Junior High Winter Retreat: January 18-19
From: Lisa Fike <frptcob@juno. com>
I am sending this Email to you for advanced notice and will send more information to the churches.
Illinois Wisconsin District Jr. High Winter retreat will be January 18-19, 2008 starting at 7:00 on Friday and closing January 19 at 4:00pm. We will meet at First Church of the Brethren in Peoria .
Jr. High Youth grades 6-9 are welcome. Yes, I realize that 9th graders are in high school but I have had requests to include them especially for those who are not quite ready to go to the high school events.
This event begins AFTER supper time on Friday, so participants will need to have eaten before they arrive. We will ask everyone to bring snacks to share; a Brethren (snack) potluck.
We expect at least one adult, at the event, for every 6 youth. Please do not send youth without adult chaperons. If you are send both male and female youth send male and female chaperons. Adults will be asked to participate in all events.
There will be a nominal fee for participants to cover food and supplies. Mark your calendars. More information will be coming soon.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Brethren workcamp ministry experiences successful expansion.
An expansion of the workcamp ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board has been very successful, according to coordinator Steve Van Houten. This past summer, the ministry involved about 875 participants in a total of 37 workcamps that took place across the US and internationally.
"We really jumped into it this year," Van Houten said. The most workcamps held in previous years was in 2005, when 26 events involved about 650 people. Another aspect of the expansion was the number of workcamps offered for different age groups, from junior high through youth to young adults, to intergenerational events that also involved older adults. The workcamp ministry also offered "custom" workcamps for congregations that could send a large enough group to hold a workcamp by themselves (at regular workcamps only a third of participants can come from the same church). Also new this year was the widest variety of locations ever offered.
"It was a very positive year, from the youth who responded," Van Houten said, adding that, "the adult leadership that stepped up and came on board was wonderful."
New locations offered the opportunity to partner with Brethren camps, including Camp Mardela in Maryland and Camp Wilbur Stover in Idaho, and with Brethren Disaster Ministries at the Hurricane Katrina rebuilding sites in the Gulf coast. Other new locations included a home building site in an Appalachian area in southeastern Kentucky with Homes, Inc., which saw the largest single group this summer with 52 participants. Five workcamps were held in the Caribbean including the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. Other international workcamps were held in Mexico and Guatemala.
The responses from those receiving the service of workcampers signaled success to Van Houten. "People are amazed that the youth workcampers will pay to come to work," he said. Community members always want to know why the youth are there, he said.
Van Houten described a conversation on St. Croix with a Muslim man who managed the lumberyard that supplied materials for the workcamp. "He scratched his head," Van Houten recalled. "He said, are these bad kids doing community service? I explained these are good kids who want to be here. He struggled to understand.... He said, your kids come here and do things for people who aren’t even neighbors, this is amazing."
At the end of the conversation, the manager insisted on giving Van Houten a hug, instead of a simple handshake, saying, "We are brothers."
Another unmistakeable sign of success for Van Houten came during a "custom" intergenerational workcamp held for Plymouth (Ind.) Church of the Brethren in Keyser, W.Va. Ages ranged from the teens to the mid-70s. "Those 26 people will always have a bond that they wouldn’t have otherwise," Van Houten said. He had asked the adults to take the role of mentors, to share their knowledge and skills with the youth, and encouraged the youth to be the ones actually doing most of the work. The youth responded with affirmation, he said, even expressing the wish that their grandparents and parents would spend that kind of time with them. "Work-wise we might not have gotten quite as much done," Van Houten said, "but I think in the end they all saw the benefit."
Van Houten has resigned as coordinator for the program as of the end of the year, to return to pastoral ministry. Jeanne Davies begins in mid-January as fulltime coordinator. Sharon Flaten and Jerry O'Donnell are working with the ministry as Brethren Volunteer Service workers.
The General Board will offer 26 workcamps next summer, 2008, on the theme "Strengthen My Hands" (Nehemiah 6:9). Locations will include the Brethren Disaster Ministries rebuilding projects on the Gulf coast; the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.; the Dominican Republic (co-sponsored by the Brethren Revival Fellowship); Roanoke, Va.; Richmond, Va.; Ashland, Ohio; Baltimore, Md.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Harrisburg, Pa.; Idaho; Broadway, Va.; Castaner, P.R.; Neon, Ky.; Kyle, S.D.; the eastern shore of Maryland; Keyser, W.Va.; Chicago, Ill.; St. Croix; Reynosa, Mexico; and North Fort Myers, Fla.
For a 2008 brochure contact cobworkcamps_gb@brethren.org or 800-323-8039, or go to www.brethrenworkcamps.org for more information. Registration for the 2008 workcamps begins online at www.brethrenworkcamps.org as of 12:01 a.m. (central time) on Jan. 3.
Source: 11/21/2007 Newsline
An expansion of the workcamp ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board has been very successful, according to coordinator Steve Van Houten. This past summer, the ministry involved about 875 participants in a total of 37 workcamps that took place across the US and internationally.
"We really jumped into it this year," Van Houten said. The most workcamps held in previous years was in 2005, when 26 events involved about 650 people. Another aspect of the expansion was the number of workcamps offered for different age groups, from junior high through youth to young adults, to intergenerational events that also involved older adults. The workcamp ministry also offered "custom" workcamps for congregations that could send a large enough group to hold a workcamp by themselves (at regular workcamps only a third of participants can come from the same church). Also new this year was the widest variety of locations ever offered.
"It was a very positive year, from the youth who responded," Van Houten said, adding that, "the adult leadership that stepped up and came on board was wonderful."
New locations offered the opportunity to partner with Brethren camps, including Camp Mardela in Maryland and Camp Wilbur Stover in Idaho, and with Brethren Disaster Ministries at the Hurricane Katrina rebuilding sites in the Gulf coast. Other new locations included a home building site in an Appalachian area in southeastern Kentucky with Homes, Inc., which saw the largest single group this summer with 52 participants. Five workcamps were held in the Caribbean including the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. Other international workcamps were held in Mexico and Guatemala.
The responses from those receiving the service of workcampers signaled success to Van Houten. "People are amazed that the youth workcampers will pay to come to work," he said. Community members always want to know why the youth are there, he said.
Van Houten described a conversation on St. Croix with a Muslim man who managed the lumberyard that supplied materials for the workcamp. "He scratched his head," Van Houten recalled. "He said, are these bad kids doing community service? I explained these are good kids who want to be here. He struggled to understand.... He said, your kids come here and do things for people who aren’t even neighbors, this is amazing."
At the end of the conversation, the manager insisted on giving Van Houten a hug, instead of a simple handshake, saying, "We are brothers."
Another unmistakeable sign of success for Van Houten came during a "custom" intergenerational workcamp held for Plymouth (Ind.) Church of the Brethren in Keyser, W.Va. Ages ranged from the teens to the mid-70s. "Those 26 people will always have a bond that they wouldn’t have otherwise," Van Houten said. He had asked the adults to take the role of mentors, to share their knowledge and skills with the youth, and encouraged the youth to be the ones actually doing most of the work. The youth responded with affirmation, he said, even expressing the wish that their grandparents and parents would spend that kind of time with them. "Work-wise we might not have gotten quite as much done," Van Houten said, "but I think in the end they all saw the benefit."
Van Houten has resigned as coordinator for the program as of the end of the year, to return to pastoral ministry. Jeanne Davies begins in mid-January as fulltime coordinator. Sharon Flaten and Jerry O'Donnell are working with the ministry as Brethren Volunteer Service workers.
The General Board will offer 26 workcamps next summer, 2008, on the theme "Strengthen My Hands" (Nehemiah 6:9). Locations will include the Brethren Disaster Ministries rebuilding projects on the Gulf coast; the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.; the Dominican Republic (co-sponsored by the Brethren Revival Fellowship); Roanoke, Va.; Richmond, Va.; Ashland, Ohio; Baltimore, Md.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Harrisburg, Pa.; Idaho; Broadway, Va.; Castaner, P.R.; Neon, Ky.; Kyle, S.D.; the eastern shore of Maryland; Keyser, W.Va.; Chicago, Ill.; St. Croix; Reynosa, Mexico; and North Fort Myers, Fla.
For a 2008 brochure contact cobworkcamps_gb@brethren.org or 800-323-8039, or go to www.brethrenworkcamps.org for more information. Registration for the 2008 workcamps begins online at www.brethrenworkcamps.org as of 12:01 a.m. (central time) on Jan. 3.
Source: 11/21/2007 Newsline
Counter-Recruitment Networking Call
On Earth Peace has announced its next counter-recruitment networking call for those working against military recruitment, on Dec. 13 at 10 a.m. Pacific time/1 p.m. eastern time. The networking calls are for both new and experienced peacemakers to share experiences and receive support for their work resisting military recruitment and generating alternatives for youth. Each call offers opportunities for sharing, as well as a "strategy session," and spiritual and theological reflections on counter-recruitment. Find more information about the calls at www.brethren.org/oepa/programs/peace-witness/counter-recruitment/NetworkingCalls.html. Reserve a place in the Dec. 13 call by e-mailing mattguynn@earthlink.net.
Source: 11/21/2007 Newsline
On Earth Peace has announced its next counter-recruitment networking call for those working against military recruitment, on Dec. 13 at 10 a.m. Pacific time/1 p.m. eastern time. The networking calls are for both new and experienced peacemakers to share experiences and receive support for their work resisting military recruitment and generating alternatives for youth. Each call offers opportunities for sharing, as well as a "strategy session," and spiritual and theological reflections on counter-recruitment. Find more information about the calls at www.brethren.org/oepa/programs/peace-witness/counter-recruitment/NetworkingCalls.html. Reserve a place in the Dec. 13 call by e-mailing mattguynn@earthlink.net.
Source: 11/21/2007 Newsline
WCC Essay Contest: Making a Difference Together
Students of theology and young theologians are being invited by the World Council of Churches (WCC) to participate in an essay competition to mark the council's 60th anniversary. Participants are invited to address the theme, "Making a Difference Together--Prospects for Ecumenism in the 21st Century." The best six essays will be presented by their authors at an international consultation in Switzerland in late 2008. Other selected essays will be published by the WCC. Essays should be written in English, but will be judged for the quality of their contribution and not their language proficiency. With a length of 5,000-6,000 words, the essays should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere. More details are at www.oikoumene.org/contest. The deadline is Feb. 28, 2008.
Source: 11/21/2007 Newsline
Students of theology and young theologians are being invited by the World Council of Churches (WCC) to participate in an essay competition to mark the council's 60th anniversary. Participants are invited to address the theme, "Making a Difference Together--Prospects for Ecumenism in the 21st Century." The best six essays will be presented by their authors at an international consultation in Switzerland in late 2008. Other selected essays will be published by the WCC. Essays should be written in English, but will be judged for the quality of their contribution and not their language proficiency. With a length of 5,000-6,000 words, the essays should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere. More details are at www.oikoumene.org/contest. The deadline is Feb. 28, 2008.
Source: 11/21/2007 Newsline
Camp Alexander Mack: news Year's Eve
Camp Alexander Mack near Milford, Ind., is planning a New Year’s Eve event for the 300th anniversary. "Wouldn't it be great if 300 young people (who represent the next generation of the church) gathered together in one place to celebrate this milestone in our history by ushering in the New Year?" said an invitation from the camp. The event is being planned for 300 junior high and senior high youth. It will begin at 2 p.m. on Dec. 31, and conclude at 1 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2008. The theme is "Fan the Flame." Indoor and outdoor activities are planned including worship, an "Olympics," talent shows, and a Times Square-like countdown to the New Year with the dropping of a lighted ball at midnight followed by a hike to the "living cross" for devotions, and continuing on with activities throughout the night. The fee is $55 ($45 before Dec. 10). T-shirts cost $10. Contact the office at Camp Mack for brochures, 574-658-4831.
Source: 11/21/2007 Newsline
Camp Alexander Mack near Milford, Ind., is planning a New Year’s Eve event for the 300th anniversary. "Wouldn't it be great if 300 young people (who represent the next generation of the church) gathered together in one place to celebrate this milestone in our history by ushering in the New Year?" said an invitation from the camp. The event is being planned for 300 junior high and senior high youth. It will begin at 2 p.m. on Dec. 31, and conclude at 1 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2008. The theme is "Fan the Flame." Indoor and outdoor activities are planned including worship, an "Olympics," talent shows, and a Times Square-like countdown to the New Year with the dropping of a lighted ball at midnight followed by a hike to the "living cross" for devotions, and continuing on with activities throughout the night. The fee is $55 ($45 before Dec. 10). T-shirts cost $10. Contact the office at Camp Mack for brochures, 574-658-4831.
Source: 11/21/2007 Newsline
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Christian Citizenship Seminar to examine genocide.
The 2008 Christian Citizenship Seminar will be held on the topic of genocide, focusing on the Darfur region of Sudan, with a scripture theme from Matthew 5:44. The event for high school youth is scheduled for March 29-April 3, in New York City and Washington D.C., sponsored by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office and the Youth and Young Adult Ministries of the General Board.
This year’s seminar is being planned to increase understanding of the relationship between faith and our response to the violence of genocide. The event is open to all high school youth and adult advisors. Registration will be limited to the first 100 youth and adults who apply. The $350 registration fee includes lodging for five nights, dinner on the opening evening, and transportation from New York to Washington.
Register at www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/CCS.htm. Registration will be cut off by Feb. 28, 2008 or as soon as 100 registrations have been received. Contact Youth and Young Adult Ministries at 800-323-8039 or COBYouth_gb@brethren.org.
Source: 11/07/2007 Newsline
The 2008 Christian Citizenship Seminar will be held on the topic of genocide, focusing on the Darfur region of Sudan, with a scripture theme from Matthew 5:44. The event for high school youth is scheduled for March 29-April 3, in New York City and Washington D.C., sponsored by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office and the Youth and Young Adult Ministries of the General Board.
This year’s seminar is being planned to increase understanding of the relationship between faith and our response to the violence of genocide. The event is open to all high school youth and adult advisors. Registration will be limited to the first 100 youth and adults who apply. The $350 registration fee includes lodging for five nights, dinner on the opening evening, and transportation from New York to Washington.
Register at www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/CCS.htm. Registration will be cut off by Feb. 28, 2008 or as soon as 100 registrations have been received. Contact Youth and Young Adult Ministries at 800-323-8039 or COBYouth_gb@brethren.org.
Source: 11/07/2007 Newsline
2008 National Young Adult Conference
National Young Adult Conference is offering a gift certificate option through the Youth and Young Adult Ministries Office of the General Board. Family and friends of young adults can purchase a gift certificate for 50 percent ($162.50) or 100 percent ($325) of the registration cost. "As Christmas is approaching, consider giving the gift of National Young Adult Conference to your favorite young adult!" said coordinator Rebekah Houff. Visit www.nyac08.org for more information, or contact Houff at 800-323-8039 ext. 281 or rhouff_gb@brethren.org.
Source: 11/07/2007 Newsline
National Young Adult Conference is offering a gift certificate option through the Youth and Young Adult Ministries Office of the General Board. Family and friends of young adults can purchase a gift certificate for 50 percent ($162.50) or 100 percent ($325) of the registration cost. "As Christmas is approaching, consider giving the gift of National Young Adult Conference to your favorite young adult!" said coordinator Rebekah Houff. Visit www.nyac08.org for more information, or contact Houff at 800-323-8039 ext. 281 or rhouff_gb@brethren.org.
Source: 11/07/2007 Newsline
Monday, November 05, 2007
IL/WI District Jr. High
From: Lisa Fike [mailto:revsfike@ hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, November 05, 2007 9:47 AM
Subject: IL/WI District Jr. High
Amazing things happen when God is a part of Conference! Those of you who heard the report from the Jr. Highs at the conference about National Jr. High Conference will perhaps remember that I made a comment that Brian Archer and I are ready to launch a District Jr. High revival. After that comment, several of you said you had Jr. High youth that would like to be involved! Praise the Lord!!
Details will be coming, but the early news is that we are planning a District Jr. High (Grade 6-7-8) Winter retreat sometime in January.
We are most likely looking at a Friday night Saturday event. Brian and I are both serving our congregations as pastor and feel that we need to be in attendance at our churches on Sunday.
For Jr. High Kids one overnight is usually enough...(for the Leaders) If you would like to be in on the planning for this or other events, please let me know.
Next year at District conference may we have 10, 12, or more Jr. high age students.
Blessings for today and always,
Lisa
From: Lisa Fike [mailto:revsfike@ hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, November 05, 2007 9:47 AM
Subject: IL/WI District Jr. High
Amazing things happen when God is a part of Conference! Those of you who heard the report from the Jr. Highs at the conference about National Jr. High Conference will perhaps remember that I made a comment that Brian Archer and I are ready to launch a District Jr. High revival. After that comment, several of you said you had Jr. High youth that would like to be involved! Praise the Lord!!
Details will be coming, but the early news is that we are planning a District Jr. High (Grade 6-7-8) Winter retreat sometime in January.
We are most likely looking at a Friday night Saturday event. Brian and I are both serving our congregations as pastor and feel that we need to be in attendance at our churches on Sunday.
For Jr. High Kids one overnight is usually enough...(for the Leaders) If you would like to be in on the planning for this or other events, please let me know.
Next year at District conference may we have 10, 12, or more Jr. high age students.
Blessings for today and always,
Lisa
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Senior High Fall Retreat -- November 2-4, 2007
"Encountering God On the Way"
About 20 people took part in this year's fall district youth retreat, held during district conference in Freeport. Thanks to the Freeport Church of the Brethren for providing space for the event!
Seth Hendricks, who coordinated music for the 2006 National Youth Conference and last year's Regional Youth Conference, was the guest leader for the weekend on the theme "Encountering God on the Way." Seth is currently a student at Bethany Theological Seminary and made the long drive up from Richmond, Ind. The three sessions took place in a worship setting, with Jewel McNary, Walt Wiltschek, and Bill Williams providing meditations on encountering God through prayer, through everyday moments and places, and through scripture.
The weekend also included a service project in Freeport, several good meals, some time for games and recreation, and a Sunday morning insight session on the district's youth ministry. The youth also joined district conference for opening and closing worship services and the Saturday evening concert---after which they served ice cream as a fundraiser for the district.
The spring youth retreat (for youth currently in grades 9-12 and advisors) is scheduled for Feb. 29 to March 2 at Decatur Church of the Brethren. Watch www.cobyouth.org for details.
"Encountering God On the Way"
About 20 people took part in this year's fall district youth retreat, held during district conference in Freeport. Thanks to the Freeport Church of the Brethren for providing space for the event!
Seth Hendricks, who coordinated music for the 2006 National Youth Conference and last year's Regional Youth Conference, was the guest leader for the weekend on the theme "Encountering God on the Way." Seth is currently a student at Bethany Theological Seminary and made the long drive up from Richmond, Ind. The three sessions took place in a worship setting, with Jewel McNary, Walt Wiltschek, and Bill Williams providing meditations on encountering God through prayer, through everyday moments and places, and through scripture.
The weekend also included a service project in Freeport, several good meals, some time for games and recreation, and a Sunday morning insight session on the district's youth ministry. The youth also joined district conference for opening and closing worship services and the Saturday evening concert---after which they served ice cream as a fundraiser for the district.
The spring youth retreat (for youth currently in grades 9-12 and advisors) is scheduled for Feb. 29 to March 2 at Decatur Church of the Brethren. Watch www.cobyouth.org for details.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Waynesboro Peace Retreat
Senior high youth are invited to Waynesboro (Va.) Church of the Brethren on Nov. 16-18 for a peace retreat on the theme, "A Kingdom that Cannot Be Shaken." Susan Chapman (program director at Camp Bethel) and Susanna Farahat (coordinator for peace education at On Earth Peace) will lead youth in a weekend of energizing sessions based on Hebrews 12:18: "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." Youth will have an opportunity to discuss the questions brought up by this scripture: How do we worship acceptably? What does it mean to be part of "a kingdom that cannot be shaken"? How can we accept the challenge that Jesus’ call to discipleship presents, in a world of diversity? In addition to times for study and worship, participants will also enjoy food, fellowship, and recreation time with youth from across the Virlina and Shenandoah Districts. Registration forms are available online at www.onearthpeace.org. For more information contact Susanna Farahat at 410-635-8706 or sfarahat_oepa@brethren.org, or Terrie Glass (host) at 804-439-0478 or t.glass@comcast.net.
Source: 10/10/2007 Newsline
Senior high youth are invited to Waynesboro (Va.) Church of the Brethren on Nov. 16-18 for a peace retreat on the theme, "A Kingdom that Cannot Be Shaken." Susan Chapman (program director at Camp Bethel) and Susanna Farahat (coordinator for peace education at On Earth Peace) will lead youth in a weekend of energizing sessions based on Hebrews 12:18: "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." Youth will have an opportunity to discuss the questions brought up by this scripture: How do we worship acceptably? What does it mean to be part of "a kingdom that cannot be shaken"? How can we accept the challenge that Jesus’ call to discipleship presents, in a world of diversity? In addition to times for study and worship, participants will also enjoy food, fellowship, and recreation time with youth from across the Virlina and Shenandoah Districts. Registration forms are available online at www.onearthpeace.org. For more information contact Susanna Farahat at 410-635-8706 or sfarahat_oepa@brethren.org, or Terrie Glass (host) at 804-439-0478 or t.glass@comcast.net.
Source: 10/10/2007 Newsline
Junior High Sunday, 11/4/2007, will focus on ‘Amazing Race’ theme.
The Church of the Brethren celebrates Junior High Sunday on Nov. 4 this year. The event is sponsored by the Youth and Young Adult Ministries of the Church of the Brethren General Board. The theme for this year’s Junior High Sunday is the same as the theme for the National Junior High Conference that was held on June 15-17, "The Amazing Race: Continuing the Work of Jesus," based on Luke 9:23.
A website offers resource materials for congregations to observe the special Sunday, including ways to involve junior high youth in leading worship. The materials available at www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/YouthSundayJ.htm include a Bible study by Chris Douglas, worship resources by various writers such as calls to worship and prayers, a skit on the Lord’s Prayer, a skit on the "Amazing Race" (alluding to video clips from the National Junior High Conference that may be ordered from David Sollenberger at 717-867-4187 or LSVideo@comcast.net; cost is $10), a sheet about "Worship our Privilege," and an outline for a Junior High Retreat to help youth groups plan for the Sunday.
Not included on the website, but available from David Sollenberger is a video scripture jam on the Luke 9:23 passage, in DVD format (call 717-867-4187 or e-mail LSVideo@comcast.net; cost is $10 including shipping). For more information contact the Youth and Young Adult Ministries at 800-323-8039 ext. 297.
Source: 10/10/2007 Newsline
The Church of the Brethren celebrates Junior High Sunday on Nov. 4 this year. The event is sponsored by the Youth and Young Adult Ministries of the Church of the Brethren General Board. The theme for this year’s Junior High Sunday is the same as the theme for the National Junior High Conference that was held on June 15-17, "The Amazing Race: Continuing the Work of Jesus," based on Luke 9:23.
A website offers resource materials for congregations to observe the special Sunday, including ways to involve junior high youth in leading worship. The materials available at www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/YouthSundayJ.htm include a Bible study by Chris Douglas, worship resources by various writers such as calls to worship and prayers, a skit on the Lord’s Prayer, a skit on the "Amazing Race" (alluding to video clips from the National Junior High Conference that may be ordered from David Sollenberger at 717-867-4187 or LSVideo@comcast.net; cost is $10), a sheet about "Worship our Privilege," and an outline for a Junior High Retreat to help youth groups plan for the Sunday.
Not included on the website, but available from David Sollenberger is a video scripture jam on the Luke 9:23 passage, in DVD format (call 717-867-4187 or e-mail LSVideo@comcast.net; cost is $10 including shipping). For more information contact the Youth and Young Adult Ministries at 800-323-8039 ext. 297.
Source: 10/10/2007 Newsline
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Senior High Fall Retreat -- November 2-4, 2007
"Encountering God On the Way"
It will feature special leadership by Seth Hendricks, music leader for the 2006 National Youth Conference, along with great worship, incredible people, and good food.
Here's what you need to know:
Click here for a flyer that you can post in your church.
"Encountering God On the Way"
- Do you long for a closer connection to your faith?
- Do you feel uncertain about the 'right' way to talk to God?
- Do you want some new tools to help you on your journey?
It will feature special leadership by Seth Hendricks, music leader for the 2006 National Youth Conference, along with great worship, incredible people, and good food.
Here's what you need to know:
| Where: | Freeport Church of the Brethren and the nearby Masonic Auditorium, Walnut & West Stephenson St., Freeport, IL. |
| When: | November 2-4, 2007 (the 1st weekend in November). Registration will begin at 7pm Friday at Freeport. We'll stay for opening worship, then head to our retreat. We finish by noon on Sunday. |
| Who: | Everyone currently in 9th through 12th grades, and advisors. |
| What: | Worship, music, learning about God and yourself, food, fun, games and recreation, a possible service project, time with friends, and much more. |
| Cost: | $30 (advisors can come for free!) Register using forms in the district conference packet or... Click Here |
Click here for a flyer that you can post in your church.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
STEERING COMMITTEE PLANS NEXT DENOMINATIONAL GATHERING FOR YOUNG ADULTS
The Young Adult Steering Committee for the Church of the Brethren met Aug. 24-26 in Elgin, Ill., to plan National Young Adult Conference (NYAC). The denomination’s young adult program is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
NYAC is scheduled for Aug. 11-15, 2008, in Estes Park, Colo., at the YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park Center. The conference is open to all young adults ages 18-35. The Steering Committee is encouraging congregations to put NYAC scholarships in their 2008 budgets to help support the young adults in their churches. Find more information about NYAC at www.NYAC08.org or www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/nyac.htm.
Members of the Young Adult Steering Committee are Hannah Edwards of Southeastern District, Bob Etzweiler of Middle Pennsylvania District, Megan Fitze of Southern Ohio District, Ethan Gibbel of Atlantic Northeast District, Caitlin Haynes of Mid-Atlantic District, and Virginia Meadows of Middle Pennsylvania District. Staff working with the steering committee are Chris Douglas, director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries for the General Board, and Brethren Volunteer Service worker Rebekah Houff, who serves as NYAC coordinator. Contact Houff at rhouff_gb@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 281.
The Young Adult Steering Committee for the Church of the Brethren met Aug. 24-26 in Elgin, Ill., to plan National Young Adult Conference (NYAC). The denomination’s young adult program is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
NYAC is scheduled for Aug. 11-15, 2008, in Estes Park, Colo., at the YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park Center. The conference is open to all young adults ages 18-35. The Steering Committee is encouraging congregations to put NYAC scholarships in their 2008 budgets to help support the young adults in their churches. Find more information about NYAC at www.NYAC08.org or www.brethren.org/genbd/yya/nyac.htm.
Members of the Young Adult Steering Committee are Hannah Edwards of Southeastern District, Bob Etzweiler of Middle Pennsylvania District, Megan Fitze of Southern Ohio District, Ethan Gibbel of Atlantic Northeast District, Caitlin Haynes of Mid-Atlantic District, and Virginia Meadows of Middle Pennsylvania District. Staff working with the steering committee are Chris Douglas, director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries for the General Board, and Brethren Volunteer Service worker Rebekah Houff, who serves as NYAC coordinator. Contact Houff at rhouff_gb@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 281.
Friday, August 31, 2007
YOUTH CABINET ISSUES 300th ANNIVERSARY CHALLENGE TO YOUTH GROUPS
The 2007-08 National Youth Cabinet held its first meeting Aug. 1-3 in Elgin, Ill., giving input for the Church of the Brethren’s denominational youth program, selecting a 2008 youth ministry theme, developing resources for the 2008 National Youth Sunday, and preparing for the denomination's 300th anniversary.
Elizabeth Willis of Tryon, N.C., Tricia Ziegler of Sebring, Fla., Joel Rhodes of Huntingdon, Pa., Seth Keller of Dover, Pa., Turner Ritchie of Richmond, Ind., and Heather Popielarz of Prescott, Mich., are serving on the cabinet. Dena Gilbert of La Verne, Calif., is serving as advisor to the group, along with Chris Douglas, Youth/Young Adult Ministries director for the Church of the Brethren General Board.
The cabinet settled on "By the Manner of Their Living" for next year's youth ministry theme, drawing on a familiar quote attributed to Alexander Mack Sr. for the denomination's 300th anniversary year. Mack is considered the founder of the Church of the Brethren. The theme scripture is Colossians 3:12-15. Resources will be drawn on this theme for the National Youth Sunday scheduled for May 4, 2008.
In addition, the group issued a 300th anniversary challenge to youth groups across the denomination, following up on a General Board challenge to do something in multiples of 300 for the anniversary year, such as rebuilding 300 homes in disaster areas or having 300 more people participate in summer workcamps. Suggestions to youth groups include giving 300 hours of service, preparing 300 school kits for disaster relief, giving 300 cans of food to a local food pantry, or offering 300 prayers of peace.
The meeting also included conversations about Brethren Volunteer Service, a tour of the offices, and several times of worship. The cabinet next meets July 31-Aug. 3, 2008, in Elgin.
--Walt Wiltschek is editor of “Messenger” magazine for the Church of the Brethren General Board.
The 2007-08 National Youth Cabinet held its first meeting Aug. 1-3 in Elgin, Ill., giving input for the Church of the Brethren’s denominational youth program, selecting a 2008 youth ministry theme, developing resources for the 2008 National Youth Sunday, and preparing for the denomination's 300th anniversary.
Elizabeth Willis of Tryon, N.C., Tricia Ziegler of Sebring, Fla., Joel Rhodes of Huntingdon, Pa., Seth Keller of Dover, Pa., Turner Ritchie of Richmond, Ind., and Heather Popielarz of Prescott, Mich., are serving on the cabinet. Dena Gilbert of La Verne, Calif., is serving as advisor to the group, along with Chris Douglas, Youth/Young Adult Ministries director for the Church of the Brethren General Board.
The cabinet settled on "By the Manner of Their Living" for next year's youth ministry theme, drawing on a familiar quote attributed to Alexander Mack Sr. for the denomination's 300th anniversary year. Mack is considered the founder of the Church of the Brethren. The theme scripture is Colossians 3:12-15. Resources will be drawn on this theme for the National Youth Sunday scheduled for May 4, 2008.
In addition, the group issued a 300th anniversary challenge to youth groups across the denomination, following up on a General Board challenge to do something in multiples of 300 for the anniversary year, such as rebuilding 300 homes in disaster areas or having 300 more people participate in summer workcamps. Suggestions to youth groups include giving 300 hours of service, preparing 300 school kits for disaster relief, giving 300 cans of food to a local food pantry, or offering 300 prayers of peace.
The meeting also included conversations about Brethren Volunteer Service, a tour of the offices, and several times of worship. The cabinet next meets July 31-Aug. 3, 2008, in Elgin.
--Walt Wiltschek is editor of “Messenger” magazine for the Church of the Brethren General Board.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
District Senior High Fall Retreat -- November 2-4, 2007
"Encountering God On the Way"
It will feature special leadership by Seth Hendricks, music leader for the 2006 National Youth Conference, along with great worship, incredible people, and good food.
Here's what you need to know:
Click here for a flyer that you can post in your church.
"Encountering God On the Way"
- Do you long for a closer connection to your faith?
- Do you feel uncertain about the 'right' way to talk to God?
- Do you want some new tools to help you on your journey?
It will feature special leadership by Seth Hendricks, music leader for the 2006 National Youth Conference, along with great worship, incredible people, and good food.
Here's what you need to know:
| Where: | Freeport Church of the Brethren and the nearby Masonic Auditorium, Walnut & West Stephenson St., Freeport, IL. |
| When: | November 2-4, 2007 (the 1st weekend in November). Registration will begin at 7pm Friday at Freeport. We'll stay for opening worship, then head to our retreat. We finish by noon on Sunday. |
| Who: | Everyone currently in 9th through 12th grades, and advisors. |
| What: | Worship, music, learning about God and yourself, food, fun, games and recreation, a possible service project, time with friends, and much more. |
| Cost: | $30 (advisors can come for free!) Register using forms in the district conference packet or... Click Here |
Click here for a flyer that you can post in your church.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Teens Visit to Perform Service, Gain in Spirit
by Steve Matrazzo
It's not every teen-ager who would give up a week of summer vacation to travel to a strange town to perform public service. Fewer still would be likely to pay $300 for the privilege.
Yet 12 teens from at least five states were doing just that last week here in Dundalk.
They came as participants in the Church of the Brethren's Workcamp Ministry program at the invitation of Dundalk Church of the Brethren and its pastor, the Rev. Andrew Sampson.
Founded in 1988, the Elgin, Ill.-based program is designed to bring young churchgoers into the Church of the Brethren's tradition of community service.
This year, according to Church of the Brethren national workshop coordinator the Rev. Steve van Houten, more than 900 youths will participate in 37 locations across the U.S. and in a handful of foreign countries.
Church of the Brethren parishes suggest projects for each summer's program. This year, Sampson thought his church and the Dundalk area might benefit from hosting a youth work camp.
“We started the process about a year and a half ago,” he recalled, “and just threw our name out there. “Since most of these kids come from very small towns, Dundalk is just the kind of place the program is looking for to expose the kids to something different.”
A dozen teens from states including Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and Indiana were sent to work in the August heat at the church and with the Community Assistance Network (CAN) and the Family Crisis Center, two organizations with which the local parish has worked closely.
Work at the church included the restoration of 26 pews that took hours each to sand and refinish. According to Mike Hoppe, who supervised the group working at the church, the pews “hadn't been touched since the church was built in 1951.”
Other teens worked in local homes, performing repairs and other tasks for residents designated by CAN and the Family Crisis Center.
One beneficiary of the group's work was a wheelchair-bound Loganview Drive resident whose backyard shed needed roof repairs. On a rainy Thursday, three teens under van Houten's supervision ascended ladders to remove and replace the old roof.
“Part of the emphasis of the Church of the Brethren is service,” van Houten told The Eagle, “and these kids chose to give up a week of their summer to come work and serve.”
All three of the teens working at the residence seemed focused less on their own service than on the personal and spiritual growth they have experienced through the work camp program.
Asked why she chose to take part, 14-year-old Carissa Doody of Union Bridge, Md., said simply, “I just wanted to try it, just as something new.”
When describing what she gained from the experience, however, she was ebullient.
“It was so great to meet [the Loganview Drive woman]. She was so nice and she told us her whole life story. You can learn so much from an older person like that.”
Another plus, she said, was the experience of making new friends who shared her faith.
“It's so nice to be with people you have something in common with,” she said.
Workmate Perry Ellwood, 17, who came to Dundalk from Saluda, N.C., agreed that the fellowship aspect of the camp was gratifying.
“The group setting really uplifts your spirit,” he said.
He also noted the educational benefit of his trip, which included a stop at the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., gave him and others a sense of perspective regarding hardship.
“After seeing the museum and learning what people went through [during the Holocaust], I'm not going to complain because my hand hurts from this work,” he said.
The third member of the team that worked at the Loganview Drive residence was Rachel Sain, a 16-year-old from Tryon, N.C., who like Ellwood said the camp experience had given her a new outlook.
“I've always thought, Oh, I can't do this and I can't do that, it's too hard,” she said. “Now I'm here actually doing things I never thought I could. “It makes me feel a lot stronger in myself and in my faith.”
Sampson praised both the teens and the adult leaders who accompanied them to Dundalk.
“They didn't come here as a group,” he said. “They came as small groups or individuals, and by the end of the week they came together as a group.
“They're great kids, and I think the leaders did a great job with them.
“The stuff that they did around here was phenomenal for just a week. They worked around the church and at three different homes that CAN suggested, and they helped the Family Crisis Center with the temporary move they've been making.
“It's great to see young people who are not only going to church but who are actually doing service. What's really amazing is that they were willing to pay money to be here. They can serve as a model for so many others.”
Sampson was so impressed that he allowed the Workcamp Ministry individuals to lead the Sunday worship service that concluded their stay.
“It was just a small way of recognizing how grateful we are,” he said.
Source: Dundalk Eagle
by Steve Matrazzo
It's not every teen-ager who would give up a week of summer vacation to travel to a strange town to perform public service. Fewer still would be likely to pay $300 for the privilege.
Yet 12 teens from at least five states were doing just that last week here in Dundalk.
They came as participants in the Church of the Brethren's Workcamp Ministry program at the invitation of Dundalk Church of the Brethren and its pastor, the Rev. Andrew Sampson.
Founded in 1988, the Elgin, Ill.-based program is designed to bring young churchgoers into the Church of the Brethren's tradition of community service.
This year, according to Church of the Brethren national workshop coordinator the Rev. Steve van Houten, more than 900 youths will participate in 37 locations across the U.S. and in a handful of foreign countries.
Church of the Brethren parishes suggest projects for each summer's program. This year, Sampson thought his church and the Dundalk area might benefit from hosting a youth work camp.
“We started the process about a year and a half ago,” he recalled, “and just threw our name out there. “Since most of these kids come from very small towns, Dundalk is just the kind of place the program is looking for to expose the kids to something different.”
A dozen teens from states including Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and Indiana were sent to work in the August heat at the church and with the Community Assistance Network (CAN) and the Family Crisis Center, two organizations with which the local parish has worked closely.
Work at the church included the restoration of 26 pews that took hours each to sand and refinish. According to Mike Hoppe, who supervised the group working at the church, the pews “hadn't been touched since the church was built in 1951.”
Other teens worked in local homes, performing repairs and other tasks for residents designated by CAN and the Family Crisis Center.
One beneficiary of the group's work was a wheelchair-bound Loganview Drive resident whose backyard shed needed roof repairs. On a rainy Thursday, three teens under van Houten's supervision ascended ladders to remove and replace the old roof.
“Part of the emphasis of the Church of the Brethren is service,” van Houten told The Eagle, “and these kids chose to give up a week of their summer to come work and serve.”
All three of the teens working at the residence seemed focused less on their own service than on the personal and spiritual growth they have experienced through the work camp program.
Asked why she chose to take part, 14-year-old Carissa Doody of Union Bridge, Md., said simply, “I just wanted to try it, just as something new.”
When describing what she gained from the experience, however, she was ebullient.
“It was so great to meet [the Loganview Drive woman]. She was so nice and she told us her whole life story. You can learn so much from an older person like that.”
Another plus, she said, was the experience of making new friends who shared her faith.
“It's so nice to be with people you have something in common with,” she said.
Workmate Perry Ellwood, 17, who came to Dundalk from Saluda, N.C., agreed that the fellowship aspect of the camp was gratifying.
“The group setting really uplifts your spirit,” he said.
He also noted the educational benefit of his trip, which included a stop at the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., gave him and others a sense of perspective regarding hardship.
“After seeing the museum and learning what people went through [during the Holocaust], I'm not going to complain because my hand hurts from this work,” he said.
The third member of the team that worked at the Loganview Drive residence was Rachel Sain, a 16-year-old from Tryon, N.C., who like Ellwood said the camp experience had given her a new outlook.
“I've always thought, Oh, I can't do this and I can't do that, it's too hard,” she said. “Now I'm here actually doing things I never thought I could. “It makes me feel a lot stronger in myself and in my faith.”
Sampson praised both the teens and the adult leaders who accompanied them to Dundalk.
“They didn't come here as a group,” he said. “They came as small groups or individuals, and by the end of the week they came together as a group.
“They're great kids, and I think the leaders did a great job with them.
“The stuff that they did around here was phenomenal for just a week. They worked around the church and at three different homes that CAN suggested, and they helped the Family Crisis Center with the temporary move they've been making.
“It's great to see young people who are not only going to church but who are actually doing service. What's really amazing is that they were willing to pay money to be here. They can serve as a model for so many others.”
Sampson was so impressed that he allowed the Workcamp Ministry individuals to lead the Sunday worship service that concluded their stay.
“It was just a small way of recognizing how grateful we are,” he said.
Source: Dundalk Eagle
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Church fund-raiser is 'flush' with success
By AMANDA BUCK - Bulletin Staff Writer
Many community groups raise money by washing cars or holding bake sales.
But when members of the youth group at Mount Hermon Church of the Brethren started thinking about a summer fund-raiser, they came up with a different idea.
You might call it commodes with a cause.
“The last time we went to (a national youth) conference, some advisers were together discussing fund-raisers,” said Denna Ramsey, a youth leader at the Bassett church. “Another adviser was talking about putting pink flamingos in people’s yards. In order to move the pink flamingo, the person had to make a donation.”
The youth at Mount Hermon thought the idea had potential, but they wanted to put a slightly different spin on it.
“They said pink flamingos weren’t bad enough, that people would just leave them there,” Ramsey recalled. “They wanted to put toilets in people’s yards.”
The youth introduced the idea to the congregation with a skit during a Youth Sunday service in May, complete with a toilet “right up front,” Ramsey said.
“They thought it was hysterical,” she said of church members. “Our congregation really likes to joke around.”
The youth chose Ralph Stone of Bassett as the first in the congregation to be “toiletized.”
“We had a little toy toilet, and we put it under the pew” where Stone was sitting, Ramsey said. Since then, each person who finds the toilet in his or her yard gets to chose where it will go next.
Volunteers move the toilet at night or when the homeowners are away so that it shows up as a surprise.
Since mid-May, the “golden throne” — so-named because church members have painted the toilet gold and decorated it with flowers — has been placed in the yards of 15 to 20 church members, Ramsey said.
Late last week, Theresa Shepherd became one of them.
“I had been at church helping with vacation Bible school, so while I was gone they put it in my yard,” said Shepherd, who lives in Collinsville. “People have taken pictures of this thing; the neighbors ask questions. ... It’s been so much fun with this thing, it’s unreal.”
Those who find the toilet in their yards negotiate with the youth’s CIA (Christians in Action) service to have it removed. The minimum donation required is $5, and so far church members have given as much as $60, Ramsey said.
Although she hasn’t totaled the money donated so far, Ramsey said the group hopes to raise $1,000 this summer. In addition to the toilet project, the group is performing odd jobs for church members.
The funds will go toward paying for a trip to the Church of the Brethren’s National Youth Conference, which is held every four years at Colorado State University. The trip usually costs about $1,000 per person, Ramsey said.
The next conference will be in 2010, so the youth, who are in eighth through 12th grades, have a few more summers of work ahead of them.
So do Ramsey and fellow youth leaders Sherry Flanagan and LaDonna Varner, who have helped organize the project. But that’s OK by them, Ramsey said.
“We have really had time to go visit with people in the church that we normally wouldn’t visit with” when the toilet is delivered or removed, she said. “It’s been a blessing.”
Source: Martinsville Bulletin
By AMANDA BUCK - Bulletin Staff Writer
Many community groups raise money by washing cars or holding bake sales.
But when members of the youth group at Mount Hermon Church of the Brethren started thinking about a summer fund-raiser, they came up with a different idea.
You might call it commodes with a cause.
“The last time we went to (a national youth) conference, some advisers were together discussing fund-raisers,” said Denna Ramsey, a youth leader at the Bassett church. “Another adviser was talking about putting pink flamingos in people’s yards. In order to move the pink flamingo, the person had to make a donation.”
The youth at Mount Hermon thought the idea had potential, but they wanted to put a slightly different spin on it.
“They said pink flamingos weren’t bad enough, that people would just leave them there,” Ramsey recalled. “They wanted to put toilets in people’s yards.”
The youth introduced the idea to the congregation with a skit during a Youth Sunday service in May, complete with a toilet “right up front,” Ramsey said.
“They thought it was hysterical,” she said of church members. “Our congregation really likes to joke around.”
The youth chose Ralph Stone of Bassett as the first in the congregation to be “toiletized.”
“We had a little toy toilet, and we put it under the pew” where Stone was sitting, Ramsey said. Since then, each person who finds the toilet in his or her yard gets to chose where it will go next.
Volunteers move the toilet at night or when the homeowners are away so that it shows up as a surprise.
Since mid-May, the “golden throne” — so-named because church members have painted the toilet gold and decorated it with flowers — has been placed in the yards of 15 to 20 church members, Ramsey said.
Late last week, Theresa Shepherd became one of them.
“I had been at church helping with vacation Bible school, so while I was gone they put it in my yard,” said Shepherd, who lives in Collinsville. “People have taken pictures of this thing; the neighbors ask questions. ... It’s been so much fun with this thing, it’s unreal.”
Those who find the toilet in their yards negotiate with the youth’s CIA (Christians in Action) service to have it removed. The minimum donation required is $5, and so far church members have given as much as $60, Ramsey said.
Although she hasn’t totaled the money donated so far, Ramsey said the group hopes to raise $1,000 this summer. In addition to the toilet project, the group is performing odd jobs for church members.
The funds will go toward paying for a trip to the Church of the Brethren’s National Youth Conference, which is held every four years at Colorado State University. The trip usually costs about $1,000 per person, Ramsey said.
The next conference will be in 2010, so the youth, who are in eighth through 12th grades, have a few more summers of work ahead of them.
So do Ramsey and fellow youth leaders Sherry Flanagan and LaDonna Varner, who have helped organize the project. But that’s OK by them, Ramsey said.
“We have really had time to go visit with people in the church that we normally wouldn’t visit with” when the toilet is delivered or removed, she said. “It’s been a blessing.”
Source: Martinsville Bulletin
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
2008 WCC Internship Program
The World Council of Churches (WCC) has announced its internship program for 2008. The WCC will welcome five young people aged 18-30 to serve as interns in its offices in Geneva, Switzerland, from Feb. 2008-Jan. 2009. Interns will be assigned to one of the WCC working areas. Each intern will be expected to plan an ecumenical project to implement in his or her home context when they return home in Feb. 2009. Areas of work will be
The World Council of Churches (WCC) has announced its internship program for 2008. The WCC will welcome five young people aged 18-30 to serve as interns in its offices in Geneva, Switzerland, from Feb. 2008-Jan. 2009. Interns will be assigned to one of the WCC working areas. Each intern will be expected to plan an ecumenical project to implement in his or her home context when they return home in Feb. 2009. Areas of work will be
- the Decade to Overcome Violence (www.oikoumene.org/?id=3107);
- youth (www.oikoumene.org/?id=3069) and ecumenical relationships (www.oikoumene.org/?id=2950);
- visitors program (www.oikoumene.org/?id=3185) and media relations (www.oikoumene.org/?id=3432);
- faith, science, technology, and ethics (www.oikoumene.org/?id=3125); and
- just and inclusive communities (www.oikoumene.org/?id=3105).
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
National Junior High Conference attracts 800 youth and advisors.
The first-ever National Junior High Conference in the Church of the Brethren attracted 800 participants to the campus of Elizabethtown (Pa.) College from June 15-18. Youth and advisors engaged the theme, “The Amazing Race: Continuing the Work of Jesus,” based on Luke 9:24, as they worshiped, learned, played, and fellowshiped.
Turn-out for this inaugural event more than met the expectations of the organizers, who had been planning for an attendance of around 400. The size of the conference was finally determined when registration outpaced capacity at Elizabethtown College.
“It exceeded all of my expectations for this first gathering of the National Junior High Conference!” said Chris Douglas, director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the General Board. “It has also made me look forward to doing it again in the summer of 2009, hopefully in a place that could accommodate more participants.”
Belita Mitchell, moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, greeted the conference, as did Stanley J. Noffsinger, general secretary of the Church of the Brethren General Board. Worship leaders included Christian musician Ken Medema, who provided musical leadership for the entire weekend, and Baptist preacher Tony Campolo, who shared the message on Friday night. Campolo emphasized that participants should be asking how they will spend the rest of their lives in service to God and others. David Radcliff of the New Community Project delivered Saturday morning’s message, stirring youth to think carefully about how their lifestyle choices are related to stewardship of the blessings humanity has collectively received from God in the form of the planet.
Saturday night conference-goers were immersed in a Brethren “extravaganza,” a worship service that invited all into participating in the many ministries of the General Board. During closing worship Sunday morning, Medema asked the youth to share their own dreams, motivations, and signs of God working in their lives; he then turned the stories into songs on the spot.
--Becky Ullom is director of Identity and Relations for the General Board.
Source: 6/20/2007 Newsline
The first-ever National Junior High Conference in the Church of the Brethren attracted 800 participants to the campus of Elizabethtown (Pa.) College from June 15-18. Youth and advisors engaged the theme, “The Amazing Race: Continuing the Work of Jesus,” based on Luke 9:24, as they worshiped, learned, played, and fellowshiped.
Turn-out for this inaugural event more than met the expectations of the organizers, who had been planning for an attendance of around 400. The size of the conference was finally determined when registration outpaced capacity at Elizabethtown College.
“It exceeded all of my expectations for this first gathering of the National Junior High Conference!” said Chris Douglas, director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the General Board. “It has also made me look forward to doing it again in the summer of 2009, hopefully in a place that could accommodate more participants.”
Belita Mitchell, moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, greeted the conference, as did Stanley J. Noffsinger, general secretary of the Church of the Brethren General Board. Worship leaders included Christian musician Ken Medema, who provided musical leadership for the entire weekend, and Baptist preacher Tony Campolo, who shared the message on Friday night. Campolo emphasized that participants should be asking how they will spend the rest of their lives in service to God and others. David Radcliff of the New Community Project delivered Saturday morning’s message, stirring youth to think carefully about how their lifestyle choices are related to stewardship of the blessings humanity has collectively received from God in the form of the planet.
Saturday night conference-goers were immersed in a Brethren “extravaganza,” a worship service that invited all into participating in the many ministries of the General Board. During closing worship Sunday morning, Medema asked the youth to share their own dreams, motivations, and signs of God working in their lives; he then turned the stories into songs on the spot.
--Becky Ullom is director of Identity and Relations for the General Board.
Source: 6/20/2007 Newsline
Friday, May 18, 2007
YOUTH STAFF REMEMBER THE MINISTRY OF LEE ESHLEMAN
Today the Church of the Brethren General Board received the sad news of the death of Lee Eshleman, a member of the Mennonite comedy duo Ted & Lee, who has been a major presenter at National Youth Conferences over the past decade. Following is a pastoral letter from Chris Douglas, director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the General Board, that is being sent by e-mail to the adult advisors who accompanied youth groups to National Youth Conference in 2006:
“Lee Eshleman, a member of the Mennonite comedy duo Ted & Lee, took his own life yesterday, May 17, after succumbing to a long battle with depression.
“Brethren youth and young adults, especially those who attended National Youth Conference (NYC) in the last decade, will remember Lee from his comedic and insightful performances with Ted Swartz, as they acted out biblical stories for the current day. Ted & Lee were major presenters at the last three NYCs, in 1998, 2002, and 2006. They also performed at two National Older Adult Conferences, and were booked to lead worship at the National Junior High Conference this June.
“At the 2006 NYC, Ted & Lee closed a worship service with feetwashing, in the most powerful interpretation of what Jesus did for his disciples that I have seen. I remember thinking at the time, they have made sense of the feetwashing service for a whole new generation of Brethren.
“We at the Youth and Young Adult Ministries Office, and the General Board, join with Lee’s family and loved ones, and with Ted and the Mennonite community, in grieving his death.
“Realizing that many Brethren youth may share this loss, I am encouraging youth advisors to talk about Lee’s death with youth groups, with special care for those who were at NYC last summer. This also is an opportunity for open conversation with youth about related issues of suicide and mental health.
“Consider ways to invite youth to a healthy and faithful response. If your youth group includes a number who were at NYC, you may want to set aside a moment of silence during Sunday school class or at the next youth group meeting, and offer an opportunity for youth to say prayers. Remember to reaffirm Lee’s public ministry, helping youth understand that his personal struggle with depression does not invalidate his faith, and does not negate the important things that he taught about following Jesus.
“In talking with youth about related issues, reassure them that for those who are living with mental illness, treatment does work; in the midst of this one loss, we must remember that many others have sought help and received it successfully. Research shows that the best treatments for mental illness today are highly effective. Our faith, as well as modern medicine, offer us resources of hope. We do not know what caused Lee to take his own life, but talking about the hope that is available to us will be helpful to youth who are concerned.
“If youth have questions about the struggle of those with depression or other mental illness, or for help in speaking about suicide from a faith perspective, resources are offered by the Association of Brethren Caregivers at www.brethren.org/abc:
— “What Every Church Should Know About Mental Illness” gives an explanation of depression and other mental illnesses.
— “Talking About Suicide Can Change a Life” includes the signs of depression and suicide risk, common misperceptions about suicide, and advice about how to find out if someone is suicidal.
— Internet links for further resources about suicide include two recommended DVDs: The video “The Truth About Suicide: Real Stories of Depression in College” from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which was shown at workshops for advisors at NYC (www.afsp.org). “Fierce Goodbye: Living in the Shadow of Suicide” is from Mennonite Media (www.mennomedia.org).
“Another way youth may want to respond is to contribute to an online page of condolence and remembrance offered by Eastern Mennonite University, where Lee Eshleman was an alumni. Go to www.emu.edu/response/lee.
“If your youth group includes individuals who seem to have an extreme reaction, you need to invite help from the parents and your pastor, and refer to local mental health professionals for help.
“Please join with me in holding all those who cared for Lee Eshleman in our prayers. May God bring comfort and peace.
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me...” (Psalm 23:4a).
Signed,
Chris Douglas, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry
Church of the Brethren General Board
Today the Church of the Brethren General Board received the sad news of the death of Lee Eshleman, a member of the Mennonite comedy duo Ted & Lee, who has been a major presenter at National Youth Conferences over the past decade. Following is a pastoral letter from Chris Douglas, director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the General Board, that is being sent by e-mail to the adult advisors who accompanied youth groups to National Youth Conference in 2006:
“Lee Eshleman, a member of the Mennonite comedy duo Ted & Lee, took his own life yesterday, May 17, after succumbing to a long battle with depression.“Brethren youth and young adults, especially those who attended National Youth Conference (NYC) in the last decade, will remember Lee from his comedic and insightful performances with Ted Swartz, as they acted out biblical stories for the current day. Ted & Lee were major presenters at the last three NYCs, in 1998, 2002, and 2006. They also performed at two National Older Adult Conferences, and were booked to lead worship at the National Junior High Conference this June.
“At the 2006 NYC, Ted & Lee closed a worship service with feetwashing, in the most powerful interpretation of what Jesus did for his disciples that I have seen. I remember thinking at the time, they have made sense of the feetwashing service for a whole new generation of Brethren.
“We at the Youth and Young Adult Ministries Office, and the General Board, join with Lee’s family and loved ones, and with Ted and the Mennonite community, in grieving his death.
“Realizing that many Brethren youth may share this loss, I am encouraging youth advisors to talk about Lee’s death with youth groups, with special care for those who were at NYC last summer. This also is an opportunity for open conversation with youth about related issues of suicide and mental health.
“Consider ways to invite youth to a healthy and faithful response. If your youth group includes a number who were at NYC, you may want to set aside a moment of silence during Sunday school class or at the next youth group meeting, and offer an opportunity for youth to say prayers. Remember to reaffirm Lee’s public ministry, helping youth understand that his personal struggle with depression does not invalidate his faith, and does not negate the important things that he taught about following Jesus.
“In talking with youth about related issues, reassure them that for those who are living with mental illness, treatment does work; in the midst of this one loss, we must remember that many others have sought help and received it successfully. Research shows that the best treatments for mental illness today are highly effective. Our faith, as well as modern medicine, offer us resources of hope. We do not know what caused Lee to take his own life, but talking about the hope that is available to us will be helpful to youth who are concerned.
“If youth have questions about the struggle of those with depression or other mental illness, or for help in speaking about suicide from a faith perspective, resources are offered by the Association of Brethren Caregivers at www.brethren.org/abc:
— “What Every Church Should Know About Mental Illness” gives an explanation of depression and other mental illnesses.
— “Talking About Suicide Can Change a Life” includes the signs of depression and suicide risk, common misperceptions about suicide, and advice about how to find out if someone is suicidal.
— Internet links for further resources about suicide include two recommended DVDs: The video “The Truth About Suicide: Real Stories of Depression in College” from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which was shown at workshops for advisors at NYC (www.afsp.org). “Fierce Goodbye: Living in the Shadow of Suicide” is from Mennonite Media (www.mennomedia.org).
“Another way youth may want to respond is to contribute to an online page of condolence and remembrance offered by Eastern Mennonite University, where Lee Eshleman was an alumni. Go to www.emu.edu/response/lee.
“If your youth group includes individuals who seem to have an extreme reaction, you need to invite help from the parents and your pastor, and refer to local mental health professionals for help.
“Please join with me in holding all those who cared for Lee Eshleman in our prayers. May God bring comfort and peace.
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me...” (Psalm 23:4a).
Signed,
Chris Douglas, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry
Church of the Brethren General Board
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