Replogle Accepts Position of District Youth Coordinator for Western Plains District

Shawn Flory Replogle has accepted the position of district youth coordinator for Western Plains District. The announcement in the district newsletter was made by the Congregational Resourcing Fulfillment Vision Team. He began his work in March participating with the planning team for Regional Youth Conference. Replogle served as moderator of the 2010 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren.

Source:5/16/2012 Newsline

National Young Adult Conference Registration Deadline

June 1 is the deadline to register for National Young Adult Conference (NYAC). This once-every-four-years Church of the Brethren event is June 18-22 at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, on the theme, “Humble, Yet Bold: Being the Church.” Young adults ages 18-35 are invited to register or find more information at www.brethren.org/yac.

Source:5/16/2012 Newsline

Christian Citizenship Seminar Photo Album

A new online photo album displays pictures from the recent Christian Citizenship Seminar for Church of the Brethren youth in New York and Washington, D.C. Go to www.brethren.org/album/ccs2012.

Source:5/16/2012 Newsline

Manchester College A Cappella Choir

Trotwood (Ohio) Church of the Brethren is hosting the Manchester College A Cappella Choir on May 21 at 7 p.m. The choir, an auditioned ensemble of 40-50 singers directed by Debra Lynn, tours each spring after May commencement ceremonies. Tours have included performances at Carnegie Hall in New York,  the Vatican in Rome, and other prestigious venues. Trotwood is a stop on this year's tour to other churches in Pennsylvania.

Source:5/16/2012 Newsline

Bridgewater College Students Recognized by Department of Philosophy and Religion

Bridgewater (Va.) College students recognized by the Department of Philosophy and Religion for academic excellence at the annual awards convocation on May 1 included two Church of the Brethren members: Rebekah L. Miller of Bridgewater Church of the Brethren and Jesse Winter of Westminster (Md.) Church of the Brethren. Miller was presented the Outstanding Senior Award in Philosophy. Winter, a junior, was selected for the Ruth and Steve Watson Philosophy Scholarship Award, receiving a scholarship for the 2012-2013 academic year. Also receiving an award from the department was Blake Strother, who received the Outstanding Senior Award in Religion.

Source:5/16/2012 Newsline

5 Summer Christian Experience Scholarship Recipients from Bridgewater College

In more news from Bridgewater, five students including Church of the Brethren member Tyler Goss, are recipients of a 2012 Summer Christian Experience Scholarship and will spend 10 weeks in the summer working at church camps. Each student was awarded $2,500 from the scholarship program, which is funded by the Bridgewater College endowment fund. Goss will serve at Camp Bethel near Fincastle, Va. Also receiving the scholarship are Morgan Elkins and Whitney Fitzgerald, who will serve at Shepherd’s Spring in Sharpsburg, Md.; Stina Kang, who will serve at Camp Swatara in Bethel, Pa.; and Emily Ridenour, who will serve at Camp Eder in Fairfield, Pa.

Source:5/16/2012 Newsline

McPherson College has announced its first graduate-level courses in education starting this Fall.

McPherson (Kan.) College has announced its first graduate-level courses in education starting this Fall. Mark Malaby, director of the graduate courses in education and associate professor of education at McPherson, has spent the last academic year developing the unique curriculum, a release said. McPherson is seeking initial accreditation in fall of 2012 from the regional accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), with the hopes of gaining HLC approval to offer a Master’s in Education degree based on the course offerings. The courses have received the endorsement of the McPherson, Little River, and Smoky Valley school districts, which are encouraging their teachers to enroll in the classes. About half of the classes will be taught by working school administrators and superintendents in the area. The initial graduate level courses are “Issues in Education” and “Foundations of Education.” To apply for the graduate level courses contact Teresa Graham, graduate admissions officer, at graham@mcpherson.edu or 620-242-0485. More information about the program is at www.mcpherson.edu/mastersed.

Source:5/16/2012 Newsline

Christian Citizenship Seminar considers our relationship with carbon

Fifty-two Church of the Brethren youth and adult advisors met for the 2012 Christian Citizenship Seminar (CCS) on April 14-19 in New York City and Washington, D.C. The theme focused on “Stepping Out: Our Relationship with Carbon.”

The 41 high school youth and 11 advisors came from 11 congregations in eight districts across the denomination. Staffing the event were CCS coordinator Carol Fike, a Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) worker in the Youth and Young Adult Ministry; Becky Ullom, director of the Youth and Young Adult Ministry; Nathan Hosler, advocacy consultant for the Church of the Brethren and the National Council of Churches, along with past advocacy consultant Jordan Blevins; Jonathan Stauffer, BVS worker in the Advocacy and Peace Witness Office in Washington; and Jeremy McAvoy, BVS recruiter.

The group experienced four sessions on different aspects of the theme. Session 1 addressed the “Personal Carbon Footprint” led by Emma and Nancy Sleeth, a mother/daughter team and authors of “Almost Amish,” “Go Green, Save Green,” and “It’s Easy Being Green.” The Sleeth family have given up a comfortable, wealthy lifestyle to live simply as better stewards of the earth, and shared about the simple things that they are doing in their everyday lives to reduce their personal carbon footprint.

A second session on the “National Carbon Footprint” was led by Tyler Edgar of the National Council of Churches, who works with a variety of environmental issues for the NCC including mountain top removal.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted the CCS group for a session in one of its large meeting rooms in a downtown Washington building. Shakeba Carter-Jenkins and Jonathan Stauffer worked together to set up the meeting. Included in this presentation was Dru Ealons, director of the Office of Public Engagement for the EPA; Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator, Office of Air and Radiation; Jerry Lawson of Energy Star; Marcus Sarofim of Climate Science; and Ullom as the Church of the Brethren representative.

“Many of the advisors said that this (session with the EPA) was the best agency presentation that they had ever been a part of,” Fike reported. She added that others who met with the CCS group were impressed by the level of understanding among the students. “Tyler (Edgar) was blown away by the questions that our youth asked,” she said.

Other CCS activities included viewing the documentary “The Story of Stuff,” and exercises to help youth learn about carbon and its effects in items of daily use, such as foods, and how to calculate a personal carbon footprint. Participants also gathered in congregational groups to come up with three new things they will do on their return home, and one thing they will encourage their church to do, in order to reduce carbon’s effects on the earth’s environment (see listing below).

The event closed with each and every participant visiting and talking with a governmental representative in Washington. The group from California, for example, had breakfast with their senator. Participants from Indiana met with staff of both of their senators, and the group from Illinois and Wisconsin District was able to talk with staff of senators from both states.

Daily worship was an important part of CCS, led by Ullom and Fike, and included an anointing service. Scriptures used for worship included Ezekial 34:17-19, Job 12:7-9, Esther 4:14, Romans 8:18-21, and Matthew 25:25-29.

What are you going to do to be pro-active?

Youth and advisors who attended Christian Citizenship Seminar were challenged to come up with new ideas of things they can do to curb the effects of carbon on the environment--personally and in their churches. The Youth and Young Adult Ministry hopes to offer an insight session at Annual Conference this July reporting back from these youth initiatives:

Black Rock Church of the Brethren, Glenville, Pa.: place timers on air and heat, teach lessons about small things that churches members can do to help the planet, talk about long-term investment in solar panels, go styrofoam free, clean out the kitchen and get rid of appliances that aren’t needed.

Glade Valley Church of the Brethren, Walkersville, Md.: host an Information Sunday, lead a children’s story about carbon, print bulletins on recycled paper.

Goshen (Ind.) Church of the Brethren: install light motion sensors, turn down the water heater.

Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, Elgin, Ill.: speak at church, have a dumpster diving event.

La Verne (Calif.) Church of the Brethren: host an eco-friendly worship and lunch on May 20, wash dishes by hand, have some carbon activities, make carbon footprint placemat, change light bulbs at the church.

Manchester Church of the Brethren, North Manchester, Ind.: plant prairie grasses at their church, rather than grass that needs mowing.

Middlebury (Ind.) Church of the Brethren: the church already hosts community gardens, start a youth garden and donate the food to local pantries, host an Environmental Sunday, host a recycling campaign at church, start a community compost site.

Palmyra (Pa.) Church of the Brethren: lead a Sunday school class for adults, hold a fundraiser, sell reusable bags and mugs, have a youth room project to “be more green,” update the church kitchen to install Energy Star appliances.

Richmond (Ind.) Church of the Brethren: hold a Sunday school class for children, with visuals.

-- CCS coordinator Carol Fike contributed to this report.

Source:5/3/2012 Newsline

Manchester trustees approve name change to 'university.'

Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind., will change its name to Manchester University on July 1, to reflect the growing complexity of the institution, the Board of Trustees decided at its spring meeting on April 21.

The timing is optimal as Manchester grows in complexity beyond its 123-year-old undergraduate, residential liberal arts core with: a new professional doctoral program in pharmacy, with faculty engaged in research agendas; a new non-residential campus in Fort Wayne; graduate programs in athletic training and education, with more possibilities.

A name change to university is strategic, said president Jo Young Switzer. “A new name will help us communicate our expanding academic competencies and goals.

“What we will not change is our mission to graduate persons of ability and conviction who will work to improve the human condition,” Switzer said. “Manchester’s reputation for exciting learning and service opportunities supported by faculty mentoring will continue in the undergraduate, graduate, and School of Pharmacy programs.”

Switzer’s recommendation and the Board of Trustee’s decision were presaged by conversations with members of the Manchester community--alumni, faculty, current students, and staff--as well as surveys by a research firm of potential students and community leaders.

Manchester currently offers more than 55 areas of academic study, including master’s degrees in athletic training and education. A total of 1,320 undergraduate and graduate students study on its North Manchester campus.

In August, the first 70 students in Manchester’s new doctoral pharmacy program begin classes in a new facility in north Fort Wayne. When that first class graduates in four years, 280 students will be enrolled in the Pharm.D. program.

-- Jeri S. Kornegay is director of Media and Public Relations for Manchester College.

Source:5/3/2012 Newsline

Seminary and College Commencement Ceremonies Set for May

Bethany Theological Seminary will be holding its graduation ceremony on May 5, in Richmond, Ind., just one of several Church of the Brethren-related schools that have announced May commencement ceremonies.

This will be Bethany’s 107th commencement, and 16 graduates will be recognized. The academic ceremony for conferring degrees will take place in Nicarry Chapel at 10 a.m., with admittance by ticket only. A worship service, open to the public, will be held in Nicarry Chapel at 2:30 p.m. Nadine S. Pence, a former member of the Bethany faculty and currently director of the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion in Crawfordsville, Ind., will give the commencement address. Graduates Rebekah Houff, Jeanne Davies, and Andrew Duffey will speak during the afternoon worship service.

At Bridgewater (Va.) College, Robert Neff, president emeritus of Juniata College and a former general secretary of the Church of the Brethren and past faculty at Bethany Seminary, will deliver the message at a baccalaureate service at 6 p.m. on May 11 in Nininger Hall. Darla K. Deardorff, a Bridgewater alumna who is executive director of the Association of International Education Administrators and an authority on intercultural competence, will deliver the commencement address at 10 a.m. on May 12 on the campus mall.

Elizabethtown (Pa.) College holds its 109th commencement May 19, with traditional and adult learning programs celebrating graduates. There will be two ceremonies: at 11 a.m. the commencement ceremony for about 450 traditional undergraduate students held in the Dell will feature speaker Pauline Yu, president of the American Council of Learned Societies; at 4 p.m. the commencement ceremony for the 170-some Edward R. Murphy Center for Continuing Education and Distance Learning undergraduate students will hear from speaker Edward R. Murphy of the Board of Trustees, in the Leffler Chapel. This is the first time at the college that adult learners--students who have earned an undergraduate degree through the non-traditional degree program--will have a separate commencement.

At Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., James Madara, chief executive officer of the American Medical Association and a nationally known expert of epithelial cell biology and gastrointestinal disease and also a 1971 Juniata graduate, will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters degree and deliver the commencement address at 10 a.m. on May 12. Others to receive honorary degrees from Juniata are Timothy Statton, retired president of Bechtel Power Corporation and a former member of the board of directors of Bechtel Group Inc., and Henry H. Gibbel, chairman and chief executive officer of Lititz Mutual Insurance Co.

Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind., will laud Dow Chemical Co. scientist and Manchester sciences benefactor Herbert E. Chinworth with an honorary Doctor of Science degree at commencement on Sunday afternoon, May 20. Chinworth, who attended Manchester in the early ’40s, also is the speaker for the 2:30 p.m. ceremony, before the college confers more than 250 bachelor’s degrees and two Masters in Athletic Training degrees.

At McPherson (Kan.) College, the 2012 Commencement Day is scheduled for May 20. Also on the weekend of May 18-20 is McPherson’s Alumni Weekend with class reunions for 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1972, and 1977. At the annual Alumni Awards Luncheon, Harold and Lynda Connell (’62 and ’61), John Ferrell (’51), and Eldred Kingery (’72) will be presented the distinguished Citation of Merit.

University of La Verne, Calif., will hold its Commencement Weekend on May 25-26.

Source:5/3/2012 Newsline

Jonathan L. Reed Named Dean of the University of La Verne

Jonathan L. Reed has been named to the post of dean of the University of La Verne (ULV) College of Arts and Sciences. ULV is a Church of the Brethren related school in La Verne, Calif. Reed has served in the position of interim dean for most of the past three years, and previously was professor of religion for 16 years. He was selected for the permanent position from a group of 55 candidates according to a release from the university. He is a recipient of the Excellence in Faculty Teaching Award, the Ellsworth Johnson Service Award, and is a founding member of The Academy at La Verne. He has also written many articles and reviews, and has authored several books, such as “In Search of Paul,” “Excavating Jesus,” and “Archaeology and the Galilean Jesus.”

Source:5/3/2012 Newsline

Bridgewater College has a New Strategic Plan

Bridgewater College has a new strategic plan to guide the college through 2020. “BC 2020: The Strategic Plan for Bridgewater College” identifies key areas critical to success in the next eight years and strategies for achieving goals in those areas, said a release. Areas include student success, the Bridgewater Experience, enhanced and new programs, access and affordability, alumni and community, and facilities. Nathan H. Miller, chair of the board, noted that in the future, higher education must focus on realities of living in an international community, fast-changing technological environment, and an educational environment in which new majors and curricula abound. For more go to www.bridgewater.edu/strategicplan.

Source:5/3/2012 Newsline

McPherson College -l “Blake Reed Miracle Mile”

McPherson College holds its second annual “Blake Reed Miracle Mile” on May 12. The event remembers Blake Reed, manager for the college football team, who died at age 22 on Aug. 3, 2010 from complications of muscular dystrophy. On May 4, the college’s C.A.R.S. Club Show features an open house reception in the popular automotive restoration facility and a presentation by Wayne Carini, host of “Chasing Classic Cars” on the new Velocity Channel by Discovery.

Source:5/3/2012 Newsline

POWERHOUSE 2012: Save the Date - Nov 10-11

• What: Powerhouse regional youth conference, a weekend of worship, workshops, music, food, and fun!
• When: Nov. 10-11, 2012
• Where: Manchester University (note our new name effective July 1!),
  North Manchester, Ind.
• Who: Youth in grades 9-12 in 2012-2013 and advisors  
• Website: www.manchester.edu/powerhouse  
• Other details: Coming soon!  

Manchester College
Campus Ministry/Religious Life
260-982-5243

Juniata College president Tom Kepple to retire.

Photo by: courtesy of Juniata College

Thomas R. Kepple, under whose presidency the campus of Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., was transformed by an ambitious building plan and the most successful capital campaign in the college's history, plans to retire May 31, 2013. Kepple was named president July 1, 1998, and will have finished his 15th year leading Juniata by 2013.

Kepple came to Juniata from the University of the South, where he specialized in overseeing large-scale construction and renovation projects and longterm strategic planning. In the 15 years he led Juniata, the college's central campus has been reimagined, renovated, and in some cases rebuilt to consolidate arts, sports, and classroom instruction around a central quadrangle. Among the transformative changes:

• Construction of the 88,000-square-foot William J. Von Liebig Center for Science.

• Construction of the renovated and improved Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts.

• Renovation of historic LEED-certified Founders Hall, the 1879 building that was Juniata's first campus building.

• Closing of 18th Street, which established a central quad and central walkway that links almost all of the main buildings on campus.

• Creation of a new multimillion-dollar Raystown Field Station, transforming the original field station into a major instructional site for the environmental science program.

Kepple points to Juniata's student accomplishments as his personal touchstone, including a marked uptick in national and international awards received by Juniata students. Juniata's athletic teams also have been successful during Kepple's tenure, earning six of Juniata's seven national championships in the past 15 years.

The completion in 2005 of Juniata's largest capital campaign, the Uncommon Outcomes Campaign, raised more than $103 million, making it the largest capital campaign in Juniata's history. Last year, Kepple also initiated the "Changing Lives to Change the World" endowment initiative, which is focused on raising Juniata's endowment to more than $100 million.

Academic programs have been significantly expanded, including reinstating a theater department and reconfiguring an existing computer science program into a more widely specialized information technology program. Additionally, renovation of the college's former science center into Brumbaugh Academic Center transformed one wing into Dale Hall, a wing designed to generate collaboration and synergy between the business, IT, and communication departments.

The college's business department introduced a major program in entrepreneurial instruction, much of it focused on the Juniata Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and the Bob and Eileen Sill Business Incubator.

Juniata also embarked on two major initiatives to diversify the college's student body demographically and geographically. First, the college started a Global Engagement Initiative that established a Global Community Living Community, international student clubs, introduction of more international courses into the college's core curriculum, an international language outreach program and helped establish international student exchanges. Secondly, the enrollment office made a concentrated effort to expand its recruiting of domestic minorities. Today about 12 percent of the student body represent minority groups.

Many of Juniata's innovative academic programs and improvements to the college's infrastructure have made news on a national scale, which subsequently has helped raise the college's national profile. The Princeton Review noted in 2010 that "Juniata College has catapulted from regional to national status in the last decade."

Kepple and James Lakso, Juniata provost, also oversaw a faculty turnover of nearly 60 percent during the Kepple presidency. As a result the college dramatically expanded successful academic programs in theater, environmental science (now Juniata's fastest growing major), and information technology. Juniata also added faculty in digital media, art, and instrumental music. The college also added or hired new faculty to bolster the institution's established strengths in the sciences, business, religion, peace and conflict studies, and history.

President Kepple is founding chair of the Tuition Plan Consortium, vice chair of Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell's higher education transition team, founding chair of the new Landmark NCAA Division III athletic conference, and has chaired the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the New York Times/Chronicle of Higher Education President's Cabinet, NCAA Division III Presidents Advisory Committee, Brethren Colleges Abroad, Princeton Review (Advisory Board), He was awarded the Westminster College Outstanding Alumni Citation in October 2000. In 2011 he was awarded the honorary degree doctor of humane letters from Elizabethtown (Pa.) College.

-- John Wall of the Juniata College staff provided this release.

Source:4/19/2012 Newsline

May 6 is Youth Sunday

May 6 is Youth Sunday in the Church of the Brethren. The theme for 2012 is "Bridging the Gap" (Romans 15:5-7). Worship resources along with a poster, congregational activity guide, bulletin covers, and much more are available to download from www.brethren.org/yya/national-youth-sunday.html.

Source:4/19/2012 Newsline

"Empty Bowls" Dinner

Stone Church of the Brethren in Huntingdon, Pa., on April 13 hosted an “Empty Bowls” dinner featuring hundreds of bowls created by the Juniata College art department. The dinner raised money for various Huntingdon County food banks. According to a release from the college, participants got “not only soup and bread, but also a hand-made ceramic soup bowl from the college's renowned pottery program.” Sponsors included the Mud Junkies, the college's ceramics club, the Art Alliance, PAX-O, the college's peace studies club, and the Catholic Council. A 4-H group and a Girl Scout troop also created bowls for the event. The release noted this is the sixth year Juniata has been involved in Empty Bowls, a nationwide event designed to focus attention on world hunger.

Source:4/19/2012 Newsline

Manchester College Church Matching Grant Program

Manchester College’s Student Financial Services has shared a notice about its Church Matching Grant Program. The college is located in North Manchester, Ind. Churches planning to participate in the program need to access the recipient roster for the 2012-13 academic year, the notice said. Go to www.manchester.edu/SFS/sfsforms.htm . Click on “Church Matching Recipient Roster.” Complete and submit the roster no later than June 1 to be guaranteed Manchester College matching funds. The notice asked churches to be aware that they must follow IRS regulations regarding contributions that flow through charitable organizations, and that “this program is not intended to allow families to pass money through a church so that their child can receive the matching scholarship.” For more information contact Student Financial Services at 260-982-5066 or sfs@manchester.edu.

Source:4/19/2012 Newsline

Bridgewater College Presidential Search Committee

Bridgewater (Va.) College has announced a search committee for its next president. President George Cornelius announced March 6 that he will let his contract with the college expire at the end of this academic year. Executive vice president Roy W. Ferguson Jr. will serve as interim president. The search committee includes Judy Mills Reimer, former general secretary of the Church of the Brethren, along with chair G. Steven Agee, judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; Debra M. Allen, certified public accountant and treasurer of Sidney B. Allen Jr. Builder Inc.; William S. Earhart, certified public accountant and treasurer of Heatwole/Miller real estate management and development company; Michael K. Kyles M.D., orthopedic surgeon on the staff of Halifax Regional Hospital; Robert I. Stolzman, partner in the law firm of Adler, Pollock & Sheehan; James H. Walsh, partner with the law firm of McGuireWoods LLP; W. Steve Watson Jr., Lawrence S. and Carmen C. Miller Chair of Ethics and associate professor of philosophy and religion; and Kathy G. Wright, logistics coordinator for Philip Morris USA Inc.

Source:4/19/2012 Newsline

Bridgewater College Alumni Awards

In more news from Bridgewater College, five alumni including three Church of the Brethren members will be honored as part of the annual Alumni Weekend celebration April 20-22. At the annual banquet of the Ripples Society on April 20, Dr. J. Paul Wampler (class of 1954) and Doris Cline Egge (1946) will receive the 2012 Ripples Society Medals. At the Alumni Awards ceremony on April 21, the Distinguished Alumna Award will be presented to Dr. Elizabeth Mumper (1976). The Young Alumna Award will be presented to Emila J. Sutton (2002). The West-Whitelow Humanitarian Award will be presented to Dr. Kenneth M. Heatwole (1979).

Source:4/19/2012 Newsline

McPherson College in Final Four Appearance

The McPherson (Kan.) College Bulldogs recently celebrated a first Final Four appearance. “With a come-from-behind victory with less than a minute to go against Dordt College in the NAIA DII Men’s Basketball Tournament, the Men’s Basketball Team logged the first Final Four appearance for Bulldogs Basketball,” said an e-mail newsletter for McPherson alumni. “They lost to the No. 1 seed Northwood University in the semifinals, but achieved a run that will go into the record books of MC Athletics.” Watch the comeback at www.youtube.com/McPhersonCollege.

Source:4/19/2012 Newsline

Juniata College Film Wins Prize

“The thing to remember about zombies is that they're brain-dead hulks prone to staggering around aimlessly,” reports a release from Juniata College, “so it's doubly amazing that a group of Juniata College filmmakers were able to enliven the living dead long enough to complete a movie that won the college a $12,000 prize.” Juniata earned first place recognition for "Showtime," a zombie film created for "Show Us Your ETC," a contest sponsored by ETC Inc. (Electronic Theatre Controls). The company specializes in theater lighting. For first prize the firm bestowed a theatrical lighting board on Juniata's film team, which will control lighting and effects lighting in the Suzanne von Liebig Theatre. The equipment is worth more than $12,000. "This was filmed right before finals in December so many people on campus were walking around like zombies anyway," says Gus Redmond, a sophomore from Bethesda, Md., who originated the project when he discovered the online contest on the ETC website.

Source:4/19/2012 Newsline

Juniata College: "Acting Together on the World Stage"

Several Juniata College professors and a documentary film producer will discuss how theatrical performances and dramatic rituals can become a tool for peace and resistance in regions afflicted by violence, poverty and oppression. The panel discussion takes place after screening of the documentary "Acting Together on the World Stage" at 7 p.m. April 25 in Neff Lecture Hall on the Juniata campus in Huntingdon, Pa. The film and panel discussion is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by the Baker Center for Peace and Conflict Studies and moderated by Celia Cook-Huffman, the Burkholder Professor of Conflict Resolution.

Source:4/19/2012 Newsline

2012 Senator Paul Simon Award

Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., is one of five institutions to receive the 2012 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization from the National Association of International Educators. A release reports that Juniata will be profiled in the upcoming NAFSA publication, "Internationalizing the Campus 2012: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities." Members of Juniata's international office will accept the award at a Capitol Hill event during International Education Week in November. Juniata programs and initiatives that were recognized by the association include establishing a Global Engagement Initiative that led to the formation of an intercultural learning assessment committee and the Global Village Living and Learning Community, and the dedication of faculty and staff to provide students with transformative international experiences such as teaching and advising international students and traveling to international campuses for study-abroad or summer programs.

Source:4/5/2012 Newsline

2012 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll

In addition to Bridgewater (Va.) College, two more Brethren-related colleges report being named to the 2012 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll: Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa., and Elizabethtown (Pa.) College. The honor roll reflects all service done by colleges in the previous year, and is given by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Source:4/5/2012 Newsline

Bridgewater College Celebrated Founder’s Day on April 3

Bridgewater (Va.) College celebrated Founder’s Day on April 3, marking 132 years since the founding of the school. The college presented three awards to faculty: James D. Bowling, associate professor of mathematics, received the Ben and Janice Wade Outstanding Teaching Award; Barbara H. Long, chair and assistant professor of health and human sciences, received the Martha B. Thornton Faculty Recognition Award; and history professor Brian M. Kelley, associate professor of psychology, received the Faculty Scholarship Award.

Source:4/5/2012 Newsline

Middle Pennsylvania District Youth

Youth in Middle Pennsylvania District are participating in a “Soup Kitchen and Service Workcamp” in Washington, D.C., on April 15-17.

Source:4/5/2012 Newsline

Speakers at National Young Adult Conference

University of Tennessee, Knoxville
June 18-22, 2012

Who will be joining us at NYAC 2012?

• Greg Davidson Laszakovits
  
  What makes Greg tick? Jesus as prophet. Vibrant communities. Peace and justice. And letting the world's cares and worries fade to the background while screaming downhill on his mountain bike. "Now, those are God moments!"
  
  Before pastoring in E-town, Greg consulted church starts in Brazil and directed legislative affairs for the Church of the Brethren in Washington, DC. An Arizona native, he studied History and Political Science at Northern Arizona University, Peace Studies at Bethany Seminary (MDiv), and is a BVS alum.

• Tracy Stoddart Primozich
  
  Tracy Stoddart Primozich is the director of admissions at Bethany Theological Seminary, and has been serving in her position since October of 2011. Tracy is a McPherson, and BVS Alum. Tracy is graduate of Bethany Seminary and a licensed minister in the Church of the Brethren, holding a master of divinity degree with emphases in youth and young adult studies and peace studies.

• Josh Brockway
  
  Josh Brockway has been the Church of the Brethren's director of Spiritual Life and Discipleship since Jan. 4, 2010. He grew up in East Nimishillen Church of the Brethren in Canton, Ohio. Josh participated in Ministry Summer Service in 1998. He earned his undergraduate degree from Manchester College, and his first master's degree from Bethany Theological Seminary. He and his wife live in Elgin, Ill., with their son and baby daughter.

Due to unforeseen circumstances Paul Alexander is no longer able to join us for NYAC.

Questions? Feel free to contact Carol Fike, NYAC Coordinator, 847-429-4386 or cfike@brethren.org

See you then!

Register online now!

http://support.brethren.org/site/R?i=Ko6b7kk-sBUBCl71X647Dg

Check out our website at http://www.brethren.org/yac
1451 Dundee Ave, Elgin, IL 60120
1-800-323-8039, ext. 386
NYAC2012@brethren.org

Exploring Your Call - June 15-25

Dear fellow friends, mentors and ministers of youth,

Bethany Theological Seminary is glad to offer once again, Exploring Your Call, a summer discernment event for high school youth, June 15 -25, 2012.

EYC is an opportunity to have in-depth classroom discussions, combined with real-life experiences of ministry (such as shadowing pastors), plus an opportunity to form meaningful friendships. As just one example of how learning happens at EYC: last year, we studied patterns of communal living in ancient Israel and the early church, then visited Reba Place in Chicago, an intentional Christian community where people share their possessions and property in common.

Participants of previous years have reported that EYC has been fantastically enjoyable and life-transforming! Last year’s participants created an Exploring Your Call page on Facebook (feel free to check it out).

Many EYC alumni have gone on to become Bethany students…but a call to seminary or pastoral ministry is by no means a requirement for EYC. We are simply looking for young people who eager to explore a variety of ministries that flow from faith; youth who want to talk about their faith and who enjoy “going deeper.” The event is for rising juniors and seniors.

For more information, go to the Bethany website and click on the link to EYC. There you can see that:

• The ten-day event is FREE; participants are responsible just for their transportation to and from Richmond, Indiana.
• EYC will be led by Russell Haitch (professor at Bethany) and Marla Bieber Abe (co-pastor, Carlisle Church of the Brethren)
• There are “rolling admissions,” so it is not too late for youth to complete this year’s application; however, the sooner, the better. The link to the application is also on the Bethany website and here: http://www.bethanyseminary.edu/eyc-apply.

It is our hope that you will encourage rising juniors and seniors you know to apply, and also contact leaders and pastors in your area who can do likewise! Please contact us if you have any questions, or if would like us to speak to a young person directly.

Peace in Christ,

Marla Abe marbieabe@gmail.com, 717-243-4984
Russell Haitch haitcru@bethanyseminary.edu, 765-983-1827