220th Annual Conference Des Moines, Iowa July 1-5, 2006

Index	Theme	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Wrap Up

Annual Conference delegates adopted the General Board resolution on global poverty. - photo by Regina Roberts

Business sessions were held in Veterans Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa. - photo by Joel Brumbaugh-Cayford

Several times throughout Conference, attendees will have the opportunity to discuss what it means to be the church, as a part of Together Conversations. - photo by Regina Roberts

The 300th Anniversary Committee gave an interim report to the delegate body. As part of their report, they sang a new theme song. - photo by Regina Roberts

Moderator Ron Beachley presided over business sessions as moderator-elect Belita Mitchell looked on and provided support. - photo by Regina Roberts

General Board chair Glenn Mitchell, Annual Conference moderator Ron Beachley, and general secretary of the board Stan Noffsinger prayed for the continued ministries of the General Board following its annual report. - photo by Regina Roberts

“A CALL TO REDUCE GLOBAL POVERTY AND HUNGER” IS ADOPTED
The General Board’s resolution on global poverty was adopted by Annual Conference delegates, without discussion.

The statement, “A Call to Reduce Global Poverty and Hunger,” was passed by General Board at its Oct. 2005 meeting. It reviews the strong Brethren tradition of serving the poor and feeding the hungry as Jesus taught. Then, citing the current worldwide push to eliminate extreme poverty in one generation, the statement calls on Brethren to pursue the Millennium Development Goals developed by the United Nations in 2000. The goals include universal primary education, reduction of child mortality, improvement in maternal health, care for the environment, combating infectious diseases, and empowerment of women.

The just-passed resolution closes, “Through prayer, study, and concrete action, let us resolve to act so that those who know extreme poverty and hunger might enter more fully into the abundance of God’s love.”

-- Frances Townsend is pastor of Onekama (Mich.) Church of the Brethren

“CALL TO STEWARDSHIP EDUCATION” IS REFERRED TO THE GENERAL BOARD

Stewardship education was the topic of a query from Mid-Atlantic District. Without discussion the delegates approved a measured response prepared by Standing Committee, which recommended approving the concerns of the query and “that the query be referred to the General Board.”

The action also encourages “the General Board to continue and broaden its stewardship education efforts for the denomination as permitted by available resources.”

Don Fitzkee, presenting Standing Committee’s recommendation to the delegate body, said the committee felt that much is already being done in this area, and that the committee does not believe additional denominational staff and budget are needed.

-- Frances Townsend is pastor of Onekama (Mich.) Church of the Brethren

OVERVIEW OF OTHER BUSINESS
Annual Conference was called into business session by moderator Ronald D. Beachley, who opened with a special presentation of 45 roses to his wife, Linda, to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary today.

The delegate body has a very full business schedule, Beachley said, and “it looks like a formidable task,” he added. “My prayer is and has been that we may honor each other in our conversation and decisions.”

Six new fellowships were introduced: Christ Connections Community Fellowship of Oswego, Ill.; Faithful Servants Fellowship of Frederick, Md.; Family Faith Fellowship of Enid, Okla.; Journeys Way Ministries Fellowship of Fairhope, Pa.; Naples (Fla.) Haitian Fellowship; and Ramey Flats Fellowship of Clintwood, Va. A prayer litany consecrated the new delegates from the fellowships, along with the whole delegate body.

Two new business items were added to the agenda for the week: “Resolution: An End to the War in Iraq,” a resolution from the General Board (for a full report about the decision of the General Board see the Business page for Saturday, July 1); and a verbal report from the Standing Committee about a letter from the Annual Conference Council that has been included in the delegate packet. The letter gives answers to questions of sexuality and ministry in the 2003 “Query: Clarification of Confusion” from Michigan District (for a full report of the Standing Committee action, see the Business page for Friday, June 30).

The delegates received the report of the Church of the Brethren General Board; a report of the denomination’s activities in ministry to the poor, following up on a previous Annual Conference action; an interim report from the Review and Evaluation Committee; and an interim report from the 300th Anniversary Committee.

A 4.2 percent cost of living increase for 2007 for the minimum pastoral salary table was approved, at the recommendation of the Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee.

District nominees to the General Board were confirmed: David Bollinger, Atlantic Southeast District; Barbra S. Davis, Missouri and Arkansas District; and Kenneth Geisewite, Southern Pennsylvania District.

The Conference approved the ballot presented by Standing Committee, and also began discussion of “Resolution: Divestment from Companies Selling Products Used as Weapons in Israel and Palestine.” The item will be continued tomorrow.

The Conference also heard about a special program this year, “Passport to Wellness: Fit for the Journey.” (For a full report see the Features page for Saturday, July 1.) Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) staff member Don Fecher ran into the auditorium to receive his Passport t-shirt, after he was shown in a humorous video training for, and then carrying out, the wellness activities offered by ABC, the General Board, and Brethren Benefit Trust.

Members of the 2006 Annual Conference news team, a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board, contributed to the Annual Conference web pages: Jake Blouch, Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, Kathleen Campanella, Eddie Edmonds, Karen Garrett, Clara Glover, Amy Heckert, Keith Hollenberg, Jill Kline, Sarah Kovacs, Frank Ramirez, Jesse Reid, Regina Roberts, Frances Townsend, and Becky Ullom.