The Mission and Ministry Board has turned down a proposal to change delegate representation at Annual Conference, which had potential to increase the number of delegates that some larger congregations could send to Annual Conference and the number of delegates that some larger districts could appoint to Standing Committee (see story below). The decision came during the board’s spring meeting March 8-11 held at the Church of the Brethren General Offices, Elgin, Ill.
The Mission and Ministry Board adopted a budget for Church of the Brethren ministries in 2019, received news of a large grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Thriving in Ministry, and participated in a Compelling Vision Process session, among other agenda at the fall meeting Oct. 19-22.
The Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board (MMB) holds its fall meeting in Elgin, Ill., this weekend.
The Church of the Brethren is seeking a Mission Advancement Advocate. Major responsibilities include strengthening and nurturing the individual and congregational stewardship, direct gift, planned-giving, and enlistment programs of the Church of the Brethren through face-to-face visits with individuals and congregations and individuals.
Items on same-sex marriage are receiving attention at several district conferences this fall, with agenda items seeking to formalize district policies following the actions of the 2017 Annual Conference that affirmed the role of districts in handling manners of ministerial conduct.
The Church of the Brethren Inc. has announced an opening for Manager of Buildings and Grounds at the General Offices in Elgin, Ill.
Mark Flory Steury will retire as donor relations representative for the Church of the Brethren effective Aug. 31. He has worked as part of the Mission Advancement team at the denomination’s General Offices in Elgin, Ill., and remotely from Bridgewater, Va.
Amendments to the bylaws of the Church of the Brethren and two business items originally brought by Brethren Benefit Trust (BBT) in 2017–and then deferred for a year–were approved by the 2018 Annual Conference. Also approved were business items related to the Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee. A proposal for a denominational leadership gathering was turned down.
The 2018 Conference approved “Vision of Ecumenism for the 21st Century,” and in doing so reaffirmed the historical identity of the Church of the Brethren as a denomination active in ecumenical work and in relationship with other Christian bodies. The paper also calls the church to build and nurture positive interfaith relationships.
Church of the Brethren general secretary David Steele is recommending to the Church of the Brethren a blogpost from Office of Peacebuilding and Policy associate Victoria Bateman. The post, dated Friday, June 15, reaffirms the longstanding stance of the Church of the Brethren on immigration, outlined in 1982 Annual Conference statement on “Undocumented Persons and Refugees in the United States” ( www.brethren.org/ac/statements/1982refugees.html), and the biblical basis for extending welcome to refugees and immigrants.
