Standing Committee creates new denominational Vision Committee.

The Standing Committee of district delegates approved the formation of a new committee for the denomination, which will have the task of discerning a long-range vision for the Church of the Brethren for each upcoming decade.

The committee was recommended by the Church of the Brethren's Leadership Team, which includes the Annual Conference officers and the general secretary, and the Inter-Agency Forum.

In its decision, Standing Committee directed that the Vision Committee be implemented quickly enough to create a vision for the coming decade 2011-2020. It also amended the paper outlining a charter for the new committee to include the charge to be "immersed in prayer, seeking God's purpose for our denomination."

The Vision Committee will be appointed in the fifth year of the previous decade, to create a vision for the next decade, and to report to Annual Conference in the eighth year of the previous decade. The eight-member committee will include a member from the Church of the Brethren staff or Mission and Ministry Board, a representative of each Annual Conference agency (Bethany Theological Seminary, Brethren Benefit Trust, and On Earth Peace), and four members appointed by Standing Committee from the membership of the denomination.

Moderator Shumate commented about the new committee, "I see it as a matter of leadership...for the time and place that we're in."

Source: 7/1/2009 Newsline