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Date: August 22, 2005
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL: _CoBNews@AOL.Com_ (mailto:CoBNews@AOL.Com)

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN NEWSLINE
August 22, 2005

Church of the Brethren Annual Conference publicizes key points of
strategic 
plan

August 22, 2005 (Elgin, IL) -- A strategic plan to guide staff and
volunteers of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference was recently approved  by
the denominationâs Standing Committee when it met in Peoria, Ill., this  summer.
The Standing Committee is made up of delegates from the Church of the
Brethren districts.

Annual Conference executive director Lerry Fogle reported that the plan
was 
developed by the Annual Conference Council over the past two years and
will be
 instrumental in steering staff, the Program and Arrangements Committee, and
other volunteers who plan and implement activities related to the annual
meeting  of the Church of the Brethren.

The complete strategic plan will be available on the Annual Conference
website later this summer. The mission, vision, values, and objectives of the  plan
were distributed to Conference delegates at Peoria. These components of
the 
plan are as follows:

Mission: "Annual Conference exists to unite, strengthen and equip the  Church
of the Brethren to follow Jesus."

Vision: "Annual Conferences must be special times in the life of the
Church 
of the Brethren. We envision Annual Conferences...that bring or revive
commitment to Jesus; that glorify God in excellent worship, work, and  fellowship;
that facilitate the business of the church through business  sessions, study
committees, agency reports, and disposition of queries; that are  open and
welcoming, and bring together Brethren from all cultures and points of	view to
proclaim Jesus as Lord; where we humbly celebrate our oneness in the  Body as
well as our unique place and ministry in the Body; that reach out to the  local
community with the Good News; that have dynamic preaching and quality
leadership development; that have open and compassionate dialogue; that
are a
catalyst for personal and corporate change, and Kingdom momentum; that
make  people
enthusiastic about witness and service."

Values: "We believe that Jesus is the head of the Church. As part of the
larger Body of Jesus Christ, the Church of the Brethren has a unique ministry to
the world. Therefore, Annual Conference, the Church of the Brethren
assembled,  is committed to: the Lordship of Jesus Christ, worship, unity, the New
Testament  as our rule of faith and practice, relationships, identity, a variety
of faith  experiences."

Objectives: "Develop intentional community in the Annual Conference
experience. Foster Christian spirituality and affirm it. Combine the broadest
possible welcome with the strongest possible commitment to following
Jesus.  Develop
a relational discernment style that is open to others of different  cultures.
Enhance age group programming. Foster open and compassionate dialogue  in the
Annual Conference experience. Develop an Annual Conference marketing plan  to
strengthen the event. Review and recommend enhancements to insight sessions.
Incorporate intentional Bible studies that relate to the Conference theme and
the issues facing the church. Strengthen the financial position of
Conference.  Minimize risks associated with planning and conducting Conference. Leverage
 technology to maximum advantage for Annual Conference use. Complete
administrative tasks that strengthen Conference and unite the church.

Fogle emphasized that Standing Committee not only approved a strategic
plan 
but a process that will be followed to regularly review, revise, and implement
 measures to ensure that the vision for Annual Conference is being realized
and  the mission accomplished.

For more information about the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference
see 
_www.brethren.org/ac/index.htm_ (http://www.brethren.org/ac/index.htm) .

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to
continuing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith  in
community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith
traditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrates its  300th
anniversary in 2008. It counts about 130,000 members across the United
States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Brazil,
the 
Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nigeria.

# # #

For more information contact:

Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
Director of News Services
Church of the  Brethren General Board
1451 Dundee Ave.
Elgin, IL 60120
847-742-5100  ext. 260
_cbrumbaugh-cayford_gb@brethren.org_
(mailto:cbrumbaugh-cayford_gb@brethren.org)

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The  Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford,
 director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board.
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