That's a Pass

 

A Bible That's Falling Apart...

Check the Warehouse

Consider it a long term investment. Those books may be worth something now.

Jesus Is A Friend

He's Friend Next to You

Handpainted resin statues on a solid wood base are the perfect gift for every young Christian athlete. These statues portray Jesus actively participating with boys and girls in a variety of sports. A wonderful way to reinforce Jesus "as friend" in everyday activities. Sizes vary from 4 3/4 to 6 1/2 inches.

Many customers have requested these Jesus Sport Statues depicting children other than Caucasian and playing other sports; we have expressed these requests to manufacturers and importers. When and if other statues are available, we'll carry them.

Oh Really?

Debate Over New Offering From Brethren Press

Amid cries of controversy Brethren Press is planning to debut three new dolls, Dunker Malia, Old Order Sasha, and Amazing Alexander for this summer's Annual Conference Book Store. An unidentified congregation member announced through a query statement: "We feel it is inappropriate to use young, private citizens for marketing purposes."

Brethren Press response was that "essentially, hey, we just liked the names. Any resemblance to living persons is merely coincidence." It was reported that the Elgin based publisher chose the names because "they are beautiful names," not because of any resemblance to real, marketable persons.

"There's nothing on the dolls that refers to the real persons," A Brethren Press spokesman said. "It would not be fair to say they are exact replications of these individuals. They are not."

PlugNPray

New Software Titles from Brethren Press

Do you need to change religion to grab the chance for a career outlook? Are you going to work abroad? Getting a new customized god is easy with Plug'n'Pray. A new spirituality and a new respectability can be yours at a mouse click.

Religious Gurus from all over the world compiled these kits for you. Religious and cultural habits are fully illustrated: audio and video files will teach you everything about prayers, mortification and purification rituals, as well as ready to use supplications, special formulas and sacred functions.

A variety of Plug'n'Pray kits will soon be available through Brethren Press.

COBSF

Planet of the Love Feast

"The planet around them was alien; the star-charts claimed it was Earth-type G, but semi-desert. The crash landing had been unfortunate. But the planet had seemed beautiful and inviting from space, even though they had landed in a desert, bordered by distant mountains. It would be an easy matter to get to more pleasant surroundings and begin a life on this virgin world.

Darkness had fallen a few hours earlier and Jon Crayford built a campfire from the wood sections of the small space car that had brought them there.

He looked at his lone companion. He couldn't have made a better choice. She would surely be an inviting companion in the coming weeks, months and probably years. Righteous and pious looking; she was in the prime of life. At the time, though, there had been only one thought in mind: a holy sacrament. The escape from the Penal-Ship, which was taking him to Penalton Planet, had been impulsive, sparked by the unexpected trouble among the Ship's officers. He'd grabbed the first basin, towels, bread and wine near him.

So begins "Planet of the Love Feast," the first novel of the new line of science fiction titles to be published by Brethren Press.

Gather Round

Gather 'Round

The Gather 'Round curriculum project still has openings for writers for two curriculum units. Persons wishing to submit an application for the Preschool unit (ages 3-4, with tips for 2s) or the Multi-age unit (grades K-6, with suggestions for older students) may request an application packet. Accepted candidates must attend a writers' conference at Camp Alexander Mack on Jan. 8-12, 2006. Writing will begin in January. Deadline for applications is Nov. 1.

Brethren Press will begin catering to the more conservative Brethren with their new curriculum. Summer is over, but these book are good all year round: Summer Reading For True Christian Kids.

KookyRobertson

More Troubles for Pat

While Pat Robertson is busy issuing apologies for his Venezuelan faux pas there's plenty hot water to be gotten into. One inexplicable act follows another and now he's in the hot seat for peddling an age-defying elixer.

The Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) and Brethren Press have announced that they have no plans to market a competing product and that the talk about the Granddaughter's Inglenook Miracle Drink is only a rumor.

Chocofixes

Brethren Press Reports Candy Shortage

Brethren Press, the marketing arm of the Church of the Brethren, has reported that they are no longer selling easter candy. "We have no more chocolate crosses in our stockroom," reports a recording when a customer calls the toll free number.

It Makes Scents

The chemists in the Brethren labs are furiously working to come up with scents that embody various Brethren icons such as Alexander Mack, John Kline, Anna Mow, and others. Brethren Press is hoping to be ready in time for Annual Conference in order to ride the wave of success of other candles now on the market.

CoBACE funds make Christian education events possible.

Funds from the former Church of the Brethren Association for Christian Education (CoBACE) will make it possible for Brethren Press and the General Board's Congregational Life Teams to offer training events on Christian education at Annual Conference next year. CoBACE bequeathed a total of $1,678 to promote Christian education in the denomination when it disbanded in 2001. Over its 21-year career, CoBACE published a newsletter, hosted Annual Conference luncheons and insight sessions on a variety of topics, and provided continuing education activities for professional and volunteer church educators.

Conferencegoers will be able to earn continuing education credit, through the Brethren Academy, for attending a "track" of five insight sessions and a meal event focused on Christian education. CoBACE funds are paying for the leadership of Pamela Anderson, noted Sunday School teacher, at two insight sessions and the Brethren Press breakfast. Anderson spoke on becoming a dynamic 21st century Sunday school teacher, selecting Sunday school curriculum, and her three-year study of 150 different Sunday school curricula and how congregations nurture their children's spirituality in Sunday school, worship, and children's church.

At last year’s Conference, sessions were funded by Congregational Life Teams and featured Jacqueline Nowak, Christian educator and director of The Blessing Center at Memorial United Presbyterian Church, Xenia, Ohio, on family prayer time, the spirituality of children, and family faith formation. Fourteen people received continuing education credit, and between 17 and 65 conferencegoers came to each insight session. Julie Hostetter, CLT for Area 3, and Jewel McNary and Anna Speicher of Brethren Press coordinated the events.

The CoBACE bequest also supported insight sessions at last year's Annual Conference led by Judith Myers-Walls, associate professor of Child Development and Family Studies at Purdue University.

DE's Gone Wild

Brethren Press' latest money making venture will be the sale of a risque video of the District Executives partying in Dayton Beach. Watch for "DE's Gone Wild 2 - Charleston" to be released later this summer.

Register While Supplies Last

Conference-goers who register early for Annual Conference will be able to walk with Christ in Boise. Brethren Press is offering a free pair of sandals to those who register before June 15th and, for those registering after the give-away deadline, you won't have to go to Denmark to get your footware; the Brethren Press store in the exhibit hall will be selling more than books.

Censorship?

Readers will not be able to purchase issues of the refurbished Rawhide Kid from Brethren Press when it becomes more widely available early next year. BRF leaders have expressed their support for this decision while those in support of VOS have expressed concern over the exclusion of fictional characters in the life of the church.

Clearance Sale

Brethren Press sales at National Youth Conference were good but they could have been better. There are plenty of bucket hats and other NYC merchandise available. Be sure to check out the NYC Staff items.

Position Available

Julie Garber has announced her resignation as editor of books and study resources for Brethren Press effective August 9 in order to accept a new position at Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind. This leaves a vacanct position for someone who will be able to promote our distinctives of peace, noncomfority, and community. Spell checking is optional.

Now Playing

The Annual Conference premier of Dave Sollenberger's latest video documentary was met by rave reviews. The film examines all aspects of the Old Order Brethren, from their plain clothes to their unique perspectives on theology.

During the course of the 19th century, Brethren had to interact with American culture to an ever greater measure because the artificial barriers of a different language and insulated life on the frontier were steadily eroding. As a result, the Brethren brought increasing numbers of questions to their Annual Meeting for deliberation, on issues as diverse as the allowance of carpets and flowered wallpaper in homes, to the proper style of plain clothes, to the acceptance of higher education and Sunday Schools. By the 1860s, two quite divergent views were developing in the church about such issues. One group, the Old Order Brethren, was reluctant to make full use of such practices as Sunday Schools, evangelism, higher education, and foreign missions that would move the church in the direction of worldly Christianity and away from the old order or faith of the church. An opposite position was taken by the Progressive Brethren who felt that such innovations would enable the church to spread the beliefs of the church more widely and to move more quickly into the mainstream of American culture.

Please check with Brethren Press about the availability of “Men in Black”.

“MIB II,” a study of the Progressive Brethren, will be available at next year's Annual Conference.