POSTINGS:

Docs, Brochures, Forms, Positions Available Sarah Kovacs, former cabinet member serving in Ghana Gettysburg COB searching for Choir Director Church of the Brethren's Response to Japan Tsunami Making Family & School Kits For Haiti Brethren Haiti Donations Brethren Haiti Blog House & School Kits for Haiti Haiti Disaster Response Greetings From The Dominican Republic Curricula Share Database Brook Lane Health Presentations Swine Flu Resources Prayer for Nigeria Sympathies Extended Phishing For Your Identity Children and Terrorism by Judith Myers-Walls For Church Boards : Examining Your Liability

1. Sarah says, "This is Class 1 (First Grade), the class I taught while I was in Apam!"
2. "An updated picture of my class--I now have 25 kids!" What a happy group of children!
3. "Stephen eating!" Continue to pray for Stephen as he struggles to maintain his health.







To learn more about Sarah and the work she is doing in Ghana, please go to Sarah's Page at York First Church of the Brethren.

Gettysburg church has an immediate opening for a Choir Director for our adult choir. Qualified candidate needed to perform duties September through May for worship services on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Sundays of the month, occasional special services, and weekly Wednesday evening rehearsals. Please send resume C/O Ministry & Worship Commission, Gettysburg Church of the Brethren, 1710 Biglerville Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325

• For more information see www.brethrendisasterministries.org, or write to
  Brethren Disaster Ministries, PO Box 188, New Windsor, MD 21776-0188,
  or, contact Jane Yount jyount@brethren.org 1-800-451-4407 ext 7.
  
  (Note: The heavy duty tarps are for Church of the Brethren families and
  they are in two sizes; 10' x 8' and 10' x 10').

The IRS has released "Ten Facts About Claiming Donations Made to Haiti," which may be helpful for those who have donated to the Brethren relief effort. People who donate to charities providing earthquake relief may be able to claim those donations on their 2009 tax returns, in a special provision made possible by a new law. Donations to the Church of the Brethren’s Emergency Disaster Fund for Haiti earthquake qualify for this provision.

Among qualifications to claim donations on 2009 tax returns, the IRS lists the following: donations must be made specifically for the relief of victims in areas affected by the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti; must be made after Jan. 11 and before March 1; must be made to qualified charities; and cannot be designated for the benefit of specific individuals or families.

The new law applies only to cash contributions made by text message, check, credit or debit card. Taxpayers must itemize deductions in order to claim donations, and may deduct donations on either the 2009 or 2010 tax return but not both. Contributions to foreign organizations generally are not deductible. Federal law requires taxpayers to keep a record--such as a bank record, cancelled check, or receipt from the charity--of any deductible donations they make showing the name of the organization receiving the donation, date, and amount given.

For more see www.irs.gov or consult a qualified tax professional. Give to the Church of the Brethren Haiti relief effort at www.brethren.org/HaitiDonations.

General Offices of the Church of the Brethren here in Elgin to tell you that we have created a "Haiti Earthquake" blog on the Church of the Brethren website. The purposes of this blog are: for Brethren and friends to find updates on work and connections in Haiti, for Brethren and friends to express caring and support for Haitian brothers and sisters here and in Haiti, for Haitian member to tell what they know about families and loved ones in Haiti and to ask for prayers, for other breaking news.

The blog will allow people to read comments and add comments and to stay in touch with one another. It can be used as a way of letting people across the church and beyond know in a personal and intimate way what is happening. It will carry messages from the team that flew to Haiti yesterday and links to news as it breaks.

Brethren Haiti Blog

• A photo from happier times in Haiti shows a gathering of Brethren leaders of Eglise des Freres Haitiens (Church of the Brethren in Haiti). A call for the entire Brethren community to be in prayer for the Haitian people and the church there has come from Church of the Brethren general secretary Stan Noffsinger (see story below). Brethren Disaster Ministries is one of the organizations beginning the work of disaster relief in Haiti. The church's Emergency Disaster Fund is receiving donations toward the effort. See full story at Brethren Disaster Response.
• Haiti Earthquake

• Please pray for Haitian-Dominican Brethren who are awaiting some word regarding their loved ones back in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
  
  It is estimated that there are a million people of Haitian descent living in the Dominican Republic. People of this group make up about half the membership of the Iglesia de Los Hermanos (Church of the Brethren) in the Dominican Republic. Many have very close relatives living in Port-au-Prince and they have no way to find out how their relatives and friends are doing or if they have even survived.
  
  Phone service is down. Reports indicate that the border between the DR and Haiti was closed for security reasons. So it is not even possible to physically go and check on family. This inability to get information about loved ones is the difficulty that many of the Dominican Brethren are facing as they hear reports of widespread destruction and loss of life.
  
  The earthquake was felt throughout most of the Dominican Republic especially in the western part of the country. Brethren pastors in that region report feeling a strong jolt from the earthquake but there are no reports of damage so far in the Dominican Republic. Dominican leaders want to begin exploring ways of participating in the relief efforts as they meet this weekend for their quarterly national board meeting.
  
  Again, all of us here in the Dominican Republic are fine with the exception of the concerns about loved ones mentioned above. We invite your prayers for all involved and for those planning relief efforts. We encourage you to check www.brethren.org for more information about the Brethren response.
  
  Irvin and Nancy Heishman
  Co-mission Coordinators for the Dominican Republic
  Church of the Brethren
  Santo Domingo, RD
  809-518-1569

• Curricula Share User Guide
• Curricula Form (PDF)
• Curricula Form (Excel)
• Curricula Form (Quattro)

Brook Lane Health Services have persons available that could make presentations at your church or small groups. Sample topics include:

• Understanding ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• About Bi-polar Disorder
• Challenges in the Blended Family
• Understanding and Treating Depression
• Getting Through Grief
• Post Trumatic Stress Disorder

To arrange a speaker or discuss a presentation need, contact: Curt Miller, Director of Public Relations - 301-733-0331, ext 228 or curt.miller@brooklane.org.

The following information about the swine flu is recommended by Brethren Disaster Ministries as a resource to help Brethren congregations and members better understand the flu outbreak and ways to respond. The information has been provided by Church World Service (CWS) offering links to information posted online by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and recommendations from Lutheran Disaster Relief. This resource also is at www.brethren.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=7929&news_iv_ctrl=-1 on the Church of the Brethren website. Please share this information with congregations and leaders in your district.

H1N1 (Swine Flu) and Seasonal Flu Health Care Practices
H1N1 (Swine Flu) CWS Resources

Prayer For Nigeria

Please read the attached document for additional information concerning recent Violence in Nigeria.

"Phishing" For Your Identity

Internet scammers casting about for people's financial information have a new way to lure unsuspecting victims: They go "phishing." Phishing is a high-tech scam that uses spam or pop-up messages to deceive you into disclosing your credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), phishers send an email or pop-up message that claims to be from a business or organization that you deal with - for example, your Internet service provider (ISP), bank, online payment service, or even a government agency. The message usually says that you need to "update" or "validate" your account information. It might threaten some dire consequence if you don't respond. The message directs you to a Web site that looks just like a legitimate organization's site, but it isn't. The purpose of the bogus site? To trick you into divulging your personal information so the operators can steal your identity and run up bills or commit crimes in your name.

Please use caution in responding to emails that are requesting an action on your part. Edward Leiter, Director of Information Services, Church of the Brethren General Board

Children And Terrorism

Talking with Children About Terrorism by Judith Myers-Walls, a University of Purdue Extension Specialist, who gives some advice on how to approach this situation.

For The Church Board

For Church Boards examining their liability factors, the District Library has a copy of The Alban Institutes book, "Safe and Secure." This guide helps identify risks and develop strategies for minimizing a congregation's liability and ensuring the safety and security of its members and visitors. From his unique perspective as a pastor and former detective, author, Jeffrey W. Hanna outlines issues, offers solutions to common problems, and helps readers assess their congregation's risks. Topics discussed include: handling money, building maintenance and security, personnel practices, and various types of criminal and civil liability.