Committee makes progress on new organization for Brethren agencies.

The committee charged with the task of how to implement the streamlining of two church agencies while incorporating the functions of the Annual Conference Council, held its second meeting Dec. 10-11. The committee was formed after passage of the 2007 Review and Evaluation study by the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference.

The Implementation Committee reports that it is making continuing progress on its assignment, and is preparing the documentation for the new organization. The proposed merger agreement, including a new set of bylaws and revised articles of incorporation, will be reviewed in early March 2008 during a combined meeting of the General Board, the Association of Brethren Caregivers board, and the Annual Conference Council.

Each board will be invited to approve the proposed plan before it is considered by the 2008 Annual Conference. A summary of the implementation plan along with the bylaws, articles of incorporation, and merger agreement will be posted on the Annual Conference website shortly after they are considered in March.

The Implementation Committee is recommending to the 2008 Annual Conference that the General Board and the Association of Brethren Caregivers be united in a single entity, incorporated as "Church of the Brethren, Inc." and doing business as "Church of the Brethren." The inclusion of the term "Incorporated" or "Inc." will only be referenced in legal documents.

The new organization will become effective Aug. 1, 2008. For more information about the work of the Implementation Committee, go to the committee's webpage on the Annual Conference website at www.brethren.org/ac/revieweval.html.

--David Sollenberger is an elected member of the Implementation Committee, and serves as coordinator of interpretation for the committee.

Source: 12/19/2007 Newsline