Church of the Brethren Newsline
October 18, 2007
The Association of Brethren Caregivers (ABC) sent a letter last week to congregations that have contributed to the agency, asking that they continue to include ABC in their congregational budget now and in the future.
In July, Annual Conference delegates approved the Review and Evaluation Committee’s recommendation that the Church of the Brethren General Board and ABC consider re-forming into a new organization titled “Church of the Brethren.” An Annual Conference appointed implementation committee was appointed to determine in the next two to three years how best to accomplish this vision.
Until this process is complete, ABC will continue as a financially independent organization, without any financial support from the General Board. Some congregations have misunderstood the timetable of the Annual Conference action and have eliminated or reallocated their past funding of ABC to the General Board.
Given that the implementation committee’s process will take two to three years, the ABC Board and staff are relying on the direct support from congregations to sustain programing for the caring ministries in the Church of the Brethren. The ABC letter requested that congregations continue to include ABC within their budget.
–Mary Dulabaum is director of communications for the Association of Brethren Caregivers.
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The Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. To receive Newsline by e-mail go to http://listserver.emountain.net/mailman/listinfo/newsline. Submit news to the editor at cobnews@brethren.org. For more Church of the Brethren news and features, subscribe to “Messenger” magazine; call 800-323-8039 ext. 247.