September 29, 2008

ELGIN, IL – Two Church of the Brethren agencies have announced delegation trips in January:

• A trip to Israel/Palestine on the theme "Plant Peace" is being offered by On Earth Peace on Jan. 6-19, 2009.

• A "Faith Expedition" sponsored by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office to an indigenous coffee cooperative in Chiapas, Mexico, is offered on Jan. 24-Feb. 3, 2009.

The trip to Israel/Palestine sponsored by On Earth Peace will be led by Rick Polhamus, a former fulltime volunteer with Christian Peacemaker Teams in Hebron. The delegation will meet with Israeli and Palestinian peace and human rights workers, will join the CPT teams in Hebron and the village of At-Tuwani in a limited amount of accompaniment and documentation, and will join in a public witness. "This is an opportunity to get an on-the-ground perspective on the conflict in the Middle East, how it impacts communities, and how some communities are making a stand for peace," said On Earth Peace. Participants are expected to prepare by becoming familiar with current conditions in the Middle East, and upon return communicate about the experience with congregations, community groups, and the media. The $2,100 cost includes international airfare, in-country travel, simple accommodations, two meals per day, honoraria, and delegation fees. Contact On Earth Peace at 410-635-8704.

The Faith Expedition to Mexico sponsored by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office is planned in partnership with Equal Exchange and Witness for Peace. The group will stay in the homes of coffee farmers in the area of Chiapas, and will learn about the economic, political, and historical context. Topics will include the 1994 uprising in Chiapas, low-intensity conflict, and human rights abuses against indigenous people. Participants will learn how global economic forces and local social hardships, for example the global price of coffee, affects the livelihoods of poor farming communities. The trip also will include a visit to an indigenous women's artisan cooperative, and the opportunity to learn about the role that faith and Liberation Theology has played in the lives of people in rural Chiapas. For more information about cost and how to apply, contact the Brethren Witness/Washington Office at 800- 785-3246.

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continuing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts more than 125,000 members across the United States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.

Church of the Brethren News Service