Monday, July 14
Business

[Highlights | Feature | Photo | Worship]

Delegates looked through their packets of informaton and papers in preparation for the first business session. Photo by Glenn Riegel

Ruben Deoleo (right) was one of those doing translation of business proceedings into Spanish. He is a member of the General  Board's Congregational Life Team staff. Photo by Glenn Riegel

The Nigerian Church of the Brethren presented a commemorative clock to the moderator, in honor of the 300th Anniversary celebration. Photo by Ken Wenger

The coordinator of the BEST group from Nigeria, standing for Brethren Evangelism Support Trust, greeted the delegate body. Photo by Ken Wenger

After the report of Bethany Theological Seminary, the moderator and moderator-elect surrounded leaders of the seminary with prayer. Photo by Ken Wenger

The delegates adopted the plan for merger of the General Board with the Association of Brethren Caregivers, incorporating the functions of the Annual Conference Council, to create a new organization. A chart illustrated the new structure. Photo by Ken Wenger

Many people came to the microphones to speak to the Resolution Urging Forbearance, an item of business that continued into the morning business session on Tuesday. Photo by Ken Wenger

Linda Williams of San Diego, Calif., was one of those speaking to the Resolution Urging Forbearance. Photo by Glenn Riegel

PLAN IS APPROVED MERGING ABC AND GENERAL BOARD INTO NEW ORGANIZATION
Annual Conference unanimously adopted resolutions approving the plan and agreement of merger of the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) and the General Board into a single corporation. The new organization will include the functions of the Annual Conference Council. The action changes the name of the new organization to Church of the Brethren, Inc.

The resolutions were presented by the Implementation Committee elected by the 2007 Conference to create a plan for the merger, after Conference adopted the recommendation of the Review and Evaluation Committee to unite the agencies into a new incorporated legal entity. The resolutions also have been approved by the ABC board, the Fellowship of Brethren Homes as the legal members of ABC, and by the General Board.

In adopting the resolutions, the Conference also approved articles of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws. In a separate action the body approved the report of the Implementation Committee. Delegates were invited to take concerns and suggestions for improvements of the bylaws to the Annual Conference officers or to the general secretary, as bylaws will be reviewed again as the plan is put into place.

Moderator James Beckwith explained that the action that was called for was “a legal process to complete what we started last year when we said we wanted these bodies to merge.” The action combines the two boards into one new board called the Mission and Ministry Board. It creates a new Leadership Team for the denomination, which will include the Annual Conference Officers and the general secretary.

The action does not affect the organization of Annual Conference or Standing Committee, or the way they operate. Annual Conference continues to be the highest and final legislative authority of the denomination. On Earth Peace also remains a separate agency of the Annual Conference, and the action does not affect the Brethren Benefit Trust or Bethany Theological Seminary.

The process of working on the plan has gone on for a year, and “has been a good process for us,” said ABC executive director Kathy Reid. “We have felt consistently that we were guided and directed by the Spirit in our midst.”

“Our intention is to form a new entity, a unified board,” she said. “We want to take the very best of ABC, the very best of the Annual Conference Council, and the very best of the General Board.” In response to a question from the floor, she explained that all ministries of the two boards will continue in the new organization.

ABC GIVES INTERIM REPORT ON CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION
The Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) gave an interim report on the initial work done to respond to the 2007 “Query: Child Abuse Prevention.” Staff member Kim Ebersole brought the interim report.

ABC has carried out a review of the query and related denominational documents, has increased the resources and links on its child protection website pages, and earlier this year carried out a survey of a variety of agencies and organizations in the denomination, including congregations and districts as well as camps and other agencies.

Ebersole characterized the responses to the survey as “disappointing.” Out of 1,128 requests sent out by ABC, 193 completed surveys were received--only 143 congregations responded, she said. Of the congregations that responded, only 35 percent had a child protection policy in place.

The mandate was basically to “take the temperature of the denomination” on this issue, Ebersole said. “The lack of response makes it virtually impossible to determine what is actually happening in congregations,” she reported. ABC did find that most of the policies in place in the denomination are reactive, not proactive to prevent child abuse, and relatively few districts reported providing training opportunities for pastors and congregations.

A final report from ABC on Child Abuse Prevention will come to the 2009 Annual Conference. In the meantime, the agency recommended that every Church of the Brethren congregation, district, agency, ministry area, program, and camp adopt and implement a child protection/child abuse prevention policy. It also made recommendations for its own work and the work of its Family Ministry Group, to raise awareness of the issue across the denomination and the need for policies at all levels, assist with development and implementation of policies, identify existing resources and develop additional resources including training materials about child abuse and establishing safe environments for children and youth, and for the Family Ministry Group to serve as a resource for congregations in ministry to those who have been affected by child abuse.

ELECTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS

In an election held today, Annual Conference chose new leadership:

Shawn Flory Replogle, pastor of McPherson (Kan.) Church of the Brethren, was chosen as Annual Conference moderator-elect.

Diane (Newcomer) Mason of Moulton, Iowa, was elected to the Annual Conference Program and Arrangements Committee.

Linda Sanders of Oakland, Md., to the Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee.

Paul W. Roth of Broadway, Va., to the Committee on Interchurch Relations.

Tammy Kiser of Dayton, Va., and Chris Whitacre of McPherson, Kan., to the Association of Brethren Caregivers Board.

Elected as a Bethany Theological Seminary Trustee, representing clergy, was Nathan D. Polzin of Saginaw, Mich.; elected representing laity was Raymond M. Donadio Jr. of Greenville, Ohio.

Jack H. Grim of East Berlin, Pa., to the Brethren Benefit Trust board.

Jordan Blevins of Gaithersburg, Md., to the On Earth Peace board.

Board appointments were confirmed as well, including:

Carol A. Davis of Freeport, Ill.; Craig Smith of Atlantic Northeast District; and Ann Quay Davis of La Verne, Calif., to the Brethren Benefit Trust board.

John C. Grindler Katonah of Evanston, Ill.; Daniel J. McRoberts of Caledonia, Mich.; and John Wenger of Anderson, Ind., to the Association of Brethren Caregivers board.

Frances S. Beam of Concord, N.C.; and Phillip C. Stone Jr. of Harrisonburg, Va., confirmed as Bethany Theological Seminary trustees.

OTHER ANNUAL CONFERENCE BUSINESS
The Conference also welcomed new fellowships and congregations, affirmed a new Process Committee called for by the decision of 2007 on the Doing Church Business Committee report, received reports from the Association of Brethren Caregivers, Bethany Theological Seminary, and the Brethren Benefit Trust, honored outgoing BBT president Wil Nolen, and viewed a moving Memorial Observance tribute to the church ministers, employees, or spouses who have passed away since the last Annual Conference.

Five new fellowships were received: Church in Drive in Saginaw, Mich.; Faith in Action in Delta, Ohio; Lakeside Fellowship in Smith Mountain Lake, Va.; Una Nueva Vida en Cristo in Virlina District; and Flowing Faith in Stokesdale, N.C.

Two new congregations were welcomed: Puerta Del Cielo Church of the Brethren in Atlantic Northeast District, and His Way Church of the Brethren/Iglesia de los Hermanos El Cristo Camino in Southeastern District.

A three-member Process Committee was confirmed: Ronald Beachley, Phyllis Davis, and Don Fitzkee. The committee will serve a one-year term, with the responsibility of working with the Annual Conference officers and the Program and Arrangements Committee to look at options for doing church business as recommended by the Doing Church Business Study Committee.

Greetings were received from Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN--the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) and the EYN church leaders presented gifts commemorating the 300th Anniversary. A commemorative clock was presented by the leadership of EYN, and two decorative leather rugs by the Brethren Evangelism Support Trust (BEST), along with a history of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria. EYN President Filibus Gwama opened the afternoon business session with prayer, saying, “We thank you Lord for the body of Christ. We thank you for the church in this country and around the world.... Lord, may your Holy Spirit continue to lead this church.”

The moderator also received a 300th Anniversary commemorative plaque from Advocate Bethany Hospital in Chicago, an institution begun by the Church of the Brethren close to the old site of Bethany Theological Seminary on the west side of the city.