Standing Committee recommends adoption of four new business items, discusses relationship of the Church of the Brethren and Eder Financial

The Standing Committee of district delegates to the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference held meetings from Thursday evening, June 25, through Saturday afternoon, June 27, in Fort Wayne, Ind. Annual Conference moderator Don Fitzkee presided, assisted by moderator-elect Dennis Beckner and Conference secretary David Shumate.

On Sunday morning, June 28, many of the Standing Committee members planned to worship with local Church of the Brethren congregations in Fort Wayne and the area.

Standing Committee made recommendations on the four items of new business coming to the Conference this year, held a discussion of the relationship of the Church of the Brethren with Eder Financial as a follow up of approval of the Eder transition of services to Everence, and held elections for subcommittees, among other business.

Resolution on Weapons Transfer (New Business #1):

The Standing Committee recommended adoption. This item will require a simple majority vote.

Recommended by the Mission and Ministry Board, which adopted this resolution more than a year ago in March 2025, the paper cites Matthew 5:44-46, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…,” to call the church to “examine and respond to the impacts of the arms industry.” It includes sections on the global impact of the US arms trade, noting that “the United States is currently the world’s largest exporter of weapons, with 39 percent of global weapons imports in 2023 coming from the US”; and the Church of the Brethren’s historic opposition to war and the defense industry, noting the church’s centuries long opposition to war and adherence to peacemaking and stated opposition to particular types of weaponry including nuclear weapons and military drones. The closing section offers recommendations for individuals, congregations, districts, and the denomination, ranging from educating about the US arms trade and the biblical call to peacemaking to divesting from the arms industry to public advocacy against US arms transfers and the defense industry.

Resolution: Walking Together: Immigration, Peacemaking, Conscience, and Supporting Our Neighbors (New Business #3):

Standing committee recommended adoption. This item will require a simple majority vote.

The Mission and Ministry Board brought this resolution, which it adopted in March this year, citing Matthew 25:36, “I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.” The resolution has five sections, the first four headed by these statements: “Care for immigrants and refugees is an essential part of the Christian and Church of the Brethren ethic of service and peacemaking.” “Church of the Brethren history and tradition include radical discipleship, conscientious objection, and participation in civil disobedience.” “Faithful civil disobedience is grounded biblically and theologically.” “Support for newcomers and respect for God’s love for justice are reaffirmed.” The last two sections offer calls to action and a closing prayer in several languages.

The district delegates spent part of an afternoon and evening in a discussion of the Church of the Brethren relationship with Eder Financial, following on an April 13 Zoom meeting in which Standing Committee had taken action on the transition of Eder services to Everence (see the Newsline report at www.brethren.org/news/2026/standing-committee-acts-on-eder-everence).

Standing Committee heard from Eder president Nevin Dulabaum and board chair Donna Rhodes, who spoke about the background for the Eder transition of services to Everence, reviewed the services that Eder proposes to continue following the transition, and advocated for continued Annual Conference agency status for Eder.

The Eder leaders explained the complex nature of the work toward the transition and the learnings that have come from it. Eder will have continuing responsibilities after the transition including financial liabilities resulting from its work for the denomination and the need to ensure accurate record keeping especially for clients in the pension plan. Such responsibilities are expected to carry forward some years into the future.

The Eder board also has focused on shifting Eder into a benevolence organization, the Eder leaders said. Eder would continue to manage the Church Workers Assistance Plan—something it has done for some three decades—and also would put in place a new benevolence fund.

Hearing from the Conference officers that such a proposal will require either a new agency status with Annual Conference or revision of its current agency covenant, Standing Committee acted to appoint a three-member committee to work with Eder to draft a new agency covenant. Named to the “Negotiating and Drafting Agency Covenant Sub-Committee” were Dean Feasenhiser of Idaho and Montana District, Harriet Hamer of Northern Indiana District, and Cathy S. Huffman of Virlina District.