“Celebrating the Church of the Brethren’s 300th Anniversary in 2008”
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed…” (Romans 12:2a).
1) Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board holds first meeting.
PERSONNEL
2) Donna Hillcoat begins as director of Deacon Ministry.
3) Steve Bob called as director of the Church of the Brethren Credit Union.
4) Patrice Nightingale begins as director of communications for BBT.
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1) Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board holds first meeting.
The Mission and Ministry Board of the Church of the Brethren held its first meeting on Oct. 18-21 at the denomination’s General Offices in Elgin, Ill. The Mission and Ministry Board is the board of the new Church of the Brethren, Inc., and is chaired by Edwin H. Edmonds, pastor of Moler Avenue Church of the Brethren in Martinsburg, W.Va.
Board members come from the former General Board, the former Association of Brethren Caregivers board, and the former Annual Conference Council. Ex-officio members represent Annual Conference, Bethany Theological Seminary, Brethren Benefit Trust, On Earth Peace, and the Council of District Executives.
On the agenda were financial reports and a budget for the new organization, a resolution on the “Responsibility to Protect,” reports from several church programs including the Sudan Initiative, and consideration of the need for new strategic planning documents for the new organization, among other business.
The board approved the use of consensus decision making for the meetings, and sat in small groups at round tables instead of at one large board table. At times during the discussions, members engaged in “table talk” in the small groups and reported results to the whole group before moving to decision making.
The meeting began with a day of professional development for board members. The group reviewed the vision, mission, and core values statements of the prior organizations, as well as the roles of board and staff, the ministries that the board oversees including ministries of the former General Board and Association of Brethren Caregivers, stewardship responsibilities of board members, and the consensus process.
Worship began and ended the business meetings. Using a theme from Romans 12:2, “Be transformed by the renewing of your minds,” board members and staff leaders expressed hopes for the new organization of the Church of the Brethren, and anticipated exciting and challenging work ahead.
In his opening sermon, chair Eddie Edmonds called for truthfulness and gentleness as the board worked together in a new structure and with a new consensus process. “Christians have to commit to a search for the truth in a spirit of gentleness. We may not all come out in the same place, but we can all be in the same mind in the Lord,” he said.
Budget and finances
The board approved by consensus a 2009 total operating budget for all Church of the Brethren ministries of $10,236,210 income, $10,391,760 expense, and an expected $155,550 deficit for next year.
The board’s actions included a revision of the 2009 budget parameter for the Core Ministries Fund, adding the sum of $289,000 for the Caring Ministries budget to the General Board’s previous budget planning. For the Church of the Brethren’s core ministries, a budget parameter of $6,036,000 income and $6,176,000 expense was approved, representing an expected deficit of $140,000.
The action on the budget also represented approval of budgets for the Church of the Brethren’s self-funded ministries including Brethren Disaster Ministries, Brethren Press, Global Food Crisis, Material Resources, “Messenger” magazine, and the New Windsor Conference Center.
In financial reports, the board reviewed the 2008 budgets of the General Board and the Association of Brethren Caregivers for the period through August 31. Current income and expense statements for Annual Conference were not yet available. Final year-end reports for 2008 will come to the board at its next meeting in March 2009.
After reviewing a chart showing the 10-year history of net assets for each of the funds, the board expressed concern about an increasing negative net asset for Brethren Press over the past few years and asked the general secretary to bring an action plan to its March meeting. Brethren Press is one of the board’s self-funding units.
Funding director Ken Neher reported that giving to the Church of the Brethren remains strong despite the global economic crisis. Treasurer Judy Keyser reviewed concerns regarding the economy, including a volatile investment environment and spiraling increases in costs of energy, travel, food, and other expenses. Finance staff reported that they expect a drop in earnings from investments, but that the board has in place a practice of averaging income from investments over a five-year period to help protect against disastrous losses.
Keyser identified an overarching longterm financial issue for the board, that the Church of the Brethren’s income is not matching its current ministry needs.
An offering was received for a capital campaign to upgrade facilities at the General Offices and the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. The contributions for the capital campaign totaled $2,083.
Resolution: Responsibility to Protect
There was strong affirmation by the Mission and Ministry Board for a resolution on “The Responsibility to Protect,” presented by Phil Jones, director of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office, and Larry Ulrich, a member of York Center Church of the Brethren in Lombard, Ill., who has been involved with an “R2P” coalition connected with the Council of Religious Leaders in Chicago.
The United Nations adopted “The Responsibility to Protect” in 2005, to address the problem of a country where the government persecutes or eliminates its own people, such as in the case of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. Using all of its diplomatic, economic, and political resources, the UN can under this doctrine use military force as a last resort to halt atrocities.
“We do differ with the UN document on the Responsibility to Protect,” said Jones. “We support it fully, except for the use of military force.” The resolution was brought as a Church of the Brethren response to the action of the UN and to the global increase of catastrophic atrocities. The resolution also responds to a call from the National Council of Churches Governing Board in 2007, when that body adopted a resolution on the Responsibility to Protect and called for support from member communions.
In discussion of the resolution, board members affirmed it but also identified some concerns about the document. A small task team was asked to bring a revision that more clearly identified alternatives that the Church of the Brethren may suggest for nonviolent prevention of and response to atrocities.
The modified resolution was adopted by consensus. Go to www.brethren.org/genbd/GBResolutions/2008ResponsibilityToProtect.pdf to find the resolution online.
Sudan Initiative
A report on the Sudan Initiative was given by director Brad Bohrer, who had just returned from a visit to southern Sudan. He presented plans to place Church of the Brethren staff with RECONCILE, an organization that does community building and peacemaking work in southern Sudan and was begun under the auspices of the New Sudan Council of Churches. Referring to placements of Brethren mission staff with the New Sudan Council of Churches in years past, Bohrer said, “There is a strong sense that we are coming back to walk alongside” the council again.
Board members responded with numerous concerns about the Sudan Initiative, and some shared critical responses to the initiative from members of their districts. Concerns focused on the perception that the initiative has lost the elements of evangelism and church planting, as well as concerns about funding and donations to the initiative. The board acted by consensus to direct the general secretary to create a communication piece to bring clarity about the Sudan Initiative for the denomination.
Strategic planning
The group discussed strategic planning for the new organization of the Church of the Brethren, including vision, mission, and core values statements. Questions posed for the discussion included whether there is validity in the strategic planning and vision, mission, and core values documents of the prior organizations of the General Board and the Association of Brethren Caregivers, and whether staff should continue to use these documents as guiding principles for their work. After a time of “table talk” in small groups, ideas about how to move forward on strategic planning documents for the new organization were reported. The board will continue the discussion at later meetings.
Other business
The board affirmed the appointments of Stan Noffsinger as general secretary and Judy Keyser as treasurer of the Church of the Brethren.
Another item addressed property considerations in Elgin, Ill. The Stewardship of Property report accepted by the General Board in March 2006 was reviewed, with attention to a recommendation to develop surplus acreage at the General Offices. Noffsinger asked the board to discuss and give guidance on the general question of selling or leasing 13 acres of land located behind the office buildings. He and the treasurer presented information about an opportunity to develop the land presented by Mercy Housing Lakefront, a nonprofit that develops and operates affordable, program-enriched housing for families, seniors, and people with special needs who lack the economic resources to access quality, safe housing opportunities. No action was taken, and the board asked for more information to be brought to its next meeting.
The board received a variety of reports, including a report on the summer’s workcamp program; hurricane response by Brethren Disaster Ministries and Children’s Disaster Services; the 300th Anniversary gathering in Schwarzenau, Germany; the general secretary’s involvement in a meeting with the President of Iran; and work by staff on the issue of human trafficking.
The board also had an opportunity to sign a letter of support to the Synod of the Church of North India (CNI) and the Bishop of Gujarat State. The Church of North India and its members have been seriously affected by violence directed at Christians. The violence began in late August in the State of Orissa, where three of CNI’s dioceses are located, but has begun to spread to some other areas. The board heard that it has not yet affected the area where most India Brethren live.
2) Donna Hillcoat begins as director of Deacon Ministry.
Donna Hillcoat has accepted a part-time position as director of Deacon Ministry in the Caring Ministries of the Church of the Brethren, effective Oct. 20.
Hillcoat has been involved in the ministries of the former Association of Brethren Caregivers as a member of the Family Life Ministry Group, and has assisted with several Caring Ministries projects including the interim Child Abuse Prevention report and publications such as a book by Fred Swartz, “Essential Servants: Reflections on the Caring Ministries of Deacons,” a Wellness Study Guide, and Health Promotion Sunday materials.
Her professional and volunteer experiences have included counseling services for older adults and their caregivers, developing and leading training programs and workshops, coaching people in transition, facilitating caregiver and grief support groups, and volunteering with PADS (a program of churches offering temporary shelter for the homeless in the area of Elgin, Ill.) and a community food pantry.
She is business partner and coach for Between Us: Personal Coaching for Women, and previously was managing partner and director of Resources for Change Management Associates, Inc. Her first professional position was as assistant director of Admissions for Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa. She holds a master’s degree in Community Counseling from Argosy University and a master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Michigan.
3) Steve Bob called as director of the Church of the Brethren Credit Union.
Steve Bob, who currently is serving as executive director of the Fox Valley Micro Loan Fund, has accepted the position of director of the Church of the Brethren Credit Union, beginning Nov. 3. In this role, he will serve on the Brethren Benefit Trust’s senior management team.
Bob’s responsibilities will include oversight of the credit union’s daily operations and development of several new services, including online banking and bill pay.
Since February 2007, he has been responsible for directing the Fox Valley Micro Loan Fund in providing microloans of up to $50,000 to businesses that are unable to access traditional sources of loans. From 2001-07, he served as director of World Relief’s Micro Enterprise program in Nashville, Tenn. In that role he was responsible for a loan fund that made 70 loans worth $650,000; he also supervised an Individual Development Account program that served 400 clients with a net community impact of $6 million in assets purchased. From 1996-2001, he was finance manager for The Enterprise Center in Philadelphia.
Bob is a graduate of North Park University, Chicago, Ill. He holds a master’s of Business Administration in economic development from Eastern University, St. Davids, Pa. He was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, to missionary parents, and is a member of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Elgin.
4) Patrice Nightingale begins as director of communications for BBT.
Patrice Nightingale has begun as director of communications for Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT), as of Oct. 20. In this role, she will provide oversight of communications, marketing, promotional, and operational initiatives that undergird BBT’s ministries. She will work at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill.
This is a promotion for Nightingale, who was originally hired by BBT on May 5 of this year as manager of publications, and on Sept. 15 was named interim director of communications. She has worked in the publications field in various capacities since 1973. She is a graduate of Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind., and holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology. She is a member of Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin.
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Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren, cobnews@brethren.org or 800-323-8039 ext. 260. Kathleen Campanella contributed to this report. Newsline appears every other Wednesday, with other special issues sent as needed. The next regularly scheduled issue is set for Nov. 5. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. For more Brethren news and features, subscribe to “Messenger” magazine, call 800-323-8039 ext. 247.