Denominational leaders attended the annual meeting of the Council of Moderators and Secretaries (COMS) of Anabaptist denominations and groups, on Dec. 12-13, 2014. Representing the Church of the Brethren were Annual Conference moderator David Steele and moderator-elect Andy Murray, and general secretary Stan Noffsinger.<\/p>\n
Also at the meeting was leadership from the Mennonite Church USA, the Conservative Mennonite Conference, the Missionary Church, the Brethren in Christ, and Mennonite Central Committee.<\/p>\n
Noffsinger moderated the meeting, and the Mennonite Church USA staff led by executive director Ervin Stutzman hosted it at Mennonite Church USA offices in Elkhart, Ind.<\/p>\n
The annual COMS meetings \u201cfoster ongoing relationships with other Anabaptist church leadership,\u201d Noffsinger said.<\/p>\n
As part of the 2014 meeting, he was able to give a presentation on the Nigeria crisis to COMS, Mennonite Church USA staff, and other interested parties from the Mennonite Church. Noffsinger reported that a connection made at that presentation has begun a conversation between Brethren and the Mennonite Church in Switzerland. The Swiss Mennonites also partner with Mission 21 to support Ekklesiyar Yan\u2019uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria).<\/p>\n