Today in Grand Rapids – Monday, July 1, 2024

“I’m introducing our sister Phoebe to you, who is a servant of the church in Cenchreae. Welcome her in the Lord in a way that is worthy of God’s people, and give her whatever she needs from you, because she herself has been a sponsor of many people, myself included” (Romans 16:1-2, Common English Bible).

The Standing Committee of district delegates to Annual Conference began pre-Conference meetings the evening of Sunday, June 30. Those meetings continue through Wednesday morning, July 3. Standing Committee was led by Annual Conference moderator Madalyn Metzger, assisted by moderator-elect Dava Hensley and Conference secretary David Shumate.

Today the Standing Committee addressed new business items one and two, which have to do with the next Review and Evaluation Committee, and new business item four, a query brought by Atlantic Southeast District.

The district delegates also opened their meetings with moments of worship; held elections for the Nominating Committee and the Appeals Committee; held conversations with the district executives; and received several reports among them the moderator’s report, the Leadership Team report, and the Program and Arrangements Committee report brought by Jacob Crouse, Nathan Hollenberg, and Gail Heisel, with Rhonda Pittman Gingrich as Conference director.

Review and Evaluation Committee

Standing Committee approved recommendations related to the next Review and Evaluation Committee, including a mandate for the work of the committee–which is proposed by the Leadership Team, and a one-time change in tenure for the committee–which is proposed by a subcommittee of Standing Committee.

A new Review and Evaluation Committee is called in the fifth year of each decade to review and evaluate the organizational structures and procedures of the Church of the Brethren denomination. The committee usually makes its report with any recommendations for organizational changes to Annual Conference in the seventh year of the decade.

If the Annual Conference delegates adopt these recommendations from Standing Committee, the next Review and Evaluation Committee will be elected next year, in 2025, and its tenure will be four years instead of two. This means the committee will bring its report in 2029 with the option to report sooner. The rationale for a longer tenure of this Review and Evaluation Committee is that Standing Committee views this difficult time in the life of the church as requiring more extensive work to discern necessary organizational changes and related polity adjustments, requiring more time for research, discussion, and deliberation, and likely an organizational transition plan.

Find the full text of business items at www.brethren.org/ac2024/business.

The query was initiated by Miami (Fla.) Haitian Church of the Brethren and notes “serious conflict and division around issues of human sexuality and biblical authority” in the denomination, cites several groups that it contends are experiencing frustration in particular, and states that “many want to continue to embrace basic Brethren beliefs and practices but feel alienated from the denomination.” It asks, “How might a new model of denominational structure support growth and vitality; address the issues that threaten the unity and viability of our beloved denomination; and offer hope to individuals and congregations who are contemplating separation from the Church of the Brethren?”

In conversation with the district representatives, the Standing Committee heard clarification of the root concerns of the query–that the major concern is human sexuality, with an additional concern for how that has diverted attention away from the need to work on racism and toward a multicultural church. Some Standing Committee members pressed for more clarity about how a structural change could answer those concerns. The moderator explained potential outcomes of this query, including the example of districts shifting away from being geographically based to being aligned theologically.

Find the full text of business items at www.brethren.org/ac2024/business.

This action was required after the entire district left the denomination earlier this year, said Steele. Answering questions about why Standing Committee is the body to carry out this action, Steele and others including Shumate explained that the action is unique in the history of the Church of the Brethren but comes to the district delegates because they are the ones that welcome new districts into the denomination and also handle changes of district boundaries.

Several district delegates expressed grief at having to take the action. One suggested that they write a statement of lament and an expression of goodwill for the churches in Puerto Rico. The statement will be drafted and brought back to the Standing Committee tomorrow, in both Spanish and English.

In other business

The Organizational Structure Subcommittee of Standing Committee requested and received approval of an extension of another year to complete its work, and received approval for members of the subcommittee whose terms end in advance of the next Annual Conference to be able to return to help present their report.

Standing Committee held two times of consultation with the Council of District Executives. In the afternoon, the two groups met to brainstorm nominations for open positions on the ballot in 2025 and to talk about new business item four, “Query: New Model of Denominational Structure.” In the evening, the groups met again to hold “table talk” conversations in small groups about questions surrounding ministerial conduct.

#cobac2024

Many thanks to the members of the Press Team for Annual Conference 2024: Jan Fischer Bachman, Chris Brumbaugh-Cayford, Russ Otto, Donna Parcell, Frank Ramirez, Virginia Rendler, Glenn Riegel, Laura Sellers, Frances Townsend, and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services for the Church of the Brethren. Newsline is the email news service of the Church of the Brethren. Inclusion in Newsline does not necessarily convey endorsement by the Church of the Brethren. All submissions are subject to editing. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. Please send news tips and submissions to cobnews@brethren.org . Find the Newsline archive at www.brethren.org/news . Sign up for Newsline and other Church of the Brethren email newsletters and make subscription changes at www.brethren.org/intouch . Unsubscribe by using the link at the top of any Newsline email.