Annual Conference posts new polity and survey, announces fee increase.

The Church of the Brethren Annual Conference has made two new resources available online--the new polity document titled "A Structural Framework for Dealing with Strongly Controversial Issues," and a survey about the Conference--and has announced a fee increase for the 2010 Conference.

The Program and Arrangements Committee of the Annual Conference announced the increase in registration fees, beginning with next year's Conference in Pittsburgh, Pa., on July 3-7, 2010. Executive director Lerry Fogle has indicated that "the increase in registration fees, good for 2010 and 2011, was done in response to expanding costs of arranging and holding the annual meeting." He added a reminder that "this is the first raise in registration fees in five years." The new fee schedule replaces fees in place from 2005-09.

Beginning with the 2010 Annual Conference, advance registration for delegates will cost $275 (or $300 for onsite registration); advance registration for non-delegates will cost $95 (or $120 onsite), with discounts for those registering for the weekend or single days of the Conference only, and a discount for Brethren Volunteer Service workers; advance registration for children ages 12-21 will cost $30 (or $50 onsite), with discounts for those registering for the weekend or single days; and children under 12 will be registered for free.

The new church polity on dealing with controversial issues was adopted by the 2009 Annual Conference, which took place in June in San Diego, Calif., and will help guide the Church of the Brethren as it enters into two years of intentional church-wide conversation about issues of sexuality. The new polity document has been posted at the Conference website, go to http://www.cobannualconference.org/ac_statements/controversial_issues-final.pdf.

A second new online resource is an "Annual Conference Survey" being conducted by the Program and Arrangements Committee to gauge preferences and attendance patterns for Annual Conferences. The survey was made available in printed form at the 2009 Annual Conference and is now available online at www.cobannualconference.org/forms/survey.html.

"You are invited to register your thoughts about Annual Conference, its value to the denomination, and assist Program and Arrangements Committee in charting future direction of the annual meeting, its frequency and content," said Fogle. "Your feedback is encouraged."

Source: 8/13/2009 Newsline