Friday, January 30, 2004

Bethany announces two Exploring Your Call events.

Two Exploring Your Call (EYC) events are scheduled at the Richmond, Ind., campus of Bethany Theological Seminary June 24-28 and July 22-26. The events offer high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors opportunities to consider issues of faith and vocation.

Activities include attending classes taught by seminary professors, shadowing pastors, planning congregational worship services, learning about chaplaincy, visiting residents in a retirement facility, creating and leading worship experiences, and sharing in group-building recreational activities.

Participants in 2003's EYC events—both students and adults—gave positive reviews. "By shadowing a pastor, I experienced what ministry might be like. It helped me think about my own call to ministry," said Lee Smith of Harrisonburg, Va.

EYC is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. as part of a $2 million grant received by Manchester College on behalf of eight Church of the Brethren-related institutions. The grant is part of the endowment's Theological Vocational Exploration Programs Initiative and was developed to encourage young people to consider ministry as a career, and to consider their faith commitments in whatever career they choose.

Youth interested in EYC should visit www.bethanyseminary.edu/eyc.htm and complete an online registration form. Because of grant support, participants' only cost is travel expense to and from EYC. Registration is limited to 20 for each event. Further information is available by e-mail (EYC@bethanyseminary.edu), or call 800-287-8822 and ask for the EYC office.

Source: Newsline 01/30/2004
Youth and young adult workcamp coordinators named for 2005

Youth and young adult workcamp coordinators named for 2005.

A team of three young adults—two of them familiar faces—will serve as coordinators for the 2005 youth and young adult workcamps offered by the General Board's Youth/Young Adult Ministry Office.

The 2004 coordinators, Beth Rhodes and Cindy Laprade, have agreed to continue as part of the team for another year. Rhodes and Laprade are both from the Virlina District. Rhodes is from the Central congregation in Roanoke, Va., and Laprade is a member of the Antioch congregation in Rocky Mount.

They will be joined for the 2005 planning by Ben Kreider, who served as an assistant coordinator last summer. Kreider is a member of Annville (Pa.) Church of the Brethren and plans to graduate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania this May.

Details on the nearly two dozen 2004 workcamps being offered can be found at www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/workcamps/.

Source: Newsline 01/30/2004

Thursday, January 29, 2004

Ben and Jerry's, Hogs for Heifers, and other NYAC updates

Ben and Jerry say hurry up and register!

Remember that to get a coupon for a FREE pint of Ben and Jerry’s, you have to register in the next two days! After Jan. 31, you’ll have to buy your own Chunky Monkey and Chubby Hubby.

Hogs for Heifers

No silly, not bacon - motorcycles! A group of young adults from the Church of the Brethren are organizing a charity motorcycle ride to sponsor Heifer Project. On June 4, 2004, the group will be leaving from Annville P.A. and riding the near 2500 miles to NYAC at Snow Mountain Ranch, near Winter Park Colorado. The ride will go through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado. To keep costs down, riders will stay at various churches and homes along the way. There is no initial cost for the ride, but riders will be responsible for food and gasoline cost as well as providing their own transportation. In order to raise money for Heifer Project, riders will ask individuals to sponsor them. The hope is to raise a thousand dollars. If you are a young adult on the fringe, what better way to experience the beauty of God's creation than to ride through it, rain and sun, for a week and a half? All are welcome and any bike is welcome.

For information on registering for the ride or how to become a sponsor, please contact Paul Liepelt at (765-977-4513) or via email at munducani@hotmail.com.

Registration climbs steadily

As of today, Jan. 29, 145 people have completed the online registration form! If you’ve registered, remember that your spot will not be reserved until your deposit of at least $125 is received in the NYAC Office. If you haven’t registered, remember that you need to be one of the next 355 people to complete the form and mail your deposit in order to be guaranteed a spot. Don’t miss this opportunity!

Number of days until NYAC fills to capacity = ???

Becky Ullom, NYAC Coordinator
800-323-8039, x 286
nyac2004_gb@brethren.org
www.nyac2004.org

Friday, January 16, 2004

Souper Bowl of Caring

Feb. 1 marks the annual Souper Bowl of Caring, when youth groups raise money to relieve world hunger and participate in community service activities. Church of the Brethren groups can send their proceeds to the General Board's Global Food Crisis Fund. Details on the program are at www.souperbowl.org.

Source: Newsline 01/16/2004

Friday, January 02, 2004

Following are highlights of some stories from 2003

  • Sixteen interns, matching the record high set in 2002, were present for the 2003 Ministry Summer Service orientation in Richmond, Ind. The annual program, sponsored by the General Board's Youth/Young Adult and Ministry offices, allows young adults to consider ministry options by placing them in ministry settings with a mentor for the summer.

  • The National Youth Cabinet declared a denomination-wide Youth Day of Prayer for Sept. 28, asking youth across the Church of the Brethren to join together in prayer in creative ways. Earlier, on March 7, Brethren gathered at three denominational sites for special prayer services held in conjunction with the World Day of Prayer. Both initiatives, along with some activities at Annual Conference, came in response to the "Call to Prayer" query passed by the 2002 Conference.

  • The 2003 youth/young adult workcamp season ended in mid-August after more than 500 youth, youth advisors, and young adults participated in 26 workcamps across the US, in the Caribbean, and in Northern Ireland and Ecuador.

  • The 2003 Youth Peace Travel Team of Laura Sweitzer, Erica Schatz, and Mandy Wampler traveled to Church of the Brethren camps in the Midwest and to Annual Conference, the 13th year a team has been sent out to do peace education.

  • Other groups met for a youth ministry workshop in New Windsor, Md., led by Mark DeVries; an annual Young Adult Conference held at Camp Eder in Fairfield, Pa.; a youth Christian Citizenship Seminar in New York and Washington, D.C., focusing on globalization issues; and an "Organizing for Peace" event in Richmond, Ind.
Source: Newsline 01/02/2004