General Board gives God praise for its ministries, begins consideration of facilities use.

"A new song," a theme taken from Psalm 89, framed General Board meetings in Elgin, Ill., Mar. 12-15. Stories of work done in the name of Jesus Christ and on behalf of the Church of the Brethren set the tone as the Board gave God praise for its ministries. The Board also began a process to consider the stewardship of its properties.

At several times over the course of the meeting, stories told in reports, devotions, and worship were met with an appreciative silence. "It's not often that words fail me, but this is one of those times," said Donna Shumate, chair, after viewing slide presentations of the rebuilding of a school in Iraq and relief efforts following an earthquake in Iran, both funded by the Emergency Disaster Fund. Later, an offering taken during worship received $437 for the work in Iran.

Of the more than 20 reports received, highlights included stories from staff visits to North Korea, Vietnam, and Brazil; views of the work supported by the Global Food Crisis Fund; the general secretary's participation in "Christian Churches Together in the US" with Church of the Brethren participation under study by the Committee on Interchurch Relations; a presentation by guests Paul Grout and Jim Buckles giving a vision for a new expression of church called "A Place Apart"; and budget and funding reports. Treasurer Judy Keyser reported that a planning team is working earlier than usual on a budget projection for 2005, as well as on measures to counteract possible budget deficits.

The extensive reporting--planned with the intent to build community and gain a wider consideration of the Board's work, according to general secretary Stan Noffsinger--led to questions from Board members about how to be more directly involved in Board ministries. A few expressed frustration at having a "passive role." Others talked about the challenge of communicating the stories. Board member Angie Lahman Yoder commented on the "privilege to be able to hear of so many wonderful things going on," and her desire to share that with others.

The Board approved the formation of an ad hoc committee to study stewardship of its properties, responding to "voices from the pews," said Shumate. The ad hoc group will be appointed by the executive committee and reportable to the Board, with the scope of its task and a timeline yet to be determined. The process will be open and include all of those potentially affected, such as employees and agencies that are tenants of the Board, said Noffsinger.

The Board learned that Heifer International (formerly Heifer Project International) is reducing the size of its board of directors but has assigned the Church of the Brethren a permanent seat as its founding denomination, in a report from current Brethren representative Kathleen Campanella.

Two capital funding requests related to the Brethren Service Center (BSC) were approved: up to $220,000 to improve existing warehouse space for lease by SERRV, which will repay the costs over the next five years; and a grant of $50,000 to the New Windsor Fire and Hose Capital Campaign to help build a new fire house for the town. Doubling the fire department's original request for $25,000 "is a good statement to make to that community," said Roy Winter, BSC executive director.

The meeting concluded with an eight-hour Seminar on Trauma Awareness and Recovery, a program of Church World Service and the Institute for Justice and Peacebuilding based at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Va.

Source: Newsline 3/19/2004 top