Wednesday, July 7, 2004
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Delegates stood to vote on a business item photo by Regina Bryan

Moderator Chris Bowman and his family received a quilted wall hanging from the Association for the Arts photo by Regina Bryan

The final worship service closed with the consecration of Jim Hardenbrook, Annual Conference moderator for 2005, and moderator-elect Ronald Beachley, who will lead the Conference in 2006 photo by Regina Bryan

Cellist Tom Mitchell brought an inspiring offertory for the final worship service photo by Regina Bryan

A display outside the Charleston Civic Center of 865 pairs of combat boots—a pair for each American soldier killed—brought home the cost of the war in Iraq. Many of the names of the 10,000 Iraqi dead were listed. The display was created by the American Friends Service Committee and co-sponsored by the Brethren Witness/Washington Office, On Earth Peace, Christian Peacemaker Teams, and West Virginia Patriots for Peace photo by Jesse Reid

photo by Jesse Reid

photo by Regina Bryan

Delegates open agenda to add African-American to multi-ethnic, cross-cultural study committee

Delegates reopened the business agenda Wednesday morning after moderator Chris Bowman announced that no African-American had been elected to the study committee responding to the queries on “Becoming a Multi-Ethnic Church” and “The Need for Cross-Cultural Ministries.” Bowman expressed an apology for the omission and brought news that Standing Committee had discussed the issue at length in an early morning session.

A motion that the study committee choose an eighth member from the African-American nominees on the original ballot passed overwhelmingly. The Annual Conference officers heard counsel that the ex-officio American Baptist Churches member to be appointed be an African-American.

Wednesday Morning Worship

In a fitting conclusion to Conference, the closing worship sent participants out to continue the work of Jesus. Preacher Andrew Murray reminded listeners that “the Kingdom is not destination; it is a journey.” He spoke of a family road trip from Virginia to newly-opened Disneyland, by way of Annual Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After a couple of hours on the road, young Andrew asked, “Are we there yet?” His mother thought of their destinations, and said no. But his father, after all the preparation and glad to be on the road, said yes. This journey was one of Murray’s first metaphors for the Christian life (though Disneyland did not measure up to heaven!).

Murray said, “There is no way to the Kingdom; the Kingdom is the way.” He then asked listeners, as the denominational tag-line says, to “Continue the work of Jesus...Peacefully, Simply, Together.”

The service included a moving children’s story, accompanied by video and actors, about cherishing one another as though any one of us might be Christ. Music included a prelude by organist Jonathan Emmons, an offertory by cellist Tom Mitchell, and the choir directed by Jesse Hopkins.

Boots visualize the human cost of war in Iraq

Eight hundred sixty five pairs of combat boots bearing the names and home states of US military personnel who have been killed in Iraq provided a stark display outside the Civic Center on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 6-7.

Alongside the display was a weathered plow covered with shell casings and a plaque bearing Isaiah 2:4. The 10,000 plus Iraqi civilian casualties were also symbolically represented.

Church of the Brethren general secretary Stan Noffsinger was visibly moved as he addressed a press conference Tuesday afternoon. Noting the action just taken by Annual Conference, to adopt a General Board resolution on Iraq calling the church to accountability, he called upon the church to be ready to embrace all who will be victims of this war: Iraqis, returned military personnel, families of the lost and wounded.

Throughout the night, a vigil was kept. Conference attendees were invited to drop in for a time of prayer from 9-11 p.m. The event was sponsored by the General Board’s Brethren Witness/Washington Office, On Earth Peace, and Christian Peacemaker Teams in conjunction with the American Friends Service Committee and West Virginia Patriots for Peace.

30th annual quilt auction held on Tuesday afternoon

The 30th annual Association for the Arts Quilt Auction raised a total of $20,400. Three quilts and three wall hangings were sold, which included blocks from 167 churches.

It was announced that the association will be collecting pictures and stories about Brethren quilts to celebrate the denomination’s 300th anniversary. Contact Joyce at djparker@bright.net to contribute.

Moderator’s gift directs $1,000 to the Global Food Crisis Fund

This year’s moderator’s gift of $1,000 will undergird specific aspects of the church’s work in India and Nigeria through the Global Food Crisis Fund (GFCF), according to GFCF manager Howard Royer. “This is to say thanks in advance to you and to the Association for the Arts,” Royer wrote in a note to moderator Chris Bowman.

In India the gift will benefit the Rural Service Center and its programs for health and nutrition education, land leveling, tree planting, and biogas production as an alternative energy source for homes. In Nigeria, the gift will support the Women’s Development Center at the headquarters of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN–the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), which enrolls 65 women in literacy training and classes in tailoring and typing as well as basic economics and business education.

“The General Board expresses its deepest gratitude to all who have contributed time and talent in making this gift to the Global Food Crisis Fund,” Royer wrote.

Tidbits

Final registration figures stood at 4,038.... Conference-goers brought 2,500 Gift of the Heart kits and Clinic Boxes in a collection sponsored by the General Board’s Emergency Response program.... The final numbers for the blood drive were 164 pints donated.... Brethren next meet for Annual Conference July 2-6, 2005, in Peoria, Ill.... Program and Arrangements Committee announced that the 2009 Annual Conference will be held in San Diego, Calif.

Members of the 2004 Annual Conference news team, a ministry of the General Board, contributed to this report: Regina Bryan and Jesse Reid, photographers; Kathleen Campanella, Jill Kline, Frank Ramirez, Frances Townsend, and Sarah Leatherman Young, writers; Amy Heckert, technical support; Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, editor.