BMH Editor's Blog

One of Grace College's newest faculty members, Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh, who is also director of the Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship and MasterWorks festival, is featured in yesterday's Warsaw (IN) Times-Union newspaper. The first several paragraphs are reproduced here. To read the entire article, click here. Kavanaugh is in Washington, DC today, participating in a prayer event at the White House as an speaker at the President's Prayer Breakfast. The MasterWorks program was featured recently in WORLD magazine (see entry in this blog's archives, Monday, August 2, 2004).


MasterWorks Festival Director Talks About Concerts;
To Write Column For Times-Union

BY TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer

WINONA LAKE – The Christian Performing Artists’ Fellowship presents the Second Sunday Series, a series of concerts “in the spirit of the MasterWorks Festival,” said Executive Director Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh.

Opening night is set for Oct. 10 in Rodeheaver Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.
Kavanaugh and his family moved to Kosciusko County this summer from northern Virginia. With him came the Christian Performing Artists’ Fellowship and the annual MasterWorks Festival, which offers intensive fine arts training to young Christian musicians, singers and actors.

For the last three summers, for four weeks each summer, the MasterWorks Festival has brought together hundreds of the world’s finest classical musicians to the Grace College campus. With a huge orchestra of 110 players, the Rodeheaver Auditorium resounds with concert after concert – all free and open to the public.

“We think it’s very important the performances are free,” Kavanaugh said. “Few families can afford the high prices of typical orchestra concerts anymore. We love to see entire families at our productions.” . . .

There is an excellent interview with Mike Jentes, founding pastor of the innovative Columbus-area church entitled "thequest" on Brian Orme's blog. Here are the first three paragraphs--to read the entire interview click here.


Interview with Mike Jentes from "The Quest"

1. Tell us about the origin of your church.
thequest (www.thequestcolumbus.com) came about through the vision of Mindi (my amazing wife) and I. She actually came up with the name. We had articulated 7 things that we wanted to be involved in before we jumped into this effort: 1) a church plant, 2) a daughter church, 3) a church that was home church/small group centered, 4) in an urban area, 5) in a community with people our age (20s & 30s), 6) in a community that was multicultural and possibly multi-lingual, 7) that was with our Grace Brethren family.

God answered all seven…We found a “mother church” in the East Side Grace Brethren Church www.esgbc.org which was doing home groups and had a heart for the city of Columbus (it is in the Eastern suburbs of Columbus, OH). In partnership with Grace Brethren North American Mission www.gbnam.org and our network of central Ohio Grace Brethren Churches we endeavored to plant a church in the city, in an environment that reflected where we wanted to be.

God called us to start in the Short North—the Arts District of Columbus (www.shortnorth.org). He gave us a vision for all of urban Columbus, yet we had to start somewhere…and this neighborhood was where He placed us. This neighborhood is a diverse place and is bordered by downtown and The Ohio State University (50K students). It is an important place in influencing this city and we believe other urban centers and parts of the world. . .

Offices of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches (FGBC) moved into the BMH office complex in Winona Lake this past week. Tom Avey (seated), Fellowship Coordinator for the FGBC and FGBC staff member Sandy Barrett (standing) will now be working in the BMH building, along with Assistant Fellowship Coordinator Charles Ashman, who will also work out of his home part of the time. FGBC's mailing address (P.O. Box 386, Winona Lake, IN 46590) and telephone number (574-269-1269) will remain the same, but the UPS/FedEx delivery address is now 1104A Kings Highway in Winona Lake. Visitors to Winona Lake are encouraged to visit the BMH/FGBC offices any weekday during working hours. The offices are located in the BMH building to the right (north) of the former Herald Bookstore.

Word has been received that former Grace Brethren missionary and pastor Tex Hudson went to be with the Lord last Friday afternoon, September 24. Services were held September 26 for Hudson, who had suffered in recent years with a rare form of terminal cancer. After missionary service in France, church-planting with GBNAM, and pastoring, Tex had been serving about the last dozen years as a church consultant with Churches Alive and was affiliated with the Delaware, OH, Grace Brethren Church. He and Betsy have three children and their address is 208 Holly Tree Circle, Ladson, SC 29456.

The following note was received from Dr. Randy Smith, pastor of the Sebring, FL, Grace Brethren Church. The Sebring church is in the process of beginning a Bible institute--that is one of the buildings he talks about here.

The three hurricanes that passed through Sebring have all left their mark, but none more than Jeanne.

She left us without a youth center roof, and with a thoroughly soaked building at the Bible Institute. Yet, we believe the building will be back on track within three weeks, as we have crews working tirelessly to both aid all of the people of Grace and these projects.

Without a doubt this has been a challenge, but one our folks at Sebring have risen to! We have had greater opportunity to minister than at any time in my life.

The war experience in Israel was definitely a training ground for the torn-up landscape in Central Florida. God is faithful, and many Brethren have been contributing to the cleanup effort by donating through Global Vision Outreach, Inc. (the mission that is partnering with Sebring Grace for the Bible Institute).

Anyone interested in helping with labor, prayer or funds can get in touch with us by our just restored phone service at 888-880-8538.

An elegant horse and carriage, driven by Jeff Wilcoxson of the Village at Winona, delivered Anabelle Snyder to her surprise 80th birthday party yesterday (Sunday, September 26) at the Winona Lake (IN) Grace Brethren Church. Anabelle has served WLGBC for many years in handling church finances, and was an employee of the Rodeheaver Hall-Mack Music Company (including working for Homer Rodeheaver) for many years.

Kings Highway in Winona Lake is this week being milled down, repaved, and fitted with new curbing, sidewalks, and more. Although traffic in and around Grace College and Seminary, Jefferson Elementary School, and Brethren Missionary Herald Co. is snarled and slow right now, the improvements will be completed in time for Equip05 visitors for next summer's FGBC conference.

Some 400 former members and attenders of the North Long Beach Brethren Church in southern California gathered last Saturday, September 18, for a reunion at El Dorado Park. (Ivan Schuler photo)

Ken Brown's BMH Book "Timely Insights Into Timeless Truth" is featured in the current "Ministry Toolbox" e-mail from well-known California pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren.  

Rick Warren, in his Ministry Toolbox Issue #173, features and endorses BMH Books' latest publication, "Timely Insights Into Timeless Truth" by Ken Brown. To obtain a copy of the book, click here.

Editorial Review -- A few gifted people have the insight to observe ordinary events of life - what people say and do and even what they think - and discover the extraordinary. Ken Brown is such an observer. His insight into the ordinary and his ability to relate his observations to truth with practical application is significant.

Ken's insight into biblical truth is equally noteworthy. For the Christian, it is not enough merely to observe the events and people around them; it is even more important to interpret them in light of eternal truth. From a broad and deep knowledge of Scripture, Ken Brown applies culturally relevant and timeless biblical principles to life and its challenges.

He's found something worth reflecting over on William Carey's tombstone, in a testimony in the will of Henry Heinz of ketchup fame, in a late night rendezvous with Lyndon B. Johnson as he collected votes from the deceased. Ken has an uncanny ability to see God in all things.

In one insight from the book, Martin Luther remarked, "If God had all the answers in his right hand, and the struggle to reach those answers in his left, I would choose God's left hand." Ken then directs his reader to glimpse what the apostle Paul had to say to the Corinthians: "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (2 Cor. 4:17).

After reading these short insights, one might be tempted to exclaim, "Why didn't I see that?"

The following story ran in today's (September 23) Daily Leader-Times from Kittanning, PA.
By Mitch Fryer

NORTH BUFFALO, PA -- A six-foot wooden cross lies flat in Sherry Zelinsky's yard. It was the last of her outside property to give in to the deluge of water from nearby Glade Run during last Friday's flooding.

"I told my husband that's the first thing I want put back," Zelinsky said. Zelinsky lost half of her new ceramics business, including molds, kilns and ovens, before she could prepare an inventory to get insurance.

A 4-foot-by-8-foot sign for the two-week old business, Sherry's raft Corner, is nowhere to be found. "If anyone finds my sign, let me know," she said.

Zelinsky's home and business along with several other homes and the Villa Restaurant and the North Buffalo Grace Brethren Church in the Skinall neighborhood along Glade Run Road just off Route 28 near Cadogan were hit hard. The area was one of the worst damaged by flooding in the county from Hurricane Ivan-related rain.

The sweeping waters of Glade Run ripped off porches, buckled driveways, took out mailboxes, destroyed basements, garages, parking lots and foundations and left an 80-year-old couple stranded in their home to be eventually rescued by firefighters.

Ford Cliff firefighters worked day and night pumping water out of those homes. On Sunday, PennDOT filled in a 60-foot-long, 4-foot-deep, 4-foot-wide trench along the road, allowing some residents to drive off their property for the first time.

Clean-up was still a work-in-progress for residents yesterday. Autumn Travis has bought gallons of bleach and used up every broom she could get her hands on to clean her house.
"First it was crying, then laughter, now it's anger," said Travis of how she and her neighbors have reacted to the damage.

Travis has purchased a large dumpster for everyone to use, taken in a couple of orphaned kittens and cooked meals for neighbors. "We're a community," Travis said. "We have to take care of each other."

Ralph and Julia Lindsay thought they could stay in their home until the waters went down but left through a window when the water rose three feet in their living room. Kittanning firefighters arrived by boat and broke a window to provide an exit for them. "The firemen said we had to get out," Ralph Lindsay said.

The flood waters failed to spare the Grace Brethren Church.

"The Lord makes it rain on the just and the unjust," church member Chuck Cousins said.
Members have been cleaning the basement of the church since Sunday where four feet of water damaged books, Bibles, Sunday School supplies, a piano, appliances, an elevator and rugs. A large piece of the church parking lot's blacktop was found in the middle of the creek 100 yards downstream.

"The mud was so sticky that it took three washes," Leone Cousins said. "But we shall overcome."

Church pastors Richard and Rose Cornwell and their dog were rescued by boat from the church parsonage. They had to take the dog to the veterinarian for a tetanus shot after it became ill and stopped eating.

"We were saying our prayers the whole time," Richard Cornwell said.

By Michael Foust
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--World Magazine's editor-in-chief, Marvin Olasky, says he believes that bias -- and not messy reporting -- likely was at the heart of CBS News' use of disputed National Guard documents.

"Could it be gross incompetence? It's theoretically possible. But it seems perhaps the reason for gross incompetence was incredible bias," Olasky told Baptist Press.The documents were at the heart of a "60 Minutes" story Sept. 8 casting doubt on President Bush's record in the National Guard.

After standing by the story for more than a week, the network released a statement Sept. 20 by CBS News President Andrew Heyward saying it was a "mistake" to use the documents and that the news division "cannot prove that the documents are authentic." An independent panel led by former U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh and retired Associated Press president and chief executive Louis D. Boccardi will investigate CBS' use of the memos.

Olasky, a University of Texas journalism professor, said CBS ignored basic journalism standards. The CBS controversy is the cover story of the Sept. 25 edition of World, an evangelical magazine.

"Journalists are taught from the beginning that if you're standing in front of a house, and you ask what color it is, and the front of it is white, [you] don't just [assume] it's a white house," Olasky said. "You can say the front of the house is white, but go around to the sides and the back, and see for yourself. CBS disregarded that basic practice."

Soon after CBS aired its initial report, document experts told The Washington Post and ABC News that the documents likely were forgeries created recently by a modern word processing program instead of by a typewriter that would have been used in the early 1970s.

Olasky said it "looks like" CBS "really wanted to bash Bush.""[I]t seems CBS definitely had an agenda, which for CBS was more important than the facts," Olasky said. "Every publication, every network has its biases. The question is, do you let those override the facts, or do you go through the normal practice of checking and verification that even journalists in school are told to do?"

R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, made a similar point on his radio program Sept. 20."There is no such thing as unbiased news," Mohler said. "... Every single writer, every single anchor, reporter, editor, producer has a perspective. The most dangerous thing is if we deny that, and if we think there's really such a thing as absolutely objective truth-telling in the media."

The producer of the "60 Minutes" story was Mary Mapes, a veteran producer who also helped find the Abu Ghraib prison photos that dominated the news earlier this year. John Carlson, who hosts a radio program in Seattle and knew Mapes when she worked in that city, told the Associated Press that she was "quite liberal" and disliked Bush's father."She definitely was someone who was motivated by what she cared about and definitely went into journalism to make a difference," Carlson said. "She's not the sort of person who went into journalism to report the news and offer an array of commentary."

There is a very lengthy and insightful article in this morning's Washington Post by Post staffer Alan Cooperman on the interplay between George W. Bush's private faith, and how it plays out in public life. Excerpted here are several paragraphs. To read the entire article, click here.


George W. Bush is among the most openly religious presidents in U.S. history. A daily Bible reader, he often talks about how Jesus changed his heart. He has spoken, publicly and privately, of hearing God's call to run for the presidency and of praying for God's help since he came into office.

But despite the centrality of Bush's faith to his presidency, he has revealed only the barest outline of his beliefs, leaving others to sift through the clues and make assumptions about where he stands.

Bush has said many times that he is a Christian, believes in the power of prayer and considers himself a "lowly sinner." But White House aides said they do not know whether the president believes that: the Bible is without error; the theory of evolution is true; homosexuality is a sinful choice; only Christians will go to heaven; support for Israel is a biblical imperative; or the war in Iraq is part of God's plan.

Some political analysts think there is a shrewd calculation behind these ambiguities. By using such phrases as the "culture of life," Bush signals to evangelical Protestants and conservative Catholics that he is with them, while he avoids taking explicit stands that might alienate other voters or alarm foreign leaders. Bush and his chief speechwriter, Michael J. Gerson, are "very gifted at crafting references that religious insiders will understand and outsiders may not," said the Rev. Jim Wallis, editor of the evangelical journal Sojourners.

What's a Block Party without face-painting? Winona Lake (IN) Grace Brethren Church held a neighborhood Block Party Wednesday evening, September 15. The goal--in addition to attracting neighborhood children--was to have families of Awana and Pre-School children mix with church families and have a good time getting acquainted. Names and addresses were collected (i.e. registration for door prizes) for followup later. 

Part of the goal in the Block Party was to expose neighborhood families and children to ministries of the church--such as SMM. Every balloon at the SMM booth had a "secret message" in it.  

Members of the Winona Lake Fire Department were on hand with a pumper truck and a "small house with fake flames" to allow children to put out the fire with a real firehose. Lines were very long for this attraction! 

Have a donut! Food available at the WLGBC Block Party included fresh donuts, popcorn, hot dogs, slurpees, chips&salsa, and much more. 

Dana Landrum, an artistically-inclined young wife and mother from the Pataskala, Ohio, Grace Brethren Church (Pastor Fenton McDonald), is featured in her community newspaper this week for work she and the church did in renovating part of a community swimming pool facility.

Pastor Fenton McDonald says, "Dana and her husband, Gary, attend our church. She sings in the choir and helps with drama and other parts of worship. We helped the community project to improve the Beechwood Trails Pool as community service. We had a number of people help clean and paint. It was good to do as Christians. After all, that is what Christians do, among other things, help others."

Here are several paragraphs from the story--the entire story may be read by clicking here:


Having lived in Beechwood Trails for close to 10 years, Landrum decided to ask the community’s pool board if she could remodel the room.

The board gave its approval, but Landrum had no idea what she was getting into.“I ended up throwing about 90 percent of everything I found away,” Landrum said.

After discarding much of the garbage, Landrum set to work on giving the room a fresh feel. She spent countless hours applying numerous coats of white and brown paint to the walls. The walls now have an aged-wood feel, and vibrant oranges, greens and yellows have replaced the drab whites and blues.

Still, Landrum could not complete the project on her own. She had to enlist members of her church, Grace Brethren, to help. The group installed new gutters, changed the electrical wiring and constructed a wall to block off the kitchen from the lifeguard room.

Do you ever wonder what songs other churches are using, and how your worship repertoire compares? Here, according to a recent communication from CCLI, are the recent Top 25 Reported Songs from their royalty reports:

1. Here I Am To Worship – Tim Hughes
2. Open the Eyes of My Heart – Paul Baloche
3. Come, Now Is The Time To Worship – Brian Doerksen
4. Lord, I Lift Your Name On High – Rick Founds
5. Shout to the Lord – Darlene Zschech
6. You Are My King – Billy James Foote
7. Above All – Lenny LeBlanc/Paul Baloche
8. God Of Wonders – Marc Byrd/Steve Hindalong
9. Breathe – Marie Barnett
10. The Heart of Worship – Matt Redman
11. Forever – Chris Tomlin
12. Awesome God – Rich Mullins
13. Lord Reign In Me – Brenton Brown
14. You’re Worthy Of My Praise – David Ruis
15. The Wonderful Cross – Jesse Reeves/Chris Tomlin
16. We Fall Down – Chris Tomlin
17. I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever – Martin Smith
18. As The Deer – Martin Nystrom
19.You Are My All In All – Dennis Jernigan
20. Trading My Sorrows – Darrell Evans
21. Every Move I Make – David Ruis
22. Shine Jesus Shine – Graham Kendrick
23. Better Is One Day – Matt Redman
24. Give Thanks – Henry Smith
25. Change My Heart O God – Eddie Espinosa

The Grace Brethren Church of Canton, OH, is celebrating its 100th anniversary with events planned for October 2 & 3, 2004. Here are excerpts from the church's notice about anniversary events:

Our theme is "Honor our Heritage~ Challenge our Future." On Sat., Oct. 2, we will meet at the "old church" at 2nd & Hartford, N.E. at 2 p.m. for a tour of the building followed by a mini worship service led by our former pastor, Rev. John Dilling, Pastor Emeritus. That evening at 6 p.m. we will host a banquet at the Holiday Inn at Belden Village. This will be a Swiss steak dinner for $12.75 per person. (Call the number below to make reservations!) Rev. Dilling will serve as Master of Ceremonies.

On Sun., Oct. 3 at 10:30 a.m. our very own Dr. David Plaster (he grew up in our church!), Vice President - Academic Affairs - Grace College and Seminary, will deliver the worship message at our present location. There will be a salad/sandwich buffet served at noon in the Fellowship Hall and all are welcome! (No cost - just call the number below to let us know how many.)

The afternoon service at 2 p.m. will include several former pastors and associates bringing words of commendation and encouragement, with our own recently-retired Senior Pastor, Dr. Terrance Taylor, as our main speaker. Our Anniversary celebration will conclude with a cake and punch reception in the Fellowship Hall.

If you are unable to attend, we would love to hear from you ~ send us a note! If you know of someone who might have interest in these details, feel free to forward this message to them.

Church Address & Phone: Grace Brethren Church, 6283 Market Ave., North Canton, OH 44721(330) 499-3818 - Secretary, Stephanie Hite

During the 16th century the Anabaptists were rejected and persecuted by Catholic and Protestants alike. This Spring, almost 400 years later, Catholic, Lutheran and Reformed bodies have sought reconciliation and forgiveness for their treatment of the Anabaptists. (see archived items on this blog August 7 "Exploring Our Anabaptist Roots" and August 18 "Making Amends With the Anabaptists").

Now on DVD, here is an internationally-acclaimed theatrical feature film about the amazing story of Michael and Margaretha Sattler and the Anabaptists' role in the Reformation era.

The 100-minute drama takes place in 1525 when Michael and Margaretha Sattler fled their religious orders seeking to restore the church to the purity of its early days when communities of believers practiced peace, compassion and sacrificial love. The Sattlers join a group called the Anabaptists and together challenge the 1,000-year control of the Church by the State.

They call for baptism to become not a mark of citizenship, but an adult and voluntary decision to follow Christ. As their movement grew, so did the determination of their opponents to stop them by any means necessary. Michael was burned at the stake in 1527 and Margaretha drowned.

Nevertheless, their movement survives and today is practiced by the Mennonites, Mennonite Brethren, Brethren in Christ, the Hutterites, the Amish, and other groups including the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches.

To help viewers better understand this story, optional chapter introductions are provided by Mennonite historian John E. Sharp and background commentary by Myron Augsburger, Mennonite educator and author.

This DVD includes Spanish and Portuguese language tracks with optional English subtitles, a 30-minute documentary on the Anabaptist, the"Making Of" interviews and a children's story with slideshow.

The DVD retails for $29.99. Purchase online and save 20% -- only $23.99. DVD - http://www.visionvideo.com/?vid=3694&k=p18 The program is also available on video for $19.99 but does not include the special features mentioned above. Purchase online for $15.99.VHS - http://www.visionvideo.com/?vid=326&k=p18

CORDOVA, Tenn. (BP)--Adrian Rogers, who helped lead the Southern Baptist Convention back to its biblical, historical roots, announced his retirement as pastor of the Memphis-area Bellevue Baptist Church Sept. 12.

Rogers' retirement is effective next spring, although a specific date has not yet been given. The goal is to have a new pastor in place when Rogers leaves.

Making the announcement on his 73rd birthday, Rogers read a letter to the church, which has some 27,000 members."Now comes a time that we all knew would come when I should announce my retirement as pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church," Rogers said in the statement that has since been posted on the church website. "Nevertheless, I will not retire from the ministry until I draw my last breath."

Health, Rogers said, "is not a factor" in the decision. He had triple bypass heart surgery March 16. "I thank God for my recovery and growing vitality and hope for many good years ahead," Rogers said.

Rogers was called as pastor of Bellevue Baptist in 1972, succeeding Ramsey Pollard, who had served as pastor since 1960. The church became a prominent SBC congregation under the leadership of R.G. Lee, who served as pastor from 1927 to 1960.

Rogers' election as president of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1979 helped spark what is known as the conservative resurgence -- a period in which the denomination returned to its historical, orthodox roots and a commitment to biblical inerrancy. After choosing not to run for re-election in 1980, Rogers was elected president again in 1986 and 1987. A conservative has won the presidency every year since 1979.

Grace Seminary grad and former Grace faculty member Larry Poland, who for a number of years has headed an outreach ministry to media and entertainment professionals in Hollywood, is the founder and organizer of an annual Media Prayer Breakfast. Excerpts from a release giving details on this year's event follow:

“Prayer” and “Hollywood” don’t often fit in the same sentence. But, on October 1, prayer will be very much on the minds of hundreds who gather for the inaugural National Media Prayer Breakfast in the International Ballroom of The Beverly Hilton.

Breakfast organizers announced this week that TV personality and music artist John Tesh, Florence LaRue and Willie Williams of the 5th Dimension, and a gospel choir will provide music for the event. People from all over America are coming together to focus prayer on the 700 most powerful and influential media people in the world.

Currently scheduled to provide an opening prayer is “The Purpose-Driven Life” author Dr. Rick Warren. Other program participants scheduled to appear include “Without a Trace” performer Eric Close, “As the World Turns” actor Peter Parros, film legend Rhonda Fleming, and Charter Communications president Carl Vogel, among others.

“The message to Hollywood’s elite is that there are millions of Christians who care enough about them to pray for them, not just boycott, protest or bash them,” says breakfast founder Dr. Larry Poland. “We want to send media leaders a positive message of love and forgiveness.”

Poland's organization has been doing this for fifteen years through its “Media Leader Prayer Calendar,” the most widely recognized and respected publication of its kind. For information and online registration visit www.nmpb2004.org. The event is sponsored by Mastermedia International www.mastermediaintl.org in alliance with the Hollywood Prayer Network www.hollywoodprayernetwork.org.

Mike and Letitia Yoder, GBIM missionaries to Berlin, have been requesting prayer for "Jesus-tag" as they were to distribute copies of the Jesus film to university students during the event today. Here are excerpts from a release on the event.

JESUS DAY: 40,000 MARCH THROUGH BERLIN SINGING AND PRAYING
Remembering the Victims of 9/11 and Other Terrorist Attacks
By Wolfgang PolzerSpecial to ASSIST News Service

On the third anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks more than 40,000 Christians marched through the German capital Berlin singing and praying. They took part in a Jesus Day organized by evangelical Christians.

The march started and ended at the Brandenburg Gate. On their way through the city participants stopped at six political, financial, commercial and cultural centers to offer prayers.

Near the US-embassy they not only prayed for the 3,000 victims of the 9/11 attacks, but also for those killed in other acts of terrorism, such as the school siege in Beslan, South Russia.

The Jesus Day is an antidote against terrorism, violence and separation, said Rev Axel Nehlsen, chairman of the organizing committee. Five hundred participants also took part in a rally of solidarity with Israel and Messianic Jews. They voiced their concern over the escalating anti-Semitism in Europe.

Participants also took part in 50 evangelistic and social projects during the Jesus Day. The first Jesus Day took place in the year 2000 with approximately 50,000 participants.

Here is Mike Yoder's report:

“As part of Berlin's 'Jesus Day,' a wide-scale outreach using the Jesus-Video was undertaken in the city. Our outreach in the university residences among students was extraordinarily positive. Organizers referred to it as the most successful of the around 20 similar outreaches. Many students, particularly the foreigners, eagerly accepted the Jesus-Video gift. We had over 20 participants involved in the distribution from several Christian ministries among students. Overall, Berliners were more receptive to the video than almost anyone expected. We are glad to contribute to this ministry, most of all because it raises the profile of believers and engages people with the issue of Jesus. Follow-up surveys and conversations, as well as evangelistic Bible studies, are vital in the evangelistic process. May eternity reveal much fruit from this outreach. Thanks for praying.”

The Osceola (IN) Grace Brethren Church will host its "world-famous annual 'Touchpoint Weekend' community outreach events and hog roast" this year on Sept. 25-26.

The hog roast will follow community service projects in and around Osceola on the 25th. Come join us for a great time of community fun and, even better, food during our heralded annual celebration of church life in small-town America.

Here's what the local news media are saying about "Touchpoint":

This weekend of events is designed to say, “Thank you” to the community for allowing them to be a part of this wonderful area. Events begin on Thursday, September 23rd with a Teacher Appreciation Banquet, which will be held at the church at 6:30p.m.

The weekend will continue with the musical “The Cop and the Anthem” , which will be performed on Friday evening at 7:00p.m.

On Saturday, the 25th, 300 members of Grace Brethren will be doing free service projects around the community. Saturday evening they would like to invite the community to a free hog roast at the church. Dinner lines will be open from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The weekend of thanks will conclude on Sunday morning with Adult Bible classes at 9:30 a.m., followed by a worship service.

Today's editorial is from Grace Seminary grad and former Grace faculty member John H. Stoll, Ph.D.

The coming election of our president will have a far greater effect on our nation than previous elections.

There are at least two underlying reasons for this: how the coming president will handle world affairs, especially increased hostility and terrorism, and, secondly, the precedent-setting personal hatred of our current president and how this will affect the future if he is reelected, as well as later presidents.

What is behind the intense personal attacks, and what can be done to restore a semblance of civility and honor to our electoral process, which has degenerated to vile language against him and castigating his personhood?

When one reflects upon our president, we see a person who has made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as the Savior of his life. When Jesus Christ was on earth, He noted that the world would hate the Christian, just as it hated Him (Matthew 24:9). Futhermore, in Satan's increasing attack upon every aspect of Christianity, it is no wonder that he fiercely attacks the president of the world's greatest country, who is a Christian.

Therefore, he is marshaling all his forces to defeat the president as well as Christianity in our country. As the world comes closer to the return of Jesus Christ in judgment, Satan is ratcheting up his attacks in every aspect of God's work and people.

It is important for Christians who are also citizens of our country to have a well-thought-out biblical worldview, consistent with scriptural principles and to be informed of our rights and privileges that we enjoy under our Constitution. Furthermore, it is important to understand the basic philosophical differences between the two major parties and vote accordingly as stewards of God's wisdom.

The conflict in the political arena today is not primarily between two opposing political parties as in the past. It has been raised to a higher level of intensity - to that of a spiritual conflict. It is a battle between God and Satan with mankind in between and each force working to control mankind and the world.

By that I am not saying that one party is beholden to God and the other to Satan, for there is both good and evil in each party. But having a Christian president, who has not made perfect judgments for he is human, nevertheless has become a lightning rod for satanic attacks, just because he has openly acknowledged Jesus Christ, as well as having appointed some Christians to places of high office in our country.

There is good news in the midst of this conflict today, and that is that God is sovereign over the affairs of mankind and His overall program is on target, for which Christians are able to rejoice.

The Bible tells us, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). What more do we need, and what more can we ask?

Dr. John H. Stoll is executive director of A.S.K., Inc., a professional counseling and Bible teaching organization. For the past 18 years he has been the director of a Christian psychological clinic in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.

Grace Village Retirement Community in Winona Lake, IN, is sponsoring its second annual "Senior Gathering" the mornings of Tuesday through Thursday, September 14-16. A committee headed by retired GBIM missionary Roy Snyder has planned a full program culminating with a free lunch after the closing session on Thursday in the FV dining center. During the sessions Dr. John Davis will speak and perform with a musical group, Dr. William Remington will speak about spiritual and physical wellbeing, nutritionist Wanda Cullison will discuss healthy eating and attorney Paul Refior will discuss legal and money matters. Artist Rosella Hawkins will display and discuss her painted dishes. The gathering is free and open to the public--for more information or to register call Roy Snyder at (574) 372-6192.

The National Training Center of Man in the Mirror is partnering with the Wooster, Ohio, Grace Brethren Chuch to bring pastor's and men's ministry leaders an eight-hour training course on "Discipling Men's Heart." The course will be held Friday evening, October 1 and Saturday morning, October 2 in the South Fellowship Hall of the Wooster church.

For more information, map, and registration information click here or log onto www.maninthemirror.org.

After days of searching for them, two pastors in the Russian southern town of Beslan have now discovered that six of their eight young children died in the local school hostage drama that shocked the nation.

An official of the U.S.-backed Russian Ministries said Wednesday that brothers and pastors Taymuraz and Sergey Totiev from the Evangelical Baptist Church in Beslan were till the last moment "still hoping" to find their children alive. "Tragically, out of the eight Totiev children who were in the school, only two have survived," said Russian Ministries Vice President Sergey N. Rakhuba.

The children of Taymuraz and Ria Totiev who were killed were identified as Larissa, 14, Luba, 12, Albina, 11, and Boris, who was 8 years old. "A daughter named Magina was found, released from the hospital, and is recovering at home," he added.

He said the children of Sergey and Bela Totiev who died were Dzerassa, 15, and 9 year old Anna. "A son named Azamat, 12 years old, is in the hospital and is being treated for a severe eye injury," he explained. The children are believed to have died Friday, September 3, during a gun battle between Russian forces storming the school complex and militants demanding independence for neighboring Chechnya.

More complete reports may be obtained through the websites of Slavic Gospel Association or ASSIST News Service.

The Grace Brethren Church of West Kittanning, Pennsylvania (Pastor John Patrick), was highlighted in Saturday's Kittanning Daily-Leader Times. Here is the article:

Maybe it's just luck, or perhaps help from a higher power, but a community day planned by Grace Brethren Church for Sept. 11 really came together this year.

This year, the third such community day organized by the church, features top-notch entertainment and a host of different displays, as well as games and free food.

According to Dr. Jim Childs, one of the organizers of the event, the day will feature displays from various emergency responders including a special decontamination unit, the American Red Cross and many others, while afternoon entertainment will include magician Tim Kutch and the Kittanning Firemen's Band.

"This whole process sort of came out of 9/11," he said. "It was sort of an effort to promote community spirit."
"People tend not to interact as much as they used to," Childs added.

The church was lucky enough to have Sept. 11 fall on a Saturday, enabling them to hold their community day on a day of the week that most people have free.

Childs said the idea originally started as an effort simply to have people interact with their neighbors and fellow community members, and the memory of the terror attacks of 9/11 makes that day a logical choice for a community day.

"That's one of the reasons we chose to have it on 9/11," he said, because of the feeling of unity spawned from that day.
With their community day falling on the third anniversary of the terror attacks, Childs said it seemed appropriate to have something special for that day, so they inquired about the Firemen's Band. "We thought that would be a nice emphasis that we hadn't had before," he said.

Again, as fate would have it, the firemen's band was already booked for an event on Sept. 11, but ended up being able to do both that day. In addition to the Firemen's Band concert, scheduled to begin at 6:45 p.m., magician Tim Kutch will perform at 3:30 p.m., and ventriloquist Daniel Robison will be on at 5 p.m. There will also be free popcorn and games for all ages at the event, he said.

The community day will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. Sept. 11, at the church's multipurpose building at 215 Arthur St. in West Kittanning. For additional information, call the church at 724-543-4019.

Grace Seminary alumnus and former administrator Dr. Robert Provost, now head of the Slavic Gospel Association, requests prayer for families affected by the recent hostage-taking and massacre in Beslan, in southwest Russia. Specifically, he requests prayer for the children of church-planting pastor Sergei Totiev, whose children were in the Beslan Middle School. In the photo above, the little girl Anna (9) is still missing. The taller boy, Azamat, is hospitalized with a severe eye injury, and the smaller child is missing. A Beslan pastor reported, "the sitaution is very difficult...they are grateful for your concern but are in shock. More than 400 children are in hospitals, many badly injured and burned. Identifying the injured is extremely difficult. Many are so traumatized that they are unable to say their names of the names of their parents. Pleas pray often for all the families affected...pray for the pastors and churches who are seeking to minister to all who have lost precious little loved ones. More information and updates from Provost and Slavic Gospel Association may be obtained by clicking here. Additional updates from ASSIST News Service are available by clicking here.

The Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of Edvard Tchivzhel, played a free Hillside Labor Day Weekend concert at Winona Lake on Sunday afternoon, September 5. Playing from a tent situated at one end of the former site of the Billy Sunday Tabernacle, the ensemble played a repertoire of light classical and pops numbers. The program was sponsored by The Village at Winona.

Today's Los Angeles Times has a very good wrapup article summarizing why conservative Christians are leaving the GOP Convention in New York with optimism. Here are the first several paragraphs. To read the entire article click here.

Christian Conservatives Leave Convention in Great Spirits

by James Rainey, Times Staff Writer
NEW YORK — They may have been pushed mostly out of the prime-time spotlight, but Christian conservatives left the Republican National Convention on Friday inspired by one of the most socially conservative party platforms in years and determined to reelect a president they viewed as an ideological soul mate.

In a variety of settings mostly removed from the main stage in New York this week, social conservatives trumpeted their support for President Bush and welcomed a return of the "culture wars" they first declared more than a decade ago.

Now, in the 60 days remaining before the election, they plan to register thousands of voters, whose names have been gleaned from church directories, and distribute an estimated 30 million voter guides in churches, malls and other locations. One activist recruited conservatives to infiltrate Democratic-leaning churches and report on liberal ministers who make overt political appeals on behalf of the Democratic candidate, Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts...

An auction of donated boats throughout the Labor Day week is being conducted by staff of Urban Encounter, the Chicago church-planting initative of Grace Brethren North American Missions. From September 4-11 bidders can vie for the watercraft via bidsheets in the tent on the grounds of the auction. For more information, or to make a donation, call Clive Craigen at (773) 590-2554 or log onto the GBNAM website.

Clive Craigen (left), Amy Hunter (center) and Shawn Kantenwein (right) were present for the opening of the GBNAM/Urban Encounter Boat Auction at New Horizon Community Grace Brethren Church in Winona Lake on Saturday morning, September 4. Craigen is the Chicago team leader for Urban Encounter, Amy Hunt is a staff associate, and Kantenwein is a Grace College student who is helping with the sale. At present, seven watercraft are open to bids throughout the week. Any unsold boats will be sold on Ebay Motors on-line auction. Proceeds from all sales go to Urban Encounter, the Grace Brethren church-planting initiative in the inner city of Chicago.

Here are two items from the latest newsletter of the Christian Management Association. The first warns local churches and pastors of the importance of keeping receipts for reimbursable expenses, and the second offers help to churches wishing to know more about safeguards in using volunteers, particularly in overseeing children's ministries.

IRS Asserts Sanctions Against Minister

Frank Sommerville, JD, CPA, reported to CMA this week that the IRS recently released five memorandums that detailed why it was seeking intermediate sanctions against a pastor, his spouse, his two sons and a son-in-law.

Basically, every expense item that lacked documentation should have been added to their taxable income by the church but it was not added. These expenses became the basis for the intermediate sanctions.

The expense items that were left off the minister's taxable income included personal use of cell phones, personal use of church cars, personal use of a church-owned house (not a parsonage) and personal use of church credit cards. Since these individuals did not have documentation to show business use, the IRS claimed personal use.

The individuals' taxes and penalties could exceed 265 percent of the original expense amount. These memos should remind all in leadership that the standard for documenting business expenses is 100 percent and the penalties for sloppy recordkeeping can be severe. (Info: contact Frank Sommerville, JD, CPA, at fsommerville@nonprofitattorney.com or visit www.wkpz.com for more information.)


Volunteer Background Checks & Other Tools
Churches and ministries that use volunteers should check out Group Publishing’s volunteer management services at https://shop.grouppublishing.com/cvc/. Options include national background checks (for as little as $17 per person), volunteer management software, recruiting and motivational tools, online training and telephone consulting.

The Navigators, a worldwide partnership focused on evangelizing and discipling the nations, has appointed a new international president, Englishman Michael W. Treneer, former Africa director. The selection came after a four-month process that concluded with a vote of the international council. The council, chaired by Dr. Jerry White, the current international president of 18 years, voted unanimously for Treneer’s appointment.

“I am extremely pleased with God’s selection of Mike,” says White, who will retain his position as chairman of The Navigators U.S. Board of Directors. “God has uniquely prepared him for this role, and he is the man to lead the next phase of the Navigator ministry.”

Treneer, 56, will assume his new position on January 1, 2005. He will be the fourth international president in The Navigators’ 72-year history. Born and raised in England, and with more than 20 years’ service in Africa, Treneer is The Navigators’ first non-American president.

Treneer came to faith in Christ through the Navigator student ministry in England. After graduating from Loughborough University as a chemical engineer, he worked for Shell Chemicals in Manchester while continuing his involvement with the Navigator student ministry. He and his wife, Chris, joined staff full time in 1971. In the mid ’70s, the Treneers pioneered the Navigator ministry in Nigeria. He served as The Navigators’ director for Africa from 1981 to 1998. In 1998, Treneer became an international vice president of The Navigators, overseeing ministries in Australia and New Zealand, Russia, Ukraine, and the Baltic States. For the past three years, he has led the European Navigator work.

More than 4,000 Navigator staff of 63 nationalities minister among college students, military personnel, business and professional people, communities, and churches in 110 countries. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, The Navigators is a worldwide partnership with a calling to advance the Gospel of Jesus and His Kingdom into the nations through spiritual generations of laborers living and discipling among the lost.

Grace College basketball coach Jim Kessler (center, red shirt), recently returned from leading a group of eight coaches who led basketball clinics, taught about AIDS, and shared the Gospel in three cities in Kenya, Africa. Five of the eight coaches were from the Community Grace Brethren Church in Warsaw, Indiana. Kessler and the coaches conducted clinics for about 450 Kenyan youth, ages 9-19, teaching basketball fundamentals and setting the stage for a presentation by Baptist AIDs Response Agency (BARA) on the importance of abstinence in stemming the AIDS pandemic in Kenya. Kessler's daughter, Jenny, has been working with BARA under the auspices of the Grace Brethren International Missions organization for the past year, and helped set up and organize the clinics and presentations. Kessler explained the group's mission and shared digital photos of the trip with the Global Prayer Group last evening. GBIM executive Tom Julien is at left in the photo, and Grace College golf coach Dan Pacheco is at right.

Grace College class of 1964 planning team, under the direction of class president Dan Pacheco (standing, left), met recently to begin planning the class's 40th year reunion at the Grace College Homecoming this November 5 and 6. Other officers and members of the planning team included (seated, left) Paulette Macon Sauders, Sharon Auxt White, and Terry White. A special "Sounding Board Reunion" in honor of the 50th year of the college newspaper will be held at this year's Homecoming, as well. (photo by Jesse Deloe)