GENERAL BOARD AND BW/WO CONTINUES TO OFFER SUPPORT AND EDUCATION TO PERSONS OF CONSCIENCE

Youth of the church encouraged to establish personal file Church of the Brethren congregations and individuals are encouraged to use the General Board’s Witness/Washington Office in whatever way seems most helpful in learning more around the issue of conscientious objection. The BW/WO provides many resource materials to assist in this endeavor. Church/Youth Conscientious Objector packets are available by simply requesting these from the office (1-800-785-3246) or by going to the BW/WO website and downloading these from the CO link. You are encouraged to use these in youth group discussions or congregational forums. If you would like someone from the BW/WO to resource congregational or district CO workshops we can gladly assist. Over the past eighteen months we have mailed out or distributed over 2500 of our CO packets and presented workshops in seven different districts. A district/community event is being planned for the Columbus, OH, area in May and workshops are being scheduled for other regional spring retreats and upcoming fall district conferences. Phil Jones, director of the BW/WO is a board member of the Center of Conscience and War, and can assist in making available from CCW materials, resources and staff leadership as necessary. The April Christian Citizenship Seminar gives focus to Conscientious Objection and will provide an opportunity for Brethren youth to make their voice known in Washington D.C. around this important issue.

CO files are maintained by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office for those who choose to document their beliefs of conscience in regards to war and violence. Forms and instructions for this are included in the CO packet. The BW/WO has received over forty personal files in recent months. For more information on this, or other concerns or requests, please give the BW/WO a call.