Wednesday, September 26, 2012

National Junior High Sunday

2012 Jr High logoNational Junior High Sunday will be held Nov. 4 on the theme, “Put on love,” based on Colossians 3:12-15. A logo, poster, and bulletin cover are available now at www.brethren.org/yya/resources. More worship resources will be posted in September.
As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves in love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. ~ Colossians 3:12-15 (NRSV)

Friday, September 21, 2012

Christian Citizenship Seminar Theme Announced

Dates and a theme have been announced for the next Christian Citizenship Seminar for high school age youth and their adult advisors. The 2013 CCS will be held March 23-28 on the theme, “Childhood Poverty: Nutrition, Housing, and Education,” according to an announcement from the Advocacy and Peace Witness Office. CCS will be held in New York City and Washington, D.C. Registration costs $375, and opens online on Dec. 1 at 10 a.m. (central time). More information and registration details will be made available at www.brethren.org/ccs.

Source:9/20/2012 Newsline

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Workcamp dates and locations are announced for 2013.

Updated logo for 2013 WorkcampsThe denomination’s Workcamp Ministry has announced dates and locations for next summer’s workcamps. Fees and more information may be found at  www.brethren.org/workcamps as it becomes available.

Week-long workcamps are offered for junior and senior high youth, young adults, an intergenerational group, and youth and young adults living with disabilities and their adult assistants. This year workcamps are held at locations across the United States and Puerto Rico.

Senior high youth who have completed ninth grade through age 19 are invited to the following workcamps:

June 8-14 at Innisfree-Crozet, Va.
June 9-16 at Idaho Mountain Camp, Idaho
June 15-21 at Caimito, P.R.
June 16-23 at Brooklyn, N.Y., in cooperation with the Brethren Revival Fellowship (BRF)
June 22-28 at Bayamon, P.R.
June 23-29 at Concord/Charlotte, N.C.
July 7-13, at a disaster response site (TBA)
July 15-21 at Koinonia Partners in Americus, Ga.
July 15-21 at Pine Ridge Reservation in Kyle, S.D.
July 22-28 in Peoria, Ariz.
July 22-28 in Washington, D.C.
July 22-28 in Lombard, Ill.
July 29-Aug. 4 at ECHO in North Fort Meyers, Fla.
Aug. 5-11 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Aug. 5-11 at Camp Eder in Fairfield, Pa.

Junior high workcamps are for youth who have completed sixth through eighth grades:

June 16-30 at New Community Project in Harrisonburg, Va.
June 17-21 at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.
July 3-7 at the John Kline Homestead in Broadway, Va.
July 10-14 in Harrisburg, Pa.
July 17-21 in Springfield, Ill.
July 24-28 in Indianapolis, Ind.
July 29-Aug. 2 in Greenville, Ohio

Two workcamp experiences are offered for young adults, ages 18-35:

May 28-June 2 in Seattle, Wash.
June 10-13 at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md., assisting with the “We Are Able” experience for youth and young adults living with disabilities

One intergenerational workcamp is open to those who have completed sixth grade and older:

July 29-Aug. 4 at Camp Colorado near Sedalia, Colo.

The “We Are Able” workcamp is for youth and young adults living with disabilities, ages 16-23, and adult assistants:

June 10-13 at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.

Registration for the 2013 workcamps opens online on Jan. 9, 2013, at 7 p.m. (central), 8 p.m. (eastern). The website for registration and more information is www.brethren.org/workcamps.

Source:9/20/2012 Newsline

Thursday, September 06, 2012

Workcamp ministry announces theme for 2013, new coordinators.

Logo for the 2013 summer workcampsThe Workcamp Ministry has announced a theme and released a logo for the 2013 workcamps to be held next summer.

In other news, the new set of coordinators have begun their work. Katie Cummings of Summit Church of the Brethren in Bridgewater, Va., and Tricia Ziegler of Sebring (Fla.) Church of the Brethren, are serving as workcamp coordinators through Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS). Their official start date was Aug. 20, and they will complete BVS orientation later this fall.

Emily Tyler, the new denominational staff person overseeing workcamps as well as BVS recruitment, also recently started her work with the ministry.

For 2013, the ministry has announced the theme “Deeply Rooted,” with the additional tagline, “Let your living spill over into thanksgiving.” The logo for 2013 was designed by Debbie Noffsinger.

The theme is based on Colossians 2:6-7 (The Message): "My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you've been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You're deeply rooted in him. You're well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you've been taught. School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving."

Source: 9/6/2012 Newsline

Bethany Seminary hosts annual Exploring Your Call event.

“I loved my time at Exploring Your Call and speak of it constantly. If it were possible for me to go again, I would--in a heartbeat,” says Laura Brown, a 2012 participant in this annual discernment event held by Bethany Theological Seminary.

Brown, from Happy Corner Church of the Brethren in Clayton, Ohio, was joined by Issac Brunk and Autumn Ehrig from Ivester Church of the Brethren, Grundy Center, Iowa; Michael Himlie, Root River Church of the Brethren, Preston, Minn.; and Sarandon Smith from Palmyra (Pa.) Church of the Brethren. From June 14-24, these high school students gathered to consider what God’s call might mean in their own lives and faith journeys.

The Bethany campus in Richmond, Ind., served as the central space for learning sessions, group discussion and reflection, and worship. The group also had some hands-on experience in assisting with Vacation Bible School at the local First Christian Church in Richmond.

Russell Haitch, director of the program, was joined by current faculty and students in leading the group sessions. Haitch is associate professor of Christian education and director of the Institute for Ministry with Youth and Young Adults. Marla Abe, a 2008 Bethany graduate and copastor of Carlisle (Pa.) Church of the Brethren, assisted in directing the week’s activities.

Beyond Richmond, the group was introduced to ministry at the Brethren Retirement Community in Greenville, Ohio. They also traveled to Reba Place, an intentional Christian community in Chicago, Ill., and visited the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill.

Each participant also spent time shadowing regional Church of the Brethren pastors and being hosted by their congregations. Brown highlights her connection with copastors Charles Bell and Mike Cassidy at Buck Creek Church of the Brethren in Mooreland, Ind. “The experience I had with them--including talking with and being hosted by church members, Sunday school, etc.--made the most impact on me.”

Michael Himlie says that EYC gave him additional insight into what he feels led to do in his faith journey. “My favorite part of EYC was the opportunity to experience all types of ministry. Some may not have fit with our interests, but we all took a lot away from each and every setting.”

The EYC program was reinstated in 2011 after a hiatus of several years. "With smaller groups these past two years, we've been able to travel more, and it has meant that wonderful family-like friendships could develop,” says Haitch. “Our goal is to expand enrollment while keeping the quality of the program and closeness of relationships."

Registration for EYC 2013 opens Sept. 1 for rising high school juniors and seniors. Through a generous grant from Barnabas, Ltd., in New South Wales, Australia, all expenses for participants are covered except for transportation to and from the event. Bekah Houff, coordinator of outreach programs at Bethany and former EYC participant, is organizing EYC 2013. “It is my hope that next year’s EYC will be an eye-opening experience as young people discern God's call in their lives while exploring different kinds of ministry."

Information is available by contacting eyc@bethanyseminary.edu or on the Bethany website at www.bethanyseminary.edu/eyc.

In more news from Bethany, the seminary held Opening Convocation Aug 23 in a joint service with neighboring Earlham School of Religion (ESR). The service was in Nicarry Chapel, in the Bethany Seminary building. All were invited, and especially welcomed were new and returning students in theological and religious studies. ESR professor Nancy Bowen offered the message. The convocation was webcast, as will be other services throughout the year, so that distance learning students and anyone else who might wish to worship with the seminary could also participate. Find a link at www.bethanyseminary.edu/news/OpeningConvo2012.

-- Jenny Williams is director of communications and alumni/ae relations for Bethany Seminary.

Source: 9/6/2012 Newsline