talk 
about  was  what  he  had  heard  about  the 
two  engines  being  successfully  assem- 
bled at  the  graduation. 

Mason  Technical  School  had  become 
the  talk  not  only  of  Garkida,  but  of  -vj-\ 
Borno  and  Adamwa  states  as  well,  i*^^'! 

Men'in  Keeney  is  director  of  Global  Mission 
Partnerships  for  the  General  Board.  This  story  was 
told  to  him  by  John  and  lanet  Tubbs  teactters  and 
consultants  for  tiie  Mason  (EYN)  Teclviical 
Scliool  in  Garkida.  Nigeria. 


Disaster  response  with  a  difference 

After  the  lianchester  church  learned  of  a  murder  in  its  sister 
congregation  in  ,  help  was  on  the  way 


It  is  no  secret  that  the 
Brethren  have  historically 
displayed  excellence  in 
responding  to  disasters  and 
natural  emergencies.  Their 
tradition  of  rapidly  mobiliz- 
ing resources  to  bring  God's 
love  and  desperately  needed 
services  to  stricken  communi- 
ties is  rich  and  deep. 

But  what  happens  when  the 
disaster  is  not  flood,  fire,  tor- 
nado or  hurricane?  What  if 
the  disaster  is  a  brutal 
murder? 

lust  what  is  the  appropriate 
response  to  a  violent  act  that 
strikes  fear  and  dismay  at  the 
very  heart  of  a  faith  commu- 
nity? 

Such  was  the  challenge 
faced  by  the  Manchester 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  North 
Manchester,  Ind.,  this  spring 
when  a  startling  e-mail  mes- 
sage —  in  Spanish  — rippled 
across  the  computer  screen  of 
youth  group  member  Ben 
Weller. 

"Dad  —  I  think  this  mes- 
sage says  that  Cesar  Lopez  has 
been  assassinated!" 

Impossible.  Cesar  Lopez? 
The  civil  war  in  El  Salvador 
has  been  over  for  six  years. 
The  death  squads  have  been 
disbanded.  Surely  no  one,  at 
this  late  date,  would  want  to 
kill  the  widely  beloved  leader 
of  the  war  orphan  program  of 
Iglesia  Emmanuel  Bautista, 
Manchester's  sister  congrega- 
tion in  San  Salvador. 

But  Ben  was  persistent, 
shock  clearly  on  his  face. 
Pointing  to  a  line  of  Spanish 
text  on  the  computer  screen,  he 
said.  "No,  Dad,  it  says  right 
here  —  he  was  gunned  down, 
just  a  block  from  the  church,  by 


Story  and  photos  by  Worth  Weller 

four  bullets  in  the  back.  At  least 
that's  what  I  think  it  says." 

Unfortunately,  Ben's  translation  of 
the  e-mail  message  from  San  Sal- 
vador was  accurate.  Cesar  Lopez,  the 
vice  president  of  the  church  board 
for  Iglesia  Emmanuel  Bautista  and 
director  of  the  church's  war  orphan 


Villagers  of  Los  Talpetates  must  go  long  disiances  for 
drinkable  water  The  peace  park  being  developed 
with  the  help  of  the  Manchester  Church  of  the 
Brethren  and  by  this  summer's  Brethren  workcamp 
there  includes  a  deep  )\'ell  project. 


program,  was  32  years  old  when  he 
was  killed  on  April  1  7  this  year. 
Because  the  war  orphans  came  from 
remote  areas  which  had  been  most 
heavily  devastated  by  the  civil  war,  he 
had  been  deeply  involved  in  the 
church's  mission  projects  in  those 
areas. 

As  Ben  forwarded  the  unset- 
tling message  around  the 
congregation,  members  of  the 
parish-to-parish  committee 
and  the  witness  commission 
mobilized  to  begin  planning  a 
response. 

That  Sunday  Ben  stood 
before  the  congregation  to 
announce  the  tragic  news.  The 
throats  of  many  choked  — 
particularly  those  who  had 
hosted  youth  from  Iglesia 
Emmanuel  or  had  themselves 
visited  their  sister  church  — 
as  Ben,  in  a  halting,  broken 
voice,  pausing  to  fight  back 
tears,  told  the  sad  tale. 

Speaking  from  the  pulpit 
along  with  youth  group 
member  Ambrosia  Brown, 
youth  leader  |an  Rhoades,  and 
church  moderator  Beverly 
Eikenberry,  all  of  whom  had 
been  in  San  Salvador  the 
summer  before  and  knew 
Cesar  well,  Ben  described  the 
work  of  his  friend. 

"Cesar  was  a  man,  a  father, 
who  loved  his  country,  who 
loved  his  people. 

"He  gave  everything  he  had 
—  all  of  his  time,  all  of  his 
love,  all  of  his  money  —  to  the 
care  of  the  orphans  his  church 
rescued  from  the  war. 
"Ultimately  he  gave  his  life." 
Also  that  Sunday,  pastor 
Susan  Boyer,  who  too  had  vis- 
ited her  sister  parish  the 
summer  before,  announced  that 
members  David  Rogers  and  I 

October  1998  Mi.sshnci  r  21 


had  been  called  by  the  exec- 
utive board  to  fly  to  San 
Salvador  to  represent  the 
congregation  at  the  memor- 
ial service  for  Cesar  the 
following  Sunday,  May  3. 
We  had  been  asked  to  carry 
a  substantial  special  offer- 
ing from  the  congregation 
in  honor  of  Cesar's  life  and 
work,  and  we  were 
instructed  to  bring  back 
suggestions  for  further 
ways  in  which  the  IVIan- 
chester  congregation  could 
stand  in  solidarity  with 
Iglesia  Emmanuel. 

"It  was  very  important  for 
us  to  be  there,  to  stand  side 
by  side  with  our  sister  con- 
gregation, because  this 
relationship  has  reminded  us  over  the 
years  that  we  are  indeed  all  part  of 
the  same  body  of  Christ,"  said  pastor 
Susan.  "Our  relationship  through 
Christ  transcends  boundaries  of 
country  borders,  of  north-south  and 
east-west  distances.  We  needed  to  be 
there  in  person,  to  mourn  Cesar's 
death,  to  honor  that  relationship." 

Iiguel  Tomas  Castro,  pastor  of 
Iglesia  Emmanuel  Bautista, 
picked  us  up  at  the  airport  when  we 
arrived  in  San  Salvador.  "His  death 
was  to  us  —  how  do  you  say  —  so 
devastating,"  he  told  me  while  weav- 
ing in  and  out  of  heavy  traffic. 

"Without  Cesar,  we  were  immobi- 
lized. Our  loss,  our  grief  was  so 
great,"  added  Tomas,  who  lost  his 
own  brother  to  death  squads  during 
the  war. 

The  April  1  7  assassination  of  Cesar 
was  by  an  assassin  with  a  handgun 
on  the  crowded  streets  of  San  Sal- 
vador a  block  away  from  the  church. 
Although  it  turned  out  this  was  a 
professional  job,  it  did  not  appear  to 
be  politically  motivated.  Yet  it 
brought  back  the  terrible  fear  and 
uncertainty  that  had  plagued  the 
congregation  six  years  ago  as  they 
pushed  forward  their  mission  work 
for  the  poor  in  the  very  heart  of  the 
war-torn  areas  of  the  country. 

As  he  drove  us  from  the  airport, 
Tomas  went  on  to  explain  that  it  was 
very  important  to  the  Emmanuel 

22  Messenger  October  1998 


Pastor  Miguel  Tomas  Castro,  right,  presents  a  wooden  chalice  to 
David  Rogers  of  the  North  Manchester  congregation  as  a  gift 
from  the  San  Salvador  church  to  its  sister  church  in  Indiana. 


congregation  to  make  something 
positive  from  the  murder  of  Cesar. 
Otherwise,  the  shock,  the  grief,  and 
the  return  of  the  bitter  memories  of 
the  decade-long  civil  war  would  con- 
tinue to  immobilize  them. 

"From  his  martyrdom  came  a  lot  of 
illumination,  great  brightness.  We 
need  to  utilize  this  brightness  for  the 
life  of  the  community,"  stressed 
Tomas. 

"And  it  is  important  for  us  to  know 
that  you,  the  Brethren  —  the  Her- 
nianos  and  Hermanas  —  walk  with 
us  in  our  time  of  sorrow  and  need." 

s  luck  —  no,  faith  —  would  have 
lit,  Cesar  at  the  time  of  his  death 
had  been  working  on  a  proposal  to 
revitalize  the  economic  and  social 
fabric  of  a  cluster  of  four  small, 
remote  villages  in  the  war-torn 
province  of  Usulutan.  The  proposal, 
coauthored  by  Tomas's  bilingual 
daughter  Lydia  Marie,  a  communica- 
tions major  at  the  San  Salvador 
university,  was  researched  on-site  with 
the  assistance  of  the  leaders  of  the  vil- 
lages and  the  members  of  Emmanuel's 
mission  congregation  in  Usulutan. 

It  calls  for  the  development  of  a 
"peace  park"  in  the  central  village  of 
Los  Talpetates. 

The  several  acres  of  land  donated 
by  the  village  to  this  effort  —  land 
turned  over  to  them  as  a  result  of  the 
peace  accords  which  ended  the  civil 
war  in  1992  —  include  a  beautiful, 
shady  spot  under  the  massively 


spreading  branches  of  a 
300-year-old  Conacaste 
tree.  The  tree  will  be  a  cen- 
tral feature  of  the  park,  in 
this  otherwise  practically 
treeless  and  arid  region  at 
the  base  of  the  volcanic 
mountains  that  border  the 
river  Lempa. 

David  Rogers  and  I  made 
the  grueling  three-hour 
ride  in  a  four-wheel  drive 
diesel  truck  the  day  before 
Cesar's  memorial  service  to 
see  for  ourselves  where  the 
Manchester  congregation 
could  specifically  fit  into 
the  work  of  Iglesia 
Emmanuel.  There  village 
leaders  explained  to  them 
that  the  purpose  of  the  park 
was  central  to  their  recovery  from 
the  war. 

"We  need  to  raise  up  the  commu- 
nity of  God,  to  create  a  new 
community  to  replace  the  old  politi- 
cal relationships  developed  and 
destroyed  by  the  war,"  said  commu- 
nity leader  Jorge  Alberto. 

juan  Antonio  Sanchez,  director  of 
missions  for  Iglesia  Emmanuel, 
explained  that  a  central  goal  of  the 
church  in  all  its  mission  work  is  to 
develop  new  relationships  in  communi- 
ties. It  seeks  relationships  that 
transcend  the  old  political  barriers  of 
the  war  years  and  instead  focus  on  faith 
and  the  common  bonds  that  improve 
the  quality  of  life  in  a  community. 

"The  federal  government  provides 
absolutely  no  services  to  these  vil- 
lages. No  schools,  no  power,  no 
water,  no  clinics.  So  with  the  help  of 
other  churches  and  other  non-gov- 
ernment organizations  from  North 
America  and  Europe,  we  have  to  step 
in,"  he  reported. 

"But  none  of  it  works  for  long," 
Sanchez  cautioned,  "if  you  don't 
start  by  building  new  relationships. 
Relationships  based  in  faith  that 
encompass  the  entire  community. 
Relationships  that  give  them  better 
ownership  of  their  own  lives." 

Sanchez  said  it  was  very  significant 
that  the  people  of  Los  Talpetates  had 
donated  the  land  for  this  project.  "They 
are  not  asking  us  to  do  something  for 
them.  They  are  seeking  our  assistance 


to  do  something  for  themselves." 

The  park  —  hkely  to  be  named  in 
honor  of  Cesar  Lopez  —  is  consider- 
ably more  than  a  park. 

A  Brethren  workcamp  there  this 
past  lune  devoted  its  stay  in  Usu- 
lutan  to  building  extensive 
playground  equipment  and  a  gazebo. 
A  consortium  of  European  churches 
and  relief  agencies  is  providing 
financial  assistance  and  guidance  to 
help  the  villages  build  a  daycare 
center  in  the  park.  And  the  Manches- 
ter congregation  is  being  asked  to 
fund  a  fence  to  keep  the  cattle  out,  as 
well  as  the  materials  for  the  play- 
ground equipment  and  gazebo. 

A  separate  project,  funded  by  the 
European  community  churches, 
brings  water  to  the  park,  which  will 
serve  as  the  source  of  water  for  the 
area,  comprising  some  300  families.  It 
will  replace  the  shallow  wells  that  pro- 
vide only  warm,  volcanic  water,  and 
the  unsanitary  irrigation  canals  where 
the  village  washing  is  now  done. 


Brethrening 


Angela's  heavenly  encounter 

Hi!  My  name  is  Angela  Beaty.  I  am  12  years  old.  I  want  to 
tell  you  about  something  very  special  that  happened  to  me 
this  summer. 

1  was  having  a  great  day.  Several  of  my  friends  and  1  were 
treated  by  our  parents  to  go  to  Eastwood,  a  popular  swim- 
ming area.  My  friend's  mom  stayed  with  us  at  the  pool  while 
my  mom  did  some  errands.  1  had  decided  to  start  working 
on  my  tan  so  I  laid  out  the  blanket  in  the  sun. 

Then  a  voice  in  my  head  told  me  to  go  to  the  park's  largest 
slide  instead.  At  the  top  of  the  ladder  was  a  girl  who  looked 
no  older  than  four.  I  asked  her  if  she  knew  how  to  swim. 
"Yes,"  she  said.  Still  having  some  doubt,  I  asked  her  if  her 
mother  knew  that  she  was  at  the  big  slide.  She  told  me.  "no." 

The  big  slide  ended  in  water  1 1  feet  deep.  I  was  concerned 
that  she  would  have  trouble  at  the  deep  end.  I  asked  her  if  I 
could  go  down  before  her  to  catch  her — just  in  case.  She 
agreed. 

1  went  down  the  slide  and  waited  for  her  to  come  down. 
She  yelled,  "I'm  coming!"  Like  a  bullet  she  shot  out  of  the 
slide  over  my  head  into  the  deep  water.  Without  even  think- 
ing of  what  could  happen,  I  swam  out  and  carried  her  back 
to  the  edge  of  the  pool. 

The  lifeguard  waved  us  over  to  her  stand.  As  we  went,  the 
little  girl  told  everyone,  "I  was  drowning  for  a  minute;  she 
saved  my  life!" 

The  lifeguard  asked  me  to  take  the  girl  back  to  her 
mother.  The  little  girl  was  still  scared,  so  I  carried  her. 


Pastor  Tomas  noted  that  although 
the  focus  of  the  new  park  is  on  chil- 
dren, the  actuality  of  including  the 
whole  village  in  the  planning  and 
construction  would  touch  every  level 
of  community  life. 

"We  have  learned  —  faced  with  the 
enormous  disaster  of  the  war,  the 
destruction  of  our  environment,  the 
wreckage  of  our  economy,  and  the 
rendering  of  our  social  fabric  —  that 
the  obstacles  are  overwhelming  unless 
we  all  cooperate  in  focusing  our  ener- 
gies and  finding  one  spot  where  we 
can  push  the  hardest,  to  get  the  most 
results,"  observed  Tomas. 

He  noted  that  the  focal  point,  the 
common  point  where  long-lasting 
change  can  be  achieved  in  El  Sal- 
vador, is  the  youth. 

Tomas  told  Rogers  and  me  that  he 
had  been  particularly  moved  in  this 
regard  when  the  Manchester  congre- 
gation last  lune  sent  five 
representatives  of  its  youth  group  — 
Ambrosia  Brown,  Erin  Kindy,  Nate 


Shull,  Ben  Weller,  and  Heidi  Yoder 
—  along  with  youth  leader  |an 
Rhoades,  to  be  with  Emmanuel's 
youth  group  for  a  week. 

"This  is  the  love  of  Cod  at  work. 
That  young  people  from  one  country 
can  be  so  moved  to  action  and  con- 
cern for  the  young  people  of  another 
country.  This  touches  my  heart,"  he 
said,  with  his  hand  to  his  chest. 

"For  churches  and  communities  in 
El  Salvador  and  across  the  world 
where  oppression,  underemployment, 
and  environmental  catastrophe  are 
everyday  facts  of  life,  our  hope  is  that 
God  will  improve  our  lives  in  the  future 
by  working  through  our  young  people 
today.  This  is  our  faith,"  he  added. 

And  such  is  the  faith  of  the 
Brethren  in  responding  to  new 
levels  of  modern  disasters. 


m 


Worth  Weller  is  publisher  of  the  North  Man- 
chester News-loLirnal.  He  is  former  chair  of  the 
witness  commission  of  Manchester  Church  of 
the  Brethren.  He  visited  the  congregation's 
sister  church  once  before,  in  1996. 


Her  mother  looked  startled  at  seeing  a  strange  girl  carry- 
ing her  daughter.  "Where  have  you  been?"  she  asked 
angrily.  The  little  girl  pointed  at  the  big  slide.  The  mother 
turned  deathly  white.  "Did  you  go  down?" 

"Yes,"  I  told  her.  1  explained  what  had  happened.  Her 
mother  thanked  me  over  and  over  again,  and  asked  me 
my  name.  "Angela,"  I  replied. 

The  little  girl  looked  at  me  in  awe  and  said  slowly, 
"Angela!  Angel!" 

After  saying  goodbye  I  started  crying  and  wouldn't  tell 
anybody  why.  Then  1  explained  in  detail  to  the  lifeguard 
and  my  friend's  mom  what  had  happened. 

When  1  got  home,  1  told  the  story  to  my  mom.  She  was 
surprised,  but  she  told  me  something  1  hadn't  realized — 
that  God  had  spoken  to  me.  1  tried  to  remember  what  the 
voice  sounded  like  so  I  could  recognize  it  if  1  heard  it 
again.  My  mom  said  that  God  speaks  to  different  people 
in  different  ways.  Sometimes  it  may  be  the  voice  of  a 
grown  person  or  a  small  child,  just  a  voice  in  my  head  like 
I  had  experienced,  or  even  just  a  thought.  She  said  that 
the  important  thing  was  that  I  obeyed. — Angela  Beaty 

Angela  Beaty  is  in  seventh  grade  and  is  a  junior  member  of  Eastwood 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  Akron.  Ohio.  She  volunteers  as  a  reader  to 
younger  children  in  an  outreach  ministry  of  the  church. 


•Si  V:i.^ftvt;C:;v. 


assagai5^tSfH^rw?;a-'s 


Messenger  uroiiU  like  to  publish  other  short,  colorful,  humorous  or  poignant  stories  of  real-life 
incidents  involving  Brethren.  Please  send  your  submission  to  Messenger,  1451  Dundee  Ai'c. 
Elgin.  IL  60120-1694  or  e-mail  to  the  editor  at  ffarrar_gh@hrethren.org. 


October  1998  Messenger  23 


Transfofffrational 


Sunday 


scnoo 


Ingredients  Jor  a  successful  Christian  education  pro(^rani 


BY  David  S.  Young 

Eugene  Lichty  raises  a  good  ques- 
tion, "Whatever  happened  to  the 
Sunday  sehooI?"'fSee  |une  Mkssi-n- 
CKii].  The  key  to  a  successful  Sunday 
school  is  important  to  find.  Often 
Sunday  school  is  an  indicator  of 
growth  for  the  church  as  a  whole. 
There  are  some  growing  and  thriving 

24  Messenger  October  1998 


Sunday  schools  that  are  leading  to 
very  significant  growth  in  churches. 
I  became  interested  in  what  makes 
for  a  successful  Sunday  school  some 
20  years  ago  when  our  Sunday  school 
at  the  Bush  Creek  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  Monrovia,  Md.,  was  rec- 
ognized for  a  successful  Sunday 
school.  This  came  after  the  church 
worked  at  on-site  teacher  training. 


jf  Vw,jv  ^;«t-t-*^  ^'.■*',tt    *' 


developing  teams  of  teachers,  and 
community  outreach. 

So  when  the  Atlantic  Northeast  Dis- 
trict of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
asked  that  I  do  a  study  of  successful 
Sunday  schools  in  the  Believer's 
Church  tradition,  I  was  interested  in 
trying  to  identify  what  factors  work  in 
our  faith  tradition  and  in  our  changing 
culture. 


People  make  Sunday  schools  happen,  and  they  give  credit  to  divine  Providence. 


/found  five  outstanding  Sunday 
schools,  in  Brethren,  IVlennonite, 
and  American  Baptist  churches,  and 
visited  each  one.  None  were  located 
on  a  major  road  or  intersection. 
None  had  any  particular  set  of  cir- 
cumstances that  made  them  boom 
rapidly.  In  fact,  none  said  that  they  felt 
they  were  that  special,  and  they  said 
so. 

They  were  all  growing,  however — 
some  steadily,  some  more  rapidly. 
They  faced  hurdles  but  overcame 
them.  People  make  it  happen  in  these 
Sunday  schools,  and  credit  is  given  to 
prayer  and  divine  Providence. 

From  these  five  churches,  i  identi- 
fied 12  factors  that  contributed  to 
their  success:  1)  agape  love,  2)  spiri- 
tual nurturing,  3)  Bible  study,  4) 
teachers,  5)  leadership,  6)  adult  edu- 
cation, 7)  interaction,  8)  physical 
resources,  9)  pastoral  staff,  10) 
meeting  needs,  1 1 )  people  factor, 
and  12)  building  on  strengths. 

Agape  love 

Love  was  evident  in  each  of  these 
churches.  People  accepted  one 
another's  differences.  At  none  of 
these  churches  was  I  drawn  aside  to 
listen  to  someone  complain.  People 
were  affirmed.  New  people  were 
invited.  People  reached  out  to  one 
another.  Large  or  small,  these 
churches  had  a  love  factor  at  work. 

In  one  large  church,  the  congrega- 
tion was  broken  down  into 
shepherding  groups.  People  in  the 
groups  cared  for  one  another  and 
related  needs  to  one  another.  The 
groups  were  led  by  a  shepherd  and 
during  Sunday  school  there  is  a 
shepherd's  class  offered  on  how  to 
do  caring  ministry. 


Spiritual  nurturing 

Secondly,  nurturing  of  faith  of  adults 
was  a  priority.  Enthusiasm  for  the 
inner  journey  of  faith  was  quickly  rec- 
ognizable. The  Alban  Institute's  study 


of  1  b  churches  of  mainline  denomina- 
tions reveals  the  same.  Unless  people 
go  deeper  in  their  spiritual  journey 
within  two  or  three  visits  to  the 
church,  they  soon  stop  coming. 

One  church  had  10  active  adult 
classes.  Each  operated  as  a  small  faith 
nurturing  group.  Dorothy  Harnish,  a 
Mennonite,  now  of  the  Parish 
Resource  Center  in  Lancaster,  Pa., 
noted  how  in  the  Believer's  Church 
tradition,  faith  transformation  is  at  the 
heart  of  our  work. 

Bible  study 

The  Bible  is  the  guide.  In  all  these 
churches,  there  was  a  sense  of  wanting 
to  know  lesus.  The  Bible  was  never 
used  as  a  proof  text  or  as  a  weapon. 
There  was  a  sincerity  to  the  faith 
quest.  At  the  meeting  I  had  with  each 
church,  we  included  a  portion  of 
scripture  for  a  devotional.  In  each  case 
there  was  a  desire  to  go  deeper  in  the 
text  and  to  seek  how  to  apply  these 
teachings  to  current  living. 

Teachers 

Good  teachers  are  crucial  for  a 
growing  Sunday  school.  Good  teach- 
ers prepare  ahead,  are  dedicated, 
provide  interesting  classes,  are 
excited  about  teaching,  and  allow 
feedback.  Getting  good  teachers 
requires  effort.  The  best  plans  for 
teacher  recruitment  were  the  most 
systematic.  Skills  inventories  are 
used.  Teachers  rotate.  Teachers  ask 
teachers  to  teach. 

In  these  Sunday  schools  there  was 
little  turnover  of  teachers.  At  one  of 
the  churches,  teachers  took  children 
on  field  trips.  At  another,  teachers' 
meetings  were  turned  into  quarterly 
training  events.  Good  teachers  are 
nurtured,  trained,  and  appreciated. 

Leadership 

All  of  these  Sunday  schools  are  well 
organized  with  good  leaders  doing  a 
lot  of  hard  work.  Leaders  in  these 


churches  plan  ahead,  use  people  to 
help,  and  do  necessary  followup. 

Adult  education 

For  years  the  philosophy  has  been  to 
get  the  children,  and  then  the  adults 
will  follow.  But  study  and  experience 
has  shown  the  opposite  to  be  true. 
Adult  education  is  a  clear  emphasis  for 
transformational  Sunday  schools. 
Adult  education  has  a  combination  of 
input  and  interaction.  Classes  study 
substantial  curriculum,  often  chosen 
by  topic.  Much  attention  is  given  to 
the  educational  experience.  New  adult 
classes  are  being  started  in  each 
church. 

In  the  Believer's  Church  tradition, 
as  adults  come  to  faith,  they  guide  the 
children.  Open  discussions  and  a  vari- 
ety of  classes  and  service  projects 
make  for  something  alive  happening 
for  adults. 

Interaction 

In  these  growing  Sunday  schools, 
there  is  a  lot  of  interaction  among 
class  members,  as  well  as  with  those 
outside  their  group.  Surveys  revealed 
that  there  was  little  unresolved  conflict 
that  would  hamper  the  church's  deci- 
sion-making process.  People  were 
allowed  to  make  mistakes.  Humor 
abounded. 

Not  only  did  people  get  along,  but 
they  went  beyond  themselves  to  do 
things  for  others,  like  helping  to 
parent  children  other  than  their  own. 
One  church  had  a  family  night.  At 
another,  people  took  off  work  to  put  a 
roof  on  their  new  addition. 

Physical  resources 

Why  put  money  into  bricks  and 
mortar?  These  churches  called  their 
building  "building  resources."  The 
focus  of  the  building  was  on  mission. 
The  debate,  if  there  was  any,  was 
more  on  what  kind  of  facility  would 
match  their  growing  needs. 
At  one  of  the  churches,  a  horse  shed 


October  1998  Messengkr  25 


was  transformed  into  a  workshop  and 
a  room  for  children.  A  gym  was  part  of 
another  new  facility.  All  the  buildings 
were  well  maintained,  had  ramps  to 
accommodate  the  disabled,  and  had 
basketball  hoops.  Bulletin  boards  were 
well  maintained. 


Pastors 

In  each  case,  pastors  were  supportive 
of  the  Sunday  school.  However,  in 
most  of  my  meetings,  it  was  the 
Sunday  school  leaders,  rather  than  the 
pastors,  who  spoke.  These  pastors 
exhibited  a  kind  of  servant  leadership. 
Pastors  included  the  Sunday  school  in 
sermons  or  during  their  home  visits 
invited  families  to  Sunday  school.  Pas- 
tors supported  the  Sunday  school 
leaders  and  teachers. 

And  the  churches  appreciated  their 
pastors.  Associate  pastors  or  other 
staff  members  besides  the  pastor 
were  not  viewed  as  second  class. 
Organizing,  preaching,  visiting,  find- 
ing resources,  setting  up  workshops, 
and  helping  coordinate  events  were 
common  for  staff.  Pastors  were 
clearly  in  there  pitching.  A  team 
spirit  prevailed. 

Meeting  needs 

Meeting  needs  was  clearly  evident  in 
these  Sunday  schools.  Helping  partic- 
ipants to  have  a  satisfying  classroom 
experience  was  important.  Teachers 
used  pictures,  learning  centers,  and 
creative  means  to  present  the  lesson. 
Audiovisuals  were  used.  Teachers  and 


Brethrening 


Who's  the  boss? 


M 


pupils  had  a  warm  relationship. 

These  churches  were  concerned 
with  presenting  the  Christian  message 
in  a  positive  manner.  This  was 
matched  with  being  aware  of  the  pre- 
sent needs  of  people  and  being 
supportive,  caring,  and  helping.  These 
churches  were  careful  not  to  break  up 
longstanding  relationships  between 
people  when  they  established  new 
classes  to  accommodate  growth. 
Leaders  responded  to  needs  of  the 
moment  and  adapted  accordingly. 

People  factor 

The  "people  factor"  is  about  individ- 
uals who  over  a  long  period  made  a 
tremendous  impact  on  the  Sunday 
school.  At  one  of  the  churches  there 
is  a  "candy  man,"  who  developed  a 
special  relationship  with  children. 
Special  people  are  noted  for  their 
interest,  consistency,  and  effective- 
ness. 

At  another  church  it  was  the  pastor 
who  started  the  shepherding  groups. 
At  another,  a  farming  family  made  an 
impact.  At  one  Sunday  school,  a 
superintendent  visited  children  in  the 
kindergarten  class  for  30  years.  Fam- 
ilies always  awaited  the  time  when 
their  children  would  be  in  this 
department.  These  special  people  left 
a  great  legacy. 

Bnilding  on  strengths 

None  of  these  churches  are  focusing 
on  their  weaknesses  or  trying  to  copy 
what  another  "successful"  church  is 


doing.  Rather  they  are  seeking  where 
they  are  called  by  God  to  unique 
ministries.  In  church  renewal  there  is 
always  the  question  of  where  to 
begin.  Do  we  seek  first  to  determine 
weaknesses  and  correct  them,  or  do    || 
we  identify  strengths  and  build  on 
them  to  meet  weaknesses? 

Each  of  these  churches  moved  in  the 
direction  of  the  energy  they  had.  At 
one  church,  building  on  strengths 
was  named  as  key  to  success. 
Through  the  study,  churches  seemed 
to  be  affirmed  in  their  efforts.  They 
had  confidence  about  what  they  were 
doing.  They  felt  God  was  helping 
them  to  grow. 

Transformational  Sunday  schools 
are  possible.  If  a  church  takes  a  mis- 
sion statement  and  translates  it  into 
the  plan  of  ministry,  the  Sunday 
school  can  be  identified  as  one  focus. 
On-site  teacher  training  can  save 
time  in  lesson  preparation. 
Resources  can  be  brought  in.  Men- 
toring programs  can  be  established. 
Mid-week  children's  clubs  or  family 
nights  can  work  in  synch  with  the 
Sunday  school.  Teachers  can  be 
appreciated.  A  vital  ministry  for    pr . 
the  church  can  be  affirmed.  ^' 


David  S.  Young  is  interim  pastor  of  tlie  Mohlci 
Cliiircli  of  tlie  Bretliren.  Ephrata,  Pa.,  and  is 
adjunct  professor  in  cluucli  renewal  at  Eastern 
Baptist  Seminary.  Pliitadelpliia.  Pa.  He  is  autlmr 
t)/ Servant  Leadership  and  Church  Renewal, 
Shepherds  by  the  Living  Springs,  to  be  pub - 
lislied  In'  Herald  Press  in  May  1999.  He  will 
teach  at  Princeton  Seminary  in  the  spring. 


I  have  a  vivid  memory  of  an  experience  during  my  child- 
hood when  1  was  being  unusually  precocious.  1  was  being 
"asked"  by  my  mother  to  do  a  particular  chore.  I  did  not 
wish  to  comply  with  the  request.  At  a  certain  point  in  the 
discussion,  what  was  once  a  request  became  a  directive.  1 
remember  asking  my  mom  why  she  could  boss  me  around. 
She  replied,  in  an  attempt  to  end  the  discussion,  that  she 
was  the  boss.  As  1  was  trudging  off  to  do  the  chore,  I 
thought  I  had  the  last  word  by  asking,  "When  do  I  get  to 
be  the  boss?" 

26  Messenger  October  1998 


Some  35  years  later,  I  received  my  answer.  When  I 
began  my  service  on  |an.  1,  1998,  as  executive  director  of 
the  Association  of  Brethren  Caregivers,  my  mother  was 
within  one  month  of  completing  a  year  of  service  as  an 
ABC  Lafiya  community  nurse  in  Caimito,  Puerto  Rico.  I 
promptly  informed  her  that,  at  long  last,  I  was  her  boss, 
even  though  it  would  only  be  for  a  short  time.  She  pro- 
vided the  indisputable  response:  "That  may  be  true,  but 
you'll  never  be  my  mother." — S  ri:vH  Mason 

Steve  Mason,  of  Elgin.  III.,  is  executive  director  of  the  .Association  of 
Brethren  Caregivers.  His  mother  is  Mary  Mason  Peckover  of  Sebring.  Fla. 


Take  The  Pledge 


Sandy  Adams 
Came  Albright 
Linelta  Alley 
Catherine  Alter 
Martha  Anderegg 
Troy  Anderegg 
Carol  Anderson 
Michelle  Anderson 
Roger  Anna 
Phil  Carlos  Archbotd 
Evelyn  Argabright 
Dale  Aukennan 
Darin  Austin 
Gail  Azinger 
Ken  Azinger 
Luke  Azinger 
Martha  Bachman 
Haley  Baldwin 
Shayna  Baldwin 
Elaine  Barajois 
Arthur  Barber 
Ben  Barkey 
Johnny  Barr 
John  Bather 
Ruth  Baunian 
Nick  Beam 
Katrina  Beaverstad 
Amanda  Beckwith 
Ned  Bennett 
Hazel  Berkcy 
Dick  Bemas 
Joanne  Bemas 
Cherika  Berrios 
Elizabeth  Bidgood 
Tony  Blackwell 
Roben  Blake 
Jordan  Bievins 
Chris  Blouch 
Shan  Boone 
Susannah  Bortner 
Andre  Bowman 
Samuel  Bowman 
Enma  Brooks 
Ambrosia  Brown 
Dale  Brown 
Merle  Brown 
Paul  Brownell 
Sue  Brownell 
Robin  Brubaker 
Nat  Bryan 
Regina  Bryan 
Jessica  Buchanan 
Connie  Burkholder 
Victor  Burkholder 
Amy  Butler 
Bruce  Butler 
Chrisla  Byler 
Amy  Cadeile 
Pierre  Cadette 
Chad  Calhoun 
Michaela  Camps 
Sally  Jo  Caracheo 
Rachel  Carroll 
Franklin  Cassel     ^m 
Harriet  Cassell      ^1 
Susan  Chapman 
Harano  Childs 
Laura  Clark 
Ruth  Clark 
Allison  Clary 
Carol  Clary 
Paul  Clay  pool 
Eldon  Coffman 
Kalhlyn  Coffman 
Daniel  Cole 
Melissa  Collett 
Donald  Collier 
Dons  Comerford 
Fernando  Corondo 
Beih  Crosby 
Luke  Croushom 
Jessica  Cruz 


Milagros  Cruz 
Elizabeth  Cupp 
Martha  Cupp 
Marius  Cybulski 
Michael  Cyngier 
Shirley  Darby 
Karin  Davidson 
Jessica  Davis 
Nathan  Davis 
Arlenc  Dcardorff 
Nancy  DeBliek 
Ruth  Delano 
Janet  Delwetler 
Lois  Dickason 
Jennifer  Dilling 
Joe  Dilling 
Anita  Disbro 
John  Disbro 
Nora  Dilmars 
Skyc  Dobberstein 
Drew  Domer-Shank 
Chris  Douglas 
Stephanie  Dowty 
Carol  Dubble 
Kirby  Dubble 
Jessica  Dull 
Ruth  Early 
Stephanie  Easles 
Fred  Edmonds 
Rob  Edmonds 
Gwen  Eduards 
Debra  Eisenbise 
Jaime  Eller 
Jerci  Eller 
Nina  Elliot 
Greg  Enders 
David  Erbaugh 
Nan  Erbaugh 
Noah  Erbaugh 
J,  Phillip  Esau 
Patricia  Esau 
JillFarlow 
Cyndi  Fecher 
Vicki  Ferguson 
Nancy  Ferree 
Dustin  Finkenbinder 
Angela  Fisher 
Helen  Fisher 
Herbert  Fisher 
Kevin  Fiagg 
Alison  Flory 
Jodie  Flook 
Janelle  Flop. 
Todd  Rory 
Tymothy  Flory 
Elton  Ford  III 
Elvin  Frantz 
Amanda  French 
William  Frey.  Sr 
Joletta  Fnesen 
Amy  Fry-Mil!er 


Barbara  Fuller 
Keith  Funk 
Carle  Gaier 
Jeffrey  Garber 
Julie  Garber 
Nancy  Garber 
Kenneth  Garver 
Nalisha  Gehnng 
Cheryl  Geier 
Mall  Geier 
Elizabeth  Geisewite 
David  Gibble 
Ethan  Gibbe! 
Jay  Gibble 
Lamar  Gibble 


Roger  Golden 
Jodi  Good 
Matt  Good 
Ronald  Gordley 
Ana  Alisha 

Gostomsky 
Heidi  Gross 
Lynette  Guyer 
Wayne  Guyer 
Vicki  Haan 
Benjamin  Haller 
Judy  Haller 
Steve  Haller 
Chnstina  Hamilton 
Dawn  Hanes 
Enc  Haney 
Kara  Haney 
Alison  Haney 
Andrea  Haney 
Adele  Hanks 
Thomas  Hanks 
LuAnne  Harley 
Heather  Harper 
Adnanne  Hams 
Ashley  Hams 
Jacqueline  Hanley 
LeRoy  Hawthorne 
Jennifer  Heckerl 
Amy  Heckert 
Fae  Hecken 
J  B   Heckert 
Ruth  Heckman 
Penny  Heddings 
Jon  Heggen 
Nora  Heggen 
Lowell  Heisey 
Gary  Heisler 
Beth  Heister 
David  Hendricks 
John  Hess 
Vivian  Hiieman 
Maryella  Hiti 
Laune  Hoecherl 
Amy  Hoffman 
Vera  Hoffman 
Brian  Hollinger 
Greta  Hollo  way 
Mary  Hoi  ton 
Lindsay  Hooks 
Jacquelyn  Horst 
Dan  Howar 


Daniel  Jones 
Phillip  Jones 
Sheri  Jones 
Don  Jordan 
Joyce  Jordan 
Rachel  Jordan 
Richard  Judy,  Jr 
Jennifer  Kees 
Meredith  Keesey 
Deborah  Keeshan 
Michelle  Keim 
Nathan  Keplinger 
Joan  Khaled 
Mildred  Kimmel 
James  Kipp 
Jill  Kline 
Joshua  Kline 
Larry  Klingler 
Philip  Knaub 
Angle  Kopka 
Lee  Krahenbuhl 
Dorothee  Kralz 
Joy  Kraybill 
Bnan  Kruschwitz 
Karen  Kurtz 
Carol  Kussart 
Linda  Lambert 
Abby  Landes 
Greg  Laszakovits 
John  Layman 
Nick  Leckrone 
Sharon  LeCounl 
Katherine  Lefever 
Donna  Lehman 
David  Leiier 
Rebekah  Leitzell 
Donna  Lengle 
Jean  Lersch 
Phil  Lersch 
Michele  Lewis 
Julie  Liggett 
Mark  Liller 
Jocelyn  Lisier 
Ronnie  Loper 
Mary  Lyall 
Bob  Maai 
Jessica  MacBelh 
Jamie  Malone 
Ruth  Mankle 
Donna  March 


Matt  McKimmy 
Cathy  McNeil 
David  McRoberts 
Loren  Metzger 
Carl  Melzler 
Dons  Metzler 
Manon  Metzler 
Laura  Meyers 
Abbie  Miller 
Abby  Miller 
Andy  Miller 
Austin  Miller 
Elva  Miller 
Ernest  Miller 
Fran  Miller 
Karen  Miller 
Margo  Miller 
Manellen  Miller 
Melissa  Miller 
Ricardo  Miller 
Ralph  Miner 
Amy  Mitchell 
Ruth  Moerdyk 
Freda  Moffel 
Mane  Moffet 
Ryan  Mooney 
Amber  Morehouse 
Seth  Mose 
Michael  Mulhlon 
Margie  Mullinax 
Katherine  Mullins 
Nancy  Murphy 
Nathan  Musselman 
Carl  Myers 
Doreen  Myers 
Nathan  Myers 
Amanda  Myers-Walls 
Carrie  Nelson 
Tiffany  Nelson 
Bryan  Newbum 
Wanda  Noel 
Jill  Noffsinger 
Heather  Nolen 
Shannon  Norman 
Matthew  Noms 
Connie  Sue  Novotny 
Dennis  Novotny 
Fran  Nyce 
Melanie  O'Bnen 
Roy  Olwin 


Stacy  Perdue 
Jennifer  Pelcher 
Timothy  Peler 
Amanda  Petry 
Mary  Peter 
Trish  Pierce 
Renee  Pitman 
Mark  Pollack 
Cinny  Poppin 
Joy  Porter 
Ashley  Puderbaugh 
Curtis  Puderbaugh 
Heather  Puderbaugh 
Shiriey  Pyle 
Caillyn  Radclifl" 
Dame!  Radcliff 
David  Radcliff 
Minam  RadclilT 
Taylor  Radcliff 
Jessica  Ramirez 
George  Reese 
Anne  Reichenbach 


Sarabelh  Shorter 
Cinda  Showaller 
James  Showaller 
Nathan  Shull 
Ben  Sink 
Jennifer  Sink 
Rachel  Skelly 
Donna  Skweres 
Greg  Slough 
Christine  Smith 
Stephen  Smith 
Mall  Smucker 
Conrad  Snavely 
Becky  Snell 
Sue  Snyder 
David  Stauffer 
Donna  Sleiner 
Joyce  Stoltzfus 
Carolyn  Slonehill 
Clarence  Stouffer 
Darlene  Stouffer 
Kirby  Stout 


Douglas  Reichenbach    Catherine  Slrahm 
Paulette  Reichenbach    Jov  Struble 


Todd  Reish 
Laura  Reisl 
Viola  Remingion 
Amy  Rhoades 
Diana  Rhoades 
Gerald  Rhoades 
Marie  Rhoades 
Peg  Richards 
Linda  Richer 
Phil  Rieman 
Ronald  Rinker 
Matt  Rittle 
Pat  Rtiile 
Donald  Roberts 
Audrey  Roberts 
Jeff  Roberts 
Linda  Roberts 
Maribelh  Robertson 
Karen  Rolston 
Ned  Rolston 
Emilia  Rosado 
Nicholas  Rowe 
Monica  Rutherford 
Cindy  Sanders 
Susan  Sallerfield 
Abby  Schmidt 

■\pril  Schmidt 


Jewel  Howlctt 
Lisa  Hufford 
Jonathan  Hurst 
Tom  Hursi 
Zach  Hurst 
Wendi  Hutchinson 
Sharon  Hutchison 
Shelby  Imler 
Paul  Ingle 
Denise  Ischleman 
Yvonne  James 
David  Jehnsen 
Caron  Jennings 
Stephanie  Jihad 
Andrew  Jones 


Bndgel  Marchio 
Ester  Marchio 
Debra  Martin 
Myra  Marlin-Adkins 
Belly  Mason 
Earl  Mason 
Frank  Mason 
Treva  Malhur 
Rachel  McCann 
Kelh  McCauhff 
Linda  McCauliff 
Elayne  McClanen 
Jessica  Mclnnis 
Daniel  McKay 
David  McKellip 


Ruth  Olwin 
Alexis  Oshel 
Jonathon  Oshel 
Misty  Oshel 
Phyllis  Oshel 
Dave  Otto 
Casey  Ours 
Chris  Ours 
Missy  Page 
Renee  Parilak 
Don  Parker 
Joyce  Parker 
Megan  Pate 
Manan  Patterson 
Sallv  Penner 


Tracy  Schmittler 
Candace  Schnepp 
Robert  Schnepp 
Nancy  Schoonover 
Peter  Schrock 
Lauren  Scott 
C.J-  Scruggs 
Phyllis  Sencsj 
Andrea  Sencsi-Good 
Donald  Shank 
Eileen  Shank 
Josh  Shawn 
Brandy  Shclton 
Catherine  Shirey 
Emilv  Shonk 


Adam  Siultz 
Janna  Slurgill 

Paul  Slulzman 
Ardys  Sutphin 
Charlie  Sutton 
Erica  Sweilzer 
Jeremy  Taylor 
Jane  Taylor 
Greenfield 
Marvin  Thill 
Phyllis  Thompson 
Kayc  Thorlon 
Keith  Thorton 
Karen  Tomlnnson 
Emily  Tyler 
Chnsly  Van  Horn 
Brian  Vancil 
Lenore  Vargo 
Chnstiun  Velazquez 
Jason  VIevy 
AI  Vocke 
Suzanne  Vroon 
Sue  Wagner  Fields 
Dana  Walbndge 
Dawn  Weisler 
Brooke  Weldy 
Jennifer  Weldy 
Came  Weller 
Natalie  Wells 
Kenneth  Wenger 
Naomi  West 
Rachel  Weybnghi 
Frank  Wheeland 
Shawn  While 

Mary  Whitney 

Julie  W'ieseke 

Donna  Wilcox 

Dawn  Wilhelm 

Linda  Williams 

Juan  Wilson 

Danielle  Wion 

Tara  Wion 

Naomi  Wolsieffer 
Heather  Wray 
Denise  Yoder 
Heidi  Yoder 
Kaye  Yoder 
Megan  Young 
Don  Young,  Sr 
Enn  Young 
Joyce  Yzenbaard 
Dorothy  Zlegler 
Ralph  Ziegler 
Margaret  Zinn 
Phil  Zmn 
Leah  Zuck 
Nevin  Zuck 
Wavne  Zunkcl 


I  WON'T  FIGHT  TO  KILL 

I  WILL  fight  injustice 
I  WILL  fight  hatred 
I  WILL  fight  racism 
I  WILL  fight  hunger 
I  WILL  fight  to  make 
sure  that  everyone 
has  what  they  need 
to  live  as  God  intends 

I.  JUST. 
WON'T.  HGHT.  TO.  KILL. 


The  White  Rose 


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f  Rose  were  pur  [o  death  lor 
nut  publicly  .ig.iinM  llic  cvth  ol 
:s  r.icisc  w.ir  ni.iihmi'.  As  mcrn- 
ivilcgcd  Ary.in  r.ici.il  group, 
/c  remained  silent  and  safe, 
stead,  in  spite  of  great  risk,  to 
lies  kno^n  to  ilic  Citizens  ot 
n  mcitiory  ol  the  spirit  ol  their 
■.iking  out,  the  White  Rose  h,is 
s  tlic  symbol  tor  the  "Take  the 


To  Take  The  Pledge,  contact 
The  Office  of  Brethren  Witness,  1451  Dundee  Ave.,  Elgin,  IL  60120-1694;  1-800-323-8039;  Email:  Witness_gb@Brethren.org. 


October  1998  Messenger  27 


Mi 


Empires  and  nations  eventually  collapse  under 

the  burden  of  their  own  self-importance. 

God's  kingdom  is  eternal.  We  must  choose  whether 

"Christ  is  Lord,  "  or  "We  have  no  king  but  Caesar. " 


Choosing  Christ  or  Caesar 

I'm  responding  to  Robert  Saylor's 
|uly  critique  of  the  1 970  Annual 
Conference  statement  on  war. 

Some  $2  50  billion  in  current  mili- 
tary spending  may  be  shy  of  the  $300 
billion  in  interest  payments  on  the 
national  debt,  yet  it's  still  a  lot  of 
money,  and  defense  spending  con- 
tributed greatly  to  the  debt. 

Annual  Conference  statements  are 
intended  to  present  our  discernment 
of  God's  will,  using  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  our  rule  of  faith  and 
practice.  Such  papers  should  state  a 
position  as  clearly  as  possible.  They 
are  not  intended  as  polls  of  private 
opinion,  or  referendums  on  public 
policy. 

Loving  and  compassionate  lives 
will  commonly  keep  us  out  of  contlict 
with  governments.  Yet  proper  sub- 
mission and  respect  for  civil 
authority  doesn't  imply  absolute  obe- 
dience. Ultimately,  the  power  of  civil 
authority  is  founded  on  lethal  force. 
Rather  than  attempting  to  reconcile 
deadly  force  and  God's  love,  we 
would  do  well  to  follow  the  recom- 
mendation of  the  early  Brethren  to 
"count  the  cost."  Public  witness 
needs  to  focus  on  faithfulness. 

Empires  and  nations  eventually 
collapse  under  the  burden  of  their 
own  self-importance.  God's  kingdom 
is  eternal.  We  must  choose  whether 
"Christ  is  Lord,"  or  "We  have  no 
king  but  Caesar." 

Tom  Wagner 
Muskegon,  Mich. 

Military  is  the  enemy 

After  reading  Dale  Aukerman's  "The 
problem  with  pluralism"  and  Prof. 
Saylor's  letter  "Statement  on  war"  in 
the  |uly  MESSENGER,  I  was  challenged 
to  think  about  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  and  its  influence  in  America. 
I  believe  its  greatest  achievement  has 
been  in  "service  work,"  but  theologi- 
cally it  is  very  quiet. 

28  Mhssenger  October  1998 


Jesus  went  about  doing  good  and 
healing  when  called  upon.  He  also 
opposed  oppression  and  defied  "reli- 
gion" as  it  was  expressed  by  the 
religious  rulers,  exposing  their  greed 
and  suppression  of  the  people.  His 
fight  against  "falseness"  took  him  all 
the  way  to  Calvary.  And  he  called  on 
his  followers  to  carry  on. 

For  several  hundred  years  Chris- 
tians had  no  part  with  military 
service  until  Constantine  "baptized" 
his  armies.  Christianity  has  been 
compromised  ever  since.  It's  my 
opinion  that  military  service  has  been 
the  greatest  enemy  of  the  church. 
The  Church  of  the  Brethren,  with 
other  peace  groups,  took  a  valiant 
stand  with  Civilian  Public  Service. 
Since  then  we  have  been  a  compro- 
mising people  in  a  compromising 
church  in  a  compromising  world. 

As  we  come  to  a  new  century,  are 
we  willing  to  be  challenged  to  change 
from  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  to 
the  Church  of  the  Radical  lesus? 

Ronald  Goniley 
St.  Petersburg.  Fla. 

Whence  separatists? 

Call  us  what  you  will,  either 
Brethren,  or  Dunker,  or  Old  Order, 
we  are  separatists  whether  we  like  it 
or  not.  We  will  have  separatist  bones 
as  long  as  we  live. 

As  a  peculiar  people  we  feel  called 
to  be  different.  We  are  afraid  of  pre- 


vailing winds.  We  stand  out,  stand 
up,  and  stand  for.  We  are  uneasy 
with  compromise. 

In  the  past,  we  have  relied  on 
authorities  with  power  to  keep  sepa- 
ratism from  breaking  us  apart.  We 
have  used  the  power  of  the  presiding 
elder,  official  board,  executive  commit 
tee,  or  Scripture  as  the  final  authority. 

In  the  future,  will  we  harbor  fear 
and  ride  safely  aloof  among  our  own 
kind  in  an  ark?  Or  will  we  keep  faith 
in  Christ's  commandment  to  risk 
investment  of  love  within  mainstrean 
American  city  life? 

Inez  Lon; 
New  Oxford.  Pa 


Pietists  influenced  Schiller 

I  think  it  would  be  of  interest  to 
Messenger  readers  to  learn  that 
Friedrich  Schiller,  one  of  the  great 
figures  of  German  literature  (1759- 
1805),  was  intluenced  by  Pietist 
thought  and  expressed  that  intluence 
in  his  poetry  and  drama. 

His  most  famous  work,  "Hymn  to 
|oy,"  was  the  basis  for  the  choral 
part  of  Beethoven's  Ninth  Sym- 
phony, which  used  only  two  stanzas. 
The  entire  nine  stanzas  read  like  a 
litany  of  Brethren  thought,  expecialh 
in  our  day  and  age.  Incidentally,  he 
discovered  psychology  and  wholistic 
health  almost  200  years  ago. 

]ohn  Forbe 
Rio  Piedras.  PR 


»■ 


Manager,  Emergency  Response/ 
Service  Ministries 

A  full-time  position  located  in  New  Windsor,  Md.  Directs  the  operation 
and  personnel  of  disaster  response,  material  resources,  and  refugee 
resettlement,  maintains  ecumenical  and  governmental  relationships. 

For  more  information  contact: 

Elsie  Holderread  at  800-742-5100 
or  e-mail  eholderread_gb@brethren.org 

Office  of  Human  Resources 
Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board 


Ill 


Seeing  the  Brethren 
through  eyes  of  color 


[  T  7e  traveled  to  Annual  Conference 
VV  this  year  eager  to  introduce  new 
riends  to  the  larger  Church  of  the 
brethren.  Guillermo  and  Marisel 
31ivencia  traveled  with  us.  They  are  the 
)astors  of  the  Hispanic  fellowship  that 
neets  in  our  church  (First  Church, 
^arrisburg,  Pa.).  They  joined  our  con- 
;regation  on  Easter  Sunday.  Also  with 
IS  were  Alfred  and  Mia  Williams,  new 
'i.frican-American  friends.  Rev.  Al's 
)rdination  was  transferred  to  the 
;;hurch  of  the  Brethren  in  February, 
rhrough  their  "eyes"  we  saw  our 
lenomination  in  a  whole  new  light.  It 
□oked  very  "white." 

Let  us  share  some  examples.  "Oh, 
'ou're  a  Brethren!"  a  surprised  con- 
erencegoer  exclaimed,  as  if  that's 
lot  to  be  expected  of  a  person  of 
:olor.  Actually,  licensed  minister 
ielita  Mitchell  is  the  second  genera- 
ion  of  her  family  to  be  Brethren.  A 
nember  of  the  Imperial  Heights  con- 
gregation, her  children  and 
;randchildren  are  third-  and  fourth- 
generation  Brethren.  How  long  does 
uch  a  family  need  to  be  in  the 
:hurch  before  being  seen  as  an  inte- 
gral part  of  our  faith  community? 

We  learned  that  the  denomina- 
ional  restructuring  process  left 
nany  ethnic  minorities  among  us 
eeling  pushed  even  further  to  the 
nargins  of  the  Brethren  family.  In 
iddition,  denominational  funding 
:uts  have  left  many  of  their  congre- 
gations struggling  to  survive. 

Indeed,  it  did  seem  that  non-white 
brethren  were  falling  through  the 
;racks  of  the  new  structure.  Spanish- 
ipeaking  Brethren  from  Puerto  Rico 
md  elsewhere  found  that  no  transla- 
ion  services  were  available  at 
Conference  this  year.  African-Ameri- 
;ans  found  that  no  events  were 
)lanned  to  bring  them  together.  No 
lew  minorities  were  elected  to  office, 
ilthough  Stafford  Frederick,  who  was 
ilready  on  the  General  Board,  was 


Nancy  and  Irvin  Heishinan 

elected  by  the  board  to  the  executive 
committee.  There  were  no  minority 
preachers.  The  one  appearance  of 
African-American  youth  in  worship 
was  in  a  drama  on  welfare  reform.  The 
youth  did  an  outstanding  job,  but  the 
association  ot  blacks  with  welfare  was 
unfortunate,  especially  given  the  invis- 
ibility of  African-Americans  generally 
this  year.  No  Hispanic  hymns  were 
sung  in  worship.  We  were  grateful  to 
see  that  a  Haitian  choir  was  invited  to 
sing  and  that  one  African -American 
worship  leader  was  chosen. 

We  heard  deeply  discouraged 
ethnic  leaders  saying,  "Do  Brethren 
want  us?"  "We  feel  like  we've  been 
set  back  five  years.  We're  going 
backward  instead  of  forward." 
"We're  invisible."  "Will  the  'Brethren 
and  Black  Americans'  paper  ever  be 
fulfilled?"  "Does  the  denomination 
want  to  help  us  grow  or  not?"   "Is 
there  a  future  for  us  in  the  church?" 
The  pain  felt  by  these  Brethren  made 
our  hearts  ache  too. 

The  first  impressions  of  the  folks  we 
were  traveling  with  were  mixed.  Sister 
Mia  said,  "I  just  overlooked  the  things 
that  could  insult  and  stayed  focused 
on  what  God  wanted  to  say  to  me." 
The  Olivencias  had  fun  making  new 
friends  and  dreaming  about  how  to 
work  with  others  to  share  the  good 
news  of  Christ. 

Once  home  from  conference.  Rev. 
Al  decided,  after  a  time  of  prayer  and 
reflection,  that  his  future  would  not  be 
with  the  Brethren.  "I'm  not  a  Martin 
Luther  King,"  he  sighed,  "I  can  see 
that  a  lot  of  Brethren  churches  would 
never  accept  me  as  pastor  because  I'm 
black.  Even  in  those  that  would,  I 
would  have  to  spend  a  lot  of  time  and 
energy  just  helping  people  understand 
and  respect  black  culture  and  tradi- 
tions. I  just  don't  have  the  energy  for 
that  at  this  point  in  my  life." 

The  Olivencias  found  more  reason 
for  hope  but  commented  that  they 


would  not  remain  as  quiet  at  next 
year's  conference!  Interestingly,  it 
seems  that  Brethren  can  embrace 
some  ethnic  groups  more  quickly  than 
they  can  our  black  brothers  and  sis- 
ters. Maybe  this  is  why  the  Olivencias 
found  more  reason  for  hope,  e\en 
though  Hispanic  Brethren  were  deeply 
distressed  this  year  too. 

There  were  also  some  encouraging 
signs  of  hope.  We  met  jose  Mata- 
moras,  the  new  pastor  of  the  Winter 
Park  Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
Florida.  He  was  hired  by  this  forward- 
looking  congregation  in  order  to  help 
the  mostly  "Anglo"  congregation  reach 
out  to  the  Hispanics  moving  into  its 
changing  neighborhood.  Another  sign 
of  hope  was  the  meeting  organized  by 
Congregational  Life  Team  leaders  |an 
Kensinger,  Linda  McCauliff,  and  Don 
Myers.  They  gathered  representatives 
from  congregations  in  Area  One  to 
plan  an  urban  consultation.  These 
representatives  expressed  strong  inter- 
est in  opening  the  doors  of  their 
congregations  to  their  neighbors  of 
various  cultural  and  ethnic  back- 
grounds. 

Annual  Conference  is  in  many  ways 
a  reflection  of  who  we  are  as  Brethren. 
Because  of  that,  we  can't  expect  the 
Annual  Conference  officers  and  staff 
alone  to  heal  the  wounds  of  broken- 
ness  among  us.  They  can't.  That 
responsibility  lies  with  all  of  us  who 
are  part  of  the  larger  church. 

We  left  this  conference  with  sadness, 
realizing  that  there  is  a  tremendous 
need  for  racial  reconciliation  among 
us.  It's  discouraging  to  see  that  we 
have  such  a  long  way  to  go  in  this 
area.  Yet,  we  remain  hopeful  that  our 
denomination  might  yet  commit  itself 
to  fully  embrace  ethnic  brothers  and 
sisters  and  to  grow  spiritually  as  an 
increasingly  multicultural  church. 

Inin  and  Saucy  Heishniaii  arc  co-pasiors  uj 
First  Cluircli  of  the  Brethren.  Harrisbiirg.  Pa. 


October  1998  Messenger  29 


Classified  Ads 


DIABETICS  SERVICE 

Diabetics  with  Medicare  or  insurance.  Save  money  on  dia- 
betic supplies.  For  more  inti  irmation  call  (HOO)  337-4144. 

INVITATIONS 

Come  worship  in  the  Valley  of  the  Sun  with  Com- 
munity Church  of  the  Brethren  at  1 11  N.  Sunvalley 
Blvd.,  Mesa,  AZ  86207.  Mail  to:  8343  E.  Emelita  Ave., 
Mesa,  AZ  8S208.  Tel.  (602)  3S7-9811. 

"Snow  Birds"  and  all  Florida  visitors  Come  wor- 
ship with  us— a  small,  warm,  family  of  Brethren.  Venice 
Community  Church  of  the  Brethren,  2269  S,  Taniiami 
Trail  (U.S.  4l),  Venice,  FL  34293  Phone:(94l)497-7442. 

POSITIONS  AVAILABLE 

Executive  for  Interchurch  Ministries  of  Nebraska, 

a  statewide  Christian  ecumenical  organization  of  eleven 
denominations.  Qualified  individuals  (lay  or  ordained) 
will  bring  a  niattire  commitment  to  Jesus  Christ,  integrity, 
visionary  goals,  self  motivated  leadership,  and  open- 
ness to  diverse  cultures  and  Christian  traditions.  Skills 
should  include:  Fostering  cooperative  relationships, 
articulate  communication,  organizational  development, 
fund  sources  and  grant  writing.  Responsibilities  involve 
administration,  working  with  staff,  volunteers.  Board, 
ecumenical  partners  and  other  agencies.  Salary  $2ik- 
3Uk  plus  benefits  (part  time  with  projected  goal  of  full 
time).  Offices  in  Lincoln,  NF.  (pop.  200,0004-).  Request 


information  and  application  from:  Search  Chair,  The 
Rev.  Dave  Daubert,  4980  S.  118th  Street,  Suite  D,  Omaha, 
NE  68137.  Application  deadline  December  1,  1998. 
A.A/EEO. 

The  Camp  Harmony  Board  of  Directors  is  seek- 
ing applications  for  the  position  of  "Associate 
Director."  This  position  will  be  a  management  posi- 
tion. Salary  will  be  commensurate  with  skill  level  and 
educational  background,  taking  into  consideration  the 
1998  Pastoral  Salary  Scale  as  adopted  by  Annual  Con- 
ference. This  position  will  be  responsible  for  helping  to 
develop  and  implement  the  Camp  Harmony  Program. 
Responsibilities  will  include  directing  the  summer  cam|i- 
ing  program,  developing  year  round  programming 
initiatives,  assisting  in  year  round  management  of  facil- 
ities and  staffing.  Tine  individual  should  have  a  background 
in  ( lutdoor  ministries  and  have  a  strong  commitment  to 
the  church.  Because  a  large  number  of  user  groups  here 
at  Camp  Harmony  make  use  of  our  team  challenge  pro- 
gram, a  backgn)und  in  conflict  resolution,  peer  mediatic  m 
( ir  challenge  course  programming  would  be  useful.  Appli- 
cants should  respond  to  the  camp  office  v\ith  a  written 
resume,  salary  requirements  and  three  letters  of  refer- 
ence by  November  30, 1998.  It  is  the  desire  of  Camp 
Harmony  Board  of  Directors  to  make  a  final  decision  in 
December  of  1998,  with  the  individual  to  begin  employ- 
ment in  the  early  pan  of  1999.  Inquiries  should  be  directed 
to:  Camp  Harmony  Inc.,  PO.  Box  158,  Hooversville,  PA 


Oomc  home  to  JViapl^  T&rracc. 


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Thefe's  no  place  like  home.  And  there's  no  place  like  Maple  Terrace, 
a  unique  independent  living  facility  opening  in  early  1999. 

Maple  Terrace  at  Bridgewater  Retirement  Community  will  feature 
28  spacious  apartments  and  the  amenities  you  need,  including  a 
community  center  with  large  dining  room,  wellness 
center  with  spa,  reading  and  craft  rooms,  beauty 
and  barber  shop,  and  more.  All  in  a  safe,  secure 
environment.  i 

For  more  information,  including  a  ' 

free  color  brochure,  call  Karen  McNeal 
at  800  419-9129  or  540  828-2550. 
Come  home  to  Maple  Terrace. 

EQUAL  HOUSING  OPPORTUNlTv 


MAPLE  TERRACE 

Opening  Early  1999 

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15936.  Tel:  (814)798->S85,F;i\:(Sl4)"'98-222S ore-ma 
harmony(g)twd.net. 

RETIREMENT 
Active  Retirement  Community.  The  Palms  Estatt 
of  Highlands  County  located  in  central  Fla.,  s.e.  of  hi 
toric  Sebring,  offers  place  in  the  sun  away  froi 
unpleasant  winter  weather  Away  from  major  Fla.  stori 
paths.  Not  lifestyle  for  rich  and  famous,  but  comfor 
able,  active  living,  Christian  retirement  atmosphen 
Choice  of  lots  available  for  lease.  Some  homes  liste 
for  resale.  RC  camping  space  available  by  season,  monti 
week.  Open  to  anyone  age  55  or  over  regardless  ( 
race,  religion,  ethnic  background.  For  info.,  contac 
The  Palms  Estate  of  Highlands  County  Inc.,  RO.  Be 
364,  Lorida,  FL  33857.  Telephone  (941)655-1909. 

TRAVEL 

Brethren  Heritage  Tour/Passion  Play  2000.  Re; 

ister  now-  for  the  July  29-August  11,  2000,  Europea 
tour  emphasizing  Brethren  values  and  heritage.  Ft 
information  contact  our  tour  leaders  Don  and  Hedc 
Durnbaugh  (tel/fax  (814)658-3222,  e-mail: 
durnbaughd(a'juniata,edu)  or  Randall  and  Pegg\' Yod^ 
(814)643-3221,  Brochure  with  full  itinerary  and  prit 
will  be  available  by  late  fall  1998.  To  ensure  space,  set 
$100  per  person  (made  payable  to  MTS  Tours)  befoi 
December  31, 1998,  to  Tour  2000,  R.D.  1,  Box  312,  Hur 
ingdon,  PA  16652. 

Oberammergau  and  Eastern  European  Tou 

Urgent!  Reser\e  a  place  now  for  a  preliniinar\'  Sl( 
deposit  per  person.  Travel  on  August  28,  2000,  fro 
Dulles  International  Airport  to  Budapest,  then  to  Vienn 
Prague,  Berlin  (via  Dresden),  Nuremburg  (via  Leipzig 
Oberammergau,  and  Munich.  Price  $3298  per  perst 
for  this  14-day  tour  including  hotels,  all  breakfasts  ar 
dinners,  and  first  class  tickets  to  the  Passion  Play  Fi 
more  information  contact  Wayne  F  Geisert,  Presider 
Emeritus,  Bridgewater  College,  Box  40,  Bridgewati 
VA  22812.  Phone:(540)433-l433  or  828-5494. 

Oberammergau  Passion  Play  year  2000  Bohr 
t(  )urs  will  be  leading  three  tours  to  Europe  and  the  pi 
sion  play  during  the  year  2000.  (May,  July  ar 
September)  Prices  will  begin  at  $2099.00.  For  infc 
mation  write  to:  Wendell  and  Joan  Bohrer,  8520  Ro) 
Meadow  Drive,  Indianapolis,  IN  46217  (317)882-506 
Bradley  and  Bonnie  Bohrer,  283  Parkway  Drive,  Bert 
OH  44(117  or  Matthew  and  Noelle  Bohrer,  1860  Jose] 
Court.  Elgin,  IL  (847)697-2746. 

Panama  Canal  Cruise.  Cruise  the  Caribbean,  tl 
Panama  Canal,  and  the  Pacific  Coast  of  Mexico  (Man 
9-March  20,  1999)  aboard  the  Sun  Princess  at  a  b; 
gain  price.  For  a  brochure  and  details,  contact  Wavi 
F  Geisert,  President  Emeritus,  Bridgewater  Colleg 
Bridgewater,  VA  22S12.  Phone  (540)433-1433  or  82 

5494. 

Travel  with  a  purpose.  You  are  invited  to  travel  w- 
Wendell  and  Joan  Bohrer  on  a  tour  of  Spain,  Portut 
and  Morocco,  August  5-18,  1999,  from  Chicago.  Vi 
Lisbon,  Elvas,  Seville,  Granada,  Madrid  and  a  full  tl 
of  touring  Tangier,  Morocco.  Breakfast  and  dinner  da 
For  information,  write  Bohrer  Tours,  8520  Renal  Meadi 
Drive,  Indianapolis,  IN  46217.  Tel/Fax  (317)882-50((sio 
Limited  space  available. 


30  Mkssenger  October  1998 


Iiiriiiiiff  Points 


Jew  members 

leacon  Heights,  Fort  Wayne.  Ind.: 

Laura  Albright,  Meredith  Ball, 

lonathan  Degitz,  Samantha  Dick, 

Daniel  Eikenberry,  Margaret  Norton. 

Rolland  Norton,  Tamara  Ricketls, 

lercmy  Wright,  Charlie  Wysong 
iridgewaler,  Va.:  Brent  and  Karen  Flora 

Holl 
)hambersburg.  Pa.:  Mariana  Barnhart. 

Amanda  Christnian.  .-^dam  Fitz. 

Bryson  Hennelberger.  Douglas 

Mangum.  Alisha  Miller,  Michael 

Runyon,  Alan  Lehman 
)over.  Del.:  Doris  Miller.  Shelby  Imler, 

Christine  Petro 
)upont.  Ohio:  William  Martin,  Martha 

Martin,  Zane  Price,  Crystal  Price, 

lerry  Westrick,  Diane  Westrick 
:ast  Chippewa,  Orrville.  Ohio:  Paul 

Horst,  Kyle  Hulson,  Vindy  Widmer, 

lonathan  Horst 
:1m  Street.  Lima,  Ohio:  Deborah  Guyer, 

Betty  Kesler,  Robert  .Monfort.  Linda 

Monfort.  lessica  Runier 
English  River,  South  English,  Iowa: 

lerry  and  Ruth  Powell 
Tee  Spring,  Mifllintown.  Pa.:Tammy 

Davis.  Alyson  Zeigler,  Daniel  Zeigler. 

William  Clugh.  Barbara  Shepler. 

Mark  Zeigler.  Becky  Zeigler 
lollins  Road,  Roanoke,  Va.:  Lewis  and 

Rose  Blankenship.  Bill  and  Carol 

Bryant,  Greg  Frazier.  loAnn  |. 

Robertson,  Matthew  McKimmy 
ennersville,  West  Grove.  Pa.:  lohn 

Lawler,  Donna  Verba 
.a  Place,  III.:  Garrett  lones,  Matthew 

Simpson,  Charlie  lones 
.iberty  Mills,  Ind.:  Amy  Francis.  Malary 

Michael.  Kirk  Pyle 
IcPherson,  Kan.:  Isaac  Dill,  Debbie 

Furgason.  Marc  Hess 
laitland,  Lewistown,  Pa.:  BufTie  Limes. 

Kevin  Hartman.  Ale.xis  Mauery,  Ken- 
neth McMullen,  Angela  Soccio, 

Roxanne  Wilson 
laple  Spring,  Eglon,  W.Va.:  Sharon 

Shaller 
lemorial,  Martinsburg,  Pa.:  Carrie 

Shatzer.  Josh  Isenberg.  Danielle 

GreenleaL  Lani  Fisher,  Stephanie 

Gray 
Midland,  Va.:  Robert  loseph  Crawford. 

|r..  Michael  Thomas  Ryan.  Dorothy  1. 

Brown.  Charles  W.  Miller 
lount  Hermon,  Bassett,  Va.:  Rosie 

Ellis.  Andy  Edwards 
feasant  Dale.  Decatur,  Ind.:  Terri 

Bertoch.  Heath  Gibson.  Nicole  Votaw 
'opiar  Ridge,  Defiance.  Ohio:  Doug 

Griffin.  Brett  Bostelman 
leading,  Homeworth,  Ohio:  Howard 

Bandy,  Meiinda  Stevens,  Olen  and 

Helen  Boyer.  Mark  Lallemand 
Ikyridge,  Kalamazoo,  Mich.:  Nancy 

DcBliek.  Cathy  Metzler.  Chuck  ' 

Miller.  Carolyn  Oberman.  Karen 

Tomlonson 
(tone,  Huntingdon,  Pa.:  Fred  Brcchbicl, 

Andrew  Wenger.  Sarah  Dowdy,  Tara 

McMinn.  Doug  Wingate,  Margaret 

Smith.  Ryder  Pingry.  loan  Engle 
itonerslown,  Saxton,  Pa.:  lonathan 


Martin,  George  Darr.  Edward  Darr 

Thurmont,  Md.:  Tracey  Eureka,  |oe 
Leach.  Tom  Cregger 

Union  Center,  Nappanee,  Ind.:  Grace 
Mishler.  Owen  and  Darlene  Som- 
mers.  Vicki  Stevens,  Todd  A.  and  Beth 
Hahn,  lim  Hess,  Brady  Shively, 
Cristina  Detwiler,  Mike  Neff,  Scott 
Hepler 

West  Charleston,  Tipp  City,  Ohio:  Abi- 
gail Miller,  Katie  Haman 

Worthington,  Reading.  Minn.:  Lance 
Lyie  Nelson.  Stacy  Lynn  Van  Westen. 
Becky  Sue  Van  Westen,  Brandon  Lee 
Van  Westen 

Wedding 
Anniversaries 

Anderson,  Roy  and  Ernestine,  Bassett, 

Va.,  50 
Beery.  Bob  and  Irene,  N.  Manchester. 

Ind..  60 
Berkey,  Harold  and  Helen.  Goshen 

Ind.,  60 
Boone.  Robert  and  Mary.  Greenville, 

Ohio.  50 
Brush,  Robert  and  Betty,  lohnstown. 

Pa..  50 
Delrick,  Elizabeth  and  Ernest,  N.  Man- 
chester. Ind.,  60 
Dick,  Sheldon  and  Alma,  St.  Michael, 

Pa.,  50 
Hash,  Ora  K.  and  Luella,  Middlebury, 

Ind.,  55 
Flora,  Sam  and  Lillie  Ann.  Harrison- 
burg. V^a..  50 
Harr,  Harry  and  Edna,  Windber,  Pa.,  60 
Hixson,  Foster  and  Frances,  Everett, 

Pa.,  70 
Holt,  Williain  and  Beulah.  Bedford, 

Va.,  60 
Kagarise,  Blaire  and  Pauline,  Hunting- 
don. Pa.,  55 
Keith,  Walt  and  losie,  Friendswood, 

Tex..  50 
Lichty,  Quintet  and  Alice,  Waterloo. 

Iowa,  50 
Loucks,  Otis  and  Helen,  Goshen, 

Ind.,  60 
Merricks,  Wavne  and  Merlene,  Roanoke, 

Va..  50 
Orr,  Maurice  and  Freda,  Glenford, 

Ohio,  50 
Roles,  Wavne  and  Shirlev,  Decatur. 

111..  50  " 
Rosenberger,  Clarence  and  Ida  Rae, 

Greenville.  Ohio,  60 
Rowland,  Earl  and  Feme,  Bridgewater, 

Va.,  50 
Shilling,  Merle  and  Levon.  lohnstown. 

Pa.,  50 
Stevens,  Ezra  and  Elizabeth.  Moneta 

Va..  50 
Teets,  David  and  Wilma  Mae,  Eglon. 

W.Va..  50 
Thomas,  Clyde  and  Violet,  lohnstown. 

Pa.,  60 
Yoder,  Ida  and  George.  Berlin.  Pa..  50 
Zigler,  Carl  and  Madaline,  Bridgewater, 

Va.,  55 

Deaths 

Adolph,  Blanche,  94,  Worthington, 

Minn,.  Dec.  20 
Amos,  Ruth,  87,  Altoona.  Pa..  April  16 
Atkins,  lerry  Edward,  48,  Boones  Mill. 

Va..  May  9 
Baker,  Lulu,  93,  Dixon,  111.,  Aug.  23 
Baker,  Ruth.  83,  Greenville,  Ohio, 

April  18 
Bardell,  Fay,  71,  Millertown,  Pa..  May  8 
Beard,  Chanel.  Chambersburg.  Pa.. 

Aug.  I  7 
Black,  Thornton  O..  77,  New  Oxford, 


Pa.,  Aug.  3 
Bowers,  Neil,  75,  Dixon,  III.,  Aug.  21 
Brechbiel,  Fred,  57,  Huntingdon,  Pa., 

Aug.  4.  1997 
Brillhart,  Thelma  Huffman,  94, 

Roanoke,  Va..  |uly  1  3 
Brunk,  Reatha,  91,  Modesto,  CaliL, 

Aug.  5 
Campanella,  Francis,  73.  Windber.  Pa.. 

luly  19 
Carpenter,  Lucille  H.,  88,  Brightwood, 

Va..  lune  6 
Chronister,  Velma  E..  82,  York,  Pa., 

Ian.  1  1 
Custer,  Ruth,  92.  Defiance.  Ohio, 

March  16 
Dascomb,  Ray,  86,  Linthicum,  Md., 

Aug.  21 
Davidson,  Eva  Barnhart,  51,  New 

Carlisle,  Ohio,  Aug.  7 
Denlinger,  Audra  L.,  75,  New  Carlisle, 

Ohio,  lune  8 
Dilling,  Nellie  S.,  89.  Roaring  Spring. 

Pa..  March  22 
Dollar,  Helen,  85.  .Mtoona,  Pa..  March  2 
Eshelman,  Carolyn,  lohnstown.  Pa., 

Nov.  5 
Eshelman,  Dave,  60.  Goshen.  Ind., 

luly  6 
Evans,  Rhoda,  71,  Martinsburg,  Pa.. 

Ian.  20 
Fair,  Miriam.  92.  Huntingdon.  Pa., 

May  16 
Faust,  Phyllis,  68.  Chambersburg,  Pa.. 

luly  18 
Flory,  Walter  S.,  |r..  Winston-Salem, 

N.C.,  lune  8 
Frye,  Benjamin  Sr..  74.  Hollidaysburg. 

"Pa..  Oct.  1  1 
Glover,  Russell,  75,  Uniontown,  Pa., 

Aug.  9 
Godfrey,  Kenneth  C.  Sr.,  77.  Dallas- 
town,  Pa.,  luly  30 
Gray,  Carol,  69,  Richmond,  Va..  julv  6 
Green,  C.  Ray.  70.  Thurmont.  Md'., 

luly  21 
Grimm,  lames  M.,  97,  New  Carlisle, 

Ohio,  April  12 
Grund,  Meral,  88.  Kent,  Ohio,  luly  1 
Harm,  Paul  F..  Sr..  88,  Harrisburg,  Pa.. 

May  4 
Helser,  Berdine.  91.  Thornville.  Ohio, 

luly  21 
Higgins,  Milton  H..  82.  Roaring  Spring, 

Pa.,  May  23 
Hodgden,  Delouris  Willilord,  77.  Kansas 

City.  Mo.,  lune  26 
Hodgden,  Frances  L..  78.  Kansas  City, 

Mo.,  lune  3 
Hollinger,  Esther  R,  95,  New  Oxford, 

Pa..  May  3 
Howes,  Pauline,  85,  Kaleva,  Mich., 

May  27 
Hurst,  Wilmer  R..  67,  Harrisonburg, 

Va.,  May  24 
Hutzler,  Sarah  luanita,  77,  Martinsburg. 

W.  Va..  lune  28 
Kauffman,  Samuel  A..  69,  Middlebury, 

Ind.,  luly  18 
Kennedy,  Hazel,  88.  La  Verne,  Calif.. 

luly  15 
Lawson,  Charles  B.,  82.  Harrisonburg. 

Va..  May  9 
Lecklider,  Ethel.  95,  Arcanum,  Ohio, 

Aug.  1  7 
Lemerl,  Helen  Marie,  78,  N.  Liberty, 

Ind..  luly  1 
Long,  Erna.  84,  Ypsiianti,  Minn., 

Dec.  24 
Luing,  Buell.  61,  Worthington,  Minn., 

April  26 
Majka,  Pauline,  73.  Uniontown,  Pa., 

luly  16 
Marsaa,  Ben  B.,  85,  Cando,  N.D., 

Aug.  14 
McCubbage,  Anna,  91,  Culpeper,  Va.. 

May  15 


McLeary,  lune,  lohnstown.  Pa..  March  16 
Michael,  Kenneth  £.,  97,  Goshen,  Ind., 

luly  19 
Miller,  Bryan  i.,  33,  Red  Lion,  Pa., 

Aug.  21 
Miller,  Homer,  Johnstown,  Pa..  Oct. 

19,  1997 
Neff,  Sandra  S.,  56,  Harrisonburg,  Va., 

Aug.  10 
Nelson,  Loretta.  59,  Chambersburg.  Pa., 

Aug.  20 
Nispel,  William  C,  |r.,  87,  York,  Pa., 

Aug.  5 
Noble,  Hazel,  90,  Dixon,  111.,  Aug.  19 
Nolen,  Alfred  C,  81,  Bassett,  Va.,  Feb.  3 
Oltman,  Lois  Wine,  93,  Enders,  Neb., 

May  18 
Olt,  Fred.  85.  Windber,  Pa.,  lune  15 
Page,  Helen  A..  81.  Kingsley,  Iowa, 

May  12 
Painter,  Shclva  Sarver,  60,  Roanoke,  Va., 

Ian.  21 
Ressler,  Susie,  79,  Lancaster,  Pa.,  luly  3 
Rhoades,  Sylvan  R.,  95,  Arcanum,  Ohio, 

lune  28 
Rhodes,  Dorothy  T.  93.  Altoona.  Pa., 

Sept.  20 
Roberts,  Lillian  M..  97.  Roanoke.  Va., 

April  I  1 
Rorabaugh,  Ai,  |r..  78.  New  Providence, 

Pa.,  luly  22 
Royer,  Mary,  89,  Arcanum,  Ohio, 

March  25 
Saylor,  Glenn  W..  86,  Waterloo,  Iowa, 

lune  28 
Schlapkohl,  94,  Worthington,  Minn.. 

lune  5 
Shank,  Wilbur  R..  86,  Martinsburg,  Pa., 

lune  1  I 
Shenk,  Sara.  98,  Carlisle,  Pa.,  Dec.  29 
Singer,  Edna.  87.  Tyrone.  Pa..  April  29 
Slaybaugh,  Bernice  E..  76.  New  Oxford, 

Pa.,  lulv  26 
Smith,  Ruth,  87,  Greenville,  Ohio, 

Aug.  7 
Stager,  Hollie,  82,  Arcanum,  Ohio, 

Nov.  20 
Staup,  losephine,  M.,  88.  New  Carlisle. 

Ohio,  lune  24 
Steigleman,  Hazel.  80.  Carlisle,  Pa., 

Nov.  22 
Stebbings,  Tim,  37.  Modesto,  Calif, 

.May  2 1 
Stocker,  Gerald,  64.  Martinsburg.  W.Va., 

April  16 
Stover,  Harry  L.,  75,  Dayton,  Va., 

.Aug.  16 
Terry,  Helen,  63,  Fayetteville,  W.Va., 

luly  12 
Thiel,  Frank,  lohnstown.  Pa.,  March  9 
Traxler,  Betty,  72,  La  Place.  111.,  May  1 1 
Volland,  Donald  W,  70,  Lebanon 

County.  Pa.,  Aug.  23 
Weigle,  George,  73,  Dixon,  111..  Aug.  14 
Weik.  Mary,  80,  Palmyra,  Pa.,  Aug.  4 
Weimer,  Brian  P.,  29,  Richmond,  Ind., 

lune  17 
Weiss,  Howard  B..  79.  Myerstown.  Pa., 

lune  I  5 
Welborn,  Vivian,  83,  N.  Manchester, 

Ind..  Aug.  7 
Wells,  William.  Texas,  May  19 
Werner,  Alice  V.  83,  Lineboro,  Md., 

Aug.  19 
Weygandt,  Earl.  Walnut  Creek.  Calif., 

May  26 
While,  Laura  Louise,  85,  N.  Liberty, 

Ind.,  May  24 
Wilt,  Mildred  Charity,  94,  Eglon,  W.Va., 

lune  4 
Wine,  Dallas  G.,  96,  Imperial,  Neb., 

May  12 
Wine,  Goldie,  89,  Lakeland,  Fla.,  |uly  18 
Witham,  Nondus,  89,  Lima,  Ohio, 

Mav  30 
Wolfe,  Elhcl  B..  86,  Martinsburg,  Pa., 

March  5 


(itoria 


Peace.  Be  still. 


His  wife  of  more  than 
60  years  was  in  the 
nursing  home  with 
Alzheimer's  when  Earl 
Traughber  stopped  by  his 
daughter's  for  lunch.  Ruth 
was  reading  from  a  book 
of  Bible  stories  to  her  little 
boy  Matt  in  preparation 
for  his  nap.  The  story 
Matt  had  chosen  that  day 
was  of  lesus  calming  the 
storm.  When  she  finished 
the  story,  Earl  and  his 
daughter  looked  at  each 
other.  "You  know,"  the 
old  man  said,  "1  believe  that  story  is  as  much  about  life's 
storms  as  about  nature's  storms." 

He  had  grown  up  poor  and  gone  to  work  at  age  14  to  help 
support  his  mother.  Earl  Traughber  has  been  letting  |esus 
calm  his  storms  ever  since.  He  was  married  at  age  23,  but  a 
year  later,  in  lanuary,  his  wife  and  their  new  baby  both  died 
after  complications  of  childbirth.  A  year  after  that,  on  lanu- 
ary 29,  1927,  he  married  Beulah,  and  the  following  lanuary, 
Earl  Ir.  was  born.  "Lucky  lanuary"  is  a  poem  Ruth  wrote 
from  her  mother's  perspective.  It  reads  in  part: 
"Your  daddy  was  so  proud. 
"He  said,  maybe  |anuary/Was  his  lucky 
month  after  all./  He'd  had  two  in  a  row. 
"Then  it  occurred  to  me,  /He  must  have 
worried/That  it  wouldn't  be  so. 
"That  he  would  lose/|unior  and  me/|ust  as 
had  happened  before. 
"He  carried  all  that  fear  alone/And  he 
never/ Breathed  a  word." 
The  babies  kept  coming — first  Earl  |r.,  then  Iva,  Dorthea, 
Bill,  Harold,  Bob,  and  Ruth.  Earl  and  Beulah  would  take 
them  all  to  Sunday  school  and  church  every  Sunday  at  the 
Decatur  (111.)  Church  of  the  Brethren.  After  church  he 
would  count  them  to  make  sure  they  were  all  there  before 
they  went  home.  To  support  a  large  family  he  worked  many 
years  at  two  jobs  for  little  money.  He  would  put  in  eight 
hours  a  day  at  the  local  corn  processing  plant,  then  a  half 
day  at  carpenter  work. 

He  always  said  love  with  his  hands,  whether  it  was  a 
spanking  for  the  kids  or  handling  a  hammer  and  saw  or 
paint  brush  to  help  out.  He'd  build  on  a  room  for  a  family 
member,  or  wire  a  house,  or  put  on  a  new  roof  for  someone 
down  the  road.  When  they'd  try  to  pay  he'd  say  he  didn't 
need  to  be  paid,  "But  you  just  pass  it  on  and  help  the  next 
person  who  needs  it." 

32  Messenger  October  1998 


Once  twelve-year-old  Bob  was  with  Earl  when  he  went  to 
downtown  Decatur  to  pay  bills  on  payday.  They  went  first  to 
the  Goodyear  store  to  pay  a  bill,  then  walked  from  Goodyear 
to  Sears.  When  Earl  took  out  his  wallet  he  noticed  he  had  too 
much  money.  So  they  walked  back  to  Goodyear  and  he  told 
them  they'd  given  him  too  much  change. 

The  Church  of  the  Brethren  pastor  talked  to  Earl  |r.  about 
the  possibility  of  going  into  the  ministry,  but  he  joined  the 
Navy  instead.  Then  his  father  fell  off  the  roof  of  a  house  he 
was  working  on  and  broke  his  back.  Because  of  his  father's 
condition,  the  son  got  out  of  the  Navy  and  by  that  time  had 
decided  to  go  into  the  ministry  after  all.  He  told  his  father 
he  was  glad  to  be  out  so  he  could  follow  God's  call,  but  he 
was  sorry  it  took  a  fall  from  the  house  to  get  him  out  of  the 
Navy.  "I'd  do  it  again  if  that  was  what  it  took,"  Earl  told  his 
son,  who  went  on  to  serve  many  years  as  a  Church  of  the 
Brethren  pastor  in  Idaho,  as  General  Board  member,  and 
now  Standing  Committee  member. 

It  hadn't  been  long  after  their  50th  anniversary  that 
Beulah  had  started  failing.  With  help  from  his  family.  Earl 
took  care  of  her  at  home  for  seven  years.  He  bathed  and 
dressed  her,  and  took  her  to  church  on  Sunday.  Eventually 
the  family  decided  that  for  his  sake  she  would  go  to  live  at 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  nursing  home  at  Girard,  111.,  twc 
hours  from  Decatur.  Earl  drove  those  two  hours  every  day 
at  first,  then  cut  back  to  two  or  three  days  a  week.  She 
would  make  only  a  whimpering  sound,  but  she  seemed  to 
relax  more  when  he  was  there.  When  he  was  88  and  could 
make  the  drive  no  longer,  they  moved  Beulah  to  a  Decatur 
nursing  home,  where  it  would  be  easier  for  her  devoted  hus 
band  to  visit. 

As  the  arthritis  kept  getting  worse  in  his  once-broken 
back,  the  nurses  noticed  he  was  having  a  hard  time  of  it. 
Why  don't  you  come  and  live  here?  they  would  say.  He  did, 
and  every  day  he  would  go  visit  Beulah  and  feed  her.  The 
man  who  shared  Earl's  room  was  an  Alzheimer's  patient 
who  was  always  getting  into  Earl's  things.  Earl's  daughter, 
Dorthea  Wood,  had  an  idea.  "If  you're  going  to  live  with  an 
Alzheimer's  patient,"  she  said  to  him,  "why  don't  you  live 
with  Mom?  At  least  she's  not  going  to  get  into  your  stuff." 

After  many  years  apart.  Earl  and  Beulah  became  room- 
mates again.  But  he  wasn't  sure  if  that  was  the  right  thing  t( 
do  until  one  day  he  said  to  his  daughter,  "Ask  Mom  if  she 
likes  rooming  in  here  with  me."  So  she  did.  "Mom,  do  you 
like  being  in  here  with  Dad?"  Beulah  didn't  hesitate  but  sai( 
an  unmistakable  "mmm-hmm."  They  were  convinced  that 
she  had  understood  the  question.  After  that  he  was  at  peace 
with  the  arrangement. 

Beulah  Traughber  died  in  1996.  On  |une  18  this  year. 
Earl,  at  age  95,  passed  from  this  life  to  the  next.  The  last 
storm  had  been  calmed.  — Fletcher  Earrar 


liv:  SlirtA'  Ikhmd 


The  Touch  of  the  Master's  Hand 


The  Life  ofMyra  Brooks  Welch 


I'h 1.1  rii.u'.. 


<.■r^  I-,  \Vo>.lv  MJ-;iJJ, 


The  Touch  of  the  Master^s  Hand  has  been  read  aloud, 
set  to  music,  and  passed  hand  to  hand  for  generations. 
Here  is  an  elegant  gift  version  of  the  beloved  poem, 
plus  the  inspiring  story  of  the  woman  who  wrote  it. 


The  Story  Behind  the  Touch  of  the  Master's  Hand. 
Let  it  touch  your  heart. 


ISBN:  0-87 178-0 10-0 

$9.95,  paper,  48  pages,  SVi  in.  x  6  in. 

Illustrated  with  graceful  black-and-white  photographs 


To  order,  call  toll-free  800-441-3712, 
or  fax  800-667-8188. 

Brethren  Press 

1451  Dundee  Ave.,  Elgin,  IL  60120 


.cii»l  P 


rice 


P^eme^ 


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Harmony  Ridge  offers  many  wonderful  floor  plans  from  a  One  Bedroom  to  a  Two 
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Faithful  fundine 

Gathering  greens      ^ 
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November  1998     www.brethren.org 


0 


n  the  cover:  All  churches 
share  the  need  to 
"gather  greens,"  so  why 
not  share  artwork  too?  As  we  were 
preparing  this  month's  cover  story 
on  the  General  Board's  Funding 
office,  we  came  across  our  sister 
publication,  Presbyterians  Today, 
with  a  cover  story  on  a  similar 
topic.  We  decided  to  ask  permis- 

ion  to  use  their  salad  bowl  artwork.  A  call  to  Louisville,  Ky. 

ound  editor  Eva  G.  Stimson  eager  to  help.  She  directed  us  to 

reelance  graphic  artist  Ben 

^ishman  in  San  Francisco,  who 

nakes  a  living  creating  illustra- 

ions  with  the  help  of  his 

;omputer.  He  was  pleased  to 

irrange  for  Messenger  to  use  his 

irt.  After  seeing  Messenger  for 

he  first  time,  Fishman  wrote  to 

is,  "It's  good  to  see  that  there 

ire  communities  of  caring  and 

vorship  out  there." 


11 


Departments 

2  From  the  Publisher 

3  In  Touch 

28  Letters 

29  Opinions 

31  Turning  Points 

32  Editorial 


15 


20 


22 


24 


26 


Editor:  Fletcher  Farrar 
News:  Nevin  Dulabaum 
Subscriptions:  Vicki  Roche 
Publisher:  Wendy  McFadden 
Designer:  Marianne  Sackett 


Features 

Gathering  greens 

Here's  a  behind-the-scenes  look  at  the 
General  Board's  Funding  office,  a  small 
staff  with  a  big  job.  Its  dual  responsibility 
is  to  remind  congregations  and  individuals 
that  ministries  of  the  larger  church  need 
resources  to  thrive,  and  to  remind  Chris- 
tians that  as  stewards  they  need  to  give  in 
order  to  thrive. 

Brethren  dig  in  in  the  Dominican 

Work  begun  by  Puerto  Rico  Brethren  has 
brought  about  a  community  of  16  Brethren 
congregations  in  the  Dominican  Republic. 
Former  moderator  Earl  Ziegler  traveled 
there  in  August  to  join  in  celebrating  bap- 
tisms and  a  new  church  building. 

Stories  of  lives  changed  by  BVS 

An  October  gathering  in  New  Windsor, 
Md.,  continued  the  50th  anniversary  cele- 
bration of  Brethren  Volunteer  Service. 
Journalist  Walt  Wiltschek,  now  youth 
pastor  at  Westminster,  Md.,  gathered  sto- 
ries of  former  BVSers,  describing  how  they 
were  changed  forever  by  volunteering. 

Beyond  anti-iitter  campaigns 

When  we  view  the  earth  as  God's  creation, 
and  understand  that  "dominion"  implies 
deeply  caring,  we  go  beyond  superficial 
environmentalism  to  a  loving  relationship 
with  the  planet. 

Granddaddy  relief  auction 

Wayne  Zunkel  reports  that  when  Atlantic 
Northeast  and  Southern  Pennsylvnia  dis- 
tricts get  together  for  their  annual  relief 
auction,  it  is  not  only  a  hugely  successful 
fundraiser,  but  also  a  witness  of  caring  for 
the  hurting  peoples  of  the  world. 

Zelophehad's  five  feisty  daughters 

If  you  don't  know  your  Numbers,  study 
the  Bible  with  Brethren  pastor  Christy  Wal- 
tersdorff,  for  a  challenging  story  of  women 
in  ministry. 

November  1998  Messenger  1 


B 


lie  Puoiisiier 


I  know  next  to  nothing  about  sports,  having  grown  up  in  a  family  where  sports  basi- 
cally didn't  exist.  What  little  I  know  now  has  rubbed  off  from  my  husband  and  son, 
both  of  whom  will  watch  just  about  anything  on  TV  that  involves  a  ball  or  fast 
wheels. 

Despite  my  ignorance,  I  pricked  up  my  ears  recently  when  some  sports  imagery 
was  applied  to  me.  It  was  a  few  weeks  ago  when  I  was  the  guest  preacher  at  the 
Hagerstown  (Md.)  Church  of  the  Brethren.  I  was  introduced  by  the  Brethren  Bud- 
dies, a  winsome  puppet  troupe.  In  the  skit  that  served  as  the  children's  story,  the 
puppets  were  trying  to  figure  out  who  I  was.  As  part  of  his  explanation,  the  Sunday 
school  teacher  puppet  compared  the  church  to  a  baseball  team  (the  Orioles,  in  this 
case)  and  the  General  Board,'s  Leadership  Team  to  the  coaches. 

As  someone  who  typically  was  chosen  third  from  last  when  the  softball  teams  were 
being  set  up,  I'm  not  exactly  used  to  being  called  anything  athletic,  much  less  a 
coach.  But  I  tried  on  the  idea  and  liked  it.  After  all,  a  good  coach  helps  the  players 
reach  their  full  potential  and  guides  the  group  into  working  together  as  a  team  to 
reach  a  common  goal.  That's  a  pretty  good  description  of  what  the  General  Board  is 
trying  to  do.  In  fact,  it  sounds  like  a  good  description  of  pastors  and  everyone  else 
serving  in  church  leadership. 

I  know  that  I  have  been  on  the  receiving  end  of  the  coaching,  as  well.  This  past 
summer  when  I  faced  a  financial  problem  in  Brethren  Press,  I  felt  tangible  support 
from  my  colleagues  on  the  Leadership  Team.  It  wasn't  just  sympathy;  it  was  a  sense 
that  they  were  shouldering  the  problem  as  all  of  ours,  not  just  mine.  I  was  grateful  to 
see  teamwork  in  action. 

1  wasn't  sure  the  sports  analogy  could  be  taken  any  further,  since — unlike  the  Ori- 
oles— we're  not  trying  to  beat  everyone  else.  But  then  I  thought  of  the  Special 
Olympics,  where  every  participant  is  cheered  wildly  simply  for  doing  his  or  her  best. 
There's  a  story  where  one  runner  in  the  Special  Olympics  trips  and  falls  before 
reaching  the  finish  line.  The  others  in  the  race  stop  and  return  to  help  their  fallen 
comrade  across  the  finish  line  together.  That's  the  kind  of  coaching  we  can  all  do  for 
each  other. 

In  this  season  of  thanksgiving,  I'm  thankful  for  the  creativity  of  people  who  pre- 
sent ideas  in  fresh  ways,  for  teammates  who  work  with  perseverance  and  grace,  for 
the  cloud  of  witnesses  that  cheers  us  on,  and  for  the  Coach  who  sets  before  us  the 
common  goal.  That  God  entrusts  us  with  this  work  should  humble  and  inspire  us  all. 


'^)^^iJ^Oyk^aMux_ 


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To  view  the  official  Church  of 
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Messenger  is  Ihe  official  publication  of  the  Churct 
of  tlie  Bretfiren,  Entered  as  periodical  postage  mattei 
Aug.  20.  191 8,  under  Act  of  Congress  of  Oct. 
1917.  Filing  date,  Nov.  1,  1984.  Member  of  thf 
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News  Service  &  Ecumenical  Press  Service.  Biblica 
quotations,  unless  otherwise  indicated,  are  fron" 
the  New  Revised  Standard  Version.  Messenger  i: 
published  1 1  limes  a  year  by  Brethren  Press,  Churct 
of  the  Brethren  General  Board.  Periodical  postagi 
paid  at  Elgin,  lit,  and  at  additional  mailing  office 
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® 


Printed  on  recycled  paper 


2  Messenger  November  1998 


In 


'Good  Morning,  America!  Peace!' 

A  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  TV  production  team  videotapes  a  greeting  for  ABC's  "Good  Morning  America" 
with  a  group  of  Manchester  College  peace  studies  students.  The  students'  greeting,  tentatively 
scheduled  for  broadcast  in  late  October,  promotes  the  50th  anniversary  of  the  peace  studies  pro- 
gram, the  nation's  first.  The  college  marked  the  anniversary  with  a  series  of  events  in  October  [see 
article  page  8].  The  program  provides  studies  in  the  understanding  of  war  and  peace,  social  change, 
and  conflict  resolution. 


November  1998  Messenger  3 


Ill 


Mission  trip  to  LA  and 
Tijuana  changes  lives 

Thirteen  people  representing 
10  different  churches,  from 
Indiana,  Virginia,  Ohio,  and 
Florida,  came  together  in  Los 
Angeles  for  a  mission 
encounter  in  August.  Under 
the  leadership  of  Terry  Shu- 
maker,  pastor  of  Pleasant 
Dale  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Decatur,  Ind.,  and  his  wife, 
Carolyn,  the  group  stayed  at 
Bella  Vista  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  East  Los  Angeles. 

The  group  worked  and 
witnessed  in  the  Bella 
Vista  church  and  adjoining 
Bittersweet  Ministries,  a 
rehabilitation  home  for 
men. 

A  food  distributing  trip 
to  skid  row  made  a  lasting 
impression.  "Skid  row 
brought  to  reality  how 
close  I  was  to  being  home- 
less myself,"  said  Kathy 
Simmons  of  the  Good 
News  Fellowship  church  in 
Covington,  Va.  "It 


Correction 

An  article  in  the  October 
Messenger  stated  incor- 
rectly that  Hillcrest 
School  is  government- 
operated.  Actually, 
Hillcrest,  located  in  los, 
Nigeria,  is  run  by  a  con- 
sortium of  missions  and 
churches,  with  the  Niger- 
ian church 

(EYN)/Churchofthe 
Brethren  USA  being  one 
of  these  partner  mission 
churches.  A  representa- 
tive of  EYN  holds  a  seat 
on  the  board  of  directors 
of  the  school. 


wrecked  me  emotionally, 
but  it  made  me  sincerely 
thankful  for  all  of  God's 
blessings." 

Shumaker  and  Gilbert 
Romero,  pastor  of  the 
Bella  Vista  congregation, 
took  the  group  to  Tijuana, 
Mexico,  where  they 
worked  at  an  agency  which 
provides  assistance  for 
orphans  and  others  in 
poverty.  They  also  helped 
distribute  food  to  those 
who  live  in  the  Tijuana 
landfill. 

"For  me  the  trip  was  life 
altering,"  said  Rita  Lip- 
pold,  of  Mexico  (Ind.) 
Church  of  the  Brethren. 
"The  whole  reason  I  came 
was  made  clear  to  me  by  a 
gentleman,  addicted  to 
crack,  living  on  skid  row.  I 
had  asked  him  if  my  being 
there  helped.  He  looked  at 
me  and  said  no.  But  as  I 
turned  to  leave  he  said,  'I 
may  not  have  helped  you, 
and  you  may  not  have 
helped  me,  but  we  both 
were  lifted  up.'" 

Remembered 

|.  Oliver  Dearing,  of  New 

Lebanon,  Ohio,  died  Aug. 
5  at  age  89.  He  had  served 
as  pastor  of  Kaskaskia  and 
Walnut  Grove  congrega- 
tions in  Illinois,  County 
Line  and  Eversole 
churches  in  Ohio,  and 
Spring  Creek,  Pleasant 
Dale,  and  Cedar  Grove 
churches  in  Indiana.  He 
and  his  wife,  Ellen,  cele- 
brated their  70th  wedding 
anniversary  March  3  1  this 
year. 

Thornton  O.  Black,  77, 
died  Aug.  5  at  The 


Brethren  Home,  New 
Oxford,  Pa.  He  was 
ordained  in  1957  at  Sam's 
Creek  Church  of  the 
Brethren  near  New  Wind- 
sor, Md.  He  served  at 
churches  in  Maryland  and 
Pennsylvania  and  until 
1994  was  on  the  pastoral 
staff  at  The  Brethren 
Home. 

Karl  P.  Flora,  of  Centre- 
ville,  Va.,  died  Aug.  5  1  at 
age  49.  A  member  of  Man- 
assas (Va.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Flora  was  an 
internationally  recognized 
authority  in  the  pharma- 
ceutical chemistry  of 
anti-cancer  drugs.  He  had 
been  diagnosed  with  the 
disease  of  non-Hodgkins 
lymphoma. 


A  day  for  peacemakers 

Studying  the  Beatitudes 
each  one  month  at  a  time 
under  the  direction  of 
pastor  Larry  Fourman, 
Crest  Manor  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  South  Bend, 
Ind.,  devoted  September 
to  "Blessed  are  the  peace- 
makers." On  Sunday, 
Sept.  20,  the  sermon  and 
music  were  on  the  theme 
of  peace,  and  the  congre- 
gation dedicated  two  new 
peace  poles.  Members 
were  invited  to  sign  the 
Pledge  Against  Violence. 
Youth  and  their  families 
heard  a  presentation  about 
the  Brethren  peace  stance 
by  Ministry  Summer  Ser- 
vice intern  loshua 


Centennial  celebrants  at  I  he  Coulson  Church  of  the  Brethren 
inchided  Rita  Creed,  Ruth  Harmon.  Barbara  Riccio,  Faye 
Bryant.  Ahna  Mabe.  and  Becky  Bryant. 

All  but  the  pig  enjoy  eentennial 

Coulson  Church  of  the  Brethren,  in  Hillsville,  Va.,  cele- 
brated its  100th  anniversary  July  22-26.  Activities 
included  a  "pig  pickin'"  attended  by  more  than  250 
people.  The  church  was  organized  and  called  Coulson  on 
Nov.  22,  1 898.  It  moved  into  a  new  building  in  1 952,  and 
the  old  building  was  sold  and  moved.  The  church  now  has 
more  than  500  members.  — Becky  Bryant 


4  Messenger  November  1998 


Brockway.  The  day  con- 
cluded with  a  presentation 
of  Lee  Krahenbiihl's  play, 
The  Final  journey  of  John 
Kline,  performed  by 
Elkhart  Valley  Church  of 
the  Brethren.  — Harriet 
Hamer  Cassell 

Ten  former  pastors 
attend  homecoming 

Ten  former  pastors  and 
numerous  former  mem- 
bers were  honored  guests 
at  the  Sept.  20  homecom- 
ing at  Lancaster  (Pa.) 
Church  of  the  Brethren. 
Attendance  for  the  three 
worship  services  totaled 
662. 

On  Oct.  4,  the  Lancaster 
congregation  celebrated 
the  50th  anniversary  of 
Brethren  Volunteer  Ser- 
vice, featuring  interviews 
of  10  former  BVSers  about 
their  experiences,  and 
music  by  an  octet  of 
former  BVSers. 


Flood  can't  stop  Lone 
Star  pancake  supper 

A  red  quilt,  very  damp  and 
soiled,  greeted  members  of 
the  Lone  Star  Church  of 
the  Brethren's  cleanup 
crew  Monday,  Oct.  5, 
after  a  deluge  of  5.09 
inches  on  Sunday  sent  the 
waters  of  nearby  Washing- 
ton Creek  swirling  through 
the  basement  of  the  church 
near  Lawrence,  Kan. 

The  queen-size  quilt, 
made  by  member  Cathy 
Miles,  was  scheduled  to  be 
the  "prize"  for  donors 
attending  the  church's 
49th  Annual  Pancake 


Supper  on  Oct.  19.  Water 
was  higher  than  the  piano 
keys,  topped  the  kitchen 
work  counters,  and  left 
banquet  tables  tipped  atop 
one  another  in  the  church 
basement. 

Church  members  went 
to  work.  "We  worked  two 
full,  hard  days  with  power 
equipment  to  clean  the 
basement  up,"  said  Earl 
Flory.  The  carpet  had  to 


be  removed  and  everything 
disinfected  and  scrubbed, 
with  fans  set  in  place  to 
help  dry  things  out.  Dean 
Neider  used  a  power 
washer  on  all  the  folding 
tables  and  chairs.  Pots  and 
pans,  cups  and  dishes,  sil- 
verware and  linens  went 
home  with  various  mem- 
bers for  disinfecting  and 
washing. 
Caroline  Flory  took  the 


quilt  home,  washed  it 
twice,  and  it  finally  came 
clean.  On  Monday,  a  week 
before  the  Pancake 
Supper,  carpet  layers  fin- 
ished installing  the  new 
carpet,  the  kitchen  was  put 
back  in  order, and  the 
quilt,  enriched  with  his- 
tory, was  rehung.  And  the 
49th  Annual  Pancake 
Supper  posters  stayed  up. 
— Irene  Shull  Reynolds 


Heifer  Project  work  honored:  Charlene  Clark,  district  conference  moderator:  James  E. 
Tomlonson,  district  executive  minister:  Steve  Bohn.  district  witness  chair:  and  David 
Boothby.  Midwest  director  of  JJPl  from  Goshen.  Ind. 

Southern  Ohio  Heifer  Projeet  eommittee  honored 


For  55  years,  a  Southern  Ohio  commit- 
tee of  nine  has  promoted  Heifer  project 
and  shipped  animals  to  families  in  the  US 
and  around  the  world.  The  Church  of  the 
Brethren  250th  anniversary  in  1958  was 
the  occasion  to  send  54  heifers  to  Ger- 
many. 

Heifer  Project  International  no  longer 
ships  animals  overseas  but  purchases  them 
locally  in  each  country  from  high-quality 
herds  and  donates  them  to  families  in 
need.  Because  animals  are  no  longer  han- 
dled by  the  Southern  Ohio  Heifer  Project 
committee,  that  group  is  going  out  of  exis- 
tence. Donations  are  now  being  directed 


to  the  district  office  and  sent  to  the  Mid- 
west Regional  Office  of  HPL 

As  part  of  the  1998  District  Conference, 
the  committee  and  district  were  honored 
for  their  past  work  by  David  Boothby, 
director  of  the  Midwest  Office  of  HPL 
Hopes  were  expressed  that,  under  the  new 
arrangement,  more  families  than  ever  will 
be  lifted  out  of  poverty.  — Ralph  Dull 


"In  Touch" pro fdes  Brethren  we  would  like  you 
to  meet.  Send  story  ideas  and  photos  to  "In 
Touch."  Messenger.  1451  Dundee  Ave..  Elgin. 
IL  60120. 


November  1998  Mfssf.ncer  5 


N 


Butler  Chapel  choir  goes  to 
Indiana  to  'tear  down  walls' 

"Tearing  down  walls  and  building  up 
bridges!"  was  the  idea  behind  a  unique 
reunion  that  was  held  in  late  August 
between  members  of  Butler  Chapel 
AME  Church  of  Orangeburg,  S.C., 
and  two  Northern  Indiana  Church  of 
the  Brethren  congregations. 

This  reunion  was  in  honor  of  the 
friendships  that  were  forged  between 
Butler  Chapel  and  Church  of  the 
Brethren  members  last  year  as 
Brethren  assisted  in  the  rebuilding  of 
the  Butler  Chapel  church,  which  had 
been  destroyed  in  March  1996  due  to 
race-related  arson. 

Susan  Boyer,  pastor  of  the  Man- 
chester congregation,  became 
acquainted  with  Butler  Chapel  last 
year  when  she  led  50  members  to 
South  Carolina  for  nine  days  of 
rebuilding.  One  of  her  church  mem- 
bers, Torin  Eikenberry,  was  assigned 
as  on-site  coordinator  of  the  project 
as  his  Brethren  Volunteer  Service 
assignment  with  Emergency 


Playing  in  a  sandbox  unites  children  from  Bremen.  IncL,  with  tlieir 
visitors  from  Orangeburg.  S.C. 


6  Messenger  November  1998 


Response/Service  Ministries.  And 
another  church  member.  Cliff  Kindy, 
served  as  Disaster  Response  project 
director  for  one  month. 

When  the  Manchester  church 
burned  in  January,  Mellerson  and 
other  Butler  Chapel  members  called 
Boyer  and  prayed  with  her.  The  first 
Sunday  that  Manchester  was  without 
a  building  due  to  its  fire  was  the  same 
Sunday  that  the  new  Butler  Chapel 
building  was  dedicated.  Eikenberry 
and  two  other  members  of  the  Man- 
chester church  attended  the 
dedication  and  returned  home  with  a 
$3,000  donation  that  was  raised 
during  the  dedication  service.  Eight 
months  later  it  was  the  members  of  the 
Buder  Chapel  and  Prodigal  AME 
churches  who  came  to  the  aid  of  the 
Manchester  church  by  "tearing  down 
walls"  in  the  form  of  a  community 
concert  to  help  raise  money  for  the 
Manchester  rebuilding  project. 

Nine  members  of  the  Bremen  (Ind.) 
Church  ol'  the  Brethren  also  worked 
on  the  Butler  Chapel  project  last  year. 
"We  really  had  nothing  in  common 
except  our  Christian  heritage,"  said 
Bremen  pastor  Tom  Hostetler.  Scott 
Graybill,  Keith  Kline,  and  Daniel 
Kline  joined  Hostetler  on  the  project 
and  were  all  impressed  with  the  way 
Butler  Chapel  members  worked 
through  their  losses. 

"We  were  glad  to  be  part  of  some- 
thing on  a  denominational  level," 
said  Hostetler,  who  was  impressed 
by  the  way  people  of  diverse  back- 
grounds worked  and  worshiped 
together.  So  impressed,  in  fact,  that 
he  invited  Mellerson  and  Butler 
Chapel  members  to  visit  Bremen  for 
a  joint  worship  service. 

During  the  Aug.  50  morning  wor- 
ship at  the  Bremen  church, 
Mellerson  "built  bridges"  by  saying 
that  those  in  attendance  would  be 
"good  Brethren/AME's  today!"  He 


fa 


Dpened  his  sermon  by  saying,  "We 
are  grateful  that  God  allowed  our 
3aths  to  cross  that  we  might  fellow- 
ship. We  are  so  close-knit  that  they 
;an't  get  rid  of  us  and  we  can't  get 
'id  of  them.  They  keep  giving  to  us 
and  we  keep  giving  to  them  and 
:hat's  what  God  intended  —  for  us 
:o  work  together  that  way." 

Mellerson  continued  by  joking  that 
3od  made  each  of  us  from  dirt.  "Our 
dirt  was  just  a  little  darker  than  most 
3f  yours."  He  added,  "We  must  not 
3e  one  denomination  under  God,  not 
3ne  race  under  God,  but  one  nation 
jnder  God.  We've  got  to  tear  down 
ivalls  and  build  up  bridges  of  peace, 
oy,  faith,  and  love!" 

Butler  Chapel  members  said  they 
ivere  a  bit  confused  when  the  Brethren 
ivho  came  to  help  them  rebuild  said 
:hat  they  received  more  than  they 
jave.  "We  were  a  tad  bit  jealous  and 
ivanted  to  see  what  it  felt  like  to  get 
Tiore  from  giving,"  Mellerson  said.  So 
now  Butler  Chapel  members  are  help- 
ing other  churches  in  their  area  that 
^ere  burned.  — Regina  Bryan 

Regina  Bryan  is  a  member  of  Pleasant  Dale 
Zhurch  of  the  Brethren.  Decatur.  Ind. 


Brethren  respond  in  Puerto 
Rico  and  around  the  world 

In  response  to  the  devastation  of  Hur- 
ricane Georges,  Glenn  Kinsel,  a 
retired  volunteer  for  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  General  Board's  Emergency 
Response/ Service  Ministries,  traveled 
to  Puerto  Rico  as  soon  as  the  storm 
had  left  the  island.  He  has  been  work- 
ing with  |uan  Figueroa,  pastor  of 
Segundo  Iglesia  Cristo  Misionera  Fel- 
lowship, near  San  juan. 

Kinsel  reported  that  over  300  people 
lost  their  lives  and  33,1 13  single- 
family  houses  were  destroyed,  85,000 
are  without  roofs,  and  27,066  others 
have  major  damage.  Total  damage  is 


estimated  at  $2  billion. 

According  to  Kinsel,  an  estimated 
200,000  families  are  expected  to 
apply  for  assistance.  Kinsel  is 
expected  to  visit  Castaher,  which 
also  was  heavily  damaged.  The 
Brethren  have  been  present  in  Cas- 
tafier  for  years,  and  ER/SM  expects 
to  begin  disaster  relief  projects  there 
in  the  near  future. 

Meanwhile,  reports  from  the 
Dominican  Republic,  another  coun- 
try with  Church  of  the  Brethren 
presence,  state  that  the  damage  is 
even  more  far-reaching,  including  in 
an  area  where  there  are  13  Church  of 
the  Brethren  congregations.  Accord- 
ing to  [orge  Rivera,  associate 
executive  of  Atlantic  Southeast  Dis- 
trict, the  situation  is  "exceedingly 
serious." 

ER/SM  is  creating  a  list  of  people 
who  are  willing  to  volunteer  in 
reconstruction  efforts.  For  more 
information,  contact  ER/SM  at  800- 
451-4407. 

An  allocation  of  $20,000  was  made 
Aug.  25  from  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  General  Board's  Emergency 
Disaster  Fund  to  support  an  appeal 
to  respond  to  China's  worst  flooding 
in  50  years.  Over  2,000  people  have 
died  and  tens  of  thousands  are 
injured.  According  to  the  release, 
starvation  and  disease  are  threaten- 
ing many  who  had  to  leave  their 
homes.  These  funds  will  be  chan- 
neled to  Action  by  Churches 
Together,  via  Church  World  Service. 

Six  grants  totaling  $62,500  were 
allocated  from  the  Emergency  Disas- 
ter Fund  to  assist  in  a  variety  of 
projects.  Nearly  half  of  those  funds, 
$30,000,  were  allocated  in  response 
to  a  CWS  appeal  to  assist  Action  by 
Churches  Together  International  in 
emergency  humanitarian  work  in 
Indonesia.  According  to  Miller 
Davis,  manager  of  the  Church  of  the 


Brethren  Emergency  Response/Ser- 
vice Ministries,  "a  grave  economic 
and  political  crisis,  drought,  forest 
fires,  and  ethnic  strife  have  all  com- 
bined to  cause  enormous  difficulties 
in  Indonesia  during  the  last  year." 

Davis  said  it  is  estimated  that  50 
million  people  will  have  difficulty 
maintaining  a  minimal  level  of  food 
intake  in  the  upcoming  months,  with 
40  percent  of  the  country's  popula- 
tion expected  to  be  below  the  poverty 
line  by  year's  end.  This  Church  of 
the  Brethren  grant  will  be  used  for 
one-time  distribution  of  seeds  and 
tools  and  for  food-for-work  projects. 

Other  grants  include — 

•  $  1 1 ,000  in  response  to  the 
bombings  of  US  embassies  in  Kenya 
and  Tanzania.  This  grant  will  be  dis- 
tributed through  CWS  and 
cooperating  agencies  to  meet  the 
long-term  needs  of  survivors  and 
their  families;  medical  services  to 
survivors,  letters  of  support  and  con- 
cern, books  of  sermons  from  pastors 
in  Oklahoma  City  who  faced  a  simi- 
lar experience  following  the  bombing 
there  in  1995,  and  an  endowment  to 
provide  school  fees  to  selected  chil- 
dren whose  families  have  been 
affected. 

•  $  1 0,000  for  response  work  in 
Texas  following  Tropical  Storm 
Charley  and  in  North  Carolina  fol- 
lowing Hurricane  Bonnie.  Flooding 
in  Texas  damaged  or  destroyed  1,500 
mobile  homes  or  rental  units.  In 
North  Carolina,  over  1,000  registra- 
tions for  disaster  assistance  in  the 
northeastern  part  of  the  state  have 
been  made. 

•  $7,500  to  assist  with  the  cost  of 
producing  and  distributing  CWS 
emergency  response  information  on 
the  World  Wide  Web.  This  is  a  one- 
time expense. 

•  $2,500  in  response  to  a  refugee 
crisis  in  Gambia.  According  to 


Nr 


ibcr  199S  MissiNcru  7 


Davis,  recent  fighting  in  Guinea 
Bissau  between  pro-government 
forces  and  anti-government  rebels 
has  resulted  in  a  fresh  influx  of 
refugees  into  Gambia.  This  grant  will 
be  used  for  emergency  food,  shelter, 
and  medicines,  with  longer-term 
assistance  to  include  farming  tools 
and  educational  help. 

•  $1 ,500  in  response  to  a  CWS 
appeal  to  provide  short-term  assis- 
tance to  families  affected  by  recent 
heavy  rains  in  the  Czech  and  Slovak 
republics.  Over  50  people  were  killed 
and  scores  were  left  homeless. 

•  A  grant  of  $  1 0,000  was  allocated 
from  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
General  Board's  Global  Food  Crisis 
Fund  to  assist  1  7  southern  coastal 
communities  of  Honduras  affected 
by  El  Nifio  and  a  recent  drought. 

•A  $25,000  Global  Food  Crisis 
grant  was  approved  to  provide  assis- 
tance to  a  grassroots  project  in 
Guatemala.  Brethren  Volunteer  Ser- 
vice worker  Tom  Benevento  has  been 
working  in  the  production  of  wood- 
conserving  stoves  and  water-storing 
cisterns  in  several  highland  commu- 
nities. This  grant  will  enable 
additional  families  to  participate  in 
this  ministry. 

Other  ER/SM  disaster  projects 
currently  underway  include  — 

•  North  Carolina,  where  a  grant  of 
$6,955  forwarded  to  the  North  Car- 
olina Council  of  Churches  will  aid 
flood  victims.  The  majority  of  the 
grant,  $6,576,  was  raised  by  Virlina 
District  congregations. 

•  lefferson  County,  Ala.,  where  451 
houses  were  destroyed  and  another 

!  ,000  damaged  by  tornadoes. 

•  V/inter  Garden,  Fla.,   in  response 
to  February  tornadoes. 

•  Roan  Mountain/Hampton, 
Tenn.,  where  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  is  now  completing  its  sixth 
and  final  house,  constructed  in  the 
aftermath  of  severe  floods. 

8  Messenger  November  1998 


Work  continues  on  projects  in 
southeastern  Ohio  (rebuilding  one 
home  and  drywalling  and  other 
repair  work  on  others);  Alabama 
(rebuilding  six  houses  from  the 
ground  up);  Florida  (three  houses 
still  need  to  be  rebuilt);  and  Texas  (a 
rebuilding  project  is  being  prepared 
for  the  first  of  next  year). 


Manchester  celebrates  50 
years  of  peace  studies 

The  50th  anniversary  of  the  nation's 
first  collegiate  peace  studies  pro- 
gram, which  was  started  by 
Manchester  College,  North  Man- 
chester, Ind.,  was  celebrated  in 
October  in  conjunction  with  the  col- 
lege's homecoming. 

Established  in  the  fall  of  1948  by 
Gladdys  Muir,  the  Peace  Studies 
Institute  and  Program  in  Conflict 
Resolution  provides  studies  in  the 
understanding  of  war  and  peace, 
social  change  and  conflict  resolution. 

Over  the  past  five  decades,  the 
peace  studies  program  grounded  in 
political  science,  sociology,  psychol- 
ogy, ethics,  religion,  economics,  and 
history  has  "deflned  issues,  stimu- 
lated debate  and  dissent,  and 
prepared  students  for  roles  of 
national  and  international  impor- 
tance," according  to  Manchester 
College.  "The  program  has  served  as 
a  model  to  more  than  200  colleges 
and  universities  which  have  devel- 
oped peace  studies  as  part  of  their 
curriculums." 

In  celebration  of  the  anniversary, 
the  college  will  construct  a  Gladdys 
Muir  Peace  Garden,  located  at  the 
northwest  corner  of  College  Avenue 
and  'Wayne  Street.  Designed  by 
Daniel  Krall,  a  1968  Manchester 
College  graduate  and  an  associate 
professor  of  landscape  architecture 
at  Cornell  University,  the  garden  is 


intended  to  give  visitors  the  opportu- 
nity for  relaxation  and 
contemplation.  A  small  cottage, 
which  stands  adjacent  to  the  garden, 
will  be  renovated  and  refurbished  as 
a  gathering  place  in  the  interest  of 
peace  and  conflict  resolution. 

Also  in  celebration  of  the  anniver- 
sary, the  college  hosted  three 
symposiums,  composed  of  all  Man- 
chester College  peace  studies 
graduates,  an  international  food  fes- 
tival, a  concert,  and  a  keynote 
address  by  Oscar  Arias,  a  Nobel 
peace  laureate  and  former  president 
of  Costa  Rica. 


BRF  speakers  urge  church: 
Get  back  to  the  Bible 

"What  happened  to  the  use  of  the 
Bible  in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
in  the  20th  century?" 

The  Brethren  Revival  Fellowship 
examined  this  question  at  its  Sept. 
12  annual  meeting  at  the  Heidelberg 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  Myerstown, 
Pa.  About  1  75  people  from  50  con- 
gregations and  8  states  attended  the 
all-day  meeting. 

Harold  Martin  of  York,  Pa.,  editor 
oi  BRF  Witness,  was  one  of  several 
who  spoke  on  the  need  to  trust  the 
Bible.  He  contrasted  early  statements 
by  Brethren,  writing  between  1  720 
and  1920,  with  statements  by 
Brethren  since  1940.  Through  these 
statements  he  traced  a  decline 
among  some  Brethren  of  belief  in  the 
"inerrancy"  and  "infallibility"  of  the 
Bible. 

Typical  of  the  early  writings  Martin 
quoted  was  the  1890  "preamble"  to 
the  Gospel  Messenger  magazine: 
"The  Gospel  Messenger  recognizes 
the  New  Testament  as  the  only  infal- 
lible rule  of  faith  and  practice.  .  .  ." 

Typical  of  later  attitudes  was  this 
1979  statement  written  by  a  district 


;xecutive  whom  Martin  did  not 
lame:  "I  am  not  a  verbal  inspira- 
ionist.  I  believe  the  Bible  is  the 
)roduct  of  man  attempting  to  dis- 
;over  God.  And  1  believe  in  the 
)rogressive  discovery  of  God."  This 
tatement  had  been  submitted  to  an 
Annual  Conference  study  committee 
)f  which  Martin  was  a  member. 

He  said  there  are  few  similar  state- 
nents  from  Brethren  recently 
)ecause  "they're  a  little  more  careful 
lot  to  put  them  in  print."  But  he 
;riticized  display  of  a  book  at  the 
brethren  Press  bookstore  at  Annual 
ronference  this  year.  The  book,  by  a 
ion-Brethren  theologian,  questioned 
he  validity  of  the  virgin  birth  of 
esus.  "They  were  stacked  high  on 
he  table,  implying  that  here  are 
ome  books  that  every  theologian 
;an  read,"  Martin  said. 

Martin  said  discarding  biblical 
nerrancy  "extols  the  human  mind  as 
he  arbiter  of  truth"  and  "indicates  a 
:limate  of  human  superiority." 

During  its  business  meeting,  the 
?RF  approved  establishment  of  a 
^Brethren  Mission  Fund"  to  "support 
iOund,  evangelical  Brethren  mission 
projects  in  the  US  and  overseas." 

ralks  begin  between  OEPA 
ind  two  Brethren  groups 

fhe  On  Earth  Peace  Assembly  board, 
neeting  for  the  first  time  as  an  official 
igency  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
Vnnual  Conference,  on  Sept.  19 
txamined  the  areas  in  which  the  mis- 
lion  statements  of  OEPA,  Womaen's 
Caucus,  and  Brethren  and  Mennonite 
"ouncil  for  Lesbian  and  Gay  Con- 
perns  intersect,  joining  this  discussion 
vere  Zandra  Wagoner  of  Womaen's 
Caucus  and  |im  Sauder  of  BMC. 

According  to  OEPA.  the  group's 
)oard  and  staff  "will  continue  to  be  in 
;onversation  with  these  and  other 
[roups  that  desire  to  follow  in  the 


ways  of  lesus  Christ,  Prince  of  Peace." 
The  group  adds,  "The  board  and  staff 
affirmed  that  these  conversations  are 
in  harmony  with  recommendations  of 
Annual  Conference." 

The  OEPA  board  also  selected  its 
executive  committee  for  the  year 
beginning  Oct.  1 . 

During  its  meetings,  the  board 
approved  a  1 998- 1 999  budget  of 
$370,000  and  heard  plans  for  Peace 
Academies  for  the  1999-2000  school 
year,  1999  Conflict  Resolution  Teams, 
and  the  1999  |oya  (journey  for  Young 
Adults)  Team,  which  will  help  OEPA 
celebrate  its  25th  anniversary  from 
various  parts  of  the  country. 

The  executive  committee  includes 
Dale  Brown  of  Elizabethtown,  Pa., 
chair;  Fran  Nyce  of  Westminster, 
Md.,  vice  chair;  Kathy  Leininger  of 
Timberville,  Pa.,  secretary:  Matt 
Guynn  of  Richmond,  Ind.,  treasurer: 
Eugene  Lichty  of  McPherson,  Kan., 
at-large:  Wes  Lingenfelter,  Altoona, 
Pa.,  at-large. 

ABC  names  speakers  for 
Caring  Ministries  2000 

Leadership  for  the  second  biennial 
Caring  Ministries  2000  conference, 
scheduled  for  June  1-4  at  Elizabeth- 
town  (Pa.)  College,  has  been 
announced.  This  event  is  intended 
for  caregivers  of  all  kinds  (health  and 
caregiving  professionals,  deacons, 
counselors  and  social  workers,  medi- 
ators, pastors  and  chaplains. 
Christian  educators,  and  others). 
Sponsored  by  the  Association  of 
Brethren  Caregivers,  the  conference 
will  give  attendees  the  opportunity  for 
training  with  caregiving  professionals 
and  lay  people,  earning  continuing 
education  credits,  networking  with 
professional  and  volunteer  care 
providers,  and  experiencing  spiritual 
renewal  and  fellowship. 
Delivering  keynote  addresses  will  be  — 


•  Philip  Yancey,  editor-at-large  of 
Christianity  Today. 

•  Melva  Wilson  Costen,  professor 
of  worship  and  music  of  Interdenom- 
inational Theological  Center. 

•  Barbara  Lundblad.  professor  of 
preaching  at  Union  Theological 
Seminary,  New  York,  N.Y. 

•  Staccato  Powell,  deputy  general 
secretary  for  National  Ministries, 
National  Council  of  Churches. 

•  Robert  Raines,  author  and  pastor 
of  three  United  Church  of  Christ 
congregations  and  director  of 
Kirkridge  Retreat  and  Study  Center. 

•  John  Shea,  religious  scholar, 
teacher  and  author,  who  serves  as 
senior  scholar-in-residence  of  Advo- 
cate Health  Care  and  research 
professor  for  the  Institute  of  Pastoral 
Studies  at  Loyola  University.  Chicago. 

•  Phillip  Stone,  president  of 
Bridgewater  (Va.)  College. 

Registration  information  will  be 
available  in  November.  For  more 
information,  contact  ABC  at 
abc(g)brethren.org  or  800-325-8059. 

Latin  America  and  Caribbean 
interim  specialists  named 

Gloria  Gochenour  and  Tom  Ben- 
evento  have  begun  work  as  Latin 
America  and  Caribbean  specialists 
for  the  General  Board's  Global  Mis- 
sion Partnerships  office. 

Both  are  serving  on  an  interim  and 
part-time  basis.  They  will  facilitate 
Spanish-language  communication 
with  the  region,  reactivate  Brethren 
Volunteer  Service  projects,  and 
renew  relationships  with  church 
partners. 

"We  are  delighted  to  draw  upon 
the  abilities  and  commitment  of  these 
two  people  to  facilitate  the  important 
ministries  in  the  region,"  said  Merv 
Keeney,  Global  Mission  Partnerships 
director. 


November  1998  Mfssfnger  9 


Seminar:  Youth  are  Citi- 
zens of  the  Earth 

The  1999  National  Youth 

Christian  Citizenship 

Seminar,  "Fragile:  Handle   \ 

with  Care,"  will  be  April 

10-15  in  New  York  City 

and  Washington,  D.C. 

"Humans  have  done  more 

damage  to  the  planet  Earth  during 

the  20th  century  than  all  previous  centuries  combined," 

reads  the  brochure.  "More  species  extinct,  more  forests 

razed,  more  water  polluted.  Will  the  next  century  be  any 

better?  It's  up  to  us.  God  expects  it,  the  Earth  deserves  it, 

human  life  requires  it.  This  year's  seminar  will  help  youth 

see  how  their  lifestyles  impact  the  planet  and  what  they 

can  do  to  restore  God's  creation."  Registration  cutoff 

date  is  when  the  first  100  registrations  are  received  or  by 

March  1 .  For  more  information,  contact  Youth/Young 

Adult  Ministry  Office  at  cobyouth_gb(«'brethren.org  or  at 

800-523-8039. 


Is  Stewardship  more  than  careful  spending? 

A  video  that  discusses  a  taboo  subject  —  money  —  has 
been  released  by  the  Mennonite  Board  of  Missions. 
"Beyond  the  News:  Money"  addresses  stewardship  issues 
and  the  personal  background  and  emotional  connections 
that  affect  how  money  is  viewed  and  used.  Ten  segments 
(for  a  total  of  55  minutes)  cover  a  variety  of  questions  — 
•How  is  thinking  about  money  influenced  by  society  and 
family?  •  Is  having  a  lot  of  material  things  a  sign  of  God's 
blessing?  •  Does  stewardship  mean  careful  spending  or 
taking  risks?  •  How  can  children  be  taught  to  understand 
the  difference  between  desires  and  needs?  "Beyond  the 
News:  Money"  is  ninth  in  a  series  of  videos  that  includes 
topics  such  as  TV  violence,  the  death  penalty,  firearms 
violence,  homelessness,  racism,  and  sexual  abuse.  For 
more  information,  call  800-999-5534. 


Gifts  of  the  Heart  aid  hurricane  cleanup 

Church  World  Service  has  issued  a  plea  for  "Gift  of  the 
Heart"  cleanup  and  health  kits  for  people  affected  by  Hurri- 
cane Georges.  Cleanup  kits  include  one  bucket  filled  with 
sponges,  one  wire  brush,  plastic  garbage  bags,  one  scrub 
brush,  rubber  gloves,  and  one  can  of  powder  cleanser. 
Health  kits  include  one  hand  towel,  one  wash  cloth,  one 


10  Messenger  November  1998 


new  bath-size  bar  of  soap,  one  comb,  one  toothbrush,  one 
tube  of  toothpaste,  six  adhesive  bandages,  and  one  nail  file. 
Wrap  items  in  a  hand  towel  and  tie  together  with  a  ribbon. 

These  kits  are  to  be  sent  to  the  Brethren  Service  Center 
in  care  of  CWS,  500  Main  Street,  New  Windsor,  MD 
21776-0188.  According  to  CWS,  a  contribution  of  50 
cents  per  pound  "will  help  speed  the  kits  to  the  people 
who  need  them." 


Bible  Institute  comes  to  your  home 

Five  correspondence  courses  have  been  prepared  by 
Brethren  Bible  Institute  instructors  for  Brethren  who  are 
unable  to  attend  Brethren  Revival  Fellowship's  annual 
Brethren  Bible  Institute.  The  materials  include  self-tests 
and  quizzes.  Topics  offered  include  "Expository  Studies 
in  Colossians"  by  Harold  Martin  ($12);  "Bible  Peace  and 
Nonresistance"  by  Galen  Hackman  ($8);  "Expositional 
Study  of  the  Beatitudes"  by  Galen  Hackman  ($12); 
"Major  Bible  Doctrines  (Part  I)"  by  Harold  Martin  ($12) 
and  "Major  Bible  Doctrines  (Part  II)"  by  Harold  Martin 
($12).  For  more  information,  write  to  BBI  Correspon- 
dence School,  Route  10  Box  201-N,  York,  PA  17404. 


Learn  how  250  million  children  are  exploited 

The  "Statement  on  Child  Exploitation,"  adopted  by  the 
1997  Annual  Conference,  has  been  published  by  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board's  Brethren  Witness 
office.  The  paper  was  the  result  of  two  years'  work  by  a 
committee  of  youth  selected  from 
the  1995  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Christian  Citizen- 
ship Seminar,  where  the 
concern  over  the  issue  of 
child  exploitation 
emerged.  The  paper  pro- 
vides an  overview  of  the 
economic  and  social  pres 
sures  that  create  the 
conditions  for  child  labor,  and 
suggests  ways  to  remedy  these 
conditions,  which  affect  an  estimated  250  million  of  the 
world's  children.  The  paper  is  laid  out  in  a  nontraditional 
format  and  includes  photos.  A  companion  study  guide  is 
available  from  the  Brethren  Witness  office;  statements  ar( 
available  from  Brethren  Press  for  $1.  For  more  informa- 
tion, contact  David  Radcliff  at  dradcliff_gb(a  brethren. or| 
or  800-323-8039. 


Faithful  Funding 

The  Funding  office  is  a  ministry  ^^ 
because  giving  is  'transformationar 


BY  Fletcher  Farrar 


Wi 


hen  you  work  for  the  Fund- 
ing office  of  the  General 
Board,  you  get  used  to  this 
kind  of  kidding.  "Here 
:omes  Dave,"  a  friend  greeted  David 
Huffaker,  "I'd  better  hide  my 
money." 

The  veteran  financial  resources 
:ounselor  was  unhesitant.  "First  of 
all,"  he  replied,  "it  isn't  your 
money." 

Though  that  kind  of  direct  talk  is 
reserved  for  donors  with  whom  he's 
built  up  a  relationship  over  years, 
the  message  is  one  he  takes  with 
him  on  all  of  the  40,000  miles  a 
year  he  logs  and  into  the  200 
homes  he  visits  on  behalf  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren. 

"At  most  of  my  planned 
giving  seminars  in 
churches  I  start  out  by 
telling  people  that 
nobody  here  owns 
anything,"  Huffaker 
says.  "I  get  some 
frowns.  And  then  I 
tell  them  that  every- 
thing we  have  is 
entrusted  to  us  to 
be  managed  for 
God's  glory." 

The  message  is 
familiar  to  Chris- 
tians, if  often 
forgotten.  It  is  the        S 
job  of  the  Funding       ^ 
office  to  find  ways       o 
to  remind  us  that  we 
are  stewards,  and  to  help  us  find 
ways  to  direct  the  financial  resources 
We  control  to  God's  work  in  the 
hurch. 

"I'm  not  a  fundraiser,"  says  Huf- 
faker. "And  I'm  not  really  a 
counselor.  I  am  a  servant.  I  work 
hard  to  be  a  servant  of  all  the 
donors." 


Funding  office  staff  members  often 
conduct  seminars  in  churches  about 
wills,  planned  giving  and  estate  plan- 
ning, and  stewardship.  "We  hope 
people  and  congregations  will  call  on 
us,"  says  Ken  Neher,  director  of  the 
Funding  office  of  the  General  Board. 
"We  are  working  for  the  good  of  the 
whole  church." 


Neher  emphasizes  that  giving  is  a 
good  thing  all  around.  It  is  good  for 
those  who  give,  to  be  able  to  partici- 
pate in  the  ministries  of  the  church. 
And  it  is  good  for  the  church, 
because  money  furthers  mission  and 
ministry. 

His  view  that  giving  is  "transfor- 
mational" makes  it  easy  for  Neher  to 


work  toward  goals  for  increasing  the 
number  of  donors  and  increasing  the 
amounts  of  gifts.  One  of  his  goals  is 
to  increase  average  giving  in  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  from  the  cur- 
rent 2  1/2  percent  of  total  income,  to 
at  least  3  percent,  a  level  that  hasn't 
been  reached  in  the  last  30  years. 
"There  is  plenty  of  money  in 
Brethren  households  for  all  the  agen- 
cies of  the  church,"  Neher  says. 

So  far  this  year  overall  giving  to 
denominational  programs  is  better 
than  expected,  Neher  reports.  Using 
figures  as  of  Aug.  3  1 ,  Neher  told  the 
General  Board  in  October  that  total 
congregational  giving  was  "strong" 
this  year,  fluctuating  between  one 
percent  above  and  one  percent 
below  last  year's  pace.  Giving  by 
individuals  to  the  denomina- 
tion's general  fund  was  up 
well  over  last  year's  level 
and  about  50  percent 
above  budget  esti- 
mates. And  giving  to 
"designated"  funds 
like  the  Global  Food 
Crisis  Fund  and  the 
Emergency  Disaster 
Fund  was  more 
than  doubling  last 
year's  pace. 

Neher  reported 
that  gifts  to  special 
campaigns  initi- 
ated several  years 
ago  —  "Brethren 
Vision  for  the 
90s" and "Behold 
I  Make  All  Things 
New" —  "continue  to  phase  out  as 
expected  as  pledges  are  fulfilled." 
Without  the  big  campaign  gifts, 
overall  giving  was  down  about  12 
percent  below  last  year's  Aug.  3 1 
total,  but  still  the  mood  is  upbeat 
compared  to  recent  years.  "Overall 
giving  and  investment  income  is 
(continued  on  page  14) 


November  1998  Mf.ssfncfr  11 


Don't  let  the  buck  stop  here 


The  director  of  Funding  answers  hard  questions  about  giving 


m; 


'  ESSENGER  gathered  up  some 
of  the  hardest  questions  we 
could  find  that  Brethren  are 
'asking  about  money  and 
giving.  We  asi-ced  Ken  Neher,  direc- 
tor of  Funding  for  the  General 
Board,  to  provide  answers. 

l.^  As  individuals  and  congrega- 
tions struggle  to  apportion  their 
dollars  among  multiple  agencies — 
why  should  I  give  to  the  General 
Board?  What  sets  you  apart? 

/\.  The  General  Board  and  its  staff 
still  carry  out  by  far  the  most  work  and 
ministry  on  behalf  of  the  church. 

The  General  Board  is  the  agency 
with  strong  established  international 
mission  connections  and  projects,  and 
the  agency  coordinating  volunteerism 
for  the  denomination.  It  is  the  agency 
addressing  the  set-apart  ministry 
shortfall,  and  the  agency  coordinating 
national  youtii  programs.  It  is  the 
agency  that  is  maintaining  a  witness  in 
Washington,  DC,  and  challenging  us 
on  peace  and  justice  issues  in  the 
world.  It  is  the  agency  that  provides 
global  food  and  disaster  relief  at  the 
national  level  for  the  international 
community,  and  the  agency  that  coor- 
dinates communication  and 
curriculum  development  at  a  denomi- 
national level.  It  is  the  agency  that  is 
asking  its  staff  to  consult  with  congre- 
gations and  to  resource  them  in  order 
to  help  empower  them  where  spirit  has 
dwindled  or  focus  has  been  lost. 
Administrative  costs  are  a  very  low  five 
percent  of  our  expense,  much  more 
efficient  than  most  organizations 
doing  service  and  ministry  today. 

V4j  /  can  see  what  impact  Habitat 
for  Humanity  has  on  my  community, 
but  I  can 't  see  where  the  General 
Board  uses  its  resources.  Where, 
specifically,  does  my  gift  go? 

/\.  Read  Newsline,  Messenger, 
direct  mail  appeals,  newsletters,  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  Web  page, 


and  other  publications  to  see  what 
your  dollars  do.  It  is  incredible!  Visit 
The  Brethren  Service  Center  in  New 
Windsor  to  see  what  your  dollars  do. 
Do  disaster  child  care  or  attend  a 
workcamp  to  see  what  your  dollars 
do.  Chaperone  kids  to  National 
Youth  Conference  to  see  what  your 
dollars  do. 

v^  //  seems  like  many  of  the 
resources  the  denomination  supplied 
me  before  redesign  have  been  cut  off, 
but  I  am  asked  to  give  more.  Why? 

/\.  As  with  many  things  today, 
costs  continue  to  rise  and  a  dollar 
will  only  go  so  far.  Redesign  has 
focused  the  General  Board  resources 
to  try  to  make  the  most  efficient  and 
productive  use  of  your  offerings  in 
light  of  its  new  mission  statement. 
Many  of  us  still  need  to  be  chal- 
lenged to  give  out  of  God's  grace  for 
us.  Most  of  us  are  not  yet  where  God 
calls  us  to  be  in  that  regard. 

V^  /  think  my  pastor  is  paid  more 
than  me  and  works  fewer  hours  than 
I  do.  I  suspect  that  Elgin  staff  mem- 
bers are  paid  even  higher  salaries. 
Why  should  I  be  asked  to  give? 

/\.  I  wonder  how  many  of  us 
would  want  our  pastor's  job?  Com- 
paring jobs  and  salaries  is  a  dangerous 
pastime.  What  is  a  teacher's  job  really 
worth?  A  plumber's?  A  daycare 
worker's?  A  pastor's? 

As  for  Elgin  staff,  some  were  hired 
not  knowing  what  their  pay  would 
be.  The  director  of  Funding  for 
another  denomination  1  know  makes 
twice  my  salary.  I  didn't  answer  this 
calling  by  the  church  for  the  money. 

l^^  /  like  to  see  my  gift  at  work,  so 
I  want  to  designate  where  it  goes  and 
what  it  does.  Can  I? 

/\.    In  short,  yes.  But,  in  most 
cases  it  must  be  for  work  that  the 


General  Board  is  already  engaged  in. 
That  is  the  reason  behind  the 
updated  mission  projects  booklet,  to 
highlight  the  various  mission  projects 
of  the  church  and  to  be  as  straight- 
forward as  possible  about  their  costs. 
This  allows  you  the  opportunity  to 
direct  your  gifts  and  identify  what 
you  are  doing  in  a  tangible  way.  The 
danger  is  that  if  donors  do  not  allow 
some  flexibility  in  how  gifts  are  used, 
there  is  no  way  to  pay  for  offices  or 
bookkeepers  to  manage  the  gifts,  or 
to  send  you  e-mail  or  newsletters  to 
report  on  progress  or  success  of  the 
ministry.  Lack  of  flexibility  may  not 
allow  us  to  identify  a  new  need  for 
our  church  and  to  nurture  a  solution. 
These  are  important  considerations 
for  the  health  of  the  church,  and 
some  are  essential  for  the  ministries 
to  continue. 

V^  It  seems  like  I  get  a  lot  of 
printed  material  from  Elgin  but  they 
never  answer  any  of  my  questions  or 
concerns.  Why  is  this? 

/\.  Perhaps  we  need  a  periodical 
of  some  kind  devoted  to  answering 
the  hard  questions  from  our  mem- 
bers? The  financial  resource 
counselors  and  the  Funding  staff 
have  always  tried  very  hard  to  answer 
everyone's  concerns  or  questions 
about  the  church.  We  are  often  called 
upon  to  answer  questions  not  only 
about  the  General  Board's  activities, 
but  about  the  other  agencies  of  the 
church  as  well.  I  hope  people  don't 
feel  the  General  Board  or  its  staff  are 
ever  trying  to  hide  information  or 
mislead.  The  Leadership  Team,  Con- 
gregational Life  Teams,  and  the 
Mission  and  Ministries  Planning 
Council  are  new  animals  in  the  life  of 
the  church.  If  your  questions  didn't 
get  answered  the  last  time  you  asked, 
consider  asking  again,  to  give  the 
new  team  a  chance. 


12  Messenger  November  1995 


Meet  the  scattered,  but  focused,  staff 


Rav  Click 


Fave  Miller 


The  six-person  staff  of  the  General  Board's  Funding 
office  is  scattered  from  Virginia  to  the  state  of 
Washington.  For  financial  resource  counselors,  their 
second  home  is  the  road,  which  carries  them  to  con- 
gregations, conferences,  and  the  homes  of  donors.  Staff 
members  come  with  varied  backgrounds,  but  have  in 
common  their  love  for  people  and  for  the  church. 

Ken  Neher,  of  Wenatchee,  Wash.,  has  been  director  of 
Funding  and  a  member  of  the  General  Board  staff  Lead- 
ership Team  since  April  1997.  Before  that  he  had  served 
three  years  as  a  planned  giving  officer.  Prior  to  joining 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  staff,  he  was  owner  of  two 
Burger  King  franchises  for  12  years.  He  has  served  in 
various  leadership  positions  in  his  home  congregation, 
Sunnyslope,  in  Wenatchee. 

Carol  Bowman,  also  of  Wenatchee  and  the  Sunnyslope 
congregation,  divides  her  time  between  two  General 
Board  staff  positions.  She  is  half-time  financial  resource 
counselor  and  half-time  congregational  life  team  member. 
She  comes  to  her  new  job  without  a  financial  background 
but  with  a  love  of  people.  Her  two  jobs  blend  together 
well,  especially  when  it  comes  to  work  on  stewardship  and 
congregational  giving.  Much  of  her  work  involves  build- 
ing relationships  through  phone  calls,  letters,  and 
face-to-face  meetings.  "I  listen  a  lot,"  she  says. 

Fa^e  Miller,  who  holds  the  title  of  resource  coordinator, 
works  in  a  rented  office  in  Harrisonburg,  Va.  Now  in  her 
fifth  year,  she  calls  herself  the  "centralized  nag"  of  the 
Funding  office,  reminding  staff  of  their  commitments 


and  calls,  while  working  to  supply  them  with  all  the  mate- 
rials and  brochures  they  need  to  do  the  job.  She  claims 
three  "home  congregations"  — the  Bridgewater,  Va., 
church  where  she  grew  up,  the  Montezuma  church  in 
Dayton,  Va.,  where  she  was  a  member  later,  and  the  Har- 
risonburg congregation,  where  she  now  attends. 

Ray  Click,  full-time  financial  resource  counselor  for  the 
eastern  US,  also  works  out  of  the  Harrisonburg,  Va., 
office.  He  is  on  the  road  about  100  days  a  year  attending 
district  conferences,  visiting  district  executives,  and  visit- 
ing donors  in  their  homes.  "It  is  so  satisfying  to  help 
individuals  develop  a  plan  of  giving  that  brings  them  great 
joy,"  Glick  says. 

David  Huffaker,  is  also  full-time  financial  resource  coun- 
selor, traveling  throughout  the  Midwest  from  his  home  in 
West  Milton,  Ohio.  After  30  years  in  business  for  himself, 
Huffaker  is  now  in  his  eighth  year  in  this  position.  He  told 
the  Michigan  District  Conference  once  that  he  meets  so 
many  good  people  in  his  work,  "I  should  pay  to  do  this 
work  rather  than  receiving  pay."  In  response,  someone 
asked  that  he  make  out  the  check  to  the  Michigan  District. 

Lillian  Dako,  is  systems  coordinator,  working  out  of  the 
General  Offices  in  Elgin,  111.  She  calls  herself  the  "num- 
bers person"  for  the  Funding  office,  generating  weekly 
and  monthly  reports  on  giving  from  congregations  and 
individuals,  as  well  as  sending  out  stewardship  resources 
to  congregations.  "I'm  the  contact  person  in  Elgin,"  she 
says.  "If  something  in  Funding  needs  to  be  done  here,  I'm 
the  one  who  gets  it  done."    ^Bk 


November  1998  Mfssfnc.fr  13 


(continued  from  page  1 1 ) 
ahead  of  budget  projections  at  this 
time,"  Neher  told  the  board. 

Neher  concedes  that  the  absence 
of  a  major-gift  campaign  puts  a 
dent  in  the  totals,  and  one  veteran 
staffer  observed,  "1  hope  we  don't 
get  too  gun-shy  about  asking." 

But  Neher  says  this  isn't  the 
time.  "There  was  a  desire  by  the 
General  Board  and  staff  to  not  do     ^ 
this  type  of  fundraising  again  in 
the  near  future,"  he  told  Messen- 
ger. "Perhaps  there  will  be  another 
major  thrust  of  some  sort  around 
the  300th  anniversary  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  in  2008." 

Meanwhile,  considerable  energy 
has  been  given  to  soliciting  dona- 
tions through  direct-mail  appeals 
generated  by  Stratmark  Corp.,  of 
Richardson,  Texas.  Response  to 
the  mailings  is  up  over  last  year, 
though  the  appeals  are  sometimes 
controversial  among  Brethren 
because  the  letters  resemble  secu- 
lar fundraising  mail.  Nevertheless, 
the  direct  mail  "provides  a  means 
of  communication  and  gives  people 
a  chance  to  hear  what's  going  on," 
Neher  said.  "This  is  providing  a 
way  for  more  people  to  be  involved 
in  our  programs." 

The  Funding  office  grew  out  of 
the  1996  "redesign"  of  the  General 
Board  staff,  assigning  it  the  dual 
responsibility  of  promoting  congre- 
gational giving  and  individual  giving 
which  had  been  separated  before. 
The  Funding  office,  with  its  staff  of 
six  people,  addresses  congregational 
giving  in  part  by  providing  steward- 
ship education  materials  and  by 


mailing  promotional  resources  for 
special  offerings  like  the  upcoming 
Christmas  Achievement  emphasis. 
The  Funding  staff  has  also  begun 
calling  to  thank  each  congregation 
that  gives  to  the  General  Board.  And 
it  is  preparing  a  video  to  help  spread 
the  word  to  congregations  about 


Brethrening 

Where's  Pastor  Ralph? 

At  the  dinner  held  in  honor  of  Ralph  Moyer  when  he 
retired  last  year  as  pastor  of  the  Lititz  (Pa.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  friends  revealed  the  secret  of  his  long  and  suc- 
cessful ministry.  He  had  named  his  bass-fishing  boat 


denominational  ministries.  Neher 
often  reminds  church  members  that 
Church  of  the  Brethren  denomina- 
tional ministries  are  particularly 
efficient,  with  only  a  5.01  percent 
administrative  cost. 

Some  question  whether  congre- 
gational giving,  still  the  largest 
source  of  Funding  for  denomina- 
tional programs,  gets  as  much 
promotional  attention  as  it 
deserves.  "Ideally,  we'd  all  be 
stronger  if  everybody  gave  through 
their  congregations,"  Neher  agrees. 

Everything  needs  emphasis  at 
once,  leaving  plenty  of  work  for  the 
Funding  team,  in  a  recent  report  to 
the  General  Board,  Neher  provided  a 
look  at  his  "done"  projects  list,  which 
included:  worked  on  the  Sudan 
Crisis  special  appeal  letter,  sent 
thank  you  letters  to  districts  showing 
giving  increases,  finished  the  Fund- 
ing department's  1999  budget,  made 
presentations  at  NOAC,  sent  out 
5,000  congregational  outreach  plan- 
ning packets.  His  "to  do"  projects 
included:  send  follow-up  letter  to 
Behold  donors,  put  new  information 
on  the  Funding  Web  site,  organize 
materials  for  a  "Planned  Giving 
Sunday"  promotion. 

The  lists  go  on  and  on.  In  the 
midst  of  all  the  projects  to  be  com- 
pleted and  priorities  to  be  juggled, 
the  challenge  for  the  Funding  office 
is  to  remember  its  overarching 
themes:  That  Christians  are  stewards 
of  God's  financial  resources.  That 
the  church  is  an  efficient  place  to  "do 
the  work  of  lesus."  And  that  both 
Christians  and  the  church  are  trans 
formed  by  giving 


m 


"Visitation."  So  when  parishioners  called  to  ask  the 
pastor's  whereabouts,  the  church  secretary  would  duly 
report,  "He's  out  on  Visitation." 

Messenger  would  like  to  publish  other  shorl,  colorful,  humorous  or  poignant  stories  of  real-lift 
incidents  involving  Brethren.  Please  send  your  submission  ro  Messenger,  1451  Dundee  Ave  . 
Elgin.  IL  60120-1694  or  e-mail  to  the  editor  at  ffarrar_gb@brethren-Org. 


14  Messenger  November  1998 


Excitement  is 

growing  in  the 

Dominican  Republic 


A  SPECIAL  REPORT 


With  hammers,  drums,  and 


love,  the  beat  goes  on! 


BY  Earl  K.  Ziegler 

They  came  on  foot  mostly,  walk- 
ing along  the  dirt  roads  lined 
with  banana  trees  to  the  excit- 
ing dedication  of  a  new  church 
n  the  Guaricano  section  of  the  capi- 
al  city  of  Santo  Domingo.  People 
;tarted  arriving  long  before  the  4 


p.m.  service  was  to  begin.  The 
pastor,  Angelica  Berguerite,  better 
known  as  Diamira,  was  dressed  in 
white,  beaming  and  praising  the 
Lord  as  the  local  community  and  the 
members  of  the  various  Dominican 
Churches  of  the  Brethren  filled  the 
sanctuary. 

The  main  floor  of  the  sanctuary 
held  300  adult  worshipers,  and  the 
balcony  was  filled  with  200  children 
and  youth.  Many  others  crowded  the 
doorways  or  peered  through  the 
barred  windows  to  experience  this 
once  in  a  lifetime  event.  The  crowd 


Visiting  with  the  children  and  adults  in  front  of  the  Viajama  church. 


was  estimated  to  be  approximately 
700  worshipers  altogether. 

Earlier  on  dedication  day  — Aug. 
50,  1998 —  the  local  believers  gath- 
ered in  the  pastor's  house  for  a  time 
of  worship,  after  which  40  persons 
traveled  to  the  baptismal  site  at  the 
river  where  prayer  was  made, 
instruction  was  given,  and  12  youth 
and  adults  took  the  vows  of  faithful- 
ness to  Christ  and  the  church.  They 
were  baptized  in  the  Brethren  tradi- 
tion of  trine  immersion,  followed  by 
prayer  and  laying  on  of  hands. 
Immediately  a  1  5-year-old  youth 
came  forward  requesting  baptism, 
promising  to  attend  the  discipleship 
classes  that  each  must  take  prior  to 
baptism.  He  came  up  out  of  the 
water  beaming,  excited  about  this 
new  life  in  Christ,  and  joined  in  the 
singing  with  the  others  (in  Spanish) 
songs  such  as  "Come,  Thou  Fount," 
"There  is  a  Fountain,"  and  "At  the 
Cross." 

Those  15  baptized  included  a  57- 
year-old  man  and  other  adults,  with 
the  youngest  being  about  15.  Pastor 
Diamira  reported  preparing  40  more 
believers  (including  her  husband)  for 
baptism  and  church  membership  this 
fall. 

The  names  of  those  baptized  on 
this  dedication  Sunday  read  like 
poetry  to  Americans  new  to  Hispanic 
culture:  Efrain  e  los  Santos,  Christen 
Alberto  Cepulveda,  Ramon  Stahualfa 
Caralsasalto,  Ingrid  Obliguelina 
Contreig,  Carlos  Figuereo,  Raquel 
Gusman,  Brigidon  Almarante  de 
Faverg,  Anastacio  de  los  Santos, 
Ramon  Vicente  Berguete,  Freddy 
Acosta,  Cesar  Erilseito,  lorge  Aurelio 
Rodriguez,  and  Carmen  Alvarez. 

In  a  prayer  service  in  her  ground 
floor  house  in  1990,  Pastor  Diamira 
voiced  her  dream  to  grow  a  large 
church  in  the  capital  city.  She  said  to 
the  several  visiting  Brethren  from  the 
US,  "You  buy  the  land;  we'll  build 
the  church."  While  the  actual  project 
differed  from  her  dream  in  its 
details,  it  was  one  of  full  coopera- 


November  1998  Messenger  15 


A  SPECfAL  REPORT 


tion,  as  the  US  workers  and  the 
Dominican  workers  built  the  church 
laboring  side  by  side. 

|oy  exploded  on  dedication  day. 
Praising  God  was  visual  and  vocal! 
joy  in  lesus  was  readily  apparent. 
How  appropriate  are  the  words  of 
Mother  Teresa  of  India  to  this  min- 
istry in  the  Dominican  Republic;  "All 
for  the  love  of  jesus." 

The  freshly  painted  pink  church 
building  located  in  the  Guaricano 
section  of  the  capital  city  is  built  on 
land  where  many  threw  their 
garbage.  In  the  Dominican  Republic, 
as  in  many  developing  countries,  it 
seems  that  God  is  moving  in  very 
dramatic  and  miraculous  ways. 

For  example.  Randy  Rhoade,  who 
works  for  the  Albert  Schweitzer  Hos- 
pital in  Haiti,  came  to  the  dedication. 
His  family  worships  at  the  Conewago 
Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Hershey, 
Pa.,  where  Galen  Hackman  is  pastor. 
Since  Galen  was  at  the  dedication, 
Randy  came  to  participate  and  visit 
with  his  pastor.  He  and  his 
friend  were  driving  around 
attempting  to  find  the 
church  building.  Frustrated 
at  no  success,  they  stopped 
and  prayed.  Shortly,  a 
young  man  with  a  car  drove 
up  alongside  and  asked, 
"Are  you  looking  for  the 
new  church?"  They  replied 
in  the  affirmative,  and  the 
stranger  said,  "Follow  me." 
He  led  them  to  the  church 
site  and  while  Randy  and 
his  friend  were  amazed  at 
their  find,  the  stranger  dis- 
appeared. They  truly 
experienced  an  angel 
among  them. 

The  four-hour  service 
was  energized  by  the 
tremendous  leadership  of 
the  local  youth  who  led  the 
expectant  congregation  in 
enthusiastic  singing  accom- 
panied by  the  usual  drums, 

1 6  Messenger  November  1 998 


maracas,  and  guitars.  A  group  of 
Puerto  Rican  Brethren  came  to  cele- 
brate with  the  church  and  played  the 
various  instruments.  The  singing  was 
awesome;  heaven's  choir  could 
hardly  compete.  I  delivered  the 
sermon,  and  the  dedication  of  the 
building  was  led  by  Guillermo  Encar- 
nacion.  Representatives  of  the 
various  Church  of  the  Brethren  con- 
gregations sang,  brought  greetings, 
or  shared  in  drama. 

Pastor  Diamira  is  developing  great 
leadership  in  the  church,  including 
her  daughter,  lessenia,  a  medical 
student  and  capable  song  leader,  and 
her  son,  Wilson,  who  is  nurturing  a 
new  fellowship  given  birth  by  the 
Guaricano  church.  She  is  assisted  in 
her  ministry  by  Guillermo  Morille,  a 
licensed  minister. 

Two  workcamps  for  the  building  of 
the  Guaricano  church  were  held  in 
February  and  October  of  1 997.  Both 
workcamps  were  directed  by  building 
contractor  Harold  Metzler  of  Memor- 


Baptism  in  the  river  o/z  Dedication  Day,  Aug.  30.  1998.  by 
pastors  Diamira  and  luan. 


ial  Church,  Martinsburg,  Pa.  The 
Dominican  Church  district  board 
chose  where  the  church  was  to  be 
built,  and  the  General  Board  autho- 
rized the  raising  of  $40,000  needed 
for  the  project.  The  workcamps  were 
designed  for  a  mutual  working  rela- 
tionship with  as  many  Dominicans  as 
US  workers  involved.  As  a  Dominican 
brother  observed,  "By  working  with 
you  side  by  side,  we  learn  to  know  the 
Brethren."  A  total  of  26  stateside 
workers  volunteered  a  week  to  help.  Ir 
June  this  year  1  7  youth  and  4  adults 
volunteered  to  join  the  Dominican 
youth  in  painting  the  church. 


Our  small  group  traveled  four 
hours  on  Aug.  28  to  Viajama 
church  to  visit  the  mission 
work  and  hear  from  the 
people.  The  children,  with  a  few 
adults,  sang  a  full  hour.  Napoleon, 
one  of  the  oldest  members,  enter- 
tained the  visitors  with  a  light 

supper.  At  6;30  p.m.  about 
1 00  believers  gathered  for  i 
time  of  spirited  singing, 
prayers  for  healing,  and  a 
time  of  recommitment.  The 
service  ended  at  8;30  p.m. 
The  Brethren  mission  in 
the  Dominican  Republic 
began  when  Hurricane 
David  swept  the  island  in 
1979,  devastating  the  poor 
in  the  area.  |orge  Toledo 
and  a  few  Puerto  Rican 
Brethren  transported  medi- 
cine and  clothing  to  the 
victims  in  the  name  of 
lesus.  They  also  responded 
to  the  spiritual  needs  by 
preaching  the  gospel.  The 
Dominicans  responded 
with  open  and  receptive 
hearts  and  so  the  Church  ol 
the  Brethren  was  born!  The 
Dominicans  refer  to  lorge 
Toledo  as  the  "St.  Paul  of 
the  Caribbean."  Sixteen 


A  IFECIiAL  RiFDET 


Jorge  Toledo,  Puerto  Rican  Christian 
whose  response  to  Hurricane  David 
led  to  beginnings  of  Church  of  the 
Brethren  congregations  in  the 
Dominican  Republic. 


recognized  congregations  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  gather  for 
worship  each  Lord's  Day. 

The  Dominican  Christians  chal- 
lenge us  with  their  profound  faith 
and  expressed  emotions.  Their  evan- 
gelistic fervor  is  contagious.  While 
they  have  leadership  problems  and 
money  problems  stemming  from 
their  country's  poor  economy,  they 
are  steadfast  in  their  belief  that  they 
serve  a  risen  Savior. 

The  Dominican  churches  are  calling! 
Will  the  Brethren  respond?  Will  we 
hear  the  call?  Will  we  catch  the  spirit? 

Let  us  celebrate  the  new  life  in 
Christ.  Let  us  encourage  the  growing 
church  in  the  Dominican  Republic 
with  our  faithful  prayers  and  tithes. 
The  needs  are  great.  The  blessings  in 
sharing  are  bountiful.  The  missioni~7r 
is  growing.  How  will  we  respond? ' 


Earl  K.  Ziegler  is  pastor  of  Lampeter  (Pa.) 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  where  he  has  served  for 
10  years.  Prior  to  that  he  was  district  executive 
for  Atlantic  Northeast  District.  He  served  as 
Annual  Conference  moderator  in  1994.  He  has 
made  at  least  six  mission  trips  to  the  Domini- 
can Republic  since  1989.  and  has  helped  to 
build  three  churches  there. 


Pastor  David  of  the  Los  Toros  church  with  Galen  Hackinan  and  Earl  Ziegler. 


How  did  we  become  involved 
in  the  Dominican  Republic? 

Puerto  Rican  Brethren  made  initial  contacts  in  the  Dominican  Republic 
after  Hurricane  David  devastated  the  country  in  1979.  Responding  to 
the  needs,  Jorge  Toledo  led  a  humanitarian  response  and  developed  a 
relationship  with  Christians  in  the  southwest  province  of  Azua.  Over  a 
period  of  years,  Toledo's  charismatic  preaching  resulted  in  conversions 
and  the  emergence  of  small  worship  groups  in  several  villages. 

Communications  between  the  Puerto  Rican  Brethren  and  denomina- 
tional staff  led  to  an  exploratory  visit  to  the  Dominican  Republic  by  the 
General  Board's  Latin  America/Caribbean  staff,  Karen  Calderon,  in 
1983.  Responding  to  the  expression  of  needs  voiced  by  these  communi- 
ties, Calderon  agreed  to  support  the  outreach  efforts  of  the  Puerto 
Rican  church  in  a  health  ministry  among  the  Dominican  communities. 
Two  simple  buildings  were  erected  and  a  relationship  with  a  Dominican 
pastor  was  established.  A  staff  team  was  recruited,  but  did  not  become 
active  on  the  ground  and  the  venture  was  dropped. 

Brother  lorge  Toledo  continued  periodic  preaching  visits  among  these 
Dominican  communities,  often  funded  from  his  personal  resources. 

Continued  encouragement  from  Puerto  Rican  Brethren  prompted 
another  visit  to  the  Dominican  in  1989  by  a  delegation  including  Toledo 
and  the  General  Board's  regional  representative,  Yvonne  Dilling. 

The  outcome  of  this  assessment  visit  was  a  General  Board  recommen- 
dation to  the  1990  Annual  Conference  proposing  that  the  Board  partner 
with  the  Puerto  Rican  church  in  a  denominational  ministry  to  the 
Dominican  Republic.  The  Conference  adopted  this  recommendation. 
{Summarized  from  the  ] 990 .Annual  Conference  minutes.) 

— Mervin  Keeney 


November  199S  Missfncip  17 


Walking  together 
the  next  steps 


A  SPieiAL  RiPORT 


Congregational  support  is 
the  key  for  Dominican 


mission  workers 


BY  Mervin  Keeney 

The  church  in  the  Dominican 
RepubHc  emerged  from  the 
outreach  of  the  Puerto  Rican 
church  through  the  biblically 
rooted,  wholistic  mission  approach 
that  combines  concern  for  both 
physical  and  spiritual  needs.  [See 
sidebar  on  history,  p.  17.] 


In  this  decade,  the  focus  of  our 
mission  partnership  has  been  church 
development  and  Ideadership  train- 
ing. A  theological  education  by 
extension  program  in  1997  involved 
104  people,  and  leaders  have  been 
involved  in  a  reading/seminar  pro- 
gram in  preparation  for  ordination. 
Meanwhile,  a  number  of  workcamps 
have  resulted  in  construction  of 
church  buildings  for  some  congrega- 
tions, and  other  workcamps  are 
being  planned. 

By  May  of  this  year  there  were  1 6 
recognized  congregations,  most  of 
them  located  in  the  south  central 
part  of  the  country,  in  what  is  called 
the  Conference  of  the  Churches  of 
the  Brethren  in  the  Dominican 
Republic.  The  group  has  an  adminis- 


Soon-to-be  Dominican  mission  workers  jerry  and  Becky  Baile  Grouse,  with 
Stephen,  Jacob,  and  Christy 


trative  board  with  a  president,  and  a 
moderator  who  carries  the  role  of 
spiritual  encouragement. 

For  the  past  few  years  Guillermo 
Encarnacion,  a  Dominican  by  birth 
who  is  pastor  of  Alpha  and  Omega 
Church  of  the  Brethren  in  Lancaster, 
Pa.,  provided  part-time  oversight  for 
the  Dominican  church  through  quar- 
terly visits.  The  long-distance 
relationship  was  an  interim  plan  for 
oversight  of  the  Dominican  mission 
after  the  resignation  of  Yvonne 
Dilling,  former  staff  representative 
for  Latin  America/Caribbean.  Part- 
time  arrangements  had  the  positive 
effects  of  surfacing  local  leadership 
and  permitting  the  church  to  develop 
with  some  autonomy.  Now  it  appears 
that  this  arrangement  may  also  have 
planted  seeds  for  the  next  steps  in 
the  relationship  between  the  Domini- 
can church  and  the  US  church. 

In  September  1997,  during  a  visit 
to  the  Dominican  church  for  their 
quarterly  board  meeting,  the 
Dominican  leadership  asked  Brother 
Guillermo  and  me  if  the  church 
could  "send  someone  to  walk  with 
us."  As  we  explored  what  was 
intended  by  this  request,  we  heard 
church  leaders  speak  to  their  vision 
for  a  mission  worker  who  might 
work  alongside  them.  They  spoke  of 
their  desire  for  greater  connection 
with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
the  US.  They  longed  for  a  deeper 
understanding  of  who  the  Brethren 
are,  what  we  believe,  and  how  we 
practice  our  faith.  And,  as  the  church 
grew  and  these  leaders  faced  new 
questions  about  who  does  what,  they 
sought  help  with  practical  questions 
about  how  we  operate  institutionally. 

At  this  time  the  General  Board  was 
moving  through  tremendous  transi- 
tions, and  mission  budgets  were 
greatly  reduced.  Yet  many  in  the 
denomination  observed  that  there 
was  support  for  increased  denomina- 
tional mission,  and  believed  that 


18  Messenger  November  1998 


funds  not  presently  coming  to  the 
denominational  office  might  be 
attracted  to  an  identifiable  mission 
position. 

From  this  convergence  of  needs 
and  ideas,  the  staff  developed  a  pro- 
posal and  sought  the  General 
Board's  blessing  for  a  joint  mission 
venture  that  would  partner  with  con- 
gregations to  place  a  mission  worker 
in  the  Dominican  Republic  to  work 
alongside  the  young  Dominican  lead- 
ership. Reminiscent  of  the 
missionary  support  accounts  of  the 
mid-century,  the  hope  was  to  "speak 
the  language"  of  congregations  that 
may  be  withholding  funds  from  the 
General  Board  out  of  concern  that 
funds  are  seemingly  "lost"  in  the  uni- 
fied budget,  or  those  congregations 
looking  for  ways  to  specifically  sup- 
port mission. 

It  was  an  experiment.  If  churches 
came  forward  to  support  this  place- 
ment, it  would  happen.  If  not,  then 
the  placement  could  not  proceed. 
This  approach  communicates  the  real 
sense  of  urgency  and  we  hope  will 
convey  the  message  that  "my  dollar 
will  make  a  difference." 


Early  in  the  process  there  was  a 
question  whether  to  seek  the  person 
first  or  find  the  money  first.  In  the 
end,  both  processes  were  imple- 
mented somewhat  simultaneously. 
Gerald  and  Rebecca  Baile  Grouse 
have  accepted  the  call  to  the  position 
of  mission  coordinator  for  the 
Dominican  Republic,  serving  as  a 
team,  beginning  in  January. 

These  two  gifted  persons  bring 
exceptional  background  and  experi- 
ence to  the  assignment.  Since  1988 
they  have  been  serving  in  a  team 
ministry  at  the  Antioch  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  Rocky  Mount,  Va.  Both 
are  graduates  of  Bethany  Theological 
Seminary,  and  have  previous  over- 
seas experience  from  Brethren 
Volunteer  Service,  workcamps,  or 
college  exchanges.  Jerry  brings 
Spanish  from  his  childhood  years  on 
the  mission  field  in  Ecuador. 

While  drawing  new  dollars  for  mis- 
sion is  one  desired  outcome,  another 
central  goal  of  this  missionary  sup- 
port arrangement  is  to  help 
congregations  regain  a  sense  of 
direct  connection  with  mission.  Not 
only  does  the  financial  support  have 


a  more  direct  feel,  increased  commu- 
nication will  offer  supporting 
churches  a  greater  sense  of  involve- 
ment. The  communication  and 
connection  links  in  this  support 
arrangement  open  a  window  for 
more  of  our  membership  to  view  how 
God  is  at  work  among  sisters  and 
brothers  in  the  Dominican  church 
and  to  become  a  part  of  this  ministry 
in  the  Caribbean. 

The  General  Board  is  seeking 
about  $50,000  from  congregations 
to  support  the  venture.  So  far 
enough  interest  has  been  shown  and 
pledges  have  been  made  to  allow  it  to 
go  forward,  with  faith  that  more  of 
our  members  will  be  eager  to 
respond  to  this  invitation  from  the 
Dominican  Republic  church  to  walk 
together.  Congregations  wishing  to 
support  the  Crouse  family  and  this 
significant  ministry  among  the 
Dominican  church  are  invited  to 
contact  the  General  Board's  office 
for  Global  Mission  Partnerships 
at  800-323-8039. 


/ii. 


Mervin  Keeney  serves  as  the  General  Board's 
director  for  Global  Mission  Partnerships. 


Brethrening 

Dog-gone  sermon 

Back  in  1931  -32,  I  attended  the  old  Church  of  the 
Brethren  on  Bath  Avenue  here  in  Waynesboro,  Va.  Our 
pastor  at  that  time  was  D.  B.  Garber,  who  for  the  most 
part  was  a  man  of  the  "old  cloth."  But  in  spite  of  his  dress 
habits  and  seeming  "old  order"  philosophy,  he  had  a  ter- 
rific sense  of  humor. 

He  told  me  of  an  incident  that  happened  when  he  was 
"young  and  green,"  as  he  put  it.  He  was  holding  his  first 
revival  meeting  in  a  small  church  in  the  foothills  of  the 
Blue  Ridge.  He  noticed  an  elderly  man  come  into  the 
meetinghouse,  followed  by  a  hound  dog.  The  man  sat 
down  in  the  end  of  the  front  bench.  The  dog  followed  and 
lay  down  at  the  end  of  the  bench.  Brother  Garber  said  this 
just  didn't  seem  right,  so  he  went  down  and  asked  the 
man  to  take  the  dog  out.  The  man  did  and  returned  to 


take  his  seat  again  on  the  front  pew. 

As  Brother  Garber  got  into  his  sermon,  he  began  to 
think  perhaps  he  had  done  the  wrong  thing.  During  the 
singing  of  the  last  song,  he  thought  to  himself,  "That  dog 
was  likely  the  man's  best  friend  and  wouldn't  have  caused 
any  trouble." 

Back  at  the  door,  as  he  was  shaking  hands  with  people  as 
they  left  at  the  end  of  the  service,  the  "dog"  man  came  by 
and  Brother  Garber  said,  "I'm  sorry  I  asked  you  to  take 
your  dog  out.  Your  dog  wasn't  bothering  anyone." 

"That's  all  right.  I'm  glad  you  did,"  the  man  replied.  "I 
wouldn't  have  had  my  dog  heard  that  sermon  for  anything 

in  the  world."  c     ;      u/         ;         w 

— Don  Snycier,  Waynesboro.  Vci. 

Messenger  would  like  to  publish  other  short,  colorful,  humorous  or  poignant  stones  of  real-life 
incidents  involving  Brethren.  Please  send  your  submission  to  Messenger.  J 451  Dundee  Ave. , 
Elgin.  IL  601 20- J 694  or  e-mail  to  the  editor  at  ffarrar_gb@brethren.org. 


November  1098  MrssFNcrR  19 

nn 


Tkeli 


stories  or  BVS 


e  iivin^ 

A  50tn  anniversary  reunion  in  New  Windsor 

Story  by  Walt  Wiltschek.  Photos  by  Nevin  Dulabaum. 


Sunday  morning  the  lights  of  the  251  BVS  units  were  represented  In  colarjiil 
candles.  Beginning  with  the  earliest  iiJtits  and  concluding  with  the  latest,  people 
approached  the  table  to  light  a  candle  that  represented  their  unit. 


Organizers  selected  "Living  the 
Story"  as  tlie  phrase  to  pro- 
mote and  uplift  the  50th 
anniversary  of  Brethren  Volunteer 
Service  this  year.  It's  an  apt  choice, 
as  it  can  describe  both  the  ongoing 
mission  of  BVS,  as  well  as  the  count- 

20  Messenger  November  1998 


less  individual  stories  that  it  has  cre- 
ated through  the  lives  of  its 
5,000-plus  volunteers  since  its 
inception. 

Many  of  those  stories  were  shared, 
some  again  and  again,  as  former  and 
current  BVS  staff  and  volunteers  gath- 


ered at  the  Brethren  Service  Center  in 
New  Windsor,  Md.,  Oct.  2-4  to  cele- 
brate 50  years  of  BVS.  From  the  time 
guests  first  came  in,  strolling  by  tables 
featuring  memorabilia  from  each 
decade  of  BVS,  or  looking  around  at 
the  faces  in  the  room  to  see  if  they  still 
recognized  anyone,  the  BVS  story  was 
alive  and  well. 

Truman  Wiles,  of  Eugene,  Ore., 
was  among  the  first  to  enter  BVS 
after  its  whirlwind  creation  at  the 
1948  Annual  Conference.  Wiles 
served  as  part  of  Unit  2,  long  before 
most  of  the  people  in  the  recent  Unit 
23  1  were  even  born. 

Wiles  found  himself  at  that  point 
uncertain  where  he  wanted  to  go 
with  his  life,  not  sure  what  he  wanted 
to  do  or  how  to  do  it. 

"I  went  into  BVS  because  I  was 
searching,"  Wiles  said.  "I  don't  know 
that  my  career  was  directly  affected 
by  my  experience  there,  but  it  cer- 
tainly affected  my  thinking." 

As  his  project  for  the  year.  Wiles 
worked  with  youth  at  a  church  in 
Springfield,  Ore.,  that  was  just  being 
built.  Then  he  went  on  to  Manches- 
ter College  and  to  Bethany 
Theological  Seminary,  with  thoughts 
of  going  into  the  ministry.  He  didn't 
pursue  that  route,  but  he  did  find  his 
niche,  staying  on  at  Bethany  for 
more  than  20  years  to  work  with 
maintenance  and  in  the  speech  lab, 
working  with  many  students  through 
the  years.  "1  wouldn't  want  to  trade 
that  year  in  BVS  for  any  other  way  of 
searching,"  Wiles  said. 

Those  who  attended  the  anniver- 
sary weekend  didn't  have  to  worry 
about  searching  to  find  their  way 
from  place  to  place,  as  tours  of  the 
Brethren  Service  Center  were 
offered,  along  with  shopping  in  The 
Peace  Place  bookstore  and  SERRV's 
International  Gift  Shop. 

They  could  reflect  on  their  own 


Jewel  Howlett,  Virginia  Holderread  Doll,  and  Mary  Aim 
McClure  Baer  pose  with  a  picture  of  their  orientation  unit. 


Well-known  actor  Don  Murray  reads  selections  from  a  play  he 
has  written  about  his  BVS  experience. 


searches  through  BVS,  however.  The 
program  at  a  Friday  night  banquet 
looked  at  BVS  over  the  decades  and 
several  insight  sessions  examined 
everything  from  the  history  of  BVS. 
to  its  presence  in  Europe,  to  its  pre- 
sent-day work  and  ways  to  get  in 
touch  with  the  "BVS  fire"  again. 

For  Homer  and  Rosetta  Fry,  of 
North  Manchester,  Ind.,  the  fire  is 
still  burning  brightly.  While  many 
volunteers  enter  BVS  as  youth  or 
young  adults,  the  Frys  made  BVS  a 
golden-years  project. 

"It  was  like  God  kept  kind  of  nudg- 
ing us,  "When  you  retire,  what  are  you 
going  to  do?'"  Rosetta  Fry  said.  "We 
thought  it  was  important  to  tithe  time, 
too,  as  well  as  money,  but  we  didn't 
know  what  to  do,  and  BVS  was  the 
program  that  kept  coming  up." 

They  set  out  to  serve  two  years,  first 
at  the  Catholic  Worker  House  in  San 
Antonio,  Te.xas,  where  they  faced 
quick  adjustment  to  inner-city  life 
after  growing  up  in  farm  country,  and 
then  at  Camp  Eder  in  Fairfield,  Pa. 

"It's  made  a  very  much  stronger 
faith  and  opened  our  eyes  to  other 
parts  of  the  world,"  Fry  said.  "You 
find  out  how  other  parts  of  the  world 
live.  .  .  .  We  wouldn't  want  to  have 
missed  that  experience  for  anything. 
We  found  out  what  a  joy  it  is  to  vol- 
unteer, that  it's  a  joy  to  be  able  to 
serve.  BVS  started  it,  I  think." 

It  was  only  the  beginning,  as  the  two 
have  remained  active  in  disaster  relief 
projects  and  other  volunteer  work. 


Saturday  evening  featured  a  cele- 
bration for  all  those  who  had 
volunteered  in  BVS.  It  included  the 
introduction,  to  a  standing  ovation, 
of  the  26  members  of  Unit  23 1 ,  just 
preparing  to  set  out  on  their  projects. 

Actor  Don  Murray,  who  found 
BVS  as  a  conscientious  objector 
seeking  alternative  service,  delivered 
the  keynote  address  by  sharing  a  play 
he's  written  about  his  experience.  He 
saluted  the  audience  and  the  work 
they  had  done  as  an  inspiration,  and 
called  his  time  in  BVS  one  in  which 
he  "walked  with  the  angels  of  peace." 

|udy  Mills  Reimer,  now  the  Gen- 
eral Board's  executive  director, 
confessed  to  feeling  a  bit  like  an 
angel  herself  when  she  prepared  as  a 
member  of  Unit  56  to  begin  her  pro- 
ject working  with  children  at  a  clinic 
in  post-war  Kassel,  Germany. 

"I  just  knew  my  little  piece  was 
going  to  help  put  this  world  in 
order,"  Reimer  said.  "The  biggest 
shock  was  how  this  world  was  help- 
ing me  and  teaching  me  as  I  worked 
with  these  children." 

It  was  then,  working  with  the  so- 
called  "enemy"  from  World  War  II, 
that  she  became  aware  of  the  con- 
nectedness of  all  God's  children,  and 
the  importance  of  "eyeballing"  one 
another  and  talking  together.  She 
had  been  working  toward  that  vision 
since  childhood. 

"BVS  really  did  push  me  and 
enhance  my  faith  journey  so  that  it 
became  mine  and  not  Mom's  and 


Dad's,"  Reimer  said.  "It  helped  me 
recommit  the  commitment  I  had 
made  as  a  10-year-old  at  Camp 
Bethel  .  .  .  that  every  one  of  us  is 
involved  in  Christ's  work." 

The  stories  of  BVS  go  on  and  on, 
each  with  different  twists  and  experi- 
ences, but  most  with  life-changing 
implications. 

Steve  Jones,  of  York,  Pa.,  became 
the  first  from  his  Kansas  church  to 
enter  BVS.  uncertain  what  to  expect, 
and  ended  up  meeting  his  future  wife 
while  on  project  at  New  Windsor  — 
one  of  many  relationships  that  began 
through  BVS. 

|udy  Dotterer,  of  Union  Bridge, 
Md.,  talked  of  finding  an  under- 
standing of  what  it  really  meant  to  be 
Brethren  and  fueling  her  interest  in 
the  work  of  the  church. 

Alma  Long,  one  of  those  who 
helped  bring  BVS  into  existence  at 
the  1948  Annual  Conference,  spoke 
about  the  incredible  drama  and 
power  of  that  moment,  "like  a  foot- 
ball game  and  somebody  made  a 
touchdown." 

The  50th  anniversary  weekend  cel- 
ebrated these  stories  and  many  more. 
With  the  commissioning  of  Unit  231 
at  the  closing  worship  service  of  the 
weekend,  it's  certain  that  those     \inr\ 
stories  will  continue.  i'^^i 

Walt  Wiltschek  is  associate  pastor  al  tlie  West- 
minster (Md.)  Cluircli  ofllie  Brethren,  worlcing 
with  youth  and  Christian  education.  Prior  to 
holding  that  position  he  worked  full-time  as  a 
newspaper  reporter  and  copy  editor 


No\'t'mber  lOOS  Mi  ^M  Xi 


21 


BY  David  Radcliff 

It  would've  been  tunny  were  it  not 
so  sad.  Signs  along  the  highway 
announced  in  stark  black  and  white, 
"Littering  punished  by  fines  of  up  to 
$1000  and  one  year  in  prison." 

Granted,  litter  is  bothersome.  It 
clutters  the  scenery.  It  demands 
attention  from  squads  of  orange- 
clad,  shotgun-guarded  cleanup 
crews.  It  is  trash  in  the  wrong  place. 
We  like  our  trash  sent  away  to  the 
dump  or  shipped  offshore,  as  if  we 
had  truly  "thrown  it  away" — we 
don't  like  it  hanging  around  where 
we  can  still  see  it. 

But  riding  along  this  particular 
state's  highways,  it  was  hard  to 
believe  that  litter  was  the  biggest 
problem.  Kudzu,  an  invasive  plant 
species  imported  to  cut  down  ero- 
sion of  highway  embankments, 
completely  enveloped  whole  stands 
of  trees  in  a  deadly  embrace.  Thou- 
sands of  acres  of  forest  throughout 
the  south  are  ruined  every  year  by 
this  vine.  Yet  we  can  be  sure  that  no 
fines  were  levied  against  those  who 
first  brought  it  here. 

On  the  slopes  along  either  side  of 
the  highway,  telltale  patches  of 
young  trees  all  the  same  height 
revealed  the  rampant  clearcutting  of 
thousands  of  acres  of  forests.  'While 
we  know  that  vanishing  habitat  is  the 
main  reason  that  25  percent  of  the 
world's  mammals  and  1  I  percent  of 

22  Messenger  November  1998 


bird  species  are  endangered,  no  one 
will  be  spending  time  in  prison  for 
these  government-sanctioned 
forestry  practices. 

Further  along  the  road,  tracts  of 
tobacco  turn  brown  in  the  late 
summer  sunshine.  In  these  places, 
God's  good  earth — meant  to  nourish 
and  sustain  life — will  bear  a  deadly 
harvest.  Yet  no  charges  will  be 
brought  to  bear. 

The  vehicles  on  the  highway  itself 
bring  many  times  more  devastation  to 
God's  creation  each  year  than  any 
litter  dropped  from  them  along  the 
way.  Each  one  will  emit  several  tons 
of  carbon  dioxide  into  the  earth's 
atmosphere  in  a  year's  time,  adding 
fuel  to  the  fire  of  global  warming.  But 
we  won't  see  a  roadside  sign  warning 
of  penalties  for  excessive  driving. 

This  state  is  not  alone,  however,  in 
missing  the  mark  in  its  understanding 
of  stewardship  of  God's  earth.  Most 
of  us  in  a  country  like  ours  find  it  dif- 
ficult to  hit  the  mark  when  it  comes  to 
doing  our  part  to  care  for  the  earth. 
Meanwhile,  God's  creation  wheezes 
and  reels  at  the  ongoing  impact  of 
human  activity. 

The  facts  speak  for  themselves: 

•Half  the  earth's  original  forest 
cover  is  now  gone,  including  all  but  5 
percent  of  forests  in  the  US.  Every 
year,  the  earth  loses  another  37  million 
acres.  Tropical  rainforest  alone  is  being 
cut  down  at  the  rate  of  a  football  field 
per  second.  In  some  places,  replanting 


replaces  a  portion  of  the  trees  lost, 
although  not  the  original  diversity;  in 
Africa,  deforestation  exceeds  refor- 
estation by  a  factor  of  29. 

•Annual  global  loss  of  topsoil  from 
cropland  due  to  erosion  is  estimated 
at  24  billion  tons. 

•Six  billion  tons  of  carbon  dioxide 
is  released  into  the  atmosphere  each 
year  due  to  human  activity.  In  the 
United  States,  the  rate  is  about  5  tons 
of  carbon  dioxide  per  person  per  year. 

•For  most  of  the  earth's  history,  the 
rate  of  species'  extinction  was  less 
than  10  per  year.  Today,  scientists 
estimate  that  one  species  becomes 
extinct  every  12  minutes. 

•Over  50  percent  of  the  original 
wetlands  of  the  US  have  been  lost;  in 
California,  95  percent  of  wetlands 
have  been  drained  for  agriculture  and 
development. 

From  a  purely  self-serving  perspec- 
tive, humankind  should  be 
alarmed  by  such  statistics.  Wetlands, 
for  instance,  serve  as  a  giant  sponge 
for  excessive  rainfall,  as  do  forests  on 
steep  mountain  slopes.  The  loss  of 
both  is  a  key  reason  for  the  recent 
catastrophic  floods  in  China — which 
affected  some  230  million  people — as 
well  as  a  cause  of  floods  in  the  US 
Midwest. 

Plants  and  animals  have  tremen- 
dous value  to  the  pharmaceutical 
industry:  the  annual  value  of  medici- 
nal drugs  that  contain  active 


ingredients  derived  from  plants  is  $40 
billion.  Soil  conservation  can  save  bil- 
lions of  dollars  in  otherwise  lost 
productivity.  An  acre  of  rainforest  will 
absorb  1,000  pounds  of  carbon  diox- 
ide each  year,  helping  temper  our 
excessive  carbon  dioxide  output. 

As  much  sense  as  this  practical 
approach  to  conservation  and  preser- 
vation makes,  this  still  casts  God's 
creation  in  a  solely  supportive  role  vis 
a  vis  humankind.  Indeed,  it  is  hard  to 
carry  on  a  very  long  conversation 
about  God's  creation  without  using 
the  phrase  "natural  resources."  Yet 
our  biases  are  revealed  in  our  choice 
of  words,  as  we  indicate  that  the  true 
purpose  of  creation  is  to  serve  as  a 
"resource"  for  humanity. 

At  every  step  of  the  way  in  the  cre- 
ative process  unveiled  in  Genesis  1, 
God  calls  the  newly  created  cosmos 
"good."  From  the  waters  and  the 
land,  to  the  fruit-bearing  plants,  to 
the  darkness  and  the  light,  to  the 
swarms  of  fish  and  birds  and  creeping 
(and  creepy)  things,  God  "saw  that  it 
was  good."  There  is  goodness  in  this 
creation  apart  from  its  provision  for 
human  beings. 

It  is  true  that  humans,  as  those  cre- 
ated in  God's  image,  and  the  ones 
over  whom  God  pronounced  "very 
good,"  are  given  the  charge  to  exer- 
cise dominion  over  all  the  rest  of 
creation.  The  presupposition  here  is 
that  as  the  embodiment  of  God's  own 
presence,  humans  have  the  capability 
and  wisdom  to  be  good  stewards  over 
God's  earth. 

As  Walter  Brueggemann  says  in  his 
commentary  Genesis,  "The  task  of 
dominion  does  not  have  to  do  with 
exploitation  or  abuse.  It  has  to  do 
with  securing  the  well-being  of  every 
other  creature  and  bringing  the 
promise  of  each  to  full  fruition."  Or, 
as  the  Lord  says  in  Genesis  2: 1 5,  we 
are  not  only  to  till,  but  also  to  "keep" 
the  garden. 

Suddenly,  this  "dominion"  begins 
to  sound  more  like  the  role  of  a  parent 
with  a  child,  or  a  teacher  with  a  stu- 
dent, or  a  pastor  with  church 
members.  The  one  with  dominion  is 
in  a  sense  "in  charge,"  but  is  also 
"charged"  with  bringing  out  the  best 
in  the  other,  helping  the  other  toward 
fulfillment,  interacting  with  the  other 


not  as  a  demanding  tyrant  but  as  a 
shepherd  who  would  give  her  life  for 
the  sheep.  And  in  any  of  these  set- 
tings, were  the  one  in  charge  to  abuse 
their  authority  by  exploiting  those  in 
their  care,  we  would  quickly  condemn 
them  and  stop  the  abuse. 

We  do  not  have  these  same  high 
standards  for  ourselves  when  it  comes 
to  exercising  dominion  over  God's 
creation.  We  rarely  think  long  over 
our  excesses;  we  give  litde  heed  to  the 
damage  we  inflict.  It  is  as  if  we  are 
not  accountable  to  anyone — even  to 
God — for  our  behavior. 

There's  a  reason  we  don't  hold  our- 
selves accountable.  To  do  so  would 
force  us  to  take  a  hard  look  at  our- 
selves and  our  stewardship  of  the 
earth.  And  then  there  would  be 
changes  to  consider,  both  inside  and 
outside — both  our  attitudes  about 
God's  earth  and  our  actions  toward  it. 

The  struggle  against  roadway  litter 
might  need  to  give  way  to  strug- 
gles more  personal  and  to-the-point. 

For  me,  the  dilemma  dawns  as  daily 
as  the  choice  about  how  to  get  from 
one  place  to  another.  I  can  bike  to 
work  as  long  as  the  weather  holds, 
although  our  town  has  no  cross-town 
bike  paths.  But  bring  on  a  little  rain  or 
snow  or  out-of-the  way  errands,  and 
the  car  is  the  only  feasible  alterna- 
tive— unless  1  want  to  figure  out  the 
bus  route  and  spend  about  three  times 
as  long  to  get  there  as  I  would  on  my 
bike,  not  to  mention  the  car.  So  there 
1  go  again,  adding  about  a  pound  of 
carbon  dioxide  to  the  atmosphere  for 
every  mile  I  drive. 

They  say  that  as  a  US  citizen  I  use 
up  just  about  my  weight  in  material 
goods  every  day.  I  don't  eat  or  drink 
or  directly  purchase  that  much  daily, 
but  when  you  add  up  all  we  con- 
sume— petroleum,  metals,  wood, 
packaging — that's  our  per  capita 
average.  Experts  also  say  that  if  every 
global  citizen  consumed  at  such  a 
rate,  we  would  need  five  planets  like 
this  one  to  sustain  ourselves.  And 
although  1  try  to  do  my  part — even 
picking  up  stray  cans  along  my  bike 
route — I'm  sure  I'm  also  doing  my 
part  to  out-consume  the  planet's  abil- 
ity to  provide. 

And  while  you're  at  it,  blame  me  for 


the  destruction  of  the  rainforest.  I've 
tried  to  cut  down  on  the  meat  I  eat 
and  out-of-season  fruit  I  buy,  but  I'm 
sure  to  have  eaten  citrus  grown  or 
meat  raised  on  slashed  and  burned 
land  in  the  tropics.  The  pencil  I'm 
using  was  probably  made  from  that 
tree  in  Belize  that  by  itself  is  home  to 
more  species  of  living  things  than 
some  European  nations. 

So  what's  a  person  to  do?  The  first 
thing  is  to  really  think  of  oneself 
as  a  steward.  "I  myself  have  a  respon- 
sibility to  care  for  God's  earth."  And  I 
do  or  don't  do  this  by  the  choices  I 
make  every  day  about  my  lifestyle  and 
about  how  I  will  or  won't  be  involved 
in  community  or  national  debate 
about  environmental  stewardship. 

And  we  must  begin  to  understand 
the  world  around  as  a  relationship, 
not  as  a  resource.  If  we  are  to  have 
dominion  in  the  manner  of  a  teacher 
or  pastor  or  parent — or  the  Lord — 
then  we  must  enter  into  a  relationship 
with  our  world.  I  don't  speak  here  of 
some  mystical  union,  but  of  an  aware- 
ness that  our  lives  are  bound  up  with 
the  world  around  us,  and  do  not  exist 
as  separate  entities. 

Then  make  the  hard  choices  to 
reduce  consumption,  to  seek  alterna- 
tive and  sustainable  living  patterns,  to 
advocate  with  friends  and  neighbors 
for  better  treatment  of  God's  earth. 
These  choices  do  not  have  to  be  oner- 
ous. I  find  a  real  delight  in  looking  at 
a  line  full  of  clothes  drying  in  the 
sun — or  even  in  the  basement.  There 
is  a  sense  of  harmony  with  God's 
order  that  comes  from  simple  deeds 
of  responsible  stewardship. 

God's  earth  likely  cannot  stand 
another  century  like  the  one  we  are 
leaving  behind.  Indeed,  we  may 
choose  to  change  our  ways  when  we 
see  that  planetary  life  is  being  jeopar- 
dized. I  would  like  to  think,  however, 
that  we'll  come  to  our  senses  long 
before  this,  building  a  relationship 
with  God's  earth  that  is  responsible, 
sustainable,  and  full  of  the  simple 
pleasures  that  come  to  those  whose 
lives  reflect  the  harmony  that  God 
intends  for  this  good  creation. 


^ 


David  Radcliffis  director  of  the  Brethren  Wit- 
ness office  of  the  General  Board.. 


November  1998  Mf.ssengfr  23 


A  clown  was  one  of  the  many  diversions. 


e  main  auction  hall 


Jim  Landis,  one  of  the  auctioneers,  dues  his  thing. 


An  auction 

A  Pennsylvania   'miracle'  raises  mone 


story  and  photos  by  Wayne  Zunkel. 


When  autumn  air  begins  to  blow 
and  before  the  leaves  are 
elothed  in  color,  in  the  last 
weekend  in  September,  a  miracle 
occurs  just  down  the  road  from  the 
Midway  Church  of  the  Brethren  at 
Lebanon,  Pa.  The  Atlantic  Northeast 
and  Southern  Districts  of  Pennsylva- 
nia Brethren  Disaster  Relief  Auction 
is  held  at  the  Lebanon  Area  Fair- 
grounds. 

Fifteen  area  auctioneers  volunteered 
their  time  at  the  event  held  Sept. 
25—26.  This  year's  chairpersons  were 
Marlin  and  lane  Snavely  of  the  White 
Oak  congregation,  Penryn,  Pa.  They 
report  there  was  an  estimated  crowd 
of  9,000  and  approximately  $540,000 
was  raised.  From  the  proceeds,  80 
percent  goes  to  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  General  Board  for  use  in  the 
denomination's  disaster  relief  min- 
istries. The  other  20  percent  goes  to 

24  MhsSENGER  November  1998 


projects  in  the  two  districts. 

It  all  began  in  the  late  1960s  when 
a  group  of  enthusiastic  youth  and 
their  advisors,  under  the  leadership 
of  Henry  Rist,  who  now  lives  in 
Myrtle  Beach,  S.C.,  organized  a  dis- 
trict youth  auction.  They  sold  mostly 
used  household  furnishings  and  a 
used  car  that  wouldn't  run  (which 
brought  $20).  The  first  year  raised 
$5,000.  A  few  years  later,  the  project 
was  abandoned. 

in  1976,  lames  Gibbel  of  the  Lititz, 
Pa.,  congregation,  |acob  Ruhl  of  the 
East  Fairview  congregation  (Man- 
heim,  Pa.),  and  auctioneer  lay  Witman 
of  the  White  Oak  congregation, 
revived  the  idea.  Since  then  the  auc- 
tion has  become  an  annual  event, 
receiving  national  attention  on  such 
programs  as  "The  Today  Show." 
Across  the  years  it  has  raised  more 
than  $6  million  toward  helping  the 


Brethren  serve  people  in  disasters 
around  the  world.  Other  districts  have 
begun  auctions  of  their  own  in  Mid- 
Atlantic,  Middle  Pennsylvania. 
Shenandoah,  and  West  Marva. 

The  excitement  begins  during  the 
first  week  in  August,  when  28,000 
copies  of  a  free  64-page  booklet, 
describing  items  available  at  the  auc- 
tion and  including  stories  about  the 
denomination,  are  made  available  to 
all  of  the  churches  of  the  two  dis- 
tricts, plus  as  many  area  businesses 
as  will  take  them. 

The  publicity  pays  off  when  thou- 
sands show  up  on  auction  day.  Three 
auctioneers  rotated  the  labors  in  the 
main  auction  room.  But  there  were 
several  auctions  going  on  at  various 
times.  In  addition  to  the  main  auction, 
there  was  one  for  livestock,  another 
just  for  heifers,  a  center  hall  auction 
for  sports  cards,  furniture  and  toys. 


foi 

ii 

« 

Sel 
3ie 

\f 

iri! 


Aunt  Ellen  [Young),  flunked  by  Janice 
Holsinger  and  Carroll  Kreider.  who  now 
run  her  caramel  coated  popcorn  stand. 


John  Holsinger,  Ken  Kreider.  Joe  Witmore. 
and  jane  Holsinger  stir  the  carumel  and 
the  freshly  popped  corn. 


Auctioneer  An'  Witiuun.  one  of  the 
fathers  of  the  auction. 


that  cares 

for  the  hurting  peoples  of  the  world 


,nd  a  pole  barn  auction  for  tools  and 
awn  and  garden  equipment. 

There  were  special  moments.  A 
rocheted  doily  made  by  98-year-old 
vy  Alwine  of  Annville,  Pa.,  was  sold 
ive  times  Friday  evening,  bringing  a 
otalofS895. 

There  were  tables  of  produce, 
anned  and  baked  goods,  and  a 
luilding  for  arts  and  crafts.  On  Earth 
'eace  Assembly  had  a  table  of  games, 
"-shirts,  and  books.  There  were  spe- 
ial  stands  for  french  fries  and  others 
or  ice  cream.  A  pig  roast  was  a  hit 
I'ith  hungry  attendees.  Hundreds  of 
ilates  of  fried  chicken  were  served. 

A  tree  donated  by  an  area  nursery 
^'as  auctioned,  bringing  SI, 375.  A 
voman  donated  her  mobile  home  in 
Jebring,  Fla.,  to  be  auctioned.  A  lemon 
)ie  sold  twice,  bringing  a  total  of  $  1 95. 
V  piece  of  3-D  art  by  popular  area 
irtist  Abner  Zook  brought  $6,700.  A 


walnut  tallcase  clock  brought  $6,700. 

An  "Aunt  Ellen's  Popcorn  Stand," 
begun  some  1  5  years  ago,  continues 
as  a  popular  tradition.  This  year 
more  than  400  pounds  of  popcorn 
were  popped.  Eighty  persons  shared 
in  the  work.  There  has  been  an  aver- 
age yearly  profit  of  $2, 1 02  over  the 
last  eight  years. 

There  was  a  profit  (after  expenses) 
of  $  1 08,000  from  the  sale  of  a  house 
built  specially  for  the  event.  The 
heifer  sale  brought  $71 ,000.  The  64 
quilts  and  88  wall  hangings  brought 
$51,000.  One  quilt  sold  twice.  The 
highest  selling  quilt,  donated  by  the 
Lititz  (Pa.)  church,  sold  for  $2,300. 
The  livestock  auction  brought  in 
$18,000.  Food  stands  contributed 
$35,626.  The  bakery  stand  brought 
in  $1 1,381,  and  the  farmer's  market 
$10,365. 

But  more  important  than  the 


money  is  the  fact  that  this  is  an  event 
that  brings  together  all  elements  of 
the  church,  working  enthusiastically 
side  by  side. 

This  granddaddy  of  all  Brethren 
relief  auctions  grows  each  year  on  its 
own  strength.  For  many  Brethren  in 
the  East  it  is  one  happy,  profitable 
event  that  tells  the  world  about 
Brethren  commitment  to  a  faith  that 
cares  about  the  hurting  peoples  of 
the  world.  This  year  Brethren  from 
as  far  away  as  Mesa,  Ariz.,  and 
McPherson,  Kan.  — including 
Annual  Conference  Moderator 
Lowell  Flory —  came  to  see.  Ne.xt 
year,  you  might  want  to  join 
them  too. 


/ii. 


Wayne  Zunkd.  of  EUzahethtown.  Pa.,  is  editor 
of  "The  Columns. "  the  Elizabethtown  church 
newsletter.  For  32  years  he  has  been  editor  of  the 
A.N.D.  Brethren  Peace  Fellowship  newsletter 


November  1998  Messfncfr  25 


'm_4  ^ 


1am  one  of  five  daughters,  so  I 
was  pleased  to  learn  there  is  a 
Bible  story  about  five  daughters 
in  Numbers  27:1-8.  These 
young  women  had  the  audacity 
to  challenge  Moses  on  an  issue 
of  justice.  They  didn't  just  challenge 
Moses,  they  challenged  God  as  well. 

With  audacious  and  unprecedented 
boldness,  they  stood  before  the  entire 
assembly  and  declared  the  injustice 
of  the  system  of  inheritance.  Assert- 
ing that  they  should  not  suffer 
discrimination  simply  on  the  basis  of 
their  gender,  they  claimed  a  right  to 
their  father's  land. 

Zelophehad  was  a  righteous  man 
who  died  in  the  wilderness,  leaving 
no  sons  to  inherit  the  land  promised 
to  him.  To  ensure  that  the  land 
remained  with  the  tribe  to  which  it 
was  first  apportioned,  the  land  was 
passed  from  eldest  son  to  eldest  son 
within  the  same  family.  The  daugh- 
ters point  out  to  Moses  that, 
according  to  the  rules,  their  father's 
name  would  be  lost  because  no  one 
from  his  family  would  receive  the 
inheritance  of  land.  "Why  should  the 
name  of  our  father  be  taken  away 
from  his  clan  because  he  had  no  son? 
Give  to  us  a  possession  among  our 
father's  brothers"  (Num.  27:4). 

Never  having  dealt  with  this  particu- 
lar situation  before,  Moses  goes 
directly  to  God.  Surprisingly,  God 
agrees  with  the  young  women.  God 
says  to  Moses,  "The  daughters  of 
Zelophehad  are  right  in  what  they  are 
saying;  you  shall  indeed  let  them  pos- 
sess an  inheritance  ..."  (Num.  27:7). 

Born  and  raised  in  a  patriarchal 
society,  having  relatively  no  value  as 
single  women,  without  a  father,  they 
challenged  the  system  and  God  took 
their  side.  They  confronted  the  law 
and  they  won. 


26  Messenger  November  1998 


The  five  feisty  daughters 
of  Zelophehad 


by  Christy  1.  Waltersdorff 


At  the  beginning  of  the  book  of 
Numbers,  Israel  moved  from  the 
immovable  setting  of  Mount  Sinai, 
where  the  definitive  revelation  of 
God's  will  for  Israel  was  revealed,  to 
the  portable  tent  of  meeting,  the 
tabernacle.  God  promised  to  con- 
tinue to  reveal  the  divine  will  from 
the  tabernacle  as  new  circumstances 
and  questions  arose.  The  people  of 
Israel  are  a  people  on  the  move,  and 
God's  law  moves  with  them. 

Today,  as  then,  God's  word  is  not  a 
sterile  and  entrenched  legalism  but  a 
robust  and  living  tradition  that  leans 
toward  the  future  in  hope  and  antici- 
pation. 

The  five  daughters  did  not  bring 
patriarchy  to  a  screeching  halt.  But 
they  moved  their  society  a  few  steps 
forward  toward  justice. 

As  a  woman  I  have  also  come  up 
against  those  who  would  refuse  to 
allow  me  to  claim  my  inheritance 
because  of  my  gender.  I  grew  up  on  a 
poultry  farm  in  York,  Pa.,  the  third  of 
five  daughters.  We  had  1  3,000  laying 
hens  and  a  busy  egg  business.  If  the 
family  farm  was  going  to  survive  we 
all  had  to  do  our  part.  I  cannot 
remember  being  told  I  couldn't  do 
something  on  the  farm  because  I  was 
a  girl.  I  do  remember  my  father  and 
grandfather  being  teased  by  farmers 
who  asked  how  all  the  work  was 
going  to  get  done  with  all  those  girls. 

I  heard  my  Dad  respond  one  day, 
"I  know  that  my  girls  can  outwork 
your  boys  any  day  of  the  week."  That 
felt  good,  though  I  was  secretly 
hoping  he  wouldn't  set  up  a  competi- 
tion. 

As  a  child  and  teenager  growing  up 
in  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  in 
Southern  Pennsylvania,  I  had  no  idea 
that  there  was  another  inheritance 
for  me  to  claim;  My  inheritance  as  a 
child  of  God,  my  inheritance  as  a 
minister  of  lesus  Christ.  There  were 
no  women  pastors  to  be  role  models 


for  me.  I  never  even  met  a  woman 
pastor  until  I  was  21  and  met  Bonnie 
Kline  Smeltzer,  then  the  associate 
pastor  of  the  Highland  Avenue 
Church  in  Elgin,  111. 

One  of  the  first  women  in  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  to  claim  her 
inheritance  as  a  minister  was  Sarah 
Righter  Major.  As  a  young  woman 
she  experienced  a  call  to  preach.  The 
1 834  Annual  Meeting  voted  against  a 
query  giving  women  the  authority  to 
preach.  She  answered  her  critics  witf 
biblical  arguments,  and  she  contin- 
ued to  preach.  A  member  of  a 
committee  sent  by  Annual  Meeting  tc 
tell  her  to  remain  silent  admitted,  "I 
could  not  give  my  vote  to  silence 
someone  who  could  outpreach  me." 

Proof  that  things  can  change  came 
when  Sarah  preached  at  Annual 
Meeting  in  1878. 

In  1922  Annual  Meeting  granted 
women  the  right  to  be  licensed  to 
preach,  but  ordination  on  the  same 
basis  as  men  was  not  granted  until 
1958. 

Since  that  time  the  involvement  of 
women  in  the  church  has  grown. 
Women  have  held  and  continue  to 
hold  key  leadership  positions  in  our 
denomination.  The  number  of 
women  answering  the  call  to  ministr; 
increases  every  year. 

There  are  still,  however,  many 
churches  and  many  individuals  who 
would  prevent  us  from  claiming  our 
inheritance.  But  when  one  person  is 
diminished,  we  are  all  diminished.  Thi 
church  needs  bold,  faithful  people  wh' 
are  willing  to  speak  the  truth  of 
God — whether  they  be  male  or 
female.  Just  as  the  five  feisty  daughter 
of  Zelophehad  inherited  what  was 
theirs  to  claim,  so  we  too  have  an  rij 
inheritance  in  Christ  (esus.  L 


Christy  /.  Waltersdurff  is  pastor  of  Yorl< 
Center  CIturcli  of  the  Brethren.  Lombard.  III., 
and  is  a  member  of  the  General  Board. 


Mm 


when  will  Brethren  speak  out  against 

the  pain,  suffering  and  death 

brought  on  by  the  alcohol  industry? 


Remember  what  it  was  that 
made  Milwaukee  famous 

I  appreciate  your  excellent  coverage 
Df  National  Youth  Conference  in  the 
October  issue.  From  my  perspective 
It  was  truly  one  of  the  best  gather- 
ings I  have  ever  seen  in  the  church, 
3ne  from  which  Annual  Conference 
:ould  learn  much.  One  of  the  most 
meaningful  moments  for  me  was  the 
3rofound  witness  to  peace  that  hap- 
Dened  at  a  nuclear  missile  silo.  The 
opportunity  to  proclaim  the  peace 
Christ  taught  was  a  valuable  and 
lecessary  example  of  the  prophetic 
/oice  we're  called  to  make. 

Yet  on  my  way  home,  as  I  drove  only 
i  few  miles  away  from  Ft.  Collins,  past 
a  huge  Budweiser  distillery,  I  couldn't 
lelp  wondering  when  that  same 
Drophetic  voice  will  ever  bear  equal 
A'itness  against  the  pain,  suffering, 
jnd  death  brought  on  by  the  alcohol 
ndustry,  an  industry  which  is  linked 
io  more  deaths,  facilitates  more  vio- 
ence,  destroys  more  relationships, 
and  diminishes  the  quality  of  far  more 
lives  than  nuclear  weapons  ever  have. 

What  a  lost  opportunity  to  make  a 
A'itness  against  this  destructive  indus- 
:ry.  I  long  for  the  day  when  Brethren 
A'ill  speak  out  as  eloquently  on  this 
iSsue  as  we  have  on  the  issue  of 
luclear  weapons  and  war.  Looks  like 
he  next  major  gathering  of  Brethren 
A'ill  be  in  Milwaukee.  Hmmm,  I 
A'onder  what  they  make  there. 

David  SoUenberger 
Annville.  Pa. 


rhoughts  on  war  heroes 
and  Saving  Private  Ryan 

recently  saw  the  movie  Saving  Pri- 
vate Ryan.  Seeing  it  was  an  accident, 
eally.  My  husband  out  of  town,  I 
irove  on  the  spur  of  the  moment  to 
he  theater  and  bought  a  ticket.  "If 
fou  only  see  one  movie  this  year,"  I 


had  heard  in  an  advertisement,  "make 
h  Saving  Private  Ryan ."  I  succumbed 
to  the  hype. 

Although  1  would  never  have  gone 
to  see  this  movie  had  I  known  what  I 
was  getting  into,  I'm  glad  I  saw  it.  1 
stayed  the  whole  two  and  a  half 
hours,  watching  virtually  uninter- 
rupted terror  and  pain  and  death,  the 
killing  and  being  killed  that  was 
World  War  II.  The  horror  of  war 
spread  out  in  front  of  me  in  excruci- 
atingly graphic  scenes  that  went  on 
and  on  and  on. 

The  acting  was  excellent.  The  spe- 
cial effects  were  amazing,  not  to  say 
mind-boggling.  Doubtless  this  movie 
will  be  nominated  for  several  Acad- 
emy Awards.  It  certainly  deserves 
them.  I'm  glad  I  saw  Saving  Private 
Ryan  not  for  those  reasons,  however, 
but  because  it  forced  me  to  think 
about  war.  Our  society  accepts  this 
horror,  and  in  an  ironic  way,  glori- 
fies it.  "War  is  hell,"  the  movie  said 
clearly.  "See,  it  is  horror  beyond 
imagining.  Yet  aren't  these  men  who 
fought  it  wonderfully  heroic?" 

1  have  a  different  hero.  My  father 
chose  to  spend  time  in  prison  rather 
than  participate  in  World  War  11.  As 
a  young  man,  his  reading  of  the 
Bible  led  him  to  believe  that  |esus 
calls  us  to  another  way,  that  war  and 
killing  are  evil  and  must  be  resisted. 
Raised  in  a  conservative,  patriotic 
Protestant  church,  never  having 
encountered  the  Brethren,  he  had 
the  courage  to  choose  this  most 
unpopular  path.  Because  he  was 
convinced  that  cooperating  in  any 
way  with  the  military  system  was 
wrong,  he  wrote  to  his  draft  board 
and  told  them  he  would  not  register 
or  participate  in  their  process. 

He  did  not  try  to  escape  the  legal 
consequences  of  his  choice.  He  spent 
a  year  in  prison  in  El  Reno,  Okla., 
before  being  paroled  to  Bethany  Hos- 
pital in  Chicago,  where  he  met  my 
mother  and  the  Church  of  the 


Brethren.  As  1  watched  Saving  Private 
Ryan,  1  thought  of  my  father,  a  differ- 
ent kind  of  war  hero. 

Daddy  died  last  year,  but  1  have 
been  inspired  all  my  life  by  his  courage 
in  standing  for  his  conviction  that  war 
is  wrong.  1  thank  God  for  his  strong 
example  of  faithfulness. 

Marilyn  Smith  Kieffaber 
Denton.  Md. 

Love  sexual  sinner,  hate  sin 

Concerning  your  editorial  "Casting 
Out  Fear"  in  the  September  issue:  In 
Leviticus  20,  it  seems  God  was  a  little 
tough  on  sexual  sin.  I  would  call  your 
attention  also  to  1  Corinthians  6:9-20. 

You  mention  that  we  differ  on  the 
matter  of  interpretation  of  the  scrip- 
tural meaning  for  our  day.  Does  that 
mean  that  you  believe  that  in  our  day 
and  time  we  can  live  on  a  different 
standard  than  what  is  stated  clearly  in 
the  Bible? 

While  you  were  "dancing  in  the 
wind,"  the  issue  was  simply  accep- 
tance. Can  the  church  open  its  doors 
to  welcome  gays  and  lesbians?  This 
seems  to  say  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  should  accept  sinners  who 
desire  to  keep  on  sinning.  We  should 
give  our  love  and  support  to  practicing 
gays  and  lesbians,  perhaps  to 
pedophiles,  perverts,  and  rapists, 
without  repentance. 

I,  and  I'm  sure  most  Brethren,  will 
give  love,  forgiveness,  and  support  to 
past  gays  and  lesbians,  because  we 
love  lesus  Christ  and  believe  in  his 
saving  power.  |esus  accepts  every- 
one, regardless  of  their  spiritual 
condition,  but  he  doesn't  want  them 
to  stay  that  way. 

Our  church  works  with  alcoholics 
and  I'm  sure  would  be  willing  to  help 
past  gays  and  lesbians  to  become  close 
to  Christ  and  live  a  more  fulfilling  and 

abundant  life. 

William  Mercer 
Beaverton.  Mich. 


November  1998  Mfssfngfr  27 


Can  our  dialog  reflect 
respect  for  differences? 

Thank  you  for  your  sensitive,  bal- 
anced, and  insightful  editorial, 
"Casting  Out  Fear,"  in  the  Septem- 
ber issue.  The  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  indeed  all  religious  bodies 
in  America,  are  engaged  in  a  similar 
debate.  The  critical  question  is,  to 


what  degree  can  we  respect  the  views 
of  other  Christians  when  those  views 
differ  from  our  own?  Sincere, 
knowledgeable,  faithful  Christians 
stand  at  different  points  all  along  the 
homophobic  continuum.  Too  often 
our  dialog,  which  should  be  carried 
out  with  understanding  and  love,  is 
battered  by  judgmental  intransigence 
and  hatred. 


As  you  write  in  your  editorial:  we 
differ.  "We  differ  with  one  another 
on  a  matter  of  interpretation  of  the 
scriptural  meaning  for  our  day." 
None  among  us  knows  the  whole  and 
perfect  truth.  We  must  all  be  seekers 
of  that  truth.  Our  prayer  for  the 
church  is  that  our  dialog  can  move 
forward  enveloped  in  a  spirit  of  love. 
Becky  and  David  Waat 
North  Manchester.  Ind 


Stand  firm  on  sexuality 


A  WonJ  of  Opportunity 
through  Brethren  Education 


A  Church  of  the  Brethren  educa- 
tion is  distinctive!  Students  find 
opportunities  for  academic 
achievement;  intellectual  curiosity* 
and  spiritual  development,  and 
programs  that  foster  maturity, 
leadership,  and  service.The  six 
Church  of  the  Brethren  colleges, 
along  with  Bethany  Seminary  and 
Brethren  Colleges  Abroad  (BCA) 
are  collaborating  to  encourage 
Brethren  students  to  study  and 
grow  in  a  Brethren  setting. 
Join  us  in  promoting  Brethren 
higher  education. 


Brethren  Colleges  Abroad 
North  Manchester,  Indiana 

Bethany  Theological  Seminary 
Richmond,  Indiana 

Bridgewater  College 
Bridgewater,  Virginia 

Elizabethtown  College 
Elizabethtown,  Pennsylvania 

Juniata  College 
Huntingdon,  Pennsylvania 

University  of  La  Verne 
La  Verne,  California 

Manchester  College 
North  Manchester,  Indiana 

McPherson  College 
McPherson,  Kansas 


COBCOA 


The  Brethren  Recruiting  Project  •  Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board 
1451  Dundee  Ave.  •   Elgin,  IL  60120-9958 


28  Messenger  November  1998 


: 


i 


In  his  article,  "The  Problem  with 
Pluralism"  [|uly].  Dale  Aukerman's 
central  point,  as  I  read  it,  is  that 
some  biblical  doctrines  and  truths 
are  suHiciently  clear  to  be  non-nego 
tiable.  On  these  the  church  needs  to 
stand  firm. 

That  is  why  my  qualified  response 
to  the  question  posed  by  the  editor  ir ' 
his  September  editorial  is,  "No,  the 
church  cannot  open  the  doors  wide 
enough  to  welcome  gays  and  les- 
bians." Not  if  such  acceptance  mean 
overturning  the  biblical  view  that 
God's  gift  of  sex  is  to  be  exercised 
within  the  bonds  of  a  lifelong  coven- 
tional  relationship  between  one  man 
and  one  woman.  (An  item  that  Auk- 
erman  did  not  include  in  his  list  of 
non-negotiables,  but  that  I  am 
adding.) 

Homosexuals  who  affirm  this  bibli^ 
cal  view  and  thus  choose  celibacy 
already  are  welcome  in  the  church. 
The  battle  being  waged  by  the  orga 
nized  Brethren  homosexuals  is  not 
for  them  to  be  accepted  as  people, 
but  for  their  sexual  behavior  to  be 
deemed  right  and  acceptable  in  the 
eyes  of  God  and  the  church.  Those 
are  two  different  issues. 

Donald  R.  Fitzke 
Rheems.  Pi 


'Act  our  way  into  feeling' 


)l; 


Few  things  on  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  national  scene  have  heart 
ened  me  as  much  as  your  Septembeim 
editorial,  "Casting  Out  Fear."  Thanlne 
you  for  your  courage  and  integrity,    ijc 


We  do  indeed  need  to  acknowledge 
nd  face  down  our  fears  in  relation 
3  our  gay  and  lesbian  sisters  and 
rothers,  and  begin  to  act  like  the 
Dving  people  of  God  we  are  called  to 
e.  Maybe,  as  Dan  West  used  to 
;ach,  we  can  even  "act  our  way  into 
;eling." 

Fran  Clemens  Nyce 
Westminster.  Md. 


Ve  ask  love  from  the  church 

want  to  thank  you  for  your  positive 
ditorial  (September)  about  the 
)ancing  in  the  Southwind  confer- 
nce.  1  think  you  are  to  be 
ommended  for  confronting  your 
homophobia-phobia."  I  wish  more 
Christians  would  follow  your  exam- 
ile  and  confront  theirs.  Of  all  the 
ay  and  lesbian  Church  of  the 
Irethren  folks  1  know  (and  I  am  one 
if  them),  none  of  us  want  to  destroy 
he  church:  we  indeed  just  want  to  be 
3ved  and  supported  by  the  church 
hat  means  so  much  to  us. 

Beverly  Briibaker 
Gratis.  Ohio 


.eaven  up! 

laughed  when  I  read  Marsha 
•Jeher's  article  "Communion  Bread 
01"  [Brethrenings,  |une].  I  cried 
vhen  1  read  the  response  to  that  arti- 
le  in  the  September  issue. 
We  have  become  so  tied  to  tradi- 
ion  and  structure  that  we  miss  the 
vhole  point  of  what  communion  and 
hurch  is  all  about.  Sure  it's  a  sacred 
[me.  But  the  bread  isn't  sacred,  nor 
pes  it  matter  one  bit  how  it's  made. 
One  of  the  most  meaningful  love 
basts  I  ever  participated  in  took 
>lace  40  years  ago.  It  was  at  break- 
ast  time,  so  the  sacraments  were 
Iweet  rolls  and  orange  juice.  It  was 
vonderful.  The  Holy  Spirit  filled  the 
lace,  and  neither  the  Spirit  nor 
nyone  else  cared  at  all  if  the  bread 
Measured  just  so  or  had  five  or  fifty 
)ierces  in  it. 


One  Sunday  morning  several  years 
ago  our  children,  ranging  in  age 
from  about  five  years  to  sixth  grade, 
made  the  bread  to  be  used  for  com- 
munion the  next  Sunday.  Some  of 
the  pricks  were  awfully  close 
together  and  others  were  awfully  far 
apart.  But  it  was  perfect  because  our 
children  made  it,  and  because  as  they 


worked  on  it  they  gained  an  appreci- 
ation for  service,  for  their  roots,  and 
for  their  God. 

I  for  one  am  glad  they  (and  we) 
weren't  denied  that  beautiful  experi- 
ence because  they  weren't  deacons 
and  they  wouldn't  do  it  right. 

Bickey  Garber 
Liberty  Mills.  Ind. 


Before  You  Read  These  Stories , . , 


The  stories  in  this  collection  were  told  by  Pastor 
I 


Andre  Trocme  to  the  children  of  Le  Chambon-sur- 
Lignon  while  France  was  under  siege,  occupied  by 
Hitler's  troops.  The  people  of  the  area  had  formed  an 
underground  network  for  saving  refugees,  many  of 
them  Jewish  children. 
The  rescuers  did  not  know  what  their  neighbors  were  doing.  No  one 

talked.  Where  did  the  people  get  their  courage  to  risk  their  lives  to  save 

strangers?  (The  people  of  the  Plateau  are  credited  with  helping  nearly 

5,000  refugees,  about  3,500  of  them  Jewish,  many  of  whom  are  still 

alive  today.) 

The  stories  in  this  book  are  part  of  that  story.  For  the  courage  to  do 

what  one  knows  one  should  do  is  very  often  sparked  by  the  memory 

of  a  story. 

These  original  stories  were  told  by  Pastor 

Trocme  by  the  huge  lighted  tree  on  Christmas 

in  the  Protestant  (Huguenot)  church  in  that 

small  mountain  village,  during  the  poverty  and 

anxiety  of  wartime  uncertainty.  Everyone  knew 

that  death  and  betrayal  surrounded  them. 

Many  of  the  themes  in  the  stories  are  couched 

references  to  the  courage  one  needs  in  such 

circumstances. 

This  marks  the  first  appearance  of  these  sto- 
ries in  English.  Excellent  for  both  children  and 

adults.  Great  to  read  aloud. 

"A  stirring  and  valorous  work!" 

—Publishers  Weekly 


Tales  for  Chriitraaa  and  OtIieT  Tunet 


Angels  and  Donkeys:  Tales  for  Chrisltnas  and  Other  Times 
by  Andre  Trocme;  translated  by  Nelly  Trocme  Hewett 


Hardcover,  S12.9.=i 


Good 


Books 


Call  toll-free  800/762-7171  •  P.O.  Box  419,  Intercourse,  PA  17534 
Available  at  local  bookstores  or  directly  from  the  publisher. 
Mastercard  and  Visa  accepted.  •  Shipping  and  Handling  (add  10%,  S2.50  minimur 


November  1998  Mk-^sfncfr  29 


Classified  Ads 


DIABETICS  SERVICE 

Diabetics  with  Medicare  or  insui"ance.  Save  money  on  dia- 
betic supplies.  For  more  information  call  (800)  337-4144. 

INVITATIONS 

Come  worship  in  the  Valley  of  the  Sun  with  Com- 
munity Church  of  the  Brethren  at  1 11  N.  Sunvalley 
Blvd.,  Mesa,  AZ  86207.  Mail  to:  83-t3  E.  Emelita  Ave., 
Mesa,  AZ  85208.  Tel.  (602)357-9811. 

"Snow  Birds"  and  all  Florida  visitors  Come  wor- 
.-.hip  with  u,s~a  small,  warm,  family  of  Brethren.  Venice 
Community  Church  of  the  Brethren,  2269  S.  Tamiami 
Trail  (U.S.  tl),  Venice,  FL  34293  Phone;(941)497-7442. 

POSITIONS  AVAILABLE 

Vice  President  for  Institutional  Advancement  Man- 
chester College.  Manchester  College  invites  nominatit  ins 
and  applications  for  the  position  of  Vice  President  for 
Institutional  Advancement.  Founded  in  1989,  .Manchester 
is  a  small  (1500  students),  co-educational,  residential 
college  with  a  commitment  to  liberal  education  and  pre- 
professional  studies.  Associated  with  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Manchester  College  is  guided  by  a  strong  sense 
of  mission  that  focuses  on  a  distinctive  commitment  to 
peace  and  justice  and  the  preparation  of  students  with 
both  ability  and  conviction.  Manchester  is  located  in 
North  Manchester,  a  community  of  6200,  located  30 
miles  southwest  of  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana.  Manchester 
College  is  in  the  second  year  of  a  ten  year,  three-phase, 
$49  million  comprehensive  campaign  ($29  Million  in 
capital  projects  and  endowments;  J20  million  in  the 
annual  fund).  The  past  two  years  have  been  the  most 
successful  in  the  College's  fund-raising  history  A  small, 
but  strong  and  committed  team  is  in  place  to  support  a 
new  leader  The  Vice  President  for  Institutional  Advance- 
ment reports  directly  to  the  President  and  serves  in  a 
key  role  in  the  College's  senior  management  staff.  The 
successful  candidate  will  have  significant  experience 
and  success  as  a  fund-raiser,  including  responsibility  for 
identifying,  seeking,  and  closing  major  gifts.  He  or  she 
will  have  demonstrated  ability  as  a  manager  and  skill  at 
handling  multiple  priorities.  Initiative,  commitment  to 
an  educational  mission  like  Manchester's,  strong  com- 
munication skills,  and  a  sense  of  optimism  and  good 
humor  are  valued  attributes.  A  bachelor's  degree  is 
expected;  a  master's  degree  is  preferred.  The  position's 
salary  will  be  competitive,  with  institutions  of  Man- 
chester's mission  and  resources.  Please  send  letters  of 
nomination  or  interest,  a  detailed  resume,  and  the  names 
of  three  or  more  references  (position  related)  to  Parker 
G.  Maiden,  President,  Manchester  College,  604  E.  Col- 
lege Avenue,  North  Manchester,  Indiana  46962.  Full 
review  of  applications  will  begin  on  November  1, 1998 
and  continue  until  the  position  is  filled.  AA/EOE 

The  Young  Center  for  the  study  of  Anabaptist  and 
Pietist  groups  at  Elizabethtown  College  invites 
applications  and  nominations  for  Center  Fellow  Fall 
1999,  Spring  2000,  Summer  1999  and  2000.  Fellows 
typically  spend  one  semester  at  the  Young  Center  pur- 
suing research  related  to  the  faith,  history,  and  culture 
of  Anabaptist  and/or  Pietist  group(s).  Letters  of  inquiry 
should  describe  the  Fellow's  proposed  research  activ- 
ities and  possible  lecture,  course  offerings,  or  .seminar 
topics.  Include  a  vitae  curriculum  that  details  acade- 
mic accomplishments.  Send  inquiries  or  nominations 
to:  David  B.  Eller,  Director,  The  Young  Center,  Eliza- 

30  Messenger  November  1998 


bethtown  College,  Elizabethtown,  PA  17022. 
Phone  (717)361-1470,  Fax  (717)361-1443, 
e-mail  youngctr(a)acad. etown.edu 


RETIREMENT 

Active  Retirement  Community.  The  Palms  Estates 
of  Highlands  County,  located  in  central  Fla.,  s.e.  of  his- 
toric Sebring,  offers  place  in  the  sun  away  from 
unpleasant  winter  weather.  Away  from  major  Fla.  storm 
paths.  Not  lifestyle  for  rich  and  famous,  but  comfort- 
able, active  living.  Christian  retirement  atmosphere. 
Choice  of  lots  available  for  lease.  Some  homes  listed 
for  resale.  RC  camping  space  available  by  season,  month, 
week.  Open  to  anyone  age  55  or  over  regardless  of 
race,  religion,  ethnic  background.  For  info.,  contact: 
The  Palms  Estate  of  Highlands  County,  Inc.,  PO.  Box 
364,  Lorida,  FL338S^  Telephone  (941)655-1909. 

TRAVEL 
Brethren  Heritage  Tour/Passion  Play  2000.  Reg- 
ister now  for  thejuly  29-August  11.  2(100.  European 
tour  emphasizing  Brethren  values  and  heritage.  For 
information  contact  our  tour  leaders  Don  and  Hedda 
Durnbaugh  (tel/fax  (814)658-3222,  e-mail: 
durnbaughd(a'juniata.edu)  or  Ranilall  and  Peggy  Yoder 
(814)643-3221.  Brochure  with  full  itinerary  and  price 
will  be  available  by  late  fall  1998.  To  ensure  space,  send 
$100  per  person  (made  payable  to  MTS  Tours)  before 
December  31,  1998,  to  Tour  2000,  R.D.  1,  Box  312, 
Huntingdon,  PA  16652. 


Oberammergau  and  Eastern  European  Tour. 
Urgent!  Reserve  a  place  now  for  a  preliminary  SIOC 
deposit  per  person.  Travel  on  August  28.  2000,  from 
Dtilles  International  Airport  to  Budapest,  then  to  Vienna 
Prague,  Beriin  (via  Dresden),  Nuremburg  (via  Leipzig) 
Oberammergau,  and  Munich.  Price  $3298  per  persor 
for  this  l4-day  tour  including  hotels,  all  breakfasts  anc 
dinners,  and  first  class  tickets  to  the  Passion  Play  Foi 
more  information  contact  'Wayne  F  Geisert,  President 
Emeritus,  Bridgewater  College,  Box  40,  Bridgewater 
VA  22812.  Phone:(S40)433-l433  or  828-5494."^ 

Oberammergau  Passion  Play  year  2000.  Bohrei 
Tour.^  will  be  leading  three  tours  to  Europe  and  the 
passion  play  during  the  year  2000.  (May,  July  and  Sep 
tember)  Prices  will  begin  at  $2099.00.  For  informatior 
write  to:  Wendell  and  Joan  Bohrer,  8520  Royal  Meadow 
Drive,  Indianapolis,  IN  46217  (317)882-5067)  Bradle\ 
and  Bonnie  Bohrer,  283  Parkway  Drive,  Berea,  OF 
44017  or  Matthew  and  Noelle  Bohrer,  1860  Joseph 
Court,  Elgin.  IL  (847)697-2746. 

Travel  with  a  purpose.  You  are  invited  to  tra\el  wit! 
Wendell  and  Joan  Bohrer  on  a  tour  of  Spain,  Portuga 
and  Morocco,  August  5-18, 1999,  from  Chicago.  Visi 
Lisbon,  Elvas,  Seville,  Granada,  Madrid  and  a  full  da) 
of  touring  Tangier,  Morocco.  Breakfast  and  dinner  daily 
For  information,  write  Bohrer  Tours,  8520  Royal  Meailov 
Drive.  Indianapolis,  IN  46217.  Tel/F;LX  (317)882-5067 
Limited  space  available. 


Herald 
Press 


Your  Christmas 

In  the  tradition  of  our  More-with- 
Less  Cookbook,  this  exciting  book 
offers  hundreds  of  ways  to  bring 
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Chapin  has  gathered  suggestions 
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famihes  rediscover  the  true  joy  of 
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Readers  will  discover  how  to  keep 
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Sella  Vista,  Los  Angeles.  Calif.:  Yanyse 
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Romero 

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holland.  Todd  and  Shelly  Nester 

^urryville.  Pa.:  Nicholas  Burket,  |erod 
Poor.  Kellie  Hinish.  Kerrie  Hinish, 
John  S.  Imler.  Betty  L.  Imler.  Chris- 
tine Knepp.  |ill  Mellott.  Brad 
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^airview,  Cordova.  Md.:  Madeline 
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Morris 

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larsh  Creek,  Gettysburg.  Pa,:  William 
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ikyridge,  Kalamazoo.  Mich,:  Norman 
Slack.  Greg  Slough.  Linda  Richer 

'enice,  Fla.:  Lois  Kaskey 

Vhite  Oak,  Penryn,  Pa.:  Dusten  Martin, 
Matthew  Miller,  Tom  Stauffer,  Mar- 
jorie  Stauffer,  Faith  Heagy.  Michael 
Shirk.  Keri  Copenhaver 

Jniversity  Park,  Hyattsville.  Md,: 
Ruth  West 

n/edding 
\nniversaries 

Irandeberry,  Floyd  and  Gladys,  Goshen, 

Ind.,  60 
Irighlbill,  Marlin  and  Eunice,  N. 

Manchester.  Ind..  60 
)earing,  Oliver  and  Ellen,  New 

Lebanon,  Ohio.  70 
)etrick,  Earnest  and  Elizabeth,  N. 

Manchester,  Ind,,  60 
jlisan,  Samuel  and  Treva,  Union 

Bridge,  Md.,  50 
Iraffious.  Howard  and  Maude,  Defi- 
ance, Pa.,  50 
jraham,  Stanley  and  Helen,  Rockford, 

111,,  50 
lallman,  George  and  Dorothy,  Mont 

Clare,  Pa..  60 
iarmon,  Tom  and  Norma,  Clearwater, 

Fla..  50 
leindel,  George  W.  and  Ruby  N..  York. 

Pa,.  60 
Cercher,  Robert  and  Hilda.  Reading, 

Pa,,  50 
-abik,  Yano  and  Mae,  Oaks,  Pa„  50 
,ove,  Robert  and  Bernice,  Pottstown, 

Pa,.  60 
)ber,  lay  and  Margaret.  Manheim.  Pa..  55 
)U,  Ronald  and  Irene,  Churubusco, 

Ind,,  50 


Reed,  Lamar  and  Wilma,  New  Paris, 

Ind..  60 
Smith,  Don  and  Norma,  Harleysville, 

Pa..  50 
Smith,  Roland  and  Floss,  Phoenixville, 

Pa..  50 
Teegarden,  Robert  and  Lillian,  Kansas 

City,  Mo.,  55 
Verger,  Paul  and  Frances.  Harleysville, 

Pa.,  65 
Ziegler,  Lloyd  and  Esther,  Trappe,  Pa.,  50 

Deaths 

Albrite,  Lucille,  74,  Harrisonburg,  Va,, 

Aug,  27 
Baker,  Bertha  Ruth,  78,  Fulks  Run,  Va.. 

Iune20 
Baker,  Elizabeth  Catherine,  71,  Tim- 

berviile,  Va.,  Aug.  4 
Barkdoll,  Marie  Bricker.  83.  Waynes- 
boro. Pa..  Sept.  7 
Beeghly,  Betty.  76,  Oakland,  Md,.  Sept.  4 
Berg,  Bessie  M..  89,  Maysville,  WVa., 

Sept.  4 
Campbell,  Andrew  Charles,  Ir..  70.  Win- 
ston-Salem, N.C,  Aug.  14 
Cline,  Lynwood.  90,  Timberville,  Va., 

Aug.  4 
Cook,  Olive  Ardelia.  84.  Dayton.  Va.. 

Itine  24 
Craun,  Helen  Marie  Root.  53.  Weyers 

Cave.  Va,.  |une  24 
Crist,  Anna,  85,  Harleysville,  Pa,,  April  13 
Custer,  Millard  "Pete"  D.,  83,  Fulks  Run, 

Va,,  Aug,  16 
Hearing,  |.  Oliver.  89.  New  Lebanon, 

Ohio,  Aug.  5 
Delawder,  Earl  F,,  83,  Broadway,  Va,, 

luly  1  7 
Denver,  Carl  78,  Mount  Storm,  W.Va., 

luly  4 
Dolly,  Dove,  Dewey  L,.  35.  Linville.  Va.. 

Aug.  1 1 
Fifer,  Fred.  88.  Leonard.  Mo,.  Aug.  17 
Flora,  Karl,  49.  Centreville.  Va..  Aug,  31 
Fox,  George.  Sr..  71.  Spring  City.  Pa,. 

Sept.  2 
Fultz,  Charles  W.,  57,  Mount  Solon,  Va., 

luly  21 
Geib,  Willis,  85,  Manheim,  Pa,.  April  14 
Hamilton,  Helen  Faye- Moore  Whitmire, 

75,  Virginia  Beach,  Va..  luly  25 
Hoffman,  Lois  Snader,  80.  Waynesboro, 

Pa.,  Sept,  15 
Hollen,  Francis  A,.  87.  Bridgewater,  Va.. 

Sept.  2 
Howard,  Lura,  85,  Cando,  N.D,.  Aug,  27 
Kesner,  Samuel  L,.  93.  Mozer.  WVa., 

|une  22 
Lawson,  Virginia  M.,  85,  Staunton,  Va.. 

Aug.  26 
Mathias,  Virgil  L.,  95,  Mathias,  Va., 

luly  31 
McCoy,  Elza,  85,  Kendallville,  Ind., 

[uly  12 
McGuire,  Faye,  67.  Taylors  Valley.  Va., 

Sept.  7 
Miller,  Garland  F.  86.  Bridgewater.  Va.. 

Sept.  7 
Miller,  lames  L.,  83,  Baker,  WVa,. 

Aug.  1  I 
Moats,  Edward  Albert,  71,  McDowell. 

Va,.  lune  9 
Morgan,  Vada,  84.  Ligonier.  Pa.. 

April  20 
Morris,  Melvin  Franklin,  71,  Grottoes, 

Va,,  lune  6 
Mosbaugh,  Hazel  L,,  82,  Cicero.  Ind.. 

Aug.  30 
Moyer,  Ethel.  86.  Harleysville.  Pa,, 

April  6 
Moyers,  Hobert  R,,  94,  Harrisonburg, 

Va.,  lune  26 


Moyers,  Melvin  I,,  77,  Linville,  Va..  Sept.  3 
Nesselrodt,  Berlin  lames,  86,  Keezle- 

town,  Va..  Aug.  4 
Pence,  Edna  W.  93.  Bridgewater,  Va., 

Sept,  2 
Pittington,  Lena  M..  85,  Keezletown, 

Va..  Sept.  3 
Plaugher,  Anna  Geraldine,  65,  Harrison- 
burg, Va..  luly  14 
Rickard,  Pattie,  45,  Strasburg,  Va.,  Aug.  1 1 
Riggleman,  |esse  lames,  87,  Upper 

Tract,  WVa..  |uly  22 
Rohrer,  Edith,  90,  Manheim,  Pa.,  Nov. 

17.  1997 
Secrist,  Larry  Wayne,  44,  Linville,  Va.. 

Aug,  7 
Seese,  Esther.  86.  Harleysville,  Pa.,  July  6 
Simmons,  Forrest  T.  86.  Moyers.  WVa.. 

lune  6 
Simmons,  Lena.  83.  Bridgewater,  Va.. 

luly  1 1 
Smith.  Quentin.  63.  Boynton  Beach, 

Fla..  lune  2 
Snodgrass,  Mary.  77.  Ligonier.  Pa.. 

March  3 
Snyder,  Elsie,  95,  Lancaster,  Pa..  Aug.  4 
Southerly,  Gladys  Mae,  67.  Moorefield, 

WVa,,  luly  8 
Stauffer,  Sadie,  97,  Lancaster,  Pa..  Sept.  7 
Stickley,  Walter,  77,  Vienna.  Va,.  May  24 
Taylor,  Mary  Frances  Shifflet,  89,  Goods 

Mill,  Va„  lune  16 
Thompson,  lohn  Paul,  77,  Edinburg,  Va,, 

luly  22 
Thompson.  Mary  Virginia  Caricofe.  91. 

Harrisonburg,  Va,.  July  26 
Turner,  Garner,  76,  Broadway,  Va,,  Aug,  8 
Weaver,  Franklin  C,  90,  New  Oxford. 

Pa..  Aug.  28 
Weaver,  Ruth  Elizabeth  Eagle,  87, 

Dayton,  Va..  Sept.  5 
White,  loe.  76.  Dayton.  Ohio,  Aug.  29 
Wilkins,  Delphia  6.  "Hun,"  91.  Baker. 

WVa..  luly  22 
Wine,  Goldie  W.,  89,  Lakeland,  Fla.. 

luly  18 
Wolf,  Walter  A.,  87,  New  Oxford,  Pa., 

Aug,  29 
Wright,  Charles  L,,  |r,,  66,  Verona,  Va,, 

Aug,  26 

Pastoral 
Placements 

Abe,  lames,  from  Kent,  Ohio,  to  Akron. 

Ohio 
Anspaugh,  Eric,  from  Castine,  Arcanum, 

Ohio,  to  Cincinnati  Fellowship, 

Cincinnati,  Ohio 
Beutler,  Kelly,  to  Liberty  Mills,  Ind. 
Bollinger,  Steven,  from  seminary  to 

Salem.  Englewood.  Ohio 
Button-Harrison,  Mary  |ane,  from 

South  Waterloo,  Waterloo,  Iowa,  to 

Ivester.  Grundy  Center.  Iowa 
Coursen,  Robert,  to  Woodworth, 

Youngstown,  Ohio 
Driver,  Brent,  from  Waynesboro,  Pa.,  to 

Sidney.  Ohio 
Dutka,  Leon,  from  Bristol,  Tenn.,  to 

Mountain  Valley.  Greeneville,  Tenn. 
Fackler,  leff,  from  Goshen.  Ind.,  to 

Pleasant  Chapel,  Ashley,  Ind. 
Funk,  Keith,  from  East  Chippewa. 

Orrville.  Ohio,  to  Quinter.  Kan. 
Godfrey,  Stanley  L,,  to  New  Paris,  Ind, 
Hendricks,  |oseph  (Iodic),  from  Rocky 

Ford,  Colo.,  to  Meadow  Branch. 

Westminster.  Md. 
lones,  R.  Douglas,  from  Bassett,  Va..  to 

Green  Hill.  Salem.  Va. 
Kanagy,  Curtiss,  to  Midway,  Lebanon,  Pa. 
Martin-Adkins,  Alice,  from  Hershey,  Pa.. 


to  Washington  City.  Washington,  D.C, 

Meeks,  Gary,  from  Deshler.  Ohio,  to 
Garden  City,  Kan. 

Naff,  lerry,  to  Smith  Mountain  Lake, 
Moneta,  Va. 

Neuwirth,  Dick,  to  Swan  Creek, 
Wauseon,  Ohio 

Norris,  Samuel  loseph,  from  Garden 
City,  Kan.,  to  Greenwood.  Mountain 
Grove.  Mo. 

Pippen,  Louise,  to  Elizabethtown,  Pa. 

Shelton,  Harry,  to  Rocky  Mount,  Va. 

Spangler,  Keith,  from  New  Haven, 

Sparta,  N.C,  to  Boones  Chapel,  Snow 
Creek,  Va. 

Truitt,  David,  from  United  Methodist 
congregation  to  Woodbury,  Pa.,  asso- 
ciate pastor 

Tschetter,  lohn,  from  W.  Charleston, 
Tipp  City,  Ohio,  to  New  Life  Christ- 
ian Fellowship,  Mt,  Pleasant,  Mich. 

Vroon,  Robert,  from  West  Shore,  Enola, 
Pa.,  to  Hempfield.  E.  Petersburg,  Pa. 

Whipple,  Charles,  from  Hopewell,  Va,,  to 
Mount  |oy.  Mt,  Pleasant.  Pa. 


Licensings 


Adkins,  lames.  April  7.  East  Cocalico, 

Reamstown.  Pa. 
Allen,  Paul  P..  lune  13.  Pleasant  View, 

Lima,  Ohio 
Bean,  Ruby  Ann,  Sept.  2.  1997,  Drexel 

Hill,  Pa. 
Carson,  lames  Hubert,  Dec,  2,  East 

Fairview,  Manheim,  Pa. 
Earhart,  David  Lee.  Dec.  2.  East 

Fairview,  Manheim,  Pa. 
Glasscock,  John,  July  31,  Brooklyn, 

Iowa 
Hollinger,  Kathleen.  Aug.  9,  Acts 

Covenant.  Lancaster.  Pa. 
Johnson,  Daniel,  Aug.  4.  Schuylkill.  Pine 

Grove.  Pa. 
lohnson,  iesse,  |an.  6.  Mechanic  Grove, 

Quarryville,  Pa. 
Johnson,  Katherine,  |an.  1  7.  Modesto. 

Calif. 

Ordinations 

Bentzel,  Paul  W..  |uly  18,  New  Fairview, 

York.  Pa. 
Booth,  Marilou  Genereaux,  April  19,  N. 

County.  San  Marcos.  Calif. 
Brumbaugh,  Alan  E,.  lune  6.  Bellwood, 

Pa, 
Godfrey,  Richard,  luly  18,  York  Madison 

Ave..  York.  Pa. 
Godfrey,  Stanley  Laverne,  |uly  18, 

Codorus,  Loganville,  Pa. 
Hankins,  Steve.  March  24.  Constance, 

Hebron,  Ky. 
Hartman,  Wayne,  |ulv  18,  New  Fairview, 

York,  Pa. 
Lake,  Leslie,  |une  13,  East  Chippewa, 

Orrville,  Ohio 
Lambert,  Linda,  luly  19,  Thurmont,  Md. 
Leinauer,  Pamela  T.  Nov,  8.  Columbia 

United.  Columbia.  Md. 
Longanecker.  Kevin,  Nov.  8.  Zion  Hill. 

Columbiana.  Ohio 
Martin.  George  H.,  luly  18,  Falling 

Spring.  Shady  Grove.  Pa. 
Princell,  Pamela  Sue,  |uly  27.  Anderson, 

Ind. 
Singe,  Tonya  |.,  May  16,  Center, 

Champion,  Pa. 
Statler,  Dana  Eugene,  May  16, 

Lancaster,  Pa, 
Swick,  Michael,  May  16,  Meyersdale,  Pa. 
Witmer,  Nelson,  luly  18,  Shanks, 

Greencastle,  Pa. 


November  1998  Messenger  31 


Eioria 


Silence,  please 

Each  November  I  go  with  my  friends  to  the  monastery 
for  a  silent  treatment.  At  St.  Gregory's  Abbey,  Three 
Rivers,  Mich.,  silence  covers  everything  like  snow  at 
dawn.  The  silence,  said  one  of  the  monks,  is  not  merely 
the  absence  of  sound  but  a  reality  in  itself.  St.  Benedict 
had  exhorted  these  monks  to  "diligently  cultivate  silence 
at  all  times,"  until  it  entered  every  aspect  of  their  lives. 

It  doesn't  take  long  at  the  monastery  for  a  visitor  to 
pick  up  a  taste  of  this  silence.  Even  the  noisiest  and  most 
compulsive  visitors  get  enough  imposed 
quiet  to  notice  that  there  is  something  dif-       bss.s«»»»o 
ferent  about  the  silent  way.  It  isn't 
hurried.  One  November  1  watched  a  monk 
rake  golden  leaves.  He  raked  slowly,  one 
stroke  at  a  time.  I've  never  raked  leaves 
slowly  before,  never  raked  without  think- 
ing if  I  hurry  up  I'll  be  done  sooner.  This 
monk  seemed  to  have  the  attitude  that  if 
he  didn't  finish  today  he'd  finish  tomor- 
row, and  if  he  didn't  finish  then  it 
wouldn't  matter  much. 

After  vespers  the  church  is  darkened  and 
we  sit  for  a  half  hour  in  silent  prayer.  The 
last  light  of  dusk  filters  through  the  sky- 
lights, just  enough  light  to  reveal  from  the 
shadows  the  hoods  of  monks'  cassocks  oo,9e<.Bs.« 

hiding  their  praying  heads.  I  can  pray 
better  here  than  anywhere.  Out  of  the  quiet  darkness  of 
this  sacred  place  silence  enters  my  soul.  I  try  to  drink  in 
enough  of  it  to  take  with  me  into  the  non-November 
months  of  the  year.  Back  at  home  when  problems  pile  up 
and  life  becomes  too  much,  I  pull  my  hood  up  and  soothe 
my  head  with  the  dark  silence  of  St.  Gregory's  church. 

A  retreat  at  the  monastery  is  for  talking  with  friends  on 
long  walks  in  the  woods  and  on  the  path  around  the  lake. 
Over  the  years  we've  been  through  each  others'  divorces 
and  job  changes  together,  sharing  struggles  and  joys.  We 
spot  deer  and  wild  turkeys.  Nobody  told  the  honking 
geese  that  this  is  supposed  to  be  a  quiet  place. 

"Silence  makes  no  demands,"  writes  Father  Andrew, 
the  abbot  at  St.  Gregory's.  "Silence  just  is.  We  sit  and 
enjoy  it.  We  take  a  walk  with  silence  as  our  companion. 
We  begin  to  realize  that  other  things  just  are.  ...  A  whole 
new  world  begins  to  open  up  to  us,  the  same  world  we 
have  always  lived  in  but  haven't  seen  before.  We  begin  to 
notice  that  we  have  been  in  the  habit  of  thinking  of 
everything  as  something  for  us  to  use  in  some  way. 


Silence  just  is. 

We  sit  and  enjoy 

it.  We  take  a 

walk  with 

silence  as  our 

companion. 


■  «  s  &  e 


Silence  frees  us  from  making  demands." 

This  doesn't  come  naturally.  Silence  doesn't  sit  well 
with  me,  which  is  to  say  I  don't  sit  well.  I  usually  operate 
with  a  list,  a  telephone,  and  a  deadline.  The  more  calls  I 
make  and  receive  and  the  more  items  I  check  off  my  list, 
the  better  off  I  am,  and  to  my  way  of  thinking,  the  better 
off  the  world  is.  But  with  silence  there's  no  list,  no 
phone,  no  deadline. 
There  are  too  many  words  in  the  world  already,  and 
here  I  go  praising  the  worth  of  silence  at 
oe»60i5B!!<.«     great  length!  At  least  these  are  words 

chosen  carefully,  and  they  are  not  all  of 
the  words  that  can  be  written  on  the  sub- 
ject. Too  many  words  obscure  the  truth 
rather  than  reveal  it.  Nobody  knows  what 
Ken  Starr's  evidence  means  because  it 
has  too  many  words.  There  were  so  many 
political  messages  nobody  knew  how  to 
vote.  E-mail  makes  it  easy  for  us  to  write 
too  many  words  to  our  friends.  E-mail 
allows  me  to  write  the  first  thing  that 
comes  to  my  mind.  But  the  last  thing  you 
want  to  know  is  the  first  thing  that  comes 
to  my  mind. 

It  consoles  me  to  think  that  as  an  editor 
I  not  only  add  words  to  the  world  I  elimi- 
nate many  as  well.  To  edit  is  to  eliminate 
unnecessary  words  so  that  each  one  left  tells.  Some 
words  disappear  with  the  magic  of  the  delete  key;  some 
never  make  it  as  far  as  the  computer  screen.  Those 
whose  words  don't  get  published  may  call  it  censorship; 
call  it  providing  silence.  When  the  church  attracts  too 
much  yammering,  the  Christian  thing  to  do  is  to  say  a 
holy  shut-up. 

Silence  isn't  nothing.  It's  something.  Doing  silence  is 
doing  something  which  often  accomplishes  more  than 
noise.  Father  Andrew  writes,  "What  silence  exposes  in  us 
is  a  chatterbox  so  filled  with  a  running  commentary  on 
all  our  grandiose  dreams,  resentments,  and  criticisms  of 
others  that  it  leaves  us  no  room  inside  for  appreciating 
the  reality  of  other  people  and  the  world  around  us.  The 
self-importance  which  inflates  both  our  virtues  and  our 
faults  shrinks  in  the  presence  of  silence." 

And  then,  when  the  chatterbox  stops,  when  unneces- 
sary words  are  pared  away,  when  the  darkness  of  a 
church  quiets  our  weary  minds,  then  if  we  can  listen  well 
we  can  hear  the  voice  of  God.  — Fletcher  Farrar 


32  Messenger  November  1998 


Dear  Broth 


nd  Sisters  in  Christ 


1 


Sincerely  greetings  to  all  of  you  in  the  name  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  Amen.  With  the  help  of  the  Almighty 
Father.  I  hope  you  are  all  well.  We  are  also  fine  here  for 
the  time  being. 

First  of  all  I  thank  you  for  your  visit  Our  Headmistress 
has  told  us  about  the  money  you  are  sending  us.  We  are 
very  grateful  and  we  are  sure  it  will  assist  us  in  our 

problems,  like  buying  text  books,  grinding  food  for  us, 

buying  sugar  exercise  books,  story  books,  shoes  and 
socks.  As  you  knov^  we  are  poor  Some  of  us  lost  our 

parents  and  brothers  during  the  v^ar  Please  continue 

to  pray  for  peace. 

The  war  has  destroyed  our  land.  Then  antinove  bombers 
booms  every  time  in  our  places  but  with  the  help  of  God 
we  have  alv^ays  been  protected  under  his  palms.  May  God 
be  Vv/ith  you  alv^ays  in  times  of  danger  or  sickness.  May  he 
help  you  to  continue  Vv/ith  that  kind  of  spirit  always. 

Yours  in  Christ 
Joana  Aja 

Blessed  Bakhita  Girls  Primary  School.  Southern  Sudan 


Give  a  Gift  that  Gives  a  Fdtare 


Sudan:  Partnership  for  Peace  is  a  $238,ooo  three  year 

Global  Food  Crisis  Fund  initiative  to  support  the  people  of  Sudan. 
Along  with  assistance  for  the  girls  at  Blessed  Bakhita,  the  effort  also 
supports  a  child  feeding  program  in  the  displaced  community  of  New 
Cush,  a  women's  development  initiative  among  refugees  at  Narus,  and 
peace  training  at  Kakuma  Refugee  Camp. 

Become  a  partner  with  the  people  of  southern  Sudan. 

$10        one  month's  support  for  a  girl  at  Blessed  Bakhita  School 
$25         one  month's  food  supplement  for  a  preschooler  at  New  Cush 
$50        materials  for  women's  sewing  kits  at  Narus 
$120      a  year's  support  for  one  girl  at  Blessed  Bakhita  School 
$300       one  person  attending  a  peace  training  at  Kakuma  Refugee  Camp 


Special  Christmas  Opportunity! 

Give  a  gift  that  gives  a  future  to  a  friend  or  family  member  this  Christmas-or  make  a  family  gift  to  the  people  of  southern  Sudan. 
Simply  send  a  check  to  the  Global  Food  Crisis  Fund  for  one  of  the  amounts  listed  above.  If  the  check  is  received  by  December  1 0, 
a  gift  card  will  be  sent  to  the  donor  by  Dec.  20  with  the  name  of  the  project  noted.  The  card  can  then  be  given  to  the  intended 
recipient  as  a  Christmas  gift.  Send  all  gifts  to  the  Global  Food  Crisis  Fund,  1 451  Dundee  Avenue,  Elgin,  IL  601 20.  For  more  infor- 
mation, contact  the  Office  of  Brethren  Witness  at  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board  (address  above  or  1-800-323-8039). 


NO    SMALL    WONDER 


Familiar  as  it  is,  the  story  of  Jesus' 
birth  never  loses  its  sense  of 
wonder.  How  surprising  that  God 
should  send  the  savior  of  the  world 
as  a  baby  lying  in  a  manger. 

Wonder  not  only  surrounds  the 
nativity  and  Jesus'  earthly  ministry 
but  Christ's  saving  work  today: 

When  partner  churches  in 
Nigeria  and  Sudan  and  the 
Dominican  RepubHc  flourish  in 
the  midst  of  adversity . . . 


When  4,500  NationalYouth 
Conferencegoers  are  empowered 
by  the  Spirit  to  see  with  "Eyes 
of  Faith"... 

When  a  thousand  youth  and 
adults  Take  the  Pledge  not  to  kill 
but  to  fight  for  justice  ... 

When  Church  of  the  Brethren 
members  give  upwards  of  a  million 
dollars  for  disaster  aid  and  hunger 
reUef,  as  they  have  this  year... 

When  Brethren  show  compassion 


to  "the  enemy"  in  North  Korea, 
Sudan,  Cuba,  and  Iraq . . . 

When  individuals  and  whole 
congregations  come  alive,  as  Jesus 
was,  with  the  love  of  God  . . . 

In  moments  such  as  these  the 
church  becomes  the  place  where 
God  is  God-mth-us. 

This  Christmas,  help  others  come 
to  know  the  wonder  of  God's  love. 
Let  your  joy  be  known.  Give  to  the 
Christmas  Achievement  Offering. 


Christmas  Achievement  Offering 

Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board 
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Church  of  the  Brethren         December  1998       www.brethren.org 


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Editor:  Fletcher  Farrar 
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n  the  cover:  This 

month's  cover  story  is 
the  World  Council  of 
Churches  Program  to  Overcome 
Violence,  and  our  cover  features 
the  logo  of  the  program.  Accord- 
ing to  the  WCC,  the  mirror  effect 
symbolizes  similar  but  opposed 
negative  and  positive  graphic 
images.  A  broken  heart  represents 
pain,  the  result  of  violence. 
Hands  held  in  the  shape  of  a 
heart  represent  the  hope  of  being 
together  in  the  face  of  troubles. 
rhe  blue  of  the  broken  heart  represents  sadness  and  death,  while 
he  red  of  the  hands-as-heart  is  the  color  of  life.  The  yellow  back- 
ground symbolizes  the  warm  relationship  of  sun  and  hope.  For  a 
nessage  of  hope  this  Christmas,  turn  to  the  cover  story  on  page  1  1 . 

Coming  next  issue 

The  next  issue  of  Messenger  is  the  once-a-year  two- 
month  edition  featuring  articles  on  cultural  diversity 
and  minorities  in  the  church.  This  (anuary/February 
issue  is  scheduled  to  arrive  in  February. 


Features 

10  The  trouble  with  Amos 

in  this  Bible  study.  Church  of  the  Brethren 
pastor  Paula  Bowser  says  that  the  message 
of  the  Old  Testament  prophet  Amos  is  as 
relevant  today  as  it  was  when  it  was  writ- 
ten. And  that's  just  part  of  the  trouble! 

11  Overcoming  violence 

Church  of  the  Brethren  leaders  inspired 
the  World  Council  of  Churches  to  establish 
its  Program  to  Overcome  Violence,  and  a 
Church  of  the  Brethren  member,  Sara  Spe- 
icher,  has  been  in  Geneva,  Switzerland 
working  on  the  program  for  the  past  two 
years.  Here  Speicher  describes  the  effort 
and  its  ecumenical  challenge  to  the 
denomination  which  gave  it  birth. 

17     Burned  churches  progress  report 

Three  Church  of  the  Brethren  congrega- 
tions had  their  faith  tested  by  fire  earlier 
this  year.  Here  the  pastor  of  each  congre- 
gation reports  on  what  has  happened 
since.  In  each  case,  blessings  were  found 
in  the  ashes. 

22     The  unforgiving  servant  and  us 

In  this  article.  Dale  Aukerman  teaches 
from  a  well-known  parable  that  forgiveness 
is  not  only  a  personal  obligation,  but  it  has 
profound  political  dimensions  as  well. 

25     1998  annual  index 

A  handy  listing  of  the  names,  subjects,  and 
articles  that  have  appeared  in  Messenger 
this  year. 


Departments 

2  From  the  Publisher 

3  In  Touch 
28     Letters 

31  Turning  Points 

32  Editorial 

December  1998  Messenger  1 


mmmnri 


M  k  Piiiskr 


Recently  I  wrote  a  letter  to  my  high  school  journalism  teacher  to  thank  her  for  the 
legacy  she  passed  on  to  me.  I'd  never  written  a  letter  like  that  before.  But  she 
had  popped  into  my  mind  a  year  ago,  and  1  figured  there  was  a  reason.  I  believe  the 
Spirit  gives  us  impulses  that  we  act  upon  too  seldom.  In  this  case,  it  took  me  almost 
a  year  to  find  her  address  and  finally  get  the  letter  written. 

1  remember  Mrs.  Christie  as  a  gray-haired,  patrician  woman  who  had  total  control 
of  her  class  without  ever  raising  her  voice.  She  was  a  woman  of  quiet  faith.  She  was 
stern,  but  kind. 

The  qualities  that  I  remember  about  her  are  ones  that  have  become  important  for 
me  in  my  own  communication  work.  1  found  myself  wanting  to  tell  her  that.  Though 
she  has  been  retired  for  perhaps  20  years,  1  hope  she  is  able  to  receive  my  letter  of 
thanks  for  the  gifts  passed  from  teacher  to  student. 

While  1  was  reminiscing  back  20-some  years,  I  took  a  trip  that  sent  me  back  200 
years.  About  the  time  1  wrote  that  letter,  I  took  part  in  the  Shenandoah  district  con- 
ference, held  in  Bridgewater,  Va.  While  1  have  passed  briefly  through  that  area 
several  times  before,  this  was  my  first  time  staying  long  enough  to  see  glimpses  into 
its  history.  For  someone  as  recently  Brethren  as  I  (recent,  that  is,  by  Brethren  stan- 
dards), to  ride  past  the  Tunker  House  and  |ohn  Kline's  grave  was  a  gratifying 
experience  that  brought  the  centuries  together.  And  for  someone  living  in  Illinois,  to 
see  Brethren  churches  around  every  hill  was  almost  culture  shock. 

Perhaps  the  historical  connections  were  more  powerful  because  1  had  just  finished 
reading  straight  through  the  adult  level  of  Let  Our  [oys  Be  Known,  the  new  heritage 
curriculum  from  Brethren  Press  (which  I  recommend  for  everyone,  whether  in  a 
Sunday  school  class  or  not).  The  material,  which  couples  a  story  from  our  past  writ- 
ten by  Ken  Shaffer  and  a  commentary  by  Rick  Gardner,  is  as  celebrative  as  the  hymn 
from  which  the  title  is  taken.  Each  story  illustrates  a  basic  Brethren  belief,  and  the 
lesson  compels  the  reader  to  examine  what  that  means  for  the  individual  and  the 
church  today,  and  into  the  future. 

It's  an  exercise  of  value  for  every  one  of  us.  What  beliefs  from  our  past  do  we  still 
cling  to?  What  will  we  do  with  the  spiritual  gifts  from  our  forebears?  What  should 
the  Brethren  be  like  today? 

Our  Brethren  roots  reach  back  to  many  places  and  to  many  people  who  lived  out 
what  they  believed.  Some  of  those  people  are  still  with  us  today.  Let  us  thank  them 
for  their  faithfulness,  remember  who  we  are,  and  greet  the  new  year  with  the  stead- 
fastness of  God,  who  is  the  same  yesterday,  today,  and  tomorrow. 


How  to  reach  us 

Messenger 

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Connect  electronically: 

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report,  call  (800)  323-8039,  ext. 
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To  view  the  official  Church  of 
the  Brethren  Web  site,  point 
your  browser  to  http://www. 
brethren.org. 


Messenger  is  the  official  publication  of  the  Chiirch 
of  the  Brethren.  Entered  as  periodical  postage  matter 
Aug.  20,  1918,  under  Act  of  Congress  of  Oct,  17 
1917.  Filing  date,  Nov.  1 ,  1 984.  Member  of  the 
Associated  Church  Press.  Subscriber  to  Rehgion 
News  Service  &  Ecumenical  Press  Service.  Biblical 
quotations,  unless  otherwise  indicated,  are  from 
the  New  Revised  Standard  Version.  Messenger  Is 
published  1 1  times  a  year  by  Brethren  Press,  Church 
of  the  Brethren  General  Board.  Periodical  postage 
paid  at  Elgin,  111.,  and  at  additional  mailing  office, 
March  1998.  Copyright  1998,  Church  of  die  Brediren 
General  Board.  ISSN  0026-0555. 
Postmaster:  Send  address  changes  to  Messenger, 
1451  DundeeAve.,  Elgin,  IL  601 20. 

Printed  on  recycled  paper 


2  Messenger  December  1998 


^ 


rr 


Florence  Studebaker  in 
May,  1998 


The  life  and  legacy  of  Florence  Studebaker, 
beloved  writer  of  many  stories  for  children 

If  you  remember  yourself  as  a  child  squirming  through  long  Sunday  services,  you  may 
remember  names  hke  Oma  Karn,  Maude  Trimmer,  Myra  Brooks  Welch,  Elisabeth 
Blough,  Florence  Studebaker,  and  others  whose  stories  and  poems  were  published  in  the 
weekly  Church  of  the  Brethren  Sunday  school  papers.  Parents  let  their  children  read 
these  stories  during  church  to  keep  them  quiet,  and  besides,  they  knew  that  all  of  these 
writers  were  dedicated  to  helping  their  readers  grow  in  the  Christian  life. 

Florence  Studebaker,  among  the  youngest  of  this  group  of  Brethren  writers  who  wrote 
so  prolifically  during  the  middle  decades  of  this  century,  died  last  summer  at  Brethren 
Hillcrest  Homes  in  La  Verne,  Calif.,  at  age  102.  As  a  young  woman  she  wanted  to 
become  a  missionary.  However,  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  missions  board,  believing  her 
health  to  be  too  fragile,  turned  her  down.  In  1918  she  married  Paul  Studebaker,  a  young 
minister-to-be  from  her  home  church,  Mississinewa,  near  Muncie,  Ind.  After  two  years  at 
Bethany  Theological  Seminary  the  couple  entered  the  ministry  with  an  enthusiasm  they 
maintained  for  the  next  50  years.  Florence  considered  her  writing  an  extension  of  the 
ministry. 

In  her  book,  My  Stories,  she  tells  about  her  first  efforts  in  the  early  1920s.  With  two 
little  boys  down  with  measles,  she  was  prevented  from  participating  in  a  special  church 
program.  'T  felt  a  distinct  loss,  for  there  was  so  little  opportunity  to  fellowship  with  other 
pastors  and  their  wives.  ...  So  I  sat  down  and  wrote  my  first  story  and  sent  it  to  the  pub- 
lishing house  in  Elgin."  How  amazed  she  was  to  receive  an  acceptance  and  a  small  check! 
Greatly  encouraged,  she  started  a  1  3-chapter  serial  story  based  on  her  experiences  on  the 
frontier  of  northern  California,  where  her  father,  D.M.  Snider,  had  opened  a  lumber 
business  in  1907.  Although  she  had  no  training  for  writing  beyond  high  school  nor  any 
typing  lessons,  she  attacked  the  project  with  her  customary  zeal.  Again  she  was  over- 
whelmed with  excitement  when  |.  E.  Miller,  editor  of  Our  Young  People,  sent  an 
acceptance  and  remuneration,  including  a  gentle  note  suggesting  that  further  serial  sto- 
ries be  confined  to  10  chapters.  The  year  was  1923. 

By  1961  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  had  already  published  over  500 
of  her  stories  and  articles,  28  or  them  being  of  the  serial  variety  totaling 
157  chapters,  and  she  continued  writing  long  after  that.  All  this  was 
accomplished  while  raising  4  children,  mothering  her  orphaned  half 
brother,  and  keeping  up  with  an  extremely  active  role  in  the  church. 

People  often  asked,  "Where  do  you  get  ideas  for  your  stories?"  Some 
people  didn't  have  to  ask.  One  parishioner  laughingly  warned,  "Be  care- 
ful what  you  say  to  that  Mrs.  Studebaker.  You'll  end  up  in  a  story!"  All 
of  her  writing  grew  out  of  her  life  experience  and  a  vivid  imagination. 
Growing  up  in  a  family  of  ten  children  provided  much  material. 
Remembering  her  brother  accidentally  swallowing  shampoo  instead  of 
cough  medicine  brought  on  a  children's  story.  A  pastorate  in  Nappanee, 
Ind.,  offered  an  opportunity  to  learn  about  the  Amish  and  spawned  a 
serial  story  for  young  people. 

if  ever  anyone  earned  the  inscription  on  her  tombstone,  it  was  this  frag- 
ile girl  who  became  a  strong  woman,  for  she  truly  was  a  "Devoted  Wife, 
Loving  Mother,  God's  Faithful  Servant."  — Gwendolyn  S.  Miller 

Gwendolyn  S.  Miller  is  a  daughter  of  Florence  Studebaker.  A  member 
of  Modesto  (Calif)  Church  of  the  Brethren,  she  lives  with  her  husband. 
Wayne,  in  Santa  Cruz,  Calif. 


December  1998  Messenger  3 


Ill 


Henry  Gibbel  honored 
as  Trustee  of  the  Year 

Henry  H.  Gibbel,  chair- 
man of  the  board  of 
directors  of  Brethren  Vil- 
lage retirement 
community,  was  named 
National  Trustee  of  the 
Year  Nov.  1  by  the  Ameri- 
can Association  of  Homes 
and  Services  for  the 
Aging.  A  member  of  the 
Brethren  Village  board  of 
directors  for  more  than  30 
years,  Gibbel  has  provided 
leadership  to  help  the  Vil- 
lage grow  from  a  small 
community  of  less  than 
200  to  the  modern,  con- 
tinuing care  community  of 
more  than  800  residents 
that  it  is  today.  He  is  pres- 
ident and  CEO  of  the 
Lititz  (Pa.)  Mutual  Insur- 
ance Company,  a  trustee 
of  Juniata  College,  a 
former  member  of  the 
board  of.Bethany  Theolog- 
ical Seminary,  and  a 
member  of  the  Lititz 
Church  of  the  Brethren. 


4  Messenger  December  1998 


Church  helps  school 
give  peace  a  chance 

Easton  (Md.)  Church  of 
the  Brethren  spoke  out  for 
peace — twice — and  by 
doing  so  made  a  powerful 
witness  to  the  surrounding 
community. 

Listing  the  virtues  of 
respect,  order,  and  disci- 
pline, the  local  school 
district  voted  several  years 
ago  to  have  the  NIROTC 
(Naval  lunior  Reserve 
Officer  Training  Corps) 
program  in  its  schools. 
Easton  Church  of  the 
Brethren  opposed  the  pro- 
gram through  a  resolution, 
but  to  no  avail. 

But  the  church  didn't 
stop  there.  When  the 
opportunity  presented 
itself  to  bring  Students 
Against  Violence  Every- 
where (SAVE),  a  conflict 
resolution,  prejudice 
reduction,  and  violence 
prevention  program,  to  the 
school  district,  Easton 
Church  provided  moral 
and  monetary  support  to 
make  it  a  reality. 

A  high  school  principal 
contacted  the  Talbot  Youth 
Council  for  Christ  in 
search  of  a  program  that 
would  break  down  barri- 
ers. Bruce  Butler,  member 
of  the  Easton  congrega- 
tion and  part  of  the  Talbot 
Youth  Council,  told  him 
about  SAVE,  which  Butler 
had  heard  about  on  a 
public  television  program. 

In  order  for  community 
members  to  understand 
the  program,  it  was  neces- 
sary to  have  Brooklyn, 


N.Y.  students  already 
involved  in  SAVE  travel  to 
Maryland  to  present  work- 
shops to  community 
leaders  and  interested  per- 
sons. Easton  Church 
stepped  forward  to  finance 
the  introduction  work- 
shops. "No  other  church 
was  united  in  support  for 
what  we  were  doing," 
Butler  said. 

Eventually  there  was  an 
agreement  to  bring  SAVE 
to  the  school  district  if 


money  could  be  found  to 
cover  the  expenses.  Three 
years  after  the  original 
NIROTC  debate,  a  grant 
by  the  luvenile  justice 
Advisory  Council  was 
awarded  to  start  the  pro- 
gram. 

"SAVE  gives  a  chance 
for  students  to  see  a  per- 
spective different  from 
NIROTC.  It  gives  students 
a  peace-making  option," 
Butler  said. 

KaRIN  DAVIDSOh 


Mervin  Keeney,  left.  Florena  Diiling  and  Galen  Duling 

A  classroom  in  Nigeria  has 
friends  in  West  Virginia 

A  plaque  from  the  Oak  Dale  congregation,  Scherr, 
W.Va.  will  hang  in  a  classroom  at  the  EYN  Comprehen 
sive  Secondary  School  near  Mubi,  Nigeria  following  a 
presentation  in  October.  Receiving  the  plaque  from  the 
congregation,  Mervin  Keeney,  director  of  global  mission 
partnerships  for  the  General  Board,  addressed  the  group 
about  mission  work  in  Nigeria.  Ray  Click,  financial 
resource  counselor  for  the  General  Board  staff,  said  that 
Galen  and  Florena  Duling  of  the  Oak  Dale  church 
received  special  recognition  at  the  event.  The  Dulings, 
who  have  spent  their  careers  in  the  field  of  education  in 
West  Virginia,  had  made  a  special  financial  gift  to  fund  th{ 
building  of  a  classroom  in  Nigeria. 


Remembered 

Leiand  Lengel,  64,  a  pro- 
fessor at  McPherson 
(Kan.)  College  for  36 
years,  suffered  a  fatal 
heart  Oct.  28  while  on  his 
regular  morning  walk. 

During  his  McPherson 
tenure,  Lengel  served  the 
college  in  a  multitude  of 
leadership  capacities.  His 
work  was  published  in  a 
number  of  academic  jour- 
nals, he  presented  research 
at  major  history  confer- 
ences, and  he  was 
recognized  by  several 
scholarly  societies.  Lengel 
was  a  member  of  McPher- 
son (Kan.)  Church  of  the 
Brethren. 

•Carl  Simmons,  Jr.,  min- 
ister and  educator,  died  Oct. 
9  in  Baltimore,  Md.  at  the 
age  of  7 1 .  He  held  pas- 
torates in  St.  John,  Kan., 
Sacramento,  Calif.,  Yakima, 
Wash.,  Albany  and  Klamath 
Falls,  Ore.,  and  Dundalk, 
Md.  For  eight  years  he 
worked  in  the  anti-poverty 
program  in  the  inner  city  of 
Baltimore,  and  he  taught 
high  school  in  Baltimore 
City  for  1  7  years.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Long  Green 
Valley  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Glen  Arm,  Md. 

•John  D.  Long  of  New 
Oxford,  Pa.  died  Nov.  6  at 
the  age  of  84.  He  retired 
in  1979  after  63  years  as  a 
Church  of  the  Brethren 
pastor.  He  served  a  term 
as  a  member  of  the  Gen- 
eral Board.  Among  the 
churches  he  served  were 
University  Park  Church, 
Wash.,  D.C.;  Mack  Memo- 


A  mural  history  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 


Panel  twelve  19^9-2008 
The  Church  of  the  Brethren  in  the  Atomic  Age 


This  twelfth  and  final  panel  of  the  mural  history  on  display  at  Camp  Mack  is  titled  "Church 
of  the  Brethren  in  the  Atomic  Age.  1 949-2008. " 

Festival  will  celebrate  Camp  Mack  murals 

The  first  annual  Alexander  Mack  Festival  is  scheduled  for  Saturday,  October  2,  1999, 
at  Camp  Alexander  Mack,  near  Milford,  Ind.  Planners  are  publicizing  the  event  early, 
hoping  to  draw  Brethren  from  around  the  country.  The  festival  will  include  demonstra- 
tions of  early  crafts,  such  as  spinning,  weaving,  candle  dipping,  and  the  making  of 
communion  bread.  There  will  be  displays  of  historic  items,  such  as  old  love  feast  tubs, 
and  a  variety  of  foods. 

This  first  Alexander  Mack  Festival  will  celebrate  the  50th  anniversary  of  the  twelve 
large  murals  depicting  the  history  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  from  its  beginning  in 
Germany  in  1708  to  the  time  of  the  murals"  completion  and  dedication  in  |une  of  1949. 

Artist  Medford  Neher  worked  on  this  pictorial  history  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
from  1944  to  1949.  Six  panels  line  each  side  of  Quinter-Miller  Auditorium  stretching  for 
about  90  feet  on  each  side.  Funds  raised  at  this  first  Alexander  Mack  Festival  are  ear- 
marked to  assist  in  the  commissioning  of  Margie  Petry  to  paint  a  new  mural  to  bring 
Church  of  the  Brethren  history  up  to  date.  — Phyllis  Leininger 


rial,  Dayton,  Ohio;  and 
Lancaster,  Pa.  He 
preached  his  last  sermon 
at  the  Lancaster  church  in 
September. 

•Norman  Reber,  who  as 
editor  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Farmer  horn  1958  to  1974 
campaigned  for  tax  incen- 
tives to  preserve  farmland, 
died  Nov.  6.  He  was  88.  He 
was  a  lay  minister  in  the 
New  Fairview  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  near  York,  Pa. 

The  program  he  sup- 
ported, called  "clean  and 
green,"  now  protects  some 
1 1 2,000  acres  by  provid- 
ing tax  incentives  for 
farmers  to  continue  work- 
ing their  land  while 
preserving  open  space 


from  encroaching  develop- 
ment. 


Brethren  and  Butler 
Chapel  work  together 

In  mid-November  eight 
members  of  the  Butler 
Chapel  AME  Church  Of 
Orangeburg,  SC  were 
working  alongside  five  vol- 
unteers from  Southeastern 
District,  including  district 
executive  Don  Spires,  to 
rebuild  homes  in  the  tor- 
nado-ravaged Pratt  City 
area  of  Birmingham,  Ala. 


Relationships  estab- 
lished by  Emergency 
Response  Service  Min- 
istries volunteers  who 
helped  rebuild  the  Butler 
Chapel  church  building 
last  year  have  grown 
through  many  subsequent 
visits  and  events.  Now  the 
two  groups  are  working 
together  on  a  disaster 
relief  project. 

"Working  together  cre- 
ates a  harmony  of  love  and 
understanding  that  warms 
the  soul,"  said  Harold 
Hubbell,  ERSM  project 
director. 


"In  Touch" profiles  Bretltren  we  would  lil<e  you  to  meet.  Send  story 
ideas  and  pliotos  to  "In  TokcA.  "  Messenger.  1451  Dundee  Ave.. 
Elgin.  IL  601 20. 


December  1998  Messenger  5 


N 


Brethren  medical  team  sent 
to  Honduras  following  Mitch 

The  Church  of  the  Brethren  has 
mobihzed  its  disaster  response 
efforts  in  the  wal<e  of  Hurricane 
Mitch  by  deploying  a  biHngual  med- 
ical team  to  Honduras  and  by 
initiating  and  participating  in  a 
number  of  related  response  activities. 
Hurricane  Mitch,  which  killed  over 
9,000  people  and  left  over  1  million 
people  homeless,  has  been  called  the 
western  hemisphere's  worst  natural 
disaster  of  the  century. 

This  storm  closely  followed  Hurri- 
cane Georges,  which  struck  hardest 
Caribbean  countries  such  as  Haiti, 


Members  of  Brethren  Volynteer  Service  Orientation  Unit  231,  which  was  held  over 
three  weeks  in  September  and  October  at  the  Brethren  Service  Center  in  New 
Windsor,  Md..  pose  for  their  official  portrait.  Row  I:  fenn  Lucas  and  Troy 
Lucas.  Row  2:  Sue  Grubb  (staff),  Janice  Gibbel,  Dawn  Renea  Nichols,  Rudolf 
Klein.  Matt  Stauffer  (staff),  Tina  Rieman  (staff)  and  Karen  Klein.  Row  5:  Kelli 
O' Harrow,  Jodi  Good,  Holly  White,  Bridget  Marchio,  Heidi  Miller,  and  Jackie 
Keller.  Row  4:  Jen  Erickson.  Marijke  Swart,  Isabelle  Maeder,  Rue  Kissling, 
Susann  Bernhold,  Pam  Genise,  Martin  Dorst,  Samantha  Morris,  Rita  Lippold, 
Kristen  Grimes  (staff).  Christian  Noll,  Kim  Stuckey,  Annie  Kaylor,  Liz  Martin, 
and  Sebastian  Kloppel. 

6  Messenger  December  1998 


Dominican  Republic,  Puerto  Rico, 
and  Cuba.  The  Church  of  the 
Brethren  General  Board  in  October 
allocated  $105,000  in  Georges- 
related  projects. 

This  1 1  -person  medical  team, 
sponsored  by  the  General  Board's 
Global  Mission  Partnerships  office, 
is  led  by  Yvonne  Dilling,  coordinator 
of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren's  Hur- 
ricane Mitch  response  efforts  in 
Central  America.  It  is  an  advance 
team  that  will  be  followed  by  several 
additional  Church  World  Service- 
sponsored  teams  over  the  coming 
months. 

According  to  Dilling,  worldwide 
response  to  Hurricane  Mitch  has 
been  overwhelming.  Millions  of  dol- 
lars have  been  donated  and  tons  of 
food  and  supplies  have  been  sent. 
And  yet  at  this  time,  only  trained, 
bilingual  volunteers  are  needed  in  the 
region  as  many  critical  needs  have  to 
be  addressed  quickly  by  people  with 
labor  and  language  skills  who  can 
make  an  immediate  impact. 

Such  is  the  case  with  the  medical 
team,  which  consists  of  10  Church  oi 
the  Brethren  members.  Traveling 
with  Dilling  were  Don  Parker,  a 
Salem,  Ohio,  resident  who  serves  on 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  General 
Board;  and  Lee  Smith  of  South 
Bend,  Ind.  Others  to  go  were  Heidi 
Loomis  of  State  College,  Pa.;  Ed 
Okeson-Ritchey  of  Rockford,  III.; 
Oralea  Pittman  of  Bellefontaine, 
Ohio;  and  Donna  Raymond  of  West 
Boyleston,  Mass.,  a  member  of  the 
United  Church  of  Christ. 

Others  to  join  the  team  were  Mara 
Ramirez  of  Lancaster,  Pa.;  Debbie 
Okeson-Ritchey  of  Rockford,  111.; 
Roxanne  Cross  from  Michigan;  and 
Ed  Myer  of  Seattle,  Wash. 

In  addition  to  assisting  the  team  in 


providing  medical  care,  Dilling  will 
consult  with  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren's  long-time  Central  Ameri- 
can partners,  including  Honduras' 
Christian  Commission  for  Develop- 
ment (CCD).  These  partner 
consultations  will  allow  Dilling  to 
determine  the  scale  and  scope  of 
future  relief  efforts. 

The  medical  team  is  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren's  response  to  an  initial 
CCD  request.  "This  medical  team 
was  the  first  thing  they  said  they 
needed,  along  with  some  grants,  so 
we  jumped  on  that  first,"  said 
Mervin  Keeney,  Global  Mission  Part- 
nerships director.  "That's  part  of  our 
partnership.  We  received  the  request, 
we  took  it  seriously,  and  we  made  it 
happen." 

And  that's  only  a  small  portion  of 
the  denomination's  response  to  Hur- 
ricane Mitch.  A  Brethren 
study/learning  group  traveling  to 
Nicaragua,  led  by  Sue  Wagner  Fields 
of  Bernville,  Pa.,  was  quickly  trans- 
formed into  a  disaster  response 
group  that  took  medicines  and 
money  to  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
partner  church,  Mision  Cristiana, 
when  it  departed  for  Central  America 
on  Nov.  9.  The  group  also  took 
money  to  purchase  bean  seeds,  tools, 
and  building  supplies. 

The  Church  of  the  Brethren  Gen- 
eral Board  and  Brethren  churches 
and  members  have  also  been  active 
stateside.  A  handful  of  Northern 
Ohio  District  churches  raised  about 
$20,000  to  purchase  medicines  for 
use  by  the  Brethren-sponsored  med- 
ical team.  Kathy  Hess,  a  physician 
from  Ashland,  Ohio,  and  former 
chair  of  the  General  Board,  was  able 
to  purchase  the  medicines  from  a 
local  hospital  at  cost. 


Hess  wrote  about  her  experience 
gathering  medical  supplies:  "There 
was  not  sufficient  time  to  get  med- 
ications together  through  the  usual 
channels.  Therefore,  Don  Parker 
(also  a  physician  from  Ohio  and  a 
current  General  Board  member) 
asked  me  to  help  him  get  medicines 
together  for  him  to  take.  It  has  been 
absolutely  overwhelming  for  me  this 
week  as  1  have  had  a  front  row  seat 
to  God's  supplying  all  the  needs  for 
this  trip!  At  this  time  [Nov.  14],  I 
have  received  donations  of  $19,740 
from  13  congregations  within  North- 
ern Ohio  District.  God  is  so  good!" 

A  group  of  Indiana  Brethren,  who 
have  an  ongoing  relationship  with 
the  people  of  Mulukuku,  Nicaragua, 
also  raised  $7,000  for  relief  efforts. 

A  grant  of  $25,000  from  the  Emer- 
gency Disaster  Fund  was  approved 
Nov.  1  7,  to  be  sent  to  Church  World 
Service  in  support  of  its  appeal  for 
all  countries  affected  by  Hurricane 
Mitch  —  Honduras,  Nicaragua,  El 
Salvador,  and  Guatemala.  Another 
$24,000  was  allocated  to  be  used  in 
Honduras  by  the  medical  team  and 
by  Church  World  Service  and  Action 
by  Churches  Together. 

Miller  Davis  also  requested  a 
$20,000  EDF  grant  in  response  to  an 
appeal  from  Interchurch  Medical 
Assistance,  the  New  Windsor,  Md.- 
based  medical  relief  agency  of  which 
the  Church  of  the  Brethren  is  a 
member.  IMA  has  secured  about  $3 
million  in  medicines  from  American 
pharmaceutical  companies,  but 
needs  funds  to  ship  the  medicines  to 
Central  America. 

Davis  said  the  recent  flurry  of  dis- 
aster response  activity  has  left  the 
Emergency  Disaster  Fund  nearly 
depleted.  Contributions  are  needed 


to  enable  ER/SM  to  respond  to 
future  disasters.  Send  donations  to 
EDF,  1451  Dundee  Ave.,  Elgin  IL 
60120. 

ER/SM's  New  Windsor,  Md.- 
based  warehouse  has  maintained  a 
frenetic  pace,  shipping  thousands  of 
pounds  of  material  aid  to  Central 
America  on  behalf  of  Church  World 
Service,  the  U.S.  Office  of  Foreign 
Disaster  Assistance,  Lutheran  World 
Relief,  and  Interchurch  Medical 
Assistance.  Some  20,000  health  kits; 
7,500  layettes;  30,000  five-gallon 
water  jugs;  over  1,300  rolls  of  plastic 
sheeting;  9,000  blankets;  and  1  50 
bales  of  quilts;  and  210  medicine 
boxes  that  contain  1  7  prescription 
and  over-the-counter  medicines  and 
medical  supplies  were  some  of  the 
items  shipped. 

Dilling  said  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  will  consider  long-term  dis- 
aster response  projects  once  relief 
efforts  shift  from  emergency  response 
to  rebuilding  and  repair  efforts.  In  the 
meantime,  Dilling  said,  there  are  ways 
that  people  in  the  United  States  can 
assist  those  affected  by  Hurricane 
Mitch  through  gifts  of  money  and 
needed  supplies,  and  by  advocacy 
letter  writing.  Dilling  said  letters  are 
needed  requesting  more  US  relief  aid 
as  well  as  forgiveness  of  Latin  Ameri- 
can debt. 

Additional  information  on  Church 
of  the  Brethren  response  to  Hurri- 
cane Mitch  is  available  by  writing  to 
mitchcob@juno.com  or  at  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  Web  site  at 
www.brethren.org.  A  toll-free  phone 
line  with  a  recorded  update  on  disas- 
ter response  was  to  be  operational  in 
late  November.  To  reach  that  mes- 
sage, call  ER/SM's  office  at 
800-451-4407. 


December  1998  Messenger  7 


wsmmmi 


SERRV  International  draws  a  crowd  at  its  warehouse  sale  in  early  October  SERRVwill 
occupy  its  present  New  Windsor  facilities  at  least  until  its  General  Board  loan  is 
repaid. 


General  Board  action  makes 
SERRV  independent  agency 

After  several  hours  of  discussion, 
discernment,  prayer,  and  executive 
session,  tiie  Ciiurcii  of  the  Brethren 
General  Board  Oct.  19  voted  to  spin 
off  SERRV  International,  its  New 
Windsor,  Md. -based  self-help  hand- 
crafts ministry,  into  a  new,  separate, 
Church  of  the  Brethren-related  non- 
profit organization. 

With  a  vote  of  18-5  during  its  fall 
meetings  at  the  Brethren  Service 
Center  in  New  Windsor,  the  Board 
agreed  to  allow  the  49-year-old  min- 
istry to  become  an  independent 
agency  on  Ian.  1 . 

"We  believe  this  step  will  help 
SERRV  maximize  its  ministry  to  the 
many  current  and  future  artisans 
who  depend  on  this  income  for  the 
basic  necessities  of  life,"  said  Board 
chair  Mary  )o  Flory-Steury. 

SERRV,  which  was  established  by 
the  General  Board  in  1949,  is  a  $5 
million-per-year  business  with  assets 
of  $1 .2  million.  It  has  agreements 
with  thousands  of  artisans  worldwide 
and  currently  sells  the  handcrafts  of 


8  Messenger  December  1998 


producers  from  about  30  countries. 
SERRV's  goods  are  sold  through  gift 
shops  and  within  27  denominations, 
both  through  congregations  and  at 
conventions.  The  ministry  mails  out 
300,000  catalogs  each  year. 

The  move  toward  SERRV's  inde- 
pendence was  formally  begun  as  part 
of  the  Board's  recent  redesign 
process,  when  it  sought  to  limit 
financial  liability  to  the  General 
Board  and  to  determine  whether 
SERRV  would  be  able  to  function 
more  effectively  as  a  separate  non- 
profit corporation.  After  several 
years  of  study  by  two  committees, 
the  proposed  separation  received 
tentative  approval  this  summer  by 
Board  members  during  their  pre- 
Annual  Conference  meeting  in 
Orlando,  Fla. 

Nevertheless,  the  Board's  consid- 
eration of  this  business  item  in 
October  was  methodical  and  deliber- 
ate, spanning  several  hours.  The 
process  reflected  what  Board  mem- 
bers and  staff  learned  from  a 
spirituality  workshop  they  attended 
before  the  business  meeting.  Its 
focus  was  on  how  to  integrate  spiri- 


tuality into  the  administration  and 
governance  of  an  organization. 
Occasional  pauses  for  prayer,  con- 
templation, and  song  peppered  the 
discussion  as  Board  members  moved 
toward  making  their  final  decision. 

The  SERRV  debate  began  with  an 
overview  by  director  Bob  Chase  and 
General  Board  treasurer  ludy 
Keyser.  After  numerous  questions 
from  Board  members  and  a  20- 
minute  closed  session,  the  Board 
approved  the  motion  allowing  for 
separation.  Concern  was  raised  over 
what  the  decision's  impact  could 
have  on  the  future  of  the  Brethren 
Service  Center  at  New  Windsor. 
Some  asked  whether  SERRV  could 
be  granted  the  independence  it  needs 
to  increase  its  competitiveness  while 
remaining  within  the  General  Board 
structure. 

A  number  of  Board  members  used 
the  analogy  of  a  child  growing  up  to 
state  it  is  time  for  the  ministry  to  be 
set  free.  Some  members  drew  paral- 
lels between  this  action  and  the 
General  Board's  spinning  off  of 
Heifer  Project  International  in  the 
1950s;  HPI  is  now  a  much  bigger, 
multinational,  ecumenical  ministry. 
Many  also  remarked,  however,  that  it 
is  their  hope  that  SERRV  will  main- 
tain its  strong  ties  to  the  Church  of 
the  Brethren. 

The  first  of  three  SERRV-related 
votes  called  for  the  ministry  to  be 
given  its  independence  on  fan.  1. 
The  second  vote  established  a  three- 
year  loan  of  $650,000  plus  interest, 
from  the  General  Board  to  SERRV, 
with  the  expectation  that  SERRV  will 
occupy  its  current  warehouse  and 
office  building  at  the  Brethren  Ser- 
vice Center  at  least  until  the  loan  is 
repaid.  The  agreement  also  allows 
for  the  transfer  of  all  SERRV  assets 
to  the  new  corporation,  minus  the 
loan.  SERRV  has  been  granted  non- 
profit status,  a  necessary  step  for 
independence. 

To  prepare  for  the  possibility  of 


separation,  all  SERRV  employees  on 
Oct.  1  were  given  90-day  termina- 
tion notices  by  the  General  Board. 
All  SERRV  employees,  however,  have 
reportedly  been  offered  jobs  in  the 
new  organization. 

The  Board's  final  vote  pertaining 
to  this  issue  established  SERRV's 
first  board  of  directors,  a  group  of 
seven  that  will  initially  include  four 
Church  of  the  Brethren  members. 
They  are  Charles  Layman,  Lori  Sol- 
lenberger  Knepp,  Ivan  Patterson,  and 
Benton  Rhoades.  The  three  non- 
Brethren  are  Patti  Crane,  John 
Krieck,  and  |acqui  McDonald. 

Board  approves  1999  general 
fund  budget  of  $5.2  million 

The  Board  approved  a  balanced  1999 
general  fund  budget  of  $5,218,000. 
The  Board  also  approved  the  budgets 
of  its  self-supporting  units,  which  are 
independent  from  the  general  fund. 
For  the  current  year  general  fund 
budget.  Board  reports  through  Sep- 
tember show  that  congregational 
giving  was  about  $88,000  behind  the 
projected  income  of  $2,349,590.  Nev- 
ertheless, Board  staff  from  the 


In  his  farewell  speech  lo  the  General  Board.  Miller  Davis,  director  of  Emergency 
Response/Service  Ministries,  recalls  high  points  of  his  27  years  of  service.  In  the 
foreground  are  General  Board  Vice  Chair  Tracy  Wenger  Sadd  and  Chair  Mary 
lo  Flory-Steury. 


Why  independence? /I  General  Board 
member  quizzes  SERRV  director  Bob 
Chase  on  why  he  advocates 
separating  SERRV  from  the  General 
Board. 


Treasurer's  and  Funding  offices  stated 
that  the  Board  is  projected  to  meet  its 
budget  at  the  end  of  the  year  with 
$224,000  of  income  over  expense. 

For  1999,  Brethren  Press,  with 
estimated  sales  of  $1,018,700,  is 
expected  to  have  a  $33,210  deficit 
but  provided  a  detailed  report  of  the 
factors  affecting  sales  and  the  steps 
being  taken  to  address  the  situation. 
Messenger  magazine,  with  gross 
sales  of  $239,610,  is  expected  to 
break  even. 

Emergency  Response/Service  Min- 
istries, with  income  and  service  fees 
that  exceed  $1.25  million,  is 
expected  to  conclude  the  year  with 
$7,830  of  income  over  expense.  The 
Brethren  Conference  Center  at  New 
Windsor,  with  $624,3 1 0  in  gross 
sales,  is  also  expected  to  balance  its 
budget. 

In  other  business,  the  Board  — 

•  received  a  proposed  Ministerial 
Leadership  paper,  which  is  a  rewrite 
of  the  1986  Annual  Conference 
"Licensed  and  Ordained  Ministry" 
paper.  Following  the  meetings  of  the 


Ministerial  Advisory  Council  and 
Council  of  District  Executives,  this 
paper  will  be  presented  to  the  Board 
for  approval  in  March.  If  adopted,  it 
will  be  sent  to  Annual  Conference 
delegates  for  consideration  in  |uly. 

•  approved  a  paper  with  recom- 
mendations pertaining  to  new  church 
development,  in  response  to  inquiries 
from  districts  and  pastors.  This 
paper  affirms  the  Board's  dedication 
to  new  church  development  in  con- 
junction with  districts  and 
congregations  but  states  that  the 
Board  will  no  longer  issue  mortgages 
for  new  church  buildings.  The  Board 
voted  to  establish  an  Emerging 
Churches  Advisory  Committee  to 
develop  policy  and  training  for  new 
church  projects. 

•  decided  that  $345,828  in  funds 
designated  years  ago  by  the  Board 
for  nine  specialized  purposes  that  no 
longer  exist  will  be  made  available 
for  new  uses.  The  Leadership  Team 
will  decide  on  new  uses  for  the  funds 
according  to  the  priorities  of  the 
Board's  new  design. 


December  1998  Messenger  9 


J^-^-n 


The  trouble  with  Amos 


BY  Paula  Bowser 

Amos  5:18-24,  Luke  10:  25-37 

Amos  spoke  to  a  society  very  much 
like  ours:  wealthy,  successful,  reli- 
gious persons  who  worked  in  and 
around  the  capital  city  of  Samaria  in 
the  Northern  Kingdom.  God,  says 
Amos,  is  like  a  mighty  lion  who  is 
ready  to  roar  and  pounce.  Amos  starts 
off  with  criticism  of  surrounding 
nations,  Damascus,  Gaza,  and  Edom. 

None  of  these  nations  is  popular 
with  the  home  crowd.  If  someone  from 
Canada  came  to  Washington  and  con- 
demned Serbian  atrocities,  Saddam 
Hussein's  use  of  mustard  gas  on  the 
Kurds,  and  the  lifestyles  of  Arab  oil 
sheiks  at  the  expense  of  their  country- 
men, few  people  would  be  upset. 

Amos  charges  the  neighboring  states 
with  ethnic  cleansing,  and  gross  viola- 
tions of  human  rights,  including  the 
murder  of  unborn  children.  Amos  cries 
out  against  slavery  and  howls  against 
the  terrors  of  war. 

These  observations  would  be  toler- 
ated in  our  capital  city.  Applauded, 
even.  We  could  just  congratulate 
ourselves  that  we  are  not  like  those 
awful  people. 

But  then,  Amos  turns  his  laser  lips 
on  God's  chosen  people.  The  Lion  of 
ludah  will  tear  the  heart  out  of  Israel, 
he  says.  The  so-called  "chosen  people" 
are  chosen  to  model  righteousness,  to 

10  Messenger  December  1998 


share  the  land  with  one  another,  prac- 
tice jubilee  by  releasing  slaves  and 
leaving  the  gleanings  for  the  poor. 
Israel  is  supposed  be  a  light  to  the 
other  nations  —  taking  in  the  stranger 
and  the  refugee.  But  the  gap  between 
rich  and  poor  has  widened  till  it  is  a 
huge  chasm. 

The  trouble  with  Amos  is  his  insis- 
tence that  we  do  not  have  to  be  directly 
involved  in  the  process  to  be  guilty.  As 
the  wealthiest  people  on  earth,  we  can 
hire  others  to  do  the  dirty  work.  Our 
sin  is  not  wanting  to  know.  Not  want- 
ing to  know  where  cattle  are  raised  for 
our  veal  and  our  Whoppers.  Or  where 
our  garbage  goes  when  we're  done 
with  it.  Or  about  what  it's  like  to  try  to 
make  it  as  a  person  of  color  in  a  soci- 
ety that  discriminates. 

Our  sin  is  in  conspicuous  consump- 
tion and  self-absorbed  ease.  What  will 
we  pay  for  cosmetic  surgery  and 
designer  perfumes  while  withholding 
funds  that  could  fill  the  stomach  of  a 
hungry  child?  As  long  as  our  casualties 
are  low,  we  don't  want  to  know  how 
many  Iraqis  go  without  medicine  or 
food.  We  don't  want  to  see  the  faces  of 
those  who  were  injured  or  killed  by  our 
smart  bombs. 

The  trouble  with  Amos  is  that  he  is 
just  too  raw,  too  honest,  and  too  close 
to  home.  Amos  has  the  gall  to  point 
out  that  the  whole  time  we're  sinning 
away  we're  knee-deep  in  church.  It  is  a 
painful  fact  that  those  in  power  —  the 
haves  — are  very  careful  to  enlist  the 
rhetoric  and  outward  forms  of  orga- 
nized religion,  to  constantly  make 
reference  to  divine  favor,  subtly  imply- 
ing that  prosperity  and  military  victory 
are  the  results,  not  of  greed  and  ruth- 
lessness,  but  of  God's  personal  and 
corporate  approval. 

The  trouble  with  Amos  is  that  he 
says  what  every  priest  and  preacher 
dreads:  God  is  not  necessarily  on  our 
side.  God  is  not  impressed  with  beauti- 
ful music  or  splendid  productions  or 
eloquent  sermons  in  communities 
where  racism  and  injustice  are  quietly 
taken  for  granted.  Getting  rid  of  sin  is 
not  as  easy  as  parroting  words  and 
putting  fat  checks  in  the  plate  in  the 


hopes  that  God  will  look  the  other  way 
Sin  is  not  only  murder  and  grand  lar- 
ceny. Sin  is  inequity —  the  unequal 
distribution  of  food,  of  justice,  of 
opportunity,  of  medical  care. 

The  trouble  with  Amos  is  that  his 
message  is  just  as  relevant  in  America 
today  as  it  was  in  the  capital  city  of 
Samaria  so  long  ago. 

The  good  thing  about  Amos  is  that 
his  words  not  only  indict,  they 
inspire.  There  is  an  alternative  to 
conspicuous  consumption  and  rapa- 
cious opulence.  The  best  thing  Amos 
ever  said  was  not  about  condemna- 
tion or  divine  vengeance  or 
retribution.  Amos  is  ultimately  about 
something  more.  For  Amos,  the 
alternative  to  our  self-indulgent 
lifestyles  and  our  self-congratulatory 
worship  is  justice.  And  the  words  of 
Amos  are  on  the  lips  of  every  true 
prophet.  "Take  away  the  noise  of 
your  songs  and  silence  the  great 
choirs  in  your  wealthy  houses  of 
worship.  1  won't  accept  the  fat  offer- 
ings that  come  from  plush  pews  — 
or  cash  that  flows  from  gloved  hands 
to  gilded  plates.  But  let  justice  come 
crashing  down  like  the  roar  of  a 
mighty  waterfall,  and  let  righteous- 
ness flow  on  like  a  never-ending 
stream." 

We  have  choices  to  make  about  whal 
we  wear  and  what  we  drive  and  what 
we  consume  and  invest.  At  its  best,  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  asks  us  contin 
ually  to  examine  those  choices  in  light 
of  a  global  economy,  and  a  world 
where  all  of  God's  children  are  consid 
ered  in  our  decisions. 

We  must  remember  the  message  oi 
lesus  and  Amos:  that  every  person  is 
my  neighbor,  especially  those  who 
are  in  need.  My  worship  is  only  as 
valid  as  my  willingness  to  minister  tc 
those  in  need. 

Paiilci  Bowser  is  pastor  of  Glade  Valley 
Church  of  the  Brethren.  Walkersville.  Md.,  anc 
author  of  ]onah:  God's  Global  Reach,  Brethre 
Press.  Background  for  this  article,  which  bei 
as  a  sermon,  came  from  Paul  Merullo  and  lud~ 
Siciliano,  OP.,  who  provide  research  and 
reflections  on  the  lectionary  text  for  preachers 
through  ail  online  service  called  Preacher's 
Exchange. 


,,0m^i 


A  December  }996  peace  festival  in  Columbia  at  which  more  than  7,000  people  challenged  the  nation  to  peace. 


Thd  Won^d  Council  o^  Chivickoj,  campouign  ^on.  peace  on  <ian.tk 

Tfee  pioqHm  to  ovvuiom  viotmtt 

A  challenge  by  the  Church  of  the  Brethren.  A  challenge  to  the  Church  of  the  Brethren. 


BY  Sara  Speicher 

Glory  to  God  in  the  highest  heaven, 
and  on  earth,  peace  to  all  in  whom  he 
delights  (Luke  2:14). 

Tis  the  season  to  read  and  sing  and 
announce  anew  the  angel  chorus 
as  we  make  our  practical  and  spiri- 
tual preparations  for  Christmas.  The 
Prince  of  Peace  is  coming,  has  come, 
will  come  again.  Yet  even  as  we  sing, 
we  know  that  we  are  surrounded — in 
our  homes,  streets,  nations,  and 
world — by  a  rising  tide  of  violence. 
Even  within  the  churches  we  find  the 
violence  of  silence,  anger,  racism, 
sexism,  abuse. 

As  members  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  one  of  the  historic  peace 
churches,  we  hold  that  peace  is  cen- 
tral to  Christ's  message  for  the  world 


and  the  church.  While  we  have  a  tra- 
dition of  service  and  witness  for 
peace  with  justice  that  has  sought  to 
bridge  the  gap  that  seems  to  divide 
faith  and  reality,  we  also  know  what 
it  means  to  hold  this  belief  in  the  face 
of  daily  reminders  of  the  tragedies  of 
violence. 

This  witness  has  been  a  model  and 
a  challenge  to  the  20th-century  ecu- 
menical movement.  Even  before  the 
official  formation  of  the  World 
Council  of  Churches  in  1948,  the  call 
from  the  historic  peace  churches  to 
renounce  any  justification  of  war  or 
violence  was  consistent  and  clear — 
and  irritating  to  many  of  the 
denominations  who  held  to  a  "just 
war"  theory,  or  accepted  the  use  of 
violence  in  struggles  for  justice  and 
human  rights. 

Indeed,  in  their  eyes,  what  the  his- 


toric peace  churches  offered  was  pri- 
marily North  American  comfortable 
passive-ism,  entirely  inconsistent 
with  the  active  struggle  for  survival 
and  human  dignity  faced  by  millions 
around  the  world.  At  the  same  time, 
the  historic  peace  churches,  and  the 
Brethren  in  particular,  have  been 
held  in  high  esteem  for  their  long 
history  of  service,  simplicity,  practi- 
cality, international  assistance,  and 
support  of  ecumenical  efforts. 

Many  individuals  and  churches 
within  the  ecumenical  movement 
have  echoed  the  call  held  so  strongly 
by  the  historic  peace  churches. 
Indeed,  the  delegates  to  the  first 
World  Council  of  Churches  Assembly 
in  Amsterdam  declared  that  war  is 
contrary  to  the  will  of  God,  and 
many  within  the  ecumenical  move- 
ment consider  it  a  peace  movement. 


December  1998  Messenger  1 1 


working  towards  removing  tiie  role 
of  religion  as  a  factor  of  war.  There 
have  also  been  longstanding  efforts, 
by  Brethren  and  others,  to  establish  a 
specific  program  in  the  WCC  that 
would  directly  address  issues  of  war 
and  violence. 

Several  years  ago,  a  new  opportu- 
nity became  available  to  express  our 
peace  convictions.  In  1994,  South 
African  Methodist  Bishop  Stanley 
Mogoba,  preaching  at  the  opening 
worship  of  the  WCC  Central  Com- 
mittee meeting  in  Johannesburg, 
South  Africa,  called  on  the  World 
Council  of  Churches  to  establish  a 
program  to  "combat"  violence.  In  his 
sermon  he  noted  that  violence  is 
found  all  over  the  world — and  so  are 
Christian  congregations.  He  believed 


the  WCC  could  play  a  critical  role  in 
linking  global  and  local  experience 
and  action. 

Some  participants  immediately  saw 
these  words  as  a  program  possibility, 
including  two  representatives  of  the 
historic  peace  churches  who  were 
members  of  the  Central  Commit- 
tee—  Donald  Miller,  then  general 
secretary  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  and  Barbara  Bazett  of  the 
Canadian  Yearly  Meeting  of  the  Reli- 
gious Society  of  Friends.  Along  with 
a  WCC  staff  member,  Elizabeth 
Salter,  herself  a  Quaker,  they  made  a 
proposal  to  the  Unit  Committee  on 
Justice,  Peace,  and  Creation,  and 
lobbied  delegates  and  staff.  With  the 
strong  support  of  WCC  general  sec- 
retary Konrad  Raiser,  and  moderator 


of  the  Unit  Committee  Margot  Kass- 
mann,  it  was  unanimously  approved 
to  "establish  a  Program  to  Overcome 
Violence,  with  the  purpose  of  chal- 
lenging and  transforming  the  global 
culture  of  violence  in  the  direction  of 
a  culture  of  just  peace." 

The  word  "overcome"  was  first 
chosen  as  an  attempt  to  avoid  a 
seeming  contradiction  in  the  phrase 
"combat  violence."  But  it  has  gradu- 
ally come  into  a  significance  of  its 
own,  linked  to  Paul's  letter  to  the 
Romans,  "Overcome  evil  with  good" 
(12:21). 

Part  of  the  recommendation  from 
Central  Committee  in  January  1994 
that  established  the  Program  to 
Overcome  Violence  included  a  call 
for  a  consultation  to  define  the  pro- 


Lo^oJiiviyig  about  beJ^ng  BKoXhAe^n 


I  was  born  into  the  Church  of  the  Brethren,  raised  in 
a  congregation  where  my  father  had  served  as 
pastor,  learned  that  all  summer  family  holidays 
revolved  around  Annual  Conference,  and  played  the 
Brethren  name  game  with  the  best  of  them.  It  took  me 
about  a  week  at  the  Ecumenical  Center  in  Geneva, 
Switzerland,  to  declare,  "I  have  never  felt  more 
Brethren  in  my  life." 

First  it  was  the  little  things.  After  one  week  of  daily 
worship,  including  four  communion  services,  I  cau- 
tiously asked  the  World  Council  of  Churches  staff 
person  for  music  and  worship,  "Do  you  say  the  Lord's 
Prayer  at  every  worship  service?" 

I  sensed  my  "Brethrenness"  in  a  series  of  ecumenical 
faux  pas.  1  chuckled  when  someone  referred  to  "His 
Holiness"  because  1  thought  it 
was  a  reference  to  a  big  ego — 
until  I  learned  it  was  the  form  of 
address  to  the  heads  of  the 
Orthodox  churches.  In  my 
desire  to  show  my  openness  to 
learn  about  other  forms  of  wor- 
ship, I  arranged  with  a  colleague 
to  attend  a  Greek  Orthodox 
Easter  service.  As  we  were  set- 
tling the  logistics,  he  said,  "It 
starts  at  1 1  and  goes  until  3  or 


4,  so  I  don't  know  if  you  want  to  stay  for  the  entire 
time."  1,  in  my  eagerness  to  show  my  commitment, 
said,  "Oh  no,  I'm  prepared  to  stay  all  afternoon."  To 
which  he  responded,  "Afternoon?  it  starts  at  1  1  at 
night." 

I  felt  like  walking  around  clutching  Brethren  identity 
packets — not  for  others,  but  for  me.  For  I  found  that 
people  associated  with  the  World  Council  of  Churches 
were  very  familiar  with  the  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
and  sometimes  more  acquainted  with  our  history  and 
theological  beliefs  than  I  was.  1  don't  have  to  explain 
our  basic  beliefs,  as  1  often  have  to  in  the  US,  but 
instead  field  historical  questions  such  as,  "What  rela- 
tionship does  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  have  to  the 
Czech  Brethren?"  (Go  look  it  up,  as  1  had  to.) 

I  also  found,  in  my  daily  work  and  worship,  a  deeper 
understanding  and  appreciation  of  what  sets  the 
Brethren  apart,  an  understanding  that  has  reaffirmed 
my  own  faith  and  commitment  to  the  church  in  which 
I  was  raised.  Each  time  communion  is  offered,  1  con- 
sider our  preparation  of  confession  and  renewal  for 
faith  and  service.  When  creeds  are  said,  and  policies 
stated,  I  affirm  our  process  for  the  discernment  of  the 
word  in  community.  I've  learned  more  about  our  his- 
tory. I've  shared  more  with  others  about  our  practices 
and  beliefs. 

Yet  there  are  also  times  when  I  feel  the  Brethren  have 


12  Messenger  December  1998 


gram  more  fully.  This  consultation 
was  held  at  Corrymeela,  Northern 
Ireland,  in  lune  1994  and  was  mod- 
erated by  Lamar  Gibble.  The 
participants  decided  that  the  focus  of 
the  POV  would  be  the  networking  of 
churches  and  other  agencies  who 
have  had  some  success  addressing 
the  problem  of  violence.  This  recom- 
mendation was  further  refined  by  a 
consultation  in  Rio  de  Janeiro  in 
April  1996,  which  called  for  a  "Peace 
to  the  City"  Campaign  to  give  the 
Program  to  Overcome  Violence  fur- 
ther focus. 

The  1996  Rio  de  |aneiro  consulta- 
tion involved  grassroots 
peacemakers,  representatives  of 
WCC  member  churches,  and  WCC 
staff.  The  global  campaign,  "Peace  to 


the  City,"  was  approved  by  Central 
Committee  in  September  1996  as  the 
focus  of  the  POV  for  the  period  lead- 
ing up  to  the  WCC  Assembly  in 
1998.  The  Peace  to  the  City  Cam- 
paign lifts  up  creative  models  of 
reconciliation  with  the  hope  that 
these  stories,  ideas,  and  methodolo- 
gies can  teach  and  inspire  all  of  us  to 
do  more  to  build  peace  in  our  own 
contexts.  It  focuses  on  seven  cities 
around  the  world:  Rio  de  Janeiro, 
Brazil;  Boston,  USA;  Belfast,  North- 
ern Ireland;  Colombo,  Sri  Lanka; 
Durban,  South  Africa;  Kingston, 
Jamaica;  and  Suva,  Fiji. 

Beyond  these  symbolic  seven  cities, 
other  cities,  churches,  peace  organi- 
zations, and  individuals  have  been 
invited  to  join  and  share  their  efforts 


and  learn  from  others.  Through  the 
World  Wide  Web,  e-mail,  printed 
newsletters,  books,  and  videos,  the 
Campaign  is  creating  and  expanding 
a  global  network  for  peace. 

In  lanuary  1997  1  joined  the  Pro- 
gram to  Overcome  Violence  and 
the  Peace  to  the  City  Campaign  as  a 
historic  peace  church  volunteer.  The 
position,  financially  supported  by 
Dutch  and  German  Mennonites  and 
the  Mennonite  Central  Committee 
Europe  Office,  was  itself  a  statement 
of  the  strong  practical  support  the 
historic  peace  churches  could  offer 
this  program  of  the  WCC.  I  came, 
full  of  the  knowledge  of  our  history 
and  tradition,  proud  of  our  peace 
position,  and  prepared  to  wait  for 


at  tkd.  {fioKZd  CouncjJ,  oi  ckuAckeA 


something  to  learn  from  other  churches.  To  my  sur- 
prise and  delight,  1  discovered  that  the  local  Lutheran 
church  I  attend  practices  feetwashing  on  Maundy 
Thursday.  The  feetwashing  is  held  in  the  middle  of  the 
sanctuary,  and  people  come  forward  as  they  feel  led  to 
have  their  feet  washed  and  to  wash  another's.  I 
watched  a  young  boy  in  the  back,  standing  on  the  pew 
and  eagerly  regarding  what  was  going  on.  The  boy 
then  whispered  urgently  to  his  father  and,  eventually, 
leading  his  father  by  the  hand,  came  up  to  participate 
himself  in  the  feetwashing.  With  his  father  next  to  him, 
and  with  serious  concentration,  the  boy  carefully  took 
basin  and  towel  and  washed  another  man's  feet,  and 
then  with  equally  serious  concentration,  sat  down  to 
have  his  feet  washed.  The  six-foot-six  member  who 
washed  his  feet  lifted  him  straight  up  at  the  end  for  the 
kiss  of  peace,  and  the  child  was  all  smiles  as  he  went 
back  to  his  seat  with  his  father. 

What  a  lesson,  I  thought,  both  in  showing  how  chil- 
dren lead  us  to  the  Kingdom  of  God,  but  also  seeing 
life  and  joy  restored  to  a  familiar  practice. 

The  increased  sense  of  the  uniqueness  and  value  of 
one's  own  denomination  is  not  unusual  to  those  in  the 
ecumenical  movement.  In  talking  to  others  who  work  at 
the  Ecumenical  Center,  1  have  learned  it  is  a  common 
experience  indeed,  and  one  that  demonstrates  that  ecu- 
menism is  not  leading  to  a  unified  church,  but  rather 


reaffirms  the  value  and  necessity  of  a  diversity  of  voices 
and  traditions.  We  have  found  that  by  being  actively 
engaged  in  the  ecumenical  movement,  we  open  ourselves 
to  developing  and  maintaining  a  clearer  sense  of  identity 
and  can  become  renewed  and  inspired  to  fulfill  God's 
purpose  for  us  in  the  world — both  as  individual 
churches  and  as  Christians. 

At  the  WCC  Central  Committee  meeting  in  September 
1997  I  showed  our  Brethren  identity  packet  to  a  German 
Mennonite  attending  the  meetings.  As  1  sat  in  the  back 
of  the  vast  conference  hall,  I  saw  him  read  each  piece — 
then,  at  a  query  from  his  neighbor,  pass  each  one  to  her, 
who  passed  them  to  her  neighbor,  and  so  on  down  their 
table.  I  watched  people  look  at  the  photos  and  read  the 
text,  and  thought  of  a  different  kind  of  evangelism — one 
based  not  on  the  desire  to  convert,  but  on  the  desire  to 
be  understood  and  to  understand,  a  desire  to  work 
together,  through  our  different  traditions,  to  the  glory  of 
God  and  our  belief  in  lesus  Christ. 

1  have  now  said  the  Lord's  Prayer  enough  times  to 
cover  me  for  the  rest  of  my  Brethren  liturgical  life.  Yet 
now,  every  time  it  is  said.  1  listen  to  the  low  murmurs  of 
the  people,  all  of  them  reciting  the  prayer  in  their  own 
languages.  It  is,  in  a  sense,  a  reminder  of  Pentecost  and 
the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  who  unites  us  in  faith  in 
spite  of — perhaps  because  of — our  differences. 

— Sara  Speicher 


December  1998  Messenger  13 


The  January  1996  bombing  of  the  Cential  Bunk  in  Colombo,  Sii  Lankc 


everyone  else  to  just  catch  up  and 
realize  we  have  been  right  all  along. 

I  have  been  humbled.  In  hearing  the 
stories  told  through  the  Peace  to  the 
City  Campaign,  and  witnessing  the 
faith  and  efforts  of  individuals  and 
groups  who  face  incredible  odds,  1 
have  realized  that  we  have  as  much  to 
learn  about  peacemaking  from  other 
churches  and  people  as  they  can  learn 
from  us — perhaps  more.  I  hold  fast  to 
our  peace  position,  yet  I  also  believe 
that  the  stories  of  the  campaign  part- 
ners in  these  cities  around  the  world 
challenge  us  as  much  as  our  historic 
witness  has  challenged  the  ecumenical 
movement. 

Boston 

In  Boston,  a  shooting  and  stabbing 
incident  that  took  place  inside  the 
Morningstar  Baptist  Church  in  1992 
was  a  wake-up  call  to  the  faith  com- 
munity to  address  street  violence  that 
was  no  longer  confined  to  the  streets. 
Yet  it  was  only  a  small  group  of  pas- 
tors who  decided  that  preaching, 
policy  statements,  demonstrations, 
and  tougher  laws  could  only  go  so  far, 
and  set  out  to  walk  the  streets  of  the 


14  Messenger  December  1998 


inner  city  at  night  to  meet  and  talk  to 
gang  members  and  drug  dealers  where 
they  are.  They  live  and  work  in  their 
neighborhoods,  they  listen  to  the 
youth,  they  act  on  what  they  hear  and 
build  trust.  They  demonstrate  the  love 
and  care  of  God  in  giving  these  kids  a 
sense  of  family,  accountability,  hope, 
and  purpose. 

Now  called  the  Ten  Point  Coalition, 
these  pastors  have  mobilized  the 
churches,  communities,  police,  busi- 
nesses, schools,  and  city  government 
to  look  at  positive  ways  to  reach  the 
youth  on  the  streets,  in  their  world. 
Their  combined  efforts  have  brought  a 
dramatic  decrease  in  juvenile  crime  in 
Boston  over  the  past  six  years  that  has 
drawn  national  and  international 
attention,  including  the  |une  1,  1998, 
cover  story  o{  Newsweek.  To  be  honest, 
the  theology  and  style  of  these  minis- 
ters may  make  us  Brethren  a  little 
uncomfortable.  But  they  show  one 
way,  as  they  say,  "to  put  your  feet 
where  your  faith  is."  They  call  us  to  be 
active — and  proactive — and  not  wait 
for  the  time  when  we  have  to  "take 
back"  the  streets.  Rather,  we  should 
never  give  up  responsibility  for  them. 


They  call  us  to  make  peace — not  just  a 
nice  theology,  but  a  creative,  energy- 
filled  movement  that  speaks  to  the 
youth  of  today. 

Ra.o  dz.  JanoJjio 

In  Rio  de  |aneiro,  a  dynamic  organiza- 
tion called  Viva  Rio  was  born  in 
response  to  a  series  of  tragedies  that 
scandalized  Brazil,  including  the 
killing  of  8  children  next  to  a  down- 
town church  and  the  massacre  of  22 
persons  in  one  of  the  slums.  Both  of 
those  atrocities  were  committed  by  the 
local  police. 

Viva  Rio  brings  together  peace 
activists,  social  workers,  business 
leaders,  school  and  university  stu- 
dents, youth,  elderly,  religious  leaders, 
the  media  and  more.  This  has  resulted 
in  extensive  and  creative  campaigns  to 
raise  public  awareness  of  issues  and 
specific  projects  involving  community 
policing,  job  training,  legal  aid — and 
now  an  exciting  project  to  build  a 
national  civilian  and  peace  service  for 
disadvantaged  youth  that  already 
involves  over  3,000  young  people. 
Their  work  is  effective  and  direct — 
and  raises  questions  about  appropriate 


-^■-'^.i^^Sr'V*  <1 


wv^-- 


^: 


yf^  I 


■^ 


;"% 


^    i 


A  peace  March  /«  November  1994,  at  Copacabana  Beach,  Rio  de  Janeiro. 


partnerships. 

To  find  the  people,  the  money,  the 
space  and  the  trust.  Viva  Rio  works 
with  anyone  willing  to  assist.  They 
work  with  evangelicals  and  Pente- 
costals,  Presbyterians  and  Catholics, 
Buddhists  and  business  owners, 
schools,  media,  and  government.  And 
they  work  with  corporations  like  Shell, 
Xerox,  and  Coca  Cola.  Viva  Rio  argues 
that  the  violence  is  not  selective,  that  it 
affects  everyone  and,  therefore,  every- 
one has  to  work  for  peace.  They  also 
argue  that  partnership  on  a  project 
does  not  mean  marriage  for  life,  and  it 
doesn't  mean  they  agree  with  all  the 
actions  or  beliefs  of  their  partners. 

If  we  want  to  consider  ourselves 
peacemakers  and  want  to  address 
some  of  the  serious  problems  found  on 
the  streets  and  around  the  world,  we 
will  have  to  partner  with  other 
churches  and  organizations.  Who  are 
we  willing  to  work  with?  Do  we  work 
only  with  Christians?  Or  certain  kinds 
of  Christians?  Only  pacifists?  Or  to 
those  holding  a  certain  code  of  behav- 
ior? Who  determines  that  code  of 
behavior?  Do  we  hold  individuals  and 
corporations  to  different  codes  of 


ethics?  Where  do  we  draw  the  line? 
How  do  we  draw  the  line?  Should  a 
line  be  drawn? 

This  year  has  seen  dramatic  progress 
in  the  pursuit  of  peace  in  Northern 
Ireland,  and  the  media  have  given  the 
politicians  a  high  profile  in  the 
process.  What  has  not  been  so  well- 
recognized  is  the  work  of  many 
organizations  and  thousands  of  indi- 
viduals who  over  30  years  since  "The 
Troubles"  began  have  laid  the  foun- 
dation for  dialog  and  trust  that  made 
the  agreement  and  popular  support 
of  that  agreement  possible.  One 
example  is  the  Forthspring  Methodist 
Church  and  its  neighboring  Catholic 
community,  who  are  divided  by  a 
high  wall  that  was  built  to  reduce  the 
violence  between  the  Protestant  and 
Catholic  communities  there.  They 
opened  their  doors — literally 
through  the  wall — to  serve  as  a  place 
where  people  from  both  communities 
could  meet  and  share  and  build 
understanding  and  trust. 

Another  example  is  Billy  Mitchell,  a 
former  Protestant  paramilitary  com- 


mander who  served  a  double  life  sen- 
tence for  murder,  and  Liam  Maskey,  a 
former  active  member  of  the  IRA  who 
also  served  time  in  prison,  who  now 
work  together  to  demonstrate  the  need 
for  reconciliation  and  joint  community 
development.  These  are  people  who 
took  seriously  the  gospel  call  to  be 
peacemakers  and  worked  steadily  and 
quietly  and  long  to  undergird  a  fragile 
political  peace  with  a  strong  popular 
call  for  reconciliation.  Perhaps  we 
Brethren  are  more  comfortable  with 
this  kind  of  steady,  quiet  effort,  but  it 
challenges  us  just  the  same.  It  makes 
us  look  at  our  own  communities  and 
see  how  we  can  build  and  strengthen 
peace  and  understanding  among  the 
entire  Christian  community,  between 
different  faiths  and  ethnic  groups,  and 
in  civil  society  itself — so  that  conflict 
does  not  irrevocably  divide  us. 

What  the  WCC  is  able  to  accomplish 
through  the  POV's  Peace  to  the 
City  Campaign  at  the  practical  level 
through  networking,  sharing 
resources,  inspiring  hope  and  expand- 
ing efforts  at  building  peace,  is  indeed 
a  cause  for  celebration,  especially  by 


December  1998  Messenger  15 


the  historic  peace  churches  that  have 
been  so  instrumental  in  its  formation 
and  maintenance.  Yet  there  is  a  still 
deeper  significance  when  one  thinks 
of  the  centuries-old  debate  among 
Christian  pacifists  and  advocates  of  a 
"just  war"  approach.  Margot  Kass- 
mann,  from  the  Evangelical  Church  in 
Germany  and  member  of  the  Central 
and  Executive  Committees  of  the 
WCC,  puts  it  into  perspective: 


A  longing  for  the  abolition  of 
war  and  a  debate  about  the  possi- 
bility of  a  just  revolution — a 
legitimate  use  of  violence  to 
advance  the  cause  of  justice — 
have  historically  been  the  two 
focal  points  of  the  discussion  of 
violence  within  the  ecumenical 
movement.  The  Program  to  Over 
come  Violence  has  a  different 
point  of  reference,  looking  at  the 
red  thread  of  nonviolence  and 
nonviolent  action,  and  a  much 
broader  perspective,  including 
the  violence  experienced  in 
daily  life.  Thus  it  enters  new 


Brethrening 


Radiation  treatment 


ground.  To  discover  the  power  of 
nonviolence  in  international  con- 
flict, in  the  struggle  for  justice  and 
in  daily  life  might  free  us  for  new 
creativity  and  a  fresh  look  at  his- 
tory (Overcoming  Violence,  WCC 
Risk  Book  Series,  1998). 

Through  the  Program  to  Overcome 
Violence,  nonviolence,  not  violence, 
is  the  frame  of  reference  in  ecumeni- 
cal dialog  on  the  nature  of  the 
church  and  its  theological  founda- 
tions. The  significance  of  this  debate 
cannot  be  underestimated,  even  if  the 
road  ahead  is  still  long  and  difficult. 
Nor  can  we  underestimate  the  power 
a  small  group  of  Christians  who  call 
themselves  Brethren,  Mennonite,  or 
Quaker,  have  on  international  Chris- 
tian dialog  and  action. 


T?, 


ere  is  no  doubt  that  the  witness  of 
the  historic  peace  churches  is  a 
major  influence  and  chal- 
,,     ^    lenge  to  the  ecumenical 
movement.  There  is  also 
no  doubt  that  we  are 


also  challenged  by  the  realities  of  this 
world  and  the  need  to  be  actively 
engaged  in  the  witness  for  peace  and 
justice.  Indeed,  the  challenge  for  us  to 
remain  active  in  this  vital  ecumenical 
dialog  and  action  is  stronger  than  ever. 
The  worldwide  ecumenical  movement 
is  now  perhaps  more  open  to  the  wit- 
ness of  the  historic  peace  churches, 
and  through  increased  prayer,  involve- 
ment, and  financial  support,  we  can 
demonstrate  that  our  concern  for 
peace  is  not  just  a  nice  historical  foot- 
note, but  a  vibrant-and  practical-part 
of  our  faith. 

As  we  sing  our  carols  this  season, 
and  celebrate  the  birth  of  the  Prince  of 
Peace,  let  us  also  re-examine  how  we 
are  working  around  this  world  to  over- 
come a  culture  of  violence  with  a 
culture  of  peace. 

Sara  Speicher  is  a  member  of  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  and  currently  series  as  program  assistant 
to  the  World  Council  of  Churches '  Program  to 
Overcome  Violence  in  Geneva.  Switzerland.  In 
January  1999  she  will  begin  a  new  position  with 
the  WCC  as  Cluster  Communications  Officer 


Ellen  Gasaway.  a  member  of  First  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Springfield.  III.,  wrote  this  to  her  friend  and  fellow  church 
member  Jan,  who  was  heading  to  the  hospital  to  begin  radia- 
tion treatments  for  breast  cancer: 

God's  love  radiates  throughout  our  lives 
it  illuminates  our  darkness 
it  calms  our  fears 

it  finds  its  way  into  walls  of  hatred  and  fortresses  of  prejudice 
and  begins  to  touch  those  who  need  His  transforming  love. 

God's  love  radiates  from  His  people 

when  they  gather 

they  shine  on  one  another 

happy  to  be  in  each  other's  company 

joyful  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord 

He  reaches  out  through  those  who  know  Him  to  those  who 
need  to  know  Him. 

God's  love  radiates  all  around  us 
in  the  golden  colors  of  a  fall  day 
in  sunshine  sparkling  in  a  puddle  or  pond 

16  Messenger  December  1998 


in  the  warm,  bright  colors  of  spring 
and  the  clean  crisp  brightness  of  a  fresh  snow. 
Nature  is  filled  with  reminders  and  reflections  of  God's 
love  for  us. 

God's  love  radiates  from  you 

reaching  out  to  others  in  so  many  ways 

in  the  wonderful,  whimsical  cards  you  send 

in  your  laughter 

in  your  honesty,  and  your  willingness  to  share  your  feelings. 

God's  love  shows  in  you  as  you  change,  led  by  His 
loving  Spirit. 

God  gives  each  of  us  a  radiation  "treatment"  every  day. 
He  blasts  us  with  His  love  as  soon  as  we  open  our  eyes,  and 
bombards  us  with  grace  and  mercy  throughout  our  day. 
The  rays  of  His  love  are  powerful,  and  they  have  side  effects: 
Love  and  joy,  and  hope,  and  forgiveness,  and  peace. 

When  you  start  your  radiation  treatment  today,  remember: 
You've  already  had  one!  — Ellen  Gasaway 


Messenger  woult^  like  to  publish  other  short,  colorful,  humorous  or  poignant  stories  of  real-life 
incidents  involving  Brethren.  Please  send  your  submission  to  Messenger.  145  J  Dundee  Ave. 
Elgin.  IL  60120-1694  or  e-mail  to  the  editor  at  jfarrar_gb@brethren.org. 


I 


k  Fired  up  i 


Follonir  up  reports  from  the  three 
congregatiens  whose  faith  was  tested  by  fire 


Three  Church  of  the  Brethren  congregations  were 


victims  of  fire  earlier  this  year  —  Manchester 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  North  Manchester, 


Ind.,  Pike  Run  Church  of  the  Brethren,  near 


Somerset,  Pa.,  and  Faith  Church  of  the  Brethren, 
Batavia,  III.  Following  are  updates  from  the  pastor 
of  each  of  the  congregations. 


December  1998  Messenger  17 


Love  in  action 

Erin  Matteson.  Faith  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  Batavia.  III. 

It  seems  unbelievable  that  this 
month  has  marked  seven  months 
since  the  March  2  fire  at  Faith 
Church.  And  yet  we  have  been  able 
to  accompHsh  so  much  during  that 
time.  We  assembled  a  building  com- 
mittee, worked  with  Mutual  Aid 
Association  to  secure  a  contractor, 
named  a  "volunteer  coordinator," 
and  began  work  on  a  vast  number  of 
projects. 

Since  about  April,  we  have 
cleaned,  scrubbed,  and  scrubbed 
again  soot  and  ash  from  walls  and 
rooms.  We  have  painted  much  of  our 
downstairs  and  made  some  choices 
on  carpeting  and  linoleum.  We  have 
ordered  pew  cushions  and  a  pulpit 
and  lectern.  We  have  decided  on 
doors  and  lighting  and  stained  glass 
that  needed  replacing.  And  we  con- 
tinue to  work  on  sound  system 
choices,  sanctuary  doors,  entryway 
flooring,  nursery  trimmings,  and 
other  contents  needs. 

The  God  who  promises  presence 
and  peace  has  been  so  very  present, 
particularly  in  the  folks  who  have 
surrounded  us  with  money,  prayers, 
and  a  lot  of  working  hands.  Lanark 
(III.)  Church  of  the  Brethren  even  let 
us  deliver  our  soot-ridden  pews  in  a 
trailer  and  then  cleaned  and  refin- 


ished  them  all!  What  a  gift! 

I  could  not  say  enough  about  how 
many  ways  God  has  moved  us,  wit- 
nessed to  us  and  allowed  us  the 
opportunity  to  provide  growth  and 
change  for  others  as  well.  From 
Habitat  for  Humanity,  to  young  men 
who  needed  to  do  community  ser- 
vice, to  community  folks  who  read 
about  our  tragedy  in  the  newspaper 
and  desired  to  come  over  to  help,  to 
Brethren  from  any  number  of 
churches,  to  many  folks  from  other 
nearby  churches,  to  people  from 
Mutual  Aid  driving  all  the  way  from 
Kansas.  We  have  experienced  love  in 
action  —  hands  aplenty  —  scrub- 
bing and  painting  alongside  us. 

Although  I  would  never  wish  a  fire 
on  anyone,  it  is  a  powerful  experi- 
ence to  live  through  this  strange 
cyclical  wonder  of  grieving,  great  joy 
and  thanksgiving,  discouragement, 
hope,  surprise,  and  presence.  It  has 
changed  all  of  us  at  Faith  Church. 
We  are  much  more  aware  of  the  dis- 
trict's and  the  denomination's  care 
for  us  as  a  sister  church.  We  are 
much  more  aware  of  our  place  in  the 
community,  and  of  the  other 
churches'  great  willingness  to  sup- 
port us.  We  are  more  aware  and 
thankful  of  people's  desire  to  be 
about  service.  Hallelujah! 

As  we  continue  our  work  and 
eagerly  pray  for  the  contractor  to  tell 
us  we  are  close  to  getting  a  date  to 
"go  home,"  as  a  pastor  I  cannot  help 
but  to  look  ahead  a  bit  for  us  as  a 
congregation  and  ask,  "What  will  we 
take  from  all  this?  And  what  will  we 
give  back  to  the  community?"  And  I 
have  many  thoughts. 

We  at  Faith  Church  have  come  so 
far.  Some  days  the  cup  has  seemed 
half  full.  And  others  it  has  seemed 
half-empty.  But  things  are  indeed 
coming  together  and  finally  we  feel 
like  we  can  see  the  scope  of  the 


remaining  project  —  the  "light  at  the 
end  of  the  tunnel"  is  in  sight.  We 
cannot  express  enough  gratitude  for 
the  denomination's  support. 

Yet  this  chapter  in  our  life  is  hardly 
complete.  We  do  have  further  to  go, 
and  keep  going  we  must!  We  still 
definitely  need  all  the  support  we  can 
find  in  the  weeks  ahead.  Please,  keep 
us  in  your  heart,  mind,  and  prayers 
especially  over  the  next  two  months. 
Do  not  forget  us. 


Refined  by  fire 

Susan  Boyer,  Manchester  Church  of 
the  Brethren,  North  Manchester  hid. 

Iuch  has  happened  in  the  life  of 
the  Manchester  Church  of  the 
Brethren  since  our  building  burned 
on  |an.  7.  If  you  travel  through 
North  Manchester  you  will  still  see 
the  burned  shell  of  the  church.  It  is  a 
monument  to  the  destruction  we 
have  suffered.  But  it  does  not  witness 
to  the  amazing  things  that  have  hap- 
pened in  the  last  eight  months. 

We  have  not  moved  urgently  but 
we  have  moved  deliberately.  We  are 
aware  as  a  congregation  that  if  we 


18  Messenger  December  1998 


move  too  fast  we  may  have  to  begin 
the  process  over  again.  So  we  have 
tried  to  thini<  quickly  but  with  con- 
sideration of  our  whole  church  body. 
The  first  month  after  the  fire  we 
focused  on  the  immediate  concerns: 
Where  will  we  meet  for  worship? 
How  will  we  have  Sunday  school? 
What  will  Love  Feast  look  like? 

We  then  moved  on  to  envisioning 
questions:  What  does  it  mean  to  be 
the  Manchester  Church  of  the 
Brethren  in  our  community?  Which 
of  our  neighbors  are  not  being 
loved?  How  can  we  show  them 
God's  love? 

Our  next  step  was  the  question  of 
location:  Should  we  stay  and  build 
on  the  same  site  or  should  we  move 
to  a  new  location?  On  Sept.  20  we 
took  a  vote  that  enables  us  to  buy 
25.5  acres  on  State  Road  1  3  and 
build  there. 

Now  we  are  heavily  into  questions 
of  building  design.  We  have  hired  a 
designer/builder  and  an  architect. 
We  are  going  through  a  process  of 
receiving  input  from  the  congrega- 
tion on  specific  ministry  areas  of  the 
building,  such  as  worship,  education, 
and  fellowship. 

Those  are  the  deliberate  steps  we 
have  taken  in  this  process  toward  a 
new  building.  But  there  are  many 
other  unplanned  things  that  have  just 
happened  by  the  grace  of  God. 

We  have  been  overwhelmed  with 
the  many  ways  we  have  been  loved 
and  supported  by  people  within  our 
denomination  and  outside  it.  Those 
contacts  are  too  numerous  to  men- 
tion. But  1  do  want  to  lift  up  some 
amazing  ways  we  have  deepened 
relationships. 

Immediately  after  the  fire,  Man- 
chester College  jumped  in  with  offers 
of  assistance.  College  representatives 
helped  us  deal  with  the  media  and 
offered  us  the  use  of  their  auditorium 
for  worship.  We  meet  there  every 


Sunday  and  often  during  other  times 
of  the  week.  It  is  a  generous  gift  and 
is  given  with  such  hospitality  that  we 
abound  with  gratitude  toward  the 
college.  Timbercrest  Home  offered 
us  the  use  of  its  facilities  for  events 
like  choir  rehearsals,  weekly  meet- 
ings, women's  relief  sewing,  and 
funeral  dinners.  Without  these  two 
sister  institutions  we  would  not  be 
able  to  function  with  such  ease. 

The  first  Sunday  that  we  were 
without  a  building  was  the  Sunday  of 
Butler  Chapel  AME  church's  dedica- 
tion of  its  new  facility  in 
Orangeburg,  S.C.  Butler  Chapel  is 
the  church  that  was  burned  by  arson 
and  for  which  the  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Emergency  Response/Ser- 
vice Ministries  coordinated  the 
rebuilding.  Several  people  from  our 
congregation,  including  our  entire 
youth  group,  helped  rebuild  their 
church  after  their  fire.  On  [an.  1  I ,  as 
Butler  Chapel  dedicated  its  new 
building,  an  offering  of  $3,000  was 
collected  there  to  help  us  rebuild.  In 
August,  Butler  Chapel  members  trav- 
eled from  South  Carolina  to  Indiana 
and  performed  a  benefit  concert  for 
us.  None  of  us  would  have  guessed 
that  when  we  traveled  to  South  Car- 
olina to  help  them  that  they  would 
someday  travel  to  Indiana  to  help  us. 

We  also  have  a  sister  relationship 
with  Iglesia  Bautista  Emmanuel  of 
San  Salvador,  El  Salvador  [See 
"Disaster  response  with  a  differ- 
ence," October].  It  is  a  partnership 
we  have  developed  over  many  years. 
They  also  sent  us  money,  but  more 
importantly  a  deep  friendship  filled 
with  prayer. 

Another  sister  relationship  we  have 
developed  because  of  the  fire  is  a 
kinship  with  the  First  Brethren 
Church  of  North  Manchester.  The 
feelings  between  our  two  churches 
had  been  difficult  and  strained  in  the 


past.  Because  of  the  fire  we  have 
begun  to  love  each  other  again.  From 
the  middle  of  lanuary  through 
Easter,  a  different  person  in  their 
congregation  prayed  for  us  every  day 
for  1  5  minutes.  Since  we  have  no 
building,  they  invited  us  to  join  them 
this  past  summer  for  a  joint  Vacation 
Bible  School.  We  kicked  off  that 
event  by  having  a  joint  Sunday 
morning  worship  service.  Without 
the  fire  this  never  would  have  hap- 
pened. It  is  amazing  how  tragedy 
unites  us. 

A  priest  of  a  Catholic  parish  in  Fort 
Wayne  called  me  the  week  after  our 
fire.  The  church  he  serves  had 
burned  to  the  ground  several  years 
before.  He  said  to  me,  "Someday  you 
will  thank  God  for  the  fire  and  see  it 
as  a  blessing."  At  the  time  I  thought 
he  was  a  bit  crazy.  I  think  I  will 
always  see  the  fire  as  a  tragedy.  I 
can't  imagine  ever  forgetting  the 
intense  grief  I  felt  watching  the 
flames  destroy  a  place  that  was 
sacred  for  me. 

However,  I  have  seen  the  blessings 
that  have  grown  out  of  our  disaster. 
In  some  ways  we  have  been  refined 
by  fire.  We  ask  more  important  ques- 
tions and  we  seek  more  relevant  and 
divine  answers.  Our  attendance  is  up 
substantially.  We  know  just  how  sur- 
rounded we  are  by  God's  presence 
and  the  love  of  our  brothers  and  sis- 
ters in  the  faith.  We  don't  take  the 
simple  things  in  life  for  granted  any- 
more. We  dream  in  more  creative 
ways.  We  know  the  church  is  not  a 
building  but  the  people  who  love 
jesus.  We  know  in  a  new  way  that  we 
are  not  in  control. 

But  most  importantly,  the  tag  line 
for  our  denomination,  "Continuing 
the  work  of  |esus.  Peacefully. 
Simply.  Together."  is  more  than  just 
a  tag  line.  It  is  now  a  way  of  life. 


December  1998  Messenger  19 


Building  the  people 
church 

Barry  Conn,  Pike  Run  Church  of  the 
Brethren,  Somerset,  Pa. 

I  am  sure  it  was  a  great  love  for  the 
Lord  and  a  lot  of  sweat  that  built 
the  first  Pike  Run  Church  of  the 
Brethren.  That  was  back  in  1914.  It 
was  a  time  when  neighbors  helped 
neighbors  and  when  a  church  relied 
on  its  members.  They  couldn't  run  to 
a  contractor  to  oversee  the  building 
of  the  church.  They  didn't  run  to  the 
local  lumber  supply  store  whenever 


and  for  whatever  was  needed.  The 
first  members  of  the  Pike  Run  church 
faced  a  great  challenge  as  they  built 
this  small  country  church. 

The  Pike  Run  congregation  will 
soon  have  a  new  building  because  of 
an  act  of  selfishness  and  hatred.  As  a 
congregation,  we  do  not  dwell  on  the 
act.  We  do  not  have  hatred  growing 
in  our  hearts  for  the  person  or 
people  who  caused  this  loss.  We  are 
only  looking  to  the  future  and  now, 
more  than  ever,  with  great  excite- 
ment. The  only  way  we  can  look  to 
the  future  with  excitement  is  because 
of  the  love  of  others. 

In  today's  fast-paced  world  we  find 
our  lives  busier  than  ever.  This  was 
one  of  the  problems  when  it  came  to 
building  the  new  church  because  the 
only  way  we  could  rebuild  was  by  the 
efforts  of  others  —  in  the  form  of 
money  that  was  donated,  from 


Church  of  the  Brethren  disaster 
relief,  from  Middle  Pennsylvania  Dis- 
trict volunteers  who  gave  many 
hours  of  help,  and  the  countless 
others  who  came  day  after  day. 

The  phone  still  rings  with  people 
asking  about  the  church;  money  is 
still  coming  in.  I  cannot  describe  the 
love  that  has  been  shown  to  us.  It  is 
this  love  and  encouragement  that  has 
kept  us  going. 

The  congregation  designed  and 
planned  the  new  building.  We  went 
through  the  red  tape  with  the  advice 
of  others  who  had  already  been 
through  the  building  process.  But 
when  the  actual  building  began,  the 
community  was  there  to  help. 

It  is  amazing  to  think  that  we  as  a 
congregation  broke  ground  on  May 
31  and  now  the  building  is  nearing 
completion. 

I  vividly  remember  the  first  day  we 


Brethrening  "^^ 

The  unexpected  Christmas  gift 

At  8:15  Christmas  Eve  1 997,  I  extinguished  my  candle 
and  moved  to  the  lobby  to  greet  the  family  of  faith,  both 
exhilarated  and  exhausted!  It  had  been  a  traditionally 
hectic  Advent  season,  and  though  the  candlelight  service 
that  evening  had  been  especially  beautiful  and  moving,  I 
felt  completely  drained  of  all  creative  energy.  Sunday  was 
just  a  few  days  away  and  I  still  hadn't  decided  how  to 
preach  my  post-Christmas  Sunday  morning  sermon. 

Weeks  before,  I  had  announced  the  title  for  that  sermon 
as  "Shepherds  and  Kings,"  but  for  some  reason,  no 
thread  of  purpose  seemed  to  pull  that  message  together, 
though  1  had  thought  and  prayed  over  it  for  some  time.  I 
put  aside  thoughts  of  that  service  as  I  greeted  folks  from 
my  congregation,  and  then  went  home  to  celebrate 
Christmas  with  my  family. 

At  9  p.m.  Christmas  night  I  went  to  bed  completely 
exhausted.  "How  am  I  going  to  preach  that  message. 
Lord?"  I  prayed.  Mentally,  I  began  to  think  through  the 
notes  I  had  made.  I  had  read  an  interesting  article  about 
the  shepherds  who  were  the  outcasts  of  society,  the  ones 
looked  down  upon  and  kept  apart  in  |esus'  day.  The 


20  Messenger  December  1998 


kings,  on  the  other  hand,  were  the  well-educated,  the  rich 
elite.  To  them  went  the  laurels  of  the  scholarly.  As  I 
thought  about  the  shepherds  and  kings,  I  began  to  think 
about  how  we  still  separate  people  into  groups  today  and 
yet,  how  we  are  still  all  welcome  and  equal  in  the  eyes  of 
lesus.  i  thought  then  of  an  old  poem  written  from  the 
perspective  of  a  poor  black  woman  called  "A  Christmas 
Lullaby,"  which  my  mother  read  to  us  every  year  on 
Christmas  Eve.  In  it  was  a  phrase.  .  .  "|esus.  He  just  love 
everybody  no  matter  who  they  be/  white  or  black,  rich  or 
poor,  just  like  you  and  me."  And  slowly  the  theme  for  my 
sermon  began  to  take  shape. 

The  next  day,  I  wrote  that  line  from  that  old  poem  at 
the  top  of  Sunday's  bulletin.  In  my  Christmas  file,  I 
located  a  copy  of  "A  Christmas  Lullaby"  for  the  children's 
story.  And  I  wrote  a  sermon  about  the  love  of  |esus  that  is 
so  welcoming  to  everybody,  and  challenged  the  congrega- 
tion to  look  at  other  people  with  the  loving  eyes  of  lesus, 
one  who  sees  no  prejudice. 

That  Sunday  morning  the  church  lobby  was  full  before 
worship.  Over  to  the  side  I  noticed  a  man  standing  whom 
I  had  not  met  before.  When  I  introduced  myself  to  him  I 
said,  "1  don't  think  we  have  met." 


started.  A  carload  of  men  came  from 
Middle  Pennsylvania  District  to  vol- 
unteer; the  footer  was  dug  and 
poured;  the  first  blocks  were  laid 
after  much  thought  and  measure- 
ment. 1  was  further  impressed  later 
that  day  when  a  car  stopped  and  two 
young  men,  ages  18  and  21,  got  out. 
They  asked  if  this  was  the  Pike  Run 
church.  "Yes  it  is,"  we  said.  They 
proceeded  to  help  us  for  a  few  hours, 
having  traveled  from  West  Virginia 
just  to  volunteer.  What  a  feeling  of 
love  that  remains  in  my  mind  and 
heart! 

As  1  look  at  this  bigger  building,  1 
think  how  we  have  been  taught  many 
valuable  lessons.  The  first  lesson  is 
the  importance  of  faith.  Our  faith  in 
God  has  pulled  us  through  this  situa- 
tion. It  kept  us  together  as  we  began 
to  strain  during  the  building  process. 
The  second  lesson  is  one  of  need.  We 


should  focus  on  the  needs  of  others. 
We  found  ourselves  with  a  great 
need.  Today  we  can  say  our  need  has 
been  met.  Now  I  hope  and  pray  that 
after  our  church  is  completed,  we  as 
a  congregation  and  as  individuals 
will  look  closely  at  the  needs  of 
others.  We  need  to  be  just  as  willing 
to  spend  our  time,  materials,  and 
energy  as  the  countless  others  who 
have  helped  us. 

I  really  think  building  a  church  can 
be  one  of  the  most  challenging  times 
in  the  life  of  a  congregation.  Now, 
nearing  the  end,  we  probably  have 
learned  many  valuable  lessons  —  on 
faith,  on  planning,  on  building,  on 
Christian  love.  I  pray  no  one  forgets 
what  we  learned. 

The  new  Pike  Run  church  will  have 
classrooms;  the  old  one  didn't.  The 
fellowship  hall  will  be  big;  the  old 
one  was  small.  The  new  sanctuary 


will  be  larger,  with  plenty  of  room  to 
grow.  Overall,  the  new  Pike  Run 
church  will  be  a  bigger,  more  beauti- 
ful, and  better  building.  Now  the 
congregation  has  the  opportunity  to 
reach  out  to  the  community  and 
invite  them  to  worship  to  learn  all 
about  Christ.  1  hope  the  congrega- 
tion puts  forth  the  same  effort  in 
building  the  people  church  as  the 
many  people  put  forth  in  building  the 
building  church. 

Sometime  in  the  near  future  the 
church  will  be  dedicated  to  God  and 
his  glory,  making  it  his  house.  At  that 
time  1  pray  that  each  member  will 
rededicate  themselves  to  this  greater 
ministry.  The  Pike  Run  church  has 
been  given  a  second  chance  because 
of  Christian  love  and  kindness. 
Praise  God  his  love  is  alive  in  his 
people.  1  know  it  is,  because  1  have 
felt  it  firsthand.     ifT^N 


^_ 


w-^^Tr^*"  i  * 


"We  couldn't  have  met  before,"  he  said  in  somewhat  of  a 
gruff  voice.  "This  is  the  first  time  I've  ever  been  in  this 
church."  He  said  his  name  was  |im  Dunham.  In  the  echoes 
of  my  mind,  a  little  voice  said,  "Don't  forget  that  name." 

Worship  went  well.  We  sang  Christmas  songs,  shared, 
prayed,  the  children  listened  to  that  old  poem  written  by  a 
black  woman  in  the  1940s,  and  I  preached  about  the  gift 
of  love  replacing  the  cloak  of  prejudice. 

And  then  during  the  singing  of  the  hymn  1  looked  up  to 
see  |im  Dunham  making  his  way  down  the  aisle.  He  came 
to  the  pulpit  and  said,  "I'd  like  to  speak  to  your  congrega- 
tion when  we're  through  singing."  And  so  at  the  end  of 
the  hymn  1  said  to  the  people,  "We  have  a  visitor  with  us 
who  would  like  to  share  something."  lim  came  forward 
and  asked  the  people  to  be  seated. 

He  said  when  he  came  to  worship  the  first  thing  he 
noticed  was  that  sentence  at  the  top  of  the  bulletin  about 
Jesus  just  loving  everybody  and  he  thought  "yes  that  is 
right."  And  then  he  said  he  heard  the  pastor  say  in  her 
sermon  that  we  too  should  love  everybody.  "Now,"  he  went 
on  to  say,  "I  work  with  a  lot  of  black  people  and  1  always  try 
to  be  really  nice  and  accepting  of  everyone,  but  my  co- 
workers make  fun  of  me.  They  say,  'That  (im  Dunham,  he's 


really  a  black  man  in  white  man's  skin.'  Now,"  he  said, 
"after  being  in  this  service  of  worship,  1  knew  there  was 
something  1  must  do."  And  then  he  sang  "Sweet  Little  Holy 
Child"  a  cappella,  so  beautifully  that  it  rang  in  the  stillness 
of  the  morning  air.  It  was  an  unexpected  Christmas  gift  for 
our  entire  congregation  to  share. 

After  church  I  asked  him  where  he  was  from.  "Ohio," 
he  said.  He  went  on  to  tell  me  that  his  father-in-law  had 
relatives  buried  in  our  cemetery  and  wanted  to  research 
the  family  history.  He  had  insisted  they  come  this  Sunday 
to  do  it.  Then  he  said,  "I  haven't  been  in  church  for  wor- 
ship in  about  five  years  and  1  couldn't  figure  out  why  we 
had  to  be  here  in  this  service,  on  this  Sunday.  Now  1 
know.  God  wanted  to  speak  to  my  heart  and  He  had 
something  for  me  to  do  in  return!" 

With  tears  in  my  eyes,  1  thought,  "And  1  didn't  know 
how  to  preach  that  sermon  until  God's  Spirit  touched  my 
heart  with  an  unusual  Christmas  message  intended  to 
reach  deep  into  the  soul  of  a  sojourner  in  our  midst." 
— fan  Custer,  pastor.  Huntsdale  Church  of  the  Brethren.  Carlisle.  Pa. 

Messenger  would  /ike  to  ptil/lish  other  short,  colorful,  humorom  or  poignant  storiei  of  real-life 
incidents  involving  Brethren.  Please  send  your  submission  to  MESSENGER.  1451  Dundee  Ave., 
Elgin,  IL  60120-1694  or  e-mail  to  the  editor  at  ffarrar_gb@brethren.org. 


December  1998  Messenger  21 


Political  implications 

of  the  parable  of  the 

unforgiving  servant. 


^^TT 


BY  Dale  Aukerman 

Through  much  of  the  history  of  the 
Church  of  the  Brethren  there  was 
the  widespread  practice  of  reading 
Matthew  18  to  persons  who  were 
about  to  be  baptized.  The  chapter 
was  seen  as  containing  teachings  of 
[esus  that  are  crucially  important  for 
Christian  living.  It  closes  with  a 
familiar  parable  told  in  response  to 
Peter's  inquiry  about  how  often  he 
should  forgive  someone. 

A  king  "wished  to  settle  accounts 
with  his  servants."  One  fellow  was 
brought  in  who  owed  him  something 
like  $10,000,000.  The  lord  ordered 
that  this  servant,  his  family,  and 
whatever  possessions  he  had  be  auc- 
tioned off  so  that  at  least  a  small 

22  Messenger  December  1998 


portion  of  the  debt  could  be  recov- 
ered. The  servant  fell  on  his  knees 
and  begged  for  more  time  to  get  the 
needed  sum  together.  The  lord  was 
moved  to  take  pity  on  the  man;  he 
knew  that  the  amount  owed  was  far 
beyond  the  man's  ability  to  repay, 
and  he  simply  forgave  him  the 
$10,000,000  debt. 

But  as  the  man  was  walking  out  of 
the  meeting  with  his  lord,  he  came 
upon  one  of  his  fellow  servants  who 
owed  him  $20.  He  seized  him  by  the 
throat  and  shouted,  "Pay  what  you 
owe."  The  fellow  servant  fell  on  his 
knees  and  pleaded  to  be  given  more 
time.  But  his  creditor  refused,  took 
him  off,  and  had  him  thrown  into 
prison  till  he  could  repay  the  debt — 
an  unlikely  prospect.  The  man  who 


had  not  been  prosecuted  by  his  lord 
for  the  debt  turned  as  prosecutor  on 
his  fellow  servant. 

But  other  servants  had  seen  the 
treatment  given  the  man  and  what  he 
did  in  turn.  They  told  their  lord,  who 
then  summoned  the  man  again  and 
told  him,  "You  wicked  servant!  I  for- 
gave you  all  the  debt  because  you 
besought  me;  and  should  not  you 
have  had  mercy  on  your  fellow  ser- 
vant, as  1  had  mercy  on  you?"  In 
anger  the  Lord  had  him  thrown  into 
prison  till  he  would  be  able  to  repay 
the  $10,000,000— an  extremely 
unlikely  prospect.  The  teaching 
closes  with  the  stark  warning,  "So 
also  my  heavenly  Father  will  do  to 
every  one  of  you,  if  you  do  not  for- 
give your  brother  from  your  heart." 


We  do  well  to  return  to  the  parable 
again  and  again.  With  that  huge 
sum  [esus  pictures  our  human  condi- 
tion before  God.  In  terms  of  what  we 
have  done  wrong,  each  of  us  is  faced 
with  far  more  than  we  can  possibly 
come  up  with  to  make  things  right 
with  God.  The  only  hope  for  us  is 
that  God  will  forgive  what  is  totally 
beyond  our  ability  to  make  right.  The 
outrageous  behavior  of  the  unforgiv- 
ing servant  helps  us  to  see  how 
preposterous  and  spiritually  perilous 
it  is  when  we  refuse  to  forgive  some- 
one else. 

The  implications  of  the  parable  for 
our  personal  relationships  are  clear 
and  vitally  important.  But  the  parable 
has  another  range  of  implications 
that  is  hardly  ever  recognized;  it 
speaks  very  directly  to  political  atti- 
tudes that  shape  American  society 
and  the  world.  There  are  hard-line 
attitudes  that  constitute  the  direct 
equivalent  of  seizing  the  fellow  ser- 
vant by  the  throat  and  demanding 
full  payment.  Such  attitudes  are 
especially  outrageous  when  they  are 
based  in  hard-line  religion.  For  then 
there  is  the  clear  sequence:  taking 
the  forgiveness  of  God  for  a  vast 
accumulated  debt,  but  refusing  to 
live  out  forgiveness  toward  others. 

M  main  impetus  in  the  politics  of 
A^this  country  is  the  drive  to  be  as 
tough  as  possible  on  criminals.  Vio- 
lence and  crime  are  huge  problems, 
and  the  response  which  seems  to 
have  the  widest  appeal  is  that  of 
coming  down  with  vindictive  retribu- 
tion on  those  who  get  caught.  The 
US  has  the  highest  incarceration  rate 
of  any  industrialized  country.  Pris- 
ons are  less  and  less  oriented  toward 
rehabilitation  and  more  and  more 
oriented  toward  harsh  punishment. 

The  surging  drive  to  be  tough  on 
criminals  is  a  direct  equivalent  of  the 
man's  choking  his  fellow  servant  in 
the  parable.  Weighty  practical  objec- 
tions can  be  raised  against  making 
very  tough  treatment  of  criminals  a 
cornerstone  of  society.  But  if  we  listen 
to  lesus  and  consider  the  parable, 
there  is  a  still  more  urgent  objection. 

We  are  not  the  upright  citizens  who 
righteously  demand  the  punishment  of 


others.  Even  if  it  is  very  much  in 
secret,  we  have  the  $10,000,000  debt 
accumulated  by  our  sinning  against 
God.  A  society  does  need  to  deal  with 
offenders.  But  our  attitudes  toward 
those  who  have  been  convicted  of 
criminal  behavior  should  be  shaped  by 
the  recognition  that  we  ourselves  are 
totally  dependent  on  God's  mercy  for 
the  forgiveness  of  our  very  extensive 
wrongdoing.  It  is  outrageous  if  we 
eagerly  accept  God's  forgiveness  but 
refuse  to  let  empathy,  compassion, 
and  forgiveness  enter  into  our  political 
attitudes  toward  criminals.  If  we 
believe  that  God  has  not  given  up  on 
us  but  keeps  trying  to  transform  us 
away  from  evil,  should  we  not  try  to 
support  society's  doing  that  toward 
offenders? 

Support  for  the  death  penalty  is 
typical  in  hard-line  religion.  Here 
again,  one  sees  hands  clutching  at 
the  throat  of  the  fellow  servant  and 
hears  the  demand  for  full  payment. 
The  man  in  the  parable  was  forgiven 
a  vast  sum.  His  treatment  of  his 
fellow  servant  showed  that  he  had  no 
real  sense  of  what  his  lord  had  done 
for  him.  When  church  people  sup- 
port the  death  penalty,  they  show 
that  they  have  not  really  been  over- 
whelmed by  God's  gracious  offer  to 
forgive  all  their  sins.  They  have  not 
comprehended  that  "the  wages  of  sin 
is  death"  (Rom.  6:23) — that  they  are 
capital  offenders.  They  join  in  the 
prosecution  like  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees  who  dragged  to  [esus  the 
woman  caught  in  adultery.  If,  how- 
ever, we  truly  take  in  the  magnitude 
of  the  mercy  we  are  in  need  of  from 
God,  we  cannot  ask  for  the  death  of 
some  other  offender. 

To  murder  someone  is  a  terrible 
act.  We  do  right  to  feel  deeply  with 
persons  who  have  had  a  loved  one 
murdered.  A  main  rationale  for  the 
death  penalty  is  that  killing  the  mur- 
derer (or  the  one  found  guilty  of  the 
murder)  helps  the  family  of  the 
victim  find  "closure."  One  can  take 
this  approach  only  if  one  rejects  the 
relevant  teachings  of  )esus. 

A  bereaved  person  who  refuses  to 
forgive  the  murderer — hard  as  that  is 
to  do — is  trapped  indefinitely  in  the 
anger  and  hostility.  But  more  than 
that,  the  person  fails  to  see  his  or  her 


extreme  need  for  God's  forgiveness  on 
a  greater  scale  than  even  the  forgive- 
ness needed  by  the  murderer.  Whether 
one  has  lost  a  family  member  to 
murder  or  is  simply  taking  a  political 
position,  wanting  to  have  a  murderer 
killed  goes  totally  against  what  (esus 
taught  about  forgiveness. 

In  war  comes  the  ultimate  in 
making  those  seen  as  offenders  pay 
up.  One's  own  side  is  regarded  as 
righteous,  the  other  side  as  evil.  War 
moves  beyond  unwillingness  to  for- 
give into  immense  destruction  and 
mass  killing.  In  terms  of  what  seems 
common  sense,  so  much  can  be  said 
for  the  need  to  go  to  war  in  some  cir- 
cumstances. Some  governments  do 
monstrously  evil  things.  One  country 
may  invade  another  country.  All 
around  us  is  the  myth  of  redemptive 
violence — ultimately  in  the  mass  vio- 
lence of  contemporary  warfare.  The 
Persian  Gulf  War  demonstrated  how 
ingeniously  successful  the  media  can 
be  in  selling  technological  warfare  to 
the  public  if  the  slaughter  of  great 
numbers  of  people  is  confined  almost 
entirely  to  the  other  side. 

But  if  as  Christians  we  seek  to  let 
lesus  have  the  final  word,  we  recog- 
nize our  utter  dependence  on  the 
mercy  of  God — as  in  the  parable. 
Because  we  acknowledge  our  own 
$10,000,000  debt  and  God's  readi- 
ness to  forgive  it,  we  cannot  proceed 
to  exact  vast  payment  for  what  is 
viewed  as  the  wrongdoing  of  the 
other  side.  We  see  ourselves  as  for- 
given sinners — not  as  the  righteous 
who  have  the  responsibility  to  inflict 
retribution  on  the  unrighteous.  Simi- 
larly, we  see  this  country  not  as 
God's  uniquely  righteous  nation,  but 
as  the  prime  mover  behind  much  of 
the  suffering  and  evil  in  the  world. 
We  are  left  without  any  just  platform 
for  going  to  war. 

With  this  perspective  we  can  refuse 
to  be  drawn  into  the  popular  "war  on 
terrorism."  We  cannot  join  the 
"good"  side,  identifying  and  elimi- 
nating the  "evil"  side.  Bombing  and 
mass  killing  is  evil,  no  matter  who 
does  it.  The  hatred  that  impels 
groups  to  target  US  embassies  and 
the  like  is  evoked  by  hateful  things 
the  United  States  does  against  large 


December  1998  Messenger  23 


numbers  of  people  around  the 
planet.  We  are  not  in  a  black  and 
white  world.  Considering  the  parable 
of  the  unforgiving  servant,  we  can 
point  to  the  need  for  every  side  to 
turn  back  from  revenge  and  live  out 
the  graciousness  of  God. 

The  parable  deals  with  God's  will- 
ingness to  forgive  human  sin  and 
the  common  human  unwillingness  to 
forgive  the  sins  of  others.  But  the 
imagery  is  that  of  an  economics  of 
compassion.  What  dominates  our 
world  is  the  hard-line  economics  of 
the  rich  accumulating  still  more 
wealth  and  the  poor  becoming  more 
abjectly  poor.  As  a  rule  those  who  are 
into  hard-line  religion  align  them- 
selves politically  with  this  hard-line 
economics,  which  around  the  world 
favors  the  rich,  disregards  the  poor, 
and  ruthlessly  abuses  the  environ- 
ment. The  economics  these  church 
people  give  their  political  support 
and  vote  to  is  the  opposite  of  the 
economics  chosen  by  the  lord  in  the 
parable. 


Consider  one  dimension:  The 
impoverished  countries  of  the  world 
carry  a  huge  burden  of  international 
debt  owed  to  the  governments  and 
institutions  of  the  rich  countries.  Typi- 
cally these  countries  year  after  year 
pay  much  more  in  interest  and  princi- 
pal on  these  debts  than  they  can  pay 
for  health  care  and  education.  This 
economic  squeeze  hits  the  poorest 
people  the  hardest.  A  movement  called 
lubilee  2000  (from  the  biblical  year  of 
jubilee  with  its  forgiveness  of  debts)  is 
working  for  the  cancellation  of  the 
crushing  international  debt  of  the  poor 
countries.  Wouldn't  that  be  very  much 
in  the  spirit  of  the  lord  depicted  in  the 
parable? 

When  issues  in  the  society  or  in  the 
church  become  quite  emotional,  bel- 
ligerent hard-line  attitudes  come  out 
that  figuratively  amount  to  seizing 
people  on  the  other  side  by  the  throat 
and  shouting  at  them  about  how 
wrong  they  are.  Such  attitudes  can 
be  most  pronounced  in  those  who 
are  surest  that  they  are  on  the  right- 
eous side.  But  we  can  know  from  the 


parable  that  such  hostile,  prosecuting 
attitudes  are  not  what  God  wants. 
Stands  need  to  be  taken  and  reasons 
given;  but  those  who  contemplate 
their  own  $10,000,000  debt  will  not 
commit  the  outrage  of  shouting 
blame  at  others. 

The  parable  presents  the  gospel  of 
God's  forgiving  human  sin.  But  it 
then  describes  behavior  that  goes 
terribly  against  the  right  response  to 
that  forgiveness.  Churches  that  put 
the  most  emphasis  on  "salvation" 
and  sins  being  forgiven — the  first 
scene  in  the  parable — are  often  the 
most  oblivious  to  the  political  impli- 
cations of  the  second  scene  in  the 
parable.  We  need  continually  to 
examine  ourselves  in  our  personal 
and  in  our  political  lives,  lest  we  be 
confounded  in  the  third  scene,  the 
time  of  accounting  to  the  Lord  for 
how  we  have  lived  out  the  grace 
given  us. 


Dale  Aukerman,  a  writer,  preacher  and 
peace  advocate,  lives  near  Union  Bridge.  Md. 


Brethren  Volunteer  Service  seeks 
Older  Adult  Volunteers 

Attend  a  Special  Orientation  Unit 
May  4-14.  1 999/New  Windsor.  Maryland 

Application  Deadline:  March  29,  1999 

Contact  the  BVS  office  for  more  Information 
or  an  application  packet. 

800-323-8039 

1451  Dundee  Ave.,  Elgin,  IL  60120 
fax:  847-742-0278  e-mail:  bvs_gb@brethren.org 

work  with  those  on  the  edge  of  society  *  find  new  meaning  in  life 
serve  basic  human  need  *  challenge  yourself  *  work  for  peace  *  share  your  wisdom 
offer  valuable  support  to  worthwhile  projects  *  advocate  justice  *  use  life  skills 
he  ruined  fur  life  *  live  simply  *  re-vitalize  your  spiritual  life  *  be  flexible 
put  your  faith  into  action  *  live  a  new  story  *  share  God's  love  *  go  on  an  adventure 
offer  a  cup  of  cold  water  *  make  new  friends  *  live  in  a  new  place 
visit  those  in  prison  *  maintain  the  integrity  of  creation  *  experience  a  new  culture 

do  the  work  of  Jesus 


Mice  I'ctr.t  IciictiLV  liiifilisli  ill  The  World  Friendship  Center.  Hiroshima.  Japan 


24  Messenger  December  1998 


622 


10  16 
10:14 


116 


.11  4 


.11  5 


.isted  on  these  pages  are  articles, 
3oems,  editorials,  opinions,  names 
3f  contributors,  and  obituaries  that 
appeared  in  Messenger  during 
1 998  Classifications  have  been 
nade  according  to  author  and 
lubject  matter  Numbers  indicate 
Tionth  and  page  number. 

^uthore 


kukermdn.  Dale 

Get  your  hands  off  his  throat'    .         ...    12:22 

Living  with  dying  .     .  , ,  .4: 1 6 

The  problem  with  pluralism 7:23 

lalami,  Nvwa 

Lookrng  bacl:  5:12 

leaty,  Angela 

Brethrening  Angela's  heavenly  encounter 

.1023 
lenedict,  James 
Fetal  tissue  issue 
tieber.  Charles 

Fond  Greetings  for  Wary  Dadisman 
The  Nigena  Jubilee  Tour 
lowman,  Janet 

In  Touch  .       ...     9.5 

lowser,  Pauls 

The  I'ouble  with  Amos  12:10 

Irown,  Dale  W. 

Ode  to  old  Bethany 3:26 

Irubaker,  Paul 

Brethrenmg  Revive  us  again    .         .....  .6:19 

Iryan,  Regina 

Butler  Chapel  choir  goes  to  Indiana  to 

"tear  down  walls" 
iryant,  Becky 

In  Touch  .       . 

:assel,  Harriet  Hamer 
In  Touch  .     . 

iassel,  John 
Remembering  Bethany's  Oak  Brook  campus 

3.24 

Davidson,  Karin 

In  Touch  12  4 

lulabaum,  Nevin 

Brelhrening   Pot  pies  1/2:25 

A  dream  fulfilled  3:18 

In  Touch        5.3 

News .4:6,  7:6 

lull,  Ralph 

InTouch  11:5 

arrar,  Fletcher 

At  home  in  Pennsylvania  .     .....  .1/2' 

At  your  service!  3 

Faithful  funding  ...    1 1 

For  everything  there  is  a  season     10 

The  church  is  we  rather  than  they 
Moderator  Elaine  Sollenberger  works 
to  bring  us  together  ..    1/2.14 

A  confident  new  Bethany       6  10 

Editorial    1/2:32.  3.32.  4  32,  5.32.  6:32.  7  32, 
8:32.932.10.32.1132,12.32 
Heed  their  hindsight  ...  .6:14 

Holy  impatience   William  Sloane  Coffin's 

message  to  US  churches  5  23 

Hope  for  the  middle-class  malaise  1/2:22 

Interagency  Forum    Can  Annual  Conference 

become  more  of  a  hub?  .1/2  16 

Orlando '98  ...  8  10 

Wanted:  A  new  heart  for  ministry  .....  .4  1 2 

What  makes  a  Great  Hour'  3  22 

aw,  Chalmer  E. 

What  American  Brethren  might  learn  from 

Nigerian  Brethren 
erree,  Beth 

InTouch  .     ,. 

inney,  Harriet  and  Ron 

The  Brethren  Academy  

itzkee,  Don 

In  Touch  ...... 

orry,  Roger  L 

Brethrenmg.  Pour  on' 

iarber,  Julie 

Brelhrening.  Buned  treasure 

Brethrenmg:  Detestable  Anabaptists 

iasaway.  Ellen 

Brethrenmg   Radiation  treatment  . 

iibble.  Kenneth  L. 

Dangerous  dunking 

More-or-less  faith .5:24 

irady,  Duane 

Transformation 8:28 

irout,  Phil 

Orlando  '98  (photos) 8: 1 0 

irubb.  Sue 

EYN'5  Diamond  Jubilee  5.10 

Nigerian  workcamps    Bridging  the  gap      5  13 

laidu.  Nate 

Young  adults  focus  on  Jesus  and  his  role 

in  their  lives  . .  .1/2  6 


10 


10  19 


83 


,  .4:14 


.3:5 


.3:23 


1/2  18 
5  25 


12  16 


8  26 


Hart2,  Brian 

Roots  in  Vietnam    4:23 

Harvey,  Phyllis 

InTouch  9.4 

Hegedus,  Nathan 

BVS  healing  the  wounds  of  war     7:19 

Heishman,  Nancy  and  Irvin 

Seeing  the  Brethren  through  eyes  of  color 

.       .    10  29 
Kauffmann,  Joel 

Pontius  Puddle  1/2.29,  3  29.  4  29,  5  29,  6.28. 

7  29,8.30.9-30 
Keeney,  Mervin 

How  did  we  become  involved  in  the 

Dominican  Republic?  1 1:17 

Start  your  engines,  team! 10:20 

Walking  together— the  next  steps  11:18 

What  do  sisters  say  to  each  other'  5  14 

Kindy,  Gloria 

InTouch  .     .  .     .1/2.3 

Knepper,  Nancy 

The  crucial  role  of  districts     4:13 

Lehman,  James  H. 

The  spint  that  gave  birlh  to  BVS       .     ...  7:12 
Leard, Jeff 

The  joys  and  concerns  of  youth  work  in 

Northern  Ireland  .       .       .       .5:18 

Taking  the  chill  off  Belfast 5  16 

Leininger.  Phyllis 

InTouch  12:5 

Lersch.  Jean 

Brethrenmg    A  word  to  work  for  .  .  .7:22 

In  Touch  4.3 

Lichty,  D.  Eugene 

Whatever  happened  to  Sunday  school'    .6.24 
Lichty,  Eloise 

In  Touch  1/2  4 

Mason,  Joseph  M. 

Tracing  footpnnts  in  the  soil  3  1 7 

Mason,  Steve 

Brethrenmg  Who's  the  boss'  .    10:26 

McCoy,  Shelby  F. 

Brethrenmg    Cold  feet  no  more  .4:15 

McFadden,  Wendy 

From  the  Publisher       1/2  2,  3  2,  4  2,  52,  6  2, 
72,8.2,92,  102.  11  2.  12.2 
Mayer,  Robin  Wentworth 

Stepping  Stones  1/213 

Metzler,  Ann  and  Jon 

InTouch  3  3 

Miller.  Deborah 

InTouch  7  3 

Miller,  Gwendolyn  S. 

InTouch  . 12  3 

Miller,  Randy 

NYC  1998  9  9 

Part  of  the  solution  7:11 

Neher,  Marsha  Miller 

Brethrenmg    Communion  Bread  101 
Nolen.  Heather 

The  greatest  sm  is  standing  idly  by       .   1/2  10 

News  Washington  Office  calls  for  support  of 
Peace  Tax  Fund  8  8 

Radcliff,  David 

Being  good  to  God's  good  earth  1 1 :22 

Guatemala  heartaches  ,    .  8:22 

Justice'  Or  just  us?  .     .1/2  19 

Peace  for  food  6  17 

Ramirez,  Frank 

Brethren  family  reunion  96 

No  creed  but  the  Bible  3  14 

Reynolds,  Irene  S. 

InTouch  63,65,83,  103,  11  5 

Rosenberger,  Mary  Sue 

Puerto  Pico  blessings  4  24 

Royer,  Howard 

InTouch  1/2  5 

Scott,  Marilyn 

Brethrenmg    Service  with  a  smrle    . .    .     6  12 
Smalley,  David 

In  Touch 44 

Snyder,  Don 

Brethrenmg  Dog-gone  sermon     ...      11  19 
Speicher,  Sara 

Learning  about  being  Brethren  at  the  World 
Council  .  12  12 

The  program  to  overcome  violence  12  11 

Steiner.  Donna  Forbes 

Icons,  images,  impressions 10  17 

Ulrich, Joel 

Beans  and  nee  and  Jesus  Christ    .  5  20 

Family  reunion  in  Di  Linh  4  20 

Ungemach,  Shelly 

Speaking  out  for  those  already  silenced  1/2  10 
Wagner,  Murray  L. 

Living  beyond  nght  and  wrong  9  8 

Waltersdorff,  Christy  J. 

The  five  feisty  daughters  of  Zelophehad   1 1 .26 
Wampler,  Eva 

InTouch 10  4 

Weller,  Worth 

Disaster  response  vvith  a  difference  1 0  21 

Wiltschek,  Walt 

The  living  stones  of  BVS  .11  20 

Wine,  David 

My  prayer  promise  1/2  26 

Young,  David  S. 

Transformational  Sunday  school  10  24 

Young,  Sarah  Leatherman 

InTouch  10  4 

Ziegler,  Earl  K. 

Excitement  is  growing  in  the  Dominican 

Republic  11  15 

Zunkel.  Wayne 

An  auction  that  cares 1 1 .24 

InTouch  7.5 

Llc«M«lwo/OrdlBatioii 


Allen,  Paul  P    11:31 

Bailey.  Patrick     6:31 

Barber,  Howard    1 2:31 

Bartholomew,  Paul 6:31 

Battle,  Michael  Glenn 9:31 

Bean.RubyAnn 11:31 

Beeghly,  Randall     3:30 

Belcher,  Marvin 8:31 

Bennett,  Melissa    5:31 

Benton,  Walter  T  "Skip" 5:31 

Bentzel.  Paul  W.        11:31 

Bishop,  Granville  Lee    9:31 

Bitner.  Robert  L 5:31 

Bitner,  Robert  L 1/2:30 

Btake,  Brian  John 1/2:31 

Bloom,  Geneva 9:31 

Booth,  Marilou  Genereaux  1 1 :31 

Borne.  Frednc     .       .  9:31 

Bosserman,  Sandra  Leach  1/2:30 

Bowman.  Ben  S 9:31 

Bradley.  Timothy  Talbott   1/2:31 

Bream,  Jonathan  W.     5  31 

Brumbaugh,  Alan  £       1 1 :31 

Burk,  KellyJ     1/2:31 

Carlson,  Melmda  K 6:31 

Carson.  James  Hubert    11-31 

Carter.  Jeffrey  8.31 

Charlton,  Burl 8  31 

Oark,  Randy         8:31 

Combs,  Daniel   8'31 

Cooper,  Mary 9:31 

Copenhaver.  Ronald  L     3:30 

Coursen,  Robert  3:30 

Coursen,  Robert  A 12:31 

Cox.  Mary  Margaret       3:31 

Criswell.  Scon  W.  1/2:31 

Croushorn,  Luke  A  . .3-31 

Daggett.  Joan 1 2  3 1 

Davis.  Barbra    3  31 

Derr,  H   Kevin  ..._ .  .8  31 

Dorsey,  Janice  Welch     1/2.30 

Doudt.  David  W  7:31 

Douglas.  Scott  .  .  7:31 

Earhart,  David  Lee        11.31 

Elsea.  Henry,  Jr 12. 31 

Emmons,  Anthony  E .3  31 

Ewing,  John         1/2:31 

Fogle.  Lerry        1/2:30 

Gates.  Ginger  M 6  31 

Gault.  Marv  Frances        1/2:30 

Gilbert.  Dena  .3  31 

Glasscock.  John  11  31 

Godfrey.  Richard  .    11.31 

Godfrey,  Stanley  Laverne    .11  31 

Grogg,  Timothy  631 

Grove.  Lois 5  31 

Hall,  Wayne 12  31 

Nankins.  Steve 11.31 

Hansen.  Philip    5.31 

Hartman.  Wayne  .1131 

Heck,  Oewayne 3:31 

Held.  Cheryl  Snyder 1/2:31 

Heller,  Jack  B  5.31 

Hess.  Nancy  H 331 

Hollmger,  Kathleen         11  31 

Hornbaker,  Judson  ...3  31 

Hosier,  Randy  5  31 

Hostetter,  Elvm  D  7  31 

Hostetter.  Rick  E  3  31 

Houghton,  James  £        3  31 

Huffaker,  Michael    3:31 

Hufford,  Usa     1/2:30 

Hullihen,  James    8:31 

Johnson,  Daniel     11:31 

Johnson,  Jesse   .  1131 

Johnson,  Kathenne .1 1 .31 

Johnson,  Kendall  Mark 9:31 

Johnson,  Randy  7  31 

Keeling.  J  Matthew 8:3 1 

Kelly.  John  Stuart  1/2:30 

Kessler,  Kevin        3:31 

Ketterman,  Richard  E      1/2:30 

Knepper.  Nancy  Fike       1/2:30 

Knotts.  Kenneth  Dale      3:31 

Kohler,  Paul 1/2:30 

Krahenbuhl,  Lee    1/2:30 

Lake.  Leslie       11:31 

Lambert,  Unda  . 8:31 

Lambert.  Unda       1131 

Larue.  Robin  . 3  31 

Laszakovits,  Gregory  E      1/2  31 

LJwver.  Charles  Franklin 7  31 

Lehigh,  Daniel  Grant    8  31 

Leinauer,  Pamela  t         1 1 .31 

Lewis,  Unda        12:31 

bndley,  Kyle        6:31 

Longanecker,  Kevin 11:31 

Longenecker.  David  L    5  31 

Lowry,  William  (Brett) .  .6  31 

Martin.  George  H  II  31 

Mason,  Carol  6  31 

McKinnell.  Leth  Minam  Miller  931 

Murphy.  Granville  7  31 

Myer.  Dennis  J .3.31 

Myers,  Lois         5  31 

Naff.  Jerry  Wayne 93 1 

Nalley,  Mischelle  R  3  31 

Nearhoof,  Sharon  831 

Ober.  Barbara    9:31 

Pfeiffer,  Carol  M 3:31 

Polzm,  Nathan   12:31 

Powers,  James ,3:31 

Powers,  Walter,  Jr.    3.31 

Prmcell,  Pamela  Sue 1131 

Pugh,  Edward  J 3:31 

Pyles,  Tyowen  Robert  3:31 

Rhodes,  Rebecca  Oliver   3:31 

Riffe,  John.Jr 12:31 

Routh,  Joe   6:31 

Rowe,  Twyla 5  31 


Rummel.  Robert  L   635 

Russel,  Charles 8.31 

Samland,  Vickie     5:31 

Satvedi.  Valentma    8:31 

Schildt.  Dwane 5:31 

Schmidt,  James  R 3:31 

Schrag,  Rick 9:31 

Schrock,  Randy  Lee 5:3 1 

Sexton,  Norma  .  .8:31 

Stevers.  Michael  Roben  1/2:31 

Smgo,  Tonya  J    .  .     .  . 1 1:31 

Snyder.  Ernest  M    8  31 

Sparks.  George     8:31 

Sparks.  Sharon     ...  831 

Spire,  Steven  Ronald  1/2.30 

Starkey,  Patrick  0      .  .3  31 

Statler,  Dana  Eugene 11 .31 

Staubs.  Michael      1/2:31 

Sweetman.  Don  .  .    6:31 

Swick,  Michael  11:31 

Thomas.  Darnel  R.  8:31 

Thompson,  Johnny  Lewis .9:31 

Vardaman.  Matthew  12:31 

Walther.  Richard  .  12:31 

Weatherholt,  Otis  "Buzz"  .8  31 

Weber,  Thomas  M  3:31 

Weyant,  John  S         .       .  ,5.31 

Williams,  Alfred  Lyons  5:31 

Williams.  Edward  Thomas  .3  31 

Wiltschek,  Walt    .  12.31 

Wine.  Ronald  K.  1/2  30 

Witmer,  Nelson 11-31 

Wolf,  Elizabeth  Ann 12  31 

Woodin,  Ataloa         1/2:30 

Wooten.  Eddie 12:31 

Yost,  Eric  W  : 3:31 

Zurm.  Jen  6  31 

Deaths 

Abbott,  Anna       ...  430 

Adams.MaryE       12.30 

Adolph,  Blanche 1 0:31 

Albin,  Charles  A 1/2  31,2.3 

Albright,  Harold 731 

AJbrite.  Lucille    12:30 

Alcala,  Janice  9:31 

Alexander,  Velme  6.31 

Alford.  Cathenne  Jannie  1/2  31 

Alger.  Edna  Henry 8:31 

Allen,  Lola    6*31 

Allison,  John  T 5  31 

Alt,  OttisP      ...  .831 

Altland.  Claudine  C  Mummert  5.31 

Amos,  Ruth  10  31 

Anthony,  Richard 531 

Ark.,  Violet        5:31 

Armentrout,  Jocie 12  30 

Arnold,  Esther  E 1/2.31 

Atkins.  Jerry  Edward  10  31 

B 

Babb.  Beatrice  H.  .    .9:31 

Bahn.  LeeA.       .       .  4  30 

Batard,  Mane  Walter  12:30 

Baile,  Salome  Mohler  1/2:31 

Baker,  Bertha  Ruth  1131 

Baker.  Bessie  Virginia  Dorman  .  .     .  .5:31 

Baker.  Elizabeth  Catherine  11  31 

Baker.  Kenneth  M  12  30 

Baker,  Lulu  10.31 

Baker,  Ruth  10  31 

Baker,  Willard  W 5,31 

Ballard,  Wilbur  .    _ 8:31 

Barclay.  Violet        7:31 

Bardell,  fay    .    .  10  31 

Barkdoll,  MarieBricker 1131 

Barnhart.  Glendell 12:30 

Barnhart.  Merton 3'31 

Barnhouse,  Jimmie .831 

Barr,  Aileen  F    7:31 

Barton  Juanita       1 2:30 

Batdorf.  Robert 5:31 

Bateman,  Annie  M 3:31 

Baugh.  Betty    3:31 

Baugh,  Retha      1/2:31 

Baughman,  Treva 531 

Bauserman.  Waldo 12:30 

Bazzle.  Claudia  D 12.30 

Beach.  David    3*31 

Beahm.  Henr>' E 8:31 

Beard,  Chanel     10  31 

Beard,  Dan.  Sr    1/2:31 

Bechdolt.  Paul    4.30 


.  3  31 
.6:31 
.4:30 
.3:31 
.3:31 


Bechdolt,  Paul  E 

Bechtold.  Jay 

Beck,  Alverta 

Becker.  Lois  

Becker,  Lucille    

Becker.  Richard  £    6:31 

Beckner,  Sarah  Lucy 5:31 

Beeghly,  Betty 11:31 

Belts,  bllian      3:31 

Bender.  Ruth  V 9:31 

Benson,  Robert 7-31 

Benson,  Robert  Jay 4  30 

Benson,  Talitha  C 8:31 

Berg.  Bessie  M 1 1 :31 

Berry,  J   Roger      5:31 

Biegel,  Beverly  B     8:31 

Bigler,  Earl  1/2:31 

Bishop,  Charles  J 4*30 

Bishop.  Ray  12:30 

Black,  Thornton  0 10:31;  11*4 

Black,  Tracy  M 4:30 

Blevins.  OtisU. 731 

Bloom.  Geneva .8:31 

Blosser,  Janice  M 4:30 

BIystone,  Harold  C 5:31 

Bochoven,  Annette      1 2:30 

Boitnon,  NellKersh  3:31 


Bollinger,  Alvin    1/2:31 

Bollinger,  Blanche  A 8:31 

Bollinger,  UHian    5:31 

Bollinger,  Rachel     9:31 

Bolt.  Helen  F       4:30 

Bond,  Mary  4:30 

Boone,  Sylvia  Meek 9:31 

Booth,  Elwyn  .    6:31 

Bowers.  Elizabeth     1/2:31 

Bowers.  Neil  10:31 

Bowman.  Clarence 6:31 

Bowman,  Garence  R. 8:31 

Bowman,  Ernie  Holt     4:30 

Bowman,  Grace  Virginia  ..............  ,4:30 

Bowman,  Ida  W  ...     .V2:30 

Boyd,  Ellen  4:30 

Brandt.  Abner  12  30 

Brandt,  Renee  3.31 

Brannan.  Mary  3  31 

Branlner,  Eva  . 8:31 

Brashear.  George   .  .    _ 3:31 

Bratton,  Barrv  1/2:31 

Brechbiel,  Fred  10:31 

Breidenbaugh,  Edna    1 2:30 

Bteidenbaugh,  Joyce   1 2:30 

Breidenstine,  Joseph 5:31 

Breneman,  Howard    .  . 4:30 

Bnllhan,  Thelma  Huffman   10:31 

Bnnegar,  Tommie       9:31 

Brock,  Frances  E  9:31 

Brown,  Elizabeth  5       4:30 

Brown,  Inez  3:31 

Brown,  Joshua  F  8:31 

Brubaker.  Bessie  Jane  Fillmore    4:30 

Brubaker,  Fredenck .        4:30 

Brumbaugh.  Berdella 5  31 

Brumbaugh.  Grayce    7.31 

Brumbaugh.  Uoyd ,3:31 

Bfunk,  Reatha  10:31 

Bucher.  Minnie  3:31 

Buerkle.  Beulah  E 5:31 

Buhrt,  Richard  E 9:31 

Burket.  Wilson  E     3:31 

Burkholder.  Alden  H 6:31 

Burfcholder.  Karen         5:31 

Burkholder,  Mary  E       6:31 

Busch,  Lora  Lee  Fleming  5:31 

Bushong,  Grace  Smucker  4.30 

Sushong.  Hugh  .       ..     .12:30 

Butler,  Emma  Durstine  4  30 

Butzler,  Joanne  V  8  31 

8yers.  AbigailJ  4.30 

C 

Caldwell,  Beauford       4  30 

Callahan,  Russell  4  30 

Campanella.  Francis  .........  .10:31 

Campbell.  Andrew  Charles,  Jr  .11:31 

Carpenter,  Lucille  H    .  10:31 

Carpenter.  Oscar    4  30 

Carper,  Raymond  A      831 

Carson,  Delbert  C     5  31 

Carter,  Fred  Leroy,  Sr    9:31 

Carver,  George 7:31 

Case,  Almeta  Ramsey 7:31 

Cassel.  Margaret        1/2:5,31 

Casteel,  Naomi  7:31 

Cave,  Bessie  L  8:31 

Cessna,  Vera  P  6:31 

Champaygne,  Edmund .4:30 

Chaney.  Vera  A.   .  12:30 

Chnsman,  Lee  9:31 

Chronister,  Velma  E      4  30 

Churchill,  Irvm .   6.3 1 

Oaar,  Bruce  3:31 

Clapper.  Rawletgh  L 3:31 

Clapper.  Terry  L 3:31 

Clark.  Kenneth  4:31 

Oark.  Luella  4:31 

Clark,  Maude  M  9:31 

Clark,  Mildred  8:31 

Clark.  Richard 9:31 

Clay.  Donald  0  1/2:31 

Cleland,  Nannie  Maxion 9:31 

Clement,  Vera  9:31 

Cline,  Esther  12:30 

Cline,  Lynwood 1 1 :31 

Cline,  Mary  Belle        4:31 

Oouser,  M  Helen     3:31 

Coffey,  James  William,  Jr.    5:5,31 

Coffman,  Edna  . 12:30 

Coffman,  Mane  £ 6.31 

Coleman,  Richard  F.    7:31 

Combs,  Herbert  H      5:31 

Conaway,  Dons      9:31 

Cook,  Olive  Ardelia    1 1 :31 

Cooper,  Edward  Gale .12:30 

Cooper.  Mary .8:3 1 

Corbin,  Mary  Jane    . .5:31 

Cordier.  Faye  3:31 

Corle.  J  Miiton  12:30 

Corle.  Richard  £ 12:30 

Cosner.  Jessie  K,     4:31 

Courtney,  Charles 6:31 

Cox.AlvmS 7:31 

Cox,  Don    4:31 

Craff.  LeviK 4:31 

Craig,  Arline     ....  3'31 

Crater.  Louise  J  4.31 

Craun.  Helen  Mane  Root  ..   11.31 

Craven,  Mary  4:31 

Cresson,  Faye 3:31 

Crilly,  Roy  4:31 

Cripe,  Sereala  L     9:31 

Cnst,  Anna 11:31 

Crownover,  Florence 1/2:31 

Crow/ther,  James 4:31 

Crull.  Bob     1/2.31 

Crumley,  Shirley  Spangler .9:31 

Crumpacker,  Morris     7:31 

Cupp.  Clarence      - 5:31 


December  1998  Messenger  25 


lodex  '98 


Custer,  Lucille     4  31 

Custer,  Millard  D 1131 

Custer,  Ruth 1031 

D 

Dalton,  Peggy  H         12  30 

Daniel,  Frances  E  ,     ...........        431 

Daniel,  Gazel  8  31 

Danner,  Lucdie  Mananna   , .  -    - 4  31 

Dannef,  Mananna  ,    . .    . . .  ,  ,    ,      .8  31 

Dart,  Alta  3  31 

Dascomb,  Ray  10  31 

Davidson.  Eldon  Dale     9  31 

Davidson.  Eva  Barnhart   .10  31 

Davis,  Mildred  1/2  31 

Davis,  Oliver  J   "Dick" 8  31 

Deanng,  J  Oliver  .  1 1  4,31 

Dehmey,  Ruth  ,.1/231 

Delawder,  Eart  F  ,.-.   11  31 

Delawder,  William  H         8.31 

Dell,  Mercelle  6  31 

Oelltnger,  Sessie  Mae     5  31 

Dellmger,  Belty  Jean         ,  ,  .  , 4  31 

Deiso,  Robert  F  531 

Denlinger,  Audra  L  1031 

Denver,  Carl  1131 

Derree,  Violet  1/2  31 

Detweiler,  Zola  Meyers      5  5.31 

Dickerson,  Joe  5  31 

Diehl,  Russell  J  8  31 

Diehl,  Wilmer  J  12  30 

Diffenbach,  Roy  4  31 

Dilling,  Howard  12  30 

Dilling, Nellies  1031 

Dinsmore,  David  4  31 

Dixon,  John  Henry _       4  31 

Dolby,  Dewaine 331 

Dollar,  Helen  10  31 

Dolly,  Dove  1131 

Donelly,  Mildred  12  30 

Donnelly,  Emmitt  1 2  30 

Donovan,  Vernon  E  ,  Sr      5  31 

Dooley,  Nonta  9  31 

Douglas,  Grace .5  5,31 

Dove,  Alton  "D(ck"  Delano   .    .      ..         1/2  31 
Dove,  Arnold  ....      ,  ,    .         631 

Dove,  Dennis  Dow  8  31 

Dove.  William  Howard     8  31 

Dowden,  Harold  A        1/2  31 

Drake.  Wayne  3  31 

Driver,  Erva  1  2  30 

Dnver,  F  Wise  5  31 

Driver.  Violet  Cook  !  2  30 

Dunn,  James  (Joe),  Jr       .331 

Durham,  Myrtle  1  2  30 

DuVal,  Robert 4  31 

E 

Eavers,  RubyG 1/2  31 

Ebert,  Mildred 1/2  31 

Edwards,  Ethelyn  6  31 

Eikenberry,  Ternll  3  31 

Eisenhart.  William  P         4  31 

Eitniear.  Eva  12  30 

Elder,  Curvin       9  31 

Embrey,  Ethel 3  31 

Emig,  William,  Sr ,     6  31 

Emiet,  Roy  5  31 

Endsley,  Ida  Mae  ,     3  31 

English,  Wallace  1/2  31 

Erwin,  Isabel  .  ....  -    -     431 

Eshelman,  Carolyn  10  31 

Eshelman,  Dave  10  31 

Etter,  Mae  3  31 

Evans,  Harold  V  1/2  31 

Evans,  Leia       4  31 

Evans,  Rhoda     10  31 

Evans,  Willard 6  31 

F 

Fahrney,  Wilbur  R 

Fair,  Miriam  10  31 

Farwell,  William  3  31 

Faust,  Phyllis  10  31 

Favorite,  Russell  H         6  31 

Fay,  IvaM  7  31 

Fearins,  Zona  12  30 

Feaster,  Patncia  Virginia  Lee  1 2  30 

Feathers,  Brady  12  30 

Felton,  Elsie  Florence ,4  31 

Fif er,  Fred  1131 

Fike,  Clarence  B ,8  31 

Fike,  Robert  E     4  31 

Fillmore,  Elmer  .12  30 

Fisher,  Amanda 3  31 

Fisher,  Audrey  4  31 

Fisher,  Pauline 6  31 

Flora,  Alvin  3  31 

Flora,  Daniel  J  3  31 

Flora,  Edith  Leonard       5  31 

Flora,  Essie  .      ...... 331 

Flora,  Karl  P      11  4,31 

Flora,  Lucille       3  31 

Flora,  Margaret  . ...7  31 

Flora,  Roy         _ 12  30 

Flora.  Wilford  C 4  31 

Flory,  Abram       3  31 

Flory,  Esther     12  30 

Flory,  H  Lee  4  31 

Flory,  Walter  Lee  4  31 

Flory,  Walter  5,  J  r  10  31 

Foley,  Dorothy  M  Higgs    1  2.30 

Folk,  Wilfred  4  31 

Follyman,  Blanche      .    .,,.,.. ,531 


Folt2,  Nancy    - 1/2,31 

Foltz,  Violet 6:31 

Ford,  Maude  £. 8:31 

Forney,  Paul    -.- -    .    .4:31. 

Forsyth,  Lear  A. ,4:31 

Fox,  DelbertL    - 7:31 

Fox,  George,  Sr     - -  .11. 31 

Frailey,  Glenn   .    . 3:31 

Francis,  Maxine    .  ,  , 12:30 

Frantz.  Delmond ,       .   7:31 

Frantz,  Tnlba 1/2  31 


Freeman,  Wendell 

5:31 

Fry,  Paul      

4:31 

Frye,  Benjamin,  Sr 

10:31 

Frye.  Clayton,  V     .       .       , 

1/2-31 

Fuhrman,  Mabel  E 

4:31 

Fulcher,  Minnie  Stone 

4:31 

Fulk,  Fred 

4.31 

Fulk,  Peggie  Louise  , 

5:31 

Fulmer,  Irene       

1/2.31 

Fultz  Charles  W    

11:31 

3:31 

Fyock,  Nellie       

8.31 

Fyook,  Evelyn          

1230 

C 

Gaene,  Julia       

4  31 

Galentine,  Leona    

-    .-  5.31 

Garber,  Dennis          

7,31 

Garber,  Howard  R    

.12:30 

Geesemore,  Ruth  

4:31 

Gehr,  Charles        

4:31 

Geib,  Wilhs            

11:31 

Getz,  Elvtn            

9:31 

Getz,  Ruth  K          

1/2-31 

Gibson,  Agatha    

.     6:31 

Gibson,  Meluin       

1230 

5  31 

5:31 

5-31 

Glosser,  Rhoda 

4,31 

Glotfelty,  Roger  P,  Sr. 

.      .      .     331 

Glover,  Russell 

.      ,      .1031 

Gochenour,  Isabelle 

.      ..331 

Gochnauer,  Mabel 

.       ,       ,431 

Godfrey,  Kenneth  C  ,  Sr 

1031 

Godfrey,  Sterling  L     , 

1/2:31 

1/2  31 

Good,  John  F.  Sr        .      . 

1/2:31 

Goodman.  Emmitt 

.1/2  31 

Gouker,  Elizabeth 

431 

Graber,  Glenn  J 

.      .       .3  31 

Grabner,  Harold                .     . 

431 

Grady,  Man^in  E        

7  31 

Graffis.  Homer 

431 

Grand,  Meral 

1031 

Grandstaff,  Ethel  Rebecca 

431 

Gray,  Carol 

1031 

Graybill,  Mazie           

731 

Green,  C  Ray         

.- 1031 

Greene,  Paul              

.631 

Greim,  Mary  Roop 

4:31 

Greiman,  Lillian  P 

431 

Greiner,  John 

.5-31 

Griffith,  Elbert  E 

.       .       ,       .8.31 

Griffith.  Herman  David 

1/2  31 

Grim,  Naomi  A  Smeltzer 

.       .       .       .4.31 

Grimes,  Eden  Hallie 

4  31 

Grimm,  Grace 

431 

Grimm,  James  M 

.      .    1031 

Groff,  Esther 

3:31 

4'31 

Grore,  Vivian , 

8:31 

Grove,  Vivian 

9  31 

Groves,  Claude  M 

..      ,           12.30 

Grumbling,  Richard  A. 

1/2  31 

Guilliams,  Minnie 

4.31 

Guise,  Mary  R 

331 

Guyer,  Velma 

....     7.31 

H 

Haldeman,  Clarence 

3:31 

Hall,  Gary 

4  31 

Halterman.  Lena  Virginia  Sm 

th                 .  5:31 

Hamer,  Maryanna 

.     12.30 

Hamillon,  Harry 

331 

Hamilton.  Helen  Faye-Moore 

Whitmire       11  31 

Hampton,  Chalmer 

.3  31 

Harbold,  Lloyd  E     ...      . 

.      .       ,      1/2.31 

Hargett.  Betty     

1/231 

7,31 

Harm,  Paul  F,  Sr       

1031 

Harman.  Rena  V         

5:31 

Harnage,  Bertha  C 

6  31 

Harper,  Hazel            

4:31 

Harris,  John  W       

4  31 

Harris,  Woodrow 

931 

Hartman,  Kenneth 

4,31 

Hartman,  Robert  N 

4:31 

Harvey,  Homer  H 

.       .       ,      12,30 

Hawk,  Doneth        

531 

Hawk,  Doneth,  Mrs      ... 

1/2,31 

Hawkey,  Alberta  T        .  .    .  . 

6:31 

Hawkins.  Lourse  Sanger 

,  ,    ,  ,   1/2,31 

Hawkins,  Reddy  Fagg,  Mrs. 

3-31 

Hearn,  Cloyd  A 

,       ..          8:31 

Heatwole.  Herman  Wilbur  . 

4:31 

Heavner,  Helen  L 

431 

Heavner.  Sarah  R 

5:31 

Heckman,  Mildred 

12  30 

Hedrick,  Glen 

12.30 

Hednck,  Mary       .     .12-30 

Heeter,  Mary  12:30 

Hefner,  Helen     5:31 

Hefner,  Sarah 5.31 

Hernbaugh,  Ray  .      .    .  .    7.31 

Hemzman,  Meredith  3:31 


Heifrich,  Walter  E  .  Jr     12:30 

Helmick,  Erma  LeeCrider    1/2:31 

Helmick.  Melvin  R 12,30 

Helser.  Berdine     1 0:3 

Henncks.  Stanley  T 5.3 

Herbold,  Lavern  W 3:3 

Herbst,  Fred  H  ,  Sr    8-3 

Herr,  Roy  1/2:3 

Hershberger.  Ciaudett    12,30 

Hershey,  Bruce     .  .    ,    .3:3 

Hershey,  Nelson     ,  .  ,    .  .4:3 

Hess.  Harold  4:3 

Hess,  Laura  7.3 

HIckernell.  Emma 4:3 

Hicks,  Robert  A    12  30 

Higgins,  Milton  H _ 10  3 

H-ghbarger,  J  D 5  3 

Hildrelh.  Carl  7.3 

Hinegardner,  Vada  R 5.3 

Hisson,  Dale  3.3 

Hite,  Ralph  5.3 

Hodgden,  Delouris  Williford    10.3 

Hodgden,  Frances  L.  ...         103 

Hoffeditz,  Beulah  Vought  6  3 

Hoffer.  Russell  1/2  3 

Hoffman,  Franklin  D  ,  Jr  7  3 

Hoffman,  Lois  Snader  .     .  ,  .     ,       .113 

Holdeman,  Lavon  B 9.3 

Holderread,  Othel  0         4  3 

Hollen,  Francis  A         11.3 

Hollenbaugh,  Phyllis  J    33 

Hollinger,  Esther  P      10.3 

Holloway,  Fern   .  . 4:3 

Hoisinger,  Charles  ,  . .     3.3 

Hoisopple,  Alice  .    .  .    .  . 63 

Honeyman,  Noel  Laura 4  3 

Hoove,  Russell  1/2  3 

Hoover,  Benjamin  E      .  ...  33 

Hoover,  Ethel  E 63 

Hoover,  Nora  E,      ,  . _ 8.3 

Hoover,  Thomas  D     63 

Hoover,  Tracie  H         1/2.3 

Horn,  HarnsS  12:30 

Horst,  Harvey  .     .  .     7.3 

Hosteller.  Foster  5  3 

Hostetter,  Joyce  Anna  5  3 

Houser.  Edward  Page  12  30 

Howard,  Lura  .  ...     1 1.3 

Howdyshell,  Georgia  P  ,  .    ,      ,1/2.3 

Howes,  Pauline  .10.3 

Hubbard,  DarleneA  .5  3 

Huck,  Helen  12  30 

Huffman,  Lucy  Virginia  1/2  3 

Huffman,  Rayburn .     5  3 

Hummer,  Emmett 6.3 

Hummer,  John  4-3 

Hunt,  Levauda  /. 4.3 

Hunter,  Charles  Ray    7  3 

Hurst.  Ray  L  5.3 

Hurst,  Wilmer  R  8  3 

Hutzell,  Virginia  1/2  3 

Hutzler,  Sarah  Juanita  10  3 

Hylton,  EnaJ S3 

I 

Iglima,  /Vlice  ,  . .      .7  3 

Ingle,  Walter  F      1/2.3 

Irwin.  Elizabeth ,33 

J 

Jacobs,  Maude 33 

Jacobs.  Paul  A  3.3 

Jacobsen,  Stanley      . .      .93 

Jagger,  Harry  4  3 

James,  Rachel  (Merle)  .  ..93 

Jarrels,  Lera  B  5  5,3 

Jefferson,  Tresste        .  .    .  .    ......     .  93 

Jenkins,  Maise  Alice  1 2  30 

Johnson,  Evelyn       , 1 2  30 

Johnson,  Ruth        3:3 

Johnson,  Truman  E ,     1/2  3 

Jones.  Vena  Alice 4  3 

Jordan,  Mary  0      12  30 

Joseph,  Pearl  E       8  3 

K 

Karper,  Paul  W  .53 

Kaucher,  Elva  9  3 

Kauffmana,  Samuel  A. 

Keagy,  Louis  J  .     .  ,         . 5,3 

Keenen,  Luther      .  , - .  _  - 5  3 

Keeney  Paul  W      6:3 

Keim,  Rebecca  9  3 

Keiper,  Alma  N        .    6:3 

Keiper,  Pauline  M .  6.3 

Keister,  HarryA 1/2:3 

Keller,  Annie  Ruth       8,3 

Kennedy,  Hazel  M 9  4,3 

Kensinger,  Arthur     , 3,3 

Kepler,  James  P  9  3 

Kepner,  Carl  J  12.30 

Kesner,  Samuel  L. 113 

Kessler,  Donald  E      5,3 

Kessner,  Merme  S 1/23 

Kimble.  Ray  P  12.30 

Kimble.  Vauda        1/2  3 

Kimmel.  Edwin  B  3,3 

Kimmel,  Helen        V2  3 

Kinard,  RuthR _ 12.30 

Kindy,  Wayne  . 3  3 

King,  Elmer  F.Sr  5:3 

King,  Grace 33 

King,  Mabel  5:3 

King,  Norma  Jean  Boone  .     ,9.3 

Kirchner,  Carol  Ann  7  3 

Kline,  Fred  Lee  12  30 

Kline.  Goldie  Mane  Summers  ...       .53 

Kline,  Homer  R  5.3 

Kline.  Robert  Miller,  Sr       .  5  3 

Knight,  Clyde  Henry      1/2  3 

Krall,  Clarnece       5  3 


Kramer,  Dorothy 5:31 

Kreider,  Albert  V 5:31 

Kreiser,  Levi  R 1/2:31 

Kulmack,  Beulah  Houston 5:31 

Kulp,  Robert  7:31 

Kurtz,  Samuel  G 3:31 

Kuster,  Gershon  5:31 

Kuykendall,  Amelda 6:31 

L 

Ladage,  Ruth 6  31 

Lambert,  Coy ,  .  ,  .5.31 

Lamer,  D  Bernice 5:31 

Lantz.  Josephine  Wooding 5,31 

Lantz,  Lois  Kathenne  Uneweaver  4:31 

Lantz,  Ona  Murl 4:31 

Larson,  Harold 6:31 

Lasley,  Serntce      , , . .    . 3:31 

Laughman,  Charles  A. .3.31 

Laughman,  Harold  E      ,    .  , ...8  31 

Laughman,  Peggy  A,  Riley 4  31 

Laughman,  Ruth  M         8:31 

Laury.  Zelda  12:30 

Lawson.  Charles  B        10:31 

Lawson,  Virginia  M    . .1 1  31 

Layser  Frances  5.31 

Lease,  Edith  3.31 

Leatherman,  Lee        4:31 

Lecklider,  Ethel       10:31 

Ledine,  Clifford  8:31 

Leffue,  J.  Parker   3  31 

Lehigh,  Roy    5  31 

Lehman,  Roy ,9  31 

Leiphart,  Nelson  P    1 2:30 

Lefand,  William  3:31 

Lemert,  Helen  Mane 10:31 

Lengel,  Leiand  12:5,30 

Leonard,  Willard  8 4:31 

Lewis,  Dorothy  4:31 

Likens,  MillaA  4:31 

Liller,  Sarah  Elizabeth  ....         8  31 

Lmdeman,  Margaret  Eunice .     6  31 

Uneweaver,  Violet      .     4  31 

Link,  Samuel  D 4  31 

Loan,  Mary  Margaret 4  31 

Long,  Dorotha  J   5.31 

Long,  Erna  10:31 

Long,  Esther    9:31 

Long,  John  D        12:5,30 

Long.  Ralph     9.31 

Long.  Robert    1/2.31 

Longenecker,  Edith .1/2:31 

Longenecker,  Grace 4:31 

Longeor  Florence 3:31 

Looney,  Clenna  .        . 4  31 

Lortie,  Peggye .     631 

Loughry.  F  Glade        5  31 

Lowe,  Katharine  Kline 9:3 1 

Lowe,  Teresa  -  9:4,31 

Lucas,  Elmer  9:31 

Lucore,  Eu la  Wolfe     6.31 

Ludwick,  Georgia  M     , 8  31 

Ludwig,  Olive  .,,.,, .531 

Luing,  Buell      10  31 

Lum,  Alice 4  31 

Lutes,  Clifford 7  31 

Lutz,  Anna        12  30 

Lynn,  George 4  31 

M 

Mahoney,  Daniel 4.31 

Majka,  Pauline  10  31 

Manamay,  Ruth  E        931 

Manchester,  Alice       1/2  3! 

Manning.  Retha  Boone    9  31 

Markey,  David  L 5  31 

Markey,  Harry  T 8.31 

Marks,  Elva         4  31 

Marra,  Leila ...1/2  31 

Marsaa,  Ben  B 10  31 

Marshall,  Judie         1/2  31 

Martin,  Gladys         7  31 

Martin,  Lora  R    731 

Matheny,  Russell  B       731 

Mathias,  Virgil  L 11  31 

Mauck,  Annece  Mable   .  - 1/2  31 

Mauck,  Cleve,  Sr  8:31 

Mays,  Morley  J         .  .    - 9-4,31 

McCall,  Ray  Kyle       3  31 

McCauley,  Catherine 4  31 

McCauley,  Malcolm .3  31 

McCauley,  Malcolm  Keith   1/2:31 

McCauslin,  Martha  E      4:31 

McCluney,  Martha .,....,..  ,3:31 

McCoy,  Elza  11:31 

McCubbage,  Anna       ,..  .10:31 

McDowell,  Argel         1/2:31 

McGiIl,  Dorothy  Yaple    3  31 

McGuire,  Faye  11  31 

McGunigill,  Mina 4  31 

McKimmey,  Blanche  "Penny"    1/2.31 

McKimmy,  Howard 4.31 

McLeary,  June    10:31 

Meccia.  Lee  9  31 

Merrifield,  Daniel       4  31 

Mernfield,  Edna  5  31 

Mernman,  Sam .  .  .4:31 

Metz,  D  Merle 12:30 

Metzger.  Ethel  I    4:31 

Michael,  Kenneth  E 10:31 

Michael,  Richard  Thomas   1/2:31 

Michael,  Robert  C 12:30 

Michaelis,  Dorothy  .    .6:31 

Miller,  BryanJ  ' 10:31 

Miller,  Dewitt  4:31 

Miller,  Dorothy         4:3 1 

Miller,  Elizabeth  Rupp 1/2:31 

Miller,  Ella  Mae  12:30 

Miller,  Esther 1/2  31 

Miller,  Garland  F    11:31 


Miller.  Hazel  Bolt    4:31 

Miller,  Homer 10:31 

Miller.  James  L 11:31 

Miller,  Kenneth     3:31 

Miller,  Lamont 1/2:31 

Miller,  Lester  A 5:31 

Miller,  Marion  "Mike"  , 4:31 

Miller,  Roger     4:31 

Miller,  Roy  A       4,31 

Miller,  Theresa    9:31 

Mtller,  Virginia  Mae 5.31 

Mills.  Barbara  K 5:31 

Mitchell,  Harold        4:31 

Mitchell,  Myrtle  Belle       4:31 

Mixell.  MaryE       3:31 

Moats,  Edward  Albert      1 1 :31 

Moherman,  Will  T  931 

Mohler,  Caroline 9:31 

Moncnef,  Carne  .     4:31 

Mongold,  Jannette 12:3C 

Mongold,  Odie  C 5:31 

Moore.  Akin     _ 6.31 

Moore.  Dorothy  K 5.3-1 

Moorefield,  Joseph 9:31 

Moretand.  Erna      , 5:31 

Morgan.  Vada      11:31 

Morns,  Goldie  Miller 1/2.31 

Morns,  Melvin  Franklin .1 1 :31 

Morns,  Samuel  "Lindy"         1/2.31 

Morrow.  Fredenck  E  ,  Sr ,3  31 

Morton.  Gerald         3.31 

Mosbaugh,  Hazel  L 11.31 

Mostoller,  Scott  Allen 9:31 

Mowere,  Adele    .4.31 

Moyer,  Ethel  11.31 

Moyers,  Conley  J.   , .831 

Moyers,  Hobert  R 1131 

Moyers,  James  W. 8,31 

Moyers,  Lola  Caldwell     . 5  31 

Moyers,  Melvin  I  11.31 

Mumaw,  Ethel  Mae        .,5  31 

Mumbert,  Ruth  5,31 

Mundy,  Eva  Wampler .4.31 

Murty,  Beatrice  F  9  31 

Myer,  Mazie  1/2:4,31 

Myers.  Berniece  Miller .8.31 

Myers,  Estella  E  4  31 

Myers,  Lewis  Edward      -     6.31 

Myers,  Lucinda  M  .8:31 

Myers,  Mane  12.3C 

Myers.  Roy  3:31 

Myers,  Ruth  A  3:31, 

Myers.  Victor  Jackson     1 2:31 

N 

Nedrow.  George T. 1/2.31 

Neff.  MaryK 1/2  31 

Neff,  Sandra  S 10  31 

Neikirk,  Mary 431 

Nelson.  Esther     7  31 

Nelson,  Loretta 10.31 

Nelson,  2ora        9.31 

Ness,  Odessa  D    - 8  31 

Nesselrodt,  Berlin  James 11  31 

Newcomer,  Florence  Morns .5.31 

Nickson,  Richard  5  31 

Nispel,  William  C 10:31 

Nissly.  Jeffrey        6  31 

Noble.  Hazel 10:31 

Nofsinger,  Clara  Edris .1/231 

Nolen,  Alfred  C      10.31 

Nolen,  Gladys 4,31 

Noonkester.  Stella  Prather    1/2:31 

Noover.  Benjamin  Ernest 4.31 

Norford.  Lena  6  5:5,31 

Norns.  Velma    .,    .-. 1/2.31 

Nunn,  Bessie         631 

O 

Oellig,  Cora  5  31 

Oltmana,  Lois  Wine     10  31 

Orange.  Hubert      7  31 

Ott,  Clara  1/2  31 

Ott.  Fred  10  31 

Ours.  Mary  1        8:31 

Oyler,  LJrsel  Ellen 3.31 

P 

Page,  Helen  A 10.31 

Page,  Howard  , ,3  31 

Painter,  Shelva  Sarver         10.31 

Parker,  Delmar  3  31 

Parlette.  Ella  1/2  31 

Patrick,  Betty  L 9  31 

Patterson,  John  .  . 431 

Patton.  John  L  (Larry)         8  31 

Peachey,  Linda  1/2  31 

Pence.  Edna  W         1!  31 

Pendleton,  Nellie  Boyd 4.31 

Pennybacker,  Juanita  Swecker      ,     8  31 

Petry,  Velma  4  31 

Pheasant-Pennington,  Janelle  10:3 

Phelps,  Andy  12:31 

Phillips,  Gladys  Jane  4.31 

Picketl,  Nina  Sue    8.31 

Pittington,  Lena  M 1 1 :31 

Pitts,  C  Wilma  12.31 

Piatt,  Mane  4  31 

Plaugher.  Anna  Geraldine 1 1 :31 

Plaugher,  John  Paul  8-31 

Pletcher,  Sarah  8.31 

Poole,  RoyR  1/2  31 

Popard.  Jeanette  Ursula   ... .12.31 

Pratt,  Joseph  G  1/2  31 

Prillaman.  Vivian .4.31 

Privette,  James  Monroe   .  . 4.31 

Propst,  Roberta  P  8,31 

Puffenbarger,  Cleda  Jane ,5  31 

Putnam,  Ruth  I  Foust       6.31 

R 

Ravegum.  Roberta  4.31 


26  Messenger  December  1998 


Reber,  Norman  F     12:5,31 

Reed,  Alvis       12:31 

Reeder.  Donald 4:31 

Reedy.  Warren  D-.  Sr. 1/2:31 

Reichert,  Lucille    - 4:31 

Remsburg,  Percy ,4:31 

Rensbei-ger,  Annamae 8:4.31 

Replogle.  Samuel 3:31 

Replogle,  Thelma 331 

Ressler,  Susie        9.31 

Reuter.  Phillip      1/2:31 

Reynolds,  Lawrence 1/2:31 

Rhoades,  Sylvan  R 10:31 

Rhoades.  Vernon  C     9:31 

Rhodamer,  Frances     4:31 

Rhodes.  Anna  Lois 12:31 

Rhodes,  Dorothy! 10:31 

Rhodes.  Nelson  L 8:31 

Rhodes.  Regina  M 12:31 

Rice,  John       S;31 

Richardson,  Leia 12:31 

Rickard,  PaOie 11:31 

Ridenour,  Unda      5:31 

Rife.  Paul  7:31 

Riggleman,  Jesse  James     1 1:31 

Riggleman,  Leonard  E. 4:31 

Ritchey.  Marjone  L 3:31 

Roach.  Lillie  Mae    9:31 

Roberts,  Virginia     1/2:31 

Robertson.  Ronald  12  31 

Robinson,  Wilson  Wiley  8:31 

Roderick.  Harry  Wilson  3  31 

Rogers,  Gertrude 7:31 

Rohrer,  Edith        11:31 

Rorabaugh,  Ai,  Jr 10:31 

Ross,  Pearl  5:5,31 

Roush,  Pearl  3:31 

Row,  Evelyn  Lucille  Blose      ............  ,5:31 

Rowland.  Ronald   12:31 

Royer.  Hannan .3:31 

Royer,  Mary  ,  .  ,5:31 

Rudy.  Uzzie  331 

Rummel,  Arthur  Leon  2  3,  3  31 

Runkle.  Lovie    ...  5.31 

Rupel.  Milan 3.31 

Russell,  Donald      4:31 

Rutledge.  Bessie 6:31 


Sacra,  Homer  A.,  Sr 
Sanders,  Richard     . 
Sandndge,  Dennis   . 
Sanner,  John 
Sawyer.  Florence  . 


1/2:31 

4:31 

8:31 

7:31 

4:31 

Saylor.  Glenn  W   10:31 

Schafer,  Ralph       1/2:31 

Schenk,  Homer       6:31 

Schlapkohl  10:31 

Schlosnagle.  Marie 1/2*31 

Schnee,  Edgar      4:31 

Schulte,  Eugene 1 2:31 

Schultz.  Cornne  F. 3:31 

Scott,  Ray    3:31 

Secrist,  Larry  Wayne .1 1:31 

Secrist,  Waldo  F     8:31 

Seehorn,  Merle  T      .    .      .  ,5:5,31 

Seese.  Esther       11:31 

Seitsinger.  Earl  R     3:31 

Sellers,  Estella      3:31 

Sellers,  Mary  L        5:31 

Seveir,  Wilbur  James  ......    , .6:31 

Shafer,  Hannah  0    4:31 

Shaffer,  Florence .5:31 

Shaffer,  Linden       3:31 

Shaffer.  Ruth  7:31 

Shaffer.  Toyhe      7:31 

Shank,  Ethels    3:31 

Shank,  JohnH      5:31 

Shank.  Wilbur  R 10:31 

Sharrer.  Dorothea ,  .    .    ,  3:31 

Shaver.  Mildred  M 1/2:31 

Shearer,  Clara 8  31 

Sheets.  Antoinette  "Nettie"  1/25.31 

Sheets,  George  431 

Sheffer.  Russefl  A 12:31 

Shenk,  Sara  10:31 

Sherer,  Dollie   12:31 

Shifflett,  Ellen  Virginia    1/2:31 

Shiflett,  Elmer  Thomas 8:31 

Shipe,  Annie  White  12.31 

Shockey  Charles  Grant,  Sr  ...  6:31 

Shockey.  Richard  5:31 

Show,  Dons  1/2.31 

Showalter.  Emily 1/2'31 

Shugar,  Mabel      . 4:31 

Shull,  Evaleen  E 1/231 

Shull.  Fern  1/2:31 

Shull.  Grace         4:31 

Shull.  Ralph  H      8:31 

Shuman,  John    5:31 

Siever,  Harlen 1/2:31 

Sigler,  Lona  .       . .  .3:31 

Silvis,  Gladys         431 

Simmons.  Carl,  Jr.    .  12:5,31 

Simmons.  Ervin  Richard   ....  ...      8:31 

Simmons,  Forrest  T. ,1 1:31 

Simmons,  Hattie  H 8:31 

S'mmons,  Lena       11:31 

Simmons,  Lucille  Switzer  Wise 8:31 

Sinclair.  Orlo  5:31 

Sines,  OavidE         4,31 

Singer.  Edna         10:31 


Singley,  Fleeta  F ,4:31 

Sinks,  Opal  Deeter 12:31 

Sisk.  Virgil  3:31 

Sisson.  Frances 4:31 

Slater.  James  L 5:31 

Slaybaugh,  BermceE 10:31 

Slusher,  Claude 3:31 

Smith,  Avalon 5  31 

Smith,  Cecil  Hay 8:31 

Smith,  Edna 4:31 

Smith  Esther   1/2:31 

Smith,  Frederick  R.,  Sr.  3:31 

Smith.  Lawrence 1/2:31 

Smith,  Leta  Wine  9:31 

Smith,  Michael   1/2:31 

Smith,  Quentin       1 1.31 

Smith,  Ruth  10:31 

Smith,  Sterling  4:31 

Smith,  Thurman 3  31 

Snapp,  Florence     .    12:31 

Snider,  Treva  . 4.31 

Snodgrass,  Mary .     1 1 :31 

Snoeberger.  Robert ,      1/2  31 

Snyder,  Elsie  11:31 

Snyder.  Lola       12:31 

Southerly,  Gladys  Mae 11:31 

Sowles,  Maxine    831 

Spangler,  Esther   1/2  31 

Spence,  Beulah  - .  - 3:31 

Spenker.  Ruth  1 12  31 

Spitzer,  Delores 331 

Spitzer,  Reba  Phares 8  31 

Stager,  Holhe       10-31 

Stamback,  Ada  P  4  31 

Stambaugh,  Leona  M 1/231 

Staub,  Ruth  Greer 1/2.31 

Stauffer,  Sadie -.        11:31 

Staup,  Josephine  M .   10  31 

Stead,  Peggy    8:31 

Stealy  Romaine .        3.31 

Stebbings.  Tim         10.31 

Steele,  Wilham  I      12.31 

Steigleman,  Hazel    10,31 

Stemmetz,  Clyde 6.31 

Stephens.  Carl    5  31 

Sterling,  Linda  L 3:31 

Sterner,  Goldiel 1/2  31 

Stickley.  Walter 11  31 

Stillman,  Albert,  Jr.     4  31 

Stine,  Gladys  I  8  31 

Stine.  Norma  J       3  31 

Stites.  jQhnW  7  31 

Stiving.  Ervin  12  31 

Stocker,  Gerald      10.31 

Stocksdale,  Ethel    1/2  31 

Stoltzfus.  Aquila    12.31 

Stone,  Laura  E 4.31 

Stover.  Catharine  .   6.31 

Stover,  Harry  L        ..     ..  10  3,31 

Strawderman,  Luther  Lee  .8:31 

Strickler,  Feme  Elizabeth  .5.31 

Strickler.  Grace  £  .     .     4:31 

Stnckler,  Stanley  S  .       .5.31 

Stroble,  Joan  5       6  31 

Studebaker,  Florence 9  31,12.3 

Studebaker,  Frances  ........  431 

Studebaker,  Gerald  L  3:31 

Studebaker,  Mane  .7  31 

Studebaker,  Ruth  Workman  ..6  31 

Stull.  Carl 12  31 

Stump,  Lillian  Mae 12  31 

Stutsman.  Mary  K .    .  .3.31 

Stutzman,  Clyde  W.   3:3) 

Sullivan,  LutherF    ,  . 12:31 

Svabek.  Norma 9  31 

Swartz,  Julie  Hoover 3  31 

Sweigart,  Robert  A .4.31 

Swemly  Carrie  A. 1/2  31 

Swigarl,  George 7:31 

Swiharl,  Wilma    6.31 

Swinehad,  Julia   1 2  31 

Swiridow.  Dorothy 4.31 

T 

Tannreuther,  Orville    - 4  31 

Taylor,  A  Wayne         .       .  .  8.31 

Taylor,  Mary  Frances  Shifflet  .1 1 .31 

Temple,  Feme  . 1231 

Temple.  Jack .   1/2  31 

Terry,  Helen 9  31 

Thiel,  Frank     10.31 

Thoman,  Delores  M 3  31 

Thompson,  Edith   . 431 

Thompson.  Grace  1/2  31 

Thompson,  John  Paul  .1 1 .31 

Thompson,  Mary  Virginia  Cancofe  1131 

Thompson,  Michael  D 8  31 

Thompson,  Raymond 12  31 

Thornton,  Mazte      3  31 

Throne,  Feme  9  31 

Tomlonson,  Judith  Carole  3  31 

Townsend.  FranklmOtto  .  .     .3  31 

Townsend,  Paul        .  . .       12.31 

Traughber,  Earl  E      8:31 

Traxler,  Betty 10  31 

Tnbby  James    1/2  31 

Tnble.  Charles 7  31 

Tritapoe,  Robert  M 1/2  31 

Tnttle,  Charles        9,3 1 

Trout,  Howard  L 8:31 

Turner.  Brenda  Sue    1/2:31 

Turner,  Floda  Alice 1/2:31 

Turner,  Garner        1 1:31 

Turner.  Mary  Ellen 5:31 

Turner.  Ted 1/2.31 

Tyler.  ElvaE 8:31 

U 

Ulrich.  DL    3:31 

Utterback.  Richard  E..  Jr.    4:31 


Utz,  J,  Norman   1/2:31 

V 

Van  Ness.  Fred   5:3 

Vance,  Elsie  M 8:3 

Vaneiken,  Albert 12:3 

Via,  Lyda       8:3 

Volland,  Donald  W     10.3 

Vorhis.  Emory  0  . 93 

W 

Wagoner.  Cleo  Margerette 5:5,3 

Wahl,  Marguerite  1/2:3 

Walker.  Mamie  5:3' 

Walker,  Paul 3:3 

Wallace.  Cathenne       1/2,3 

Waller.  Catharine  123 

Walter,  Dorothy  M  4  3 

Wallers,  Elbie  Thomas   5  3 

Walters.  Leo  4  3 

Wallers,  Ullian  4  3 

Wampler,  Amos  Jacob 12  3 

Warden.  Dons  M 7  3 

Wargo.  Gladys 1/2  3 

Warner,  Alice  M 73 

Wasller.  Carne  E 4  3 

Way,  AliceJ 7:3 

Wean,  Earl.  Sr 1/2:3 

Weaver,  Arlene 5:3 

Weaver,  Elmer  L 5:3 

Weaver,  Franklin  C .1 1.3 

Weaver,  John  L 1/2:3 

Weaver.  Mary  5.3 

Weaver,  Ruth  Elizabeth  Eagle  1 1  3 

Weaver.  Urban  ...1/2  3 

Webb.  Henry  Alien  1/2.3 

Webb,  Nellie      3:3 

Webb.  Noelle  2.  Neff    1/2.3 

Weddell.  L.  Stanley    5  3 

Weddle,  Bertha  4  3 

Weigle,  George ,    10  3 

Weik,  Leroy    9  3 

Weik,  Mary         10  3 

Weimer,  Brian  P   103 

Weimer,  Paul  E  7.3 

Weiss,  Howard  B  10:3 

Welborn,  Vivian  10:3 

Weldy  Mary  E        5:3 

Wells.  William      10:3 

Werner,  Alice  V 10:31 

West,  Paul       1/2:3 

Wetzel,  Ester  V 5  3 

Weygandt,  Earl       10:3 

Whetzel,  Arlie  1/2  3 

Whetzel,  Dons  1/2.3 

Whetzel,  Goldie  C        5:3 

Whetzel,  Ormand 1/2,3 

Whipple,  Lee  1/2  3 

Whisler.  Clarence  E     1/2  3 

Whilacre,  Alan  L        7  3 

White,  Gilbert  H 1/2  3 

White,  Joe  113 

White,  Laura  Louise       10:3 

White,  Lucy  4:3 

Whitmore,  Frank  1/2:3 

Wilkins.  Delphia  D     11.3 

Wilkins,  Gary  1/2.3 

Wilkins,  LoryA  1/2  3 

Wilkins,  Men;in  D  5  3 

Wilkins,  MollieV  Funkhouser  5  3 

Williams,  Edva  Slusher  .      .      .93 

Williams.  Myrl  12  3 

Williams,  Roger 33 

Williams,  Sandra  3  3 

Williamson,  Burnell         1/2  3 

Williar.  Alton  AT,  Sr  6:3 

Wills,  Glen  1/2:3 

Wilson,  Edward  12:3 

Wilt,  Mildred  Charity    10:3 

Wimer.  Audrey         1/2.3 

Wimer,  Woodrow  Wilson  .  . 12  3 

Winchester.  Jessie 43 

Wine,  Dallas  G 10  3 

Wine,  Dennis  1/2.3 

Wine,  Goldie  .  .    103 

Wine.  Paul  "Sammy"  Allen .1/2.3 

Winegard,  Kathenne   3.3 

Wines,  Peggy .   7  3 

Winklebauer.  Pal  9  3 

Wisier,  Betty  M         12:3 

Witham,  Nondus  10:3 

Witt,  Frank  1/2:3' 

Witter,  Harry  M,  1/2:3 

Wittle,  Barb  . 3:3' 

Wolf.  Waller  A 11:3 

Wolf,  Wilma  1/2:3 

Wolfe,  Ethel  8 10:3 

Wolkf,  Charles  E.,  Sr,    4:3 

Wolters.  Ruby 12  3 

Wood,  Mattie 4  3 

Wood.  Virginia  E  9  3 

Woodson.  Carl  1/2:3 

Woody,  John  Billmgs    3.3 

Workman,  Harry  53 

Workman,  Kenneth    12  3 

Wnght.  Charles  L  .  Jr   113 

Wright.  Nettie       4  3 

Wyant,  Clayton  F        9  3 

Y 

Yankey.  Viola  F.    1/2.3 

Yarde.  Edith    9:3 

Yoder.  LeRoyN 9.3 

Young,  Alice 9:3 

Young,  Forest 12:3 

Young.  Lerty   1/2*3 

Younkins,  Mary ,3:3 

Z 

Ziegler.  Reba 4  3 

Zimmerman,  Florence  12  3 

Zimmerman,  Samuel  Warren  4  3 


Zink,  Hazel 7:31 

Z.ttle,  Betty 4.31 

Zumbrun.  Ray         , 4.31 

PASTORAL  PLACEMEWTS 

Abe,  James    1131 

Anspaugh,  Enc  ,  , 11,31 

Bam.  Pans  "Pete"  6:3 1 

Beutler.  Kelly      11.31 

Bitner,  Robert 9:3 1 

Black,  Rachel    7.31 

Bollinger,  Steven 1 1  31 

Brumbaugh,  Galen  H        9,31 

Burk.  Kelly  7  31 

Button-Harrison,  Mary  Jane .11  31 

Cannistraci,  Knsten  9  31 

'  Cooper,  Leslie  7  31 

Cosner,  Elmer     12.31 

Coursen.  Robert 11  31 

Cnsweld.  Scott 12  31 

Dnver,  Brent 11,31 

Durr,  Stephen 9:31 

Dutka,  Leon     11.31 

Fackler,  Jeff    11:31 

Fike,  Matthew 9.31 

Funk,  Keith     11:31 

Godfrey,  Stanley  L 11:31 

Greiser.  Terrence 9:3 1 

Harness,  Leah  0 5:31 

Hendricks,  Joseph 11:31 

Hollenberg,  Keith     12:31 

Hullihen.  James    5:31 

Jensen.  Russell         1/2  30 

Jones,  R  Douglas 11.31 

Kanagy.  Curliss  .       ..,..,.,.,.     ,  .  1131 

Kettering,  Sob  12,31 

Knapp.  Mark .7.31 

Longanecker.  Kevin .9.31 

Martin-Adkins,  Alice  11.31 

Meeks.  Gary  1131 

Miller,  David  L  12.31 

Miller,  David  W  6:31 

Miller-Rieman,  Christen 7  31 

Mitchell,  Vernon  12  31 

Naff,  Jerry  11  31 

Neuwirth,  Dick  11  31 

Norris,  Samuel  Joseph 1131 

O'Malley,  Beth     831 

Pfeiffer,  Carol    1/2.30 

Pippen,  Louise 1131 

Powell,  Lewis   12  31 

Sayre,  John 9  31 

Shelton,  Harry 11:31 

Sonafrank,  Ha! .9  31 

Spangler.  Keith  11  31 

Thompson.  Johnny  L 6.31 

Truilt,  David      9  31 

Truitt,  David        11.31 

Tschetter,  John 11:31 

Vaught,  Sherry     9:31 

Vaught.  Terry        9:31 

Vfoon.  Robert      11 :31 

Whipple,  Charles     11  31 

Wolf,  Burton      12  31 

Yaeger,  Harold  12  31 

SUBJECTS 

Addison,  Michael 

StaH  changes  4  10 

Albin,  Charles 

In  Touch  3  3 

Alley,  Linetta 

Miller,  Randy  NYC  1998       9  9 

Alley,  Robert 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando  '98  Worship  8  14 

Annual  Conference 

In  Brief  .  .     .1/2  9 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Interagency  Forum  Can  Annual 

Conference  become  more  of  a  hub'        1/2  16 
Farrar,  Flelcher  The  church  is  we  rather 

than  they  .  1/2  14 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando '98  8  10 

Heishman,  Nancy  and  Irvin  Seeing  the  Brethren 

through  eyes  of  color  1 0  29 

In  Touch  ...  9  4 

News  1/2  6.  3  7,  5  7.  10  6 
Resources  and  Opportunities  8  9 

Staff  changes  7  9 

Arlington  National  Cemetery 
In  Touch  1,''2  3 

Association  of  Brethren  Caregivers 
Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando  '98.  New  Leadership 

8.20 

News  .     .5-6.7:7;  10.7,  11  9 

Rosenberger,  Mary  Sue  Puerto  Rico  blessings 

.  .       .  4  24 
Aukerman,  Dale  and  Ruth 

In  Touch  1/2  4 

Bangladesh 

In  Touch  6  4 

Baptism 

Gibble,  Kenneth  L  Dangerous  Dunking        8  26 

Bausermana,  Jason 

In  Touch  8  5 

Bedi,  Robert 

In  Touch  .....       5  4 

Beigum,  Merrilyn 

Farrar,  Fletcher  For  everything  there  is  a  season 

10  10 

Benevento,  Tom 

Staff  changes  119 

Berguerite,  Angelica 

Ziegler,  Earl  K  Excilemenl  is  growing  in  the 

Dominican  Republic  11  15 

Berkebile,  Nancy  Johnson  and  Terry 
Brethrening  .....,.,,       ,415 


Bethany  Theological  Seminary 

Brown,  Dale  W  Ode  to  old  Bethany       ,  .     .3.26 
Cassel,  John   Remembering  Bethany's 

Oak  Brook  campus  .  .        3  24 

Farrar.  Fletcher  A  confident  new  Bethany     6  1 0 
Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando  '98'  New  Leadership 

8  20 

InBnef        4.11 

In  Touch     7  3 

News       .  ,  1/2  8,7.8 

Staff  changes  3  8;  7  9 

Bible  Study 

Aukerman,  Dale.  Get  your  hands  off  his  throat! 

1222 

Bowser,  Paula  The  trouble  with  Amos        12  10 
Grady,  Duane  Transformation  8  28 

Waltersdorff,  Christy  J  The  five  feisty  daughters 

ofZelophehad  11.26 

Bittinger,  Emmert  F. 

In  Touch  .   8  5 

Bittinger,  Irene 

In  Touch  6.3 

6iu,  Mai  Sule 
Faw,  Chalmer  E  What  American  Brethren  might 

learn  from  Nigerian  Brethren     10.19 

Black,  Thornton  0, 

In  Touch  11.4 

Booz,  Cindy  and  Don 

In  Touch  .      .      .      .     10  5 

Bowman,  Carl 

Ramirez,  Frank  Brethren  Family  Reunion         9  6 

Bowman,  Carol 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Faithful  Funding    ...         1111 

Meet  the  team  2  13 

Staff  changes  3  8,  5  8 

Bowman,  Chris 

In  Touch  1/2  9 

Brady,  Steve 

In  Touch  . 1/24 

Brethren  Academy 

Finney.  Harriet  and  Ron  The  Brethren 

Academy  4  14 

Brethren  and  Mennonite  Council  for 
Lesbian  and  Gay  Concerns  1 1  9 

Brethren  Benefit  Trust 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Interagency  Forum  Can  Annual 
Conference  become  more  of  a  hub? 
Farrar,  Flelcher  Orlando  '98  New  Leadership 

,  8  20 

News       1/2  7.  7  10 

Staff  changes  4  10 

Brethren  Encyclopedia 

Resources  and  Opportumlie'.  8  9 

Brethren  Revival  Fellowship 

News  1 1  8 

Resources  and  Opportunities  5  9,  11  10 

Brethren  Volunteer  Service 

BVS  Unit  #227       1/2  8,30 

BVSUnit#228        4  11.30 

BVS  Unit  #229  10  6 

BVSUnit#231  12  6 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando  '98  Global  Snapshot 

.      .  8  16 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando  98  BVS  changes 

people  8  17 

Hegedus,  Nathan  BVS  now  7  19 

Leard.  Jeff  The  ]oys  and  concerns  of  youth  work 

in  Northern  Ireland  5  18 

Leard,  Jeff  Taking  the  chill  off  Belfast    .       5  16 
Lehman,  James  H  The  spint  that  gave  birth 

to  BVS  .  .  .712 

Miller,  Randy  NYC  1998  9  9 

News  5  7 

Staff  changes  8  7 

Willschek,  Walt  The  living  stories  of  BVS   1120 
Brethren  World  Assembly 
Ramirez,  Frank    Brethren  Family  Reunion         9  6 
Brown.  Ambrosia 

Dulabaum,  Nevin  A  dream  fulfilled  .  3  21 

Burghardt,  Walter  J. 

Farrar,  Fletcher  For  everything  there  is  a  season 
10  10 
Burkhart,  Raenya 
Nolen,  Heather  The  greatest  sin  is  standing 

idly  by  1/2  11 

Camps 

In  Touch  Camp  Mack  1 2  5 

Caring  Ministries  2000 

New:i  1 1  9 

Cassel,  Margaret  M, 

In  Touch  1/2  4 

Castro,  Miguel  Tomas 
Weller,  Worth  Disaster  response  with  a 

difference  10  21 

Chambers,  Ted 
Lehman,  James  H  The  spirit  that  gave  birth 

to  BVS  7  12 

Children 

Resources  and  Opportunities  ,11  10 

Christian  Peacemaker  Teams 

Resources  and  Opportunities  5  9 

Cleaver,  Eldridge 

Miller,  Randy.  Part  of  the  solution  7  11 

Clouser,  Gary  N. 

In  Touch  9  4 

Coffey,  James  W.,  Jr. 

In  Touch .  ,  .5:5 

Coffman,  Eldon 

Staff  changes       ,79 

Colleges 

In  Touch,  Juniata      3  4 

In  Touch  Bridgewaler,  Ehzabethtown  4  3 

In  Touch  Ehzabethtown     ....  44 

In  Touch  Bridgewaler  ,  ,    ,  ,       7  3 

In  Touch  McPherson  8  3 

In  Touch  Manchester  ,113 

News  . .  .    .77 

News  Manchester    5  7,  1 1  8 


December  1998  Messenger  27 


Staff  changes  Juniala 
Congregational  Life  Teams 

Farrar,  Fletcher  At  your  service! 

Meet  the  team 

News 

Congregations 

Brethrentng   Highland  Avenue  (IL) 
Brethrening  Elkhart  Valley  (IN)  .  .     . 
Brethrening  Naperviile(IL) 
Brethrening  Blue  River  (IN) 
Brethrening  Sunnyslope  (WA) 
Brethrening.  South  Whitley  (IN) 


3  10 

3  11 


1/2  18 
3  16 
612 
6  19 
6  25 
103 
Dulabaum,  Nevin  A  dream  fulfilled  Butler 

AME  (SO  3  18 

Oulabaum,  Nevin  A  dream  fulfilled.  Manchester 

(IN)  3  21 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Heed  their  hindsight  Faith  (IL), 

Manchester  (IN),  Pike  Run  (PA)  6  1 4 

Gibble,  Kenneth  L  Dangerous  Dunking 

New  Covenant  (FL)  8  26 

In  Brief  York  Center  (IL)  4  11 

In  Touch  University  Park  (IL)  1/2  3 

In  Touch  Manchester  (IN)  1/2  4.9  3 

In  Touch  Butler  Chapel  AME  (SC)  1/2  5,  1 2  5 
In  Touch  Dupont  (OH),  Sugar  Creek  (IN)  3  4 
In  Touch  Chiques,  Heidelberg  (PA)  3  5 

In  Touch  St.  Petersburg  (FL),  Btadfofding  (MD) 

43 
In  Touch  Elkhart  Valley  (IN)  4  5 

In  Touch  Harmonyville  (PA)  5  3 

In  Touch  Haitian  (NY).  Spring  Creek  (PA)  6  4 
In  Touch  LaVerne  (CA),  Manchester,  Nappanee 

(IN)  6  5 

In  Touch:  Oakland  (OH)  7  3 

In  Touch  Sebring  (Fl),  Roanoke  First  (VA)  7  4 
In  Touch  Elizabethtown,  Spring  Creek  (PA); 

Germantown  Brick,  Roanoke  Ninth  Street, 

Williamson  Road  (VA)  7  5 

In  Touch   Panora  (lA)  8  3 

In  Touch  Glade  Valley  (MD)  8  4 

In  Touch  West  Charleston  (OH),  Olympic 

View  (WA)  8  5 

In  Touch  Modesto  (CA)  9  4 

In  Touch  Green  Valtey  (MD).  Harnsburg  First 

(PA).  Lebanon,  Topeco  (VA)  8  5 

In  Touch   Blue  Rtver,  Mount  Pleasant  (IN),  Poplar 

Grove  (OH  10  4 

In  Touch  Boulder  Hill  (IL),  Mcpherson  (KS).  10  5 
In  Touch  Bella  Vista  (CA),  Crest  Manor  (IN), 

Coulson  (VA)  114 

In  Touch.  Lone  Star  (KS),  Lancaster  (PA)  1 1  5 
In  Touch  Easton  (MD),  Oak  Dale  (WV)  1  2  4 

News  Manchester  (IN),  Pike  Run  (PA)  3  6 

News.  Faith  (tL)  4  9 

News  Hebron.  Manchester  (IN).  Butler  Chapel 

AME  (SC)  1 1  6 

Resources  and  Opportunities  Durbin  (WV)  5  9 
Ulrich,  Joel  Beans  and  rice  and  Jesus  Christ 

Bella  Vista  (CA)  5  20 

Weller,  Worth  Disaster  response  with  a 

difference  Manchester  (IN)  10  21 

Copp.  Miriam 

Staff  changes  10  8 

Corning.  Elmer  and  Marie  West 
In  Touch  1/2  4 

Creeds 

Ramirez,  Frank  No  creed  but  the  Bible         3  1 4 
Crisis  in  Transition  Fund 
News  1/2  7 

Crouse,  Becky  Baile  and  Jerry 
Keeney,  Mervin  Walking  together — 

the  next  steps  1118 

Dagget,  Joan 

Staff  changes  7  9 

Dako,  Lillian 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Faithful  Funding  1111 

Davis.  Miller 

News  12  7.9 

Staff  changes     10  8 

Deacons 

News  5  6 

Deardorff,  Darryl 

Staff  changes  - 4  10 

Dearing,  }.  Oliver 

In  Toucfi  ....  114 

Death  and  Dying 

Aukerman.  Dale  living  with  dying  4  16 

Deichert,  Deana 

In  Touch .    .  .54 

Detrick,  Joe 

Staff  changes  10  8 

Detweiler.  Zola  Meyers 

In  Touch  5  5 

Diaz,  Manuel 

Staff  changes  5  8 

Dilling,  Yvonne 

News  12  6 

Nolen,  Heather  The  greatest  sin  is  standing 

idly  by  . .  1/2  11 

Districts 

Brethrening  Atlantic  Northeast 1/2  25 

In  Brief  Southern  Pennsylvania  .    .  .    .4.1 1 

In  Touch  Western  Plains  .4-4 

In  Touch  Mid-At!antic,  Southern  Pennsylvania 

...       53 
In  Touch  Atlantic  Southeast,  Southern 

Pennsylvania  63 

In  Touch  Virlina  6  5 

In  Touch  Atlantic  Northeast  7  5 

In  Touch  Illinois  and  Wisconsin,  Northern  Plains 
84 


In  Touch  Shenandoah    . ,..8.5 

In  Touch  Southern  Ohio    .....,,.,....  .1 1  5 

In  Touch  Southeastern 12.5 

Knepper,  Nancy  The  crucial  role  of  districts  4: 1 3 
News  Mid-Atlantic,  Middle.  Shenandoah.  West 

Marva        7  7 

News  Western  Pennsylvania  8  5 

Resources  and  Opportunities  Western  PlainsB  9 
Staff  Changes  Southern  Plains  1/2.8.5  8 

Staff  changes  Atlantic  Northeast 3  8 

Staff  changes  Atlantic  Southeast, 

Missouri/Arkansas  .  , 7:9 

Staff  changes  Southern  Pennsylvania  10  8 

Zunkel,  Wayne  An  auction  Atlantic  Northeast, 

Southern  Pennsylvania  1 1  24 

Doll.  Gayle  Appel 

Farrar.  Fletcher  For  everything  there  is  a  season 
10  10 
Dominican  Republic 

In  Brief  4  11 

Keeney,  Mervin  How  did  we  become  involved  in 

the  Dominican  Republic'  1117 

Keeney,  Mervin  Walking  together — the  next 

steps  1118 

News  10  7 

Resources  and  Opportunities  8  9 

Ziegler,  Earl  K.  Excitement  is  growing  in  the 

Dominican  Republic  1115 

Ootterer.  Judy 

Wiltschek,  Walt  The  living  stones  of  BVS    11  20 
Douglas.  Grace 

In  Touch  S  5 

Duling.  Florence  and  Galen 
In  Touch  12  4 

Durnbaugh.  Aaron 
Leard.  Jeff  The  |oys  and  concerns  of  youth  work 

in  Northern  Ireland  5  18 

Eikenberry,  Torin 

Dulabaum.  Nevin  A  dream  fulfilled  3  20 

Eisenbise,  Debbie 

Miller.  Randy  NYC  1998         99 

News  ....  5:8 

El  Salvador 

Weller,  Worth  Disaster  response  with  a 

difference  10  21 

Ellis,  Calvert  N. 
Lehman,  James  H  The  spirit  that  gave  birth 

toBVS  7  12 

Encarnacion.  Guillermo 

Staff  changes  3  8 

Engle,  Steve 

Farrar,  Fletcher  For  everything  there  is  a  season 
10  10 
Environment 

In  Brief  1/2  9,  3  9,  4  1 1 

News  1 0  6 

Radcliff,  David  Being  good  to  God's  good 

earth  11  22 

Emergency  Response/Service  Ministries 
Dulabaum.  Nevin  A  dream  fulfilled  3  18 

InBnef  1/2  9 

News       4  9:6:8,7  6,8,8  6,7.  10  7,  11  7.  12  6 
Resources  and  Opportunities  5  9,  1 1  10 

Weller.  Worth  Disaster  response  with  a 

difference  10  21 

Ephrata  Cloister 

In  Touch  4  4 

Ethnics 
Heishman.  Nancy  and  Irvin  Seeing  the  Brethren 

through  eyes  of  color  1 0  29 

Farringer,  Dean 

In  Touch  10  4 

Faus,  Nancy 

Ramirez,  Frank  Brethren  Family  Reunion         9  6 
Fecher,  Don 

News  1/2  7 

Fetal  Tissue 

Benedict.  James  Fetal  tissue  issue  6  22 

Fields.  Sue  Wagner 

In  Touch  ,,,..,,.....   64 

Fike,  J.  Rogers 

Staff  changes         4  10 

Flora,  Karl  P. 

In  Touch  .114 

Flory,  Janelle  and  Kendra 

In  Touch  6  5 

Flory,  Lowell 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando  '98  New  Leadership 

8  20 
Flory-Steury,  Mary  Jo 
Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando  '98  New  Leadership 

8  20 
Fry,  Homer  and  Rosetta 
Wiltschek,  Walt  The  living  stones  of  BVS    11  20 
Funding 

Farrar.  Fletcher  Faithful  Funding  1111 

Garber.  D.B. 

Brethrening  Dog-gone  sermon  11   19 

Garcia.  Aurora  and  Saul 

Miller,  Randy  NYC  1998         9  9 

Garcia.  Milton 

Miller,  Randy  NYC  1998         9.9 

News  5  8 

Gardner,  Rick 

InBnef  ,     ,  ,. 3.9 

General  Board 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Interagency  Forum  Can  Annual 

Conference  become  more  of  a  hub?         1/2  1 6 
Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando  '98  New  Leadership 

8.20 

InBnef  .    .  1/2:9,3  9 

News  3  8,4.6,  12  8,9 

StaH  changes  1/2  8,  3  8,  7  9,  8  7,  10  8 

Gibbel.  Henry 

in  Touch  12:4 

Gibble.  Jay 

News  . 5:6 

Gibble,  June 

News ,  .  ,  , .5  6 


Glass.  Jeff 

Meet  the  team 313 

Staff  Changes  1/2  8 

Click.  Larry 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Faithful  Funding  1111 

Staff  changes  3  8 

Global  Food  Crisis  Fund 

News  8  7,  10  7 

Global  Women's  Project 

InBnef  1/2  9 

Gochenour,  Gloria 

Staff  changes  119 

Good,  Monroe 

Bieber  Charles  The  Nigeria  Jubilee  lour      10  14 

Grady.  Bonnie 

Staff  changes  108 

Grady.  Duane 

Meet  the  team  3  13 

Staff  changes  1/2  8 

Grout,  Paul 

Miller,  Randy  NYC  1998 .9.9 

News  5  8 

Guatemala 

InBnef  1/2.9 

News  8  7 

Radcliff.  David  Guatemala  heartaches         8  22 
Habecker,  Gail 

News  V2  7 

Hanley,  Richard 

In  Touch  .     .  .     ,,,..,,,       .     .  44 

Harsh.  Alva  and  Mary  Hykes 

In  Touch  4  3 

Harshbarger,  Jane 

In  Touch  1/2:4 

Hartle,  Louise 

Dulabaum,  Nevin  A  dream  fulfilled  3  21 

Hegedus.  Nathan 

Hegedus,  Nathan   BVS  now  7  19 

Heifer  Project 

In  Touch  .115 

News  .4:9,  7  6 

Heishman,  Irvin  and  Nancy 

In  Touch  9  5 

Hershey,  Joan 

Staff  changes  .  .       3  8 

Hess,  Kathy 

News  12  7 

Hildebrand,  Brian 

News  7  7 

Historic  Peace  Church  Conference 

In  Touch  4  4 

Hoffert,  Gordon 

In  Touch  8  4 

Moll,  Robyn 

In  Touch  1/2  3 

Holland.  Scott 

In  Touch  . ,  ,  .  .  10:4 

Homes  and  Hospitals 

In  Touch   Bridgewater  Retirement  Community 

34 
In  Touch   Brethren's  Home  Retirement 

Community  (Greenville)  7  4 

News  7  7,  10  7 

Honduras 

News  12  6 

Horn  backer,  Tara 

Staff  changes  7  9 

Hostetter.  Julie 

Meet  the  team  ,      ,      ,      ,  3  13 

Huffaker.  David 

Farrar.  Fletcher  Faithful  Funding  1111 

Huffman,  Harold 

In  Touch  3  4 

Huffman,  Jacob  S. 

in  Touch  3  4 

Huffman,  Rufus 

In  Touch  3  4 

Hymnal 

McFadden,  Wendy  From  the  Publisher         1 0  2 

News  1 0  8 

Insurance 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Heed  their  hindsight  5  14 

Interagency  Forum 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Interagency  Forum.  Can  Annual 

Conference  become  more  of  a  hub?        1/216 
Ireland 
Leard,  Jeff  The  joys  and  concerns  of  youth  work 

m  Northern  Ireland  5  18 

Leard,  Jeff  Tahng  the  chill  oH  Belfast  5  16 

Jarrels.  Lera  B. 

In  Touch  5  5 

Johnson,  Kate 

Staff  changes  8  7 

Jones,  Steve 

Wiltschek,  Walt  The  living  stones  of  BVS    11  20 

Kennedy,  Hazel 

In  Touch  9  4 

Kensinger,  Jan 

Meet  the  team 3  11 

Kepple,  Thomas,  Jr. 

Staff  changes  4' 10 

Kieffaber,  Laurie 

Steiner,  Donna  Forbes.  Icons,  images, 

impressions  10  17 

King,  Bernice 

Miller,  Randy  NYC  1998  9  9 

News  .58 

Kingery,  Dennis 

Staff  changes  10.8 

Kinsel,  Glenn 

News  117 

Kinsey,  itm 

Meet  the  team  3:13 

Staff  changes  1/2  8 

Kline,  John 

In  Touch  4  5,8:5 

Ramirez,  Frank  Brethren  Family  Reunion        9:6 

Klingler,  Rebecca 

In  Touch  5:5 


Knepp,  Lori  Sollenberger 

Farrar,  Fletcher  At  home  in  Pennsylvania    1/217 
InBnef  .     .  1/2:9 

Kolle.  Miriam 

In  Touch  85 

Korea,  North 

m  Bnef  3  9 

Korea,  South 

News  1/2:6,  7:8 

Krahenbuhl,  Lee 

Brethrening 5.25 

In  Touch  . 4  5 

Kurtz  Organ 

In  Touch  10  4 

Kvt/aha,  Daniel 

Faw,  Chalmer  E  What  American  Brethren  might 

learn  from  Nigerian  Brethren  .     10  19 

Laprade,  Cindy 

Miller.  Randy  NYC  1998  99 

Lauver,  Florence  and  Wilbur 
In  Touch  9  4 

Leddy,  Harvey 

Staff  changes  108 

Lee.  Kathy 

Staff  changes  4  10 

Lehman,  Jessica 

Leard,  Jeff  The  joys  and  concerns  of  youth  work 

in  Northern  Ireland         5  18 

Lengel,  Leiand 

In  Touch  .....         125 

Long,  Alma  Moyers 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando '98  BVS  changes 

people  8  17 

Lehman,  James  H  The  spirit  that  gave  birth 

to  BVS  7  12 

Wiltschek,  Walt  The  living  stories  of  BVS    1 1  20 
Long,  Gail 

Hegedus,  Nathan.  BVS  now  7  1 9 

Long,  John  D. 

In  Touch  ...  .125 

Longenecker,  Stephen 

News  6  8 

Lowe,  Teresa  Crawford 

In  Touch  9  4 

Magee.  Melissa 

Leard,  Jeff  Tak.ng  the  chill  off  Belfast  5  1 6 

Mali 

m  Touch  1/2  5 

Mambula,  Musa 

Bieber,  Charles  The  Nigeria  Jubilee  tour      10  14 
Markey,  Georgia 

Staff  changes  .  .       ...      4.10 

Mays.  Morley  J 

In  Touch  9  4 

McCauliff.  Linda 

Meet  the  team 3  11 

Staff  changes  3  8 

McFadden,  David 

New5  . , 7  7 

Medema,  Ken 

Miller,  Randy  NYC  1998  9  9 

Metzger,  Madalyn 

Hartz,  Brian   Roots  in  Vietnam  4  23 

Mexico 

News  .     6  8 

Meyers.  Anna 

In  Touch  1/2  3 

Miller,  Donald  E. 

Speicher.  Sara  The  program  lo  overcome 

violence  12  11 

Miller,  Faye 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Faithful  Funding  1111 

Miller.  Frank  William 

In  Touch  1/2:3 

Miller,  Howard 

Staff  changes  3.8,4  10 

Miller,  Randy 

From  the  Publisher  9  2 

Ministry  and  Leadership 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Wanted  A  new  heart  for 

ministry  4  12 

InBnef  3:9 

Ministry  and  Reconciliation 
Resources  and  Opportunities  5  9 

Ministry  Summer  Service  Interns 
News  8  6 

Mission  and  Ministries  Planning  Council 
Resources  and  Opportunities  5  9 

Morphew,  Beth  Sollenberger 
Farrar,  Fletcher  At  home  m  Pennsylvania    1/21  7 
Meet  theteam  3.12 

Moyer,  Glen  and  Mabel 
In  Touch  .  9  4 

Moyer,  Ralph 

Brethrening  Where's  Pastor  Ralph'  11  14 

Mullins,  Marie  Dulabaum 
In  Touch  5  4 

Mumma,  Emily  Metzger 
Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando  '98  New  Leadership 


B20 


Mundey,  Paul 

Miller,  Randy.  NYC  1 998 9  9 

News  5  8 

Murray,  Andy 

In  Touch  1/2  5 

Murray,  Don 

WillscheV,  Wall  The  living  stories  of  BVS    1120 

Musselman,  Nathan' 

Nolen,  Heather  The  greatest  sin  is  standing 

idly  by  .      1/2.11 

Myer,  Jim 

News  5.8 

Myer,  Mazie  S. 

In  Touch  1/2.4 

Myers,  Donald  E. 

Meettheteam  .  .3  12 

News  4  9 

National  Older  Adult  Conference 

Farrar,  Fletcher  For  everything  there  is  a  season 


...  10  10 

News  ' 

National  Youth  Conference 

From  the  Publisher  '. 

Miller,  Randy  NYC  1998 9  9 

News       ...  4:9;  5:8 

Neher,  Ken 

rsrrar,  Fletcher   Faithful  Funding       11:11 

Neher,  Minneva 

in  Touch  4:3 

Nigeria 

Baiami.  Nvwa  Looking  back    ..........  .5:12 

Bieber.  Charles  The  Nigeria  Jubilee  Tour     10:14 
Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando '98  Guests  8.19 

Faw,  Chalmer  E  What  American  Brethren 

might  learn  from  Nigerian  Brethren         .10  19 
Grubb,  Sue  EYN's  Diamond  Jubilee  5  10 

Grubb,  Sue  Nigerian  workcamps  Bridging 

the  gap  5  13 

In  Touch  11  4,  12  4 

Keeney  Mervin   Start  your  engines,  team!  10  20 
Keeney  Mervin.  What  do  sisters  say  to  each 

other?  5.14 

Letters  6.26 

Steiner,  Donna  Forbes  Icons,  images, 

impressions  .10:17 

Norford.  Lena 

In  Touch  5:5 

Norris.  Esther 

Staff  changes  79 

On  Earth  Peace  Assembly 

InBnef  .       .       .1/2.9;  3:9 

News  11:9 

Resource  and  Opportunities  59 

Staff  changes 

One  Great  Hour  of  Sharing 

Farrar.  Fletcher  What  makes  a  great  hour'  3  22 

Parker,  Don 

News  12  7 

Patrick,  Beryl  and  Norman 

In  Touch  ,   9'4 

Patterson.  Clara 

News  1/2:£ 

Peace  and  Justice 

News  6:£ 

Nolen.  Heather  The  greatest  sin  is  standing 

idly  by         .    .  1/2  10 

Radcliff,  David  Justice'  Or  |ust  us'  1/2  1 9 

Radcliff,  David  Peace  for  food  5  17 

Resources  and  Opportunities  11  10' 

Speicher,  Sara  The  program  to  overcome 

violence  .  .    .  .    .  .    .  .    .....      12.1 1  ' 

Peace  Studies 

In  Touch  11,3i 

Peace  Tax  Fund 

New'j ,  .  , 

Pence,  Joseph  Wayne 

In  Touch  9.5 

Petty,  Elizabeth  and  Marie 

In  Touch  5.4 

Pheasant-Pennington,  Janelle 

In  Touch  10  3 

Phillips,  William  Daniel 

In  Touch  3  4 

Pitman,  Mark 

Staff  changes  4  10 

Pluralism 

Aukerman,  Dale  The  problem  with  pluralisrr 

7  23 
Prayer 

Wine,  David   My  prayer  promise  1/2  26 

Puerto  Rico 
News  1 1  7 

Rosenberger,  Mary  Sue  Puerto  Rico  blessings 

.  4  24 
Quaya,  Ann 
Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando '98  New  Leadership 

S  20 
Radcliff,  David 

Miller.  Randy  NYC  1998       

News  5  8 

Ramirez,  Frank 

Brethrening  3  15 

Ramsey,  Duane  H. 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando  '98  Worship  .8 

In  Touch  

Ramsey,  Jane  E. 

In  Touch  .  .      . . 

Reber,  Norman 

in  Touch  12.5 

Reimer,  Judy  Mills 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando '98  New  Leadership 

8  20 
Miller,  Randy  NYC  1998                                    9  9 
News                                                  4  6,  5  8,  10 
Reish,  Brenda 

Staff  changes     .    .  .    .  .    ...     .....    .  .        7 

Reish,  Todd 

Staff  changes  .8.7 

Rensberger.  Annamae 

In  Touch  . 

Replogle.  Jim 

Staff  changes         4  10 

Rhodes,  Gerald 

In  Touch  ..,..,.. 

Rieman,  Ken 

News  l-'^'^l 

Rittle,  Kristi 

Staff  changes     .     ..,..,.... 

Rivera,  Jorge 

Staff  changes         .  . 

Romero,  Gilbert 

Ulrich,  Joel   Beans  and  nceand  Jesus  ChnstS  20 

Ross,  Jimmy 

Letters  4  27 

Ross,  Pearl 

In  Touch       5.5 

Rotruck,  Dorsey  E, 

In  Touch  .     .       . 


28  Messenger  December  1998 


Ruhl,  Janice 

In  Touch  7.3 

News  1/2  8 

Rummel,  Arthur  Leon 

In  Touch  3  3 

Sanchez,  Juan  Antonio 

Weller,  Worth   Disaster  response  with  a 

difference  10  21 

Sappington,  Jennifer  T. 

In  Touch .4  3 

School  of  the  Americas 

News  5  8 

Nolen,  Heather  The  greatest  sm  is  standing 

idly  by  ....  V2  10 

Scott,  Marilyn  Lerch 
Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando  '98  New  Leadership 

.       .  8  20 

Seehorn,  Merle  T. 

In  Touch  5  5 

Sellers,  Nada 

Meet  the  team 3  13 

5taff  changes 3  8 

SERRV 

News  8:7,  12  8 

Staff  changes  - .     8  7 

Shaffer,  Holis  and  Rena 

In  Touch  4  5 

Shankster,  Celia  and  Owen 

Steiner,  Donna  Forbes  Icons,  images. 

impressions  1017 

Sheets,  Antoinette  H. 

In  Touch  1/25 

Shonk,  John 

In  Touch  44 

Siegel,  Jeremy 

In  Touch  1/2  3 

Siek,  Mildred 

In  Touch  8  3 

Simmons,  Carl,  Jr. 

In  Touch  12  5 

Slough,  Rebecca 

Staff  changes  3.8 

Smalley,  David 

Meet  the  team       3.13 

Staff  Changes  1/2  8 

Smith,  Craig 

Staff  changes  3  8 

Snavely,  Jane  and  Marlin 

Zunkel,  Wayne  An  auction  that  cares         11  24 

Snider,  Don 


Lehman.  James  H  The  spirit  that  gave  birth 

to  BVS    .     .                    

7  12 

Sotlenberger,  Elaine         1/2  Cover 

Farrar,  Fletcher.  At  home  in  Pennsylvania 

1/2:17 

In  Brief 

1/?  q 

Farrar,  Fletcher  The  church  is  we  rather  than 

they  ...              

1/2  14 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando  '98  Worship 

814 

Sollenberger,  Leon 

Farrar.  Fletcher  At  home  in  Pennsylvania 

1/2  1/ 

Sollenberger,  Ray 

Farrar,  Fletcher  At  home  in  Pennsylvania 

1/2  17 

Steiner,  Donna  Forbes 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando  '98  Worship 

8  14 

Ste^Arardship 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Hope  for  the  middle-das 

malaise     

1/2.22 

Resources  and  Opportunities     

.11:10 

Stinebaugh,  Vernon  H. 

Brethrenmg                                    .... 

,10.13 

Stocksdale,  Paul 

4  1 

Stover,  Harry  L. 

10  3 

StO(A'e,  Ned 

Staff  changes                           

-,,8:7 

Studebaker,  Florence 

In  Touch                                     .... 

,    12  3 

Studebaker,  Nick 

Ulnch.  Joel   Family  reunion  m  De  Linh 

4  20 

Studebaker,  Ted 

Ulnch.  Joel   Family  reunion  m  De  Lmh 

4  20 

Sudan 

News            

107 

Raddiff.  David.  Peace  for  food 

,  617 

Resources  and  Opportunities 

59 

Sunday  school 

Letters     

829 

Uchty,  D  Eugene  Whatever  happened  tc 

Sunday  school? 

.    6  24 

Young,  Davtd  S  Transformational  Sunday  school 

10  24 

Swartz,  Fred 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando  *98  Worship 

8  14 

Swinger,  Mildred 

In  Touch 

54 

Takaya,  Bala 

Grubb,  Sue  EYN's  Diamond  Jubilee  . 

5  10 

Ted  and  Lee 

Miller,  Randy  NYC1998     .       .       . 

99 

Thomas,  Daniel 

Thomas,  John,  Sr. 

Staff  changes 

1/2  8 

Thompson,  Jan  and  Roma  Jo 

in  Touch 

64 

Toledo.  Jorge 

Ziegler.  Earl  K  Excitement  is  growing  in  the 
Dominican  Republic  11  15 

Townsend,  Frances 

In  Touch  ,       ,84 

Traughber,  Earl  and  Beulah 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Editorial  ,       ,       ,10  32 

Trunnel,  Sherry 

In  Touch  ,,3  4 

Tubbs,  Janet  and  John 

Keeney.  Men/in  Start  your  engines,  team'    1 0  20 

Ulrich,  Andy 

News  1/2  6 

Ungemach,  Shelly 

Nolen.  Heather  The  greatest  sm  is  standing 
idly  by        .1/2  11 

Utz,  Harley  and  Sylvia 

In  Touch  .  .  .  .  , ,7,5 

Van  Styke,  Melinda 

In  Brief  1/2,9 

Vietnam 

Hartz.  Brian  Roots  in  Vietnam  4  23 

Ulnch.  Joel  Family  reunion  in  De  Unh  4  20 

Wagoner,  Cleo  Margarette 

In  Touch  5  5 

Washington  Office 

News  8  8 

Weaver.  Charlotte 


Lehman,  James  H  The  spirit  that  gave  birth 
to  BVS  7  12 

Website 

Resources  and  Opportunities  10:8 

Weller,  Ben 

Weller,  Woah  Disaster  response  with  a 
difference 10  21 

Weller,  Chris 

Hegedus,  Nathan  BVS  now  7  19 

West,  Dan 

Lehman,  James  FH  The  spirit  that  gave  birth 
to  BVS  7  12 

Whitacre,  A.  Ruth 

In  Touch  3  5 

Wilborn,  Leonardo  V. 

In  Touch  3  5 

Wiles,  Truman 

Wiltschek,  Walt  The  living  stones  of  BVS    11  20 

Willimon,  William 

Farrar,  Fletcher  Orlando '98  Worship  8  14 

Wilson,  Bob 

In  Touch  ,4  5 

Wine,  Genelle 

In  Touch  10  3 

Womaen's  Caucus 

News  119 

Women 

Resources  and  Opportunities  1 0  8 


Workcamps 

Grubb.  Sue  Nigerian  workcamps.  Bridging 

the  gap  ,      ,        .    ,  5  13 

Keeney,  Mervin.  What  do  sisters  say  to 

each  other?  5  14 

News         8  8 

Rosenberger,  Mary  Sue,  Puerto  Rico  blessings  . 

4  24 

World  Council  of  Churches 

Speicher,  Sara,  Learning  about  being  Brethren   , 

at  the  World  Council        12:12 

Speicher.  Sara  The  program  to  overcome 

violence  12  11 

Yeazell,  Carol 

Meet  the  team  3.13 

Staff  changes  3:8 

Yoder,  John  Howard 

In  Touch  ,  .  ,  ,  .    ,  ,  ,  .     ,  .3:3 

Youth  and  Young  Adults 

In  Touch  ,2  3 

News  1/2  6;  8:8 

Resources  and  Opportunities  11  10 

Youth  Peace  Travel  Team 

In  Touch  9,5 

Zigler,  M.R. 

Lehman,  James  H  The  spirit  that  gave  birth 

to  BVS  .  .  .     .7.12 


3  Half-time  Congregational  Life  Team  Member  Positions 


Area  3  with  location  in  West  Marva  District  to  work  with  Atlantic  Southeast,  Shenandoah,  Southeast- 
ern, Virlina  and  West  Marva  districts:  Area  I  with  negotiable  location  in  Southern  Pennsylvania  or 
Mid-Atlantic  districts,  to  work  with  Atlantic  Northeast,  Mid-Atlantic.  Middle.  Southern,  and  Western 
Pennsylvania  districts;  Area  5  to  work  with  Pacific  Southwest,  Oregon-Washington,  and  Idaho  districts. 
Responsibilities:  Work  as  part  of  a  team  within  covenantal  partnerships  between  General 
Board  and  districts  to  resource  and  consult  with  congregations  and  district  groups.  Qualifica- 
tions: Ability  to  work  with  diversity',  hve years  experience  in  congregational  life  program  development 
and  administrative  work,  people  and  technical  skills.  Bachelor's  Degree  or  commensurate  experi- 
ence; Master's  degree  in  related  field  preferred. 

Application  deadline:  lanuary  2,  1999,  for  Area  I  and  3;  January  15  for  Area  5. 

Contact:  Elsie  Holderread  at  (800)  323-8039  or  e-mail  for  position 

description  and  further  information  on  eligibility  recyjirements. 


Classified  Ads 


DIABETICS  SERVICE 

Diabetics  with  .Medicare  or  insurance.  Save  money  on  dia- 
betic supplie,s.  For  more  information  call  (800)  337-4144. 

INVITATIONS 

Come  worship  in  the  Valley  of  the  Sun  with  Com- 
munity Church  of  the  Brethren  at  111  N.  Sunvalley 
Blvd.,  Mesa,  AZ  8620^.  Mail  to:  8343  E.  Emeiita  Ave., 
Mesa,  AZ  85208.  Tel.  (602)  357-9811. 

Coming  to  Florida  this  winter?  Come  to  Braden- 
ton-Sarasota  area.  Good  Shepherd  Church  of  the 
Brethren  invites  you  to  share  great  worship  celebra- 
tions, Sunday  school,  Saits  Alive,  Brethren  bowling 
league,  arts  and  crafts,  quilting,  tour  groups,  and  great 
fellowship  meals.  Contact  pastor  Don  White  at  941- 
792-9317  or  758-0988. 

"Snow  Birds"  and  all  Florida  visitors  Come  wor- 
ship with  us— a  small,  warm,  family  of  Brethren.  Venice 
Community  Church  of  the  Brethren,  2269  S.  Tamiami 
Trail  (U.S.  41).  Venice,  FL  3-(293  Phone:(941)497-7442. 

POSITIONS  AVAILABLE 

Camp  managers.  The  Western  Plains  District  is  seek- 
ing managers  for  its  camps.  Both  positions  are  part-time, 
starting  around  Memorial  Day  and  ending  around 
Labor  Day  Camp  Mt.  Hermon  is  located  near 
Tonganoxie,  Kan.,  about  30  minutes  from  Kansas  City 
Camp  Colorado  is  located  in  the  Pike  National  Forest, 
about  an  hour  from  Denver  For  more  information, 
contact  Ron  .Achilles,  chair  of  the  Outdoor  Ministry 
Commission,  at  Rt.  1,  Bo.x  143,  Quinter,  Kan.  67752, 
or  call  at  785-754-2322. 


Chancel  Choral  music  director  for  experienced  adult 
choir;  responsibilities  and  salary  negotiable.  Call  717- 
838-6369  for  more  info.,  or  submit  resume  to  Palmyra 
Church  of  the  Brethren,  45  N.  Chestnut  St.,  Palmyra,  PA 
17078.  (Fax  717-838-8100). 

Elizabethtown  College,  Assistant  Professor— Seek- 
ing to  hire  a  faculty  member  in  Peace  Studies  and  Religious 
Studies.  This  is  expected  to  be  an  entry-level,  tenure- 
track  position  within  the  Religious  Studies  Department 
beginning  August  1999.  The  successful  candidate  will 
teach  half-time  in  peace  and  conflict  studies  and  half- 
time  in  religious  studies.  A  completed  Ph.D.  in  either 
Peace  Studies  or  Religious  Studies  is  preferred  (ABDs 
considered),  and  a  strong  commitment  to  both  schol- 
arship and  undergraduate  Ic'irning  is  required.  In  addition, 
a  combination  of  the  following  qualifications  is  desirable: 
international  or  cross-cultural  experience,  an  under- 
standing and  appreciation  of  the  Anabaptist  and  Pietist 
faith  traditions,  and  practical  experience  in  an  area  of 
conflict  resolution.  The  ability  to  teach  courses  in  com- 
parative religion  is  preferred;  however,  we  will  consider 
other  areas  of  specialization  that  fit  well  with  our  pro- 
gram. Review  ofall  applications  will  begin  January  15, 
1999.  To  apply  .send  letter  of  application,  Cy  and  names 
and  contact  information  of  three  current  references  to 
Nancy  E.  Florey,  Director  of  Human  Resources,  Eliza- 
bethtown College,  One  Alpha  Drive,  Elizabethtown,  PA 
17022-2298,  e-mail,  floreyne@acad.etown.edu.  AA/EO 

PUBLICATIONS 

From  Age  to  Age:  Historians  and  the  Modern  Church, 
a  festschrift  honoring  historian  Donald  R  Durnbaugh. 
Includes  essays  by  Jeff  Bach,  Dale  W  Brown,  Robert 


Clouse,  David  Filer,  Franklin  Littell,  William  Kostlevy, 
Donald  E.  Miller  Murray  Wagner  Hans  Schneider,  Dennis 
Slabaugh,  Dale  Stoffer,  and  John  Howard  Yoder,  origi- 
nally read  at  a  conference  at  Bridgewater  College  in 
October  1997.  $18.00  plus  J3.00  postage  and  handling. 
Send  check  or  money  order  to:  Brethren  Life  and  Thought, 
c/o  Bethany  Theological  Seminary  615  National  Road 
West,  Richmond,  IN  47374,  or  Forum  for  Religious  Stud- 
ies, Bridgewater  College,  Bridgewater,  VA  22812. 

TRAVEL 

Brethren  Heritage  Tour/Passion  Play  2000.  Reg- 
ister now  for  the  July  29-August  11,  2000,  European 
tour  emphasizing  Brethren  values  and  heritage.  For 
information  contact  our  tour  leaders  Don  and  Hedda 
Durnbaugh  (tel/fax  (814)058-3222,  e-mail: 
durnbaughdCS'juniata.edu)  or  Randall  and  Peggy  Yoder 
(814)643-3221.  Brochure  with  full  itinerary  and  price 
will  be  available  by  late  fall  1998.  To  ensure  space,  send 
$100  per  person  (made  payable  to  MTS  Tours)  before 
December  31, 1998,  to  Tour  2000,  R.D.  1,  Box  312, 
Huntingdon,  PA  16652. 

Oberanunergau  and  Eastern  European  Tour.  Urgent! 

Reserve  a  place  now  for  a  preliminary  $100  deposit  per 
person.  Travel  on  August  28, 2000,  from  Dulles  Interna- 
tional Airport  to  Budapest,  then  to  Vienna,  Prague,  Berlin 
(via  Dresden),  Nuremburg  (via  Leipzig),  Oberammer- 
gau,  and  Munich.  Price  $3298  per  person  for  this  14-day 
tour  including  hotels,  all  breakfasts  and  dinners,  and  first 
class  tickets  to  the  Passion  Play  For  more  information 
contact  Wayne  F  Geisert,  President-Emeritus,  Bridge- 
water  College,  Box  40,  Bridgewater,  VA  22812. 
Phone:(540)433-1433  or  828-5494. 

December  1998  Messenger  29 


luriiiM  Foiiits 


New  members 

Antioch,  Rocky  Mount,  Va.,;  Greg 
Cooper.  Sebrina  Ruth-Cooper, 
Stephanie  LaPrade 

Bear  Creek,  Dayton,  Ohio:  Shoba 
Berl<uchcl,  leremy  Bucher,  Roscoe 
O'Hair,  Sarah  O'Hair,  Zachary  Pat- 
terson 

Bethany,  Farmington,  Del.:  Frederici< 
Miller,  Matthew  Schiferl,  Ron 
Macomber,  Michael  Layton 

Blue  River,  Columbia  City.  Ind.: 
lercmy  Gipe,  Kiniberly  Bennett. 
Tony  Martin.  Courtney  Libben,  Pam 
Gaerte.  Ryan  Gaerte.  Rachel  Frank, 
Bryan  Perry,  Ashlee  King,  Adam 
King,  Michael  Gaerte,  Spenser 
Perry,  Ben  Shively 

Brandts,  St.  Thomas,  Pa.:  Ben  and 
Carol  Draper.  Carey  Frey.  Stacy 
Hammersia,  Amy  Heckman,  Nicole 
Heckman,  Cassandra  Lehman, 
Teresa  O'Neal 

Canaan,  Gibbon  Glade,  Pa.:  Duane. 
Julie.  Ashley.  Levi,  and  Shannon 
Rishel,  Derrick  Seese,  Amanda 
Seese.  Matthew  Dennis,  lonathan 
Smith 

Champaign,  III,:  Steven  Landon 

Clover  Creek,  Fredericksburg,  Pa.:  Joel 
Banaszak.  Derek  |.  Bassler,  Aaron  T. 
Byler.  Leah  M.  Hoover,  Connie 
Martin,  Richard  Glunt 

County  Line,  Champion,  Pa.:  Anthony 
Baronie.  Vic  Baronie 

Defiance,  Ohio:  Roberta  Wagner 

Dupont,  Ohio:  Shane  Kraft,  |amie  Kraft 

East  Cocalico,  Reamstown,  Pa.:  Amy 
Good.  Ralyssa  Kreider,  Roseanna 
Kreider.  Ralph  Kreider,  Kathy 
Stokzfus,  Lisa  and  leff  Sweigart 

English  River.  South  English,  Iowa: 
Ray  and  Cheryl  Reeves 

Geiger,  Friedens,  Pa.:  Mary  Rossman, 
David  Wentz.  Lisa  Wentz 

Greenmount,  Harrisonburg.  Va.:  Isaac 
William  Burgess.  Kendra  Lynn 
Knupp.  Patricia  Luz  Carneiro 

Harman,  WVa.:  Merry  |o  Vance. 
Snyder  lohn  Montoney 

Heidelberg,  Meyerstown,  Pa.:  Crystal 
Mull.  Laurel  Witman 

Lampeter,  Pa.:  Diana  Austin.  Kristen 
Thomas.  Robert  and  Jennifer 
Williams.  Daniel  and  Tracy  Monville. 
Gregory  and  Sandra  Stone,  larelle 
and  Aimee  Smoker 

Lima,  Ohio:  |odi  May 

Long  Green  Valley,  Glen  Arm,  Md.: 
|im  Church,  lohn  Pinkas.  Sharon 
Pinkas.  Joshua  Pinkas.  Darren  Gon- 
zalez. Pam  Bryant,  Sean  White.  |an 
Hildebrand.  Debbie  Hildebrand 

Memorial,  Martinsburg,  Pa.:  Dorothy  S. 
Ritchey 

Middlebury,  Ind.:  Michelle  lensen,  Melissa 
Lcedy,  Cameron  Pauls,  Stephen  Troyer, 
Scott  DeWilde,  lack  and  Marsha  Payne, 
Mary  Backert,  Dick  Elias,  Lori  [ackson, 
Lisa  lensen,  |eff  and  Sandy  Bruens,  Phil 
and  Tonia  Pixley.  Russell  and  Denise 
lensen,  Roger  and  Lorie  Copeland.  Kim 
Floring,  Craig  and  Dawn  lackson,  Dave 
and  Deanna  Black.  Darlene  and  Terry 


Drake,  Scott  Hammond,  Cathy  Heign, 

Marilyn  Miller 
Midland,  Va.:  Angela  Smith,  Nicole  Byler 
Monitor,  McPherson,  Kan.:  Hugh  and 

Kay  Billhimer.  Renee  Schowengerdt 
New  Carlisle,  Ohio:  Marjorie  Ann  Miller 
North  Bend,  Danville,  Ohio:  Chelsey 

Rose  Hashman 
Onekama,  Mich.:  Adam  Graham,  Karl 

loseph,  Greg  Robison,  Tim  Robison, 

Emily  Tompke,  Kirk  Tompke 
Osceola,  Mo.:  Carl  De  Long.  Mercedus 

De  Long.  Lillian  Springstube,  Mavis 

Barksdale 
Pleasant  Hill,  Spring  Grove,  Pa.: 

Landon  Miller,  Kirk  Schildt,  Kala 

Schildt,  Derek  Nell,  Matthew  Trone, 

Nathaniel  Trone,  Abigail  Crone,  Beth 

Crone,  Devin  Fodor.  Tyler  Fodor, 

Daren  Bievenour 
Pleasant  View,  Fayetteville,  WVa.: 

Emily  i.  Saplak 
Poplar  Ridge,  Defiance,  Ohio:  Ctaudy 

Chiron 
Ridgeway  Community,  Harrisburg,  Pa.: 

lohn  Dressier,  fudy  Laudermilch. 

Keith  Fruchtl 
South  Creek,  South  Whitley,  Ind.: 

Loree  Mishler 
Thurmont,  Md.:  loe  Albright 
Walnut  Grove,  lohnslown.  Pa.:  Ross 

Gamut,  Andrew  Dovrota,  Ir..  Keith 

G.  Guydo.  Theresa  M.  Vogel, 

Tammie  N.  Wesner,  Sarah  L. 

Wesner,  Alison  Page,  Stephen  Page, 

Peggy  Younkin 
Waterford,  Calif:  Caesar  and  Anthony 

Reyes 
West  Milton,  Ohio:  Mike  Munson 

Wedding 
Anniversaries 

Allison,  Wayne  and  Vera,  lohnstown, 

Pa.,  50 
Bailey,  Carol  and  Neva,  Morrill,  Kan..  50 
Baker,  Harold  and  Betty,  West  Milton, 

Ohio.  60 
Baliles,  Barney  and  Ruth, 

Arlington, Va..  50 
Bendinelli,  Frank  and  Mary  Elaine, 

Philadelphia,  Pa..  50 
Berlin,  Sei  and  Betty.  Wyomissing.  Pa.,  50 
Detrick,  Ernest  and  Elizabeth.  N.  Man- 
chester. Ind..  60 
Emiey,  Harvey  and  Ramah.  La  Verne, 

Calif.,  70 
Frick,  Bob  and  Doris.  La  Verne.  Calif.  50 
Graham,  Stanley  and  Helen,  Rockford, 

III.  50 
Graybill,  Randolph  and  Mildred. 

Roanoke,  Va.,  60 
Gross,  Vernon  and  Ruth,  Kingsley. 

Iowa.  50 
Hamilton,  Velma  and  David,  Virden, 

111..  70 
Harlman,  Galen  and  Dorothy, 

Annville.  Pa.,  55 
Hissong,  Wendell  and  Janet.  Engle- 

wood.  Ohio,  50 
Howes,  Gene  and  Geraldine,  Kaleva, 

Mich..  60 
Kallenbaugh,  Robert  and  Natalie, 

Bradenton.  Fla..  50 
Kuhn,  Richard  and  Cathrine,  Hanover, 

Pa..  50 
Lymanstall.  Robert  and  Wiima, 

Bradenton,  Fla..  50 
Miller,  Loren  and  Helen,  Warsaw,  Ind..  50 
Oxiey,  Derald  and  Audrey,  Salkum, 

Wash..  50 
Pence,  Bernice  and  Gerry.  La  Verne. 

CaliL.  50 
Pritt,  Paul  and  Jacqueline,  Windber, 


Pa.,  50 
Redner,  Earl  and  Mary,  Wyomissing, 

Pa.,  50 
Rousselow,  Virgil  and  Mary  Helen. 

Waterloo.  Iowa,  55 
Russi,  Bernice  and  Jack,  La  Verne 

CaliL,  50 
Shaffer,  Howard  and  Florence,  John- 
stown, Pa..  55 
Smith,  Harrison  and  Eieanor,  Gibbon 

Glade,  Pa.,  55 
Snaveiy,  Emerson  and  Elsie,  Palmyra, 

Pa.,  50 
Stull.  Paul  and  Eldora,  Danville,  Ohio.  65 
Stunty,  Robert  and  Theda,  Scottsdale, 

Ariz.,  50 
Talkington,  Mildred  and  James, 

Virden,  111.,  55 
Thompson,  Fred  and  Lorraine, 

Roanoke,  Va..  55 
Wampler,  Arnold  and  Betty,  Lebanon, 

Pa.,  50 
Weaver,  Lee  and  Hazel,  lohnstown.  Pa..  55 
Wickert,  Don  and  Esther,  La  Verne, 

CaliL.  50 
Young,  Lester  and  Mary,  Warsaw,  Ind.,  55 

Deaths 

Adams,  Mary  E.,  84,  Warsaw,  Ind., 

Nov.  3 
Albrite,  Lucille,  Harrisonburg,  Va.. 

Aug.  27 
Armentrout,  jocie.  90.  Harman.  W.Va.. 

Oct.  15 
Baird,  Marie  Walter,  81,  Duncansville, 

Pa..  Ian.  14 
Baker,  Kenneth  M.,  81,  Martinsburg. 

Pa.,  luly  8 
Barnhart,  Glendell  "Bobbie. "72. 

Phoenix.  Ariz..  July  ! 
Barton,  luanita,  San  lose.  CaliL,  March 
Bauserman,  Waldo,  73,  Ronceverte, 

WVa.,  Sept.  10 
Bazzle,  Claudia  D..  77,  Broadway.  Va., 

Oct.  25 
Bishop,  Ray,  89,  Defiance,  Ohio,  luly  21 
Bochoven,  Annette,  63,  Dayton,  Ohio, 

Sept.  19 
Bowman,  Ida  W..  90.  New  Oxford.  Pa., 

May  15 
Brandt,  Abner,  86,  Manheim,  Pa..  Oct.  12 
Breidenbaugh,  Edna.  83.  Glen  Arm. 

Md..  Aug.  13 
Breidenbaugh,  Joyce,  67.  Baltimore. 

Md..  Ian.  3 
Bushong,  Hugh,  98,  Goshen,  Ind.. 

Sept.  19 
Chaney,  Vera  A.,  75,  Frostburg.  Md.. 

luly  31 
Cline,  Esther,  Waterford,  Calif,  June  18 
Coffman,  Edna,  92,  La  Verne,  Calif. 

Aug.  28 
Cooper,  Edward  Gale,  96,  New 

Carlisle,  Ohio,  Aug.  26 
Corle,  J.  Milton,  82,  Martinsburg,  Pa., 

March  8 
Corle,  Richard  E.,  52,  Martinsburg, 

Pa..  Sept.  9 
Dalton,  Peggy  H.,  50,  Bassett.  Va., 

Sept.  9 
Diehl,  Wilmer  ]..  94,  Port  Republic, 

Va.,  Sept.  18 
Dilling,  Howard.  84.  East  Freedom. 

Pa.,  Dec.  16,  1997 
Donelly,  Mildred,  102,  Carlisle,  Pa.. 

Sept.  29 
Donnelly,  Emmitt,  89,  La  Verne,  Calif, 

luly  30 
Driver,  Erva,  82,  Dayton,  Va..  Nov.  2 
Driver,  Violet  Cook,  90,  Briery  Branch, 

Va..  Sept.  12 
Durham,  Myrtle.  91,  Phoenix.  Ariz., 

March  17 


Eitniear,  Eva,  91,  Defiance,  Ohio, 

Sept.  5 
Fahrney,  Wilbur  R.,  77,  Waynesboro. 

Pa.,  Sept.  21 
Fearins,  Zona,  Baltimore,  Md.,  March  28 
Feaster,  Patricia  Virginia  Lee,  47,  Har- 
risonburg, Va.,  July  9 
Feathers,  Brady,  90,  Claysburg,  Pa., 

June  6 
Fillmore,  Elmer,  86,  Gushing,  Okla., 

June  1  5 
Flora,  Roy,  77,  Rocky  Mount,  Va.,  Aug.  6 
Flory,  Esther,  92,  McPherson,  Kan., 

Sept.  25 
Foley,  Dorothy  M.  Higgs,  66,  Har- 
risonburg, Va.,  July  12 
Francis,  Maxine,  Waterford,  Calif, 

April  22 
Fyook,  Evelyn.  69.  Johnstown,  Pa., 

Nov.  4 
Garber,  Howard  R.,  88,  Timberville, 

Va..  Oct.  28 
Gibson,  Melvin,  98,  La  Verne,  Calif, 

July  28 
Grosse,  Lottie  J.,  90,  Goshen,  Ind., 

Oct.  22 
Groves,  Claude  M.,  82,  Hubbard. 

Ohio.  Oct.  7 
Hamer,  Maryanna,  102,  Waterloo, 

Iowa,  Sept.  13 
Harvey,  Homer  H..  83.  Hughson, 

Calif,  Oct.  21 
Heckman,  Mildred,  90,  Fayetteville, 

Pa..  June  28 
Hedrick,  GJen,  84,  Baltimore,  Md.,  July  27 
Hedrick,  Mary,  77,  Baltimore.  Md., 

March  17 
Heeler,  Mary,  97,  Defiance.  Ohio, 

October 
Helfrich,  Walter  E..  Jr.,  96,  New 

Oxford,  Pa..  Oct.  13 
Helmick,  Melvin  R.,  69,  Moorefield, 

W.Va..  Oct.  19 
Hershberger,  Claudett,  92,  Middle- 
bury.  Ind.,  June  18 
Hicks,  Robert  A.,  67.  Harrisonburg. 

Va..  Sept.  22 
Horn,  Harris  S.,  74,  Dover,  Pa.,  Sept.  22 
Houser,  Edward  Page.  80,  Harrison- 
burg, Va.,  Oct.  1  1 
Huck.  Helen.  78.  La  Verne.  Calif.  Aug.  28 
Jenkins,  Maise  Alice,  79,  Luray,  Va., 

Oct.  1 
lohnson,  Evelyn,  73.  Gridley.  Calif.. 

Sept.  10 
lordan,  Mary  O..  64.  Harrisonburg, 

Va..  Oct.  10 
Kepner,  Carl  J..  71.  Spring  Grove,  Pa., 

Aug.  19 
Kimble,  Ray  P.  84.  Stuarts  Draft.  Va., 

Oct.  6 
Kinard,  Ruth  R..  89.  Red  Lion.  Pa.. 

Sept.  3 
Kline,  Fred  Lee,  73,  Timberville,  Va., 

Oct.  6 
Laury,  Zelda,  94,  Greenville,  Ohio. 

Oct.  29 
Leiphart,  Nelson  P..  83.  New  Oxford. 

Pa.,  Oct.  21 
Lengel,  Leiand.  64.  McPherson.  Kan.. 

Oct.  28 
Long,  John  D..  84.  New  Oxford.  Pa.. 

Nov.  6 
Lutz,  Anna.  85,  Lititz.  Pa..  Oct.  9 
Metz,  D.  Merle.  71.  Martinsburg.  Pa.. 

Oct.  30 
Michael,  Robert  C.  49.  Mount  Sidney, 

Va..  Oct.  3 
Miller,  Ella  Mae.  81.  New  Oxford.  Pa 

Dec.  22,  1997 
Mongold,  Jannette.  62.  Odenton.  Md 

Sept.  27 
Moyers,  James  Wesley,  Sr..  86.  Har- 
risonburg. Va..  June  9 
Myers,  Marie.  72.  Thurmont.  Md.. 


30  Messenger  December  1998 


Oct.  21 
Myers,  Victor  Jackson,  87,  Harrison- 
burg, Va.,  Oct.  8 
Phelps,  Andy,  24,  Kokomo,  Ind.,  Aug.  1 1 
Pitts,  C.  Wilina,  84,  Kensington,  Md., 

Oct.  18 
Popard,  leanette  Ursula,  77,  Bridgewa- 

ter,  Va.,  Oct.  17 
Reber,  Norman  R,  88,  New  Oxford, 

Pa.,  Sept.  26 
Reed,  Alvis,  81,  Bel  Air,  Md.,  |une  29 
Rhodes,  Anna  Lois,  66,  Martinsburg, 

Pa.,  Oct.  30 
Rhodes,  Regina  M.,  86,  Duncansville, 

Pa.,  Sept.  9 
Richardson,  Lela,  74,  Champaign,  111., 

Sept.  23 
Robertson,  Ronald,  69,  Windber,  Pa., 

Sept.  4 
Robinson,  Wilson  Wiley,  78,  Harrison- 
burg, Va.,  lune  9 
Rowland,  Ronald,  85,  Cape  Coral,  Fla., 

Oct.  2 
Schulte,  Eugene,  66,  New  Milton, 

W.Va.,  |unel3 
Sheffer,  Russell  A.,  83,  Churchville, 

Va.,  Aug.  16 
Sherer,  Dollie,  76,  Phoenix,  Ariz.,  Sept.  1 1 
Shipe,  Annie  White,  88,  Bergton,  Va., 

lune  8 
Simmons,  Carl  |r.,  71,  Randallstown, 

Md..  Oct.  9 
Sinks,  Opal  Deeter,  88,  Dayton,  Ohio, 

April  18 
Snapp,  Florence,  88,  Waterloo,  Iowa, 

Oct.  21 
Snyder,  Lola,  Rockwell,  Mich.,  May  27 
Spenker,  Ruth  I.,  82,  Modesto,  Calif,, 

Sept.  30 
Steele,  William  L.,  71,  Roaring  Spring, 

Pa.,  March  4 
Sliving,  Ervin  R.,  79,  Lorida,  Fla.,  Aug.  12 
Sloltzfus,  Aquila,  85,  Lititz,  Pa.,  Sept.  22 
Slull,  Carl  "Bill,"  79,  Danville,  Ohio, 

luly  10 
Stump,  Lillian  Mae,  66,  Christiana,  Pa. 
Sullivan,  Luther  R,  82,  Grottoes,  Va., 

Oct.  13 
Swinehart,  |ulia,  17,  Bristol,  Ind.,  luly  13 
Temple,  Feme,  92,  McPherson,  Kan., 

Oct.  1 
Thompson,  Raymond,  76,  Milford, 

Ind.,  Oct.  14 
Townsend,  Paul,  87.  Brethren,  Mich., 

April  27 
Vaneiken,  Albert  "Sonny,"  67,  Wind- 
ber, Pa.,  Oct.  27 
Walter,  Catharine,  94,  Claysburg,  Pa., 

April  18 
Wampler,  Amos  Jacob,  82,  Broadway, 

Va.,  |une  15 
Williams,  MyrI,  86,  Cushing,  Okla., 

luly  26 
Wilson,  Edward,  82,  Arlington,  Va., 

lune  12 
Wimer,  Woodrow  Wilson,  85,  Moore- 

fleld,  W.Va.,  Oct.  12 
Wisler,  Betty  M..  77,  Martinsburg,  Pa., 

Sept.  28 
Welters,  Ruby,  92,  McPherson,  Kan., 

Sept.  23 
Workman,  Kenneth,  88,  Danville, 

Ohio,  lune  26 
Young,  Forest,  77,  Harrisonburg,  Va,, 

Oct.  20 
Zimmerman,  Florence,  97,  Bridgewa- 

ter,  Va.,  Oct.  14 

Pastoral 
Placements 

Cosner,  Elmer,  to  Red  Creek,  Bethel, 
W.  Marva 


Criswell,  Scott,  to  Claysburg,  Pa. 
Hollenberg,  Keith,  from  Hempfield. 

Petersburg,  Pa.,  to  York  First.  York. 

Pa. 
Kettering,  Bob,  to  Lititz,  Pa. 
Miller,  David  L.,  from  Albright.  Roar- 
ing Spring.  Pa.,  to  Carson  Valley, 

Duncansville,  Pa. 
Mitchell,  Vernon,  from  Plymouth,  Ind.. 

to  San  Diego,  Calif. 
Powell,  Lewis,  from  Point,  Schellsburg. 

Pa.,  to  Valley  Point.  Orbisonia.  Pa. 
Wolf,  Burton,  from  West  Milton,  Ohio, 

to  West  Charleston,  Tipp  City.  Ohio 
Yaeger,  Harold,  to  Ridge,  Shippens- 

burg.  Pa. 


Llcenslngs 

Barber,  Howard,  May  20,  Prince  of 

Peace,  Kettering,  Ohio 
Elsea,  Henry,  |r.,  July  18.  Tear  Coat. 

Augusta,  W.Va. 
Lewis,  Linda,  May  20.  Prince  of  Peace, 

Kettering,  Ohio 
Polzin,  Nathan,  Aug.  14,  New  Life 

Christian  Fellowship,  Mt.  Pleasant. 

Mich. 
Riffe,  lohn,  |r..  Aug.  24,  Durbin,  W.Va. 
Vardaman,  Matthew.  Sept.  19,  Pomona 

Fellowship,  Pomona,  Calif. 
Walther,  Richard,  Aug.  24,  Durbin. 


W.Va. 
Wolf,  Elizabeth  Ann  (Betsy),  May  11, 
Happy  Corner,  Clayton,  Ohio 

Ordinations 


Coursen.  Robert  A.,  Sept.  12,  Wood- 
worth,  Youngstown,  Ohio 

Daggett,  loan.  May  17.  Mill  Creek, 
Tryon,  N.C. 

Hall,  Wayne,  Sept.  12,  Piney  Creek, 
Taneytown,  Md. 

Wiltschek,  Walt,  Sept.  12,  Westmin- 
ster, Md. 

Wooten,  Eddie.  May  16,  Little  Pine,  N.C. 


A  World  of  Opportunity 
through  Brethren  Education 


A  Church  of  the  Brethren  educa- 
tion is  distinctive!  Students  find 
opportunities  for  academic 
achievement,  intellectual  curiosity, 
and  spiritual  development,  and 
programs  that  foster  maturity, 
leadership,  and  service. The  six 
Church  of  the  Brethren  colleges, 
along  with  Bethany  Seminary  and 
Brethren  Colleges  Abroad  (BCA) 
are  collaborating  to  encourage 
Brethren  students  to  study  and 
grow  in  a  Brethren  setting. 
Join  us  in  promoting  Brethren 
higher  education. 

r^*°' M  °^% 


Brethren  Colleges  Abroad 
North  Manchester,  Indiana 

Bethany  Theological  Seminary 
Richmond,  Indiana 

Bridgewater  College 
Bridgewater,  Virginia 

Elizabethtown  College 
Elizabethtown,  Pennsylvania 

Juniata  College 
Huntingdon,  Pennsylvania 

University  of  La  Verne 
La  Verne,  California 

Manchester  College 
North  Manchester,  Indiana 

McPherson  College 
McPherson,  Kansas 


COBCOA 


The  Brethren  Recruiting  Project  •  Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board 
1451  Dundee  Ave.  •   Elgin,  IL  60120-9958 


December  1998  Messenger  31 


Peacefully  simple,  together 


For  me  there  are  two  Christmases — the  church  and 
baby  jesus  Christmas  and  then  all  the  rest.  And  I'm 
afraid  that  Christmas-as-birthday  is  not  the  first  image 
that  comes  to  mind  when  1  hear  the  word.  When  I  hear 
Christmas  I  cringe.  Not  only  has  the  word  become  syn- 
onymous with  commercialism,  it  also  means  busy.  Too 
busy.  And  too  much  food  and  drink.  Too  much  of  every- 
thing. 1  don't  look  forward  to  the  holidays,  because 
Christmas  means  too  much  to  me. 

Everybody  talks  about  simplifying  Christmas,  except 
maybe  Brethren.  We  feel  too  guilty,  because  we  know, 
vaguely,  that  we  are  supposed  to  be  simple  and  plain.  We 
suspect  that  our  friends  at  church  give  their  kids  gifts  of 
fresh  fruit,  so  we  don't  ask.  We  just  get  through  the  glut 
while  pretending  that  toys  aren't  us.  Meanwhile,  small 
but  noisy  movements  have  grown  up  around  moderating 
the  culture  of  consumption.  "Buy-Nothing  Day"  gets 
more  attention  every  year.  The  new  simplicity  movement 
has  become  trendy.  The  new  fad  for  less  stuff  has 
spawned  a  prospering  self-help  industry,  and  its  gurus 
are  getting  rich. 

There  is  much  for  Brethren  to  learn  from  anti-con- 
sumerists  and  the  secular  simplifiers,  but  there  is  much 
for  us  to  teach  as  well.  Consuming  less  is  an  important 
aspect  of  simple  living,  but  only  one  aspect.  Although  I 
will  feel  somewhat  guilty  when  I  shop  for  gifts  and  open 
them,  I'm  not  ready  to  surrender  the  subject  of  simple 
living  to  those  who  have  tamed  that  devil  better  than  I 
have.  There  is  a  larger  issue  here,  a  different  approach,  a 
deeper  meaning  to  simplicity  than  renunciation. 

Brethren  come  to  simple  living  for  different  reasons 
than  others  who  find  the  path  attractive.  Motivation  is 
important,  because  why  we  go  there  makes  all  the  differ- 
ence in  how  we  get  there  and  how  many  we  can  get  to  go 
with  us.  Our  reasons  for  keeping  things  plain  are  not  to 
be  more  comfortable,  serene  or  slim.  Brethren  choose 
another  way  of  living  so  we  can  love  God  more.  And 
because  Jesus  lived  this  way,  and  taught  us  that  this  is  the 
way  to  live.  The  early  Brethren  took  seriously  and  liter- 
ally the  instructions  of  Jesus  on  self-denial,  on  earthly 
treasures,  and  on  nonconformity  to  the  world.  It  is  as  a 
matter  of  obedience,  not  self-improvement,  that  we  seek 
once  again  to  be  a  plain  and  peculiar  people. 

From  a  Christian  approach,  external  simplicity  is  not 
an  end  in  itself.  It  is  not  even  a  means  to  an  end  always, 
though  slowing  down  our  lives  is  often  a  first  step  toward 
making  it  possible  to  cultivate  what  some  have  called 
"simplicity  of  heart."  It  is  from  a  strong  heart  that  sim- 
plicity flows  best,  from  the  inside  out. 


We  are  helped  here  by  Richard  Foster,  who  spends  two 
rich  chapters  of  his  Freedom  of  Simplicity  (Harper  and 
Row,  1981)  on  the  subject  of  inward  simplicity.  He 
quotes  Thomas  Kelly:  "We  feel  honestly  the  pull  of  many 
obligations  and  try  to  fulfill  them  all.  And  we  are 
unhappy,  uneasy,  strained,  oppressed,  and  fearful  we 
shall  be  shallow.  We  have  hints  that  there  is  a  way  of  life 
vastly  richer  and  deeper  than  all  this  hurried  existence,  a 
life  of  unhurried  serenity  and  peace  and  power.  If  only 
we  could  slip  over  into  that  Center!" 

Foster  writes  it  is  living  from  the  "divine  center"  that 
"lies  at  the  heart  of  all  Christian  simplicity."  He  contin- 
ues: "As  we  yield  to  the  Center  everything  about  us 
becomes  focused,  synoptic.  This  yielding  is  nothing  more 
than  the  experience  of  the  great  commandment  to  love 
God  with  all  our  being."  He  writes  that  for  years  he 
thought  that  serving  God  was  another  duty  to  be  added 
onto  an  already  busy  schedule.  "But  slowly  I  came  to  see 
that  God  desired  to  be  not  on  the  outskirts,  but  at  the 
heart  of  my  experience.  Gardening  was  no  longer  an 
experience  outside  of  my  relationship  with  God — I  dis- 
covered God  in  the  gardening.  God  in  Christ  had  become 
the  center." 

This  takes  me  back  to  my  two  Christmases.  The  one  is 
the  birth  of  Jesus,  when  God  came  to  live  among  us  on 
earth  and  to  remind  us  of  God's  love  and  justice  and 
compassion  for  the  poor.  The  other  Christmas  is  an  arti- 
ficial contrivance  that  uses  a  holy  season  as  an  excuse  for 
all  sorts  of  glittery  add-ons,  some  more  disagreeable  thar 
others.  I  can  diminish  the  second  by  enlarging  the  first. 
The  way  to  simplify  the  season  may  be  to  stop  trying  to 
simplify,  but  rather  to  keep  returning  to  the  manger  of 
Jesus.  When  I  get  trapped  in  the  trappings  of  the  holi- 
days, I  can  go  back  to  the  barn  where  the  baby  is.  This  is 
where  on  a  silent  night  I  can  ponder  the  profound  impli- 
cations of  God's  gift.  "All  the  rest"  will  come  into 
perspective,  joy  will  return  to  my  world,  and  the  cringe 
will  come  out  of  Christmas. 

If  we  center  on  the  manger,  Jesus  will  teach  us  the  rest 
of  simplicity.  This  was  the  promise  of  the  song  Zechariaf 
sang  in  anticipation  of  the  birth  of  Jesus  (Luke  1:78,  79) 

"By  the  tender  mercy  of  our  God, 

the  dawn  from  on  high  will  break  upon  us, 

to  give  light  to  those  who  sit  in  darkness 

and  in  the  shadow  of  death, 
to  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace." 


-Fletcher  Farrai 


32  Messenger  December  1998 


115 


JL 


Church  of  the  Brethren 


>  * 


lunc 

5-13 

June 

14-20 

[line 

14-2(1 

June 

20-27 

lune 

21-27 

|une 

21-27 

|une 

23-27 

luly 

4-  8 

|uly 

5-11 

laly 

7-13 

July 

11-17 

[uly 

12-18 

luly 

14-18 

lulv 

19-25 

julv 

19-25 

Julv 

21-25 

Jul)' 

26-31 

Colcrainc,  N.  Ireland  (Young  jVduIti 
Heifer  Project  Ranch  (Sr.  High) 
Puerto  Rico  (Sr.  High) 
Brooklyn,  NY  (BRF) 
Tijuana,  Mexico  (Sr.  High) 
Germantown,  PA  (Sr.  High) 
Harrisburg,  PA  (Jr.  High) 

Inspiration  Center 

Lake  Geneva,  WI  (Jr.  High) 
Broken  Bow,  OK  (Sr.  High) 
Jamaica  (Sr.  High) 
Kentucky  Mt.  Housing  (Sr.  High) 
Orangeburg,  SC  (Sr.  High) 
New  Windsor,  MD  Qr.  High) 
Denver,  CO  (Sr.  High) 
Putne)-,  VT  (Sr.  High) 
Harrisburg,  PA,  Intergenerational 

(Youth  &  Older" Adults) 
Habitat  for  Humanit}': 

Americus,  GA  (Sr.  High) 


July  28-August  1  Washington,  DC  Qt.  High) 
luly  28-August  3  St.  Croi.x,  USVI  (Sr.  High) 


For 

MORE 

INFORMATION, 
CALL  THE 

Youth/Young  Adult 

Office  of  the  Church  of  the 

Brethren  at  800-323-8039  or  write 

to  Kim  and  Torin,  1451  Dundee  Ave.,  Elgin, 

IL   60120   (email:    COBYOUrH_GB(gBRETHREN.ORG) 


Our  family's  will 
was  a  disaster.  We  had  both  changed  jobs.  We 
had  two  more  kids.  The  guardians  named  for 


our  children  were  divorced.  And,  nothing 
was  left  to  organizations  that  we  both 
care  deeply  about  now,"  confessed  Ken 
Neher,  director  of  Funding.  "What  was 
worse,  it's  my  job  to  remind  people  how 
important  it  is  to  have  a  will  and  keep  it 
updated.  Putting  it  off  bothered  us  both. 

Now,  finally  we've  made  the 
changes. 


I 


o  die  without  a  will  or  with  a  will  that  is  improperly  written  is  a  tragedy  that  happens  all  too  often. 
Having  an  up-to-date  will  insures  that  possessions  go  to  the  person  or  causes  according  to  your  wishes, 
and  the  peace  you  feel  when  it  is  all  in  order  nnay  surprise  you! 


Financial  Resource  Counseling 

A  Stewardship  Sei-vke  of  the 
Church  oj  the  Brethren  General  Board 


For  free  information  or  consultation  about  wills  or  other  estate  planning  tools,  contact  the  Financial  Resource 
Counselors  and  Funding  staff  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren  General  Board.  Call  1-800-335-4413  or  write  Church  of  the 
Brethren  Funding,  Southgate  Professional  Plaza,  31  Southgate  Court,  Suite  202,  Harrisonburg,  VA  22801. 


H013CHEN 
BINDERY  LTD 

UTICA/OWIAHANE. 

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