January 13, 2011

ELGIN, IL – The Church of the Brethren's annual Intercultural Consultation and Celebration meets this year under the theme "United by the Cross of Peace" (Ephesians 2:11-14). The event on April 28-30 in Mills River, N.C., will explore the issues related to diversity and peace, reported Intercultural Ministry director Rubén Deoleo. Hosts are His Way Church of the Brethren and Southeastern District.

On Earth Peace will help provide training sessions. Preachers will include David C. Jehnsen of the Institute for Human Rights and Responsibilities, Inc., and Bob Hunter of Earlham School of Religion in Richmond Ind. Other presenters are Carol Rose of Christian Peacemaker Teams; Jordan Blevins, advocacy officer for the Church of the Brethren and the National Council of Churches in Washington, D.C.; and Stan Dueck of the Congregational Life Ministries staff.

Participants will spend time looking at the roots of peace in the life of Christian faith and Brethren practice, including biblical roots and experiments in nonviolence, and will draw from the history of the US Civil Rights movements and other struggles for justice.

Concurrent Spanish interpretation will be provided during the event as needed. Cost of registration is $60. For more information, contact Deoleo at rdeoleo@brethren.org, or find online registration information at http://www.brethren.org/site/PageServer?pagename=intercultural_consultation.

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 celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts some 123,000 members across the United States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service