Church of the Brethren Newsline
\nMay\u00a025,\u00a02018<\/b><\/p>\n
Delegates to this year\u2019s Annual Conference will address 11 new and unfinished items of business.<\/p>\n
New business includes \u201cChange in Delegate Representation at Annual Conference,\u201d \u201cVision for a Global Church of the Brethren,\u201d \u201cBrethren Values Investing,\u201d \u201cPolity for Electing Brethren Benefit Trust Board Directors,\u201d \u201cPolity for Electing the District Representative to the Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee.\u201d<\/p>\n
Unfinished business includes \u201cVision of Ecumenism for the 21st Century,\u201d \u201cVitality and Viability,\u201d \u201cCreation Care,\u201d \u201cCompelling Vision,\u201d \u201cDenominational Leadership Gathering,\u201d and various amendments to the denomination\u2019s bylaws.<\/p>\n
New business:<\/strong><\/p>\n Change in Delegate Representation at Annual Conference<\/strong><\/p>\n Recommended by the denomination\u2019s Leadership Team (Conference officers, general secretary, and a representative of the Council of District Executives), these changes would increase the ratio of Annual Conference delegates to membership of congregations and districts. The ratio for congregations would increase from 1 delegate per 200 members to 1 per 100 members, and for districts from 1 per 5,000 members to 1 per 4,000 members. This would add five people to the Standing Committee of district delegates. The document explains, \u201cConversations around decreasing membership often lead us to hold at arm\u2019s length its realities and simply hope for \u2018better times.\u2019 The Leadership Team would rather actively walk with this current reality and seek ways to increase the vitality and effectiveness of Annual Conference.\u201d Go to\u00a0www.brethren.org\/ac\/2018\/business\/NB\/NB-5-Change-in-Delegate-Representation.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n Vision for a Global Church of the Brethren<\/strong><\/p>\n Adopted by the Mission and Ministry Board at the initiative of staff of Global Mission and Service, the document has been in process for some time. Those involved in its development include the Mission Advisory Committee and church leaders from several countries. Impetus came from a disconnect between polity and practice. An Annual Conference mandate for a global church is present in previous statements, but those call for international districts rather than the independent denominations that have developed. The new vision is for a global Church of the Brethren \u201cas a union of autonomous bodies, a spiritual community bound together by a common passion to be followers of Christ, a common New Testament theology of peace and service, and a common commitment to be in relationship with one another.\u201d Go to\u00a0www.brethren.org\/ac\/2018\/business\/NB\/NB-3-Vision-for-a-Global-Church-of-the-Brethren.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n Brethren Values Investing<\/strong><\/p>\n This change to the Articles of Organization of Brethren Benefit Trust proposes the term \u201cBrethren Values Investing\u201d in place of \u201cSocially Responsible Investing.\u201d Go to\u00a0www.brethren.org\/ac\/2018\/business\/NB\/NB-3-Vision-for-a-Global-Church-of-the-Brethren.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n Polity for Electing Brethren Benefit Trust Board Directors<\/strong><\/p>\n This change to BBT Articles of Organization would require no more than two nominees for election of a director to the BBT board, replacing the current requirement for four nominees. Go to\u00a0www.brethren.org\/ac\/2018\/business\/NB\/NB-2-Polity-for-Electing-BBT-Board-Directors.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n Polity for Electing the District Representative to the Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee<\/strong><\/p>\n To align polity with practice, the Leadership Team recommends changes regarding where the committee makes its recommendation about pastoral salaries and how the district executive member of the committee is chosen. Go to\u00a0www.brethren.org\/ac\/2018\/business\/NB\/NB-4-Polity-for-Electing-the-DE-Repr-to-the-PCBAC.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n Unfinished business:<\/strong><\/p>\n Vision of Ecumenism for the 21st Century<\/strong><\/p>\n This proposed new statement guides the denomination\u2019s ecumenical witness in a time of increased religious diversity. It comes from a committee established as part of a recommendation in 2012 from an Interchurch Relations Study Committee. It states, in part: \u201cWe will continue to build and nurture positive relationships with other faith communities. In doing so, we strengthen a history of service and missions, disaster response and relief ministries, and peace witness\u2014nationally and globally. These relationships further our understanding of opportunities for mission and ministry, and they instill a cooperative readiness to act upon needs and areas of common concern when they arise.\u201d Go to\u00a0www.brethren.org\/ac\/2018\/business\/UB\/UB-1-Vision-of-Ecumenism-for-the-21st-Century.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n Vitality and Viability<\/strong><\/p>\n This report originated with a query from Mid- Atlantic District on \u201cFuture DistrictStructure.\u201d The 2015 Conference returned the query but called a committee to study its concerns related to vitality and viability. The report takes into account the work of the Mission and Ministry Board and the 2017 Review and Evaluation Committee. The report aims to articulate \u201cmatters of the heart,\u201d and calls the church to \u201ca time of renewal of relationships with our Lord and Savior and with each other,\u201d outlining structure for a \u201cYear of Sabbath Rest and Renewal.\u201d The document identifies differences regarding human sexuality and approaches to scripture. It makes some specific recommendations for dealing with differing perspectives in the church and recommends a process \u201cto ensure that congregations who may leave do so in an accountable, amicable, and gracious process…avoiding litigation.\u201d It concludes with a series of five Bible studies. Go to\u00a0www.brethren.org\/ac\/2018\/business\/UB\/UB-2-Vitality-and-Viability.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n Creation Care<\/strong><\/p>\n This report comes from a study committee elected in 2016 to respond to a query from Illinois and Wisconsin District. The report focuses \u201con the charge given to us by Annual Conference by examining the impact of the use of fossil fuels and contributions to climate change on our brothers and sisters around the world, and how Brethren can take action to reduce that impact.\u201d Outcomes of the committee\u2019s work include a website offering a series of resources related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, financial matters, faith and liturgical resources, and community action; and a commitment by the Office of Peacebuilding and Policy to coordinate a Brethren Creation Care Network. Detailed recommendations encourage Brethren \u201cto integrate an understanding about the real cost of fossil fuels and climate change into every part of your life, as an individual, as a member of a congregation, and as a member of the denomination.\u201d Go to\u00a0www.brethren.org\/ac\/2018\/business\/UB\/UB-3-Creation-Care.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n Compelling Vision<\/strong><\/p>\n A report from the Leadership Team reviews ongoing work toward a \u201ccompelling vision\u201d to guide the Church of the Brethren. The process begins at this year\u2019s Conference, where a full business session and a portion of a second will be dedicated to engaging attendees, followed by further opportunities in districts throughout this year. The recommendation is \u201cthat all new business for the 2019 Annual Conference be set aside so that the delegate body and other Annual Conference participants can focus their attention on the essential conversations that will lead to discerning the compelling vision that Christ intends for the Church of the Brethren.\u201d Go to\u00a0www.brethren.org\/ac\/2018\/business\/UB\/UB-4-Compelling-Vision.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n Amendments to the Bylaws of the Church of the Brethren Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Mission and Ministry Board recommends bylaws changes in response to the 2017 Review and Evaluation Committee. The changes would affect the coordination of denominational envisioning; oversight of the Annual Conference office, director, and budget; membership of the Leadership Team; and some terminology. One amendment would update the name of Southern Ohio District to \u201cSouthern Ohio-Kentucky District.\u201d Go to\u00a0www.brethren.org\/ac\/2018\/business\/UB\/UB-6-Amendments-to-the-Bylaws-of-the-Church-of-the-Brethren-Inc.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n Denominational Leadership Gathering<\/strong><\/p>\n Last year\u2019s Review and Evaluation Committee recommended a gathering of denominational leadership every three to five years, and action was delayed for a year to do a feasibility study. The Program Feasibility Committee determined that current structures provide enough collaboration and that the cost is too high. The original recommendation returns to the floor this year for action. Go to\u00a0www.brethren.org\/ac\/2018\/business\/UB\/UB-7-Denominational-Leadership-Gathering.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n Find the listing of business items at\u00a0www.brethren.org\/ac\/2018\/business<\/a>.<\/p>\n