www.brethrenchurch.org

EvangelistTHE BRETHREN

Vol 132, No. 5Sept/Oct 2010

DEDICATED TO ADVANCING THE LIFE AND MINISTRIES OF THE BRETHREN CHURCH

Member or Missionary?

Relational … Missional … Sustainable … Reproducing … Global

Ken Hunn, Executive DirectorI can’t remember my first

Sunday in church. Neither can many of you. If you’re like me, it was the first Sunday after your birth, or so early on that you have no memory of it. I still treasure a plaque commemo-rating my nearly flawless Sunday School attendance. And in time I transitioned from being an at-

tender to being a member. The Jesus I had grown up with became my Savior too. My life was filled with the kind of precious memories we used to sing about every Homecom-ing Sunday.

This life beginning was wonderfully comfortable for me. I knew just about everyone I worshipped with. I knew all the songs and had my favorites. I probably couldn’t spell vestibule or narthex but I knew what they were and enjoyed lingering there until the music would begin. I’ll never forget the love and kindness extended to my family in times of uncertainty and distress.

No wonder that early on I decided I wanted to lead another flock like the one who had shepherded me. And though my seminary years were so formative, the memo-ries of my childhood experiences served as my pattern for pastoral ministry. I understood the importance of commu-nicating the Word, of comforting the afflicted, of directing and organizing the functioning of the Body, all learned in my experiences from childhood on. By the grace of God people responded to the similar efforts of those who served alongside me, and the church grew in numbers and in a depth of knowledge of the Word.

For a long while we could simply invite sinners in, because they were products of a Christian era that understood that faith was a part of our experience in this country. Wanting to spread this trend, we supported others who would cross cul-tures to communicate the same message of our childhood. We called them missionaries, and their heroic service should not be forgotten or minimized.

Somewhere into my second pastorate, however, things began to tug at my soul. We were seeing new people every year, and the church members did a wonderful job of welcoming these newcomers. But my conscience bothered me over the ones whom Ralph Neighbor described as be-ing unwilling to darken the door of the church — even in their own coffin! Who was reaching these people? Most all of our growth was people who had dropped out of church and were reconnecting. Very few of our new members were those trusting Christ for the first time. But when they did, something in the depth of my soul cried out with joy.

We no longer live in the same faith-friendly era. We can keep inviting them in, but very few are listening, instead desir-ing a faith that proceeds first from deeds rather than words. We are finding that in order to reach a new generation, we must learn how to cross into this emerging culture for the purpose of communicating Christ by living out his life on a day-to-day basis. We are understanding that we must trade the member culture of our youth and adopt a missionary culture.

And now seven years into my new responsibilities I can see that this same joy is being pursued by more and more leaders and congregations. Many of us are trading the comfort of member status and signing up for mission-ary service. I truly believe it was always meant to be this way, conducting our lives as missionaries more than mem-bers. Church has always been a place of belonging as a member with all of its responsibilities. But it also, and I think predominantly, needs to be a place from which we are deployed as missionaries. We need to put the “Go” back into the historic “Go Ye” of our Brethren seal. “Foreign” and “International” are just two expressions of a missionary spirit that needs to include people next door or possibly just across the room.

One of the most obvious signs of this healthy transition is seen in the way we have chosen to allocate our financial resources. Our shrinking international budget is certainly a reflection of a more austere economy and the growing ability of our international partners to fiscally care for their own core needs, but it is especially a reflection of a chang-ing understanding of what it means to be a body that is committed to a missionary expression throughout the whole church. The Mobilization of existing churches and Multiplica-tion of new churches is a significant expression of a people embracing a new missional reality in their lives and ministries. It is a bold commitment to helping congregations make this missional transition as well as the multiplication of new congregations with this same missional imprint. This transition is not easy, is often chaotic, and it certainly isn’t at all com-fortable. But it is biblical, and it is the kind of transformation with which the Father is well pleased.

Member or Missionary?

Relational … Missional … Sustainable … Reproducing … Global

Multiplication

Is Church Planting Really Worth It? Paul Stanley

Carson Oaks Community ChurchStockton, California

3

By the time you read this we will be well over a year into our church plant here in Northern California. First let me just say thank you to all of you who have been faithful in your finan-cial and spiritual support of this plant. I cannot begin to tell you how much that means to all of us here and we pray that you would seek God on your continuing support as we continue in building this church up.

To start, I would like to report to you that it has been smooth sail-ing all the way. I said I would like to; things, however, have not quite worked out the way that we hoped they would, but I think we would agree that they seldom do when one is doing any kind of ministry. Please know right from the start that we are not discouraged by the fact that things have not worked out per-fectly. We know we are in a learning stage and what we are discovering here will be a great help to us eventu-ally; moreover, to those of you who are being moved by God to undertake your own church plant in the future. So let me share what we have been experiencing with you.

Ideally, by now we would love to have a Sunday service in God’s Pur-pose Church (the church plant’s new name) that runs well over 100 people, that has a strong base of financial support that would allow the church to run without any outside support, in addition to having a clear defini-tion of where it is that God is taking us. That, however, has not been the case. Please don’t hear this the wrong way. It is not as if things have taken a turn for the worse here. It is just looking different than we thought it would. At the same time we know and believe that God has us right where he wants us, and we have learned in this pro-cess that if we have truly surrendered our lives to God and our ministry to God then he is in charge of all things and all things will work out according to his timing and his plan. I know you are probably thinking, “Well everyone

knows that!” Let me tell you something friend: it is one thing to say it; it is an-other to truly live it and trust God at this level! Waiting upon the Lord is not as easy as it sounds!

A good example of this is how we were waiting and waiting for the visa paperwork for Viseth and his family to come through that I discussed in my last article. God, in his infinite wisdom, decided to wait to bring that good news to us while we were attending General Conference this summer so that all of us who were there could be blessed together. I don’t think this was a coincidence because I also think it served the purpose of encouraging someone there who was waiting upon the Lord and persevering in prayer for their own life or ministry. We learned that God sometimes uses a process such as this in our lives to encourage others, and if we just stop thinking that everything is about us and for us, we might just see the glory of God revealed in what he is doing around us and through us as we surrender to doing Kingdom work! That is church planting on a universal scale!

So what does all of that mean for this particular church plant? It means that as we have continued along in this process, what we thought was the way to go has had to be reassessed and reevaluated several times. It is not a bad thing mind you. It is (as I am learning) just part of growing and de-veloping a church plant where we have no prec-edent to look back on. We are forging the way, and in a

sense, writing the script for what an ad-ditional church plant of this ilk will look like in the future, which may very well be the case for your church plant.

Presently the leaders in both the Khmer-speaking part of the church and the English-speaking side are being brought together with the deeper un-derstanding of the unity that is going to be required to take this plant to where God wants us. It is not a discouraging time, but an encouraging time for us. So what that we have not hit all the tar-gets we thought we would! Instead of just hitting targets, we are seeing lead-ers developing the understanding that they must transcend commitment and move into surrender in this endeavor. That is going to make a ton of differ-ence in the way we train disciples at both Carson Oaks and God’s Purpose Church. As this church plant matures we are going to have some really excellent seeds planted that will surely grow into much more than we ever expected in the Kingdom of God!

Just last night in a joint leadership training study, I asked the simple but all-important question of all of the leaders: “Is this church which God has called you to serve worth it?” A simple question for sure, but an all-important

one nonetheless to anyone who wants to

plant a church

or be the

continued on page 4 …

support church. Is it worth it? Are you really willing to surrender your time, your effort, your money, and your comfort for the costly and often un-comfortable endeavor of building the Kingdom of God?

The leaders here were unanimous in the fact that IT IS WORTH IT! We deter-mined that there is not a comfort here on this earth that supersedes the work to which God has called us. If that means working harder and longer and even in a different way than we ex-pected when we started this plant, then so be it! If you are considering a church plant you should really think this through and learn from what we are doing and sharing with you. Just because it does not play out like you thought it would does not mean that God is not in the plan. You have to be very flexible and unwilling to give in and give up when doing a church plant. The plant here is succeeding, but it is developing in a dif-ferent way and at a different pace than we expected, as I suspect yours will as well. Just be ready when it happens and don’t think it strange when it comes your way. Roll with it and keep moving forward with the full assurance that God did not call you to fail!

I am pretty sure human nature be-ing what it is, there are some of you who are reading this and thinking, “It sounds as if you are just making excuses because the church plant isn’t grow-ing as quickly as projected.” You can think that if you want but understand a couple of things; first, that simply is not true, and secondly, that is failure-speak my friend! If your mind works that way don’t get involved in a church plant because when you hit your first bump in the road you will want to throw in the towel , and I don’t know about you, but around here we just do not do that!

This journey is binding us together tighter and tighter as we go along. As God continues to bless us in unex-pected ways, we are looking forward to sharing with you all the crazy things that come our way and just how the God of all creation works to glorify himself and to build this church plant into what he always intended it to be,

in his time, according to his plan and for

his purpose! Has it been hard? Of course! Is church plant-

ing really worth it?

ABSOLUTELY!

Hugh Halter’s book The Tangible King-dom, written

with his friend and ministry partner Matt Smay, describes an alternate expres-sion of church that both frustrates me and gives me hope.

Halter spoke to a group from the Brethren Church and the Grace Breth-ren Fellowship last May in Delaware, Ohio. That day he shared his personal disillusion with the 21st-century church — a church that seems to have lost its missional focus and become more skilled at creating consumers than making disciples. Halter fled a full-time paid ministry position in a traditional church and, in doing so, found that God opened doors for him to “do church” in a new (yet ancient) way. He is now one of the bi-vocational pastors of Adullam, which he prefers to describe as “an incarnational faith community.”

Halter’s book tells the larger story of how Adullam developed out of his so-cial circles in Denver, CO. But the end result is a community based around intentional, high-commitment disciple-ship. People don’t join the church so much as they “go on mission with Jesus” together.

New disciples at Adullam begin just like Halter and Smay did when they first moved to Denver — by making friends and engaging culture. Halter told us how he and his wife put rocking chairs on the front porch of their sub-urban home so they could more easily

interact with their neighbors; within a couple of years, most of the houses on their street had added front porches. This simple yet intentional action trans-formed their previously disconnected neighborhood. Phase I of being part of a tangible (incarnational) kingdom isn’t about formally evangelizing neighbors — it’s about getting to know people and blessing them in practical ways.

From there, Adullam’s disciples create spaces to discuss and learn about life and God. Halter and his wife started by hosting a lot of parties. Many of the friends who came to their parties soon joined a weekly gather-ing in the Halter home, where they talked, ate, and shared life together. Eventually, most of the group came to Christ through their relationship with the Halters and through honest spiritual discussion. But even those who didn’t still felt comfortable hanging around as “sojourners” exploring Jesus.

Instead of allowing new converts to bask in the security of accepting Christ and receiving salvation, Halter quickly challenges them to make a second decision: die to self and live for Christ. If people want to be part of Adullam, they must commit to living the “sent” life of a disciple and putting others before themselves. The result is what Halter calls an “incarnational commu-nity” — one that is sent to be a blessing to others and transform the environ-ment with Christ’s love.

Initially Halter’s words frustrated me. He makes it sound so simple, so natural. So why has today’s organized church made it so complicated? Why do we need spiritual gift inventories and new member classes, Adult Bible Fellow-

Reflections on Hugh Halter’s Tangible KingdomWende LancePark Street Brethren Church, Ashland, Ohio

Sometimes I look around at church as we know it — the Sunday-focused, building-based, often complicated version that too many of us seem to be stuck in — and wonder what God thinks. Is this what he had in mind when he told us to go and make disciples?

4

ships and small groups, youth events and children’s programming, quar-terly socials and annual stewardship campaigns? How are we supposed to release our people to live incarnation-ally when they’re too busy attending church meetings? I tend to be impul-sive, so the Adullam story made me want to shred the whole 21st-century church model and start over. (Or at least quit church and start meeting with friends on my deck instead.)

But then God reminded me that he loves his church, as multi-layered and complex as we’ve made it, and he has managed to work through it in all of its varied expressions over the course of history. Furthermore, not all of us are wired like Hugh Halter and, accord-ing to Halter, only about 10% of us are naturally outward-focused. Likely, most of those who are outward-focused are probably not sitting in a church pew.

So now what?

Thankfully, Halter wrapped up by giving us hope. He said that we need both those with a modalic style (those who are prone to be in here, are gifted in teaching, administration, and shep-herding, and are more comfortable growing disciples) as well as those 10% who operate with a sodalic style (apos-tles and prophets who would rather be out there building relationships with the lost). Because our churches consist mostly of modalic people, we tend to be content teaching one another and growing spiritually without hav-ing much noticeable impact on those outside our walls. On the other hand, if we were completely sodalic, we would

Mobilization

Reflections on Hugh Halter’s Tangible Kingdom

Mobilizing the People of God to BE the Church!

As you and your leadership team review the principles in Wende Lance’s article, use these questions to begin developing your own reflections and cre-ating your own action steps.

What kinds of things have caused frustration for you as you went about the routine of “doing church” in the past?

How would you describe the culture around where you live and/or work? What influence does faith in Jesus currently play on how that larger culture thinks or behaves?

What percentage of your time at church activities has been spe-cifically designed to help you connect in relationships with non-churched people?

If Jesus physically lived in a house in your neighborhood, how do you think he might interact differently with the people on your street or road than you have?

Which of our church activities would you describe as Attractional, meaning designed to get outsiders to come in here? Which would you label as Incarnational, meaning designed to get believers out there and among non-believers?

What are some ways our congregation could move to a better bal-ance of those expressions of being the church?

If you’re interested in learning more about the journey Hugh Halter and Matt Smay have taken, read THE TANGIBLE KINGDOM: Creating Incarnational Com-munity and their latest book AND: The Church Gathered AND Scattered.

Note: Hugh Halter and Matt Smay will be at 2011 General Conference! See the inside back cover of this magazine for details.

reach a lot of people but never help them grow spiritually.

The key is balancing the two, both individually and as a church. It isn’t simply about being just attractional (in here) or incarnational (out there), but developing both realities. How can we challenge our people to move be-yond consuming the Sunday sermon and empower them to live a sent life? How can we as church leaders model that life, moving in circles that extend

beyond our Brethren boundaries and actually intersect in a healthy way with culture? And most important, how can we get over ourselves and sacrificially love the people around us?

At Park Street, God is helping us pro-cess this tension together and discover what it means to live missionally and incarnationally. And I am enjoying the (at times) frustrating, always hopeful journey.

It isn’t simply about being just attractional (in here) or incarnational (out there), but developing both realities.““

5

Sometimes it seems we are sent into deep and unfamiliar wa-ters with only a life jacket and a bucket. Closing a church is not one of the assignments we would choose for God to give us. Had I known what my first year of ministry would hold and the way it would end, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I would have run from the very though of what I would be called to do. However, as I ponder in hindsight what transpired, I have to ask myself, “How could I not have gone? Knowing what I know now, how could I live with myself if I had not done exactly what I was called to do?” I have see the Father work, I have walked with Jesus, and I have felt the power of the Holy Spirit clearly manifest in a situation that most would (and many did) call hopeless.

Unfortunately for many churches in today’s world, it is the bottom of the ninth inning. The home team is beaten up, wounded and exhausted, and yet we keep preaching at them to stand up and bat some more. When they struggle to step up to the plate, we let them know that they had better hit a home run for Jesus. Or at least that’s what they think they are being told. That’s what I found when I came to Meadow Crest Brethren Church near Fort Wayne, Indiana. They were a small, worn down, wounded group of people trying their best to keep the ‘church’ alive.

You see, I serve a mighty God who always has a purpose for us, and he was there with me. He was there in the desert with me and I have come out on the better side of his will for my life. And the lives of the people in the congregation have been enriched because they now realize the most important thing is to see Jesus. God led me right back to my seminary training where three of my beloved profes-sors had told me the very same thing. Their advice was, “In your first year, just preach and love the people.” And my mentor told me when I asked him for a final word of advice, “Keep your eye on your call.”

That is exactly what I did. Week after week I lamented that the Bible knowledge of these dear and loving people was not at a maturity level to keep them spiritually healthy, let alone reach others from the overflow. So I prayed over them and walked the floor at night to seek the Lord’s heart as to what he would have me say to encour-age them that he loved them beyond measure. There is nothing more impor-tant! That became the desire of my heart for them. I wanted them to know Jesus rather than to know about him. God blessed that commitment by al-lowing me to fall in love with them. My heart will be united with these people forever.

It wasn’t long until we saw the writ-ing on the wall. The frustrating heart cry stemming from trying to meet the finan-

cial demands of the situation became too much to bear. A pipe broke and flooded a large portion of the church, and I found my people on their knees trying to mop up a flooded fellowship hall floor with small dishtowels. My heart cried out to God for an answer. We could not keep going like this. The bur-den was much too heavy to carry.

That became the turning point for us. As the pastor and the leader it was my duty to be honest with the board and the congregation. We became real and didn’t just say we were fine anymore. Instantly we became closer then we had ever been before. One of the church mothers shared something the Holy Spirit had given her that a church, like a person, was a life cycle, and it also needs permission to die. We weren’t fine. This was going to hurt, and we knew it. I found out later that ‘fine’ really means frustrated, insecure, neurotic, and emotional… but we knew one thing for sure: God was with us and we were there for each other.

After a 72-Hour Prayer Vigil and discussion they called me and asked me to join them at the altar, where I had been ordained the previous Sunday. They presented me with a clear decision of six to two in favor of closing. At that very moment God gave us a beautiful midwestern sunset that seemed to touch the side of the church! It was a awesome ‘kairotic’ [critical] moment and one that I hope I never forget.

As I tried to prepare a sermon for the next-to-last service we would have, the Holy Spirit would let me do nothing but follow up on the ‘life and death’ theme, so I preached a funeral service for the church. God knew the result of the sermon would be one of allowing these loving servants of his to finally realize it was OK to let go and begin the grieving process. In his timing, the last board meeting was held at the same altar that Sunday morning. No words were spoken. Hugs and tears were exchanged. Heartfelt praise and thanksgiving had the last word.

Later I asked if there were any regrets. One young woman spoke up that her daughter had wanted to be baptized in the church and that now she couldn’t be. I asked her, “Why not?!” After speaking not only with her daughter but her younger brother, on the congregation’s very last Sunday, this pastor was blessed to baptize two young people as the final act of

Closing a church is not one of the assignments we would choose for God to give us.

The Closing

Pam McQuade

6

Solomon’s thoughts about the divinely appointed cycles of all living things can be haunting. The idea that his words “a time to be born and a time to die” might apply to a local church, like all other living things, can be a sobering notion. But when we understand the larger picture of God’s creation and redemption story, Christ-followers can face even the reality of a church’s death with a hope that goes beyond what the world can explain. It is OK to let go when the reality of life tells us it’s time to die. For some congregations, it’s time to recognize this reality of life.

Stephen Gray’s book LEGACY CHURCHES provides hopeful language for the tough issues associated with the death and letting go of a local church. While death always brings grief, it does not have to be the end of significant kingdom fruit. Leaving a kingdom legacy means that, even though we pass away, we in-tentionally leave something behind that assures the work of God will go forward. Whether it is a clear, faithful witness or a physical asset, we can and should leave something behind that enhances the work of the gospel. It should be so for our churches as well.

Take time in your next leadership board meeting to talk through the following questions together. Use them to think about how you and your church can begin planning now to leave a kingdom legacy.

In the “old age” stage of life, the systems of the body often begin to wear out and natural energy wanes. The good folks of Meadow Crest were worn and tired when Pastor McQuade joined them. It took almost all their energy to simply “do church” every week. How would you describe the current energy level of your congregation?

• How do we, as a congregation, sense and celebrate together the fact that God loves us beyond measure?

• If our church ceased to exist, how would the unchurched people in our community miss us?

• What are some ways we can assure honesty about the true vitality of our congregation?

• If there were to be a funeral for our congregation, what would we want people to celebrate about our life and ministry?

• What are the kinds of legacies we could leave that would help the work of God continue moving forward and bring new life?

service before the closing. With Jesus, death can always produce life! Even when it seems that all you have is a life jacket and a bucket.

Just as the laments of David always ended with praise, so does this story. When we are doing the will of God, there is always hope. He will always open the door to the future if we are seeking him. Just a few weeks later we all gathered for a picnic complete with food, fun and fellowship because we just enjoyed being together.

I am also grateful and so honored to have spent the time I did with these beautiful people of God. The Lord moved me away from them physically,

For Reflection …

so we have had to entrust each other into his care. I thank them for allow-ing me the privilege of serving them and leading them to his heart for their future. All I see now is his hope for all of us. To God be the glory!

*** This account is dedicated to the loving memories of Kitty Winfield, whose idea it was for me to write it, and of Herman Mellinger, who served Meadow Crest as moderator for over 30 years. I miss them both for their quiet wisdom and friendship. Each has left a blessed legacy in my life.

Pastors & Spouses Retreat

March 1-3, 2011Quality Inn & Suites, Bellville, OH

(just south of Mansfield)

• Breakfasts at the hotel, other meals at the Dutch Heritage Restaurant across the street. Wednesday evening meal at the Pumphouse Grille with current Brethren students at ATS.

• Programming is being firmed up with the theme of renewing our passion for Christ, our spouses, others, and ministry.

• COST: $134.00 single/ (double occupancy)$184.00/single$254.00/couple

Pastors and leaders, we need this time together to encourage, nurture and even challenge one another as part-ners in the gospel who serve a Risen Savior, Jesus Christ.

Registration information will be distributed by the middle of November with a February 15, 2011 registration deadline.

7

“What if we blessed our school system this school year?” That was the question First Brethren pastors Sam Shultz and Brent Sloan asked one morning last February while sitting at Seasons, a local coffee shop, for their weekly staff meeting. The next few months developed into what became the first annual Bryan (Ohio) Back to School Bash.

On Sunday, August 8th, an estimated 350 people made their way to the corner of County Roads C and 13 for a day of blessing, food and free fun. The morning began during the church service with a back-to-school blessing. All 298 Bryan City School employees had been invited. “Several of us are connected with teachers, so we understand the challenges our schools face right now,” Shultz said, “We wanted to let our schools know we support them. We will be praying for them regularly and have asked for their wish lists — if they have any — because of budget cuts.”

After the church service a free hog roast, celebrity dunk tank and carnival began. Over 200 people were served lunch. Donations were ac-cepted for the meal and the celebrity dunk tank, which featured a lineup of school principals, community officials, coaches, and pastors Shultz and Sloan. Total donations received eclipsed $1,000. Proceeds were designat-ed for the BCS Student Assistance Fund, which meets needs of students district-wide.

The Bash activities also featured eleven carnival games, “YesFM” live broadcasts, free ladder truck rides from the Bryan Fire Department, tours of the BMU TV truck, and a strong man presentation by Stew Rosendaul. “In our minds, it was a success. We met every one of our goals,” critiqued Sloan.

The church also hosted a free raffle which distributed over $1,800 in prizes donated by more than 45 Bryan area businesses. A complete list of community sponsors and prize winners can be found at www.bryanfbc.com. Shultz stated that more than 30% of those who attended won a raffle item.” We still have several free raffle winners who have not collect-ed their prizes. People can visit our website to see if they won anything in case they missed it.”

“It was amazing to see how generous the businesses in Bryan are which it comes to helping the school like this,” commented Mike McCann as the church shared their experiences from the Bash recently. Jack Kotowski agreed. “I was surprised at how willing the community was to

contribute to the Bash. It just goes to show how supportive our community is of our schools.”

To their delight, Shultz and Sloan ad-mitted the Bash turned out to be more of a community event than they had originally hoped. “Without our local celebrities willing to sit in the dunk tank, Mayor Doug Johnson’s video greeting during the teacher blessing, Diana Sav-age’s accommodating services, and the Fire Department bringing Sparky and their ladder truck, it would have been just another carnival,” Sloan quipped.

Pastor Shultz agreed. “With the generosity of our local businesses, Just Add Kidz bringing their inflatables, Tim Manning and his hog roasting crew, and the TV support from BMU, we were able to see over $7,000 go into this entire day. We’re already excited about next year!”

Bryan Holds First Annual Back-to-School Bash

Sam Shultz

8

9

A P u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e W o m e n ’ s M i s s i o n a r y S o c i e t yVo l u m e 2 4 , N u m b e r 1

The President’s Pen

9

Women’s Outlook NewsletterS e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 0

Missionary Miscellany

(Continued on page 12)

To my sisters in Christ:Anyone who knows me knows

of my love of books. When I visited Monticello last year, I was pleased to find myself in good company. Thomas Jefferson was quoted as having said to John Adams, “I cannot live without books.” I have since stolen that quote to be my unofficial motto. My position as Literature Secretary on the WMS board gives me an excuse — not that I need one — to purchase and read new books. I love it!!

One book gave me some great insights into my own journey — Blind Hope by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher. The subtitle is “An Unwanted Dog & The Woman She Rescued.” When Laurie rescues Mia from the shelter, her dreams are shattered when she sees a dog whose coat is a matted tangled mess, a dog who is so thin that she is half the weight she should be, and a dog whose breath was so bad it made Laurie gag. Driven to do the right thing, Laurie takes her home.

The story that unfolds is not just a story of dog and master. Snippets of God-sightings pop up throughout the book. One that really spoke to me was this: “It always amazes me that we know we can’t successfully travel this life on our own, but that knowledge alone isn’t enough to stop us from trying anyway. We still keep choosing to thrash around in the dark.” Isn’t that so true of us humans? How often do we stumble in the darkness when the very Light of the Universe is ours for the asking?

Another lesson Mia taught is this: “It you’re honestly going to follow another, you can’t do it from a

Miguel and Sonia Antunez in Bra-denton, FL, were the national mis-sionaries-of-August. Miguel wrote:

We have a vibrant youth ministry that meets Friday nights. We made a band for worshiping God on Sunday and at the Thursday night service. Our Junior Church meets every Sun-day at 11:15 a.m. We average an attendance of 26 kids. Our last activ-ity was when we took all the kids to the Lithya Spring in Florida. We to-taled 40 kids and chaperones. It was an awesome day! This is what you partnered with us to make happen. Some of the parents are starting to come because they see what is happening with their kids.

Financially the church is doing well. Occasionally we help people in the church with personal loans inter-est free, when they are in trouble.

Two new men, Jorge Fernandez and Carlos Martinez, supervise the soccer ministry. We used the soccer field throughout the summer and we had 20 regular kids practicing their sport.

The Hispanic Church is consoli-dating good leadership. The atten-dance is up to 80-85 on a good Saturday and down to 60 on a bad one.

Please pray for us. God bless you all and thanks for the trust and the love you show us all the time.

Miguel and Sonia Antunez

The September missionaries-of-the-month are Carlos and Zulema Quiroga in Puente Alta, Chile. The national missionaries are Viseth and Socheate Hou, planting the Cam-bodian church plant in Stockton, CA. The Carson Oaks Community Church is the parent church and the Cambodian Community Church is thriving! Statistics usually aren’t inter-esting, but when I realized that 91% of the Cambodians in Stockton are

on welfare, I knew the new Cambo-dian Church was planted in the right place.

Not only are the citizens hungry for physical food, but more important they hunger for spiritual food. And the Hous are meeting their needs. Language courses in the Cambo-dian language are provided to help the younger American generations relate to the parents and grandpar-ents. With their Bible studies they are seeking to free the people from Bud-dhism and provide hope for those caught up in gangs and other harm-ful lifestyles.

Todd and Tracy Ruggles and Moi-ses Calderon in Mexico are the Oc-tober missionaries. The Ruggles have served 18 years in Mexico City and now see the need and the oppor-tunity for the national leaders to as-sume leadership among their peers. The Ruggles expect to be at home in the US before Thanksgiving. Their new address will be announced later. Meantime your cards and notes of appreciation may be sent to the Brethren Church National Office, 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805.

NOW SEE THIS:Conference

made the decision to help Todd and Tracy and their two sons acclimate to the US. The goal for the program is $5,000.

10 Women’s Outlook Newsletter

NATIONAL W.M.S. OFFICERS

President - Phyllis Roussakis, 408 S. Western Ave., Kokomo, IN 46901. Phone: 765-457-6807. E-mail: jsbaklava@sbcglobal.net

Vice President - Sherry VanDuyne, 1760 W. Woodhill Dr., Ashland, OH 44805. Phone: 419-281-4891. E-mail: svanduyne@parkstreetbrethren.org

General Secretary - Karen Weidenhamer, 631 Buena Vista Ave., Ashland, OH 44805. Phone: 419-289-0096. E-mail: bandkweiden@zoominternet.net

Financial Secretary - Joanne Kroft, 608 Twp. Rd. 1151, RD 5, Ashland, OH 44805. Phone: 419-962-4679. E-mail: jokroft@aol.com

Treasurer - Janet Rufener, 128 Lilac Lane, Ashland, OH 44805. Phone: 419-289-0465. E-mail: rufeners@zoominternet.net

Literature Secretary - Corky Fisher, 636 Buena Vista Ave., Ashland, OH 44805. Phone: 419-207-8732. E-mail: corkyf@zoominternet.net

Editor, The Devotional Guide - Lynn Herendeen, 215 W. Walnut St., Flora, IN 46929. Phone: 574-967-3092. E-mail: lynnssignaturebusiness@hotmail.com

Editor, Outlook Newsletter - Joan Ronk, 1325 Coachman Ct., Ashland, OH 44805. Phone: 419-281-3050. E-mail: jeronk@zoominternet.net

Subscription Secretary - Joanne Kroft, 608 Twp. Rd. 1151, RD 5, Ashland, OH 44805. Phone: 419-962-4679. E-mail: jokroft@aol.com

Sewing and Benevolence Coordinator - Joan Merrill, 9300 S. SR 3, Muncie, IN 47302. Phone: 765-289-2384. E-mail: joanmerrill@juno.com

DISTRICT ORGANIZATIONS

SoutheasternPresident - Tammy Thompson, Rt. 1,

Box 254, Fayetteville, WV 25840. Phone: 304-465-0619. E-mail: tlthomps@access.k12.wv.us

Vice President - Edith Fabrick, 1041 Hughes Rd., Westminster, MD 21157. Phone: 410-848-7408.

Treasurer - Jean Burton, 113 Miller Ave., Oak Hill, WV 25901. Phone: 304-465-8751.

NortheastPresident - Grace Grumbling, 114

Cambridge Rd., Johnstown, PA 15590. Phone: 814-255-3254.

Vice President - Bonita Chamberlain, 166 Lime Kiln Rd., Saxton, PA 16678. Phone: 814-928-5149. E-mail: boncham@comcast.net

Secretary - Barbara Hagerich, 121 Teal St., Mineral Point, PA 15942. Phone: 814-322-1638

Treasurer - Marsha Nulph, 361 Stoney Hollow Rd., Cabot, PA 16023. Phone: 724-352-3528.

OhioPresident - Norma Waters, P. O. Box

101, North Georgetown, OH 44665. Phone: 330-525-0595. E-mail: ATTN.Norma@gmail.com

Vice President - Wanda Powell, Beloit Country Gardens, 18391 5th St., Apt. 204 E, Beloit, OH 44609. Phone: 330-938-3291.

Secretary-Treasurer - Janet Rufener, 128 Lilac Lane, Ashland, OH 44805. Phone: 419-289-0465. E-mail: rufeners@zoominternet.net

IndianaPresident - Cindy Hanson, 131 S.

Holiday Dr., South Bend, IN 46615. Phone: 574-204-2379. E-mail: camperkiwi57@aol.com

Vice President - Sandy Sharp, 6881 E. May Lane, Leesburg, IN 46538. Phone: 574-834-4601. E-mail: ssharpie@conline.com

Secretary-Treasurer - Bev Baker, 1719 Brookmede Dr., South Bend, IN 46614. Phone: 574-291-1212. E-mail: bev baker@hotmail.com

Assistant Secretary-Treasurer - Jan Kary, 17633 Cobblestone Ct., South Bend, IN 46635. Phone: 574-272-8528.

Financial Secretary - Bev Leiter, 613 W. Syracuse St., Milford, IN 46542. Phone: 574-658-9558. E-mail: jbleiter@embarqmail.com

Assistant Financial Secretary - Judy Rose-Walley, 837 S. 36th St., South Bend, IN 46615. Phone: 574-289-8459.

CentralRepresentative - Gini Peterson, 5085

Otter Creek Dr., Milledgeville, IL 61051. Phone: 815-225-7956.

2010-2011 W.M.S. DIRECTORYMidwest

Representative - Helen Arnold, P. O. Box 396, Falls City, NE 68355. Phone: 402-245-2056.

SouthwestRepresentative - Iris McKinney, 6717

Calle Mercurio, Tucson, AZ 85710. Phone: 520-747-2253. E-mail: ggrannyiris@live.com

Northern CaliforniaRepresentative - Carolyn Bennett,

2023 Edgewater Ct., Stockton, CA 95204. Phone: 209-948-6566.

LOCAL SOCIETIESNames and Addresses of W.M.S.

Presidents

Southeastern DistrictBethlehem Mary & Martha - Mildred

Gochenour, 2537 Layman Trestle Rd., Harrisonburg, VA 22802. Phone: 540-433-2549. E-mail: nannygoc@comcast.net

Linwood - Virginia Hook, 3046 Old Washington Rd., Westminster, MD 21157. Phone: 410-484-5587.

Oak Hill - Jean Burton, 113 Miller Ave., Oak Hill, WV 25901. Phone: 304-465-8751.

St. James Ruth & Naomi - Myra Poffenberger, 17815 Garden View Dr., Hagerstown, MD 21740. Phone: 301-739-1969

Northeast DistrictBerlin - Eloise Long, 826 Maple St.,

Berlin, PA 15530. Phone: 814-267-6841. E-mail: longscarpet@yahoo.com

Brush Valley - Irene Tarr, RD 1, Box 210, Adrian, PA 16210. Phone: 724-548-1955.

Cameron - Elaine Sampson, RD 3, Box 41, Cameron, WV 26033. Phone: 304-686-2262.

Highland - Marilyn Reynard, 583 Highland Ridge Rd., Marianna, PA 15345. Phone: 724-267-3445.

Johnstown III - Dolores Golby, 402 Norwood Gardens, Johnstown, PA 15905. Phone: 814-255-5477

Masontown - Peggy Cole, 110 West Church Ave., Masontown, PA 15461. Phone: 724-583-0279. E-mail: stevepeg@atlanticbb.net

Meyersdale - Lee Ann Yoder, 1362 Mountain Rd., Meyersdale, PA 15552. Phone: 814-634-5107. E-mail: racingman@iwon.com

September/October 2010

Oakville - Maxine Young, 11700 S CR 300 E, Muncie, IN 47302

Roanoke - Sharon Williams, P. O. Box 33, Roanoke, IN 46783. Phone: 260-672-3252. E-mail: sroanokerube@gmail.com

South Bend - Bev Baker, 1719 Brookmede Dr, South Bend, IN 46614. Phone: 574-291-1212. E-mail: bev_baker@hotmail.com

South Bend Women Meant to Serve - Judy Rose-Walley, 837 S. 36th St., South Bend, IN 46615. Phone: 574-289-8459

Tiosa - Dorcas VanDuyne, 2766 E 200 N, Rochester, IN 46975. Phone: 574-223-7473. E-mail: fdvanduyne@rtcol.com

Wabash - Phyllis Meyer, 5866 W 200 S, Lot 30, Wabash, IN 46992. Phone: 260-563-1238

Warsaw - Cheryl Schmiedt, 2415 W. Nina Lane, Warsaw, IN 46580. Phone: 574-238-1097. E-mail: cschmied@bnin.net

Central District

Cerro Gordo - Elaine Dresback, 107 Meadow Lane, Cerro Gordo, IL 61818. Phone: 217-763-0223

Lanark Neoma - Pauline Erbsen, 26589 Georgetown Rd. Lanark, IL 61046. Phone: 815-473-2159

Midwest District

Falls City - Helen Arnold, P. O. Box 396, Falls City, NE 68355. Phone: 402-245-2056. E-mail: harnold@nev.rr.com

Mulvane - Lillian Gardner, 1137 Dry Creek, Derby, KS 67037.

Southwest District

Tucson - Iris McKinney, 6717 Calle Mercurio, Tucson, AZ 85710. Phone: 520-747-2253. E-mail: ggrannyiris@live.com

Northern California District

Carson Oaks - Carolyn Bennett, 2023 Edgewater Ct., Stockton, CA 95204. Phone: 209-948-6566

Northgate - Ilda Blair, 20482 Tinnin Rd., Manteca, CA 95337-8524

2010-2011 W.M.S. DIRECTORYPleasant View - Nancy McGraw,

1497 Hancock Ave., Apollo, PA 15613. Phone: 724-567-7235. E-mail: nmmcgraw@yahoo.com

Raystown - Nancy Weimert, 10056 Raystown Rd., Saxton, PA 16678. Phone: 814-635-2602. E-mail: nweimert@comcast.net

Sarver - Marsha Nulph, 361 Stoney Hollow Rd., Cabot, PA 16023. Phone: 724-352-3528.

Valley - Vera Schroyer, 134 Mt. View Rd., Acme, PA 15610. Phone: 724-593-2364.

Vinco - Debbie Walk, 325 Chapel Lane, Johnstown, PA 15909. Phone: 814-322-1980.

Wayne Heights - Nancy Walton, 120 Strickler Ave., Waynesboro, PA 17268. Phone: 717-762-6224.

Ohio District

Ashland Garber - Mary Jo Horn, 28 Harclay Ct., Hayesville, OH 44838. Phone: 419-368-8172.

Ashland Park St. Joy - Karen Weidenhamer, 631 Buena Vista Ave., Ashland, OH 44805. Phone: 419-289-0096. E-mail: bandkweiden@zoominternet.net

Canton Trinity Jrettes - Sharon Dixon, 633 Buckwalter Dr., SW, Massillon, OH 44646. Phone: 330-832-2074.

Canton Trinity Sr. - Donna Barnes, 9767 La Font Sg. H.E., Bolivar, OH 44612. Phone: 330-874-4081.

Gratis - Ruth Focht, 8947 Preble Cy. Line Rd., Germantown, OH 45327. Phone: 937-787-3860.

Gretna - Nettie Hudson, 4653 CR 11, Bellefontaine, OH 43311. Phone: 937-592-9163.

Louisville Beacon of Hope - Patti Hudson, 3414 Rodeo Cr., Louisville, OH 44641. Phone: 330-875-3183.

New Lebanon Afternoon - Bettie Glanton, 13343 Dechant Rd., Farmersville, OH 45325. Phone: 937-687-2708

New Lebanon Evening -Lindy Fulton, 808 S. Clayton Rd., Lot 2, New Lebanon, OH 45345. Phone: 937-687-3466

North Georgetown Evelyn Mercer - Wanda Powell, Beloit Country Gardens, 18391 5th St., Apt. 204 E, Beloit, OH 44609. Phone: 330-938-3291.

Williamstown - Sarah Stump, 23203 US 68, Williamstown, OH 45897. Phone: 419-365-5937.

Indiana District

Bryan - Joan Bechtol, 07578 SR 576, Montpelier, OH 43543-9714. Phone: 419-636-4887. E-mail: hugs@williams-net.com

Burlington - Suzan Gregory, P. O. Box 448, Burlington, IN 46915. Phone: 765-566-2501. E-mail: txbrk@sbcglobal.net

College Corner - Donna Lawson, 4552 W 900 S, Wabash, IN 46992.

Corinth - Lois Thomson, 5751 N CR 800 E, Logansport, IN 46947-7647. Phone: 574-664-2729

Cornerstone - Joan Merrill, 9300 S SR 3, Muncie, IN 47302. Phone: 765-289-2384. E-mail: joanmerrill@juno.com

County Line - Jean Anderson, P. O. Box 261, Lakeville, IN 46536. Phone: 574-784-2355. E-mail: meanjeanmer@embarqmail.com

Dutchtown - Wuanita Tusing, 4538 N 375 E, Warsaw, IN 46582. Phone: 574-453-4798. E-mail: ttusing@embarqmail.com

Flora - June Clem, 126 W. Walnut St., Flora, IN 46929. Phone: 574-967-3973

Goshen - Joann Troeger, 1105 W. Wilkinson St., Goshen, IN 46526

Loree I - Jane Stogsdill, 12 Donat Dr., Peru, IN 46970-1054. Phone: 765-473-7204. E-mail: mystogsdill@yahoo.com

Loree Charity - Marlene Dunn, 4651 S 250 E, Peru, IN 46970. Phone: 765-473-7980

Mexico - Sue Brooks, P. O. Box 411, Mexico, IN 46958. Phone: 765-985-2205

Milford - Debbie Beer, 10122 N 300 E, Syracuse, IN 46567. E-mail: Dbeer@mchsi.com

Nappanee - JoAnn Bowers, 405 Hickory Lane, Nappanee, IN 46550. Phone: 574-773-3349

New Paris Helping Hands - Esther Mishler, 407 Park West, Goshen, IN 46526-1466. Phone: 574-533-4995. E-mail: emmpdm@verizon.net

North Manchester - Linda Immel, 2001 East St., North Manchester, IN 46962. Phone: 260-982-8238. E-mail: linda_immel@yahoo.com

11

12

Dear Friend,

Two e-mail addresses include an underline: linda_immel (president of North Manchester, IN) and bev_baker (president of South Bend, IN). Please mark your directory.

Please read your information and tell me if it is incorrect.

Have you looked at your hands recently? Really looked past the wrinkled, chapped and red, smooth or calloused, neatly manicured or chipped nails? Do you see helping hands?

In the President’s Pen, Corky wrote that she used her hands to deliver a meal and the left-over brownies. Have your hands shared a meal, written an encouragement note, or telephoned a friend unable to attend worship? Have you folded your hands in prayer and asked God to guide you to someone in need? Or asked Him “What do you want me to do for You today?”

Proverbs 31 is often used on Mother’s Day for encouragement and guidelines for us women. “A Virtuous Woman” is the theme. Verse 20 reads She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. As we approach the season of giving, use your hands to help others in your community or Brethren ministries such as Riverside Christian School, church plants, and the national Brethren Church missions, or Christian agencies who minister in other countries. Christ has no hands but your (my) hands to do His work now.

And when the Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations are past, remember those whom you helped will continue to need help. Heat, food, gasoline, utilities, clothing, medicines are on-going expenses. When one has nothing, a little bit is a lot. Read verse 20 again and then act.

Your friend,

Joan

The Editor’s Ending(President’s Pen continued)distance.” We cannot follow Jesus from afar. Scripture tells us, Draw close to God and He will draw close to you (James 4:8, NLT). We have just begun a Tangible Kingdom study at church. More than 30 small groups are meeting in homes. We’re learning words like “missional” and “:incarnational.” At the same time the Sunday morning classes — children and adults — are studying “Becoming a Good Samaritan.” Church-wide we are learning the same lessons! We are challenged to start “spiritual conversations,” to connect with that neighbor whose name we don’t even know, to find “unique” ways to show Christ’s love. I think the key word here is challenge.

Unfortunately for many of us, myself included, being missional is a challenge — one we don’t like, one that just might cause us to move out of our comfort zone. We can offer a multitude of excuses why we can’t — or don’t — do something. When we first planned for the Tangible Kingdom groups, I offered to lead at someone else’s house. My reasons made perfect sense to me: I have a very small house; hospitality is not my gift. The Lord had other plans. How blessed I am to have this small group of ladies to gather in my small house!

Now you may wonder what this has to do with Laurie and her dog, Mia. When Laurie went to the shelter to get her dog, the dog had been abandoned and was battered just like the man the Samaritan found by the road. Laurie took her and cared for her because she felt called to do the right thing. It would have been easy for the Samaritan to walk on by, as the others had done. It would also have been much easier for Laurie to decide not to take the dog.

We can’t be missional and the kingdom cannot become tangible, if we don’t act. I’m pretty sure, when the Pharisee correctly identifies the Samaritan as the neighbor and Jesus tells him, Go and do likewise (Luke 10:37), He wasn’t giving an option but a command.

In what unique way can you reach out and be missional? Recently a friend and I took a meal to someone recuperating from surgery. Not really missional since the recipient was a sister in Christ — but

definitely incarnational. I had several yummy brownies left over, and I have no willpower! There is a store where I shop quite often. The Lord has put one of the sales clerks on my heart. So I packed up the leftover brownies and took them to her. She took the box from my hand, opened it, smiled, and popped a brownie into her mouth. “You have made my day!” she said. Ladies, my only part in this was listening to the nudging of the Holy Spirit and following through.

Ask the Lord to show you people in your neighborhood, pray for them, give a gift of yourself. That’s all it takes.

“Love is a bridge that stands firm through difficulties and connects one heart directly to another, not because of what it is,” - Blind Hope

Corky FisherLiterature Secretary

From the Financial SecretaryJoanne Kroft submitted totals for

offerings:

Thank offering, designated for benevolences: $8,289.77.

Project offering, 1st of the 2-year designation for Camp DeQuecito in Argentina: $8,687.84.

Ruggles’ re-training program: $500. Conference made the decision to help Todd and Tracy and their two sons acclimate to the US. The goal for the program is $5,000.

Should you have funds for the Ruggles or project offerings not yet submitted, please do so soon. Joanne’s address is in the Directory.

efinitions matter. Take for ex-ample the definition of “a trip to the Principal’s office.” That’s what I was facing in the last few days

of my senior year in high school. When I received the note to report there, my definition of that experience made my heart pound with fear. But in this case a trip to the office was a good thing! It resulted in the news of a great opportu-nity for me and several friends. My defi-nition of a “trip to the office” became the opposite of my fears. In the same way our pre-conceived definitions can

cause us to make observations that simply aren’t relevant or true. A re-def-inition is sometimes needed. Let’s take an example …

How do you define the term “mission-ary?” For many years we gave this title to someone willing to go far away and cross cultural and language barriers to communicate the gospel on behalf of those sending them. This definition hasn’t necessarily done an about-face, but the boundaries of that definition have been vastly enlarged. Nowa-days you don’t have to travel beyond your neighborhood to cross cultures or encounter different languages being spoken. And today we understand that instead of sending others on our behalf, the urgent need in our own homeland is for us to take upon ourselves that same attitude of having been sent by God as missionaries, demonstrating the gospel in word and deed. In his book Present Future, our recent General Conference speaker Reggie McNeal convincingly helps us understand that

the way forward for the church is to promote a missionary culture rather than a member culture. Defining our-selves more as missionaries (rather than only as members) is truly a more bibli-cally balanced understanding of our identity in Christ. The Great Commission is a call to embody that mission.

Call it semantics if you want, but words really matter. How we under-stand the language of a NEW DAY can either paralyze or empower us. We are simply trying our best in the power of the Holy Spirit to give expression to the emerging understandings of what God is doing in the world today. This new dictionary may be new to the Brethren Church. But look around at many other denominations and you quickly un-derstand that God is speaking a new definition of mission into any who seek to listen in these days of opportunity.

Understanding these new definitions of God’s vision and direction for the Brethren Church have been the con-tinual focus of your staff at the Brethren Church National Office for several years now. We have been praying and thinking through these new implications with the Executive Board who leads with us as your elected representatives from different districts and congrega-tions. For a description of our initial jour-ney into new definitions, please review the May/June 2010 Evangelist article entitled “The Power of a Question.” (Online at http://www.brethrenchurch.org/web/brethren/2010-evangelist-issues.)

As we began considering God’s call for our denomination, we under-stood that all of us must begin to take up the call of a missionary and define our call not just to the “uttermost,” but also to the “Jerusalem” of our own communities. This more holistic and personal view of mission necessitated some changes in way we organize and fund our efforts. Additionally, all of you are familiar with the concept of trying to answer new opportunities and new challenges with shrinking resources in this new economic environment! Consequently it has been necessary to make significant reductions in our

denominational budget. Because our income (10% of your congregational offerings) is based on your ability to contribute, your shrinking resources are felt at the national level as well. In spite of the economic challenges of the day, here is a description of how we have embraced a renewed missionary call in the Brethren Church:

• The Brethren Church National Office (BCNO) personnel took a three per-cent wage and fifty percent retire-ment reduction at the beginning of the second quarter of 2009. We saw this as a way to lead by example by responding to economic chal-lenges and also helping to create some margin in our budget for more missional activities. Now that we are beginning to more strategically align our resources, we hope to restore the previous compensation levels at the beginning of 2011.

• What appears in recent budgets as a severe reduction in missions sup-port is in many ways a reallocation of resources. We have been able to focus more financial resources on the missional call of Church Planting, and assist in the Mobilization of exist-ing congregations toward this same vision. This creates greater balance and health in our understanding of mission.

• All of our Global Partners have been asked to accept more responsibil-ity for their core budget expenses. Each has made different levels of progress toward this goal, based on their unique capacity and need to do so. It is actually healthy for our Global Partnerships (many of which were established more than fifteen years ago) to pursue growth and maturation in this area. Where poverty is an ongoing need, focus-ing more of our Brethren Relief funds toward those needs is a way of sup-porting the work of existing partner-ships.

• The shift of more financial respon-sibility to our Global Partners is in

Definitions MatterKen Hunn, Executive Director

Redefining “missionary”

D

continued on page 14 … 13

Brethren Peace Initiative

An InspirationI have a relatively small booklet of peacemaking quotes and

stories from Scripture, famous people, and totally unknown people — a gem of thought for every day of the year, all worthy of ponder-ing and repetition! The title is “PEACEMAKING: Day by Day,” and I obtained permission to share with you.

Recently the Introduction caught my attention. Here are major portions for your consideration:

In the gospel story where the apostles get trapped in that sudden and wild storm on the Sea of Galilee, we find a lesson for today’s peacemakers. When the waves first rose and the boat began to rock, the apostles worked hard and with hope in order to survive the storm raging around them. But then they lost heart and allowed the storm outside to come inside. It’s easy to imagine the apostles as frantic, disconnected, out of control. In their desperation they waken a peaceful Jesus who questions their faith and calms the storm by projecting …his inner still-ness, …his inner harmony, …his inner peace.

Sometimes we peacemakers are more like the apostles. We have allowed the “threats” around us to become part of us. Too often we only worsen the situation by projecting our fear and guilt and despair. What we want to do is become like Jesus — to have that still center that nothing can disturb. In that way we are true peacemakers, persons who project peace wherever we go.

St. Francis of Assisi once said: “While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart.” Our goal is to become a com-passionate heart, an embodiment of hope, an instrument of peace.

To live a nonviolent lifestyle includes building community, living simply, resist-ing structures of violence, serving the poor, and developing a deep spiritual life. Peacemaking means planting seeds though we may never see the flower.

- By Sister Mary Lou Kownacki PAX CHRISTI

May we each turn our hearts into “houses of peace.”May we each in our own way sow seeds of hope in our troubled world.

An InvitationBrethren Peace Initiative now has a BLOG ...... and we invite you to visit it!

STEPS TO ACCESS the Brethren Peace Initiative BLOG

1. Open your Internet Browser and go to BrethrenPeace.blogspot.com.2. If you have a Google account, sign in by hitting the “Sign In” button in the top

right corner. If you don’t have such an account, you can create one by click-ing “Sign In” to travel to the next page and clicking “Create An Account Now.”

STEPS TO READING COMMENTS and POSTING COMMENTS

1. To view comments to a certain posting, simply click on the title of the posting.2. In order to add your own comment, go to the bottom of the Blog Posting you

are in and type your comment in the “Post A Comment” word box.

*** Questions? Contact Ryan Gilmer at rygilmer@gmail.com.

We encourage you to visit the BLOG soon and often. Affirmations of thoughts and support are always welcome, but we also want to learn of your ideas and questions on the posted topics and comments — to which responses may come from the BPI Leadership Team or from other bloggers. Let’s share concerns and ar-rive at some constructive remedies to peace-and-justice-related problems. Per-haps you can inspire someone else with your take on a troublesome situation.

Phil Lersch, for theBrethren Peace Leadership Team

response to a trend of growing Part-ner funding requests. As our Partners grow they will need greater support. Especially during times of economic instability, this trend leads to fewer and fewer local church resources to fund local mission. And as local church mission is neglected, our ability to fund the mission of our partners is jeopardized. With shrink-ing resources to fund mission at any level, we both start to suffer and the body becomes destructive to itself. Our goal however is not indepen-dence in our Global Partnerships, but interdependence —with each seeking to sustain core budget needs and then helping each other toward defined objectives.

Hopefully this information gives definition to the changes we see around us in our local communities and around the world, and how we are responding as we discern God’s leading. Change is not easy, and it is often painful and disorienting. We feel all of this and more, as do those who partner with us. Difficulty faced together can build trust. These are challenging times. But the challenge causes us to re-examine the specifics of our call and respond to what we discern as God’s voice in the midst of uncertain times. We don’t always succeed in every respect. But in all of this we are seeking to listen well, and discern clear definition of our under-standings. By God’s grace we each grow in him and in relationship to each other. As a result we are stronger, more purposeful, and hopefully act not only as members of one another, but also as missionaries sent both near and far. Pray with us in this challenge, and let us continue to seek out in prayer the greater definition and understanding of mission in the Brethren Church!

Definitions Matter continued…bpi

BrethrenPeace

Initiative

14

Point 17 times. He enjoys snorkeling, recreational activities, non-recreational activities, reading, Frisbee, napping, movies, and the occasional Bacon Party. He is the luckiest man alive to be married to his gracious and beautiful wife, Kelly, and together they are blessed by their five-year-old daughter, Addi, and three-year-old twin sons, Levi and Micah. He is eternally grate-ful to have been friended by Christ, and is always happy to share the reason for the hope that he has. Some of his online ramblings can be found at http://friendedbyChrist.com.

Ben Resor: Winding Waters Brethren Church

Ben serves as Youth Pas-tor at Winding Waters Brethren Church in Elkhart, Indiana. He has been a pastor in the Brethren denomination for five years. In his free time Ben likes to spend

time with his wife Brandy and one-year-old son, Lincoln. Ben also enjoys going treasure hunting (geocaching), anything that has to do with pirates, and organizing things. Ben is cur-rently a student at Bethel College where he is working on his ministry degree.

WHAT WE DO:The mission of YAC is simple and straightforward. They strive

to promote the engagement of Christ and youth culture with-in the Brethren Church, whose mission is the transformation of communities in the power of the Holy Spirit. In order to ac-complish this mission, YAC places a great deal of attention on coordinating Engage Conference, as well as networking with churches throughout the denomination. YAC also strives to network with youth advisors and students themselves. In work-ing among these groups, YAC is better positioned for prayer and vision casting, and providing resourcing and training opportunities for leaders. YAC believes in the importance of building strong relationships between them and the churches across the country, and seeks to provide functioning commu-nication tools to help facilitate ongoing relationships.

FALL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS:This past September, YAC gathered for a weekend of plan-

ning. A primary topic of discussion was the focus or goal of YAC. It was readily agreed that a greater emphasis needs to be placed on networking between YAC and churches (youth advisors and students). Several ideas were discussed to help address this need; two came to the forefront of the discussion.

1. A dedicated BYIC website. Presently YAC is looking into what is necessary to get this project up and running. We hope to have a functional website by early 2011.

Meet the YAC (Youth Advisory Council)

WHO WE ARE:Ryan Smith: Nappanee (IN) First Brethren Church

Ryan is the Pastor of Student Ministries at the First Brethren Church and serves as the Student Leadership Intern for The Brethren Church. Ryan has been involved in youth min-istry for the past eleven years, recently receiv-ing his Master of Youth Ministry degree from

Huntington University. Ryan is blessed to be married to his wonderful and beautiful wife Lindsay; together they have a spunky three-year-old daughter, Lily. An avid Chicago Bears fan, Ryan enjoys grilling (both the cooking and the eating!), geocaching, drinking coffee, and playing Monopoly on rainy days. One fact you may not know about Ryan is that even though he is often mistaken for Tony Van Duyne, they are not at all related.

Tony Hasse: Nappanee (IN) First Brethren ChurchTony has been a volunteer with Solid Source Youth (Nap-

panee First Brethren Church) under the supreme guidance of Pastor Ryan Smith for eight years. Tony has been married to Ann for 14 amazing years; they have a six-year-old daughter, Zoe, and two crazy beagles. Tony loves hanging out with his youth group, spending time with family, drag racing and working on old cars, Star Wars, the New York Yankees and Notre Dame football. Tony has recently discovered the thrill of geocaching and wishes he could make a living doing just that. Like kryptonite is to Super-man, Tony’s only weakness is Oreo cookies.

Tim Bordeaux: North Manchester (IN) First Brethren Church

Tim is Pastor to Youth at the First Brethren Church in North Man-chester, Indiana. He has been a youth pastor for the past ten years. During that time he has consumed 271 pizzas, 148 liters of soda, and been to Cedar

continued on page 17 … 15

A while back, I was having a conversation with my 22-year-old son about music and worship in the church. He was listening to a CD of our church service, one of several he has received while living in Nashville, TN, where he has attended college. Our conversation started with the differences of what he was hearing on the CD in comparison to all the different worship experiences he has had in churches during college. He always teases about how “old” our “new” worship songs are, but will concede that we are incorporating a good blend of newer music.

After some silence he continued, “But, you know, I don’t know what it is… I feel so much more of a connection during those worship services than I often feel down here. It seems so congregation-driven, not performance oriented. Sometimes, I just don’t feel included in the services down here, like I’m just there.”

As a person who helps to select the music for the worship services in our church, this was a conversation that made me sit back and think. I was hearing words that struck me: connected, congregation-driven and the word inclusive also comes to mind.

Worship and music in the church have certainly taken quite a tour through the last couple of decades.

WHERE IS OUR FOCUS? It seems that the focus of worship can be different in every church. Our struggle to find the answer to this question can bring a wide range of opinions, emotions and differences that can totally overwhelm what God may be trying to share with us. I believe that a

“one size fits all” approach to worship philosophy (traditional vs. contemporary vs. blended) is not the answer to that question. Can we look at it from another way?

I’m reminded of the Parable of the Sower. The story can be found in Mark 4:1-20. In verses 5 and 6, Jesus speaks of the seeds falling on rocky places with little soil. The seeds sprang up quickly, but when the sun came, the plants were scorched and withered because they had no root.

I think of music in the church and the music of worship as being a part of sharing God’s word with people. This sharing can be done in a variety of styles and ways; however, it has to include a focus on the “root”.

In verses 16 and 17, Jesus explains that some people, like the seeds sown on rocky places, hear the word and receive it with joy, but because there is no root, they only last a short time. Music creates emotion within us, but we also must develop a faith in God that is much deeper than an emotion. It is a confidence that we know he is with us no matter what. People may enjoy our music and worship service, but without a spiritual strengthening and a connection with others, this enjoyment and passion will fade.

It is the strengthening of the “roots” of the people who are ministering and to whom we are ministering through music that is important. I believe that our focus begins here, and here is where we allow God to work through us by developing relationships and strengthening each other spiritually.

When our focus becomes connecting people with God, then the journey of strengthening the

When our focus is about connecting people with God, we can manage the details of our music ministries in a Spirit-led way.

Jeannie RifflePleasant Hill, Ohio Brethren Church

A Note About Worship

16

music and worship services in our church becomes a journey that is pleasing to God and Spirit led. We can then put our energy into connecting with people and striving for that inclusive, congregation-driven worship experience.

So often, technical details can overshadow this type of worship experience. We can become so consumed with styles of music, instrumentation, sound details, practices, PowerPoints (the list goes on), that we miss our people. It is important to find a way to address these details without losing our focus. Sometimes this requires us to look outside the box in our thinking. Sometimes it is essential to talk with others who have found positive ways to address these details. Are we looking around to see if we are including and learning from others in our worship and music ministries?

In Mark 4:8, Jesus talks about the seeds that fall on good soil and how those seeds not only grow, but also produce a good, multiplying crop. In verse 20, people hear the word, accept it and produce from it. When we take care in making sure our focus is about connecting people with God, we can then manage the details of our music ministries in a Spirit-led way. God can then use the ministry not only to connect with those who have established deep roots, but also with those whose roots are still strengthening.

Thinking back about the conversation with my son…it is difficult for anyone to “replant” themselves. I know he has visited many places, with a variety of styles of worship services, but I’m sure that it will be with those who connect with him where he will establish his new roots.

YAC continued …

2. YAC Chat. YAC Chat is an online interactive conversation that anyone is welcome to join. Using the services of TalkShoe (www.talkshoe.com), YAC is able to host a multiperson conference call where they are able to discuss a wide variety of subjects. Participants in the conversation can simply listen in live (online), call in and join the conver-sation, or simply chat online to engage the conversation without having to call in. Recordings of these YAC Chats will be posted online for those who were unable to participate with the conver-sation live.

Beyond establishing goals, YAC spent much of their time together discussing and planning Engage Conference 2011. The theme for the conference is Storyline. Storyline merges the reality that God has a story, which is seen woven throughout the whole of Scripture, with our individual life stories. The central focus of God’s story is restoration and he desires us to join him with our stories, to work toward restoration within our personal spheres of influence. Once again, Engage Conference will meet on the campus of Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio and is scheduled July 13-17, 2011.

YAC is excited to bring back a couple of familiar faces to Engage Conference; worship band Sing Love Sing, and speaker Chris Folmsbee of Bare Foot Ministries. Also this year, YAC is striving to continue to provde our adult advisors with cutting edge, personal leadership training; a facet of the conferehce experience they hope to grow from last year. While not all the details and plans are firmly established for Engage Conference 2011, plans are underway and a general excitement among YAC is beginning to grow. Promotional material will begin pop-ping up online (Facebook) as well as coming to your mailbox.

YAC is always available to talk, help out however they can and address any questions or concerns you may have. You may contact them at yac@brethrenchurch.org.

As part of your next board or worship team meeting, work through these questions together as a starting point for ongoing discussions about worship.

What evidence is there that tells us people in our worship experiences are connecting with God and each other in a deep way?

How much of our worship experience would an unchurched person who knows little or nothing about Jesus be able to understand without explanation?

How well do folks in our worship understand why we do what we do, and the meaning behind some of our normal practices and language?

What are some ways that the people leading our worship experiences could communicate their focus on the reasons for, and object of, our worship?

What aspects of our normal worship experience most often help your heart connect with God’s heart? Your thoughts with God’s thoughts?

For reflection and discussion

17

Maurertown Brethren Church Celebrates 125 Years

Virgil Leon Barnhart, 89, of Ashland, Ohio went to be with his Lord and Savior on Sunday, Sept. 26 at the Ohio Veteran’s Home in Sandusky.

He was born Sept. 12, 1921 in Gratis, Ohio, the son of Forest L. and Ina G. Barnhart. Virgil lived most of his life in Gratis and Germantown. He served in World War II in the Army Medical Corps. In the last six months of his service he was the personal aide to General John J. Pershing at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Virgil married Lois Marie Myers on August 15, 1946. She survives along with their daughter Sherry (Kenneth) Van Duyne and daughter-in-law Sandra (Schultz) Barnhart, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Virgil was preceded in death by his parents, eleven siblings, and his son, David, in 1990.

Virgil was a lifelong member of Gratis First Brethren Church, serving that church, the Ohio District and the National Brethren Church as lay preacher, teacher and on various boards. He served as the moderator of the Brethren Church in 1975 and for many years on the Ashland College Board of Trustees.

Funeral services were held on September 29 at Park Street Brethren Church in Ashland, with Dr. Arden Gilmer officiating. A graveside service was held on September 30 in Gratis with Pastor Bob Shannon officiating. Memorial gifts may be made to the Park Street Brethren Church TV Ministry or to Gratis Brethren Church, P.O. Box 855, Gratis, OH 45330.

In Memor y

Virgil Barnhart

Virgil and Lois Barnhart

On Sunday, October 17, 2010 the Cheyenne Brethren Church in Cheyenne, Wyoming celebrated the ordination of Reverend Scott Christopher Soden. The ordination ser-vice was conducted by Reverend Roger Stogsdill from the Tucson, Arizona First Brethren Church and Reverend Dr. G. Emery Hurd of the Cheyenne Brethren Church.

A packed church, a grateful congregation and proud leadership honored our Youth and Missions Pastor on his special day.

The ordination service was followed by a celebration luncheon in honor of Reverend Scott Soden.

Send your congratulations to scottsoden@truevine.net.

Scott Soden Ordained

From left: Dr. Emery Hurd, Rev. Scott and Barbara Soden, Rev. Roger Stogsdill

Maurertown Brethren Church is celebrating 125 years with activities throughout 2010. The activities include learn-ing about the church history, an anniversary celebration in June, special t-shirts, and a homecoming in September. A memory tree will be assembled in December.

Richard Craver is the pastor of the Maurertown Brethren Church.

United States Postal Service Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation

1. Publication Title: The Brethren Evangelist 2. Publication Number: 064-200 3. Filing Date: 9-28-2010 4. Issue Frequency: SemiMonthly 5. Number is Issues Published Annually: 6 6. Annual Subscription Price: Free for members of the Brethren Church; $15 for others 7. Complete Mailing Address of known Office of Publication: The Brethren Church, Inc. 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters of General Business Office of Publisher: The Brethren Church, Inc. 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor Publisher: The Brethren Church, Inc. 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 Editor: Kenneth D. Hunn, The Brethren Church, Inc. 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 Managing Editor: same as above 10. Owner Full Name: The Brethren Church, Inc Complete Mailing Address: The Brethren Church, Inc. 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792 11. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of Bonds, mortgages, or other securities: None 12. Tax Status (for completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to mail at nonprofit rates) 13. Publication Title 14. Issue date for Circulation Data below The Brethren Evangelist Sept/Oct 2009 July/August 2010 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation Average No. copies No. copies of single each issue during Issue published nearest preceding 12 months to filing date a. Total Number of Copies (net press run) 6784 6490 b. Paid and/or requested circulation (1) Paid/requested outside-county mail Subscriptions on Form 3541 6730 6390 (2) Paid/In-County subscriptions stated on Form 3541 0 0 (3) Sales through dealers and carriers, street Vendors, counter sales and other non-USPS Paid distribution 0 0 (4) Other classes mailed through the USPS 0 0 c. Total paid and/or requested circulation 6745 6405 d. Free distribution by mail (samples, complimentary) 0 0 (1) Outside-county as stated on Form 3541 0 0 (2) In-county as stated on Form 3541 0 0 (3) Other classes mailed through the USPS 15 15 e. Free distribution outside the mail 40 50 f. Total free distribution 40 45 g. Total distribution 6780 6455 h. Copies not distributed 4 45 i. Total 6784 6490 j. Percent paid and/or requested 100% 100% 16. Publication of Statement of Ownership: Publication required. Will be printed in the Sept./Oct. issue of this publication. 17. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner : Date: Signed by Kenneth D. Hunn, editor September 28, 2010

18

GREAT NEWS!! Reggie McNeal, who challenged us with his win-some humor and southern charm to “become a people of bless-ing” at our 2010 General Conference, will be with us again in 2011! His insights (from the book Missional Renaissance) into how our world has changed, and how the Church must also change to join with what God is doing to touch that world, will once again be part of our experience next July 13-17.

In addition to hearing from Reggie McNeal again, we are ex-cited that Hugh Halter and Matt Smay will add their voices to the conversations at General Conference. Their journey of developing a different expression of church called Adullam is told in their book The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Community. (See Wende Lance’s thoughts about this book on page 4 of this issue.) Their story will give us a first-hand look at how one example of becoming “Missional” as a church can change the face of a community. The insights that they bring from AND: The Gathered And Scattered Church will also help us better understand the tension of moving the eyes and hearts of an existing church from focusing internally to seeing the world around us in new ways.

For all who were there in 2010, start making plans now to bring as many of your local leaders as possible back with you. Experi-ence together the kinds of challenges, teaching and inspiration

that can help your lo-cal ministry move to even greater levels of effectiveness at BEING the Body of Jesus Christ in your community! Come, be with us as we continue our next steps forward into God’s NEW DAY for The Brethren Church!

Preview

Matt Smay

Hugh Halter

Reggie McNeal

July 13-17, 2011 (Wednesday through Sunday)

Ashland UniversityAshland, Ohio

19

aa

It’s all in the name. Our family magazine has been dedicated to advancing the life and ministries of the Brethren Church since 1885. For all of that time the Brethren have sought to be a people with a mission. We have a story to tell, and it all revolves around the best news the world will ever hear. We’re dedicated to telling that story. Through the pages of the Evangelist we aim to connect you with the overall vision of constantly changing into the kind of people through whom God can do his work.

And God IS at work! How thankful we are for the renewed conver-sation that we are able to have from issue to issue. New churches, new family members, and the Kingdom of God is more fully formed in our day.

All of this is possible because of your support on so many levels, including your gifts. Your contribution of $15 will help us keep the news coming, and will help keep you connected. A contribution in addition to this amount will enable us to continue using the Evangelist as a gift to many who are searching for truth and belonging. Take time today to mail the information to the left with your gift. Or, you can make a contribution online at www.brethrenchurch.org. Thanks for helping us to get the news out!

Remember that the Evangelist is sent free of charge to every home by request and through your local church mailing lists updated regularly. Your gift is not a subscription. We will continue to mail the Evangelist to those who currently receive this publication.

PeriodicalPostage Paid at

Ashland, OH 44805

The Brethren Church 524 College Ave.Ashland, OH 44805

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: brethren@brethrenchurch.org; 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. September/October 2010, Vol. 132, No. 5

_________________One time Gift ($15)

_________________________________Name_________________________________Address_________________________________City, State, Zip_________________________________Phone #________________________________Home Church

Please complete the information above, detach this form, and mail it to the address below, or call the toll-free- number. Secure contributions may also be made online through PayPal by going to www.brethrenchurch.org/contributions.

Thanks for supporting the Brethren Evangelist!

The Brethren Church 524 College Ave.

Ashland, OH 448051-877-289-1708

Ye s ! I ’ d l i k e t o h e l p s u p p o r t t h e E v a n g e l i s t !