Saturday, July 12
Business

[Highlights | Feature | Photo | Worship]

STANDING COMMITTEE REVISES RESPONSE TO PROGRAM AND ARRANGEMENTS REQUEST
Today the Standing Committee of district delegates revised action taken yesterday in response to a request for counsel from the Annual Conference Program and Arrangements Committee (see Friday Business page).

As a result of the further stirring of the Spirit, the committee moved to reconsider its action of yesterday afternoon. This morning it voted instead to “accept the concerns of the request for counsel from the Program and Arrangements Committee, own them, and create a committee chosen by Standing Committee to formulate an appropriate response for Standing Committee to approve and bring to the 2009 Annual Conference.”

Yesterday’s action was to accept the Program and Arrangements concerns and pass them on as a query to the 2009 Annual Conference, to be treated as a special response query.

The request for counsel came because the Annual Conference exhibit hall has become a “battleground” between those who are for and against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, according to Program and Arrangements. The request prompted a discussion of whether the denomination should revisit the 1983 Annual Conference statement “Human Sexuality from a Christian Perspective.”

After a closed session this morning, following a closed session last evening, moderator Jim Beckwith announced that the shift came “because of the stirring of the Spirit in the body.” The Standing Committee then elected a seven member group to formulate its response, and added a member of the Program and Arrangements Committee as a consultant. The committee formulating the response includes Larry Dentler, Roger Forry, Ed Garrison, Donna Ritchey Martin, Steve Sauder, John Willoughby, and Lani Wright. It will bring a report to Standing Committee at a special session early Monday morning.

In other business today, Standing Committee elected its Envisioning Committee; decided that the business items requiring a two-thirds majority according to polity will be the report of the Implementation Committee, the “Update to Ministerial Ethics,” and the “Revision to Unfunded Mandates”; and received and offered counsel with the moderator. The group also approved a slate of people to be recommended to the delegate body as the new Annual Conference Process Committee: Ronald Beachley, Phyllis Davis, and Don Fitzkee.

General Board members who are finishing their terms were recognized today: (from left) Jay Carter, Tim Harvey (chair), Russ Betz, and Vicky Samland. Photo by Ken Wenger	General Board treasurer Judy Keyser reported on the measures taken to reduce a budget deficit for 2009. The board approved budget parameters at today's meeting. Photo by Ken Wenger
The Church of the Brethren Credit Union also held meetings today. At right is Brethren Benefit Trust president Wil Nolen. COBCU is a ministry of the Brethren Benefit Trust. Photo by Regina Roberts	The General Board spent time preparing for the delegate body to act on resolutions for a merger with the Association of Brethren Caregivers into a new organization. Here general secretary Stan Noffsinger (right) and ABC executive director Kathy Reid bring information to the board. Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford

GENERAL BOARD AFFIRMS TRANSITION PLANS, SETS BUDGET PARAMETERS FOR 2009
The General Board in its meetings today affirmed plans for transition to a new organization pending the action of Annual Conference on the resolutions of merger with the Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC). The board also approved budget parameters for 2009, among other business.

The General Board spent time reviewing the plans for the new organizational structure with ABC and incorporating the functions of the Annual Conference Council. The General Board took action to affirm the transition plans. This item of business is to come to the delegate body at this Annual Conference. General secretary Stan Noffsinger announced that the board and ABC are both doing contingency planning in case the resolutions putting the new organization in place are not approved by the delegate body or there are significant changes made.

The board set budget parameters for its Core Ministries in 2009: projected income of $5,747,000, projected expense of $5,887,000, and a net expense of $140,000. Finance staff emphasized that these parameters represent the spending of accumulated net assets and one-time use of designated funds in order to avoid a much larger net expense for the year.

The financial planning team faced a difficult situation, said treasurer Judy Keyser, having to choose between the option of reducing program and staff, or the use of Core Ministries net assets and designated funds to reduce the deficit. If such measures were not used in 2009, the deficit would come to $381,000, Keyser reported.

Board chair Tim Harvey commented that the General Board is facing difficulties brought on by the economic situation in the country, including rising food and fuel costs, unmanageable travel budgets, health insurance costs, and the declining value of the dollar.

“Is ministry still worth paying for?” asked board member Terrell Lewis, in a statement of encouragement to the church to value its ministries. “I am frightened by this economy. It is scary news. But we have been called to do God’s work.”

In other business, the board received several reports including the recent work of Brethren Disaster Ministries, the upcoming National Young Adult Conference, and mission reports from the Dominican Republic, Nigeria, and the Sudan Initiative.

The board welcomed international guests including Marcos and Suely Inhauser, national directors of the mission in Brazil; Cristian Aquino Encarnacion, a pastor from the DR; Filibus Gwama, president of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN-- the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), and Jinatu Wamdeo, EYN general secretary. Also at the Conference is Ludovic St. Fleur, coordinator of the mission in Haiti, and pastor of Eglise des Freres Haitiens in Miami and the Orlando (Fla.) Haitian Fellowship.

Noffsinger announced that in addition to international guests, the board expects 16 ecumenical guests including three heads of communions of other Christian bodies to attend the Conference on Tuesday.

The board also recognized the service of staff, and board members who are finishing their terms with this meeting: chair Tim Harvey, Russ Betz, Jay Carter, Vicky Samland, and ex officio member Stephen Breck Reid, who has served as Bethany Seminary dean.

Annual Conference moderator Jim Beckwith received prayer this morning in Standing Committee meetings, in preparation for his duties. Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford	The General Board laid hands and prayed for mission workers in the Dominican Republic--Irv and Nancy Heishman--and DR pastor and international guest Cristian Aquino Encarnacion. Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
Each General Board member received a packet of materials, including an origami crane to hang at the board's exhibit, and a packet on the resolution against modern-day slavery. Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford	Children's Disaster Services associate director Judy Bezon displayed artwork by children who were cared for following the flooding in Iowa and Indiana. Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford