NEWS
1) Brethren Disaster Ministries responds to Hurricane Michael, other needs
2) Atlantic Northeast District rejects “Policy on Same-Sex Marriage”
3) On Earth Peace board meets, addresses anti-racism initiatives
4) Bethany welcomes nine new students this fall
PERSONNEL
5) Church of the Brethren seeks Mission Advancement Advocate
UPCOMING EVENTS
6) Mission and Ministry Board gathers for fall meeting
7) Brethren bits
The ballot that will be presented to the 2018 Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren has been released. Topping the ballot are two nominees for Annual Conference moderator-elect: Paul Mundey and Pam Reist. 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, and the boards of Bethany Theological Seminary, Brethren Benefit Trust, and On Earth Peace.
Church of the Brethren Newsline July 1, 2017 by Frances Townsend and Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford The Annual Conference on Saturday, July 1, did not adopt a Recommendation #6 from the Review and Evaluation Committee “that On Earth Peace no longer remain an agency of the Church of the Brethren.” The vote came as the delegate body addressed 10 recommendations in
The document “Patient Hope in Matters of Conscience” was brought by On Earth Peace for consideration by Annual Conference. The delegates adopted a recommendation from the Standing Committee of district delegates to not delay other items of business, as called for in the document, but to receive the insights of the document and ask the Mission and Ministry Board in consultation with On Earth Peace and other experts to provide resources to better implement the 2008 Annual Conference resolution “Urging Forbearance” in the life of the church.
The Annual Conference this afternoon did not adopt a recommendation from the Review and Evaluation Committee “that On Earth Peace no longer remain an agency of the Church of the Brethren.” The vote came as the delegate body addressed the 10 recommendations in the Review and Evaluation Committee’s report, and was announced as there were still two recommendations still to be acted upon.
The 2016 Annual Conference has processed a recommendation from On Earth Peace titled “Polity for Agencies,” by adopting a Standing Committee recommendation to return the query with appreciation and respect, but to accept the concern of the recommendation regarding a lack of polity with regard to agencies of the Conference.
The Review and Evaluation Committee is organized anew every 10 years to review and evaluate the organization and structures of the Church of the Brethren denomination. The first five recommendations in the report the committee is bringing to the 2017 Annual Conference relate directly to that mandate. (The report is at www.brethren.org/ac/2017/business/UB-2-Review-and-Evaluation.pdf .)
In pre-Annual Conference meetings, Standing Committee made recommendations on two items of new business coming to the Conference from On Earth Peace. One of the functions of the Standing Committee of district delegates is to recommend action on new business items to the full delegate body.
The On Earth Peace Board met April 6-8 in Harrisburg, Pa. The meetings were hosted by First Church of the Brethren, a Christ centered, multi-ethnic community in the inner city. This was in keeping with an ongoing board commitment to meet in people of color majority spaces. First Church included the board in its regular Friday morning bilingual Spanish and English worship service. This service is jointly led by First Church and its partner congregation, Living Waters, for community people arriving for a weekly food distribution.
Partnership in prayer is requested Jan. 22-27 as the Council of District Executives, the Church of the Brethren Leadership Team, and the Inter-Agency Forum hold their annual January meetings.