LOOKING FOR~~ PEACEFUL GIFTS On Earth THIS CHRISTMAS? Peace

Shalom: Christ's Way of Peace This practical guide to biblical roots of peacemaking and reconciliation is written by Lani Wright and Susanna Farahat. The 32-page resource offers theological grounding, inspiring examples, and concrete suggestions for reducing violence in our world. With questions for reflection and discussion, it serves well as a study guide for church school and other groups.

Single copies: $2 plus $2 shipping. Multiple copies: $2 plus $ I shipping

Glimpses of Freedom Resounding with a rich vocal blend and tight harmonies, this CD features JOYA, a quartet of well-loved Brethren musicians: LuAnne Harley, Shawn Kirchner, Brian Kruschwitz, and Barb Sayler. This CD includes old and new favorites from several cultures and comes from their 2004 - 2005 nationwide tour.

$IO per CD plus $2 shipping

Food and Oothing, Cattle and Love The work of Brethren Service in Europe, after the destruction of World War II, is an example of the church at its best. Using photos and film footage from the time period, as well as interviews with those who served, this video tells the story in a variety of formats and styles.

DVD: $IO plus $3 shipping VHS: $15 plus $3 shipping

..... These resources and more are available from On Earth Peace. Call or email for quantity pricing. P. 0. Box 188, New Windsor, MD 21776 410-635-8704- ~ [email protected] www.oneartbpeace.org DECEMBER 2007 VOL.156 N0.11 WWW.BRETHREN.ORG

(( 1 . publish with the voice ef thanksgiving1 and tell ef all thy wondrous works1 (Psa. 26:7 b KJV) .

Editor: Walt Wiltschek Publisher: Wendy McFadden Associate Editor/News: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford Subscriptions: Diane Stroyeck Design: The Concept Mill

8 Faith on the 'frontier' In some parts of the country, Brethren take for granted things like being near other Brethren or having people know who the Church of the Brethren is. Elsewhere, though, maintaining those connections takes more attention. From Montana to Texas, western Colorado to southern Vermont, and elsewhere, some congregations know all about life on the Brethren frontier.

12 Why is history important? As Brethren embark on a 300th anniversary celebration, why should we care about the past? Steve Longenecker and Frank Ramirez offer some compelling answers, while Ken Shaffer and Logan Condon (p. 16) share about the work of archives that seek to preserve some of that rich history.

18 Zephaniah/Haggai: A hand-clasp of hope Near the end of the "minor prophets," Zephaniah and Haggai represent the "before" and "after" of Babylonian captivity for the Hebrew people. In a difficult time of judgment and rebuilding, these prophets also offered a message of hope for the future.

DEPARTMENTS 2 From the Publisher 20 News 28 Letters 3 In Touch 24 Media Review 30 Turning Points 6 Reflections 25 Youth Life 31 Editorial 7 The Buzz 26 2007 Index

Messenger December 2007 HOW TO REACH US

was a little embarrassed to get a Facebook page earlier this year, MESSENGER feeling like the oldest person using the popular social-networking 1451 Dundee Avenue lwebsite. My assumption seemed confirmed when I saw that my age was at the Elgin, IL 60120 top limit of the age breakdowns on a Facebook survey. Apparently I wouldn't be Subscriptions: able to fill out any surveys after my next birthday. [email protected] I'm less self-conscious now. It's t rue that the website seems geared toward Phone: 847-742-5100 young, single people, but my "Facebook friends" range in age from high school to, Fax: 847-742-6103 ahem, some years beyond me. Of course, I don't have an overwhelming number of Advertising: these friends, since as an introvert I usually wait until people approach me rather [email protected] than sending out electronic requests of my own. Phone: 800-323-8039 Fax: 847-742-1407 Given my personality, I also don't update my status ("Wendy is at home" and "Wendy is at work" would get pretty tedious), name favorite TV shows (I don't have Editorial: any), announce my political leanings (too much like a bumper sticker), or upload [email protected] photos of myself. More fun for me (in addition to receiving friend requests, which is Phone: 800-323-8039 ext. 263 Fax: 847-742-6103 rather affirming-sort of like getting another little valentine in your decorated shoe­ box) is filling out the map of where I've been and assembling a list of hundreds of Subscription rates: books that I've read. $17.50 individual rate - $32 for 2 years What's especially enlightening for this Luddite who grew $14.50 gift rate up in the days of stationery and typewriters is the way hun­ $14.50 church club rate dreds of people can be connected instantaneously in ways - $27 for 2 yea rs that range from the superficial to the profound. I don't know $ 1.25 student (per month) how important this sort of communication will ultimately be, If you move, clip address label but it's worth paying attention to. For one thing, there are and send with new address to lots of Brethren groups on Facebook; more than 550 people MESSENGER Subscriptions, at the have chosen to affiliate with the group "Brethren Unite," for above address. Allow at least five example. Even Alexander Mack has a Facebook page. weeks for address change.

As technology has changed at a dizzying pace in recent Connect electronically: For a free years, I have tended to be a little cautious, keeping in mind subscription to Newsline, the that choosing to progress technologically always leaves some people out. But it's Church of the Brethren e-mail news also true that failing t o adopt new t ec hnology leaves some people out. report, write [email protected].

Would J esus have a Facebook page? (Well, several folks by that name already To view the official Church of the seem to be there, though none that I saw are likely to be mistaken for the Son of Brethren website, go to God.) What we do know is that Jesus went to people where they were-a reality www.brethren.org. most unmistakeable at Christm as. Whatever tools of the day we employ, we can A free study guide for each issue remember that. of MESSENGER is available on the site; go to keyword "MESSENGER" and click on the study guide link.

MESSENGER is the official publication of the Church of the Brethren. Member of the Associated Church Press. Biblical quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the New Revised Standard Version. Copyrigh t © December 2007 , Church of the Brethren General Board.

MES SENG ER (ISSN 0026-0355) is publ ished 11 times a yea r by Brethren Press, Church of the Brethren General Board. Periodicals postage paid at Elgin. Ill., and additional mailing offices.

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Messenger December 2007 DISTRICTCONFERENCES

Northeast Southern Pennsylvania District conference passed a resolution on to Annual Conference, asking how Brethren can have a more visible witness in Conference host cities . ... Reisterstown (Md.) Church of the Brethren contributed significant assistance to the local Animal Rescue with donations gathered at its Vacation Bible School. ... An auction to benefit Western Pennsylvania District ministries was held Nov. 3 at Camp Harmony (Hooversville, Pa.).

Southeast Southeastern District's annual growth event was held Nov. 3 at Melvin Hill Church of the Brethren (Columbus, N.C.), focusing on youth ministry.... The Siguiendo Los Pasos De Jesus project in Roanoke, Va., began a Bible study meeting on Oct. 18 . . . . Nearly three dozen churches and groups combined to raise a record-set­ ting total of $29,025 for Camp Bethel's (Fincastle, Va .) Heritage Day Oct. 6. Nearly 2,000 people attended.

Midwest Northern Indiana has named Rich Troyer district youth coordinator; at district conference, Ruth Dilling was nominated as "Volunteer of the Year" for her work with youth .. . . Mark and Mary Jo Flory-Steury will be guest speakers for the Northern Ohio minis­ ter/spouse retreat Feb. 17-19 in Lakeside, Ohio .... Michigan District conference delegates officially recog­ District conference season: The last of the 2007 Church of the Brethren nized the decision of the Sunfield district conferences took place in November, as Virlina met Nov. 9-10 in Roanoke, Va. (Mich.) congregation to disorganize. Over a period of four months, delegates and others in the 23 districts met to deal with budgets, call leadership, handle other business items, pass some items on to Annual Ozarks/Plains Delegates to Conference, hear reports, worship, take part in educational sessions, and fellowship Missouri/Arkansas District conference passed a transition plan for district lead­ together. Top, general secretary Stan Noffsinger, 2008 Annual Conference moderator ership that includes setting aside the con­ Jim Beckwith, and General Board chair Tim Harvey take part in the Michigan District stitution as it relates to staff and board, conference in August; above left, Nancy Gibble of Seven Valleys, Pa., does a historical and a calling process for a five-person re -enactment at Southern Pennsylvania District conference in September; and above leadership team to conduct district busi­ right, members of the Hagerstown (Md.) Church of the Brethren praise team open ness for the coming year. .. . Brethren morning worship at Mid-Atlantic District's conference in October. from several Western Plains congrega­ tions traveled to Saint John, Kan., this fall to rebuild a member's garage destroyed by a tornado earlier this year. BVTHENUMBERS West Oregon-Washington District con­ ference Sept. 28-30 focused on the theme "Three Hundred Yea rs of Brethren $126,511,000 History" and began with love feast. It also included an auction for disaster relief and hymn sing . .. . Camp Koinonia (Cle Elum, Wash.) has received approvals Total assets under management by for a lodge expansion and renovation, the Brethren Foundation at the end expected to begin by spring .. .. Pacific of 2006, as reported by Brethren Southwest conference delegates adopted Benefit Trust. The amount marked a a "Unity Statement" that says, in part, year-end high for the foundation, "Not focusing on our differences, but in which has more than 200 individual, the spirit of love and acceptance, we congregational, and agency clients. choose to focus on Christ."

Messenger December 2007 Kansas congregations a low-yield season. join to help the hungry The Global Food Crisis Fund is aiming for 25 Articles in The Hutchinson (Kan.) News growing projects in 2008 to and The McPherson (Kan.) Sentinel high­ mark its 25th anniversary. lighted this past year's effort by four Kansas congregations-McPherson Church of the Brethren, Monitor Church East Cocalico of the Brethren, Community Church of helps area learn the Brethren in Hutchinson, and about safety issues Hutchinson First Presbyterian Church­ to address hunger issues. East Cocalico Church of The four congregations partnered to the Brethren (Reamstown, sponsor a Foods Resource Bank growing Pa.) in August hosted project, part of a larger effort being coor­ Reamstown's first National Night Out dinated by the Church of the Brethren event, drawing more than 200 people to General Board's Global Food Crisis play games and learn about public safe­ Atlantic Southeast empowers Fund. Sponsors dedicate an area of land ty and drug prevention programs. The families to work for peace to the project and donate proceeds from event was featured on the front page of the harvest to the fund. In 2007, a total the Lancaster, Pa., Intelligencer Journal Following the theme "Empowered For newspaper. Peacemaking," the Action for Peace ; Doug Gehr, pastor Team and Camp lthiel of Atlantic Southeast District sponsored a Family {1) of East Cocalico, told the newspaper that he Peace Camp over Labor Day weekend, at had been involved the camp near Orlando, Fla. with National Night A total of 83 people were involved in Out at his previous this first all-ages Family Peace Camp in congregation in the district in many years. Some attend­ Pottsville, Pa., and ed from the opening get-acquainted wanted to try it in activities and devotions on Friday Lancaster County. He evening to the evaluation and wrap-up began organizing Monday noon, while others could only groups within the be there part of the time. This flexibility church, then brought encouraged participation according to other community family availability. groups on board. Resource leaders were Matt Guynn "Anything that we from On Earth Peace, and SueZann can do to promote the Bosler, a death penalty opponent. From Children from four Kansas churches celebrate the "Greening of the strengths of individu­ the Camp lthiel staff, Michaela Camps Wheat" for a McPherson/ Reno County wheat growing project. als and families and directed the children's activities and Mike get people out of the Neff, camp director, led group activities of 17 Brethren-related growing projects negative aspects of life and into positive and games. Several other volunteers also in nine states involved 25 congregations, things is important," Gehr said in the helped with the event. Tentative plans a camp, and a retirement community. article. call for the possibility of another such The Kansas project featured 30 acres of A variety of brochures and other edu- peace-centered, diverse event over Labor winter wheat in McPherson County, next cational pieces were available, along Day weekend in 2008.-Phil Lersch to the Monitor church. Community with children's games and a Church of the Brethren youth donated visit from a police cruiser and $300 to sponsor one of the acres. At har­ a pair of bloodhounds used vest time, about $4,000 was raised despite for search and rescue.

Messenger December 2007 LANDMARKS & LAURELS

• The Ephrata (Pa.) Cloister, formed by one­ time Brethren leader Conrad Beissel, marked 275 years with a special ceremony and interactive tours on Oct. 13. The celebration included a per­ formance by the Ephrata Cloister chorus, a public cake-cutting, and remarks by local dignitaries. • The Iglesia de Los Hermanos Cristo El Senor (Christ the Lord Church of the Brethren) in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, celebrat­ ed its 25th anniversary Oct. 24-27. A concert of sacred and folk music was held in Vega Baja's arts theater on Oct. 26. • Lacey (Wash.) Community Church this fall is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the formation of a Church of the Brethren in the This 4-DVD collection Olympia area. Olympia Church of the Brethren, which later changed its name to brings together a dozen Community Church of the Brethren and then and a half of the most merged with Lacey Christian Church (Disciples significant films and videos of Christ) in 1973, began in September 1907. • Downsville (Md.) Church of the from the church's archives, Brethren marked its 150th anniversary Oct. 20- including several that are 21 with love feast and communion, a Sunday available for the first time. worship service featuring former pastor Jimmy Ross, a carry-in dinner, special music, and pub­ Let the captivating footage lication of an anniversary cookbook. Other in this collection bring you events have been held throughout the year. a greater understanding of • Mary Bartles, a member of Broadford ing Church of the Brethren Fellowship in the church's past by taking Hagerstown, Md., celebrated her 100th birth­ you to places like China, day on Oct. 7. About 80 friends and family Nigeria, Puerto Rico, members attended a party in her honor. Sudan, and Guatem:ala. REMEMBERED Priced at $39.95 it is an

• Manchester College (North Manchester, Ind.) affordable addition to both board of trustees member Stanley J. Gilbert church and home libraries. died Sept. 20. Gilbert, an attorney with the US ,L~ Social Security Administration, was a 1966 f~ Call Brethren Press Bret:l-rren Press Manchester alumnus and a member of Peoria today for your copy. I 45I Dundee Avenue, Elgin, IL 60I 20-I694 (Ill.) Church of the Brethren. He had served t he www.brethrenpress.com 800-441-3712 board five years as a "much-respected" repre­ sentative of lllinoisM'isconsin District, accord­ ing to a release from the college.

Messenger December 2007 Pictures of the church

any of our congregations take photographs for exhibit his life in us. Vance Havner said, "There was only one Ma pictorial directory; perhaps some will on the perfect life ever lived, but he lives it over and over again in 300th anniversary of the Church of the Brethren. These pictures each of us." capture us at a particular moment, and we know that a few c) The church realizes an interconnectedness of years from now we will appear somewhat differently. These believers with other believers. Christians are members of photos show us as we are right now. Not many years from the church with each other. Our Christian life is not merely a now, our children will laugh over and cherish these pictures. vertical one with Jesus as our Savior and Lord. We are also in The New Testament, on the other hand, uses several strik­ this life together with fellow members of the church. Paul ing illustrations of the church, and reminds us of this in 1 Corinthians 12, when he relates the these "pictures" capture the church usefulness of each part (member) of the body with each other as it is throughout history. These member. We know this is true of our physical bodies. Why images of the church portray it as would it be any different with the church? central in the plan of God. The d) The church is united in its service to Christ. While church is not an accident, nor is it individual members have their specific interests, gifts, and tal­ God's "Plan B" in case Israel failed. ents, God is directing the efforts. We may not see how every­ While not specifically mentioned in thing is fitting together, but God does. "But now God has the Old Testament, we must under­ placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as stand that God's purposes have been he desired." The unity of the church is a fact, because God from eternity past-before the foun­ has declared and established it. dation of the world. His sovereign plan included the church. Second, Ephesians 2:20-22 and 1 Peter 2:5 speak of the church as Christ's building. We members are the building First, in 1 Corinthians 12:12, 27, God says that the church is stones. In God's plan, we members are joined together in a Christ's body, with the members (us) having several gifts. building which is: Ephesians 1:22-23 explicitly calls it Christ's body, with Christ a) the dwelling place of God (Eph. 2:22) . God does not himself as the head. These passages tell us several things live in buildings made of stone. When we say that a church about the church as a body. building is God's house, we do not mean that he lives there- If you want to see God at work today, you need to look at the church. Other ''para-church" ministries may have their part, but the New Testament only envisions one institution, namely the local church, as the focal point of God's activity in evangelism, in edification, and in worship.

a) The church is the center of Christ's activity. we are indicating that the building belongs to God (and not to Ephesians 1:23 tells us that the church is "the fullness of him us). God does live in his people, through the Holy Spirit. This who fills all in all." If you want to see God at work today, you is more than simply "Christ living in my heart"-it is Christ need to look at the church. Other "para-church" ministries living in his people as a body. may have their part, but the New Testament only envisions b) united in our responsibility to Christ. A brick, by one institution, namely the local church, as the focal point of itself, is not much use. However, put a whole truckload of God's activity in evangelism, in edification, and in worship. bricks together with cement, and you have a building that is There really is no work of God today that can claim God's seal useful for a whole host of activities. The same thing applies to of approval other than the church. the church. By ourselves, we have little ability. But joined b) The church maintains a vital connection with (cemented!) to each other in Christ, God works through us Christ. Because Christ is the head of the church, all authori­ together to accomplish his purposes. ty and life must come from him (John 15:1-7). We find what Let us commit ourselves anew to the work of the church as he intends in his Word (with the New Testament as the Christ's body and building!~ church's specific rule of faith and practice), and we then obey it (John 15:10), because we belong to him. In doing so, we Craig Alan Myers is pastor of Blue River Church of the Brethren in Columbia City, Ind.

Messenger December 2007 QUOTEWORTHY CULTUREVIEW • The Rev. Dr. Michael than 50 countries. Klassen comes Kinnamon, a Christian Church to the position after serving for ''Forgiveness is the (Disciples of Christ) clergyman and the past eight years as executive a long-time educator and ecu- director of MCC Ontario. She will only way that you menical leader, was nominated as be the first woman to serve as general secretary of the National executive director of MCC in the can bind love and Council of Churches USA (NCC) in organization's 87-year history. October. He was to be affirmed by • Bolivia president Evo Morales friendship. Without the NCC's Govern ing Board and announced in October that his General Assembly in November. country will gradually withdraw it, you are empty.'' He was most recently a professor its military from training pro­ - former boxing champion George Foreman, now a preacher, at Eden Theological Seminary. grams at the US' Western in an interview about his spiritual journey (RNS) • Arli Klassen has been cho­ Hemisphere Institute for Security sen as t he next executive director Cooperation (School of the of Mennonite Central Committee Americas). Bolivia is the fifth "People of faith should not be in the pocket of (MCC), taking leadership of the Latin American nation to any political party." organization's relief, development announce a withdrawal from the -Sojourners editor Jim Wallis, speaking at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas and peace-building work in more school, based at Fort Benning, Ga.

"Why do we hesitate to hesitate? Are we JUST FOR FUN: READER FEEDBACK

afraid of something? Do we think slowing LET US SING In a recent issue, MESSENGER asked readers to tell us what was their down is a sin?" favorite hymn and why. The responses included the following: -Oakton Church of the Brethren (Vienna, Va.) pastor Chris Bowman, speaking at Mid-Atlantic District conference in October on the theme "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10) 11 1 am going to select number 75 in the Hymnal, 'Heilig, Heilig, Heilig,' words by Johann Philipp Neumann and music by Franz Schubert. This "We always remembered we were on the hymn excels in its simplicity, beautiful harmony, and the way in.which same team." the words and music go together. My preference is to sing this hymn in -John Layman, pastor of Hempfield Church of the Brethren a very slow, reverent manner. The slow tempo is critical, for it forces me (Manheim, Pa.}, speaking at Southern Pennsylvania District conference in September. Layman was talking about the importance of Christian to slow down and focus on what I am singing. Despite my mind status relationships despite theological differences. when I start the hymn, it is cleared and my focus is turned to the God I want to worship. The end of verse two says it all, "Holy is the Lord. "

"In the black community, it's always important -Benjamin T. Sollenberger when you're a pioneer or barrier-breaker. And it Fort W ayne, Ind . should be important to the Church of the Brethren. We're getting ready to celebrate our 11 All the hymns are my favorite. I would like to point out that if you have not 300th anniversary and I'm the only black heard the Nigerian song 'Betelehemu' (a Christmas song), I would highly ordained female in the church? What a shame." suggest listening to this piece. Our church has a very close relationship with

-2007 Annual Conference moderator Belita Mitchell, in an interview record­ EVN (Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), ed in the Church of the Brethren Womaen's Caucus HFemailings" newsletter and I know it would warm the hearts of all who have served in Nigeria and everyone else who has a great appreciation for music. "

"Our empowerment comes out of the stillness. -Laurel Metzler Byler We don't take the time to get that. We even Eu less, Texas have a checklist to see how much we can read in the Bible in a day. We don't take the time to 11 'Brothers and Sisters of Mine,' lyrics by let it be absorbed in our spirit." Kenneth I. Morse. Ken is our own Brethren

-Mary Albert Darling, co-author (with Tony Campolo) of the new book writer who wrote fine poems as well as The God of Intimacy and Action. in an interview with the United Methodist Reporter effective prose. This hymn speaks strongly about our mission to the poor and hurting peoples of the world. The music was composed by another good Brethren, "Life together as God's people requires that Wilbur Brumbaugh. We knew them both well and everyone has the material conditions to make appreciated their talents. " it possible to live with dignity, independence, - Ginny Whitten and self-respect." Bridgewater, Va. - Hee-Soo Jung. bishop for the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church, writing in the conference newspaper

Messenger December 2007 Brethren live out call despite geographical isolation Story and Photos by Walt Wiltschek

magine driving a full day-or more-to a district "There were many (congregations) that said to me, 'You all meeting, or even flying to that meeting. Imagine don't know how much you have it made back East," said being hundreds of miles away from the next-closest Vermilyea, who is from West Virginia. "The distances are so far. Brethren congregation. You go to Pennsylvania and Ohio and a lot of people have heard Some Brethren don't have to imagine these scenar­ of the Church of the Brethren, but you go west of the Mississippi, ios. They live them. especially west of Kansas and Iowa, and hardly any have. From Falfurrias Church of the Brethren in southern Texas to "It's a big country, and it's bigger out West than it is in the East.. .. the Big Sky church in northeastern Montana, from the lush The congregations are so far away, the church camp is so far away, mountains of northern New England to the rugged Rockies of everything is so far away. It's such a different world out there." western Colorado to the deserts of Arizona, some Brethren know all about faith on the geographical frontier. Big Sky country When Brethren Volunteer Service worker Don Vermilyea went Few congregations know that "far away" feeling better than on his "Walk Across America," journeying by foot to Brethren Big Sky American Baptist/Brethren in Froid, Mont. Ruth and congregations in the West, Plains, Midwest, and South from Ralph Clark are among just a handful of Brethren members in 2002 to 2006, he got a first-hand taste of those large spans. the 50 or so people who attend the affiliated church (Grandview Church of the Brethren merged with a Baptist con­ gregation in 1979), and they have worked hard to stay connect-

RE1iD/N6, MNIJ/OUX [i;illl,JD ed. The next-closest Brethren congregation is tiny Pleasant Valley in central North Dakota, about 250 miles to the east . ' "It's a little hard to be active when it's so far away," says Ruth •;J Clark, a McPherson (Kan.) College graduate who first came to • Froid in 1964 as a summer youth worker after seminary. She ended up coming for good after she met Ralph there and the two

Messenger December 2007 were married. "We'd be more active if we were closer, but we Deep in the heart of Texas don't always get to district conference or Annual Conference." Some 1,500 miles to the south of Froid, another group of The area wasn't always so isolated. Northern Plains District Brethren continue to cherish their denominational ties. interim executive Tim Button-Harrison says there were once The Falfurrias congregation, first a school and later the site of nearly 40 congregations in the "Mon-Dak" region of Montana, a Brethren Service project, has managed to continue a vital North Dakota, and southern Canada. With the withdrawal of the ministry far out of the Brethren mainstream. Its nearest Cando (N.D.) congregation from the denomination this past Brethren neighbor in scattered Southern Plains District is about summer there are now two. 400 miles northeast in Lake Charles, La. The only other remain­ "It feels like that chapter has some big changes happening," ing Brethren congregation in Texas is in Nocona, more than Button-Harrison says, reflecting on the region's history. "For a 500 miles to the north. lot of us that brings sadness and a lot of grief, yet we also want "For district meetings, we leave in the morning and travel to celebrate all that has happened here." until night," says Stanley Bittinger, volunteer co-pastor of the Ruth Clark says a "real blow" occurred in 2002, when fire church. "It's at least eight hours' drive to the nearest one . . .. destroyed the main lodge of the region's Camp Mon-Dak and We know some of the pastors, so when a district meeting hap­ the camp subsequently closed. "That was our place of meeting pens it's like a family reunion." and fellowshiping," she says. A booming Brethren center until the service project closed in Northern Plains has worked at maintaining the remaining con­ the mid-1960s- as evidenced by a group photo displayed in the nections by taking its district board meeting on the road every church's foyer-Falfurrias has about 20 bilingual members today. three years, transporting board members and others by bus to Big "We're short on money, and short on people!" says Vivian Sky and other northern congregations for a weekend (see sidebar). Bittinger, Stanley's wife. Yet Falfurrias' members regularly take The Clarks have also done their part, as Ruth has served on supplies to projects in northern Mexico, about two hours to the the district board, Annual Conference Standing Committee, and south, and provide other ministries to the local community. the General Board over the years and is on Standing Its legacy is felt throughout the denomination, too, as many Committee again currently. Walk into Big Sky now, and you'll Brethren came to Falfurrias to volunteer over the course of two find Church of the Brethren information and fliers on the bul­ decades. One group has gathered every other year since the letin board, MESSENGER on the narthex table, and district early '90s to renew Falfurrias connections, most recently in newsletters readily available. North Manchester, Ind., in 2006. "I've always loved the Church of the Brethren," says Ruth. Jodie Boggs, who organized that gathering, said the idea Randy Johnson, who grew up in the Big Sky church but is now came after going to a 40th anniversary reunion of their co-pastor of Dallas Center (Iowa) Church of the Brethren, says feel­ Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) unit. "We thought, 'Why don't ings of disconnection can be frustrating, but he gives the Clarks, we do something for just the Falfurrias people?'," she says. and Ruth especially, a lot of credit for doing what they can. Stanley Bittinger says a reunion may be held next year in "(Big Sky's) mission is much wider than Froid," Johnson Falfurrias, where some volunteers still have family ties, to mark says. "Ruth Clark is essential in that .... You can sense that the 60th anniversary of the first BVS unit there. she's bonded to the Church of the Brethren and loves it very "When the volunteers came in they met a lot of the local deeply. It's contagious. The love she shared with me is a very young people, and out of that we had a lot of marriages," he big part of why I'm in the Church of the Brethren." says. "Then a lot of them went back up north, and many of

Messenger December 2007 them are st ill Blessings and challenges very active in Elsewhere, others echo those equal measures of cha llenge and the Chu rch of blessings. the Brethre n." In Vermont, Genesis Church of the Brethren in Putney sits far Vivian says they keep in contact with many of those v olun­ from any Brethren neighbors despite being in the Northeast. teers and others who have been part of the church. " People The only other Brethren congregations in New England are a come back to see relatives," she says. "As t hey travel back and trio clustered in Maine. Genesis may hold the oddest geo­ forth, they always come to see us." g raphical affiliation in the denomination, as it is part of Those ties, and ot her Brethren efforts to reach out, are appre­ Southern Pennsylvania District, which planted the congregation ciated. The McPherson (Kan.) church, for example, has been in the 1980s. down several times to do workcamps on the large property and "We were looking for a place where the Brethren were not to build connections. entrenched, by design," says Paul Grout, Genesis' former pas­ "The traveling makes it hard," Vivian Bittinger says. " We tor and one of the original church planters. He saw it as place especially appreciate people coming in and helping .... It's a where the Brethren movement could be seen with fresh eyes. major problem for us, because we "In some ways, being dis­ don't have enough manpower." connected from cultural With those relationships, the other Brethren allows us to be more volunteer co-pastor, Ester Olvera, Brethren than the cultural says she doesn't feel isolated. They Brethren," says Grout, who fellowship with other Christians in continues to live in Putney. Falfurrias, and, by reading Brethren "We're not constantly being publications, " You know you're part judged by the cultural of a larger thing," she says. Brethren." " We're very fortunate, even though In Arizona, Aaron Lahman we're out in the middle of nowhere," has experienced the difficul­ Olvera adds. "I feel blessed." ties of being far from most Brethren. A member of the M embers of the small but historic Circle of Peace congregation Falfurrias Church of the Brethren in suburban Phoenix (one of come together for Sunday school four Brethren congregations with a mix o f Eng lish and Spanish.

■ Messeogec Decembe, 2007 and projects in Arizona), he experienced six-plus-hour drives to regional youth conferences and the limited pool of other local Brethren to join with for activities. It can make it challenging for the church to build an identity, he says. "But it's not necessarily a bad thing trying to figure out how to be a Brethren church," Lahman says. "We are discovering how to be a church that serves Jesus and fits into the culture of Phoenix." For him, the connection to the wider church while growing up came through attending Annual Conference. Without that, "I don't know if I'd still be in the Church of the Brethren," he says. Likewise, Tracy Stoddart-now a student at Bethany Theological Seminary-had a few key places where she stayed connected while growing up in the Koinonia congregation in Grand Junction, Colo., jointly affiliated with the Church of the Brethren and American Baptist Churches USA. Grand Junction is 30 minutes from the Utah border, and more than 200 miles from the handful of other Brethren congregations in Colorado. "I didn't get a lot of Brethren heritage growing up, except at camp," Stoddart says. She was one of about three to five chil­ dren and youth from the church who traveled across the moun­ tains to Camp Colorado, and the only one from Koinonia who attended National Youth Conference. "I wasn't really aware of a denomination. As a youth, it would have been great to have a closer connection to other (Brethren) youth." After going to McPherson College, she experienced the wider world of Brethren more fully. "It was a reality that I hadn't ever experienced before," she says. She wenl on to spend several years in Brethren Volunteer Service before going to Bethany. For Manny Diaz, now pastor of Chambersburg (Pa.) Church of the Brethren, planting a church in Lake Charles, La., was an eye-opening experience. "It helped me to galvanize a lot of things I never put into words," he says. "People there had never heard about the "There are some Brethren churches that don't want to be Church of the Brethren." Brethren, but for those that do, it's a lonely kind of 'out there' He found, though, that they liked what they heard, and they feeling," Vermilyea says. "When the next church is 200 miles put their own unique spin on being Brethren. away or 300 it becomes very hard to do anything together. I "It didn't bother the church that they were different from heard that over and over: a hunger for connection. other congregations," Diaz says. "The church took on a life of "We all have problems in our congregations, and at times it's their own. They were able to do things other congregations hard to look out beyond that, but truly we all ought to be looking weren't because they were out there by themselves. The peo­ out for each other. We all need to be taking a serious interest in ple really embraced the Church of the Brethren." each other, and those of us in a better position or a stronger position should be adopting somebody else, or something. Keeping connections Those that just need a hand-it's up to us to recognize that." When Jim Hardenbrook, pastor of Nampa (Idaho) Church of the The spirit of the denomination's geographically scattered Brethren, served as Annual Conference moderator in 2004, he congregations may be captured w ell in an update from New talked about the early Brethren pioneers who traveled west across Hope Church of the Brethren in Wynne, Ark. The report, which the country and his own experience growing up in the Northwest. appeared in the Missouri/Arkansas District newsletter, shared "Sometimes we Westerners have a chip on our shoulders about a congregational trip to the Heifer International ranch, toward Easterners," he acknowledged. "Different cultures in the youth ministry efforts, meal outings, community outreach, and country affect the way we look at faith issues and life in general." a project to send quilts to Bethany Advocate Hospital in But he also felt deeply his calling by the church-all of it. Chicago. It concluded this way: "No matter where Brethren live, there are people who "Though we may be small in numbers, the Lord is continuing believe that placing ourselves and what we have in the hands to bless us with missions and visions for the future. Please lift of God can significantly change the world," he said. us up in prayer."li! That's what Don Vermilyea sensed as he made his way around the country and the denomination: a need for a Walt Wiltschek is ed itor of MESSENGER. Jake Blouch, a 2006 Ministry Summer Service stronger connection, with God and with one another. intern with ME SS ENGER, contributed to th is article.

Messenger December 2007 ememoeri .-g~.t e&r~ttir~q;past can help the present and future • 1sto by Steve Longenecker

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to machines to share intimate moments with those from the past, repeat it." -George Santanya and they bring the dead back to life. They read other people's mail. No other field can say this. (That worksheet-spewing teacher you had in high school deeply misunderstood the subject.) But history is more than amusement. In fact, as Santanya suggests, it S antanya's maxim is probably every historian's has a variety of practical and valuable uses for Brethren. favorite saying. When I taught high school, I posted it In the first place, history contributes to the core knowledge over the classroom door. possessed by informed Brethren and thereby facilitates dia­ But Santanya leaves several points unsaid. logue. Brethren conversation often includes terms like Most obviously, he neglects history's most appealing asset: It Anabaptism, Pietism, non-creedalism, Alexander Mack, John is fun. In brief, history is the study of everything that comprises Kline, Heifer Project, and Dan West, and those who understand human behavior in the past: altruism, greed, courage, cow­ this vocabulary participate more fully in the exchange of ideas. ardice, honor, sleaze, love, hatred, sex, and violence. Or, to par­ Knowledge is empowering, and history contributes to that. aphrase Ecclesiastes 3, history is birthing, dying, planting, Second, Brethren, like everybody else, can learn from the plucking, killing, healing, breaking, building, weeping, laugh­ past to improve the present. To embrace Santanya to the ing, mourning, dancing, embracing, refraining from embracing, fullest, the heritage does more than supply terminology for ser­ seeking, losing, keeping, throwing away, tearing, sewing, being mons or Sunday school lessons. Instead, it offers practical silent, speaking, loving, hating, making war, and making peace. instruction about real-life situations. True, the players on history's stage are usually dead, but they The past, for example, can help present-day Brethren com­ still make up one big soap opera. If you think people are inter­ prehend the denomination's biggest current question: its dra­ esting, you have to like history. matic loss of members. The trick is determining what from

Likewise, histo­ Brethren history is most informative. Did something happen in rians use their . the 1960s when the decline began? The moveme~t of Brethren imaginations, into mainstream Protestantism gained speed in the '60s. and that's fun, too. Perhaps that contributed to numerical decline, because when Imagine, for exam­ Brethren most intently non-conformed to mainstream society, ple, what H. Stover they grew. But maybe the seeds of membership loss were Kulp, the first Brethren mis­ planted long before 1960 and only matured during this decade. sionary to Nigeria, thought as he A clear historical lesson on membership might be elusive, but stepped off the boat. Did he feel the the investigation nevertheless provides a deeper understanding presence of God, or was he terrified? A Brethren family lived of the question. on the battlefield in Gettysburg, Pa., and a few months later In fact, sometimes history is particularly instructive because one of them heard Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Imagine that. it reflects life's messiness. Mission, for example, was important Historians enjoy themselves in other ways. They use virtual time in the heritage, but its form varied, and it sends mixed signals

Messenger December 2007 to modern Brethren about growth. The first generation of membership drop, but the la rger society simply changed, and Brethren enthusiastically spread their message as far and as Brethrenism now has less appeal than previously. This raises wide as possible. But that quickly changed. By the middle of an ugly question about whether Brethren need to change core the 19th century Brethren evangelism was quieter, typified by beliefs and practices to survive. John Kline. His lengthy and tir- ing trips into the western Virginia mountains undoubt­ edly won converts, but in many respects Kline simply sought to supply spiritual lead­ ership to a region with a short­ age of ministers. In the early 20th century Brethren evangel­ ism assumed yet another shape, this time as revivals. But these fetes of evangelism typically won the souls of Brethren children rather than captur­ Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the heritage con­ ing those outside the fold. Thus, the Brethren evangelistic her­ tributes to spiritual growth. Alexander Mack, for example, itage contains diversity. Sometimes true wisdom is the realiza­ moved four times for his faith (Schriesheim, Schwarzenau, tion that life is complex, and history contributes to this. Holland, and Philadelphia). That level of commitment can stir Yet despite history's tendency to muddy the picture, occasion­ us all. The early Brethren opposition to slavery was a bold wit­ ally it provides clarity. One constant from Brethren heritage is ness that in hindsight looks prophetic, and should motivate the refusal of Alexander Mack's spiritual descendants to hide 21st-century Brethren to stand taller for peace and justice. their identity under a bushel. First-generation Brethren, Kline in Climbing into the time machine helps. Imagine what it was like the Alleghenies, and young Brethren answering an altar call all to participate in a love feast held by the first generation of confidently embraced their Brethren-ness. Maybe the past Brethren. Maybe modern Brethren should try harder to imitate teaches that instead of looking to evangelism for growth, which their depth of faith. is more complicated than it sounds, Brethren today should start Likewise, the Brethren have a canon of historical literature, with a strong sense of identity. They need to know what they largely untapped, that is richly inspirational. Everybody has stand for and let it shine forth in whatever ways they feel called. favorite sermons that when re-heard or re-read still retain Even the past of other traditions can instruct on Brethren power. John Kline's diary is full of helpful insights in common, growth. The greatest example of religious expansion in everyday language that remain relevant. Dan West's emotional American history was early 19th-century Methodism. Within a letter from Spain as it endured a civil war in 1937 can motivate generation or two Methodism grew from almost nothing to anybody to serve his or her present age. Records from th·e past become the nation's largest denomination by far. Historians thus become devotional literature. still strive to explain the extraordinary Methodist multiplication, The Brethren heritage, then, is informative, which is always but the latest attempt argues that John Wesley's movement useful, and it offers lessons from the past-sometimes untidy, was a product of its environment. Methodists were not smarter sometimes lucid- that improve the present. But most important­ or better marketers than Baptists or Presbyterians, but their ly, Brethren who remember their past receive nourishment for beliefs and organization simply fit the circumstances of the their souls and wisdom and courage for the facing of this hour. times extremely well. Early Methodism's lesson for modern But don't forget: It's also fun. ll! Brethren, then, is that membership loss might stem from broad social trends rather than a flawed system. Perhaps neither the Steve Longenecker is department cha ir and professor of history at Bridgewater (Va.I Col lege loss of nonconformity nor defective evangelism caused the and author of the Brethren history sourcebook The Brethren in the Age of World War.

Messenger December 2007 learned a good deal of Brethren history before I even intent of the first Brethren was not to create a new church, but I considered joining the Brethren. What surprised me at restore the original one. the time was how little real Brethren knew about their own story. This is our family story. It helps to know why we are who we In 1974, while I was a theater arts major at La Verne College are, which red flags turn our faces pink, and why every concep­ in California, fellow students Mike Titus and Phil Franklin told tion of Brethren heaven probably includes sweet pie and hot me that professor Vernard Eller had been asked to write a play coffee. More important: Brethren history is fun. about Brethren beginnings called "A Time So Urgent." It had There's the shark that's pulled on deck chomping and snap­ been commissioned for the 250th anniversary of the church in ping while John Naas makes the dangerous crossing to 1958 but never performed. Mike and Phil got this crazy idea America. There's the accidental speech made by Don Murray that we ought to take this play out into Brethren society that about Brethren Volunteer Service when vice presidential candi­ summer. Could I help? date C. Estes Kefauver was late that led Sen. Hubert Humphrey It was the height of the gas crisis, with long lines at the to lobby for a Peace Corps, or Evelyn Trostle holding her pump, but the college was offering us a van (wonderfully refur­ ground in front of the orphanage during the Armenian geno­ bished because the staff mistakenly thought it was for the pres­ cide. There's the venerably crippled Julia Gilbert speaking on ident) and a gas card. We would depend on Brethren churches the floor of Annual Conference and changing the way we share commun­ ·~?,:_:::J:"·} ::/-,' -. - ion, a news­ :THIS IS OUR FAMILY STORY. IT HELPS TO KNOW WHY WE ARE WHO WE paper report from 1877 ARE, WHICH RED FLAGS TURN OUR FACES PINK, AND WHY EVERY that made it ;CONCEPTION OF BRETHREN HEAVEN PROBABLY INCLUDES SWEET PIE clear that the Brethren 1AND HOT COFFEE. MORE IMPORTANT: BRETHREN HISTORY IS FUN. ' ~.t~\;i~•: , _;;\). love feast was really a three-day for food, lodging, and maybe an offering or two. slumber party, and John Lewis leaping from his horse to save So it was that I learned about Alexander Mack and Pietism Mark Twain's sister-in-law and her companions from certain and Anabaptists and the Treaty of Westphalia and Hochmann death on a runaway horse cart. There's the story of how one of von Hochenau, from the play and from reading Don the most infamous murderers of all time operated the X-ray Durnbaugh's European Origins of the Brethren. After 78 days, equipment at the Brethren hospital in Castaner in Puerto Rico. 15,000 miles, 50 Brethren congregations (from California and There's interviewing Clarence Quay, who was a smoke jumper Washington through Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, during World War 11, or Abraham Harley Cassell (with his six Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois and back again), weeks of schooling) collecting more books than ju.st about any­ Annual Conference, Brethren campgrounds, all six Brethren one else ever and saving Brethren history in the process. colleges, and a visit to Bethany Theological Seminary, as well There's P.R. Wrightsman riding his horse through the middle of as a stop at National Youth Conference, I not only knew about a threatening band of Confederate soldiers because it was time the Brethren in 1708, I saw for myself what the Brethren looked to cook love feast, and even the threat of death wasn't enough like 266 years later. And I liked what I saw. to scare Brethren away from the smells of beef and broth; Why Brethren history? I know some people ask that, arms Helena Kruger sneaking refugees out of the Soviet zone in her akimbo, leaning back in their chairs with a skeptical look as car while working in Europe; Dan West coming to the realization they ask, 'Isn't it more important to be Christian than that what these hungry people need is not a cup but a cow; Brethren?'." But if we knew our Brethren history better, we'd shaking hands with Carlisle Frederick, one of the Brethren know that to be Christian is to be Brethren. Do not forget-the involved in the famous Starvation Experiment . . .

■ Messeoge, Decembe, 2007 Once we know a little about our history we learn that we have always been on the move, that our Bibles have always been open, and that we're still learning and growing. It's always been that way. We've never been frozen in time. Why Brethren history? How can we possibly know who we are if we're content to let others define us by the way we practice the faith instead of reflecting why our spiritual ancestors made their biblical choices. History, after all, isn't about the frozen past. History helps us to understand the future long before it happens, it frees us from our misconceptions(" Alexander Mack would be spinning in his grave if he knew ... "), and sometimes it just entertains! Two other thoughts: First, just as knowing medical history can be crucial in terms of prevention and health mainte­ nance, so, too, it doesn't hurt for us to know who we were and how we got here. Read Steve Longenecker's newly pub­ lished The Brethren in the Age of World War or Carl Bowman's classic Brethren Society and you'll discover there's nothing new about today's controversies. Second, in the bib­ lical book of Revelation it's clear that the communion of saints includes both the living and breathing believers as well as those who have gone on to their reward. They are part of one body. So are we-and our living saints ought to know more about the essential connection with our spiritual ances­ tors. The 300th anniversary of the first Brethren baptism is a great time to remember, re-learn, or just plain learn about our history and heritage-not as relics of a dead past, but as companions in our continuing pledge to follow in the foot­ steps of Jesus. li!

Frank Ram irez is pastor of Everett (Pa .) Ch urch of the Brethren and author of several books on Brethren heritage, including The Love Feast and The Meanest Man in Patrick County.

Messeogec Docembe, 2007 ■ .~I. • • • ■ • • • ~

So what is an archives? An archives collects, organizes, and records and council meeting minutes when the congre- preserves materials. A Brethren archives typically collects, gation is disorganized? Are the records destroyed? Does organizes, and preserves Brethren materials such as congrega­ the last pastor to serve the congregation keep the records? Are tional and district records; Brethren publications; Brethren dis­ they stored at the district office? sertations and theses; the diaries, correspondence, and person­ According to the Church of the Brethren polity manual, con­ al papers of Brethren leaders; Brethren genealogies; photo­ gregational records become the property of the district, and the graphs and other images; and sometimes artifacts. district decides where to deposit the records. Typically districts Archives are the major preservers of Brethren history. They place congregational records at one of maintain materials that enable historians to the Brethren archives (see list). These write accurate histories. But archives also records generally include newsletters, are used by elected Brethren leaders, by the bulletins, directories, yearly budgets, staff of Brethren institutions, by genealo­ annual reports, etc., as well as min­ gists, and by people seeking information utes and membership records. Some about Brethren beliefs and practices. congregations transfer their inactive Archives help Brethren understand who records directly to the district­ they are today in light of their past, and help approved archives on a periodic basis. non-Brethren better know the Brethren. And districts sometimes place their One reason for the existence of several inactive records at the archives they archives in the Church of the Brethren is have selected. that districts have the authority to determine where to deposit their records. Often dis­ A large block in the aptly named tricts decide to place their records at the Alexander Mack Memorial Library at Brethren-related college in their area. For Bridgewater (Va. ) College tells about the example, the archives at Manchester founder of the Church of the Brethren. ------...... ____, College (North Manchester, Ind.) is the 7 repository for the districts in Indiana.

BRETHREN ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES Alexander Macl< Memorial Library 5100 x294, [email protected] College, contact: 620-242-0487, at Bridgewater (Va.) College, contact: Earlham College Libraries [email protected] 540-828-5457, [email protected] (Richmond, Ind., serves Bethany Morgan Library at Grace College and Beeghly Library at Juniata College Theological Seminary), contact: 765- Theological Seminary (Winona Lake, (Huntingdon, Pa.), contact: 814-641- 983-1287 Ind.), contact: 574-372-5100 x6297, 3484, [email protected] High Library at Elizabethtown (Pa.) [email protected] Brethren Church Archives College, contact: 717-361-1451, depuy­ Wilson Library and Archives at the (Ashland, Ohio), contact: 419-289-5433, [email protected] University of La Verne (Calif.), contact: [email protected] Manchester College Archives and 909-593-3511 x4782, [email protected] Brethren Heritage Center Brethren Historical Collection at Young Center for Anabaptist and (Brookville, Ohio), contact: 937-833- Manchester College (North Manchester, Pietist Studies (at Elizabethtown 5222, [email protected] Ind.), contact: 260-982-5361, College), contact: 717-361-1470, Brethren Historical Library and [email protected] [email protected] Archives (Elgin, Ill.), contact: 847-742- Miller Library at McPherson (Kan.) 0

.. 16 Messenger December 2007 Shaffer cares for

Historical Library and Archives in Elgin, Ill.

The Brethren Historical Library and Archives (BHLA) in Illinois is designated as the repository for Annual Conference records and the records of Annual Conference agencies. Some districts have designated BHLA as their official archives. BHLA also has the records of several Brethren associations, the personal papers of Brethren leaders such as Dan West, and a large collection of photographs. Bethany Theological Seminary is served by the Earlham College Libraries in Richmond, Ind. They maintain a collection of Church of the Brethren books, periodicals, and pamphlets. Also at Earlham are the Bethany-owned Huston Bibles Collection and a significant portion of the Cassel Collection. The Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies located on the campus of Elizabethtown (Pa.) College maintains a sig­ nificant collection of Brethren materials, including materials from the Ephrata Cloister. As their names states, they also col­ lect other Pietist and Anabaptist materials. The Brethren Heritage Center in Brookville, Ohio, is the repository for Southern Ohio District. The center also collects the materials of other Brethren groups that trace their origins to Schwarzenau in 1708. Some other Brethren groups also maintain their own libraries and archives. The Brethren Church Archives, which is under the direction of Ashland (Ohio) University, collects the materials of the Brethren Church. The Morgan Library, which serves Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Ind., collects the materials of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches and the materials of the Conservative Grace Brethren Churches. li!

Kenneth M. Shaffer Jr. is director of the Brethren Historical Library and Archives in Elgin, Ill. Logan Condon, from Naperville, Ill., is serving there as an archival intern.

Messenger December 2007 Journe through tl1e Word Zephaniah/Haggai: A hand-clasp of hope Prophets look beyond time of judgment to a future treasure by James F. Myer

ith considerable "tongue in Josiah and likely initiated the good tion. All of us can pray for government W cheek" the MESSENGER reforms that were accomplished during leaders (2 Tim. 2:2). The church needs to editor assured me that Zephaniah that time (described in 2 Chronicles 34- be the conscience of the nations. and Haggai are everyone's favorite 35). Many presidents in our day have I had an interesting encounter in the halls books of the Bible! The first challenge leaned on Billy Graham for spiritual direc- of government following the 1985 Annual facing most of us is to find where Conference. I was to hand-deliver a Haggai Chapter Two Illustration by Gustave Dore. they are located. If you don't have resolution to Sen. Bob Dole. While we the books of the Bible memorized, were getting set up for the "photo you'll find them snuggled op" outside the Senate chamber, Sen. together about eight pages before Ted Kennedy from Massachusetts the end of the Old Testament. came down the hall. When he saw me Zephaniah and Haggai belong to dressed in my Brethren garb, he gave the part of the Bible known as the me a long look and almost stopped. I Minor Prophets. However, these think he assumed I was a Roman two prophets shared major roles. Catholic priest. Maybe he thought I Zephaniah was one of the last was there to take confessions-but prophets prior to the Babylonian then he hurried on! captivity. Haggai was one of the Zephaniah heard from God that first prophets as the children of judgment was coming, and he laid it Israel returned to their homeland on the line in chapters 1-2. It would hit again. One could say that together hard in Jerusalem (1:4), but also their message helped to reach extend to surrounding nations (2:4-13). across a chasm of despair and The description of God's wrath is became a kind of "hand-clasp of especially graphic in Zeph. 1:15: "That hope" that helped to keep God's day will be a day of wrath, a day of chosen people from deteriorating distress and anguish, a day of ruin and into utter desolation. devastation, a day of darkness and gloom." God has a fierce anger against sin. Note both the kindness Zephaniah had some royal blood in and severity of God in Romans 11 :22. , his veins. He was a fourth-genera­ If we think of God only in terms of his tion descendant from Hezekiah love, we do not have a ~ompletely bal­ (Zeph. 1:1), a notable king of Judah anced view of God. Jesus taught the ~ from 715 to 687 BC. Zephaniah reality of eternal hell for the devil and prophesied during the reign of his angels. And the testimony of the

ONE COULD SAY THAT TOGETHER THEIR MESSAGE HELPED TO REACH ACROSS A CHASM OF DESPAIR AND BECAME A KIND OF "HAND-CLASP OF HOPE" THAT HELPED TO KEEP GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE FROM DETERIORATING INTO UTTER DESOLATION.

■ Messeogec Decembe, 2007 rich man in Luke 16 is a startling reminder glamour and extravagance that Solomon's would have chosen to work. But their of final judgment at the end of the age. temple had, but it would be the place to words of warning, encouragement, and Hope returned to Zephaniah's message which "the treasure of all nations" will hope brought about a measure of faithful­ in chapter 3. The daughters of Zion will be come (2:7). Those words represented God's ness to God. These two "minor prophets" singing again. Verse 17 is a great state­ presence among the people, and that is played a major role at a critical time in the ment of hope: "He will renew you in his where hope was born anew. Surely these history of the people of God. nl love; he will exalt over you with loud verses also point to some of the drama singing." This may be the only verse in related to the second coming of Christ. James F. Myer is an orda ined free minister in the Chu rch of the Brethren . He is a member of White Oak Church of the Bible that lets us know that God sings! Zephaniah and Haggai were called to the Brethren and lives in Li titz, Pa . minister during the difficult period that surrounded Judah's fall to the MESSENGERS "Journey through the Word " series will pro­ vide a brief overview of a different book (or books) of the Haggai the prophet, along with Zechariah, Babylonians in 586 BC. It was not the Bible each month through December 2009. Coming in encouraged the returned exiles to rebuild ideal situation in which any prophet January: Zecha riah/Malachi, by Stephen Breck Reid. the temple (see Ezra 5:1-2; 6:14). The first group of exiles laid the foundation but stopped working before the structure was ZEPHANIAH AND HAGGAI: A CLOSER LOOK complete. The people lost their focus and Authors/history: Zephaniah and Haggai lived and prophesied around the time of the were more interested in building their own Babylonian Empire, in the seventh and sixth centuries BC, personal dwellings than in building the Structure: Both "minor prophets" are brief books. Zephaniah has only three chapters, house where God dwelt. For this Haggai and Haggai only two. gave a strong rebuke (1:4) . God's blessing Key texts: "He will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he in the field was lifted as well (1 :10-11 ). will exult over you with loud singing" (Zeph. 3:17); "And I will shake all nations, so that With Haggai's encouragement, work on the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the the temple was soon begun again. LORD of hosts" (Hag. 2:7). In chapter 2 it bec9,mes obvious that the new temple was not destined to have the

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Messeogec Decembec 2007 ■ General Board commits to Brethren Service Center

The Church of the Brethren General Board strongly affirmed ministries based at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., and committed to continue to develop and enhance the center among other business at its fall meetings held Oct. 19-22 in Elgin, Ill. The meetings were held on the theme, "Come Walk with Us." Chair Tim Harvey opened the meet­ ing in worship with an invitation to join the proces­ sion of people streaming to "the mountain of the Lord" in Micah 4.

Brethren Service Center UPCOMING EVENTS The board approved a central recommendation setting direction for the Brethren Service Center, Dec. 9 General Board "that the General Board strongly affirm its min­ Christmas Offering istries based at the Brethren Service Center­ emphasis Brethren Disaster Ministries, Lease Partnerships with Other Agencies, Material Resources, and the Jan. 8-21 On Earth Peace New Windsor Conference Center-and plan to sup­ delegation to the Middle port their continued development." East Dale Minnich, who chaired the Brethren Service Center A new mission statement for the center also was Ministry Options Exploration Committee, shares recommen­ dations with the General Board. The board made a decision Jan. 12-Feb. 10 Global approved, and the board commended seven items to staff for action and approved a five-year review to strongly affirm and enhance ministries at the Brethren Mission Partnerships Service Center in New Windsor, Md. Nigeria workcamp for the center. The new mission statement reads: "The Brethren Service Center is a community that Jan. 27-30 Council of fosters ministry to human need around the world Ethics in Ministry Relations District Executives meet­ and nurtures commitment to service, peace, and The board provisionally accepted a revision of the ings, Cocoa Beach, Fla. justice in the name of Christ." denomination's "Ethics in Ministry Relations" The recommendations resulted from an in-depth, paper, with the understanding that the document Jan. 27-Feb. 15 Brethren year-long study of General Board programs based will be received again at the March board meeting Volunteer Service Unit 278 at the center and partnerships with agencies that for final approval and then be sent to the 2008 orientation, Gotha, Fla. lease office or warehouse facilities there. The Annual Conference. The document is a revision of actions follow up on a March 2006 meeting of the a 1996 Annual Conference paper. It outlines biblical Feb. 3 Service Sunday board, when it decided not to adopt a recommen­ foundations for ministerial leadership, a theology dation from its Stewardship of Property Committee of ministerial ethics, an ethical code of conduct for Feb. 28-March 2 that the New Windsor property be sold or leased. ministers, and a process for dealing with ethical Brethren Academy new Instead, the board at that time called for explo­ misconduct. The revisions center on greater clarity student orientation, ration of ministry options for the center. and consistency in the code of ethics and process Richmond, Ind. The Brethren Service Center Ministry Options for dealing with complaints of misconduct, and Exploration Committee was chaired by General Board training for committees that are responsible for March 7-9 Association of member Dale Minnich and also included David R. dealing with complaints. Brethren Caregivers board Miller, Fran Nyce, Dale Roth, Jim Stokes-Buckles, Kim meeting, Elgin, Ill. Stuckey Hissong, and Jack Tevis. Several General Resolution on Ministers' Insurance Crisis Board staff worked closely with the committee. The board affirmed and sent to the 2008 Annual March 8-10 General Recommendations commended to staff for action Board meeting, Elgin, Ill. Conference a "Resolution on Ministers' Medical included encouragement to nourish and continue Insurance Crisis" jointly sponsored by the Council the center's relationship with A Greater Gift/SERRV; March 9 One Great Hour of District Executives, the Pastoral Compensation response to needs of youth, young adults, and oth­ of Sharing and Benefits Advisory Committee, and the officers ers for low-budget housing facilities at the center; of the Ministers' Association. The resolution is the development of new programming at the New March 17-21 Brethren result of conversations between these groups Volunteer Service spring Windsor Conference Center to support the mission since the decision of the 2007 Annual Conference retreat, Newark, Ill. of the Brethren Service Center; development of a to phase out the Brethren Medical Plan's medical welcome center, interpretive exhibits, and a cam­ insurance component for active ministers. pus master plan; the calling of an ad hoc advisory The resolution "reaffirms the value of congrega­ committee; and seeking new partner organizations. tions providing health insurance coverage for pas- Messenger December 2007 tors and families," directs the establishment sometimes in our agencies, or on the floor of of standards for pastors' medical insurance Annual Conference," Reid said. The resolution benefits, and encourages expansion of two "is our attempt to say we have got to stop funds to assist pastors in crisis-the General · hurting each other." Board's Ministry Assistance Fund and the The resolution was met with mixed reaction Brethren Benefit Trust's Church Workers from board members. One said he feared it Assistance Plan . The General Board executive would be used as an excuse to violate Annual committee raised the limit for grants from the Conference polity. Reid expressed a willingness Ministry Assistance Fund to $5,000 from from ABC to work on refinement of the wording. $2,000, as funds are available. Ot he r business Resolution on Modern-Day Slavery In other business, the board adopted a 2008 A "Resolution on Modern-Day Slavery" was budget for all programs of $9,928,630 income adopted and will be presented to the 2008 and $10,050,500 expense, with a net expense Annual Conference. The paper noted that slav­ of $12 1,870; supported involvement in a ery is illegal in every nation but that many peace conference being planned by the forms of slavery continue, such as child labor, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious sexual slavery, and debt bondage. The resolu­ Society of Friends and authorized a $50,000 tion references Luke 4: 18-19 as a gospel man­ grant for the event; nominated Benjamin date and reaffirms the historical opposition of Stover Barlow, an attorney and member of Brethren to slavery. The document makes a Montezuma Church of the Brethren in Dayton, commitment to education and action, and Va., for an at-large position on the board; par­ invites the whole church to join in the work ticipated in a brainstorming session on mis­ along with ecumenical and interfaith partners. sion; and received several reports including information abo ut possible leasing of proper­ Resolution Urging Forbearance ty in Lybrook, N.M., to a non-profit group The General Board re ceived a "Resolution from Western Plains District. The board also Urging Forbearance" from the board of the received an offering of more than $14,000 for Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) for its Core Ministries Fund. The meetings were -the purpose of collaboration, stating that, followed by a professional growth event on "Our intent in this collaboration is that all the topic of decision-making by consensus, three boards (the General Board, ABC, and On led by On Earth Peace. Earth Peace) can reach consensus on a refinement of the resolution." The resolution, present­ ed by ABC executive direc­ tor Kathy Reid, calls for recognition of the time it takes to work through diffi­ SHARE YOUR WITNESS. cult issues. "It is a genuine 10@ $5 .0 0 ea. $ 50 .00* attempt ... to address the 20@ $4 5 0 ea. $90 .00* really ugly kinds of behav­ 30@ $4 .00 ea. $120.00 * ior that we all have seen, 40@ $350 ea . $140 .0 0* 50@ $3 .0 0 ea . $1 50 .00* M :ix & M a tr:h -Any Comb:hat:bn *PllsS& H $25 .00pero:tder, UPS G round W e Ao:::eptPay Pal!

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Messeogec Decembe, 2007 ■ Brethren among religious leaders meeting with president of Iran

Three Church of the Brethren representa­ tives were among some 140 Christian leaders who met with Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in New York on Sept. 26 at the Church Center for the United Nations. The event was arranged by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). The Church of the Brethren General Board was one of 11 endorsing agencies. Religious leaders from the United States and Canada, including three Brethren, met in New York Brethren participants were James M. with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the Church Center for the United Nations. Beckwith, Annual Conference moderator and pastor of Annville (Pa.) Church of beginning of the meeting, and Ahmadinejad to "speak from the heart," the Brethren; Doris Abdullah, the Church Philippians 4 was read at the closing. Beckwith said, and the meeting was held of the Brethren representative to the UN Beckwith said the meeting was both a in a much less hostile environment than and a board member of On Earth Peace; personal opportunity to meet some venues where Ahmadinejad spoke. and Phil Jones, director of the Brethren Ahmadinejad in the spirit of Matthew 18, However, Ahmadinejad did not really Witness/Washington Office. and an opportunity for the Church of the answer questions, Abdullah said. "He The meeting began with readings from Brethren to accompany and stand with basically stuck to his talking points used the Bible and the Koran, and included a the Mennonites-who have workers in in other presentations," she said. 20-minute address from Ahmadinejad, Iran-as they continue dialogue with the "A lot of people may say the religious responses and questions from a five­ Iranian government. community comes to this out of some member panel with an opportunity for "It seems to me that truth-telling is a naive perspective," said Jones. "I come the president to respond, a brief opportu­ critical step in seeking justice and to this from a place of hope, out of hum­ nity for questions from the audience, and peace," Beckwith said. "It is important to ble prayer. Dialogue can lead to under­ closing prayers, both Christian and hear the truths that a person reveals for standing .... It was important that the Muslim. Romans 12:18 was read at the himself." The Christian leaders invited Church of the Brethren was at the table."

Al1l Mutual Aid Association /tll.• FOR CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN • Ruben Deoleo began Nov. 12 as a General Board Congregational Life Team member for lntercultural Ministries, based in Area 2 (Midwest). Deoleo has most recently served in Atlantic Northeast District's Hispanic Ministries. He brings a wide range of work experience with people of different cultures, ages, beliefs, economic status, and countries of origin. He is a graduate of O & M University in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, with a doctoral degree in law equivalent to a degree in political science in the United States. He has been an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren since 1994. He and his family have been living in eastern Pennsylvania. • Mary Dulabaum resigned as director of communications for the Association of Jonathan & Heather Hurst Brethren Caregivers, a post she has held since 1998, effective Nov. 14. She left ABC to Princess Anne, MD join Judson University, also in Elgin, Ill., as director of marketing and communications. WHY WE TRUST MAA TO During her tenure, Dulabaum has communicated the agency's mission through various PROTECT OUR FIRST HOME: publications, denominational and regional conferences, and the Internet. She has been editor of Caregiving, a quarterly publication she initiated in 1999 as a tool for church • Church Value-based leaders. In addition to her communication roles, she has served as staff representative • Economical Rates for ABC's Disabilities Ministry and Voice: Mental Illness Ministry. • Helpful & Courteous Staff • Susanna Farahat, On Earth Peace coordinator of peace education, has announced • Easy Process for Acquiring Policy her resignation effective in February. She joined the staff of On Earth Peace in August 2005. She has coordinated the youth peace retreat program, the Peace Basket project, Insure Your Property with MAA: and provided primary staff support for the Youth Peace Travel Team, a project shared *Home *Farms *Personal Property by the General Board and Outdoor Ministries Association. *Businesses *Rentals *Collectibles • Carol Gardner has retired from a part-time position as managing editor of *Churches *Camps Brethren Life and Thought. Among her accomplishments during five years, Gardner worked on a project completed in 2005 in which all issues of the journal were digitized 1-800-255-1243 by the American Theological Library Association, making it available online to sub­ Email: [email protected] scribers. In addition, she organized and computerized subscriptions and mailings, con­ www.maabrethren.com vened the Brethren Journal Association meetings, corresponded with patrons, and coordinated the journal exhibits at Annual Conference. ■ .Messeogec Docembec 2007 Give a gift to inspire

Fresh from the Word Recapture the spirit of that early morning in Schwarzenau, Germany, where the first eight Brethren went into the waters of baptism and came up new in Christ. Like that first encounter, the 366 meditations of Fresh from the ·word will lead you into the depths of God's Word and lift you up fresh for the day ahead.

Composed by writers from six Brethren groups, O'th Anniversary Fresh from the Word is the perfect way to join as one 1 Jff Devotions for t 1e in spirit and purpose as we celebrate the 300th of the Brethren anniversary. A keepsake volume that is perpetually dated, Fresh from the Word, is a collection to treasure for years to come.

Reignite the passion, recapture the wonder, renew the faith.

Fresh from the Hford is the holiday gift for everyone. 1r~~'== Brethren Press $20 each $15 per copy on orders of IO or more 1451 Dundee Avenue, Elgin, IL 60120-1694 www.brethrenpress.com 800-441-3712 'The Nativity Story': Not perfect, but good Flawed movie still gives insight into story of Jesus' birth

ean heartily recommend The Nativity Story because an. One cannot imagine such an angel having to reassure a l it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. human with the pronouncement, "Fear not." No, I mean that. I have very low expectations for what passes The film leaves open the question of Joseph and Mary having for biblical drama, especially in the area of television and other children-through the normal agency and method. Joseph movies. Some of it is just too pious. is not, as per some denominational viewpoints, an older man The characters move in slow motion, who already had children. It's the first marriage for both, and we they have distant expressions, they who have read the book know there are going to be other kids. never experience doubt, and they're The movie does what most of us do: take events from two not human. This is in stark contrast to different Gospels and jumble them together. As one might the picture we can draw from scripture. expect, some elements of the plot are telescoped for dramatic The Nativity Story is actually a pretty purposes. The subplot regarding Herod the Great's paranoia is good film-not perfect, but pretty convincing, but the film places the slaughter of the innocents good. It depicts the essential suspicion, right after the birth. danger, and violence of the period. This In addition, the movie also correctly identifies the Star of is, after all, occupied territory, and Bethlehem as a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter near Regulus, Herod was every bit as cruel and the king star in the constellation of the Lion-which stood for crazed as portrayed in the Bible. Judea in ancient astrology. However, this occurred a few years The film is at its strongest when portraying life in first-centu­ before Jesus was born, and it did not result in the creation of a ry Palestine. Work, play, and the small-mindedness of small­ giant searchlight that made the Magi's task simpler. town people when it comes to gossip and judgment were very Shepherds and Magi elbow each other in the small cave where the birth has taken place, the latter having provided comic relief for the The most successful aspect was the human reaction story. The biblical account suggests to what, for some, remains simply unbelievable: that that the Magi did not arrive for up God would enter history through the virgin birth. to two years after the birth, but no matter. Even though Joseph drags accurate. The faces looked satisfyingly Semitic. a still-recovering Mary on the night of the birth down the road to The most successful aspect was the human reaction to what, Egypt, some will forgive these little changes. for some, remains simply unbelievable: that God would enter While this might be unavoidable for dramatic reasons in an ordi­ history through the virgin birth. Two millennia haven't changed nary film, changing events as related in the Bible is not the same the basic challenge-you either believe it or you don't (I do, in as messing with a novel, at least in the mind of many. However, case you're keeping score). that should encourage families to return to the Bible. Together. Children who watch the film will learn that there's a reason Finally, it's a little jarring to hear snippets of medieval and mod­ they call it "labor," although mercifully neither birth (John the ern Christmas carols in a story set 2,000 years ago, but that's a Baptist and Jesus) seems to take too long. And when it comes minor quibble. Director Catherine Hardwicke is to be commended, to the violence that was a part of the age, we can only give as are Keisha Castle-Hughes as Mary, Oscar Isaac as Joseph, and thanks that this was not produced by Mel Gibson. Unmistakably Shohreh Aghdashloo as an elder Elizabeth enduring and embrac­ people are dying, sometimes in horrible ways, but the violence ing the rigors of childbirth in old age. The DVD should make this a is suggested and not horribly graphic. Our imaginations can fill good pre-Christmas gift for families in the blanks quite nicely. and churches. It's a creditable job in a More disturbing to me was the utterly banal angel. This is a field that is so often disappointing. ti! film that affirms rather than explains away the miraculous, but Frank Ram irez is pastor of Everett (Pa.) Church of the angel who visits Mary and the shepherds is fairly pedestri- the Brethren.

11_:•sseogec Decembec 2007 ONCAMPUS Bits and pieces

Bridgewater College (Bridgewater, Va.) • A website has been created for the 2008 Church of the Brethren National Bridgewater president Phillip C. Stone will Young Adult Conference (NYAC), scheduled to be held Aug. 11-15 in serve on the Virginia Abraham Lincoln Estes Park, Colo. Visit www.nyac08.org for details. Online registration begins Bicentennial Anniversary Subcommittee, Jan. 7. which has been charged to "help plan, provide • The 2008 Church of the Brethren National Youth Christian Citizenship for, and encourage participation in statewide Seminar will take place March 29 to April 3, beginning in New York and fin­ events commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln" in 2009. ishing in Washington, D.C. This year's theme will be "Genocide," with partic­ ular emphasis on the Darfur region of Sudan. The conference, sponsored by Elizabethtown College (Elizabethtown, Pa.) the General Board's Youth/Young Adult Ministry office and Brethren Thomas N. Finger's book A Contemporary Witness/Washington Office, is open to senior high youth and advisors. Anabaptist Theology has been selected as Registration is $350 and is limited to the first 100 received. For more details, winner of the 2007 Dale W. Brown Book go to www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/CCS.htm. Award presented by Elizabethtown's Young • McPherson (Kan.) College will hold its Regional Youth Conference Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies. April 4-6 for youth ages 13-18 and advisors in the Plains districts and Finger wrote a portion of the book as a Young Center Fellow in 2002 .... This year's Missouri/Arkansas. This year's conference will feature a variety of musicians Alumni Peace Fellow Residency will feature and storytellers, including concerts by Andy and Terry Murray, Peg Lehman, alumnus Lee Griffith, a teacher, author, and and Michael Stern. The Roundtable Regional Youth Conference at social activist currently working with a com­ Bridgewater (Va.) College, for youth from Maryland to Florida and Puerto munity mental health program in Elmira, N.Y. Rico, will also be held April 4-6. Details on other regional conferences were still pending. Juniata College (Huntingdon, Pa.) • Senior high youth in Shenandoah and Virlina districts were invited to JoAnn DeArmas Wallace, dean emeritus of Waynesboro (Va.) Church of the Brethren Nov. 16-18 for a peace retreat on international programs at Juniata, received the W. LaMarr Kopp Lifetime Achievement the theme, "A Kingdom that Cannot Be Shaken," with leadership from Award from the Pennsylvania Council on Camp Bethel program director Susan Chapman and Susanna Farahat, coor­ International Education at the group's Sept. dinator for peace education at On Earth Peace. 28 conference in Harrisburg, Pa. Wallace served in the role from 1999 until her retire­ ment this past May. She continues to serve the college as a consultant.

University of La Verne (La Verne, Calif.) La Verne has been awarded a $2.47 million Title V Developing Hispanic Serving Institution grant from the US Department of Education. The five-year grant will enhance programs in the university's College of Business & Public Management.

Manchester College (North Manchester, Ind.) Manchester's homecoming on Oct. 6 including dedication of the new $8 million College Union, with tours before and after­ ward. The opening exhibition in the union's Gallery G featured works by alumnus Phil Joseph, who represents Michigan District on the college's board of trustees .... The board of trustees granted honorary mem­ ber status to long-time board member and former chair J. Bentley Peters of Elgin, Ill. He will serve in an ongoing advisory role in a non-voting capacity.

McPherson College (McPherson, Kan.) On Oct. 14, members of the McPherson College Choir and choir alumni from across the country and Germany joined together to present a concert celebrating the choir's 75th anniversary. The 200-voice mass choir performed a retrospective of favorite pieces from the past 75 years. The concert was the culmination of a three-day choir reunion held during homecoming weekend.

Messenger December 2007 ■ motivates activism ...... 4-26 MASON, CAROL SHAFFER, KEN NETH M., JR. Listed on these pages are arti­ ..,---, CONTRIBUTORS cles, columns, editorials, and (O The pursuit of passion ...... 10-16 AND LOGAN CONDON DUNKLE, DAVID N. The keepers of history (Brethren TO IN TOUCH opinion letters that have Lights are bright for 'Christian MATTESON, ERIN archives) ...... 12-16 . appeared in MESSENGER during Broadway'...... 5-16 Connecting and reconnecting Allen, Shelviajean ...... 3-4 2007. They are classified in five with God ...... 2-6 SHIVELY, JONATHAN EBERLY, WILLIAM R. Take me to yo ur leader ...... 7 /8-8 Bowen, Jerry...... 3-5 groups: authors, In Touch con­ A true gift exchange: McFADDEN, WEND Y Brumbaugh-Cayford, Cheryl ...... 2-3 tributors, letters to the editor, Post-war Brethren progra m for From th e publisher .. 1-2, 2-2, 3-2, SNYDER, GRAYDO N F. Crosby, Gil ...... 5-3 German stud ents ...... 1-16 .4-2, 5-2 , 6-2, 7 /8-2, 9-2, Hosea: Unreq uited lo ve ..... 5-18 congregations, and subjects. Deardorff, Darla Kay ...... 9-3 . .... ···········10-2, 11-2, 12-2 Numbers following the listings EHRICH, TOM SOLLENBERGER, DAVID Griffith, Sonja...... 11-3 indicate month and page num­ Weak leadership all MELLINGER-BLOUCH, JUDD Digital stained glass: Usi ng Habegger, Loren . ····· ·•··· .. 6-4 tech nology in wo rship ...... 1-8 ber, with 7/8 represent ing the around us...... 7 /8-13 Knee-high to Nehemiah ... .7 /8-14 Ho, Esther ...... 10 -4 combined July/August issue. Kauffman, Nick Miller ...... 9-4, 10-4 FLORY, TODD MITCHELL, BELITA TOMSON, JEFF Why vo lunteer? ...... 5-8 Fighting geri atrophy ...... 2-16 Kornegay, Jeri S...... 3-4 Inquiring minds wa nt to Lersc h, Phi l ...... 12-4 AUTHORS kno w...... 7 /8-6 GLASS, JEFF ULLO M, BECKY Naff, Stephanie...... 1-5 Making change: Ne w cou rses Make space fo r mentoring ...... 4-6 MYER, JAMES F. Roudebush, Martha ...... 1-3 for congregations ...... 2-12 Zephaniah and Haggai: VALETA, DAVID Sp ire, Kate...... 9-3 ABDULLAH, DORIS Natu ral Church Development ..9-17 No excuse for intolerance ... . 10-12 A hand-clasp of hope ...... 12-18 Da niel: Tales and visions of Yeaze ll , Ca rol ...... 3-3 GIBBLE, KEN resistance an d judgment . .. .4-20 Zieg ler, Earl K...... 6-4 MYERS; CRAIG ALAN BAKHSHIAN, SARA SHEREEN Getting angry at God ...... 3-1 6 Nah um/Habakkuk: Knock 'em 'Eva n Almighty' carries a Pi ctures of the church ...... 12-6 'Simpler Li ving': I nvitation dead, 0 God! ...... 11-18 'green' message ...... 11-26 to abundant life...... 6-26 LETTERS TO NEFF, ROBERT VANDE BUNTE , MATT BALDWIN , A. FERNE Jerem iah: Messenger of judgment Chu rch giving la cks externa l THE EDITOR Called .. to offer a more GREINER, VERNNE and hope ...... 1-18 focu s ...... 11 -16 abundant life . ..7 /8-16 Meeting great ex pe ctations .. 3-12 Micah : Co untry prophet ...... 10-18 WALTERSDORFF, CHRISTY J. BLEVINS, JORDAN GROUT, PAUL Am mermann, Wilma ...... 3-28 Let's talk about it: Vietnam : Hope shines through Fi nding fa it h anew amid PYLE, JANI S Barr, Ernie ...... 10-27 Side-by-side in Nigeri a ...... 6-16 Testimony ...... 11-12 a nation's troubled past .... .4-24 futility ...... 10-6 Bieber, Charles M...... 10 -27 WILLIAMS, SHARON K., Blickenstaff, Delbert .... 9-30 BOWMAN, CHRIS JACOBS, SHEILA RADCLIFF, DAVID An immersion in grace: How far can churc hes go Putting the 'J-word' in our voca bu - AND DAVID WOLFE Brenneman, Jerry .. 2-30 Believers baptism ...... 4-8 onlin e? ...... 1-12 lary: A need for justice ...... 4-14 Wide open till yo u see God - Brown, De nnis L...... 6-29 then brake ...... 1-6 Brubaker, Helen K...... 7 / 8-27 BOWMAN , KAREN DOSS JENKS, PHILIP E. RA MIREZ, FRANK Bruner, Don...... 5-28 Seek ing God's 'Ne w Harvest': Going to the bi ogs .... 1-13 World Wa r-era sourcebook WILTSCHEK, WALT Ed itoria l: Smells li ke church ... 1-3 2 Cable, Vincent E ...... 3-27, 11-27 Lindsay congregation sizzles...... 1-26 outreach ...... 2-14 JENSEN, DAVID H. Editorial : A matter of trust...... 2-32 Carper, E.G...... 5-28 Book offers lesson in interpreting Family practices in a hurried Editorial: Inconvenient truths .3-3 2 Clag ue, All en M. . .. .4-28 BROCKWAY, JOSHUA sc ripture ...... 3-26 wo rld ...... 3-8 Going off the deep end: Youth deCoursey, Audrey ...... 7 /8-27 A studied approach to 'Charlotte's Web' : A new spin seek co nnection to God ...... 4-18 sc ri pture ...... 9-6 KAUFFMAN, NICK MILLER on really living...... 5-26 Eberly, Roger ...... 3-29 Editorial: Use what yo u have .. .4-32 Getting 'Tog ether' ... 9-11 The end of a journ ey: Bethany Fl int, Dona ld. .5 -28, 9-27 BRUMBAUGH-CAYFORD, Ta kin g the pu lse of heal th Happ y ann iversa ry!: 300 th president retires ...... 6-20 Foster, Ela in e .... 10-28 CHERYL care: Christian Citi ze nship an nive rsary ...... 9-13 'My Name Is Earl': Trai ler park Fra ntz, Myrna ...... 2-27 Distri cts deal with divisions .....1 -2 0 Se minar ...... 5-14 Lights , camera, auction! theology ...... 9-26 Gosne ll, L. Imogene ...... 10-28 Pro claim the power of God: Editorial: That's how yo u do (disaster relief) .. .. 10-8 Haldeman, Benjamin .. ... 12-28 Annual Co nference preview .... 6-12 Why Breth ren history? ...... 12-14 church ..... 5-32 Creating cultures of peace ... .. 10-26 Harris Susan ...... 2-29 New thinking on ministerial 'The Nativity Story': Not perfect, Breaking ne w ground: Be lita 1 In the end, we're all Brethren ... 11-6 leade rsh ip ...... 7 /8-10 but good ...... 1 2-24 Mitchell ...... 6-8 Hatfield , Glen n ...... 1-28 Seeking an SOA shutdown ...... 11-1 4 Ed itoria l: Back to the future ... ..6-32 Huber, Edward . ··········6-30 BRUMFIELD, LARRY REID, STEPHEN BRECK Youth Heritage Teams prepa re Gardner, Lucy ·······3-27 Multicu lturalism takes KENSINGER, VICKI Ezekie l: Stressfu l t imes ...... 3-18 courage ...... 3-6 What Love Feast means to share denominati on's General Board Ex ecutive to me ...... 4-12 RICHARD, WES story ...... 7 /8-24 Committee ...... 6-27 BUCHER, CHRISTINA Ministry where the rubber meets the Ed itoria l: Living Kline, Jack ...... 4-29 Lamenta tions: Mourning and KISER, TAM MY road: Meeting urban needs ... 5-12 beautiful-Lee ...... 7 /8-32 Leckrone, Da vid Elmer ...... 11-29 confession ...... 2-18 A prescr iption for whol eness: One body in Christ: Annua l Lichty, D. Eugene ...... 1-29 Amos and Obadiah: Parish nurses ...... 3-14 RIEMAN, KE N MILLER Conference worship ...... 9-12 Seeking justice ...... 7 /8-18 McFadden, Ralph ...... 7 /8-27 Ca lled .. to learn a Editorial: As the church turns ...9-32 LE HMAN, JAMES H. Mcsherry, Wa lter...... 9-28 better way ...... 7 /8-17 Ed itoria l: May contain nuts .... 10-32 CARTER, KEITH A ca ll for the rise of the 'middle Michae l, Marianne ...... 2-31, 9-28 'Co ntemplative Youth Ministry' : Sam Hornish Jr.: Liv ing a church' ...... 2-26 RIEMAN, LOUIS E BALDWIN Mil ler, L. Byron ... .12-29 It's about presence ...... 7 / 8-26 dream ...... 11-8 Cal led ... to live as fam ily and wo rk Miner, Blai ne...... 11-27 LEITER, DAVID A pulpit among the pits ...... 11-10 CLAPP, STEVE together ...... 7 /8-17 Mitchell, Olden ...... 4-29 Joel: The Day of th e Lord ...... 6-18 Editoria l: An all-consu ming Reaching out through pursuit ... 11-32 Neuman-Lee, Jeff ...... 7 / 8-28 Christian education ...... 2-8 LANE, SHALOM BLACK RHODES, AMY Nyce, Fran .... 10-27 Intergenerational outreach aids Maki ng connections ...... 6-6 Faith on the 'fron tier' ...... 1 2-8 CONDON, LOG AN AND KENNETH Olvera, Ester ...... 2-27 disaster victims ...... 11 -25 Editorial: A problematic M. SHAFFER JR. ROOP, EUGENE F. pasto ral pulse ...... 12-3 2 Shal lenberger, Clyde R...... 6-28 The keepe rs of history LOHR, DENNIS Jonah: Th e perfect prophet .. 9-18 Stoner, Ronald K...... 6-29 WOLFE, DAVID, (Brethren archives) .. .. 12-16 Means of grace . ·· ·········· ···5-6 Vanderveer, Sue ...... 12-28 ROWE, TWYLA AND SHARON K. WILLIAMS Waterman, Jerry ...... 7 / 8-29 DECOURSEY, AUDREY LONGENECKER,STEVE Simp ly amazing: Nationa l Junior Wid e open till you see 'Amazing Grace' : Movie History holds the keys ...... 12-12 Hi gh Conference ...... 9-15 God - then brake ...... 1-6 Whitten, Hugh ...... 6-30

~ember2007 CONGREGATIONS Monroeville {Pa.) ...... 4-4 Brethren Mennonite Council .. .. 11-5 Guynn, Matt ...... 3-5 Natural Church Deve lopment.10-16 Moorefield {W. Va .) ...... 11-5 Brethren Service Center ... 2-22, 12-20 Habakkuk ...... 11-18 Nehemiah ...... 7 /8-14 Mount Hermon, Ba ssett, Va . . .7 /8-5 Brethren Vo lunteer Service ...... 5-8, Haggai ...... 12-18 Nelson, Tom ...... 10-4 Altoona (Pa.) Juniata ...... 5-5 ...... 5-22, 11-22, 12-21 Mountain View, Boise, Idaho .. 11-5 Hardenbrook, Jim and Pam ... ..9 -20 Newcomer, Leland B ...... 7 /8-4 Annville (Pa.) ...... 4-5 Biogs ...... 1-14 Mountain View Fell owship, Hartley, Stephanie ...... 10-20 Nigeria ...... 6-16 Bassett (Va.) .. .7 /8-5 Bosserman, Sandra L...... 10-20 Harrisonburg, Va...... 2-5 Health care...... 5-14 Northern Plains bus trip ... 12-10 Beaver Creek, Hagerstown, Md ..... Bo wman, Raymond W ...... 9-5 Nappanee {Ind.) ...... 10-25 Health kits ...... 10-22 Obadiah...... 7 /8-18 Big Sky , Froid, Mont...... 12-1, 12-8 Brethren Benefit Trust ...... 9-21 New Harvest Community Hendricks, Jean L...... 11-23 Organ donation ...... 4-4 Black River, Spence r, Ohio ...... 2-3 Fellowship, Lindsay , Ca lif. ... 2-14 Brethren Life & Thought ...... 12-22 Hissong, Tim ...... 7 /8-4 Ou tdoor ministries ...... 3-20 Broadfording Fellowship, New Ha ven, Spa rta, N.C ...... 1-3 Butler Chapel ...... 11-5 History ...... 12-12 Outreach...... 2-14 Hagerstown, Md...... 10-3 New Hope, Wynne, Ark ...... 12-11 Caring Ministries Assembly ... 11-22 Hornish, Sam Jr ...... 1-5, 11-8 Parish nurses ...... 3-14 Ca ndo (N .D.) ...... 11-3, 12-9 Nokesville {Va.) . ..4-5 Change ...... 2-12 Hosea...... 5-18 Pastoral ministry ...... 2-32, 9-21, Ch iques, Manheim, Pa ...... 1-9 Oakton, Vienna, Va...... 2/5 Christian Ministry in t he National ...... 12-29, 12-32 Houff, Rebekah ...... 10-25 Circle of Peace, Peoria, Ariz .. .. 12-10 Parks ...... 9-4 Olivet, Th ornville, Ohio ... 10-4 Peace ...... 2-25, 4-4, 6-21, 6-22, Hunger ...... 3-23, 9-25, 12-4 Co lumbia (Md.) United Christian Churches Together ... 5-23 Op en Circle, Burnsville, ...... 10-26, 11-14, 12-4 Christian...... 10-4 Hurricane Katrina ... .. 2-20, 2-21, 5-22 Minn...... 1-21, 12-4 Christian Citizenship Poole, Dan ...... 10-21 Community, Hutchinson, Kan .. 12-4 Seminar...... 5-14, 12-25 Hymns ...... 12-7 Pa lmyra (Pa.). ..6-3 Priser, Clarence ...... 1-3 Community, Twin Falls, Idaho ... 4-5 Christian education ...... 2-8 Identity ...... 11-6 Peace Covenant, Durham, N.C ..... 9-3 Public safety ...... 12-4 Community of Joy, Christmas .. 12-24 Inter-Agency Forum ...... 7 /8-21 Peoria {Ill.) ...... 5-3 Puerto Rico ...... 9-23 Sa lisbury, Md ...... 1-10, 7/8-3 Church ...... 1-32, 5-32, 12-6 Internet ...... 1-12 Pomona {Calif.) ...... 7 / 8-5 Racis m ...... 10-12 Cristo El Senor, Vega Baja , Church structure ...... 9-9, 10-20 Intergenerational ministry .. .. 11-25 P.R...... 12-5 Poplar Ridge, De ance, Ohio ...... 11-9 REGN UH ...... 3-23 Congregational life.. .10-16, 12-8 Iran ...... 12-22 Do wnsville (Md.) ...... 12-5 Prince of Peace, South Bend, Ind . .11-4 Reid, Kathy Goering ...... 10-4 Connecting...... 2-6 Iraq war ...... 6-22 Eagle Creek, Forest, Ohio...... 3-5 Reisterstown (Md.)...... 12-3 Rodgers, Lee ...... 3·5 Consumerism. ..11-32 Jeremiah ...... 1-18 East Cocalico, Reamstown, Pa ...12-4 Rocky Mount (Va.) First. .... 9-4 Roop, Eugene ...... 6-20, 7 /8-20 Creeds...... 10-6 Joel ...... 6-18 Eden (N.C.) First...... 9-4, 11-5 San Diego (Calif.)...... 3-4 Royer, Kathy...... 10-21 CROP ...... 11-7 Johansen, Ruthann Knechel .... 9-22 Everett (Pa.)...... 5-4 Scalp Le ve l, Windber, Pa.. . .. 10-4 Satvedi, Valentina .. ... 5-5 Cross-cultural ministry ..... 9-1, 9-3, 9-8 Johnson, Jodi ...... 2-5 Evergreen (Standardsville, Va.) .3-4 Skippack, Co llegeville, Pa ...... 9-4 School of the Americas ...... 11-14 Daniel ...... 4-20 Jonah ...... 9-18 Fai rview, Rocky Mount, Va ...... 5-5 Stanley (Wis.) ...... 12-1, 12-11 Scripture ...... 3-26, 9-6 Deo leo , Ruben ...... 12-22 Junior high ministry ...... 9-16 Fa lfurrias (Texa s) ...... 12-1, 12-9 Summit, Bridgewater, Va ...... 11-5 Shumate, David...... 10-4 Devotion ...... 1-6 Justice ...... 4-14 ..... 12-21 Fel lowship in Christ, Sunfield (Mich.) ...... 12-3 Slavery ...... Disaster auctions ...... 10-8 Ke ller, Elizabeth J ...... 11-23 Fremont, Cal if ...... 11-4 Walnut Grove, Moorefield, W.Va.2/5 Spiritual Disciplines ...... 6-32 Disaster response .... 2-21, 10-21, Kettering, Gimbiya ...... 11-23 First Central, Ka nsas City, Kan ..... 11-3 West Milton (Ohio) ...... 2-5 ...... 12-4 Spirituality ...... 10-16 Kindy, Cliff ...... 5-5 Frederick (Md .) ...... 1 -8 Westminster (Md.) ...... 11-3 District conferences ...... 12-3 Stewardship ...... 11-16 Klemm, Nancy ...... 10-20 Garden City (Kan.)...... 1-4 Westernport {Md.) ...... 7 /8-5, 10-4 Di visions ...... 1-20 Stokes, Ruth ...... 3-5 Ku lp, Isaac Clarence Jr...... 10-4 Genesis, Putney, Vt. ... 12-10 Woodberry, Baltimore, Md ...... 4-5 Dulaba um, Mary ...... 12-22 Sudan ...... 1-24 Lamentations ...... 2-18 Germantown, Philadelphia . ... 11-20 Yellow Creek, Pearl City, Ill. .5-4 E-mail...... 6-6 Su nday school...... 2-2 Leadership ...... 7 /8-8, 7 /8-13 Good Shepherd, Bradenton, Fla .....9-4 York Center, Lombard , Ill...... 6-4 Eller, David ...... 10-22 Surber, Ca llie ...... 11-23 Leiter-Mason, Caitlyn ...... 3-5 Good Shepherd, Spring eld, Mo ... .5-5 Eller, Vernard Marion ..... 9-5 Technology ...... 1-8 Libraries ...... 12-16 Hammond Avenue, Waterloo, Ephrata (Pa .) Cloister .. 12-5 Testimony ...... 11-12 Liepelt, Paul and Brandy Fi x .. 10-20 Iowa...... 2-4 SUBJECTS Eshleman, Lee ...... 7 /8-4, Theatre ...... 5-16 Lighten Up, Brethren ...... 3-11 Huntington (Ind.) ...... 10-4 ·········· ·············· .. . .7 /8-32, 12-28 'Together' process ...... 9-11 300th anniversary ...... 4-23, 9-13, Jesucristo, El Camino, Evangelism ...... 10-32, 11-12 Love Feast...... 4-12 ...... 11-20, 12-12 Trees for Life ...... 10-4 Hendersonvil le, N.C ...... 3-3 Exchange students ...... 1-16 Lunkley, Rozella M ...... 5-5 Aging congregations ...... 2-16 Trust ...... 2-32 Ko inonia, Grand Junction, Expectations...... 3-12 Manchester College ... 1-5, 3-4 .. 10-14 Co lo...... 12-11 Amazing Grace Race...... 1-5 United Nations Ez ekiel ...•...... 3-18 Membership .... . 9-21, 12-12 Urban ministry ...... 5-12 Kokomo {Ind.) ...... 4-4 Amos...... 7 /8-18 Family ...... 3-8 Mentoring .. .. . ·············· ... .4-6 Valley Brethren-Mennonite Lacey {Wash.) Community ...... 12-5 Anger . . .. 3-16 Farahat, Susanna ...... 12-22 Messick, Matt and Kristy .... 9-20, 10-21 Heritage Center ...... 1-5, 12-15 Lake Charles (La.) Community ... 12-11 Annual Conference ... . 6-12, 7 /8-21, Fire...... 2-3 Micah ...... 10-18 Van Houten, Steve. .... 11-23 Lake Side, Bedford County, Va .... 9-4 ······9-1, 9-8 Food s Resource Bank ...... 3-23 Ministerial ethics ...... 2-32, 12-20 Archives ...... 12-16 Vietnam ...... 4-24 Lancaster {Pa.) ...... 5-5 Forbearance ...... 12-21 Ministry training ...... 9-21 . .4-22 Association of Brethren Vital Pastors ...... Lindsay (Calif.) Community .... 2-14 Caregivers ...... 3-20 Funk, Keith ...... 4-3 Mission ...... 7 /8-16 Volunteering ...... 5-8 Little Swatara, Bethel, Pa ...... 2-5 Auto rac in g ...... 11-8 Gardner, Carol. ... 12-22 Mitchell, Belita ...... 6-8, 7 /8-6 Whitacre, Daniel J...... 3-5 Ma nchester, North Baptism ... .4-8 General Boa rd .l-22, 5-20, Mock, Clair...... 11-4 Wine, Genelle ...... 9-20 Manchester, Ind...... 1-20 ... 9-20, 12-20 Bethany Theological Morse, Kenneth I...... 2-5 Workcamps ...... 11-3, 11-25, 12-25 McPherson {Kan.) ...... 10-9, 12-4 Geographical isolation .. . 12-8 Seminary ...... 3-21, 7 / 8-20, 9-22 Multiculturalism ...... 3-6 Worship ...... 9-12 Mechanic Grove, Quarryville, Pa ...... 6 -4 Geriantrophy .. . .. 2-16 Bezon , Judy ...... 11-23 Nahum ...... 11-18 Young Adult Conference ...... 9-25 Mechanicsburg (P a.) ...... 9-25 Gibble, June . .. 11-5 Bo wman, Karen Doss ...... 10-4 National Council of Churches ..... 2-23 Young Center for Anabaptist and Middlebury {Ind.)...... 1-4 Gilbert, Stanley J...... 12-5 Boyer, Bryan ...... 11-23 National Junior High Pietist Studies ...... 5-5, 12-17 Mill Creek, Tryon , N.C ...... 1-5, 1-10 Brethren Benefit Trust ...... 3-22 Giving ...... 11-16 Conference ...... 9 -16 Youth Heritage Teams ...... 7 /8-24 Mishler, Mary Ann ...... 4-5 Brethren history ...... 12-12, 12-14 Global Food Crisis Fu nd. .3-23 National Young Adu lt Conference ... Youth ministry ...... 1-27, 4-18, .. . 1-9 12-25 ...... 7 / 8-26, 11-25 Modesto {Calif.) Brethren Medical Plan ...... 9-8, Global warming ...... 3-32 Monitor (McPherson, Kan.) .... . 12-4 ...... 12-20, 12-32 Grace ... 5-6 Na t ional Yo uth Cabinet ...... 10-25 Zephaniah ...... 12-18

Messenger December 2007 c,~ Pontius' Puddle We need to be on God's side I am not Lutheran, but I admire Martin Luther. n-lE" G-OOD NEW~ tS: THA.T AC.TION WAS His basic question was, "When church and TOC.ONVE:.RT O0~ Ot>R c.oNCrRE&A,ION scriptures disagree, which one speaks for ~£.C.IOE.O-rO iA\c:'..E" .gTEEPLE INTO A AC-1l◊N. P>-1-JD l)D C.HIMl-lEY ANt> wRrn::: God?" He decided that the Holy Bible is SDMETKINCr i\S00T A. L..ETTER ·rn ! God's final word, while those who believed in D0R YEAR-E.NC> $1\t-.lTA C..,LA0S . !)'£.f 1c..rr. apostolic succession say that the church is the highest authority. The root of the Church of the Brethren goes to Luther's camp. As Brethren, we (which includes brothers and sisters) should be kind to all people. Anyone in a position of leadership should be shown respect. But our allegiance is not to any flag, nation, leader, or church body (including our own). God is the highest authority, and the scrip­ ture is his final word. God's law is greater than any man-made law. His court answers to no bar association. His healing power is greater than any medical association. The The Church of the Brethren Coffee Project mind of Christ is greater than any psychiatric association. His style and fashion is A partnership of Brethren Witness/Washington Office and Equal Exchange not dictated by the god of this world. Since God created us male and female, he alone decides what is sexually and morally correct. If the Church of the Brethren wants to be God's church, we must always be on God's side. Benjamin Haldeman Greencastle, Pa.

Lee had valuable ministry

Thank you for the editorial "Living beautiful-Lee" (July/August 2007). I have experienced Ted and Lee in various places: National Older Adult Conference (2006), Mid-Atlantic District confer­ ence (2006), and locally at Boonsboro High School in Maryland this past March. This last one was a community event sponsored by Manor Church of the Brethren. Our Sunday School When you purchase fairly traded coffee, tea and chocolate through class at Hagerstown (Md.) is using "Fish Eyes" the Church of the Brethren Coffee Project, you join a growing network for their focus on Sunday mornings this fall . Lee brought so much and joy and laughter of 40 small farmer co-operatives in 20 countries, in cluding the to others, but also thought-provoking drama United States, receiving fair prices, affordable credit and a long-term, that I'll never forget. I was so saddened by direct trade re lationship through a 100% Fair Trade, worker-owned his tragic death. As one who has experienced cooperative, Equal Exchange. depression, I know its deep, debilitating pain. I thank God for his life and his '!Yillingness to Fundraising with Fair Trade Use Equal Exchange products to raise money Th e opinions expressed in "Letters" are not necessarily for youth groups or mission projects, and to those of MESSENGER. Readers should receive them in the same way as when differing views are expressed in educate your congregation about Fair Trade. face-to-face conversation. Contact the Interfaith Program and ask for Letters should be brief, clear, and respectful of the opinions of others, with strong differences handled in our Church Fundraising Packet for helpful the spirit of Matthew 18. Preference is given to letters information and suggestions. that respond directly to items in MESSENGER. Anonymous letters will not be considered. For more information on ordering for your church, fundraiser or alternative gift market: Send letters to MESSENGER, Attn: Letters, 1451 tel 774.776.7366 www.equalexchange.coop/how-to-order Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60720 or [email protected]. Please include hometown and phone number.

•- Messenger December 2007 share it as he did with others. I pray for his family and close friends. Sleep in Peace I'm so glad Ted will continue the ministry in This charming book written and illustrat­ some way. ed by Ingrid Hess is the perfect bedtime Sue Vanderveer, story. It assures the child trying to put off Williamsport, Md . the inevitable that no matter where or how Editor's note: Ted Swartz has announced that he will they live, everybody goes to bed sooner or resume regular performances, bringing in other actors to assist, beginning with the "Dove Tale" Christmas show later. And, just like them, God watches this month. His ministry has temporarily been renamed over all children as they Sleep in Peace. "Ted & Company TheaterWorks." Paper, 40 pages, $12.99

Pray for your pastor Emma: A Widow Among the Amish Jesus' ministry was three-dimensional: teach­ Emma A true story woven by strands of faith, family, ing, healing, and withdrawal to commune A \Vidmt• ..-\mottg tlu: Amish and community. Ervin R. Stutzman tells the with God in prayer. Prayer is power, releasing story of his mother, Emma, who raised six God's inexhaustible resources. A great thing children after the sudden death of we can do for God is disciplined prayer for her husband, Tobias. In the aftermath of the others. I'm suggesting we each pray regularly for our pastor, for he or she is in all points tragedy, Emma copes with her entrepreneurial tempted as we are. husband's significant business failures. A Pray that your pastor may keep God-cen­ sequel to Tobias ofthe Amish. tered, not circumstance-conditioned, avoid­ Paper, 350 pages, $16.99 ing an overinflated ego of their own impor- Hardcover, $23.99 -f.'~ Herald Press Mutual Aid Association seeks new leadership 1 800 245-7894 x 278 • www.heraldpress.com

Position: PresidenVGeneral Manager for Mutual Aid Association for Church of the Brethren /Brethren Mutual Aid Agency/ MAA Share Fund, Inc TRAVEL WITH TOURMAGINATION Location: Abilene, Kan. (2 1/2 hours West of Kansas City) TO EXPLORE THE WORLD Description: Serve as the principal administrator of the organiza­ 2008TOURS ENGLAND, SCOTLAND and WALES tion. Plan, direct, and coordinate programs and staff (June 25 - July 7) to assu re that stated board objectives are attained, AN ANTARCTIC EXPERIENCE (January 2-14) EUROPEAN HERITAGE (July 7-20) policyholder needs are met, and effective internal VIETNAM (Ja nuary 18 - February 4) EXPLORING YOUR FAMILY ROOTS and external re lationships are maintained. in EUROPE (August 25 - September 7) Demonstrate leadership skills and office manage­ AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND (February 1-21 ) ment. Direct the organization's vision, cooperatively MENNONITE STORY in POLAND with the Board of Directors. LEARNING ABOUT MENNONITES in PUERTO RICO with PETER KLASSEN (September 16-24) and a SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN CRUISE Qualifications: (February 27 - March 8) CHINA and a YANGTZE RIVER CRUISE Hold Church of the Brethren values; be trustwor­ (October 8-21) MEXICO (February 29 - March 9) thy and reliable; have a positive attitude toward 2009 & 2010 TOURS change; demonstrate effective written and oral SPRINGTIME CRUISE from AMSTERDAM to PARIS communication skills; demonstrate successful (M arch 22 - April 2) CHECK OUR WEB SITE people ski ll s; have in surance and marketing expe­ rience; have managerial or supervisory experi­ EXPERIENCE SOUTH AMERICA (March 28 - April 11) ence; minimum education of a bachelor's degree. VISIT "TRANSYLVANIA EMERGING" - ROMANIA Compensation and Benefits: and HUNGARY (April 21 - May 2 - with MEDA) Salary commensurate with experience; pension MOSCOW and SIBERIA (May 24 - June 4) and medical benefits; vacation and other leave. Start Date: ISRAEL/PALESTINE with AMBS (M ay 25 - June 4) March 1, 2008, or negotiable MENNONITE GREAT TREK ALONG Contact: the SILK ROAD (May 25 - June 9) "Building bridges among Mennonites and other Christians Send letter of intere st, along with one-page ALASKA CRUISE TOUR (June 4-1 6) around the world through custom-designed travel." resume, and minimum salary requirement to: Chair, MAA Board of Directors CALL 1-800-565-0451 c/o 3094 Jeep Road, Abilene, KS 67410 FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BOOK YOUR TOUR Fa x: 785-598-2214 Phone: 785-598-2212 E-MAIL: [email protected] WEB: www.tourmagination.com 9 Wil low Street, Wo terloo, ON N2J l V6 Canada Reg #500 14322 2308 Wood Street, lon c □ ster, PA 17 603 USA e-mail: [email protected]

Messenger December 2007 ■ tance. The temptation is there. Opportunity for Pray that your pastor may see that daily time alone with God, discerning his Word and con­ Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist versation with God in prayer, is indispensible to growth and service. Oaklawn, a major mental health provider in the midwest, seeks a child Pray that your pastor might keep morally pure. Pray that your pastor may have grace to deal and adolescent psychiatrist to join our team of 10 psychiatrists, five of with criticism. Conflicts and criticisms come, whom are certified in child and adolescent psychiatry. some given helpfully with healing effects, some • Located in Goshen, Indiana, a mid-sized rural community hurtfully and bitterness prevails. Pastors must • Two hours from Chicago and three hours from Indianapolis deal with these hurts as Jesus would. • Community offers a cost of living 17.6% below national average Pray that your pastor may have a balanced, • Faith-based heritage; founded by Mennonite, Church of flexible life. Committed pastors may easily the Breth ren and Brethren in Ch rist churches devote a disproportionate amount of time in their • Competitive salary, RYU -based ince ntive, signing bonus, work for the Lord. Congregations must allow relocation expense, student loan forgiveness time for their pastor to grow in family relation­ • Call of 1 :6 weekends and one weekday every two weeks ships, an equally important part of the parish.

To lea rn about Oaklawn, Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation visit our web site at This is a periodical publication. www.oaklawn.org. Publication Title: M ESSENGER For more information Publication Number: 0026-0355 Filing Date: October 1, 2007 about this position, contact 0AKLAWN Owner: Church of the Brethren General Board Human Resources at To ward Health and Wholeness 145 1 Dundee Ave, Elgin IL 60120-1694 Publisher: Wendy McFadden 1-800-282-0809, ext. 675. 330 Lakeview Drive, PO Box 809 1451 Dundee Ave, Elgin IL 60120-1694 Goshen, Indiana 46527 Editor: Walt Wi ltschek All inquiries kept confidential. 1451 Dundee Ave, Elgin IL 60120-1 694 Associate Editor: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford 1451 Dundee Ave, Elgin IL 60120-1694 Total Circulation: 13,396 Cost: $17.50 theUSIC • M•ID d CLASSIFIEDADS M er Seeking contact information for those on the Brethren Service Commission work camp tour of 1959 . The tour, led by Grayd on Snyder, started June 18, 1959, in Amsterd am with 22 participants: PA, Ruth Derstine, Faye Fu lk, Barbara Peifer, Ann The Music Minder rotatable spindle Scheib, Eva Wagner, Guy Wampler Jr., and Fred Zimmerm an; makes adding and removing scores quick Indiana , Dan, Lucy, and Steve West and Richard Eckleba rge r; and easy while keeping scores in order. California, Kathryn Bowers, Mi ldred Brandt, and Jeanne El liott; Ohio, Sonia St udebaker, Willard Wa ll s; Ari zo na, Helen Thompson; Illinois, Janet Carson and Nancy Zickuhr; Colorado, • 8 - 1/2 oz. Light! Kenneth Ullom; Nevada, Jon Kettenhofer; NY, Ann Auke rm an. • Rotatable spindle securely retains Please send information to Wi llard Wal ls (willwa [email protected]). up to 20 scores 2008 Brethren Anniversary Tours • Heavy duty binder cover Ed-Ventures, Inc., a tour operator with over 30 years of experi­ • No metal except strap rivets ence in European gro up tra ve l, is offering 3 different and cre­ ative itineraries to Europe in summer 2008, all to in clude the • Embossed hinges 300-yea r anniversary celebration in Sch wa rzena u. Each tour • Expandable pockets for extra accompanied by a professional tou r director and Brethren pas­ music tor. Zurich-Amsterdam (Host: Jim Miller); Berlin-Zuri ch (Host: Jim Hardenbrook); Munich-Amsterdam (Host: Fr.ed Bernhard). For • Rear strap for easier holding information and brochures ca ll 800-658-7128 or visit: www.ed­ • Bottom strap supports large ventures.com . scores and unsnaps to allow folder PASTORS NEEDED. Congregations in many of the denomina­ to lie flat tion's 23 districts are in need of strong , trained Christian lea ders • Holds Music up to 9" x 12" who are dedicated to Church of the Brethren be liefs and prac­ tices to serve as pastor. The available placements are both fu ll­ Call Today: 866-585-4879 time and part-time and include some associate/second staff positions. The congregations vary wide ly in size and program. A Or, Order On-line at: full listing of open in gs can be found at www.theMusicMinder.net www.brethren.org/genbd/ministry/placement.htm. Contact the appropriate district executive or call the Ministry office at 800- 323-8039.

Messenger December 2007 Pray that your pastor may realize that "A sermon is 75 percent congregation." "Around the Denomination" roundup, the there are times of loneliness in the ministry. Pray for your pastor! incorrect district was given for Inspiration Members are free to get away a weekend L. Byron M iller Hills, where the new Poplar Lodge is being here and there, but the pastor cannot. North Manchester, Ind. built. The camp is located in Northern Ohio. As your pastor preaches from the pulpit, • The credit for the photo on page 1 O of pray for him or her in the pew. Both will CORRECTIONS the June issue was incorrect. Merv Keeney profit spiritually. Frank Laubach once said, • In May's "In Touch" section (p. 3) in the took the photograph in Nigeria.

Please send information to be Jaleisa Garber, Mike Bianconi, Bock, Joyce G., 76, Waynesboro, May, Ralph Edward, 58, Whetzel, Violet Geneva included in Turning Points to Jean Becky Bianconi, Tammy Fluke Pa., Sept. 16 Timbervi lle, Va ., Aug. 26 Ketterman, 80, Petersburg, Clements, I 451 Dundee Ave, Elgin, Thurmont, Md.: Nancy Wiles, Buch, Leon B., 56, Lititz, Pa., McClanahan, Nora F. , 97, Fort W.Va., Jul y 19 IL 60120; 800-323-8039 ext. 206; Blanche Campbell , Lorraine Sept. 8 Va ll ey, Va., Aug. 15 Wilkins, Bessie Mae, 94, Bucher, David K., 97, Lititz, Pa. , Misner, Carolyn D., 85, [email protected]. Murphy, Rachell e McGowan Mathias, W.Ya ., Jul y 7 Information must be complete in Whitestone, Tonasket, Wash.: Jul y 20 Waynesboro, Pa., Feb. I 5 Wilkin s, Mary Etta, 67, Hardy order to be published. Raechel Pier, Meaghan Pier, But'terbaugh, Arnold M., 86, Mitchard, Ian, 28, Freeport, Ill ., County, W.Va., Sept. 22 Information older than one year can­ Dylan Pier, Mike Minarcin, Dixon, Ill. , Oct. l Sept. 27 not be published. Cheryl Minarcin, Rachelle Carr, Arline, 90, Ad ri an, Mich., Mohler, Archie Samuel, 90, Wine, Anna Calhoon, 79, Watson-Geddes, Lurene Kremel Sept. t l Linvill e, Va. , July 13 Timbervill e, Va., Aug. 8 Click, Claudia L. Senger, 8 7, Mongold, Nancy Leta Ratcliff, Wineland, Marjorie, 83, Martins­ New Members Mount Sidney, Va. , Ju ly I 67, Dorcas, W.Va., Sept. 4 burg, Pa., Dec. 15, 2006 Anniversaries Cobb, Ruby Ell en Wheelbarger, Newcomer, Matilda B., 91 , Copper Hill, Ya.: Agee Bell, Joshua Winenger, Agnes, 100 , 84, Dayton, Ya., Aug. 20 Waynesboro, Pa., April 1 7 Blumhagen, Joshua Callaway, Baldwin, Ray and Virginia, Ply mouth, Ind. , Jul y 8 Cook, Lena Jane, 85, Payne, Bertha June Scott, 9 1, Alexander DeHart, Brandon Moorefi eld, W.Va., 60 Zinn, Margaret R., 87, Bridgewater, Ya., Sept. 1 Harrisonburg, Va., July 16 Gearhart, Wyatt Gearhart, Misty Barnhart, Don and Shirley, New Bridgewater, Va. , Aug. 19 Copeland, R. Selwyn, 86, Rebuck, Martha A., 92, Flinchum, Garrett Whitlock, Carlisle, Ohio, 50 Goshen. Ind., Sept. 25 Greencastle, Pa., Feb. 28 Royce Saunders, Vicky Turman, Bowman, Fred and Wanda, DeVilbiss, Opal G., 104, Dayton, Rhoades, Margaret, 90, Yellow Licensings Richard Turman, Mark Bridgewater, Va ., 60 Ohio, Sept. 19 Springs, Ohio, Sept. 9 Flinchum Butterbaugh, Dwight and Barnes, Meli ssa, Mid-At!. Fahrney, Betty L., 78, Fayettevi lle, Rhodes, John Burtman, 83, Creekside, Elkhart, Ind.: George Marquita, Mount Morris, Ill. , 60 Dist. (Pipe Creek, Union Pa ., April 10 Danville, Va., Aug. 19 DeGeeter, Linda DeGeeter, Crites, Don and Lola, Old Fields, Bridge, Md.). Sept. 23 W.Ya. , 50 Forsberg, Il ene V , 85, Raytown, Richards, Gary Lynwood, 62, Scott Harney, Tim Lund, Barnes, Leo, Mid-At!. Dist. (Pipe Eller, Wendell and Sonya, Mo., July 2 Luray, Va., July 16 Diane Lund, Sue Troyer, Crei:k, Union Bridge, Md.), Bridgewater, Va., 50 Francione, Beulah Stern, 9 I, Rothwell, Pa ul R., 73, Arlington, Roger Griffith Lombard, 111. , Oct. 8 Va ., July 27 Sept. 23 Danville, First, Danville, Ya.: Garner, Glen and Margaret, Gahagan, Harry E., Ill, 65, Rowe, Russell C., 77, Mapleton Eckerley, Brad A., S/ C Ind. Dist. Mark Wayne Hall Bridgewater, Va., 60 Williamsburg, Pa., Nov. 30, 2006 Depot, Pa., Aug. 20 (Roann, Ind.), July 15 East Cocalico, Reamstown, Pa.: Helmick, Raymond and Phyllis, Moorefi eld, W.Va ., 55 Gibble, June Adams, 70. Elgin , Sandy, Jesse F. , fr. , 78, Lima, Funkhouser, James, Mid -At!. Dist. Kate Mitton, Loretta Kakas, Ill., Sept. 20 Ohio, Sept. 13 Patrick Rose, Bill Porter, Longenecker, Forney and (Nokesville, Va.), Aug. 26 Catherine, Lititz, Pa. , 50 Gordon, Gladys Bowman, 78, Schlis, Min nie, 86, Peoria, Ill., Hollenberg, Nathan, Mid-At!. Dist. Kimberly Porter Bri ery Branch, Va., Sept. 26 Oct. l Markley, Lee and Deana, (Westm inster, Md.), Oct. 7 Elm Street, Lima, Ohio: Ian Graham, Elly, 66, La Verne, Schradermeier, Pauline, 91 , Goshen, Ind., 60 Kensinger, James M., W. Pa. Dist. Dukehart Calif., March 6 Freeport, Ill ., March l 5 Fairview, Unionville, Iowa: Zachary Martin, Earl and Gladys, (Tire Hill, Pa.) , Sept. 23 Greencastle, Pa., 60 Grandle, Melvin Eldon, 91 , Schreiner, Hazel Frances Kline, Mason, Brettany Sebolt, Kevin Saylor, Lee D., Mid. Pa. Dist. Martindale, Ray and Miriam, Keezletown, Va., Aug. 19 93, Alexandria, Ya., Sept. 9 Sebolt, Carla Sebolt, Dean Grove, Ruby Garber, 97, Stuarts Seal, James Cecil, 65, Luray, Va., (Roaring Spri ng, Pa.), Sept. 23 Penner, Emily Penner Bridgewater, Ya., 60 Miller, Lowell and Peggy, Draft, Va., Oct. I Aug. 5 Teets, LaDeana M., W. Marva Fraternity, Winston-Salem, N.C.: Halterman, Clarissa Agnes Sharp, Meade Myers. 88, Dist. (Maple Spring, Eglon, Ray Israel, Barbara Israel Bridgewater, Va., 60 Moyer, 99, Mathias, W.Ya ., Harrisonburg, Va. , July 22 W.Va.) , Sept. 16 Freeport, Ill.: Matthew Clausen Pletcher, Virgil and Marcheta, Lake Forest, Cali f. , 60 Aug. 23 Shearer, Mabel T. Moats, 88, Harmony, Myersville, Md.: Harroff, Walter, 89, Goshen, Waynesboro, Pa ., May 3 Thomas Milner Rohrer, James and Eleanor, Ordinations Harrisburg, Pa. , 55 Ind., Sept. 3 Sheets, Calvi n Hawkins, 87, Henry Fork, Rocky Mount, Ya.: Heishman, Opal V, 80, Baker, Harrisonburg, Ya., Sept. I 0 Baker, Lisa, S. Ohio Dist. Angel McGuire, Gary Sites, Vernon and Helen, W.Va. , Aug. 3 1 Smeltzer, Marion, 88, (Pitsburg, Arcanum, Ohio), McGuire, Samuel Rigney, Moorefield, W.Va., 50 Hoover, Esther M., 77, Harrisburg, Pa., Oct. 11 Sept. 2 Mark Holloway, Anthony Steele, Luther and Dorothy, Martinsburg, Pa., 55 Lancaster, Pa ., Aug. 28 Smith, Marguerite Kn upp, 90, Rohrer, Pearl , Ore./Wash. Dist. Holloway, Brianna Jones Hottel, Nora Catherine Bridgewater, Ya., Aug. 23 Zigler, Jacob and Leah, (Springfield, Ore.), June 17 Lampeter, Pa.: Paige M. Forney Holsinger, 95, Staunton, Va., Smith, Phyllis Virginia Wine, 86, Linville Creek, Broadway, Va.: Bridgewater, Ya., 65 Teets, Charles L., W. Pa. Dist. Zimmerman, Roy and Ka thryn, Aug. 26 Johnson City, Tenn., Sept. 9 Natika Dove, Caleb Leininger, Ikenberry, Marcia Louise, 86, (Markleysburg, Pa.), Aug. 26 Ephrata, Pa ., 50 Summers, Galen Miller, 9 1, Sara Leininger, Emma Reger, Bridgewater, Va. , Sept. 23 Broadway, Va., Jul y 11 Eric Rhodes, Maddie White Deaths Kincaid, Ethel Mae, 73, Tilley, Irene, 80, Winston-Salem, Placements Lower Deer Creek, Camden, Staunton, Va ., Sept. 9 N.C., Sept. 9 Banaszak, Linda Sue, chaplain, Ind.: Doug C. Stevens, Doug Acker, Harold Truman, Jr., 80, Kyler, Glenn, 74, Martinsburg, Titler, Ethelyn, 94, Walkerton, J. Stevens, Jacob M. Stevens, Harrisonburg, Va., Sept. 22 Pa., Aug. 23 Ind., Aug. 16 The Village at Morrisons Cove, Trevor Peters, Sarah Dunk Amick, Robert, 75, Tipp City, Lam, Clark Wil son, 8 1, Wade, Ali ce, 88, Somerset, Pa., Martinsburg, Pa., Jan. 7. 2006 Middle Creek, Lititz, Pa.: Elmer Ohio, Sept. l 0 Harrisonburg, Va ., Sept. l Sept. 16 Burns, Roger P. , youth pastor, Brubaker, Rachel Brubaker, Angle, H. Elmo, 88, Waynesboro, Lauver, Florence, 99, Kansas Wagner, Elmer Robert, 78, Dupont, Ohio, Sept. 1 Darin Martin, Stephen E. Pa., May 6 City, Kan., Sept. 9 Woodstock, Va., Aug. 25 Hoffman, John M., team pastor, Robuck Arehart, Helen Dorothy Cline, Leatherman, Paul N ., Sr. , 89, Wagner, Maggie T., 96, Staunton, Newton, Kan., Sept. 1 Mount Morris, Ill.: Ginny Haney, 8 l , Elkton, Va., Aug. I Myersville, Md., Sept. 7 Va., July 28 Jackson, John J., pastor, Steve Haney, Katherine Miller, Ayers, Larry, 46, Martinsburg, Losh, Viola Marie, 89, Wampler, Nellie E. Mundy. 98, Glendale, Calif. , Oct. I Joyce Toms, Irvin Toms, Erik Pa. , May 13 Churchvill e, Va ., Sept. 22 Broadway, Ya., Sept. 14 Lerch, Maril yn E., from pastor, Nakajima, Caitlyn Wolber, Berkebile, Janet, 58, Elkhart, Malcolm, Ray Livingston, 95, Wa rd, Doris E., 78, Walbridge, Good Shepherd, Blacksburg, Michelle Ostrander Ind., June 1 Moorefield, W.Ya ., Aug. 29 Ohio, Oct. I I Pomona Fellowship, Pomona, Biby, Jean Eli zabeth, 76, Seneca Mapes, Beulah, 84, Somerset, Weller, Raymond E., 75, Denver, Va ., to pastor, Bedford, Pa ., Calif.: Mike Selerno Rocks, W.Va ., Oct. 2 Pa., Sept. 27 Ind., Sept. 14 Oct. I Roaring Spring, Pa .: Christine Billeter, Sarah Replogle, 69, Mapes, William, 52, Somerset, Wheeler, Clyde William, 85, Snyder, Laura J., team pastor, Appleman, Doug Garber, Martinsburg, Pa., July 25 Pa., Aug. 16 Harrisonburg, Va ., Sept. 8 Newton. Kan., Sept. l

Messenger December 2007 A problematic pastoral pulse

n a corner in downtown Iowa City, Iowa, stands tion's medical insurance plan for active ministers, following Oa bank with this cheery slogan printed on its the recommendation of a study committee. The plan officially window: "Delighting customers since 1934." ends Dec. 31. Mary Jo Flory-Steury, director of the Church of Keeping customers happy-delighted, even-is a goal for the Brethren General Board's Office of Ministry, said that deci­ virtually every business. It's a practical matter. If customers sion, "has created anywhere from a ripple effect to a riptide aren't happy, they are less likely to come back. effect" with a "deep sense of loss and deep pain." In recent years, though, some businesses have shifted their Flory-Steury said a few districts have succeeded in making priorities in how they do that. Instead the transition to other insurance providers for all their pas­ of pouring all their energy and tors. In other districts, though, some pastors are saying they resources directly into pleasing the may need to leave the pastoral ministry to obtain better bene­ customer, they are putting a focus on fits. Some congregations are incorrectly taking the taking good care of their employees. If Conference decision to mean that they no longer need to pro­ employees are happy and feel valued, vide health insurance for pastors. that is likely to come through in their Some have pointed the finger of blame at the General dealings with customers, who will then Board, but the General Board only cares for ministerial polity be happy, too. and works with districts; it does not provide insurance. Some Shift this logic to the church: In have pointed fingers at Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT), which today's culture of individual choice, has provided the insurance (and continues to do so for agen­ much attention has been given to cies and retired pastors). BBT, though, was caught between a meeting the needs of members and vis­ rock and a hard place: not enough pastors participating to itors in the pews. Keep members satis­ make the plan financially viable, but too many participating to fied, and they're more likely to be involved regularly. Make phase it out gracefully. visitors happy, and they are more likely to return and stay. The larger national health-care crisis plays an overarching Those aren't bad aims. Hospitality is a key ministry of any role, but one of the major factors in the Brethren plan's congregation. Meeting the spiritual needs of members is cer­ demise was its level of risk. An above-average number of tainly important. pastors deemed "high risk" were in the plan without enough But what about the spiritual-and other-needs of a con­ "good risk" pastors to balance them out. What does having gregation's main employee(s): the pastor or pastors? In many so many high insurance risks in that group say about the gen­ churches they are the forgotten part of the equation. And if eral health of our pastors?

Pastors are not a disposable resource to be used up and tossed aside. Stronger, healthier, happier pastors are an important step [ toward creating healthy, vital congregations.

the pastor isn't happy, the church's ministry is likely to suffer. Some interim steps are being taken to aid pastors caught in Pastors often have little space for their personal life. They the middle of this situation, and a resolution is coming to are on call 24-7. They can't get away for a weekend on an next summer's Annual Conference. Its recommendations impulse. The demands of congregational life can make it include urging congregations to be "compassionate Christian challenging for a pastor to tend to his or her family or devo­ employers." tional life. The schedule and circumstances can be draining. Each congregation would do well to look at the demands it In addition, many of our congregations can't afford a full­ places on its pastor(s), and to encourage every pastor to look time pastor, so the pastor often must find other employment out for his or her own health and wellness. Pastors are not a to supplement his or her income. Numerous congregations disposable resource to be used up and tossed aside. can't or don't pay on the scale set by the denomination to Stronger, healthier, happier pastors are an important step provide a fair baseline. toward creating healthy, vital congregations. Then this past summer brought another blow, when the And a denomination full of healthy congregations with 2007 Annual Conference voted to "phase out" the denomina- happy pastors-that would be really delightful.-Ed. ~

COMING IN JANUARY: Launching a special 300th anniversary series with profiles of Alexand~r Mack Sr. and Peter Becker; transformation on the Plains; a visit with Gilbert Romero; Bible study on Zechariah and Malachi; and more.

Messenger December 2007 2oqs_t;Jq ionql VY or (qmps

Junior High (Completed Grades 6-9) ••• 1. June 17 - 21 New Windsor, Maryland 2. June 25 - 29 "Blue Ridge Mountains" - Roanoke, Virginia 3. July 8 - 12 Richmond, Virginia Young Adult (Ages 18 - 35) 4. July 28 - August 1 Ashland, Ohio 23. June 8 - 14 "Gulf Coast" Disaster Response 5. July 29 - August 3 Baltimore, Maryland 6. August 6 - 10 Indianapolis, Indiana Senior High and Adults Combined (completed Grade 9 - Age 100+) 24. June 22 - 28 New Windsor, Maryland - OEPA Intergenerational (Completed Grade 6 - Age 100+) 25. July 6 - 12 "Appalachian" - Neon, Kentucky 7. June 30 - July 5 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 26. August 4 - 10 St. Croix, Virgin Islands Senior High (Completed Grade 9 - Age 19) 8. June 15 - 21 "Gulf Coast" Disaster Response On-Line registrations will be 9. June 15 - 23 Dominican Republic - BRF processed on a first-come, 10.June 16 - 22 Idaho Mountain Camp first served basis starting 11.June 16 - 22 "John Kline Homestead" - Broadway, Virginia January 3, 2008 at 12. June 16 - 23 Castaner, Puerto Rico 13. June 29 - July 5 "Appalachian" - Neon, Kentucky www.brethrenworkcamps.org 14. June 30 - July 6 Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota _JL 15. June 30 - July 6 Eastern Shore, Maryland 7WJ Church otthe Brethren 16. July 6 - 12 "Gulf Coast" Disaster Response [./ Youth & Younj ,AJ.,.lt Ministries 17. July 6 - 12 Keyser, West Virginia 18. July 20 - 26 Ashland, Ohio 19.July 21 - 27 Chicago, Illinois If you have any questions, please contact Sharon Flaten, Jerry O'Donnell 20. July 28 - August 3 St. Croix, Virgin Islands or Steve Van Houten at 1-800-323-8039 or 21. August 3 - 9 Reynosa, Mexico [email protected] 22. August 4 - 10 Gulf Coast Florida - N. Fort Myers, Florida