German Baptist Brethren This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. Newsline for July 30, 1999

   www.brethren.org/genbd/newslin - [Cached]

   Published on: 7/30/1999   Last Visited: 8/11/2000

   Brethren who are trained in spiritual direction are being. sought The Louisville Institute has study grants available for.
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   The centennial story of the Ephrata Church of the Brethren is. now available Churches ad hoc is an amusing-looking book available from.
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   sponsored by Prince of Peace Church of the Brethren, Littleton, Colo. He is a specialist in the linkage between media violence and. children and violence (June 9 and July 2 Newslines)
   
   This resolution obviously touched a nerve among Conference. delegates, who gave it broad support, said Brethren Witness.
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   2) The fifth annual Dancing conference sponsored by Brethren
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   COTEDO, the Church of the Brethren's ecumenical partner in the Dominican Republic
   
   assist in the development of a thrift shop to serve the poor. Profits from the shop will support First Church's other.
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   India and with ties to both groups, the Church of the Brethren seeks to foster a new relationship between them rooted in our unity. through Christ, Gross said. Through Bible study, prayer, and. reflection, the gathering will seek to lay a foundation for a new.
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   Keeney and Gross invite Brethren to pray for this gathering, for. God's spirit to guide, and for hearts to be open.
   
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   Other partner denominations include the Church of the Brethren, Old. German Baptist Brethren, Dunkard Brethren, the Brethren Church, and
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   11) Brethren who are trained in spiritual direction or who are in.
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   According to Russ Matteson, Brethren Press.
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   Curriculum may still be ordered from Brethren Press via fax (800. 667-8188) or mail (1451 Dundee Ave, Elgin IL 60120). For order. forms write brethren press gb@brethren.org or call 800-441-3712.
   
   18) The September Source resource packet has been mailed to all. Church of the Brethren congregations. This edition includes --.
   
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   Shepherd's Spring, a Church of the Brethren outdoor ministry center in Sharpsburg, Md a new brochure on Brethren Volunteer Service a new brochure detailing the amenities of the New Windsor Conference Center, a General Board ministry located at the.
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   Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md a flier on two books related to children and violence, which tie. into the children and violence statement approved earlier this. month by Annual Conference delegates.
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   These books are available from Brethren Press. a flier on this year's youth ministry workshop, scheduled for Nov. 20 at Hagerstown (Md.) Church of the Brethren. Mark. Yaconelli will serve as leader.
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   Brethren minister from Stevens, Pa., and a consultant for. congregational renewal
   
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   To order from Brethren Press (# 0013), write to. brethren press gb@brethren.org or call 800 441-3712.
   
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   Brethren, Keeping the Embers Aglow, is now in print. Copies can. be ordered from the church for $ 15. Call 717 733-1229.
   
   22) Churches ad hoc : a devine comedy is an amusing-looking book by.
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   Peace Church of the Brethren, Littleton ; and The Conflict Center of Denver, this session will use two focus groups to learn about the.
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   director of Brethren Volunteer Service. Her background also. includes 28 years in the field of education, including service as.
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   Newsline is produced by Nevin Dulabaum, manager of the Church of the Brethren. General Board's News Services

2. 2. Brethren Glossary: A

   www.cob-net.org/glossary_breth - [Cached]

   Published on: 1/30/2001   Last Visited: 1/30/2001

   The following terms reflect the culture of the Church of the Brethren, a denomination grounded on the principles of Anabaptism and founded through the Pietist efforts of Alexander Mack, in the summer of 1708 near the small German village of Schwarzenau.
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   See also Bibliography, Timeline, Brethren Groups, European Origin, Brethren in America, 19th Century Acculturation, and the monumental publication of the Brethren Encyclopedia. We have also included a few Internet related terms because this technology is fast becoming a part of our denominational culture. Please review our legend to understand what is associated with each symbol. Use the handy link bar to quickly jump to the item of your interest, but remember that each link is operable only after this document has loaded to, or beyond that point. If you have any suggestions or comments, please forward them to the Web Administrator. (Please also note that this resources will always be under construction as new articles become available.).
   
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   In the early 1800s, there were very few cities in the United States with high schools in the modern sense, and most Brethren of that period typically did not approve of higher education. When the denominational mood began to change in the last quarter of the Nineteenth Century, some of the Brethren affiliated Colleges offered Academies during their formative years. These programs were later discontinued as each college expanded their facilities and sought accreditation to pursue other goals.
   
   (2) In a more contemporary setting, this term also refers to the Brethren Academy, a joint venture between the General Board Ministry Office and Bethany Theological Seminary, to establish a training school for continuing ministry. It encompasses Education for a Shared Ministry, Training in Ministry, Leadership Development, Continued Education, and the Reading Program.
   
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   One of the historically distinctive practices of the Brethren has been to refrain from taking an oath during a legal proceeding. It is based on several biblical passages, especially the words of Jesus in Matthew 5 : 34-37 : But I say unto you, Swear not at all ; neither by heaven ; for it is God's throne : Nor by the earth ; for it is his footstool : neither by Jerusalem ; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea ; Nay, nay : for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Christ is stating quite clearly that a person should not swear by an oath, or even add words to an anticipated yes or no response. Jesus says that anything beyond an expected yes or no is the result of evil or a desire to mislead. In other words, if a person is questioned for a truthful yes or no answer, then a simple yes or no response should credibly stand alone. Why should anything need to be added.
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   One of their distinctives in former times was that : A Brethren was a good as his/her word. In other words, they could always be trusted to tell the truth.
   
   But there is still more, because telling the truth does not always mean giving accurate testimony. Huh. Yes, one can mislead by telling the truth. The Ninth Commandment, Thou shalt not bear false witness or do not give a false impression may contain an even stronger expectation than would at first be understood. For example, let us imagine two people meeting in public, where Mr. Needy asks to borrow a five dollar bill from Mr. Money (who has a ten and five ones but is also predisposed not to share) who truthfully responds that he does not have a five dollar bill. Did Mr. Money lie. Wasn't he telling the truth.
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   The Church of the Brethren grew out of this body and required new members to be rebaptized through trine immersion until 1964, even if they were already a member of good standing in another denomination.
   
   Modern devotees rarely perform rebaptisms because their children are not first baptized as infants, therefore a re-baptism is not possible. Youth generally receive baptism and membership when they reach that uncertain age where they are able to understand and accept the gospel message centered in the teachings of Christ. Anabaptists in the modern era are chiefly known for their distinctive beliefs and cultural heritage - especially a Two Kingdom theology. With little variance, they stress very closely the same doctrinal positions as their 16th Century advocates, such as, but not limited to :.
   
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   Originally called Annual Meeting, this gathering of delegates is the highest authority in the Church of the Brethren. It is a generous mixture of business, fellowship, and spiritual worship. Annual Conference convenes each year, usually around the last of June or the first of July. Brethren make this annual pilgrimage from all over the United States and foreign countries, because they are one or more of the following : official congregational delegates, members of the Standing Committee, an elected moderator with staff, invited guests, and of course, the Annual Conference office which plans and coordinates everything. The first Historical Record of a Brethren denominational meeting took place in 1742, when early leaders perceived a need to ensure doctrinal positions among the widely scattered Brethren settlements. Over the years, it has also become a time for renewing many friendships and strengthening new relationships. As the denomination continued to grow and administrative entities gradually evolved, several agencies and numerous boards were formed which have reported directly to Annual Conference. Currently they are the General Board, Brethren Benefit Trust, Association of Brethren Caregivers, On Earth Peace Assembly, as well as Bethany Theological Seminary.
   
   During the early period of the Brethren immigrations to America, there was no formal conference or representative body to interpret issues of doctrine or practice. Denominationalism as we understand it today, in an institutional sense, was completely foreign to them.
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   Because of this infrastructure of small dispersed congregations and the absence of elements precipitating controversy, there existed no compelling reason for the Brethren to meet in a large delegated body for purposes of deciding policy. This was about to change with the arrival of the Moravian leader Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf from Czech/Bohemia in 1741. He was especially desirous of uniting all German sects under one parent organization, and convened synods to homogenize individual characteristics among the different groups and layout an institutional framework to implement his vision.
   
   Brethren attended these conferences, but came away with fears of losing their unique identity, especially upon observing several converts being baptized through sprinkling. Reminded of the cost of their Anabaptist heritage by immersion, they perceived Zinzendorf's effort as a stratagem to return the spiritually naive to infant-baptism, under the very ecclesiastical order from which they had previously fled. From this experience, several Brethren leaders saw the need for a denominational meeting of their own, in order to maintain a uniform observance of their beliefs.
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   An independent tax exempt 501 (c) organization, headquartered at the general offices of the Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Illinois. Association Of Brethren Caregivers develops resources that promote caring, healing and wholeness to the Church of the Brethren through nine ministry groups : Chaplains Network - Church and Persons with Disabilities Network - Deacon Ministry - Brethren Homes - HEAR (Health Education and Research Ministry) - Lafiya - Older Adult Ministry - VOICE (Valuing Openness, Inclusiveness and Caring for Everyone).
   
   www.brethren.org/abc /
   
   Auctions See Brethren Disaster Relief Auctions
   
   Van Buren Campus
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   Ministerial candidates in the Church of the Brethren may seek training for service in various ways, one of which is at the denomination's theological school located on its newly acquired campus at Richmond, Indiana, in association with the Earlham School of Religion. Bethany Theological Seminary offers several platforms of higher education such as graduate and non-degree programs, foreign study tours, along with Academy programs for continuing educational training, plus specialized workshops and field opportunities. But equipping the church for leadership requires more than academic curriculum and the dispensing of knowledge, it needs to develop men and women of faith through personal growth and cross cultural experiences who discern a keener vision of Christ's mission for our world. Service and ministry in a world of diverse cultures also requires bridges of understanding. Bethany encourages awareness of diversity in the learning process through study tours to foreign countries, and the presence of international students on campus. Bethany also reaches out directly to congregations with opportunities for education through workshops and specialized courses.
   
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   Prompted by a 1893 Gospel Messenger article that mentioned of a Brethren student at D.L. Moody Institute of Chicago, Wieand grew concerned that Brethren might seek education in schools outside the denomination, and thus forget traditional Brethren principles and teachings. Higher education with advanced theological education was not popular with most German Baptist Brethren of the last century. In the Annual Meeting of 1882, heated discussion resolved that Brethren should not even fellowship with persons that were disposed towards formal college training. It was a different culture and religious climate that would