General Board tackles new mission in Sudan, Millennium Development Goals, and stem cell research in a busy fall meeting.

"We have affirmed a major new mission in Sudan," said General Board chair Glenn Mitchell at board meetings Oct. 15-17 in Elgin, Ill. The new mission was approved in concept during a meeting focused on "Bound Together, Finely Woven: That Your Hearts May Be Encouraged," a theme taken from Colossians 2:1-3. Lively and intense worship experiences marked the meeting, with closing worship led in Spanish and English by board member Jaime Diaz, a pastor from Puerto Rico.

In other business, the board approved a budget for 2006, a resolution supporting the Millennium Development Goals, and study of stem cell research. It also met with the Stewardship of Property Committee considering use of the board's two main facilities in Elgin and New Windsor, Md.

Sudan Mission Initiative:

The General Board accepted a proposal for a new Church of the Brethren mission initiative in Sudan and approved it "as a concept for implementation and development." "There is new opportunity to walk with the Sudanese in a healing and reconciling way, and to work together to rebuild their land," said the proposal for the new mission. (See story below for a full report.)

Budget and Finances:

The board approved a "grand total" budget for 2006 of $9,318,470 of net income for all General Board ministries. This budget includes the Core Ministries Fund as well as special funds and self-funded units such as Brethren Press and the New Windsor Conference Center among others. Treasurer Judy Keyser gave a presentation of "good news" for next year, announcing that no deficit budgets are expected and no staff or program cuts are anticipated.

In an income and expense report through Sept. 30, the board learned that this year's budget is currently at almost $47,000 of expense over income. However, a funding report revealed that congregational giving to all of the General Board ministries, including special funds such as the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF), is up 27.5 percent or more. Giving to the EDF has exceeded $2.2 million so far this year, in an extremely generous response to the board's disaster work following the tsunami and the Gulf Coast hurricanes.

"The Core Ministries Fund is trailing its congregational giving budget projection by seven percent or about $150,000," reported Ken Neher, director of Funding. "However, total giving from congregations and districts has exceeded $3 million by October for the first time in memory, perhaps ever."

The board also approved a series of revisions in its Financial Policies document, including such changes as allowing donations through electronic transfer, a new percentage formula for use of bequest funds, the prohibition of loans to individuals, and new approval levels for grants from special funds, among several other revisions.

Millennium Development Goals:

A resolution supporting the Millennium Development Goals was approved and recommended to Annual Conference for adoption. "To all who are concerned with making known to a suffering world the teachings and compassion of Jesus Christ, now is a critical time for addressing the crisis of extreme poverty and widespread hunger," said the opening sentence of the resolution. It was presented by Howard Royer, manager of the board's Global Food Crisis Fund, and Phil Jones, director of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office.

The resolution recommits the board to "follow the teachings of Jesus that prompt our loving response to the poor and hungry. We recommend that congregations, agencies, and members revisit the 2000 Annual Conference Statement on Caring for the Poor, using this and other study materials to prayerfully engage the questions of hunger and poverty. We call on all levels and structures of the denomination to identify with and pursue the Millennium Development Goals," the resolution continues.

In a grim focus on what is at stake, an advertisement for www.makepovertyhistory.org was shown featuring well-known actors snapping their fingers--a snap once every three seconds for the children who die every three seconds from hunger and poverty-related causes around the world. "And all preventable," stated actor Liam Neeson.

The Millennium Development Goals "seek to make a change in this generation," said Royer. Goal 1, for example, is to "eradicate extreme poverty and hunger." Target 1 under that goal is to "halve, between 1999 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $1 a day." Royer emphasized Goal 3, "Promote gender equality and empower women." He repeated UN general secretary Kofi Annan's assertion that study after study has shown the best way to improve life and health is to educate girls. The US signed and committed to achieve the goals along with 188 other countries at the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000.

Other goals aim to increase primary education, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability, and develop a global partnership for development.

For the full text of the board's resolution and the list of the Millennium Development Goals, contact the Brethren Witness/Washington Office at 337 North Carolina Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20003; 800-785-3246; washington_office_gb@brethren.org

Stem Cell Research Study:

The board affirmed a plan for staff to work on a study of stem cell research, in cooperation with the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC). The study will be presented to Annual Conference as a report and/or study guide for discussion or affirmation as a denomination-wide study.

General secretary Stan Noffsinger and ABC executive director Kathy Reid initiated the study out of "concern about helping the church think in theological and ethical ways about this whole area" of bio-ethics and bio-medical advances, Del Keeney told the board. Keeney is executive director of Congregational Life Ministries and will work on the study with Scott Douglas, director of Older Adult Ministry for ABC. The staff members will lead a group of three to five Church of the Brethren members with expertise in bio-ethics to develop the report and/or study resource.

The last Annual Conference statement on issues of bio-ethics and medical technology was made in 1984 and does not directly address stem cell research. Keeney explained that such a study has a "fast moving target" because research and technology is progressing and developing so quickly. For example, he told the board that recent research findings suggest that adult stem cell research is more promising than had been previously thought. He and Douglas hope to be able to provide "an informed offering to the church," Keeney said, commenting that "there are people in our congregations who are waiting for help and hope."

Stewardship of Properties Committee and other reports:

The board members were the final group to have a hearing and listening session with the Stewardship of Properties Committee, in a closed session. Chair Dale Roth gave a brief update on the committee's work in an open session. The committee will bring recommendations to the March 2006 meeting of the General Board in New Windsor.

Other reports gave updates on the response to the Gulf Coast hurricanes; the Gather 'Round curriculum; next year's National Youth Conference; the 60th anniversary commemoration of the bombing of Hiroshima; the Vital Pastor Program of the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership; and plans for Annual Conference 2006. The Congregational Life Teams staff gave a presentation of observations from congregations, which included times for discussion of issues in small groups.

Music and Worship:

On Sunday evening Oct. 16, members of the Organ Historical Society, Chicago-Midwest chapter, offered a ceremony and recital in recognition of the historical status of the Kurtz Organ (see story below) also known as the 1698 Johann Christoph Harttman organ after its maker.

Other guests present over the long weekend of meetings included Bethany Theological Seminary students, a Training in Ministry class, members of the Cross Cultural Ministries Team, the Stewardship of Properties Committee, and district executives and visitors. During a time of employee recognitions, it was "standing room only" in the board room.

Among the guests were the pastors of a new church plant in Illinois and Wisconsin District, who helped lead the opening worship service for the weekend along with district executive Jim Yaussy Albright. Tom and Lynda DeVore pastor Christ Connections Community Church, which will be welcomed as a new Church of the Brethren fellowship at this fall's district conference.

An offering for the Global Food Crisis Fund raised $2,001 during a Sunday morning worship service in observance of World Food Day. The smell of bread permeated the chapel at the Church of the Brethren General Offices as bread was made and baked during the service, a procession carried bread from different cultures to the altar table, the offering was taken in bread bowls, and board members and staff gave testimonies about Brethren efforts to combat hunger.

Diaz encapsulated the mood of the meeting in his closing sermon. "I think this church has been called to do wonderful ministry," he said, "but we face struggles. You know what? I think we can go home and give words of encouragement. The work of Jesus will continue."

After the close of the meeting, board members stayed on for a professional growth event and a regularly scheduled performance evaluation for general secretary Stan Noffsinger.

Source: 10/27/2005 Special Newsline
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