The Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board met in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Tuesday, July 4, ahead of the 2023 Annual Conference. The board’s Executive Committee began meetings on July 3.
On the board agenda were a budget parameter for Core Ministries for 2024, continued work on the strategic plan, welcoming international guests, recognition of board members completing their terms of service, calling of a new Executive Committee, and approval of a statement related to the reporting of sexual abuse by a former employee, among other business.
The meeting was led by chair Carl Fike assisted by chair-elect Colin Scott and general secretary David Steele.
The board approved a budget parameter for Core Ministries of $5,442,000 for 2024. The proposal is for a break-even budget.
The Strategic Planning Committee presented a Mid-ground Vision statement, which was adopted by the board:
By July of 2024, any interested person will be able to see direct linkage between all ongoing core ministry programs/initiatives and one or more key pillars of the Strategic Plan. And in that same timeframe, the Strategic Planning Committee will have demonstrated an appropriate level of ownership of the ongoing process for prioritizing the Strategic Plan (e.g., keeping it front and center, consistently included in MMB agenda, emphasized in new member orientations, etc.).
The committee shared reasons for celebration, and Colin Scott and Kayla Alphonse reported on Foreground Vision Initiatives #6 “Each in Our Own Language (Recognizing Injustice) and #8 “Putting Away Our Swords (Kingian Nonviolence Training)”.
The board welcomed international guests, including Marcos and Suely Inhauser (Brazil), Alexandre Gonçalves (Brazil), Daniel Mbaya (Nigeria), Anthony Ndamsai (Nigeria), Yuguda Zibagi (Nigeria), Joel and Salamatu Billi (Nigeria), Elisha and Ruth Shavah and their son, Dedan (Nigeria).
The board recognized and thanked the following members finishing their terms: Carl Fike, Joel Peña, and Paul Schrock. Heather Gentry Hartwell is also leaving the board to further her studies.
The board called a new Executive Committee for 2023-2024, naming board members Lauren Seganos Cohen, Joel Gibbel, and Roger Schrock to serve on the committee with chair Colin Scott and chair-elect Kathy Mack.
The board issued a statement related to the reporting of sexual abuse by a former employee.