A release from the Church of the Brethren Leadership Team and CODE:
The Leadership Team of the Church of the Brethren and the executive committee of the Council of District Executives (CODE) met Nov. 1-2 at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill., and have expressed their gratitude for everyone who prayed with them during that time. The combined leadership experienced God’s presence and guidance and has begun to discern what they believe the Lord wants the church to say in response to the task assigned to them by Annual Conference.
This assignment began when the 2016 Annual Conference referred the concerns of the “Query: Same Sex Weddings” to the Leadership Team in consultation with CODE “to bring clarity and guidance concerning the authority of Annual Conference and districts regarding the accountability of ministers, congregations, and districts, bringing recommendations to the 2017 Annual Conference.”
Much work remains to be done, and the group looks forward to its planned consultation with all of the district executives. Continuing prayer for the Leadership Team and CODE is requested, in prayer partnership with all our brothers and sisters across the spectrum of the Church of the Brethren, as together we seek to discern and to embody God’s purposes for this body of Christ.
The 2016-2017 Leadership Team of the Church of the Brethren:
David A. Steele, general secretary
Carol A. Scheppard, Annual Conference moderator
Samuel Kefas Sarpiya, Annual Conference moderator-elect
James M. Beckwith, Annual Conference secretary
Chris Douglas, Conference director, staff support
The executive committee of CODE:
Colleen Michael, chair
Kevin Kessler, vice chair
David Shetler, secretary
David Shumate, treasurer