The Conference Office has released the ballot that will be presented to the delegate body at the 2016 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren this summer. Topping the ballot are two nominees for Annual Conference moderator-elect: Samuel Sarpiya and Walt Wiltschek. Other offices to be filled by election of the delegate body are positions on the Program and Arrangements Committee, Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee, Mission and Ministry Board, Bethany Seminary board of trustees, Brethren Benefit Trust board, and On Earth Peace board.
Annual Conference
Preachers Are Announced for Annual Conference 2016
The line-up of preachers for the 2016 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren has been announced. The Annual Conference takes place at the Koury Convention Center and Sheraton Hotel in Greensboro, N.C., on June 29-July 3. Registration opens online on Feb. 17 for both delegates and nondelegates. The Conference theme is “Carry the Light” (John 1:1-5).
Update is Available for Church of the Brethren ‘Manual of Organization and Polity’
The Church of the Brethren “Manual of Organization and Polity” has been updated to incorporate polity decisions adopted by Annual Conference since the last edition of the manual, and to review and update endnotes to ensure that the manual reflects as much as possible the exact wording of the Annual Conference decisions which established or updated the polity. Go to www.brethren.org/ac/ppg to find the updated files.
EYN Choir Tour Proves ‘Phenomenally Successful’
This update on the EYN Women’s Fellowship Choir and BEST tour has been prepared by the secretary and chair of the EYN Visit Planning Committee from Lancaster (Pa.) Church of the Brethren and Atlantic Northeast District. The EYN 2015 Fraternal Visit turned out to be a phenomenally successful “God event.” It strengthened the bond of Christian love and fellowship between EYN (Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria) and the Church of the Brethren more than any other experience in recent years.
Queries Address Same-Sex Marriage, On Earth Peace, Life Together in the Church, Creation Care
Five queries have been acted on by district conferences this year and received by the officers of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, for consideration in 2016 by the Standing Committee and/or the Annual Conference. The Standing Committee of district delegates makes recommendations about the business items that will be presented to the Conference.
Review and Evaluation Committee Holds Second Meeting
The Review and Evaluation Committee has met twice this fall to begin the work given to them by the Annual Conference. The first meeting was a conference call in late October, which focused on understanding the full scope of the mandate. The second meeting occurred Dec. 1-2 at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. The committee comprises Tim Harvey (chair), Leah J. Hileman (recorder), Robert Kettering, David K. Shumate, and Ben Barlow.
At Least Three Church of the Brethren Districts Are Addressing the Topic of Same-Sex Marriage
At least three Church of the Brethren districts are addressing the topic of same-sex marriage. One of them has adopted a query on same-sex marriage, which will be sent on to Annual Conference. West Marva District at its conference on Sept. 18-19 adopted a query that asks Annual Conference to consider “how shall districts respond
Query Focuses on Relationship of On Earth Peace to the Denomination
West Marva District Conference has adopted a query titled “On Earth Peace Reportability / Accountability to Annual Conference.” This query, initiated by Bear Creek Church of the Brethren, asks “if it is the will of Annual Conference for On Earth Peace to remain an agency of the Church of the Brethren with reportability and accountability to Annual Conference.”
Annual Conference Registration Fees to Remain the Same for Next Year
Basic costs for the 2016 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren, to be held in Greensboro, N.C., have been shared by the Conference Office. “Program and Arrangements Committee met and decided to make no increases in registration costs for delegates or non-delegates,” reported Conference director Chris Douglas.
Strengthening Our Core: A Letter from the Mission and Ministry Board Chair
I used to be a cross country runner (emphasis on “used to be”). Cross country always has been a fairly simple sport with the object to run far and run fast, or at least faster than members of other teams. During my years of running, the training was also simple: we were supposed to log a certain number of miles each week of the summer (emphasis on “supposed to”), adding up to hundreds of miles before the season even began. The way to train for long races, it seemed, was to run even longer in practice.