NEWSLINE - July 5, 1996 NEWSLINE is the weekly online newsletter of the Church of the Brethren posted each Thursday by the Communications Dept. through cobnews@aol.com. Interested persons can "hear" Newsline by calling 410 635-8738 or receive a "fax" of Newsline by calling 800 323-8039, ext. 257. Newsline by "e-mail" is available by sending an online request to cobnews@aol.com. To print this listing (Netscape), Press ALT, F, P To save this listing (Netscape), Press ALT, F, S To search this listing (Netscape) Hold CTRL + Tap F %%%%%%%%% = (heading of a new week) --------- = (heading of a new item) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% NEWSLINE 07-05-96 CINCINNATI -- This is the Church of the Brethren Newsline for July 5, a day in which 4,378 Brethren are registered as attendees at the 210th Annual Conference. In the news today, business and other Conference events continue on the nation’s holiday. Conference delegates on Thursday adopted the revision of the Ethics in Ministry Statement, which included several "considerations" that were recommended by Standing Committee. The statement revision was initiated by Council of District Executives following Annual Conference’s adoption of the paper in 1992. Although most changes to the paper were in the section dealing with allegations of ministerial misconduct, the entire paper was reviewed and adopted by Conference. Additions suggested by Standing Committee, all of which delegates accepted as recommendations, concerned continuing education of ministry skills; putting foremost what is best for the person making the complaint; reportability to the proper authorities; properly using resources such as counseling and referral services; and participation in denominational process of dealing with allegations. Recommendations were approved that will affect several groups: Annual Conference delegates; individuals and congregations; licensed and ordained ministers and lay speakers; thedistricts; Council of District Executives; the entire denomination; Bethany Theological Seminary and other clergy training programs; and the General Board. Conference delegates adopted the Simple Life Statement by an overwhelming majority. The statement began as a query that was accepted by the 1995 Annual Conference. A three-person committee was appointed to "study ways to reemphasize the Brethren tradition of the simple life and to discern its full meaning in our time." The paper itself is simple -- only 71 lines long -- and calls Brethren to "discuss and discern specific ways to simplify, without resorting to our final description of simplicity to enforce." Annual Conference attendees welcomed international guests on Thursday afternoon. Three guests from South Korea were accompanied by David Radcliff, director of Korea Ministry. Chung, Nam Young, a member of the Church of the Brethren Korean leadership council, and Chung, Moon Chul, team pastor with Dan Kim, General Board field staff for Korea, are from Seoul; Cho, Kyu Wha, a pastor and writer, is from Taegu. Three guests visiting from the Dominican Republic were introduced by Guillermo Encarnacion, interim director of Hispanic Ministry; Angel Danilo Jimenez, board chair of the Church of the Brethren in the Dominican Republic; and Milciades and Lucy Mendez. Milciades is director of Christian education for the Church of the Brethren in the Dominican Republic. Several guests from the Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) had hoped to be present but were denied visas. Jimmy R. Ross, 60, of the Lititz (Pa.) Church of the Brethren was elected Annual Conference Moderator-elect by conference delegates. He will preside at the 1998 Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla. Ross is a graduate of Bridgewater College and Bethany Theological Seminary. He is a past Annual Conference speaker and has served the Annual Conference Standing, Nominating, and Worship committees. His priority for the denomination is to answer the question, "What is God calling the Church of the Brethren to be and to do as a part of the body of Christ." In other election results, Wayne Judd of the Elizabethtown (Pa.) congregation and Marie Hoover Willoughby of the Marilla and Lakeview (Mich.) congregations were elected to five-year terms as at-large representatives of the General Board. Elected to serve as General Board district representatives were Paul Wampler of the Manassas (Va.) congregation (Mid-Atlantic District); Mary Jo Flory Steury, Prince of Peace Church of the Brethren, Kettering, Ohio (Southern Ohio District); and David R. Miller, Roanoke (Va.) First congregation, (Virlina District). David Eastis of the North Winona Church of the Brethren, Warsaw, Ind., was elected to a three-year term on the Annual Conference Program & Arrangements Committee. Colleen Michael from the Wenatchee (Wash.) Brethren-Baptist congregation was elected to a five-year term on the Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee. Elected for a three-year term on the Committee on Interchurch Relations is Allen Deeter of the Manchester Church of the Brethren, North Manchester, Ind. Gail Morgan Habecker of the Mack Memorial congregation, Coatesville, Pa., has been elected to a four-year term on the Brethren Benefit Trust Board. Elected to five-year terms for Bethany Theological Seminary are Phillip Stone of the Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren, representing colleges; and Jim Weaver of the Lanark congregation, Shannon, Ill., representing the laity. A mock Brethren Volunteer Service orientation session was the setting for this year’s General Board Live Report. The report, titled "The Bread We Break," used drama and video to tell the stories of the Church of the Brethren’s worldwide ministry in places such as the former Yugoslavia, North Korea, and urban areas in the US. The report concluded with attendees participating in the symbolic act of breaking bread together. The 300 individual loaves of bread were baked by General Board staff members Elsie Holderread and Beth Sollenberger Morphew. Cast in key roles as "BVSers" were Jim Bowyer, Mike Huffaker, Karen Cox, and David Miller. Program interpreters were Derek McDonald, Donna Mallott, Dan Plunkett, Orlando Redekopp, Connie Burkholder, Guy Wampler, Curtis Dubble, Dana Statler, Pattie Stern, Sandi Boeger, Ludovic St. Fleur, and Berwyn Oltman. The Live Report was directed by Lee Krahenbuhl. Musicians were Jeanette Kearney Anderson, Stephanie Beery, Nancy Miner, Shawn Kirchner, and Erin Anspaugh. Other participants included CROP walkers celebrating the 50th anniversary of Church World Service and the General Board staff that organized the report: Howard Royer, chair; Beth Sollenberger Morphew; Todd Reish; Sara Speicher; Don Miller, and Glenn Timmons. "By Water and the Word," a new video about the beginning of the Church of the Brethren in Europe and covering the denomination’s first 20 years, premiered last night at an Annual Conference Insight Session. Brethren Don Durnbaugh, Jeff Bach, Dale Brown, Dale Stoffer, and Bill Willoughby appear in the video. Jill Eikenberry, a TV actress best known for her role on "L.A. Law," who comes from a Brethren background, narrates. The video is available from Brethren Press. A copy also will be sent in August to every congregation, provided by the General Board. Dave Sollenberger produced the video. Putting their faith into action, over 150 senior high youth participated in four work projects in Cincinnati Wednesday afternoon. Thirty youth worked at two sites involving rehabilitation work for Restoc Housing Corp and Renaissance Housing, two organizations that provide subsidized housing for the homeless in Cincinnati. At another project, over 40 youth helped to sort and organize food for the Cincinnati Food Bank. The remaining youth helped to beautify the city’s river front by removing litter from the area. Joyce Stoltzfus, pastor of the Glade Valley Church of the Brethren, Walkersville, Md., will speak at worship tonight on "An honest welcome." Mountville (Pa.) Church of the Brethren Pastor Jim Chinworth will lead worship. Outdoor Ministries Association hosted its annual Run/Walk on Thursday morning. Jerry Crouse and Kim Wyrick finished first in the run; Dustin Brown and Reba Coffman finished second; and David Brink and Vicky Chapman finished third. Top walkers were Art Hunn and Jean Hendricks in first place; Ed Okeson and Debbie Okeson in second; and Benton Wray and Claire Montoya in third. Hendricks also raised $600 in pledges for the Run/Walk. Over $1,200 total was collected to benefit the OMA Environmental Grant Fund. Former Annual Conference Manager Doris Lasley, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, will undergo brain surgery on July 9 to relieve her sporadic paralysis. Cards may be sent to Doris at 811 Scott St., Elgin, IL 60123. This is the Church of the Brethren Newsline for July 5 in Cincinnati.