wfn.org | Church of the Brethren leaders review plans for Annual Conference

[COBNews@aol.com]

Date:  Sept. 29, 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
Sept. 29, 2005

Annual Conference Council reviews plans for Church of the Brethren
conferences

Sept. 29, 2005 (Elgin, IL) --  The Annual Conference Council of the  Church
of the Brethren, the denominationâs highest level of leadership, met Aug.
24-25 in Elgin, Ill. Jim Hardenbrook, past moderator of the Conference, will
chair the council for 2005-06, reported secretary Fred Swartz in a summary of  the
meeting. Hardenbrook was chosen for the task by the members of the council
in their annual reorganization meeting last month. The council also named Joan
Daggett as vice chair, a position not designated before by the council.

The council is drafting a contingency plan for Annual Conference, not only
to deal with events that may interfere with the holding of a Conference, but
also provision for handling a disaster that may bring destruction to the Annual
 Conference offices. The plan is considered to be good stewardship, rather
than  fear that a disaster may happen, reported secretary Fred Swartz.

Another plan in the making is a marketing plan for Annual Conference. A
committee consisting of laypeople, a pastor, a district executive, a
member of
the Program and Arrangements
Committee, and members of the business community  is being recruited for the
purpose of looking at the image and information about  Annual Conference, and
why only half of Brethren congregations send  delegates.

The council reviewed the revisions to the Annual Conference Strategic Plan
that were suggested by Standing Committee, a group of delegates from the Church
 of the Brethren districts. It was decided that the council shall be the
group  responsible for keeping the plan updated and implemented. The council will
report annually to Standing Committee on the status of the plan's use and
recommend any changes deemed necessary. Standing Committee will give final
approval to changes in the Strategic Plan. The plan will be available on the
Annual Conference website.

Two new members were welcomed: Jim Myer was elected by Annual Conference
to 
serve in the capacity of a past moderator, succeeding Earl Ziegler whose term
expired with the 2005 Conference, and the new moderator-elect Belita
Mitchell,  who joined the council for the next three years. Myer will
serve a
four-year  term.

Other items of business included a review of Annual Conference actions of
the past two years and the progress of Conference committees that are currently
working. The Council hopes to have an up-to-date draft of the Manual of
Organization and Polity available this fall on the Conference website.

The council also is not yet satisfied that the 2003 query to Annual
Conference entitled "Clarification of Confusion" has been completely answered.  The
council asked Hardenbrook to compile a document that chronicles all that the
council has done in its attempts to get answers and/or clarification to
the 
questions in the query. The council will review this document in December to see
if it is sufficient to take back to the 2006 Annual Conference.

The council expressed appreciation to Lerry Fogle for his effective and
efficient management of Annual Conference since coming to that position in 2002.
The council's policy calls for a three-year review of the Conference executive
 director, and plans are underway to effect that review.

The Annual Conference Council acts as the executive committee for the  Church
of the Brethren Annual Conference and Standing Committee. Council members
are Ron Beachley, Belita Mitchell, Joan Daggett, Jim Myer, Jim
Hardenbrook, Fred
 Swartz, and Lerry Fogle.

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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