Each summer, Church of the Brethren members and friends from across the denomination gather for Annual Conference. It is a week of worship and fellowship, discerning and decision-making, learning and sharing.

This year, the site is the Bartle Hall Convention Center in Kansas City, Mo. Emily Mumma, pastor of the Hollidaysburg (Pa.) Church of the Brethren serves as moderator and Phill Carlos Archbold, associate pastor at the Brooklyn (N.Y.) First Church of the Brethren as moderator-elect. Business items include papers on caring for the poor and congregational structure, review of the process for calling denominational leadership, a query on personal evangelism, and a request to join the World Council of Churches' Decade to Overcome Violence.

The 2000 conference theme is "Love as I have loved you," based on Jesus' words in the gospel of John. Worship services throughout Conference will focus on aspects of this theme. Worship speakers are former Kansas City mayor Emanuel Cleaver, theologian Thomas Troeger, 2000 Annual Conference moderator Emily Mumma, and Church of the Brethren ministers Joel Nogle and Belita Mitchell.

We welcome you to these pages and invite you to explore further, joining us as we seek to be about "Continuing the work of Jesus. Peacefully. Simply. Together."