{"id":27340,"date":"2026-06-28T02:02:47","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T02:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/?p=27340"},"modified":"2026-06-28T02:05:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T02:05:20","slug":"standing-committee-acts-on-new-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/2026\/standing-committee-acts-on-new-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Standing Committee recommends adoption of four new business items, discusses relationship of the Church of the Brethren and Eder Financial"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Annual Conference officers preside over the meetings of the Standing Committee of district delegates: moderator Don Fitzkee (at center), moderator-elect Dennis Beckner (at right) and secretary David Shumate (at left). Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Recommendations on new business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the main functions of Standing Committee is to make recommendations to the delegate body about items of new business coming to the Conference. This year there are four items of new business:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Standing Committee held consultations with denominational leaders including leadership of the Annual Conference agencies. Shown here, Bethany Seminary president Jeff Carter (at left) meets with a table of the district delegates. Photo by Daniel Murrell II.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Resolution on Weapons Transfer (New Business #1):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Standing Committee recommended adoption. This item will require a simple majority vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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, \u201cLove your enemies and pray for those who persecute you\u2026,\u201d to call the church to \u201cexamine and respond to the impacts of the arms industry.\u201d It includes sections on the global impact of the US arms trade, noting that \u201cthe United States is currently the world\u2019s largest exporter of weapons, with 39 percent of global weapons imports in 2023 coming from the US\u201d; and the Church of the Brethren\u2019s historic opposition to war and the defense industry, noting the church\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Recommendations for Adjustments to the 2014 Ministerial Leadership Paper (New Business #2):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standing Committee recommended adoption. As a change in polity, this item will require a two-thirds majority vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The adjustments to the 2014 Ministerial Leadership Paper were brought by the Ministry Advisory Council and have been adopted and recommended by the Mission and Ministry Board. These two proposed adjustments to ministerial polity would affect licensed and commissioned ministers. Licensed ministers would receive \u201cprovisional credential status\u201d in recognition of \u201cthe increased number of licensed ministers serving in ministry roles which require them to perform ministry functions normally expected to be carried out by credentialed ministers.\u201d Commissioned ministers would receive a simpler path to qualify for ordination, in recognition of the cumbersome nature of this procedure. The proposed simpler path is for the commissioned minister to \u201cbe in conversation with the Brethren Academy and their credentialing committee to determine what additional training and\/or study might be required.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Resolution: Walking Together: Immigration, Peacemaking, Conscience, and Supporting Our Neighbors (New Business #3):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standing committee recommended adoption. This item will require a simple majority vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mission and Ministry Board brought this resolution, which it adopted in March this year, citing Matthew 25:36, \u201cI was a stranger, and you welcomed me.\u201d The resolution has five sections, the first four headed by these statements: \u201cCare for immigrants and refugees is an essential part of the Christian and Church of the Brethren ethic of service and peacemaking.\u201d \u201cChurch of the Brethren history and tradition include radical discipleship, conscientious objection, and participation in civil disobedience.\u201d \u201cFaithful civil disobedience is grounded biblically and theologically.\u201d \u201cSupport for newcomers and respect for God\u2019s love for justice are reaffirmed.\u201d The last two sections offer calls to action and a closing prayer in several languages. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Mission and Ministry Board chair Kathy Mack (at center) with Intercultural Ministries director Founa Augustin Badet (at right) and Office of Peacebuilding and Policy director Nate Hosler (at left). Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Recommended Cost of Living Adjustment to the Minimum Cash Salary Table for Pastors (New Business #4):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standing Committee recommended adoption of the 4.2 percent recommended COLA to the Minimum Cash Salary Table for Pastors, as brought by the Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee. Standing Committee added to its recommendation the instruction: \u201cAll congregations are encouraged to consult the Pastoral Compensation Calculator in order to equalize wage with work expectations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find links to the full text of business items at www.brethren.org\/ac2026\/business<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eder Financial<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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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<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2014something it has done for some three decades\u2014and also would put in place a new benevolence fund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u201cNegotiating and Drafting Agency Covenant Sub-Committee\u201d were Dean Feasenhiser of Idaho and Montana District, Harriet Hamer of Northern Indiana District, and Cathy S. Huffman of Virlina District.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Eder Financial president Nevin Dulabaum explains trends leading to the decision for Eder’s transition of services to Everence. Photo by Daniel Murrell II<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Elections<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Standing Committee held elections and called members to serve on subcommittees:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elected to the Nominating Committee<\/strong> were Dean Feasenhiser of Idaho and Montana District, Harriet Hamer of Northern Indiana District, Cathy S. Huffman of Virlina District, and Carol A. Scheppard of Shenandoah District. They will serve alongside the continuing members of the Nominating Committee who are Dawn Baldwin of Northern Ohio District, Aaron Gross of South Central Indiana District, Kevin Kessler of Illinois and Wisconsin District, and Lori Sollenberger Knepp of Middle Pennsylvania District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elected to the Appeals Committee<\/strong> were Rick Davis of Atlantic Southeast District, Todd Reish of Southern Ohio and Kentucky District, and Scott Linton of Mid-Atlantic District. Chosen as first alternate was Terry Johnson of Virlina District, with Jerry Ruff of Shenandoah District as second alternate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elected to the Two-Thirds Committee<\/strong>, which determines the items of business requiring a two-thirds vote of the delegate body, were Dawn Baldwin of Northern Ohio District, Kevin Kessler of Illinois and Wisconsin District, and Carol A. Scheppard of Shenandoah District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As usual, the Standing Committee received several reports, including the report from the Church of the Brethren Leadership Team and the Global Mission executive, among others, and engaged in consultations with the leadership of the Annual Conference agencies and the Council of District Executives as well as the Review and Evaluation Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find a photo album of the Standing Committee meetings with photos taken by Daniel Murrell II and Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford at https:\/\/churchofthebrethren.smugmug.com\/AC-2026\/Standing-Committee-2026<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Find more Church of the Brethren news:<\/p>\n\n\n