THE BRETHREN

Evangelist
THE BRETHREN
Vol 132, No. 2
Mar/Apr 2010
DEDICATED TO ADVANCING THE LIFE AND MINISTRIES OF THE BRETHREN CHURCH
www.brethrenchurch.org
Celebrating 100 years
of Argentine Missions
Los 100 de la “IHA”
(Iglesia de los Hermanos en la Argentina)
The description of any excursion always focuses on common life factors: long
flights, unfamiliar beds, cold showers, unique foods, and language barriers. But when
God provides the opportunity to interact with brothers and sisters in the Lord in divine
appointment, only speaking of spiritual impact and relationship will suffice.
I had the privilege of journeying with Ken Hunn, Gary Diehl, Dale Stoffer—then we
were joined by Ray and Marilyn Aspinall who served 31 years in Argentina—to participate with the Argentine Brethren in celebrating 100 years of mission in Argentina. It
allowed me to proclaim from the depth of my soul “Estoy feliz de estar aqui!” (I am so
happy to be here!)
It was about relationship—relationship with our Lord and relationship within his
Bride, no matter the language (Spanish, English
or Japanese) or nation of origin. Our brothers
and sisters in Argentina are anticipating God
moving in ministry and mission in oneness with
each other, with Brethren around the world, and
with Christ. It was lived out in
every interaction from the most
formal to the most informal. We
saw with eyes and heart how,
while the facility for the Conference was in need of repair, the
Ray and Marilyn Aspinall
spirit and heart for God of the
people made it shine like new.
We were blessed and amazed at how the Lord orchestrated
this time together. Each speaker spoke on topics that built on what
came before and what was to come. Seven speakers from two
countries—Ricardo Pereda, Dale Stoffer, Christian Terrazas, Ken
Hunn, Gary Diehl (the US speakers ably assisted by Ray Aspinall),
Walter Terrazas and Walter Romanenghi—lead by God into a
unified whole of vision, mission, history and future beyond anything
that could be scheduled.
Charles F. and Pearl Yoder and family in 1928. Below is his
Worship together was a blessing. Testimonies of God’s faithfulness
tombstone in Cordoba, Argentina. In the center of the picture from the individual churches were humorous, artistic (from video
presentations to drama to the Japanese fan dance by the ladies of
is Norman Romanenghi, C.F.’s grandson.
Nuñez in their kimonos), heartfelt, and filled with the sense that God
has more mission in store for them. The singing was powerful—and not because of bands who were great and wonderful—but due to the worship of the
congregation that rose above the amplification. The singing touched my heart
and zeroed in on devotions of the days before in ways I could not understand
and I started to cry, tears coming down both cheeks.
There is a change of relationship dynamic that is being embraced by leadership from both the US and Argentina. No longer is there a big brother-little
brother relationship but an establishment fully as brothers in the Lord in partnership in mission. To be part of conversations where that was being voiced
in concrete ways and then to enter into devotions for the
Conference from John 15, “…no longer call you servants…
instead I have called you friends…” was remarkable.
Time and again, in words expressed and in actions
shown, our brothers and sisters in Argentina communicated
they love us dearly and have a deep concern for us to go
Lasting Impressions of the
Argentine Brethren Church
Rio Cuarto in central Argentina and
As I write this, it has been just
officially began their work in 1910. about two weeks since I returned
They were deeply committed to the
from Argentina after sharing in
evangelistic mandate of the Lord and
the centennial celebrations of the
used a variety of means to spread
beginning of Brethren work in that
the gospel: door-to-door evangelism;
country. Though some memories have
open-air preaching; and a “Bible
already faded, others remain indelibly
Coach,” a converted model T Ford
etched in my memory. I want to share
truck that took the gospel on the
three of these impressions with you.
road and was eventually outfitted
First, the Argentine Brethren Church
with loudspeakers. Yoder also gained
continues to carry on the spiritual DNA
employment as a professor in a newly
of its founder, Dr. Charles F. Yoder. The
opened university in Rio Cuarto and
Brethren work in Argentina was the
impacted the lives of many students
first successful mission field opened
in this role. After restarting the work in
by the Brethren Church. Previous
Argentina following the 1939 division
works in Persia, modern day Iran, and
with the Grace Brethren, Yoder
Montreal, Canada, eventually were
and those who followed
closed. Charles
him made use of a new
and his wife,
generation of methods for
Pearl, arrived in
evangelism: youth camps
Argentina with
and a radio and music
their two oldest
ministry.
children in 1909;
Ingrained into the DNA
a third child was
of the Argentine church has
born to them in
been a significant missional
Argentina. After
perspective that continues
conferring with
to define the church today. other Protestant
The Argentine Brethren were
missionaries,
Juan Carlos and Maria Miranda instrumental in beginning
they settled in
deep in the Lord. Several times, in direct conversations, individuals related
their sense that the Lord was using
the current economic struggles here
to move us closer to him. The passion
to come to the US by several of their
younger leaders, not to sight-see but
to minister, undergirded their desire
for us to not take God for granted but
to accept and embrace him in Word
and Spirit. In word, in action, in relationship we sensed a New Day reinforcing
a bond of all of us sharing in mission
together, that we have God-given gifts
to breathe into them and they have
God-given gifts to breathe into us. They
also have a heart for our youth and
have made a commitment to pray for
the youth of the United States. This was
highlighted by the intentional focus
one night of calling all the Argentine
Brethren to make a year-long commitment to pray for the youth of the US.
They brought Ken, Gary, Dale and me
forward and the conference attendees surrounded us and laid hands on
us to be conduits of this commitment
back to the Brethren here, but also to
stand in the gap for intercession.
There are too many to people to
thank them all by name, but I would
be remiss if I didn’t mention the great
service and hospitality shown to our
team by José Rivero and José Luis
Cavazza. Along with them, thanks to
the great insights provided by Norman
Romanenghi, grandson of C.F. Yoder.
And thanks to the Outreach ministry
and Advisory Board and people of
Nappanee First Brethren Church who
made my attendance at this historic
and spiritual occasion possible.
Dale R. Stoffer
Brethren works in Paraguay, Chile,
Spain, and, possibly in the near future,
Uruguay. An Argentine national is
leading the church in Colombia today,
and, when another product of the
Argentine Brethren Church, Juan Carlos
Miranda, is factored into the equation,
the churches in Peru, Mexico, and
southern California need to be added
to the list. The Argentine Brethren
challenge us in the States by their
example to keep our eyes and hearts
focused on the worldwide mission fields
that indeed are “white unto harvest.”
A second impression of the
Argentine church is the warmth and
affection that are a part of both their
culture and their church. The hugs
and kisses that are lavished upon every
member and visitor in the church family
are an expression of the deep relational
ties that bind the church together in
Argentina. I was struck by the generous
outpouring of hospitality that was
showered upon those of us who came
from the States for the celebrations. This genuine love that was expressed
in so many tangible ways is certainly
another challenge to us in North
America. We need to remember that
one of the most powerful testimonies
that we are Jesus’ disciples is our love
for one another (John 13: 34-35).
My final impression of the Argentine
Brethren was their vibrant worship. The broader church throughout Latin
America has been impacted to varying
degrees by the Pentecostal and
charismatic movements. Our churches
Tom Schiefer
3
in Latin America are no exception. It
took me a while to get used to eating
at eight or nine o’clock at night and
then worshipping until after midnight
(OK, I never did quite get used to this
schedule). But time almost became
no factor because of the Spirit-filled
singing and dynamic preaching in
their worship services. It is little wonder
that the larger church is growing so
rapidly throughout Latin America. Such worship testifies to the presence
of the Spirit and to the receptivity of
the hearts of the people. We in North
America can again learn from the
dynamic worship that draws people
into a fresh encounter with the Lord. We have much to learn from our
Christian brothers and sisters in the
Southern hemisphere. If we were to
mirror their missional heartbeat, their
relational warmth, and their dynamic
worship, the fourth century of the
Brethren movement just might keep
pace with the second century of the
Argentine Brethren movement. Above: Marcelo Petracca, pastor of Ferrer
Brethren Church; Walter Romanenghi
(great-grandson of C.F. Yoder), pastor of
Cordoba Brethren Church; José Rivero,
National Coordinator of the Argentine
Brethren Church
4
Passing
the Torch
Gary Diehl
There are so many
things I could say about
the gracious, loving, special brothers and sisters I met in Argentina
recently. I’ve never been kissed by so
many people in one day before! Their
warmth was an unexpected blessing,
especially for a mostly introverted,
somewhat emotionally reserved guy
from Ohio. Their passion for deep
relationships and their hunger for God
was so evident as they worshipped
together. We experienced wonderfully
“Inspiring Worship” over the three days
we were with them, even without fully
understanding their Spanish. I saw in
them a freedom to express their joys
and their longings in the presence of
the Almighty and one another. Oh
Lord, how I pray I (and we) learn to be
more like them in so many ways!
One particular moment touched me
deeply. As part of their celebration of
100 years of Brethren ministry, the leader
of their pastors called the older pastors
to one side of the front of the room, and
he asked the youngest pastors to stand
on the other side. He acknowleged
the contribution of the older leaders to
the work God has already done, and
then challenged them to be willing to
pass the baton of leadership on to the
next generation of leaders. With praises,
prayers, tears and laughter, each of the
older men laid hands on the younger
men as they blessed them for the work
God is now placing into a new set of
hands. The torch of leadership was
passed, and everyone in the room
knew we were witnessing something
profound, special, and right
Again, oh Lord, may it be so for us one
day! For the sake of the work you have
called us to, I pray we learn to
be that intentional in the way
we honor what was and truly
empower what is to come.
CHURCH PLANT
How
In the last Evangelist, Pastor Paul
Stanley of Carson Oaks Community Church in Stockton, California
related how they came to partner
with Viseth and Socheata Hou to
plant the Carson Oaks Cambodian
Community Church.
As I mentioned in the last article, we
did not take this church plant lightly.
We knew that for this to work, it was
imperative that we hear from God on
when and how to move. In our eyes
we could have given several reasons
as to why we should not undertake
such a task at this time.
First, in our district there are only
two relatively small Brethren churches;
Carson Oaks Community Church in
Stockton and Northgate Community
Church in Manteca. Secondly, we
(COCC) had just built a new sanctuary
and the Manteca church (Northgate),
just called a new pastor and were beginning some renovations in their own
church. So the natural response was to
say we had no money to support such
an endeavor.
Nonetheless, we had partnered with
Bill Ludwig to pray every day about
this. When I say that, I mean that we really prayed about this EVERY DAY, and
I know that folks back in Ashland were
praying as well. Two things to understand in a church plant is that 1) God
is never limited by our limitations, and
2) the foundation to doing anything in
the Kingdom of God relies on you and
your church praying regularly and with
a unified vision.
As we prayed in concert with BCNO
and MissioChurch, the hand of God
moved and a generous grant was
given to help get this plant off the
ground. At the same time, we decided to rearrange our budget both
at Carson Oaks and Northgate to help
the Hou’s have a regular pay package
that would allow them to live here in
Stockton. Both churches understand
the idea of giving and supporting, and
for years have been faithful in their giving to several outreaches sponsored by
the Brethren Church. However at this
point we needed to redefine where
TING . . . pa r t 2
Can We Afford This?
we could give and collaborating with
the BCNO and making some tough
decisions in our budgets allowed us to
make the adjustments necessary to
make this a reality. Understand that if
you are considering a church plant,
there is going to have to be some give
and take with all who are involved and
a willingness to perhaps redefine the
priorities in your budget.
If you are not aware, California is one
of the most expensive places in America to live. What one may pay for a two
bedroom apartment in Ohio or Indiana
would be almost triple here in northern
California, so finding affordable housing
was a huge hurdle for us. Upon one of
Viseth’s visits here, however, we discovered that there was an aunt on his
father’s side who just happened to live
in Stockton. They had never met, but
at the encouragement of an uncle in
Florida, we went to visit this woman and
by the time the weekend was over she
had offered to let Viseth and his entire
family come and move in with her in
her spacious home just minutes from the
church!
Transportation was
another issue. The Hou’s
had a car in Ashland
but driving it to California was questionable and shipping
it was expensive. As
we prayed about this
we discovered that
one of the sisters at the
Northgate church had
a car that might be for
sale because she had
been told by her physician
that she should quit driving.
When Pastor Steve Cole told
me about this we decided
we would ask this saint if she
would GIVE the car to the
Hou’s. Understand that this
was practically a brand new
vehicle. It had so few miles
the first oil change had not
been done yet.
We prayerfully asked this
lady if she was willing to
donate the vehicle and after
a short time she told us yes!
So now the Hou’s living and
transportation problems were
taken care of!
God moving through the
generosity of his people did
not stop there. Over and
over we saw him continue to provide to
make this ministry happen. Cell phones
were donated as well as people willing
to cover the cost of a contract. Furniture
was donated to allow this family to have
beds to sleep on, as well as other household needs. This list goes on and on.
While all of this was happening here
in California, people continued to
support and give to this mission back
in Ashland. So far we have not found
ourselves bogged down with our hands
tied behind our backs financially. God
Paul Stanley
has provided for all of our needs and
continues to do so. Early on as he
began to do this he confirmed to my
spirit that there was just no reason why
we should not move forward with this
church plant and I am confident that
anyone reading this who is considering a church plant of their own will be
blessed the same way!
Please do not read and think that
every aspect of this endeavor has
been easy. There have been some
trials and bumps in the road. Don’t
think for a minute that if you decide to
be a part of a church plant that the
enemy will not rear his ugly head in the
process. In the next article I will discuss
some of that so that you are clear on
the spiritual realities of launching a
church plant. There is much more to
this outside of money and buildings
and staffing. I am sure that if you ask
anyone who has done this they will tell
you of the spiritual warfare involved.
But know that if God calls you to this
he will have his hand on you and the
enemy will not stand a chance.
So if you think church planting is in
your future, I suggest you begin praying
NOW, earnestly and with intention, and
be prepared to see a new move of
God in your life and in the life of your
church!
For Prayer, Thought,
and Application
*
Do you feel as if God might be
leading you and your church to
something more?
*
Are you praying daily about what
that could be?
*
Are you willing to redefine the
priorities of your budget to pursue
a vision of church planting?
*
Who can come alongside of you
to help you discern your next
steps?
*
What other fears hold us back fro
pursuing God’s vision for us?
5
Covered in
LOVE
Katie Garner
Walking up the dirt path leading to the shantytown of
Lomas de Marchan (Peru), I feel drained from the grueling
week and am asking myself why I didn’t just stay home
that day. Then, from around the corner and up the hill, I
hear my name being screamed from the mouths of my
little friends.
With arms flailing in the air, they
jump up and down at the sight of the
“gringa” coming to visit. Dust goes
flying as happy feet come running
toward me; I am attacked with hugs
and kisses. A ten-second interaction
with these kids restores my energy. I
forget all about the latest drama or
the newest difficulty in my life and I
become a kid again. By the time
I reach the top of the hill, word has
spread that I have arrived and kids
come skipping, jumping and running
from all over. As I pick up the kids
to give them hugs, my clothes are
covered with dusty footprints, my clean
white shoes are now a tan color and
my cheeks are covered with sticky
kisses from the lollipops that the kids
have just eaten. In these moments
when the world sees me covered in dirt
and filthy from head to toe, I don’t see
the dirt, grime and dust of the village, I
see myself covered in love.
Sometimes I wonder how I got to this
point; to the place where these kids
chose to accept me for who I am and
chose to cover me with love. I think
it truly reflects my desire to immerse
myself one hundred percent into
the life God called me to live. I often
receive the comment from Peruvians
“You are more Peruvian than us!” They
are amazed at my language skills, my
knowledge of Peruvian culture and
often say if it weren’t for the color
Lomas de Marchan: Pucusana Village
6
of my skin, they would think I had been
born a Peruvian. In these moments,
I see God’s faithfulness in answering
prayer: he has allowed me to be
saturated in my environment and truly
experience what my Peruvian brothers
and sisters experience; he has allowed
me to learn to live as they live in order
to be accepted culturally; and he
has allowed me to understand how to
share the message of the gospel by
loving them deeply. Moving to Lima Peru two-and-a-half
years ago (September 2007) came
as a result of more than a five-year
process as I finished high school and
college and waited on God’s perfect
My kids in Pucusana:
Lomas de Marchan
timing. Upon arriving it took awhile to
build relationships and form networks. But now, I truly have found my niche
and realize I am living my DREAM! My
first priority at the moment is serving in
the Brethren Church in Lima as a youth
leader and the program director for
the children’s program in Pucusana,
an area where we serve shantytown
communities. We seek to convey a
message of hope and love to people
living in extreme poverty by touching
on both physical and spiritual needs. However, my love for the new
led me to join two other ministry
opportunities: Currently, I am a regular
volunteer with a group called Word
Made Flesh, a group dedicated to
serving the street kids of Lima and
those in extreme poverty. We build
friendships and trust in order to show
them that they, too, are worthy of
God’s love. Also, last year I was truly blessed
with the job of a lifetime serving as a
translator with e3 Partners in Peru. This
job gives me the opportunity to travel
around Peru translating for missions
teams as we help equip leaders,
evangelize communities and establish
churches. Translating gives me a
great sense of accomplishment as I
am passionate about bringing people
together. As a North American living
in a Peruvian world, these experiences
allow me the privilege of bridging the
gap not only between languages, but
also between cultures.
I never imagined I would be
involved in these different areas
of ministry. In each of these, I am
learning that people need love. Relational ministry develops into
friendship, which offers people a safe
and loving place, and that’s where
ministry begins. I don’t see myself doing
anything truly unique or special; I am
just choosing to live life among those
who need to know about God’s love.
To be honest there is nothing easy,
predictable or comfortable about
what I do and see every day. Daily I
am exposed to lives that deal with
abuse, drug addiction and extreme
poverty. Ministry is dirty when you
allow yourself to step out of the box
and walk in the shoes of others. Some days I arrive home battered,
broken, or heavyhearted, but even
with these battle wounds I keep
fighting. You know why? Every
day I rest confidently in God’s
love, for it is he who first loved
me and placed in my heart this
passion to love others. Every life
is worth fighting for, and every life
needs to know that there is hope! So we need to ask ourselves,
are we allowing ourselves
to move outside the box of
idealistic ministry and strive for
something more radical in our
neighborhood, community or
world? Please pray for the country of
Peru and all that God is allowing
me to accomplish through him. If one of you has the opportunity
to come here to Lima to visit me,
I apologize in advance if you find
me with holes in my pants or little
dirt handprints on the back of my
t-shirt. It is not that I don’t want to
be presentable to the world, it is
just I am so happy to be able to
showcase the fact that on that
day, I was able to share about
God’s love and, in return, was
covered in love. Class activity time in Pucusana
The kids I serve who
work on the streets.
Answering some questions
Performing a skit with the
Word Made Flesh staff
7
Looking Ahead
It’s time again
to think General
Conference. It really
is an institution, and I
believe a good one at
that. Sometimes called
our annual Brethren reunion, we’ve planned
for that extra time
to re-connect as we
always enjoy doing.
And we’ve got some
really insightful and
helpful training opportunities planned
in addition to the informative business
sessions and additional updates on the
progress of our combined efforts.
Our main resource leader, Reggie
McNeal, is a voice of clarity and vision
for the church. He will combine some
of his folksy humor with a laser-like
challenge to engage our communities
with the message of the Kingdom.
The new CEO of CoachNet, Jonathan Reitz is uniquely equipped to help
us focus our leadership skills. He brings
a wealth of experience as a church
planter and denominational leader
that will help us understand some next
steps in our journey and to sharpen
one another as leaders.
These are just a few reasons why it
is vitally important that churches take
time now to pray, identify key leaders,
and then equip and empower them
through their prayers and finances to
join us for these days of celebrating
how far our vision has taken us and to
be equipped for the next leg of our
journey.
Here at the Brethren Church National Office we’ve accomplished
our charge of planning for a time of
transformation. The rest is up to you…
Our General Conference experience
is based on the idea of our key leaders
coming together for a time of communication, relationship-building, and
equipping for a NEW DAY. Your prayers
and participation will make all the
difference for the Brethren Church,
for our communities, for now and for
eternity.
Ken
8
bpi
Post-Easter Nonviolence Triad*
*A group of three related things
(1) as the Chinese occupied Tibet, many of the soldiers showed great cruelty in regard to the subjugated
people. The most frequent object of their atrocities was
the monks. So as the foreign forces invaded villages,
the monks fled to the mountains.
When the Chinese invaders arrived in a particular village, the leader of the village reported to the Chinese
commander, “All the monks, hearing of your approach,
fled to the mountains…all, that is, but one.”
The commander became enraged. He marched
to the monastery and kicked in the gate. There in the
courtyard stood the one remaining monk.
The commander glowered at him. “Do you not know who I am? I am he who
can run you through with a sword without batting an eyelash.”
The monk replied: “And do you know who I am? I am he who can let you run
me through with a sword without batting an eyelash.” [Source unknown]
Brethren
Peace
Initiative
(2) That story sounds uniquely similar, does it not, as we have once again journeyed through the Lenten and Holy Week seasons. It sounds like something Jesus would say…and a whole lot like some things he did during Crucifixion Week:
Then they came on Jesus—grabbed him and roughed him up. One of those
with Jesus, (Peter), pulled his sword and, taking a swing at the Chief Priest’s servant, cut off his ear. Jesus said, “Put your sword back where it belongs. All who
use swords are destroyed by swords. Don’t you realize that I am able right now
to call to my Father, and twelve companies—more if I want them—of fighting
angels would be here, battle-ready? But if I did that, how would the Scriptures
come true that say this is the way it has to be?” [Matthew 26:50b-54 in The Message]
(3) Some of our Brethren forebears answered the call of their Example/Master/
Savior, many suffering damage to body and property—and sometimes even
death—for their nonresistant and nonviolent responses to threats and bodily
harm. This is a part of our history:
Brethren were told they should not go, or willingly allow their sons to go, to the
muster (military training grounds). “Should a brother do so, he could not be in full
fellowship with the church; for the Savior said to Peter, ‘Put up thy sword into its
place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.’”
[Reported in “Minutes of the Annual Meetings,” 1817, 1822, 1835,
and quoted by Rufus D. Bowman in
The Church of the Brethren and War.]
Concluding Questions - nearly 200 years later:
(1) What DO we think, say, and do in response today?
(2) Is the directive to “put your sword back in its place” still valid today?
(3) How are the followers of Jesus called to live in the presence of physical conflict?
(4) What SHOULD we think, say, and do in response today?
KEEPING PEACE IN MIND,
Phil Lersch, Facilitator
Brethren Peace Leadership Team
Women’s Outlook Newsletter
A P u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e Wo m e n’s M i s s i o n a r y S o c i e t y
March/April 2010
Vo l u m e 2 3 , N u m b e r 4
The
President’s
Pen
Dear Ladies,
How often do you catch yourself
thinking, “I really ought to .......” or “It
would be nice if I ........” or “I should
.....”?
Quite quickly a multitude of excuses
invade our thoughts, such as: “I’m sure
I’ll feel more like doing that later, or
next week”; or “I will consider doing
that after the dishes are done or other
household tasks are finished”; or “If it
is not too late”; or “If I’m not so tired”;
or “I really have to consider my needs
more. I’ve been on the go too much
lately and I think it would be better if I
took care of myself more.” What wonderful blessings we forego by not doing
what we ought!
As Women Meant to Serve, we are
to follow the example of the Proverbs
31 wife. She, without ceasing, is aware
of those in need around her. She
cares for her family, yes, but she also
is aware of those in need around her
and actively does something about it,
verse 20.
According to our WMS mission
statement, we are asked to be tuned
into activities that advance Christian
womanhood; spread the principles
of Christianity; and promote Christian
culture. How better to reach the goals
of the organization than to actively
pursue and model what things Christ
would have us do.
When I was a child, one of my
Sunday School teachers in Nappanee,
Indiana, tried hard to encourage us
students to be Christians in both word
and deed. Over and over he would tell
us of a way that he used to help himself to be more faithful in his service to
others. I have used his plan many times
to motivate myself.
(Continued on page 12)
Missionary Miscellany
Missionaries in Malaysia, David and
Jenny Loi are traveling in China until
March 26. They asked for our prayers
for: safety to and from China, within
China, good health, and for the Chinese people to hunger and thirst for
God’s words and then be receptive
to the gospel. Please continue your
prayers for the Lois and for the Chinese Christians and those about-to-be
Christians.
The FEBRUARY missionaries-of-themonth were Reggie and Julie Harvey,
pastoring the United Community
Brethren Church in Dayton, Ohio. Their
correct e-mail address is: [email protected]. Julie told of God ministering
through them:
United Community Brethren Church
continues to grow and reach out to
those in need. Last year, several new
programs were birthed and are flourishing. A Foundations class, which focuses
on the basics of the Christian walk, was
started. These classes take place Sunday mornings and are now a prerequisite of becoming a member of United
Community. Our after-school program,
for which we received a grant at last
year’s National Conference, has really
taken off! Not only do we offer educational assistance, but also Christian
drama, praise dance, sewing, art, and
physical activities. We also feed the
kids dinner while they are here. The
children have performed several times
already and they are always an added
blessing to our Sunday service.
Our church is known for serving food!
At almost every program we have, we
serve food. As we feed them spiritually, we know there is a need for food
in a lot of their homes, so we also feed
them physically. We continue to feed
the public on Thursdays and Sundays
and offer additional food assistance
through our food pantry. We also feed
the women during our women’s ministry
meetings; this was started again last
fall. The women’s ministry is the one
program that seems to have really
sprung up in so little time! We have
between 25-40 women at each of our
monthly meetings. Our church is made
up of the majority of women (a lot of
them are single mothers), so it is such
a blessing to see this program doing so
well.
We have been blessed so much
these last twelve months. In addition
to the grant given by the Brethren
denomination, we have also received
many volunteers and resources (material items) from a large church here in
Dayton. They have helped out with
volunteers and resources for our afterschool program, feeding ministry, youth
department, and our latest blessing
is they are in the process of painting and carpeting our whole upstairs
(children’s church classrooms, hallway,
and offices). This summer we will be
reaching out to a really rough/povertystricken apartment community here in
Dayton. They plan to financially fund
and send volunteers to help put on a
small carnival for this community, so we
can reach out to the people here who
need God in their lives.
Planting United Community Brethren
Church has proven to be strenuous
financially through the years, with a
new expense always arising (especially
with maintenance, upkeep, and heating costs), but God continues to keep
providing. We have been blessed to
have so many people see what God is
doing and want to help out: from the
Brethren churches to the local church
mentioned above, as well as several
local businesses. We in turn have been
able to help so many with God’s word
and the love of Jesus Christ.
Thank you for your continued
prayers and support!
(Continued on page 11)
9
District Doings
In the January-February Newsletter
activities of many societies were given.
Those were varied and so interesting.
In addition to those, two societies sent
detailed reports which I want to share
in their entirety.
IN
MILFORD, IN: In Aug., Sept., and Oct.
we sold food/concessions at numerous
auctions to raise enough money to buy
apples, lots and lots. Toward the end of
September, we picked bushels of those
apples. The first Saturday in October
we processed enough apples to make
over 60 gallons of applesauce. In addition, we had a remaining amount of
about 12 bushels of eating apples.
A few weeks later, we made a very
large amount of homemade noodles.
We sent the entire amount of applesauce, eating apples, and noodles to
Riverside Christian School (RCS) to feed
the staff and students. Enough money
was left to double our offering for the
district fall rally and to buy supplies for
November’s project.
Our November meeting was at the
Milford Middle School in the Home
Economics room. We used their sewing
machines and other equipment to sew
lap robes for the older folks we would
visit.
In December we held a cooky and
candy sale to raise money to send a
gift to the staff at RCS and our annual
gift to the Mirandas’ radio ministry.
In February we held our outreach to
the women of our church who are not
WMS members. On Super Bowl Sunday,
immediately after worship, all of the
women of the church were invited to
a light lunch and to make homemade
noodles. For many, this was a new
experience. The following Thursday,
we held our usual meeting with those
same women in attendance (giving
them a chance to see what we do in
a regular meeting), then one of the
ladies gave a demonstration on how
to make homemade easy Beef and
Noodles. Each lady brought her own
10
kettle to cook in and we supplied the
ingredients, including the noodles we
made the previous Sunday.
Our annual soup supper was in
March, when we invited our husbands.
We viewed a short video about World
Relief and received an offering for
that. We played “dirty bingo” and all
the “prizes” were items for the church:
copy paper, liquid hand soap, toys
and books for the nursery, styrofoam
plates and napkins for the kitchen,
etc. During this month we also held a
baked potato and ‘Bloomin Onion’
dinner to send unchurched children to
Camp Shipshewana.
At our regular meeting in April
we had a demonstration of how our
puppet ministry works. (We help them
financially.) We actually put together a
fairly easy puppet show, so we would
understand what they do. We hope to
recruit new members for their ministry,
or find talented women who would
enjoy helping them make the props for
each monthly performance. In May we
sold food at an auction to help with
supplying what they need.
During May, June, and July we have
various fund raisers to help send as
many women in our church as we can
to the Women of Faith Conference in
Indianapolis in August.
CA
CARSON OAKS, CA: Our ladies (in
their 20s - 80s) truly enjoy the fellowship we share at our meetings. Our
membership is 45 and the average
attendance is 25. Those present write
down their praises and prayer requests and put them in a basket. Then
before our devotional lesson starts,
each lady draws a paper. The praises
and requests are read aloud and she
continues to remember that lady in her
daily devotions and prayer time, and
is encouraged to stay in touch with a
phone call during the month. To add
fun to this, the hostess brings a small
gift and usually the first name drawn
receives the gift.
We select a missionary project for
each month. They were:
Sept. Riverside Christian School
Oct. Mexican food fund raiser with
proceeds benefitting Hispanic Ministries
(both US and international)
Nov. Hosted a Thanksgiving breakfast with donations accepted for Home
Missions — Pump House and Cross Bars
Dec. Haven of Peace, a local
women/children’s shelter. At our annual Christmas brunch, ladies brought
gift cards from Target, Wal-Mart, and
groceries to help with special needs.
Also we held a cooky walk/boutique
fund raiser. We sold homemade Christmas goodies, Chinese food, and gifts.
Donations were given to two local missions — Hope Ministries and Lighthouse
Village.
Jan. Our 3rd annual crab feed to
benefit international ministries. We sent
much needed support to our Philippine ministries outreach, as well as
other international missions, including
Malaysia, India, and “love gifts” to the
Philippine pastors’ wives.
Feb. Hosted a Filipino food fund
raiser to help Grace Tolentino’s mission
work in the Philippines.
Mar. Our most successful fund raiser
is always the soup lunch. We shared
the proceeds with World Relief and the
Philippines.
Apr. Easter breakfast with donations
designated for our church building
fund, helping pay down the principal
on our mortgage loan for our new
building.
May Annual Mother-Daughter
banquet and our traditional salad
buffet supper (lots of delicious salads!).
Following the program, we had a raffle
with proceeds benefitting a female
missionary, who is chosen at the June
meeting.
June Youth ministries and BYIC. We
give scholarships to young women
graduating from high school and sponsor a young person to our district Camp
Berea. One member held a beauty
night for young teens. They learned to
cleanse and care for their skin, practiced putting on make-up. A devotional time stressed the importance of
beauty within.
(Continued on page 12)
Women’s Outlook Newsletter
Missionary Miscellany (continued)
If you would like to see pictures and
get more information about what’s
going on here in Dayton at United
Community, please visit our website
at www.united communitybrethrenchurch.com.
The MARCH international missionaries-of-the-month are David and Cecilia
Molina in Spain. They are foreign missionaries from the Argentine church.
The national missionaries are Chris
and Leigh Anne Rufener and Ben and
Shannon Frank, leading the New Hope
church in State College, Pennsylvania.
Chris reported:
First, we at New Hope wish to
thank the WMS groups and individuals who have supported us through
your prayers, encouraging notes, and
financial assistance. And even more
so, thank you for all of the work you are
doing to advance Christ’s kingdom
throughout the world.
The last twelve months, since our
last update, have been very exciting
for New Hope. God has been doing
some great things in our midst. One
of the most exciting happenings was
celebrating the 3rd anniversary of
our Mothers of Pre-Schoolers (MOPS)
ministry. Since the fall, we have been
averaging 20-25 moms and 35-40 children at our bi-weekly meetings. Once
a month an 8-member steering team
meets together to pray and to plan
for MOPS. During these times, the Lord
has impressed upon them a specific
goal for the year: that every mom in
the group would grow one step closer
to God (which fits with New Hope’s
emphasis on living out the Great Commandment). And out of this goal, they
have chosen a curriculum for the year
entitled “Life on Planet Mom,” which
focuses on helping moms develop
their relationships with husbands, kids,
friends, in-laws, extended family, and
most important God. Please pray for
their upcoming “Tea and Testimony”
event on May 5. Not only will several
women from the group share testimonies about what God is doing in their
lives, but a gospel presentation will be
given also. Since several women in the
group are not Christians, please pray
that this time will plant spiritual seeds in
their hearts and lead them to salvation
in Christ.
A highlight in January was the start
of a men’s ministry called “Band of
Brothers.” Currently, we are hosting
March/April 2010
bi-monthly social events, such as hiking, basketball, Ultimate Frisbee, board
game nights, movie nights, etc. We
hope this will begin to foster camaraderie between the men who choose
to get involved and also help build
momentum for the launch of a men’s
study group this fall called “The Quest
for Authentic Manhood,” a video
curriculum by Pastor Robert Lewis. The
study will help us closely examine our
development as men and the wounds
which often hold us back, as well as
help us to discover the importance of
male mentors, the importance of Dad,
raising healthy sons and daughters,
and the role of a man in marriage.
Please pray with us that this group and
the study will equip men to be the
leaders God intends them to be in their
homes, workplaces, neighborhoods,
and world.
As many of you probably remember, one of our primary methods of discipleship at New Hope has been small
groups. This year has been no different.
Last summer we studied “Respectable
Sins,” a great book by Jerry Bridges, in
which he talks about the sins that we
often tolerate as Christians. Through the
fall and into March we did an inductive
study on the Gospel of John and on
March 16 the group will begin a study
focused on the writings of C. S. Lewis.
Finally, for the third time, we have
been running a study on Penn State’s
campus entitled “The Alpha Course,”
a 12-week video curriculum focused
on the foundations of the Christian
faith. Through these groups we have
seen several college and non-college
adults grow in their walks with God
and become better leaders for Christ’s
kingdom.
Another exciting development in
the fall was starting a student organization on Penn State’s campus. The
group is simply called “New Hope”
and has a mission “to raise up a generation of Christian leaders who will
follow Jesus to the ends of the earth.”
Through the group we have had worship services on campus and have
ministered to students from not only
America, but also from foreign lands
such as Africa and China. Perhaps the
most exciting blessing since the launch
of this organization was seeing a young
man from Kenya give his life to Jesus.
Please pray that he and all students
that we will reach through New Hope
would continue to grow in their walks
with Jesus.
In closing, we just want to say thank
you again for your commitment to
praying for us, helping to provide for
the church financially through gifts
from various WMS groups around the
country, and for constantly encouraging us through notes, birthday cards,
holiday cards, etc. Please continue
to pray for us and our ministry at New
Hope; that the Lord will use us to raise
up disciples for His kingdom who can
repeat the process in the lives of others.
Chris Rufener.
If you are interested in learning more
about our ministry, feel free to visit our
website @ www.newhopesc.org.
The APRIL international missionaries
are Italo and Rebecca Abuid in Peru,
SA. You will remember they are building the orphanage to care for children
in Puerto Maldonado. and were the
recipients of our two-year project. Luis
Angel and Zoraida Morillas serve the
Brethren church in Lima, Peru, SA.
The national missionaries-of-themonth are Bruce and Marylou Wilkinson, leading Pump House Ministries in
Ashland, Ohio. Their report will be in the
May-June Newsletter.
April 25-May 1, 2010
s
k
n
a
Th r
to Ou ers!
e
t
n
u
l
Vo
11
District Doings (continued)
The President’s Pen (continued)
July to be decided
Aug. Ashland Theological Seminary
Other missionary projects we have
supported this year are: Maria Miranda’s radio ministry by Adopting a Radio
Station; sponsored a female orphan
at the India orphanage; project and
thank offerings; Growth Partners; C-Ten
Ministries; WMS Fun(d)raiser Calendar
(we made up our own again this year
and the ladies loved it)! The proceeds
help a female missionary whom we
select at the June meeting. In 2008 she
was Sonia Antunez in Florida.
Ladies, if you want additional
information or specific details about
any of these ideas, please contact the
presidents: Debbie Beer in Milford and
Carolyn Bennett at Carson Oaks. Their
addresses are in the WMS Directory.
He suggested that when we have
an urge to perform an act of kindness, we should find a friend and ask
that friend to hold us accountable for
carrying out the task. He taught us,
that often by ourselves, we are weak.
We need the help of fellow Christians.
Don’t just say to yourself, “I really should
send a card to someone.” Instead,
find a friend and say, “I am sending
a card to ...... (name of the person)
on ...... (name of day).” Then ask your
friend to check up on you to make sure
you carried the task through. For some
reason when we are held to our word,
our actions are generally more surely to
follow. Try it! It works!
In Colossians 3:23 (NIV) Paul wrote
Whatever you do, work at it with all
your heart, as working for the Lord, not
for men. This verse does not give us
the option of deciding whether or not
to do something. It does not allude to
considering present conditions or how
we are feeling. We are to reach out
and meet the need. God will not only
supply the extra strength we need, but
He also will heap blessings beyond all
limits imaginable. There are rewards in
serving Him.
To those of us who say, “I will send
a card later”, or “I will visit later”, or “I
will meet a need later”, may we be reminded that in James 4:14 (NIV) we are
told that we do not even know what
will happen tomorrow! Why would we
want to lose a chance to receive the
rewards awaiting us after doing “what
we ought”!
Love and blessings to you as we
continue to serve Christ together.
Joanne Kroft
WMS National Financial Secretary
HERE’S
AN
IDEA
And here is a good idea from Cindy
Hanson, reporting from the Women
Meant to Serve in South Bend, IN.
In January “we launched our new
endeavor. It was a social meeting/
craft time with some developmentally disabled women in group homes
near our church. The staff of these two
homes wants their ladies to be out
in the community more and to build
social skills. The women loved dressing
up and coming to the “Heart to Heart”
meeting once a month.
Our ladies came and spent time
with them, helping with crafts to be
used in the community, like nursing
homes and other group homes. At our
first meeting they learned how to tie
knots on fleece blankets.
All of this came about because of
our church’s involvement with Luvability Ministries, which is worship experiences for the developmentally disabled.”
Cindy’s idea was too good to keep
until reporting next year.
12
The Editor’s Ending
Dear Friends,
Usually I’m not one to rush the calendar, but this is an alert:
National Volunteer Week is April 25 May 1. Get on your mark, get set, and
go to your choice where you want to
help. Don’t expect credit or pay, but
give your time and ability and perhaps
even money to a reputable cause to
benefit someone else. Inventor Charles
Kettering said, “You have got to be a
servant to somebody or something.”
This is your opportunity to be a servant.
Have you noticed how much we
crave time and money? We want
them both and yet we seldom have
both at the same time. We use time
to earn money, then we spend the
money to make the most of our time
-- conveniences and recreation. What
a paradox!
In the hymn “Take my life and let it
be consecrated, Lord, to Thee” Frances Havergal dedicated “My moments
and my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise.”
In succeeding verses, she gave the
Lord
her hands and feet,
her voice and lips,
her silver and gold and intellect,
her will and heart, and
her love and herself
“And I will be ever, only, all for Thee.”
Following the Lenten season when
we give up something for the Lord,
let us rejoice in the resurrection of our
Lord and give ourselves completely —
without reservation — to Him. “Take my
life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to
Thee.”
Your friend,
Joan
In Memory
Alice N. Ingraham
Alice Ingraham
Alice Naomi Ingraham, 89, of
Ashland, Ohio died Thursday, March
4, 2010 following an extended illness.
She was born December 4, 1920 in
Manteca, CA. Alice married M. Virgil
Ingraham on June 14, 1941.
Alice resided in Ashland since 1963,
having previously lived in Nappanee,
IN. She retired from Ashland University
in 1985, having been a secretary in
the science division. She was a devoted member of Park Street Brethren
Church, involved in many activities
including WMS, prayer chain, sewing
circle, Thursday Bible Study and Sunday School class.
Mildred E. Swihart
Wayne and Mildred Swihart in 2000
Mildred E. Swihart, 92, Shipshewana,
IN formerly of Silver Lake, IN and North
Manchester, IN died at 8:26 p.m.
March 3, 2010 in her residence. She
was born February 4, 1918 in Kosciusko
County, IN. On September 14, 1940
she married Wayne E. Swihart. He
survives. She received a BS degree in
elementary education, MA degree in
Liberal Studies and specialist degree
in reading. Mildred was an elementary
teacher in Porter County and retired
in 1986 from Valparaiso Community
Schools.
She began serving the church as
pianist with West Eel River Church of
the Brethren, Silver Lake, IN. She served
the following with her husband, Wayne,
student pastor at Congregational
Christian, Ohio, Burlington Brethren,
Tiosa and Mexico Brethren, Milford
Brethren, Muncie Brethren and Mishawaka Brethren, retiring in 1986. She was
a member of West Eel River Church
of the Brethren, Silver Lake, IN, Porter
I am the
Resurrection
and the Life
She is survived by three daughters,
Joann Coppes of Austin, MN, Evelyn Stewart of Abilene, TX, and Ruth
Donaldson of Columbus, OH; twelve
grandchildren and numerous great
grandchildren. She was preceded in
death by her son Daniel, two grandsons, and her husband Virgil, who died
on April 25, 2003.
The funeral service was held on
Tuesday, March 9 at Park Street Brethren Church with Dr. Arden Gilmer officiating. Memorial contributions may be
made to Park Street Brethren Church.
County Retired Teacher’s Association
and State of Indiana Retired Teacher’s
Association. One of her favorite hobbies was quilting.
She is survived by her husband,
Wayne Swihart, Shipshewana, IN;
two sons, Thomas (Sharon) Swihart,
Valparaiso, IN and David Swihart,
Leesburg, IN; two daughters, Ann
(Jack) Swihart Butts, Naples, FL and
Nancy (Martin) Swihart McClintock,
St. Louis, MO; two sisters, Ines Tracy,
North Manchester, IN and Mrs. Gene
(Marcile) Ranstead, Wabash, IN;
eleven grandchildren, and eleven
great grandchildren.
A funeral service was held on March
13, 2010 in North Manchester, IN with
Rev. Paul Tinkel officiating. Memorial
contributions may be made to West
Eel River Church of the Brethren, 799 W.
State Road 14, Silver Lake, IN 46982 or
the Alzheimer’s Association, 50 E. 91st
St., Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46240.
13
122nd General Conference
July 19 - 22, 2010
Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio
Reggie McNeal: Reggie McNeal enjoys helping people, leaders, and Christian organizations pursue
more intentional lives. He currently serves as the Missional Leadership Specialist for Leadership Network of Dallas, TX. Reggie’s past experience involves over a decade as a denominational executive and leadership development coach. He also served in local congregational leadership for
over twenty years, including being the founding pastor of a new church.
Jonathan Reitz: Jonathan Reitz is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
CoachNet Global. After a 15-year career in the broadcasting business,
Jonathan entered full time service to the church. Since then, he has worked
with hundreds of leaders, congregations and organizations in a variety of
areas, including: leadership development and training; coaching and
coach training; stewardship and generosity; church health and multiplication.
He has worked as a generosity coach, as a church planter, speaker and
workshop presenter, and as a strategic planning partner for congregations
and denominations across North and South America. He’s also a huge fan
of the TV show “Lost”, both for entertainment and the spiritual conversations
it engages.
The guy on the left will give his annual Spiritual State of the
Church message, the guy in the middle will ask great questions that will make us think about next steps in mobilizing
our congregations to transform communities, the guy on
the right will challenge and inspire us all to do our part to
multiply new Brethren churches.”
In addition to most all of the familiar events we’ve come to
expect, we remind you that again this year we are emphasizing that General Conference is dedicated to developing
transformative leaders who will return to their congregations
having been inspired and further equipped to impact their
communities. We encourage all congregations to work together to identify, empower, and both prayerfully and financially
support key leaders to come together as delegates equipped to lead in a NEW DAY.
Last year's conference delegates received a proposal presented by the Florida District that would change some aspects
of our denominational structure. 2009 Moderator Tom Schiefer appointed a task force made up of the Polity Committee,
Florida District Pastor Dave Stone, and two members from the Executive Board to study this proposal and bring back recommendations to this year's conference. This task force affirmed much of the original proposal and formulated recommendations on how it should be implemented. This new proposal with implementations, frequently asked questions, and a cover
letter by current Moderator Ron W. Waters has been mailed to each Brethren pastor and moderator. This information can
also be seen on our website, www.brethrenchurch.org. These proposed changes have been considered and discussed
at length by both of our current Ministries Councils and have been affirmed by our Executive Board as well. Delegates are
asked to prayerfully come prepared to discuss and vote on the proposal. Some advantages of the proposal are:
W
L
E
A
N OS
P
O
R
* It provides for direct election, by General Conference delegates, to the Executive Board. Currently districts nominate
individuals for the Councils, and the Councils themselves select Executive Board representatives from among the newly
elected class. The proposed process would be much more gift-specific and intentional.
P
* At the present time usually only elected individuals who serve on Councils are empowered to accomplish denomination-wide ministry. With this proposal, anyone with discernable gifting and passion for particular ministry within our vision and
values can join with a few others in a more flexible and cost-efficient task force form to work on identified objectives critical
to our mission.
14
2010 General Conference Registration
Monday, July 19 - Thursday, July 22, 2010
Ashland, OH - Ashland University
All General Conference participants must submit this registration form.
Early Bird Registration is June 1. (Register online at www.brethrenchurch.org)
Name(s): ________________________________________________________
Home Phone:_________________________
Address:____________________________________________ City, State, Zip:_____________________________________
First time Attendee? (Please check here)
- 2010 General Conference The 2010 General Conference will be hosting Reggie McNeal, a visionary author and speaker who helps people,
leaders and Christian organizations pursue more intentional lives. Reggie McNeal has authored numerous books over the past
decade, but will be focusing on his latest book Missional Renaissance. Reggie will spend part of our General Conference
week unpacking three important shifts that church leaders must make to engage the missional movement and then offer
suggestions for a different scorecard to reflect missional ministry.
General Conference will also provide an opportunity for you and your church leadership to reflect on Reggie’s
presentations, hear about the latest MissioChurch activities, new developments in Coaching and coach training, Global Partner
highlights, Ashland Theological Seminary updates. We will engage in the business of the Church as the Brethren Church looks
to change structures to become more effective for the life-transforming work God has for us.
We look forward to this week as a time to reconnect with friends across the nation and a time to reconnect with the
vision and mission that God has for us, both collectively and personally.
REGISTRATION
Registration fee for 2010 General Conference is $25.00 per household. Registrations submitted before June 1 qualify for an
early bird rate of $15.00 per household.
Total for Registration: $_____________
CREDENTIALS
Delegate credentials are obtained from your pastor. A limited number of district and cooperative credentials are available
through your district organizations. Credentials do not need to accompany your registration but need to be submitted by
June 1. If you are not attending as a church or district delegate, please complete the following Non Delegate section.
Non Delegate(s) $15.00 per person/ per day
No. of people _____ x No. of days attending _____ = Total for Non Delegate(s): $_____________
HOUSING
Housing is available on the campus of Ashland University in the dormitories (no air conditioning) for attendees of General
Conference 2010. There are several area hotels that are available. We recommend that you make arrangements for housing as
soon as possible to assure your stay. Housing at Ashland University includes a linen packet for sheets, towels and washcloth.
Some area hotels offer a discounted rate if you mention “Brethren Conference” while booking your reservation.
Number of rooms per day: S ___ M ___ T ___ W ___ TH ___
Cost per room is $45.00 per night.
Please list the name(s) of who will be in this room:
________________________________________________________________________________
I prefer to be on a floor with: Women’s restroom/shower _____ Men’s Restroom/shower_____
Total for Housing: $_____________
Continue on other side
15
15
2010 General Conference Registration (Continued)...
SPECIAL EVENT RESERVATIONS
Reception and Fellowship—Brethren Ministry Wives
Free Event x No. of tickets _____ = $_________
Ladies Luncheon
$10.00
x No. of tickets _____ = $_________
Ashland Theological Seminary Dinner
$12.00
x No. of tickets _____ = $_________
MissioChurch BBQ
$12.00
x No. of tickets _____ = $_________
Global Luncheon
$12.00
x No. of tickets _____ = $_________
Monday, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - Sandberg Leadership Center Room 103
Tuesday, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Upper Convocation Center
Tuesday, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - Upper Convocation Center
Wednesday, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - Ashland University Quad
*Combined event with Engage Conference*
Thursday, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Upper Convocation Center
Total for Special Events: $_____________
Kid’s Conference & Nursery
No nursery or kids conference will be available for General Conference 2010. For youth 12 years old and older, be sure to check
out the Engage Conference also happening on the campus of Ashland University, July 19 - 22.
Engage 2010
The Engage Conference (formerly known as BYIC Convention) will be gathering youth, young adults and
advisors from around the country; connecting together for a time of passionate worship, relevant teaching,
transformational training and celebration as we share our lives together as the followers of Jesus Christ and as
Brethren. If you have students in your family, church or community, we encourage you to have them check out
Engage 2010 and invite you to join us during part of the week.
Information can be found on the Brethren Church website (www.brethrenchurch.org).
Registration Fee : $_____________
Non-Delegate Fee (if applicable): $_____________
Housing: $_____________
Special Event Reservations: $_____________
Total Registration Fee: $_____________
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Registrations sent before June 1 qualify for the Early Bird Registration rate
of $15.00 per household, after June 1 Registration is $25.

Delegate credentials can be obtained from your pastor, district or
organization. Please submit your credential before June 1.

Updated information regarding 2010 General Conference can be obtained
by visiting our website: www.brethrenchurch.org
PLEASE MAIL REGISTRATIONS AND FEES TO:
Brethren Church General Conference
524 College Ave. Ashland, OH 44805
16
Please select your payment type:
□ I am paying by check which is enclosed.
Please make checks payable to Brethren Church.
□ I am going to pay by credit card. Please bill me
via email:
E-Mail________________________________
□ I will be paying the full amount before July 1.
Please send a bill to the following address
(if different from registration address):
Name: __________________________________
Address:_________________________________
City:_____________________
State:_____ Zip: __________
ENGAGE Registration Form
July 19 – 22, 2010
Ashland, oh
First Time Attendee? □
First Name ____________________ Last Name ___________________________
Address ____________________________________________________________
City ____________________________ State _______ Zip Code ______________
Phone (_______) ________ - __________ Birthday ____ / ____ / 19____
Email __________________________________T-Shirt Size (adult sizes) _______
Male □
Conference Cost
□
$280 Early Bird ENGAGE
□
$325 Regular ENGAGE
□
$350 The Day of ENGAGE
(postmarked before May 15)
(postmarked before June 15)
Female □
What church do you attend? ___________________________________________
ENGAGE Conference Students:
Who is your adult sponsor?: __________________________________________________
You must have an adult sponsor of the same sex and at least 22 years of
age who is registered with the ENGAGE Conference in order to attend. If
you submit this registration form without a sponsor, please add $30 to
your payment. This cost will pay the way for your sponsor for the week.
PAYMENT INFORMATION
Conference Fee:
___________
No Sponsor (add $30.): ___________ (Required if no advisor is listed)
Linens ($10.00):
___________ (Optional)
Total Due:
___________
Amount Enclosed:
___________
Please complete the billing box so we know how you will be paying.
Adult Sponsor Cost
□
$280 Early Bird ENGAGE
□
$325 Regular ENGAGE
□
□
$350 The Day of ENGAGE
(postmarked before May 15)
(postmarked before June 15)
FREE—I’m registering
10 students by May 15!
Adult Sponsors Only
List the students you are sponsoring:
(up to 8)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
***A $50.00 fee will be imposed on any cancellations or payment transfers for ENGAGE Conference 2010.***
Please select your payment type:
□ I am paying by check which is enclosed. Please make checks
payable to: ENGAGE Conference.
□ I am going to pay by credit card. Please bill me via E-mail:
____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
□ I will be paying at conference
Continued on other side
Send form to: ENGAGE Conference 524 College Avenue Ashland, OH 44805
17
2010 ENGAGE Conference Medical Form
Legal Name________________________________________________________________________________________________
Age ____________ Birthday _______________________ Social Security Number _____________-___________-_____________
Emergency Contact Information
Name of Parent(s) / Guardian(s)_______________________________________________________________________________
Daytime Phone _________________________________________ Evening Phone _____________________________________
Alternate Contact: (Name) ____________________________________________ Phone_________________________________
Insurance information
Insurance Company ________________________________________________________________________________________
Policy and/or Group Number ________________________________________________________________________________
Please list any medical conditions, recent illnesses or operations, any medications you currently take and any known allergies:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Medical Release, Authorization to Treat, Conduct and Publication:
I hereby authorize a representative of The Brethren Church, or the 2010 ENGAGE Conference to authorize administration of medical treatment to this participant when medical treatment is deemed necessary. I understand that all
reasonable safety precautions will be taken at all times by The Brethren Church. I understand that in the event medical intervention is necessary every attempt will be made to contact the person(s) listed above. I further release, indemnify, hold harmless and further discharge The Brethren Church, Inc,. its employees and members, and the ENGAGE
Conference for any and all damages, losses or injuries sustained by participants resulting from applicant’s participating
in the ENGAGE Conference . This extends to and applies to, and also covers and includes, all unknown, unforeseen,
unanticipated and unsuspected injuries, damages, losses and liability, and consequences in substance that releases shall
not extend to claims, demands, injuries or damages which are unknown or unsuspected to exist at the time, to person
executing such release are hereby expressly waived.
I understand that by breaking ay rules or guidelines during the week of ENGAGE Conference 2010, I may be sent home
at my own cost, regardless of cost or time remaining of Conference. Any photographs taken during the week maybe
used for promotion purpose via print, video and web, a written request to exclude participant must be on file prior to
ENGAGE Conference. 2010.
Participant’s Signature: _________________________________________________________________________________________
DAte Signed: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Parent / Guardian Signature: ____________________________________________________________________________________
Be sure to check out the website for updates on ENGAGE Conference 2010.
www.brethrenchurch.org
18
July 19 - 22, Ashland University
I like words. Words are powerful. They have movement, both in stirring the soul
and the imagination. Words impact. They reveal and expose. Words are important; they are necessary.
ENGAGE. Now, there is a word full of movement, power and impact. When I
hear or see the word ENGAGE I’m moved. I think of connecting or plugging in.
My mind envisions a joining of hands and oneness of purpose.
ENGAGE! What does that word say to you? What images come to your mind?
In your world today, there is much to ENGAGE, isn’t there? You live in a time
ripe with opportunity; some good some not. It can be a daily struggle to know
where and with whom to ENGAGE. You have this voice over here saying one
thing, while the voice over there is saying another. Who do you listen to? Where
do you ENGAGE?
Taylor Mason
Entertainment
Honestly, sometimes the pressure to ENGAGE can be so great, we reverse and
withdraw. Often times though, we discover that withdrawing doesn’t work well.
Do you know why? We were not made to withdraw; rather we were made to
ENGAGE. God has hardwired us with the desire to ENGAGE with one another;
with him.
This summer you have an exciting opportunity to ENGAGE in a way like never
before. ENGAGE Conference is an opportunity for you to take one week out of
your summer and really ENGAGE all that God has for you. Things like friends
old and new, intimate opportunities of worship, challenging messages and of
course loads and loads of fun and excitement.
Since convention 2009, more than just a name change has taken place (did you
notice we’re not referred to as BYIC Convention anymore?). A renewed focus
and desire has happened as well. Sure we want ENGAGE Conference to be fun,
to be a break from the norm, to provide you with something to do this summer.
But we also want ENGAGE Conference to be a pocket of time, a carved out
space where you have the intimate opportunity to ENGAGE the Living God.
Pastor Paul Stanley
Evening Speaker
Chris Folmsbee, Youth Workers’ Speaker
God has a plan for you this summer. God desires for you to learn and know what
it means to LIVE DEEP. But in order to fully discover this plan you have to
ENGAGE. Join us July 19-22, 2010 on the campus of Ashland University for
ENGAGE Conference 2010 and learn what it means to LIVE DEEP in God.
For more information contact your youth leader or visit us online at www.
brethrenchurch.org and while you’re online, if you’ve not yet become our Fan,
swing on over to Facebook and do so (www.facebook.com/pages/Ashland-OH/
Brethren-Youth-In-Christ/132054714793).
Sing Love, Sing, Worship Band
19
The Brethren Evangelist (SSN 0747-4288) is published six
times a year by The Brethren Church, Inc., 524 College Ave.,
Ashland, OH 44805-3792 (telephone: 419-289-1708; email:
[email protected]; fax: 419-281-0450. Authors’ views
are not necessarily those of The Brethren Church. Subscription
rates: Sent free to Brethren Church members; $15.00 per year to
others. Member, Evangelical Press Association. Postage: Paid
at Ashland, Ohio. Postmaster: Send address changes to The
Brethren Church, 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792.
March/April 2010, Vol. 132, No. 2
The Brethren Church
524 College Ave.
Ashland, OH 44805
Periodical
Postage Paid at
Ashland, OH
44805
The
122nd General Conference
of the
Brethren Church
July 19 - 22, 2010
Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio
Ken Hunn, Executive Director
Jonathan Reitz
Chairman & CEO of
CoachNet Global
Reggie McNeal
Missional Leadership Specialist
Leadership Network
Grace Community Church Worship Band
Winchester, Virginia
Registration forms inside: also available at www.brethrenchurch.org
Bill Ludwig
Church Planting Coordinator
Gary Diehl , Church Health
& Resource Specialist