Pentecost offering celebrates the 300th Anniversary.
Resource packets are now available for the "New Heart--New Spirit" Pentecost 300th Anniversary Offering. The offering is designed to be "a gift from all of us to the whole church for the new day!" said an announcement from the stewardship and funding offices of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
Suggested dates for the offering are the Sundays of May 11 or May 18. Resource packets, which include a worship resource guide and multiple insert-offering envelopes, will arrive in congregations' mailboxes around April 1. A letter explaining the process, as well as a posting of the worship resource guide are available at www.brethren.org/genbd/funding/opportun/Pentecost.htm.
"The way this special offering will work is quite different than other special offerings," explained the announcement. When the offering is received, each congregation is to keep one third for local ministries and within 30 days forward the rest to the General Board. The General Board will then gather together all the offerings that are sent by district churches and return one half of that total--the second third--to the district office for district ministries. The final third of the offerings will then, after expenses, be shared in various amounts with several denominational ministries. For more go to www.brethren.org/genbd/funding/opportun/Pentecost.htm.
Source: 3/20/2008 Newsline
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Mission Alive 2008 focuses on vision for mission.
The Mission Alive 2008 conference scheduled for April 4-6 at Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren is planned both to empower congregations to take roles in mission in their communities, and to empower the Church of the Brethren denomination’s role in international mission. Online registration for the conference ends March 24, go to www.brethren.org/genbd/MissionAlive.
The conference is sponsored by the Church of the Brethren General Board with support from the Brethren Revival Fellowship (BRF) and Brethren World Mission, and extensive involvement and logistical support from the churches of Shenandoah District.
In a recent addition to the conference schedule, the general secretary and leadership team of the General Board will hold an open discussion titled, "Hearing the Heart of the Church on Mission." General secretary Stan Noffsinger issued an invitation to "come one, come all" to the discussion on Saturday, April 5, from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
The conference will begin with worship at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 4, and will close with worship, ending by mid-morning on Sunday, April 6. Highlights of the schedule are plenary sessions on "Biblical Calls: Biblical Bases of Mission," "A Fruitful Past," "Leadership for the Missional Church," "Cultivating Faithful Congregations," and "Challenges Facing the Church in Mission."
Evening worship at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 4, will feature a drama by Ted & Trent and music from "Bellaccord," a men’s ensemble from Eastern Mennonite University. For nearly two decades, Mennonite comedians and actors Ted & Lee offered a unique take on scripture stories; now after the sudden death of Lee Eshleman last year, Ted Swartz will be joined at Mission Alive by Trent Wagler, an actor and musician from Harrisonburg, Va.
A guest from Pakistan, Anglican Bishop Mano Rumalshah, will preach on Saturday, April 5, at 7 p.m., in a service also featuring "Shekinah," a women’s music ensemble. Rumalshah serves the Peshawar Diocese of the Church of Pakistan, and previously was general secretary of the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in the UK, the oldest Anglican mission agency. He will be available for a "talk on" following worship, for participants to hear more about the current situation in Pakistan and to explore mission from the point of view of the church in a Muslim-oriented society.
A variety of workshops and panel discussions are offered, with a number of leaders from within and outside the denomination including Annual Conference moderator Jim Beckwith; Robert Alley, pastor of the Bridgewater congregation; Stephen Breck Reid, academic dean, and Eugene Roop, former president of Bethany Theological Seminary; general secretary Stan Noffsinger; and many former missionaries and denominational staff members. Dorothy Jean Weaver, professor at Eastern Mennonite Seminary who co-leads Middle East study tours and work groups, will also speak, among many others.
Offerings will be taken for the Emerging Global Mission Fund on Saturday evening, and for Bridgewater Church on Sunday morning. Evening meals provided by groups from the Bridgewater church and Shenandoah District also are fundraisers, and will be available for a donation.
A post-conference event at Harrisonburg (Va.) Mennonite Church on April 6 at 4 p.m. will be on the theme, "Missions in the Brethren Tradition," with speaker Joan Daggett, associate executive minister of Shenandoah District. It is sponsored by Valley Brethren Mennonite Heritage Center.
The conference fee for those who pre-register is $79 and includes Saturday lunch. Onsite registration begins at 12:30 p.m. on April 4, with a cost of $89. Participation in segments of the program is invited; part-time participants are encouraged to support the conference through the Saturday evening offering. Housing arrangements are the responsibility of participants. Ministers may receive .75 continuing education credit. Register at www.brethren.org/genbd/MissionAlive or call 800-323-8039 ext. 230. To register by mail, send checks to Mission Alive 2008, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.
Source: 3/20/2008 Newsline
The Mission Alive 2008 conference scheduled for April 4-6 at Bridgewater (Va.) Church of the Brethren is planned both to empower congregations to take roles in mission in their communities, and to empower the Church of the Brethren denomination’s role in international mission. Online registration for the conference ends March 24, go to www.brethren.org/genbd/MissionAlive.
The conference is sponsored by the Church of the Brethren General Board with support from the Brethren Revival Fellowship (BRF) and Brethren World Mission, and extensive involvement and logistical support from the churches of Shenandoah District.
In a recent addition to the conference schedule, the general secretary and leadership team of the General Board will hold an open discussion titled, "Hearing the Heart of the Church on Mission." General secretary Stan Noffsinger issued an invitation to "come one, come all" to the discussion on Saturday, April 5, from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
The conference will begin with worship at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 4, and will close with worship, ending by mid-morning on Sunday, April 6. Highlights of the schedule are plenary sessions on "Biblical Calls: Biblical Bases of Mission," "A Fruitful Past," "Leadership for the Missional Church," "Cultivating Faithful Congregations," and "Challenges Facing the Church in Mission."
Evening worship at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 4, will feature a drama by Ted & Trent and music from "Bellaccord," a men’s ensemble from Eastern Mennonite University. For nearly two decades, Mennonite comedians and actors Ted & Lee offered a unique take on scripture stories; now after the sudden death of Lee Eshleman last year, Ted Swartz will be joined at Mission Alive by Trent Wagler, an actor and musician from Harrisonburg, Va.
A guest from Pakistan, Anglican Bishop Mano Rumalshah, will preach on Saturday, April 5, at 7 p.m., in a service also featuring "Shekinah," a women’s music ensemble. Rumalshah serves the Peshawar Diocese of the Church of Pakistan, and previously was general secretary of the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in the UK, the oldest Anglican mission agency. He will be available for a "talk on" following worship, for participants to hear more about the current situation in Pakistan and to explore mission from the point of view of the church in a Muslim-oriented society.
A variety of workshops and panel discussions are offered, with a number of leaders from within and outside the denomination including Annual Conference moderator Jim Beckwith; Robert Alley, pastor of the Bridgewater congregation; Stephen Breck Reid, academic dean, and Eugene Roop, former president of Bethany Theological Seminary; general secretary Stan Noffsinger; and many former missionaries and denominational staff members. Dorothy Jean Weaver, professor at Eastern Mennonite Seminary who co-leads Middle East study tours and work groups, will also speak, among many others.
Offerings will be taken for the Emerging Global Mission Fund on Saturday evening, and for Bridgewater Church on Sunday morning. Evening meals provided by groups from the Bridgewater church and Shenandoah District also are fundraisers, and will be available for a donation.
A post-conference event at Harrisonburg (Va.) Mennonite Church on April 6 at 4 p.m. will be on the theme, "Missions in the Brethren Tradition," with speaker Joan Daggett, associate executive minister of Shenandoah District. It is sponsored by Valley Brethren Mennonite Heritage Center.
The conference fee for those who pre-register is $79 and includes Saturday lunch. Onsite registration begins at 12:30 p.m. on April 4, with a cost of $89. Participation in segments of the program is invited; part-time participants are encouraged to support the conference through the Saturday evening offering. Housing arrangements are the responsibility of participants. Ministers may receive .75 continuing education credit. Register at www.brethren.org/genbd/MissionAlive or call 800-323-8039 ext. 230. To register by mail, send checks to Mission Alive 2008, 1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120.
Source: 3/20/2008 Newsline
Brethren participate in observance of five-year anniversary of the Iraq war.
Hundreds of people assembled in the afternoon of March 7 in Washington, D.C., marking the fifth year of the war in Iraq with a public demonstration against the war and the US occupation. Thousands of worshipers gathered at noon that Friday for worship services as part of a Christian Peace Witness for Iraq.
More than forty religious leaders and faith-based peace activists were arrested in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill late in the afternoon on March 7 during a nonviolent witness to end the war. Brethren Witness/Washington Office director Phil Jones was among those arrested.
The arrests came at the end of a day of worship and prayer. Following noon-time services in 10 different houses of worship across Washington, worshipers processed to Upper Senate Park for an interfaith witness near the US Capitol. Standing in a driving rain, leaders from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Unitarian traditions insisted that people of faith will be relentless in encouraging their political leaders to take bold action for peace.
Multifaith delegations from the Olive Branch Interfaith Peace Partnership, the organizing coalition of the afternoon’s events, met with high level staffers from the offices of both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The delegations expressed concern for a clear exit strategy from Iraq and a regional, multilateral effort at development and diplomacy.
The Christian Peace Witness for Iraq gathered around the following convictions: "The war in Iraq must end and diplomacy must replace the threat of war with Iran. We must provide far better support to our returning soldiers. We must commit to the long-term work of development in Iraq. There can be no equivocation in our renunciation of all use of torture. We must commit real resources to justice in our own communities in the US."
Washington City Church of the Brethren was one of the worship sites for the event. The Brethren Witness/Washington Office hosted this gathering where Daryl Byler, Mennonite Central Committee Middle East region, was the guest speaker. Washington Office director Phil Jones served communion at the service, assisted by Church of the Brethren members from Virginia and Pennsylvania. Some 40 Brethren from New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia attended the Friday afternoon event.
Jones was one of the 42 who chose to participate in nonviolent direct action and were arrested while kneeling in prayer. He voiced aloud in prayer portions of the 2004 resolution on the Iraq war made by the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, which reads: "Our deepest prayers of confession, our compassionate prayers of care, and our faithful prayers of hope are the strength we find in the realities of this day. We call upon the administration of our government and the leadership of nations in all places to join us in these prayers of confession, petition, and hope. Scripture continues to offer lessons for today, for all people: ‘Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and violence that is in their hands’ (Jonah 3:7-9)."
Jones also shared his concern for this anniversary event. "How often will we need to bring this message before those who have the political power...to end this violence?" he asked. "Our voice and our action is an indicator to these men and women that the faith community calls for faithful discernment and direct action by its representatives. We call for our Senate and House leaders to struggle with their conscience and their faith and to step forward boldly on behalf of this nation searching for clear ways to act justly, love kindly, and walk humbly. This mandate from God seems a powerful basis for political foreign policy. Five years of this madness of war must end. A new understanding must begin."
--This report was provided by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office.
Source: 3/20/2008 Newsline Extra
Hundreds of people assembled in the afternoon of March 7 in Washington, D.C., marking the fifth year of the war in Iraq with a public demonstration against the war and the US occupation. Thousands of worshipers gathered at noon that Friday for worship services as part of a Christian Peace Witness for Iraq.
More than forty religious leaders and faith-based peace activists were arrested in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill late in the afternoon on March 7 during a nonviolent witness to end the war. Brethren Witness/Washington Office director Phil Jones was among those arrested.
The arrests came at the end of a day of worship and prayer. Following noon-time services in 10 different houses of worship across Washington, worshipers processed to Upper Senate Park for an interfaith witness near the US Capitol. Standing in a driving rain, leaders from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Unitarian traditions insisted that people of faith will be relentless in encouraging their political leaders to take bold action for peace.
Multifaith delegations from the Olive Branch Interfaith Peace Partnership, the organizing coalition of the afternoon’s events, met with high level staffers from the offices of both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The delegations expressed concern for a clear exit strategy from Iraq and a regional, multilateral effort at development and diplomacy.
The Christian Peace Witness for Iraq gathered around the following convictions: "The war in Iraq must end and diplomacy must replace the threat of war with Iran. We must provide far better support to our returning soldiers. We must commit to the long-term work of development in Iraq. There can be no equivocation in our renunciation of all use of torture. We must commit real resources to justice in our own communities in the US."
Washington City Church of the Brethren was one of the worship sites for the event. The Brethren Witness/Washington Office hosted this gathering where Daryl Byler, Mennonite Central Committee Middle East region, was the guest speaker. Washington Office director Phil Jones served communion at the service, assisted by Church of the Brethren members from Virginia and Pennsylvania. Some 40 Brethren from New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia attended the Friday afternoon event.
Jones was one of the 42 who chose to participate in nonviolent direct action and were arrested while kneeling in prayer. He voiced aloud in prayer portions of the 2004 resolution on the Iraq war made by the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, which reads: "Our deepest prayers of confession, our compassionate prayers of care, and our faithful prayers of hope are the strength we find in the realities of this day. We call upon the administration of our government and the leadership of nations in all places to join us in these prayers of confession, petition, and hope. Scripture continues to offer lessons for today, for all people: ‘Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and violence that is in their hands’ (Jonah 3:7-9)."
Jones also shared his concern for this anniversary event. "How often will we need to bring this message before those who have the political power...to end this violence?" he asked. "Our voice and our action is an indicator to these men and women that the faith community calls for faithful discernment and direct action by its representatives. We call for our Senate and House leaders to struggle with their conscience and their faith and to step forward boldly on behalf of this nation searching for clear ways to act justly, love kindly, and walk humbly. This mandate from God seems a powerful basis for political foreign policy. Five years of this madness of war must end. A new understanding must begin."
--This report was provided by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office.
Source: 3/20/2008 Newsline Extra
Credits
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. Loyce Swartz Borgmann, Mark Flory Steury, Lerry Fogle, Bob Gross, Matt Guynn, Jon Kobel, and Stanley Noffsinger contributed to this report.
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. Loyce Swartz Borgmann, Mark Flory Steury, Lerry Fogle, Bob Gross, Matt Guynn, Jon Kobel, and Stanley Noffsinger contributed to this report.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
General Board approves ethics document, celebrates anniversary of women's ordination.
After participating in a joint meeting March 8 on a plan of merger with the Association of Brethren Caregivers (see the Newsline Extra for today, March 12), the General Board continued its meetings at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., on March 9-10.
Major items of business included a revision of the denomination's Ethics in Ministry document, a resolution celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ordination of women to ministry, and a capital proposal for replacement of failed air conditioning equipment.
The board approved a revision of the denomination's Ethics in Ministry paper, using a consensus model of decision making for this business item. The document will go to the 2008 Annual Conference for approval. The revision has been in process for some time, led by the staff of the board's Ministry Office. In previous meetings, the board had considered earlier versions of the document. The paper also has been reviewed by the Council of District Executives and by the board's legal counsel, as it includes sections on processes for dealing with complaints of ministerial misconduct. The board changed the wording of the document in only a couple of places, for greater clarity. Issues and wording that received most attention and discussion came in the Code of Ethics for Ministerial Leaders, in sections outlining how ministers will relate to other clergy colleagues, how pastors will relate to former parishes and what is inappropriate behavior for former pastors, and the appropriate congregational involvement of ministerial leaders other than pastors.
The board approved a "Resolution on 50 Years of Women's Ordination in the Church of the Brethren." The resolution marks 2008 as the 50th anniversary of the 1958 Annual Conference decision "that women be granted full and unrestricted rights to ordination." The one-page resolution also notes that, "Women have a long history of serving the denomination in ministry, and conversations about official recognition of their gifts extend back to the beginnings of the church." The resolution gives thanks "for the nearly 400 women who have served the church as ordained ministers over the last 50 years" and "for the openness of the church to the Holy Spirit, for the processes of discernment and discussion, for the slow and deliberate practices of listening to one another that lead, in time, to transformation." (Find the full resolution at www.brethren.org/genbd/GBResolutions/2008WomensOrdination.pdf).
The board approved an initial capital expenditure of $390,000 for a thermal ice storage air conditioning system at the General Offices, and directed staff to "boldly seek energy source solutions that reduce our dependence on commercial electricity and fossil fuels. Solar, geo-thermal, and similar energy sources should be given high priority in the General Board property master planning." The expenditure was made necessary when one of the facility's two "chillers" failed--the equipment is original to the building, and now about 50 years old. The capital proposal from staff offered options for replacing the whole heating, air conditioning, and ventilation system of the building with more energy efficient and "green" technologies.
In other business, the Annual Report of the General Board was approved, Barbra Davis was appointed the board's representative to the Brethren Support Staff Association, and numerous reports were received including financial reports (see story below), a report from the annual assembly of the church in the Dominican Republic, a report on the upcoming National Peace Conference of the Historic Peace Churches to take place in Philadelphia next January, and an update on sales of the Gather 'Round curriculum.
A report on the Sudan mission initiative prompted much discussion, following the announcement that lead mission workers Jim and Pam Hardenbrook have resigned. Director Brad Bohrer told the board he grieves their loss to the program. He announced that the board will be opening recruiting again for the lead team position. The goal of doing mission in Sudan "is not lost," he said, as he explained some of the complexities of setting up a new mission for the church. Some board members, however, characterized the loss as devastating, and expressed a need to revisit the total direction of the mission in Sudan. General secretary Stan Noffsinger said the executive committee of the board has already begun work with mission and funding staff on issues related to the Sudan initiative. The discussion closed with moments of silent and spoken prayer for Sudan and all the people involved with the mission.
An offering received during the meetings will support a new capital campaign for repairs, special facilities needs, and the "greening" of the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., and the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.--such as the replacement of the air conditioning system at the General Offices. The campaign's goal is to raise $3 million.
Source: 3/12/2008 Newsline
After participating in a joint meeting March 8 on a plan of merger with the Association of Brethren Caregivers (see the Newsline Extra for today, March 12), the General Board continued its meetings at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., on March 9-10.
Major items of business included a revision of the denomination's Ethics in Ministry document, a resolution celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ordination of women to ministry, and a capital proposal for replacement of failed air conditioning equipment.
The board approved a revision of the denomination's Ethics in Ministry paper, using a consensus model of decision making for this business item. The document will go to the 2008 Annual Conference for approval. The revision has been in process for some time, led by the staff of the board's Ministry Office. In previous meetings, the board had considered earlier versions of the document. The paper also has been reviewed by the Council of District Executives and by the board's legal counsel, as it includes sections on processes for dealing with complaints of ministerial misconduct. The board changed the wording of the document in only a couple of places, for greater clarity. Issues and wording that received most attention and discussion came in the Code of Ethics for Ministerial Leaders, in sections outlining how ministers will relate to other clergy colleagues, how pastors will relate to former parishes and what is inappropriate behavior for former pastors, and the appropriate congregational involvement of ministerial leaders other than pastors.
The board approved a "Resolution on 50 Years of Women's Ordination in the Church of the Brethren." The resolution marks 2008 as the 50th anniversary of the 1958 Annual Conference decision "that women be granted full and unrestricted rights to ordination." The one-page resolution also notes that, "Women have a long history of serving the denomination in ministry, and conversations about official recognition of their gifts extend back to the beginnings of the church." The resolution gives thanks "for the nearly 400 women who have served the church as ordained ministers over the last 50 years" and "for the openness of the church to the Holy Spirit, for the processes of discernment and discussion, for the slow and deliberate practices of listening to one another that lead, in time, to transformation." (Find the full resolution at www.brethren.org/genbd/GBResolutions/2008WomensOrdination.pdf).
The board approved an initial capital expenditure of $390,000 for a thermal ice storage air conditioning system at the General Offices, and directed staff to "boldly seek energy source solutions that reduce our dependence on commercial electricity and fossil fuels. Solar, geo-thermal, and similar energy sources should be given high priority in the General Board property master planning." The expenditure was made necessary when one of the facility's two "chillers" failed--the equipment is original to the building, and now about 50 years old. The capital proposal from staff offered options for replacing the whole heating, air conditioning, and ventilation system of the building with more energy efficient and "green" technologies.
In other business, the Annual Report of the General Board was approved, Barbra Davis was appointed the board's representative to the Brethren Support Staff Association, and numerous reports were received including financial reports (see story below), a report from the annual assembly of the church in the Dominican Republic, a report on the upcoming National Peace Conference of the Historic Peace Churches to take place in Philadelphia next January, and an update on sales of the Gather 'Round curriculum.
A report on the Sudan mission initiative prompted much discussion, following the announcement that lead mission workers Jim and Pam Hardenbrook have resigned. Director Brad Bohrer told the board he grieves their loss to the program. He announced that the board will be opening recruiting again for the lead team position. The goal of doing mission in Sudan "is not lost," he said, as he explained some of the complexities of setting up a new mission for the church. Some board members, however, characterized the loss as devastating, and expressed a need to revisit the total direction of the mission in Sudan. General secretary Stan Noffsinger said the executive committee of the board has already begun work with mission and funding staff on issues related to the Sudan initiative. The discussion closed with moments of silent and spoken prayer for Sudan and all the people involved with the mission.
An offering received during the meetings will support a new capital campaign for repairs, special facilities needs, and the "greening" of the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., and the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.--such as the replacement of the air conditioning system at the General Offices. The campaign's goal is to raise $3 million.
Source: 3/12/2008 Newsline
General Board closes year with net income, experiences increase in total giving.
The Church of the Brethren General Board ended the year 2007 with a net income in its Core Ministries Fund, in pre-audit figures. The pre-audit financial report presented to the spring General Board meeting revealed an increase in total giving to denominational ministries by individuals and congregations, but a continuing decline in congregational giving to the board's core ministries.
The board ended the year with a net income of about $130,000 in its Core Ministries Fund, in a total core ministries budget of around $5.6 million. The Core Ministries Fund supports most of the program and administrative work of the board. The board also has self-funded ministries including the Brethren Disaster Ministries (funded through the Emergency Disaster Fund), the Material Resources program that warehouses and ships relief materials on behalf of the church and ecumenical partners, the New Windsor (Md.) Conference Center, the Global Food Crisis ministry (funded through the Global Food Crisis Fund), Brethren Press, and "Messenger" magazine.
Total giving to the board increased by 9.5 percent over 2006, adding in all individual and congregational gifts to all the funds of the board, and
including bequests and donor restricted gifts. Gifts from individuals, donor-restricted gifts, and bequests increased considerably from 2006, reported Ken Neher, director of funding and donor development. The total of individual giving to all of the board's funds including donor restricted gifts and bequests rose more than 28 percent to more than $2.5 million. Individual giving to the Core Ministries Fund increased .4 percent.
Total giving from congregations remained constant, when giving to all the funds of the board, donor restricted gifts, and district disaster fundraising was included in the figure. However, giving from congregations to the Core Ministries Fund fell two percent. The congregational giving to the Core Ministries Fund was a significant shortfall of $411,000 from the budgeted projection, and presents the General Board with a major challenge since the same amount for congregational giving has been projected in the budget for the years 2008 and 2009, noted treasurer Judy Keyser.
This decline in congregational giving to the denomination's core ministries continues a 10- to 15-year trend of about a 2 percent decline per year, Neher said. He said the decline is related to the denomination's membership decline, the number of churches closing, and changing priorities of congregations.
Other highlights of the General Board's financial report for 2007:
The Church of the Brethren General Board ended the year 2007 with a net income in its Core Ministries Fund, in pre-audit figures. The pre-audit financial report presented to the spring General Board meeting revealed an increase in total giving to denominational ministries by individuals and congregations, but a continuing decline in congregational giving to the board's core ministries.
The board ended the year with a net income of about $130,000 in its Core Ministries Fund, in a total core ministries budget of around $5.6 million. The Core Ministries Fund supports most of the program and administrative work of the board. The board also has self-funded ministries including the Brethren Disaster Ministries (funded through the Emergency Disaster Fund), the Material Resources program that warehouses and ships relief materials on behalf of the church and ecumenical partners, the New Windsor (Md.) Conference Center, the Global Food Crisis ministry (funded through the Global Food Crisis Fund), Brethren Press, and "Messenger" magazine.
Total giving to the board increased by 9.5 percent over 2006, adding in all individual and congregational gifts to all the funds of the board, and
including bequests and donor restricted gifts. Gifts from individuals, donor-restricted gifts, and bequests increased considerably from 2006, reported Ken Neher, director of funding and donor development. The total of individual giving to all of the board's funds including donor restricted gifts and bequests rose more than 28 percent to more than $2.5 million. Individual giving to the Core Ministries Fund increased .4 percent.
Total giving from congregations remained constant, when giving to all the funds of the board, donor restricted gifts, and district disaster fundraising was included in the figure. However, giving from congregations to the Core Ministries Fund fell two percent. The congregational giving to the Core Ministries Fund was a significant shortfall of $411,000 from the budgeted projection, and presents the General Board with a major challenge since the same amount for congregational giving has been projected in the budget for the years 2008 and 2009, noted treasurer Judy Keyser.
This decline in congregational giving to the denomination's core ministries continues a 10- to 15-year trend of about a 2 percent decline per year, Neher said. He said the decline is related to the denomination's membership decline, the number of churches closing, and changing priorities of congregations.
Other highlights of the General Board's financial report for 2007:
- The Emergency Disaster Fund gave a total of $1.42 million in grants in 2007. Donations to the fund totaled $878,688.
- The Global Food Crisis Fund gave a total of $341,612 in grants. Donations to the fund totaled $319,994.
- The General Board's bequest quasi-endowment has hit the $6 million mark for the first time. This fund helps support the board's core ministries budget.
- Brethren Press total sales were especially strong in 2007, reaching over $1 million. After several unexpected inventory writeoffs and adjustments and a budgeted payment toward early Gather 'Round curriculum expenses, however, Brethren Press ended the year with about $81,000 of expense over income.
- The Gather 'Round Sunday school curriculum--a joint project of Brethren Press and the Mennonite Publishing Network in its first full year of sales had gross sales of just over $500,000. This represents mostly wholesale orders to the two publishing houses and their cooperative users. During 2007, a total of 310 Church of the Brethren congregations used the curriculum.
- The New Windsor Conference Center, which has struggled financially in past years, had gross sales of $56,000, and a net income of $24,660.
- The Emerging Global Mission Fund--which mainly supports the denomination's mission work in Brazil--spent a total of $64,614. Donations to the fund totaled more than $66,000.
Brethren bits: Personnel, job openings, and much more.
- Allen T. Hansell Sr. has announced his retirement as director of church relations for Elizabethtown (Pa.) College, effective April 5. He has filled the position since May 2005, serving as the primary liaison between the college and the Church of the Brethren, including alumni, congregations, districts, and Annual Conference agencies. His previous denominational leadership positions have included service as director of ministry for the Church of the Brethren General Board from late 1997 through 2001, following a term of eight years as executive minister of the Church of the Brethren's Atlantic Northeast District. Prior to that, he had been a pastor for 23 years. He also chaired the Small Church Task Team, was a member of the Standing Committee of Annual Conference, and served as moderator of Atlantic Northeast District. He holds degrees from Bridgewater (Va.) College and Bethany Theological Seminary.
- Pacific Southwest District has announced the hiring of Carrie Cesar as intergenerational ministry director, and her husband, Alfredo Cesar, as intercultural ministry director. Carrie Cesar will work with youth, young adults, and family ministries, coordinating training and resources for congregations and their leaders, and serving as a liaison for age-related leadership teams and district programming. She previously served as missions director for the district. Alfredo Cesar will coordinate district efforts in mission and church planting, and will hold a variety of responsibilities including developing a program to recruit coaches and church planters and other new leaders, and relate to ministries in Mexico. The Cesars live in Mesa, Ariz.
- Donna Forbes Steiner begins April 1 as director of church relations at Elizabethtown College. She holds a bachelor's degree in music education from Drake University and a masters of religious education from Bethany Theological Seminary. She began serving in ministry in 1964, as minister of Christian education for Palmyra (Pa.) Church of the Brethren, and since then has held several pastoral positions. From 1997-2002, she was associate executive minister of Atlantic Northeast District. Most recently, since 2003, she has been interim pastor of Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren and summer pastor of Palmyra (Pa.) Church of the Brethren and Reading (Pa.) Church of the Brethren. She also has served as a consultant for congregational ministries for Mid-Atlantic District, and as a consultant for districts and congregations in Virginia. She will work out of the Institutional Advancement Office of Elizabethtown College.
- Brian Bert has begun as program director at Camp Blue Diamond, a ministry of Middle Pennsylvania District near Petersburg, Pa. He started in the position on Jan. 21. He is a member of Hollidaysburg (Pa.) Church of the Brethren where he is a youth group advisor. He also serves as advisor for the district's Youth Ministry Team. He is a graduate of West Virginia University and worked last summer as a fulltime counselor at the camp.
- Scott Senseney began work this week in the Material Resources program of the Church of the Brethren General Board as a forklift operator/warehouse coordinator. He previously worked for 17 years with Fidelitone/Black and Decker. He lives in Keymar, Md., and will work at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.
- Diane Parrott begins a temporary part-time assignment at the Church of the Brethren Credit Union in Elgin, Ill., on March 14. She will work on loans and assist with other projects. She is a member of Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, and worked most recently for the Kane County Teachers Credit Union.
- David and Maria Huber have completed a six-month assignment as volunteer hosts for the New Windsor (Md.) Conference Center, serving at the Windsor and Zigler Halls on the campus of the Brethren Service Center. The couple have been serving through Brethren Volunteer Service.
- Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) is seeking applicants for the position of president. BBT's offices are located at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill. The primary services of BBT are the administration of the Pension Plan and the Brethren Foundation. The president serves as chief executive officer for BBT, including all its corporate entities (Brethren Benefit Trust, Brethren Benefit Trust, Inc., Brethren Foundation, Trustee, Pension Plan Trust). The president will oversee the administration and operations of BBT by leading, administering, managing, and inspiring the staff, modeling servant leadership. The president will guide BBT in its service to the Church of the Brethren by developing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with individuals and organizations which are affiliated with or share the values of the Church of the Brethren. The full position description can be found at www.brethrenbenefittrust.org. Church of the Brethren membership is preferred. The president will be expected to live in the Elgin area. The deadline for applications is April 30. Applicants are requested to send a current resume, cover letter, and three references via e-mail to Ralph McFadden, Search Committee Consultant, Hikermac@sbcglobal.net. Hard copies, if necessary, may be sent to 352 Shiloh Ct., Elgin, IL 60120. The Search Committee also is inviting nominations. Send the names of people who should be called to consider the position to any member of the Search Committee or send to Ralph McFadden. The Search Committee is composed of Eunice Culp, chair; Harry Rhodes, BBT Board chair; Janice Bratton, BBT Board vice chair; Donna Forbes Steiner, BBT Board member; and Fred Bernhard, former longterm BBT Board member.
- Bethany Theological Seminary and the Church of the Brethren General Board seek a fulltime director of the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, to start in the summer of 2008. The director will work from the Bethany campus in Richmond, Ind. Responsibilities include discerning the leadership needs of the denomination, working with the Ministry Advisory Council, coordinating the Education for Shared Ministry (EFSM) and Training in Ministry (TRIM) programs, certifying ministry training programs of districts, contributing to developing intercultural competencies, planning and coordinating continuing education events, denominational workshops for leadership development, teaching in the academy program and offering occasional courses in the seminary's graduate-level curriculum, supervising staff, budget development, and reporting to both sponsoring institutions. Qualifications include five years of effective leadership in pastoral ministry; grounding in Church of the Brethren heritage, theology, and polity; ability to articulate and operate out of the vision of Bethany and the General Board; ability to relate with integrity and respect; interpersonal skills; knowledge and experience in budget development and management; oral and written communication skills; knowledge and skill in systems theory; knowledge and skills in developing educational experiences in ministry training and professional growth; ability to envision grant proposals and oversee grant-funded programs. Required education and experience includes a master of divinity degree or the equivalent, a record of regular continuing education experiences, ordination and active membership in the Church of the Brethren. The application deadline is April 3. To apply, complete the Bethany Theological Seminary application form, submit a resume and letter of application, and request three references to send letters of recommendation to Bethany Theological Seminary, Stephen Reid, Academic Dean, 615 National Rd. W., Richmond, IN 47374-4019; 765-983-1815; reidst@bethanyseminary.edu. For additional information contact Mary Jo Flory-Steury, Executive Director of Ministry, Church of the Brethren General Board, 847-644-1153, mjflorysteury_gb@brethren.org.
- The Cedars, Inc., of McPherson, Kan., a Church of the Brethren continuing care retirement community also affiliated with the Great Plains Conference of the Free Methodist Church, is seeking applicants for its chief executive officer. With more than 300 residents on its 60-acre campus, the Cedars provides levels of care ranging from independent living to skilled nursing, from a person-centered social model. The Board of Trustees is looking for a person with home administration credentials who appreciates a faith-based environment and who has strategic planning skills, and experience in fund development, marketing, and innovative planning. Resumes are to be sent to Bob R. Green, 110 Eastmoor Dr., McPherson, KS 67460; greenbg412@sbcglobal.net.
- The Pacific Southwest District of the Church of the Brethren seeks a qualified person to serve as finance and property manager, to maintain income, expense, and balance sheet records for the district office. In addition, duties will include limited property management for congregational churches in California and Arizona. Proven experience in accounting and commercial property transactions are necessary qualifications. This person must see the position as a ministry and have a faith compatible with the mission of the Church of the Brethren. This is a fulltime position with benefits. To apply and receive a complete job description, send a cover letter of interest, a resume of relevant work experience, and three letters of reference to the Pacific Southwest District of the Church of the Brethren, P.O. Box 219, La Verne, CA 91750-0219. Applications and materials will be reviewed beginning April 1 until the position is filled.
- Three Children's Disaster Services Level 1 Trainings have been added to the 2008 spring training schedule, in addition to trainings that already have been announced at Blackrock Church of the Brethren in Glenville, Pa., on April 4-5 and at La Verne (Calif.) Church of the Brethren on April 12-13. The training events are for volunteers interested in serving with Children's Disaster Services to care for children and their families following disasters. The additional trainings will be held at Ivy Tech Community College in Evansville, Tenn., on April 4-5; at the Pacific Union Conference Office in Westlake Village, Calif., on April 19-20; and at First Presbyterian Church in Bethlehem, Pa., on April 25-26. More information and registration forms go to the website of Children's Disaster Services.
- A workshop for pastors and congregations titled, "Facilitating Healthy Pastor-Congregation Relations," is sponsored by Middle Pennsylvania District's Shalom Team and the Church College Relations Council of Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa. The event will be led by the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center on March 28-29, and will be part of a weekend event kicking off the evening of March 27 with a presentation by Brethren sociologist Carl Bowman. A March 28 workshop for students and the public will be held on "Appreciative Inquiry." Brochures and registration information can be found on the district website at www.midpacob.org. The registration deadline is March 24.
- The Peter Becker Community, a Church of the Brethren retirement community in Harleysville, Pa., is holding its 25th Annual Flower Show on the theme, "Back the Old Country Road." The show is open to the public on March 13-15, with a suggested donation at the door of $5 per person, children free. The show began 25 years ago as a winter " pick me up" and a resident activity that recognized those who took great care of their house plants, said a release from the community. This year's show is very different, fully encompassing a large auditorium with custom painted backdrops and hand crafted architectural elements providing staging for scores of greenhouse-grown flowers. The community expects more than 8,000 guests to attend. Visit www.peterbeckercommunity.com for more information.
- The World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Water Network is offering a "Summer School on Water" for young adults from July 27 through Aug. 5 at the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland. "Preserving the world's water resources and securing access to water for all is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century," said an announcement of the event. Participants will have the opportunity to study--in a regionally and confessionally diverse group--the local, regional, and international manifestations and causes of the water crisis. Participants must be between 18 and 30 years old with a good knowledge of English, which is the working language of the program. More information and an application form are available at http://water.oikoumene.org. Applications are due before March 24. Applications sent by e-mail should be addressed to water@wcc-coe.org.
- The New Community Project (NCP), a Church of the Brethren related nonprofit, has forwarded grants totaling nearly $33,000 to church and community partners in and around the southern Sudanese communities of Nimule and Maridi. A total of $18,000 was sent from the Give a Girl a Chance Fund for girls' education, girls' sanitary products, adult literacy, and women's development; $2,300 from the If a Tree Falls fund to a reforestation project on the banks of the Nile River near Nimule; some $4,500 from the Every 30 Seconds mosquito net fund for malaria prevention to support sewing cooperatives; $3,500 to complete and stock a community store; and the remainder was allocated for stipends and logistical support for workers in Sudan. An additional $8,600 has been pledged for projects later in the year. NCP's partners in the projects are the Sudan Council of Churches and a community-based group in Nimule. For more visit www.newcommunityproject.org.
- Church of the Brethren member Cliff Kindy was interviewed on WBEZ Chicago Public Radio's "WorldView" program on Feb. 27, about his work with Christian Peacemaker Teams in the northern, Kurdish area of Iraq, and military operations by Turkish troops against Kurdish PKK separatists. He spoke about visiting with survivors and families from villages bombed in the Iraqi Kurdish area in December as Turkey began air attacks. To listen to the radio show online go to www.chicagopublicradio.org/content.aspx?audioID=18987.
- Seven-year-old Emma Marten has been chosen one of six Distinguished Kansans of 2007, reports the "McPherson Sentinel." Marten held an auction of art work at McPherson Church of the Brethren in Sept. 2007 to benefit the children of Greensburg, Kan., after that town was devastated by a tornado. She recently presented about $4,000 to Greensburg Elementary School.
Jim and Pam Hardenbrook resign from Sudan initiative.
Jim and Pam Hardenbrook have resigned from the lead team position of the Sudan mission initiative, effective April 7. The Sudan initiative is a ministry of the Global Mission Partnerships of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
The Sudan initiative is a new approach to mission by the General Board. It is a fully self-funded program, with all financial support coming through specified donations to the program and to the people serving as mission workers. The Hardenbrooks have spent the last several months traveling across the denomination raising money for their participation in the mission.
In the General Board's announcement of the resignation, the Hardenbrooks expressed gratitude for the board's financial support over the past five months of deputation and training, and the generosity of individuals, congregations, and districts who have given to the church's work in Sudan.
Jim Hardenbrook previously served as pastor of Nampa (Idaho) Church of the Brethren for 15 years, and as moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference in 2005. He also was interim director of the Sudan Initiative in 2006. Pam Hardenbrook has worked as senior content developer for Axiom Inc., a technical writing company. They both hold bachelor's degrees in Bible studies from Puget Sound Christian College in Everett, Wash., and Jim Hardenbrook received a master of ministry degree from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa.
The Hardenbrooks are exploring other options for ministry.
In a related announcement from the General Board's finance office, donors to the work of the Hardenbrooks in Sudan are informed that their gifts will be retained for use by future mission workers in Sudan. The next mission workers named to go to Sudan will use the funds collected by the Hardenbrooks, and the money will not be used for any other purpose or for any other General Board program. Due to IRS regulations, the donations cannot be refunded. The announcement added that a printed note on donation envelopes gave information about this contingency to donors at the time donations were made.
Source: 3/12/2008 Newsline
Jim and Pam Hardenbrook have resigned from the lead team position of the Sudan mission initiative, effective April 7. The Sudan initiative is a ministry of the Global Mission Partnerships of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
The Sudan initiative is a new approach to mission by the General Board. It is a fully self-funded program, with all financial support coming through specified donations to the program and to the people serving as mission workers. The Hardenbrooks have spent the last several months traveling across the denomination raising money for their participation in the mission.
In the General Board's announcement of the resignation, the Hardenbrooks expressed gratitude for the board's financial support over the past five months of deputation and training, and the generosity of individuals, congregations, and districts who have given to the church's work in Sudan.
Jim Hardenbrook previously served as pastor of Nampa (Idaho) Church of the Brethren for 15 years, and as moderator of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference in 2005. He also was interim director of the Sudan Initiative in 2006. Pam Hardenbrook has worked as senior content developer for Axiom Inc., a technical writing company. They both hold bachelor's degrees in Bible studies from Puget Sound Christian College in Everett, Wash., and Jim Hardenbrook received a master of ministry degree from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa.
The Hardenbrooks are exploring other options for ministry.
In a related announcement from the General Board's finance office, donors to the work of the Hardenbrooks in Sudan are informed that their gifts will be retained for use by future mission workers in Sudan. The next mission workers named to go to Sudan will use the funds collected by the Hardenbrooks, and the money will not be used for any other purpose or for any other General Board program. Due to IRS regulations, the donations cannot be refunded. The announcement added that a printed note on donation envelopes gave information about this contingency to donors at the time donations were made.
Source: 3/12/2008 Newsline
A reflection on the life and ministry of Harriett Howard Bright.
Harriett Howard Bright was the first woman ordained to ministry in the Church of the Brethren. Dana Cassell, Brethren Volunteer Service worker in the Ministry Office, told the following story of Bright's life and ministry as she presented the "Resolution on 50 Years of Women's Ordination in the Church of the Brethren" to the General Board:
"Harriett Howard learned the art of spinning at the age of ten. It wasn't too long before she moved from spinning to weaving, and soon became an expert in the craft. She completed her first coverlet at age 12. Later, she paid her way through Berea College with her weaving, graduating in 1936 with a bachelor's degree in Home Economics. She completed a master's degree in Crafts and Arts at George Peabody College in Nashville, Tenn., in 1944, and began teaching weaving throughout the south.
"She married Calvin Bright in 1945, and the couple moved to Chicago, where Calvin attended Bethany Seminary. As a soon-to-be pastor's wife, Harriett received a year of theological training at the seminary, and served with her husband in his first pastorate in Peoria, Ill.
"In 1947, Harriett and Calvin were commissioned as missionaries by the church, and moved together to China. Harriett taught weaving and crafts at West China Union University until the unstable political climate forced her departure in 1950.
"When she returned to the United States, Harriett became the head of the Weaving Department at Berea College until she was called by the denomination to be National Director of Mission Education. In this capacity, she and Calvin traveled the country, visiting and speaking in more than 600 Brethren churches.
"In 1952, the Brights moved to Richmond, Ind., where Calvin had been called to a pastorate. Harriett, experienced in many forms of ministry, was licensed to preach the gospel in Dec. 1955, and was soon called to serve as pastor to Four Mile Church of the Brethren in Liberty, Ind. Three years later, in Dec. 1958, Harriett Howard Bright became the first woman to be ordained in the Church of the Brethren. She pastored several more congregations, and continued teaching and weaving until her death in 1982.
"I like Harriett's story because her life illustrates so well the realities of women in ministry. She served the church as a teacher, an artist, a missionary, and a pastor's wife for years before she became ordained and served as a solo pastor. For Harriett, I think, ordination was the church's acknowledgment of the ministry gifts that she had already been practicing for a long time."
--Dana Cassell is a Brethren Volunteer Service worker serving with the Ministry Office of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
Source: 3/12/2008 Newsline
Harriett Howard Bright was the first woman ordained to ministry in the Church of the Brethren. Dana Cassell, Brethren Volunteer Service worker in the Ministry Office, told the following story of Bright's life and ministry as she presented the "Resolution on 50 Years of Women's Ordination in the Church of the Brethren" to the General Board:
"Harriett Howard learned the art of spinning at the age of ten. It wasn't too long before she moved from spinning to weaving, and soon became an expert in the craft. She completed her first coverlet at age 12. Later, she paid her way through Berea College with her weaving, graduating in 1936 with a bachelor's degree in Home Economics. She completed a master's degree in Crafts and Arts at George Peabody College in Nashville, Tenn., in 1944, and began teaching weaving throughout the south.
"She married Calvin Bright in 1945, and the couple moved to Chicago, where Calvin attended Bethany Seminary. As a soon-to-be pastor's wife, Harriett received a year of theological training at the seminary, and served with her husband in his first pastorate in Peoria, Ill.
"In 1947, Harriett and Calvin were commissioned as missionaries by the church, and moved together to China. Harriett taught weaving and crafts at West China Union University until the unstable political climate forced her departure in 1950.
"When she returned to the United States, Harriett became the head of the Weaving Department at Berea College until she was called by the denomination to be National Director of Mission Education. In this capacity, she and Calvin traveled the country, visiting and speaking in more than 600 Brethren churches.
"In 1952, the Brights moved to Richmond, Ind., where Calvin had been called to a pastorate. Harriett, experienced in many forms of ministry, was licensed to preach the gospel in Dec. 1955, and was soon called to serve as pastor to Four Mile Church of the Brethren in Liberty, Ind. Three years later, in Dec. 1958, Harriett Howard Bright became the first woman to be ordained in the Church of the Brethren. She pastored several more congregations, and continued teaching and weaving until her death in 1982.
"I like Harriett's story because her life illustrates so well the realities of women in ministry. She served the church as a teacher, an artist, a missionary, and a pastor's wife for years before she became ordained and served as a solo pastor. For Harriett, I think, ordination was the church's acknowledgment of the ministry gifts that she had already been practicing for a long time."
--Dana Cassell is a Brethren Volunteer Service worker serving with the Ministry Office of the Church of the Brethren General Board.
Source: 3/12/2008 Newsline
MERGER PLAN FOR CHURCH AGENCIES IS PRESENTED
Meeting jointly on March 8, the board of the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC), the Church of the Brethren General Board, and the Annual Conference Council heard a presentation from an Implementation Committee for a merger of the General Board and ABC.
No action was taken at the meeting, which was held for the purposes of information sharing, discussion, worship, and fellowship. After the two boards separately approve or affirm the plan, it will come to the 2008 Annual Conference as an item of business.
The Implementation Committee attempted to "create a simplified, Christ-called, and Spirit-led structure incorporating two...agencies and including the functions of the Annual Conference Council," said committee member David Sollenberger, who presented the plan of merger. "Our intention was not to change polity, our intention was to bring together two boards."
In brief, the new board structure would allow all the ministries of both ABC and the General Board to continue to serve the church, and would assign the functions of the Annual Conference Council to various components of the organization. The Implementation Committee will recommend that the new entity be called "Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board." Other agencies, committees, and structures of the denomination remain unchanged. Annual Conference continues as the annual meeting of the church and as the highest and final legislative authority in the Church of the Brethren.
Because of the size of the group around the board table at the joint meeting--40 in all--in addition to agency staff, district executives, and other guests seated in the gallery, the meeting was held in a ballroom at the Holiday Inn in Elgin, Ill. Chairpersons and executives of the two boards and members of the Implementation Committee shared leadership of the meeting.
The group met in a celebrative atmosphere, with worship, prayer in small groups, and get-acquainted activities preceding business. Opening worship celebrated God's power for new creation and transformation, with scripture texts from Psalm 19:1-6 and Romans 12:1-2. "You might be expecting that God will present us with a nicely wrapped package today," said preacher Eddie Edmonds, who serves as chair of the ABC board and pastor of Moler Avenue Church of the Brethren in Martinsburg, W.Va. "God doesn't deliver us fully developed. He delivers us into the presence of possibilities."
The Implementation Committee presented the recommendation for a plan of merger. It was elected by the 2007 Annual Conference to create a plan for the merger, after the Conference adopted the recommendation of the Review and Evaluation Committee to unite the agencies into a new incorporated legal entity. "Most members of the Church of the Brethren will not experience significant change in the way this new structure serves the church," the committee's report said.
In the recommendation, the General Board and ABC board will be combined into a new 15-member board led by a chair and chair-elect. All current members of the General Board and ABC board are entitled to complete their terms. By a process of attrition, over time, the number recommended by the Implementation Committee will be achieved: 10 board members elected by Annual Conference, five chosen by the board and affirmed by the Conference, and a chair and chair-elect chosen by the board from its members. Ex-officio members will represent Annual Conference, the Brethren Benefit Trust, On Earth Peace, Bethany Theological Seminary, and the Council of District Executives.
Members of the board elected by Annual Conference would no longer represent districts, but would represent an area of the denomination. Each of the five areas would be represented by two elected members of the board. The nomination process for these positions would no longer take place at district conferences, but would be handled by the Standing Committee of district representatives.
A new Leadership Team for the denomination would be created, to include the Annual Conference Officers--moderator, moderator-elect, and secretary--and the General Secretary. The General Secretary will continue to direct the day to day work of the administrative and program staff of the board.
A new office of Conference Planning would be created, as a ministry of the board. It would arrange logistics for all the denominational Church of the Brethren conferences including Annual Conference, National Youth Conference, National Older Adult Conference, and others. Annual Conference officers and committees would continue to hold non-logistical responsibility for Annual Conference, and program staff would continue to plan content of the other denominational conferences.
Although Annual Conference strongly encouraged On Earth Peace to join with the new entity, that agency has declined. "It became clear that the On Earth Peace board and constituency felt the church's peace witness could be better served by On Earth Peace working outside the new entity, as a sister program agency, but in close collaboration with it," the Implementation Committee reported.
The Implementation Committee gave credit to the leadership of the church agencies for helpful cooperation and a collaborative management style. "Our church agencies were working together at a level unseen since the 1997 denominational redesign," Sollenberger said.
Much of the discussion at the joint meeting focused on the corporate language used in the merger documents, and what to call the new board. It was explained that language was used to meet legal requirements in the state of Illinois where the board will be incorporated. The Implementation Committee and the two agencies have been working with attorneys to make sure the legal points are correct. Implementation Committee member Gary Crim is an attorney, and helped craft and check the language of the bylaws. Much of the bylaws document was taken directly from existing agency by-laws and Annual Conference polity, and only those sections necessary to create the new board and its structure have been revised, the committee said.
Following the joint meeting, each board began discussion about the opportunity for members to finish terms of service early. "We will not ask any individual member to resign," said General Board chair Tim Harvey, who emphasized that everyone on both boards is fully entitled to continue. Some ABC board members, however, already have expressed interest in serving in other capacities such as advisors to ministry areas, said ABC executive director Kathy Reid.
The General Board and the ABC board will approve or affirm the plan of merger before Annual Conference in July, and ABC will seek approval from the Fellowship of Brethren Homes, which represents the organization's official dues-paying members.
If the plan of merger and bylaws are approved by Annual Conference, the first meeting of the new board will take place in October. At that meeting, a new chair and chair-elect, and a new executive committee will be chosen. The Annual Conference Secretary will serve as secretary of the new board.
The Implementation Committee includes elected members Gary Crim, John Neff, and David Sollenberger, as well as the executives of three agencies and the Annual Conference Office--Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the General Board; Kathy Reid, executive director of ABC; Bob Gross, executive director of On Earth Peace; and Lerry Fogle, executive director of Annual Conference.
Source: 3/12/2008 Newsline Extra
Meeting jointly on March 8, the board of the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC), the Church of the Brethren General Board, and the Annual Conference Council heard a presentation from an Implementation Committee for a merger of the General Board and ABC.
No action was taken at the meeting, which was held for the purposes of information sharing, discussion, worship, and fellowship. After the two boards separately approve or affirm the plan, it will come to the 2008 Annual Conference as an item of business.
The Implementation Committee attempted to "create a simplified, Christ-called, and Spirit-led structure incorporating two...agencies and including the functions of the Annual Conference Council," said committee member David Sollenberger, who presented the plan of merger. "Our intention was not to change polity, our intention was to bring together two boards."
In brief, the new board structure would allow all the ministries of both ABC and the General Board to continue to serve the church, and would assign the functions of the Annual Conference Council to various components of the organization. The Implementation Committee will recommend that the new entity be called "Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board." Other agencies, committees, and structures of the denomination remain unchanged. Annual Conference continues as the annual meeting of the church and as the highest and final legislative authority in the Church of the Brethren.
Because of the size of the group around the board table at the joint meeting--40 in all--in addition to agency staff, district executives, and other guests seated in the gallery, the meeting was held in a ballroom at the Holiday Inn in Elgin, Ill. Chairpersons and executives of the two boards and members of the Implementation Committee shared leadership of the meeting.
The group met in a celebrative atmosphere, with worship, prayer in small groups, and get-acquainted activities preceding business. Opening worship celebrated God's power for new creation and transformation, with scripture texts from Psalm 19:1-6 and Romans 12:1-2. "You might be expecting that God will present us with a nicely wrapped package today," said preacher Eddie Edmonds, who serves as chair of the ABC board and pastor of Moler Avenue Church of the Brethren in Martinsburg, W.Va. "God doesn't deliver us fully developed. He delivers us into the presence of possibilities."
The Implementation Committee presented the recommendation for a plan of merger. It was elected by the 2007 Annual Conference to create a plan for the merger, after the Conference adopted the recommendation of the Review and Evaluation Committee to unite the agencies into a new incorporated legal entity. "Most members of the Church of the Brethren will not experience significant change in the way this new structure serves the church," the committee's report said.
In the recommendation, the General Board and ABC board will be combined into a new 15-member board led by a chair and chair-elect. All current members of the General Board and ABC board are entitled to complete their terms. By a process of attrition, over time, the number recommended by the Implementation Committee will be achieved: 10 board members elected by Annual Conference, five chosen by the board and affirmed by the Conference, and a chair and chair-elect chosen by the board from its members. Ex-officio members will represent Annual Conference, the Brethren Benefit Trust, On Earth Peace, Bethany Theological Seminary, and the Council of District Executives.
Members of the board elected by Annual Conference would no longer represent districts, but would represent an area of the denomination. Each of the five areas would be represented by two elected members of the board. The nomination process for these positions would no longer take place at district conferences, but would be handled by the Standing Committee of district representatives.
A new Leadership Team for the denomination would be created, to include the Annual Conference Officers--moderator, moderator-elect, and secretary--and the General Secretary. The General Secretary will continue to direct the day to day work of the administrative and program staff of the board.
A new office of Conference Planning would be created, as a ministry of the board. It would arrange logistics for all the denominational Church of the Brethren conferences including Annual Conference, National Youth Conference, National Older Adult Conference, and others. Annual Conference officers and committees would continue to hold non-logistical responsibility for Annual Conference, and program staff would continue to plan content of the other denominational conferences.
Although Annual Conference strongly encouraged On Earth Peace to join with the new entity, that agency has declined. "It became clear that the On Earth Peace board and constituency felt the church's peace witness could be better served by On Earth Peace working outside the new entity, as a sister program agency, but in close collaboration with it," the Implementation Committee reported.
The Implementation Committee gave credit to the leadership of the church agencies for helpful cooperation and a collaborative management style. "Our church agencies were working together at a level unseen since the 1997 denominational redesign," Sollenberger said.
Much of the discussion at the joint meeting focused on the corporate language used in the merger documents, and what to call the new board. It was explained that language was used to meet legal requirements in the state of Illinois where the board will be incorporated. The Implementation Committee and the two agencies have been working with attorneys to make sure the legal points are correct. Implementation Committee member Gary Crim is an attorney, and helped craft and check the language of the bylaws. Much of the bylaws document was taken directly from existing agency by-laws and Annual Conference polity, and only those sections necessary to create the new board and its structure have been revised, the committee said.
Following the joint meeting, each board began discussion about the opportunity for members to finish terms of service early. "We will not ask any individual member to resign," said General Board chair Tim Harvey, who emphasized that everyone on both boards is fully entitled to continue. Some ABC board members, however, already have expressed interest in serving in other capacities such as advisors to ministry areas, said ABC executive director Kathy Reid.
The General Board and the ABC board will approve or affirm the plan of merger before Annual Conference in July, and ABC will seek approval from the Fellowship of Brethren Homes, which represents the organization's official dues-paying members.
If the plan of merger and bylaws are approved by Annual Conference, the first meeting of the new board will take place in October. At that meeting, a new chair and chair-elect, and a new executive committee will be chosen. The Annual Conference Secretary will serve as secretary of the new board.
The Implementation Committee includes elected members Gary Crim, John Neff, and David Sollenberger, as well as the executives of three agencies and the Annual Conference Office--Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the General Board; Kathy Reid, executive director of ABC; Bob Gross, executive director of On Earth Peace; and Lerry Fogle, executive director of Annual Conference.
Source: 3/12/2008 Newsline Extra
Credits
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. Kim Ebersole, David Fruth, Colleen M. Hart, Merv Keeney, Karin Krog, Donna March, LethaJoy Martin, Joan McGrath, and LeAnn Wine contributed to this report.
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. Kim Ebersole, David Fruth, Colleen M. Hart, Merv Keeney, Karin Krog, Donna March, LethaJoy Martin, Joan McGrath, and LeAnn Wine contributed to this report.
Monday, March 03, 2008
UPDATE ON TOGETHER CONVERSATIONSUPCOMING EVENTS
Overview of Together conversations to be published as a book.
An overview of responses from the Together conversation process has been collated and will be published in the form of a book and study guide from Brethren Press. Earlier this month an initial report of responses from the Together process was discussed in a meeting of the Council of District Executives, and in the final meeting of the Together steering committee on Feb. 14-15.
The Together conversation was initiated in 2003 by a statement from the district executives identifying fragmentation in the Church of the Brethren and calling for conversation "concerning who, whose, and what we are." Since then, a group of leaders and staff of Annual Conference agencies and representatives of the district executives have planned and promoted Together as a denomination-wide discussion. From its beginning, the broad intent of the work has been to help bring about a renewal of the church. Together conversations were launched at a gathering of district representatives in Feb. 2006, and has continued with small group gatherings in many venues across the denomination.
An initial overview of responses and observations from Together was prepared by Steve Clapp, president of Christian Community Inc., author or coauthor of more than 30 books on congregational life, and a member of Lincolnshire Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, Ind.
"The last time the Church of the Brethren engaged in such a study was almost 50 years ago, close to the 250th anniversary of the denomination," Clapp observed. "This time, on the eve of our 300th anniversary, the hope has been to involve as many people as possible in the conversation."
The initial overview was received by the Together steering committee at a meeting in Nov. 2007, where the group also heard from the Together Listening Team that helped monitor the process. In February at the last meeting of the group, the committee discussed the publication of the Together responses as a book that also will include material to encourage further study and discussion across the church.
As it disbands, the steering committee feels good about Together, said chair Mark Flory Steury, executive minister for Southern Ohio District. He added that the committee does not want to institutionalize the Together discussion. "Our hope is that the conversations will continue in new ways."
Clapp estimated that close to 20,000 people were involved in Together conversations. The steering committee identified this as a significant achievement, but also noted that it is still important for the church to continue to be in conversation.
In presenting the overview of responses to the committee, Clapp said that working with the data from Together conversations was difficult because of the variety of ways in which it was received. The conversation process included small group gatherings in a wide variety of settings--congregations, district conferences and other district meetings, Annual Conference, National Older Adult Conference (NOAC), National Youth Conference (NYC), and gatherings of other groups like district clergy, the On Earth Peace board, and other Brethren organizations, as well as Igreja da Irmandade (the Church of the Brethren in Brazil).
Responses came in the form of reports from these small group meetings, as well as from the Together Listening Team. Trained Listening Teams in districts also provided notes on the topics, themes, and examples shared in district events.
Many congregations used the Together study guide written by Jim Benedict and published by Brethren Press. "The hope was to have all the congregations in the denomination take part in this conversation, and all congregations were asked to share a summary of their thoughts," Clapp reported. "While not every congregation shared a report, many did so. Some congregations had virtually every active member participate in the study and conversation held in their local church." His report added that almost every church in the denomination had at least one person who took part in Together conversations in at least one setting.
"It’s important to remember that the primary purpose of the Together conversations was to engage people across the denomination in talking about the nature of the church. The Together initiative was not designed to provide the kind of sociological look at the church that Carl Bowman offers in the Brethren Member Profile 2006," Clapp said. "It was also not designed to produce data to assess congregational health."
Main observations that Clapp shared in the initial overview included:
An overview of responses from the Together conversation process has been collated and will be published in the form of a book and study guide from Brethren Press. Earlier this month an initial report of responses from the Together process was discussed in a meeting of the Council of District Executives, and in the final meeting of the Together steering committee on Feb. 14-15.
The Together conversation was initiated in 2003 by a statement from the district executives identifying fragmentation in the Church of the Brethren and calling for conversation "concerning who, whose, and what we are." Since then, a group of leaders and staff of Annual Conference agencies and representatives of the district executives have planned and promoted Together as a denomination-wide discussion. From its beginning, the broad intent of the work has been to help bring about a renewal of the church. Together conversations were launched at a gathering of district representatives in Feb. 2006, and has continued with small group gatherings in many venues across the denomination.
An initial overview of responses and observations from Together was prepared by Steve Clapp, president of Christian Community Inc., author or coauthor of more than 30 books on congregational life, and a member of Lincolnshire Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, Ind.
"The last time the Church of the Brethren engaged in such a study was almost 50 years ago, close to the 250th anniversary of the denomination," Clapp observed. "This time, on the eve of our 300th anniversary, the hope has been to involve as many people as possible in the conversation."
The initial overview was received by the Together steering committee at a meeting in Nov. 2007, where the group also heard from the Together Listening Team that helped monitor the process. In February at the last meeting of the group, the committee discussed the publication of the Together responses as a book that also will include material to encourage further study and discussion across the church.
As it disbands, the steering committee feels good about Together, said chair Mark Flory Steury, executive minister for Southern Ohio District. He added that the committee does not want to institutionalize the Together discussion. "Our hope is that the conversations will continue in new ways."
Clapp estimated that close to 20,000 people were involved in Together conversations. The steering committee identified this as a significant achievement, but also noted that it is still important for the church to continue to be in conversation.
In presenting the overview of responses to the committee, Clapp said that working with the data from Together conversations was difficult because of the variety of ways in which it was received. The conversation process included small group gatherings in a wide variety of settings--congregations, district conferences and other district meetings, Annual Conference, National Older Adult Conference (NOAC), National Youth Conference (NYC), and gatherings of other groups like district clergy, the On Earth Peace board, and other Brethren organizations, as well as Igreja da Irmandade (the Church of the Brethren in Brazil).
Responses came in the form of reports from these small group meetings, as well as from the Together Listening Team. Trained Listening Teams in districts also provided notes on the topics, themes, and examples shared in district events.
Many congregations used the Together study guide written by Jim Benedict and published by Brethren Press. "The hope was to have all the congregations in the denomination take part in this conversation, and all congregations were asked to share a summary of their thoughts," Clapp reported. "While not every congregation shared a report, many did so. Some congregations had virtually every active member participate in the study and conversation held in their local church." His report added that almost every church in the denomination had at least one person who took part in Together conversations in at least one setting.
"It’s important to remember that the primary purpose of the Together conversations was to engage people across the denomination in talking about the nature of the church. The Together initiative was not designed to provide the kind of sociological look at the church that Carl Bowman offers in the Brethren Member Profile 2006," Clapp said. "It was also not designed to produce data to assess congregational health."
Main observations that Clapp shared in the initial overview included:
- "Together participants talked often about the importance of the acceptance and the caring that they have experienced within their local congregations. That acceptance and caring have indeed been life-transforming for many persons.... Not everyone has experienced that same caring. Some people shared disappointment."
- "Together participants have strongly affirmed many of the traditional practices and values of the Church of the Brethren. Love Feast, the ordinance of anointing, service, and the commitment to peace have been repeatedly emphasized in conversations at NOAC, at NYC, in districts, and in local congregations.... The emphasis on service was lifted up with appreciation."
- "The strongest statements about the peace position of the denomination were made by participants at NYC and at NOAC. While most of the comments about the peace emphasis of the denomination were extremely positive, there were a few exceptions. Reports from congregations were not as likely to emphasize the importance of work for peace as were reports from regional (district) and national gatherings. There also appear to be some differing opinions on what it means to be a peace church.... Being a peace church is central to the identity of many of the congregations that responded, but there are some that did not mention the topic in their responses and others that seem to equate a strong stance for peace as being unsupportive of people in the military. Yet there are also churches for whom a peace position is very important who have people in the military who are active members."
- "Several talked about changes that have happened within congregations and within the denomination. They affirmed that change is a part of the church’s life, and that we have gone through significant changes in the past. Some talked about the importance of change for the future, and others lamented some of the changes that have happened."
- "People also expressed their concerns and their hopes about the state of the church today and about the future. Many people are concerned about the future of the denomination and have strong feelings on some issues.... The topics of biblical interpretation and homosexuality were the ones over which differences of opinion were most apparent."
- "There were several who voiced their concern about membership decline in the denomination and over the need to reach out more effectively to people who are not in the church. A majority of the summary statements about the nature of the church included words about evangelism or outreach to those outside the church. Our continued decline, however, suggests that we are not putting those good intentions into action. Comments were also made about the authority of Annual Conference, about our denominational name, and about decisions that have been made at the denominational level."
A story from the Together conversations: ‘Salad Oil and the Church.’
In his overview of responses to the Together conversation process, Steve Clapp relayed the following story:
A group of Church of the Brethren clergy shared a meal at a Golden Corral Restaurant. Their waitress told them that a friend, another waitress, was about to have a biopsy for suspected cancer and was distraught about it. She asked them if they would pray for her friend, and of course they said they would be glad to do so.
The friend was working at the restaurant at that time, and she joined the ministers at their table. They used a bit of salad oil from the table and anointed the woman for healing in the middle of the Golden Corral! Follow-up calls were made by one of the pastors, and the waitress, at last report, was doing well.
The church at its best has tremendous room for impact on the lives of people in our often troubled world. That group of clergy used the salad oil that was at hand to administer an ordinance that had significant meaning for the woman who received it as well as for themselves. It likely also made an impression on others who were seated near them in the restaurant.
What is the nature of the church?
--Steve Clapp is president of Christian Community Inc. and a member of Lincolnshire Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Source: 3/3/2008 Newsline Extra
In his overview of responses to the Together conversation process, Steve Clapp relayed the following story:
A group of Church of the Brethren clergy shared a meal at a Golden Corral Restaurant. Their waitress told them that a friend, another waitress, was about to have a biopsy for suspected cancer and was distraught about it. She asked them if they would pray for her friend, and of course they said they would be glad to do so.
The friend was working at the restaurant at that time, and she joined the ministers at their table. They used a bit of salad oil from the table and anointed the woman for healing in the middle of the Golden Corral! Follow-up calls were made by one of the pastors, and the waitress, at last report, was doing well.
The church at its best has tremendous room for impact on the lives of people in our often troubled world. That group of clergy used the salad oil that was at hand to administer an ordinance that had significant meaning for the woman who received it as well as for themselves. It likely also made an impression on others who were seated near them in the restaurant.
What is the nature of the church?
--Steve Clapp is president of Christian Community Inc. and a member of Lincolnshire Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Source: 3/3/2008 Newsline Extra
New dates announced for Annual Conference 2009.
The Program and Arrangements Committee of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference has announced a date change and a shift in the normal daily pattern for Annual Conference 2009, to be held in San Diego, Calif.
The 2009 Annual Conference will take place from opening worship on Friday, June 26, through closing worship on Tuesday, June 30. The dates for the Conference had already been shifted to one week earlier than previously announced. These new dates place the Conference on a Friday-Tuesday pattern for 2009 only; the normal Saturday-Wednesday pattern will return in 2010.
The revisions to the schedule were requested by host facility Town and Country Resort, and the city of San Diego, to accommodate a citywide event starting Tuesday evening, June 30. In appreciation for the willingness to accommodate this departure from the normal Conference daily pattern, room rate reductions and other considerations have been made by the city and facility. The new dates are being announced as far in advance as possible to allow for scheduling adjustments by all Annual Conference constituents, said the announcement.
Source: 3/3/2008 Newsline Extra
The Program and Arrangements Committee of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference has announced a date change and a shift in the normal daily pattern for Annual Conference 2009, to be held in San Diego, Calif.
The 2009 Annual Conference will take place from opening worship on Friday, June 26, through closing worship on Tuesday, June 30. The dates for the Conference had already been shifted to one week earlier than previously announced. These new dates place the Conference on a Friday-Tuesday pattern for 2009 only; the normal Saturday-Wednesday pattern will return in 2010.
The revisions to the schedule were requested by host facility Town and Country Resort, and the city of San Diego, to accommodate a citywide event starting Tuesday evening, June 30. In appreciation for the willingness to accommodate this departure from the normal Conference daily pattern, room rate reductions and other considerations have been made by the city and facility. The new dates are being announced as far in advance as possible to allow for scheduling adjustments by all Annual Conference constituents, said the announcement.
Source: 3/3/2008 Newsline Extra
Brethren are called to prayer for Christian Peace Witness for Iraq.
Two Church of the Brethren agencies are calling for prayer for peace by Church of the Brethren congregations and members, in conjunction with the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq on March 7. The General Board has joined with On Earth Peace to issue invitations to prayer.
On Earth Peace has circulated a call for prayer from Phil Lersch of the Action for Peace Team, a committee of the Church of the Brethren’s Atlantic Southeast District. "During your faith community's times of worship this weekend, please consider praying for those traveling and participating in the events," said Matt Guynn, coordinator of peace witness for On Earth Peace.
"Please pray for the effectiveness of the Interfaith Peace Witness in Washington, D.C. on Friday, March 7, especially at 12 noon," wrote Lersch in his call for prayer. "Sponsored by Interfaith Peace Partnership, people of all faith traditions from across the United States will gather at noon in temples, mosques, synagogues, and churches in the US capital to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to justice and to the sacredness of human life, knowing that the world cries out for a common voice for peace from across religious traditions and paths. Following worship, participants will process to a jointly planned interfaith event near the Capitol Building."
Washington City Church of the Brethren (337 N. Carolina Ave. SE) is one of the locations that will host an Interfaith Peace Witness worship service at noon on March 7. The preacher for the service at the Church of the Brethren will be J. Daryl Byler, a Mennonite minister and a Mennonite Central Committee Regional Representative for Jordan, Palestine, Iraq, and Iran. Church of the Brethren member Cliff Kindy, who has been working in Iraq with Christian Peacemaker Teams, will be a speaker at the service at Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church (201 4th St. SE).
On Earth Peace is providing two workshops during the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq, as part of its Welcome Home Project. The workshop titled "Healing the Troops" will be offered on Thursday, March 6, at 6:30-9 p.m., and on Friday, March 7, at 8:30-11 a.m., at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. Leaders are Dale Posthumus of University Park Church of the Brethren in Hyattsville, Md.; Mel Menker of Oak Park Church of the Brethren in Oakland, Md.; Doris Abdullah of First Church of the Brethren in Brooklyn, N.Y.; and Dennis O’Connor from Point Man International Ministries.
The Brethren Witness/Washington Office will host Brethren members and groups that travel to Washington, D.C., for the events. Contact the office at 800-785-3246 or washington_office_gb@brethren.org.
The Church of the Brethren General Board will hold special times of prayer for peace during its spring meetings, which also take place the weekend of March 7-10 in Elgin, Ill. "I would like to get the word out and call for a time of prayer this Sunday by our churches," announced Stanley J. Noffsinger, general secretary of the General Board. He also is sending a letter of support to the organizers of the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq, giving encouragement from the Church of the Brethren and issuing a pastoral call for an end to the violence in Iraq.
Visit the website of the Christian Peace Witness in Iraq to learn more about activities in Washington, and opportunities for others to hold worship services and prayer vigils in local communities: www.christianpeacewitness.org.
Source: 3/3/2008 Newsline Extra
Two Church of the Brethren agencies are calling for prayer for peace by Church of the Brethren congregations and members, in conjunction with the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq on March 7. The General Board has joined with On Earth Peace to issue invitations to prayer.
On Earth Peace has circulated a call for prayer from Phil Lersch of the Action for Peace Team, a committee of the Church of the Brethren’s Atlantic Southeast District. "During your faith community's times of worship this weekend, please consider praying for those traveling and participating in the events," said Matt Guynn, coordinator of peace witness for On Earth Peace.
"Please pray for the effectiveness of the Interfaith Peace Witness in Washington, D.C. on Friday, March 7, especially at 12 noon," wrote Lersch in his call for prayer. "Sponsored by Interfaith Peace Partnership, people of all faith traditions from across the United States will gather at noon in temples, mosques, synagogues, and churches in the US capital to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to justice and to the sacredness of human life, knowing that the world cries out for a common voice for peace from across religious traditions and paths. Following worship, participants will process to a jointly planned interfaith event near the Capitol Building."
Washington City Church of the Brethren (337 N. Carolina Ave. SE) is one of the locations that will host an Interfaith Peace Witness worship service at noon on March 7. The preacher for the service at the Church of the Brethren will be J. Daryl Byler, a Mennonite minister and a Mennonite Central Committee Regional Representative for Jordan, Palestine, Iraq, and Iran. Church of the Brethren member Cliff Kindy, who has been working in Iraq with Christian Peacemaker Teams, will be a speaker at the service at Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church (201 4th St. SE).
On Earth Peace is providing two workshops during the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq, as part of its Welcome Home Project. The workshop titled "Healing the Troops" will be offered on Thursday, March 6, at 6:30-9 p.m., and on Friday, March 7, at 8:30-11 a.m., at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. Leaders are Dale Posthumus of University Park Church of the Brethren in Hyattsville, Md.; Mel Menker of Oak Park Church of the Brethren in Oakland, Md.; Doris Abdullah of First Church of the Brethren in Brooklyn, N.Y.; and Dennis O’Connor from Point Man International Ministries.
The Brethren Witness/Washington Office will host Brethren members and groups that travel to Washington, D.C., for the events. Contact the office at 800-785-3246 or washington_office_gb@brethren.org.
The Church of the Brethren General Board will hold special times of prayer for peace during its spring meetings, which also take place the weekend of March 7-10 in Elgin, Ill. "I would like to get the word out and call for a time of prayer this Sunday by our churches," announced Stanley J. Noffsinger, general secretary of the General Board. He also is sending a letter of support to the organizers of the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq, giving encouragement from the Church of the Brethren and issuing a pastoral call for an end to the violence in Iraq.
Visit the website of the Christian Peace Witness in Iraq to learn more about activities in Washington, and opportunities for others to hold worship services and prayer vigils in local communities: www.christianpeacewitness.org.
Source: 3/3/2008 Newsline Extra
General Board to meet with ABC Board and Annual Conference Council.
The spring meetings of the Church of the Brethren General Board, scheduled for March 6-10 in Elgin, Ill., will include a full day of combined meetings with the Association of Brethren Caregivers Board and the Annual Conference Council.
The combined meeting on Saturday, March 8, will focus on a new organization for the three bodies, recommended by the Implementation Committee that was appointed by the 2007 Annual Conference. That day of meetings will be held at the Holiday Inn in Elgin, with other meetings held at the Church of the Brethren General Offices. In addition, the Implementation Committee is scheduled to meet independently of the other groups on March 8.
Also on the General Board’s agenda are a "Resolution on 50 Years of Women’s Ordination," a revision of the denomination’s "Ethics in Ministry Relations" paper, an update on the Sudan mission initiative, an update on the National Peace Conference being planned by the Historic Peace Churches, an update on the Gather ’Round curriculum, and a number of reports including financial reports, the annual report of General Board ministries, and a report from the annual Assembly of the Church of the Brethren in the Dominican Republic, among several others.
Other meetings that will be held around the same time include:
The spring meetings of the Church of the Brethren General Board, scheduled for March 6-10 in Elgin, Ill., will include a full day of combined meetings with the Association of Brethren Caregivers Board and the Annual Conference Council.
The combined meeting on Saturday, March 8, will focus on a new organization for the three bodies, recommended by the Implementation Committee that was appointed by the 2007 Annual Conference. That day of meetings will be held at the Holiday Inn in Elgin, with other meetings held at the Church of the Brethren General Offices. In addition, the Implementation Committee is scheduled to meet independently of the other groups on March 8.
Also on the General Board’s agenda are a "Resolution on 50 Years of Women’s Ordination," a revision of the denomination’s "Ethics in Ministry Relations" paper, an update on the Sudan mission initiative, an update on the National Peace Conference being planned by the Historic Peace Churches, an update on the Gather ’Round curriculum, and a number of reports including financial reports, the annual report of General Board ministries, and a report from the annual Assembly of the Church of the Brethren in the Dominican Republic, among several others.
Other meetings that will be held around the same time include:
- Annual Conference Council meetings on the afternoon of March 10 through the morning of March 11. The Annual Conference officers will meet on the afternoon of March 11 through the morning of March 12.
- The Association of Brethren Caregivers Board holds finance and executive committee meetings on March 6, with Wellness Committee and Family Ministry Group meetings on March 7, and full board meetings beginning the afternoon of March 7 through the morning of March 9.
Credits
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. Loyce Swartz Borgmann, Mark Flory Steury, Lerry Fogle, Bob Gross, Matt Guynn, Jon Kobel, and Stanley Noffsinger contributed to this report.
Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board, cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. Loyce Swartz Borgmann, Mark Flory Steury, Lerry Fogle, Bob Gross, Matt Guynn, Jon Kobel, and Stanley Noffsinger contributed to this report.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
NEWS
- Annual Conference ballot for 2008 is announced.
- Church of the Brethren sends delegation to North Korea.
- BVS worker helps Guatemalan school raise funds.
- Brethren funds send money to N. Korea, Darfur, Katrina rebuilding.
- Brethren Volunteer Service unit completes orientation.
- Brethren bits: Remembrances, personnel, job openings, much more.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)