wfn.org | Newsline: New Church of the Brethren board holds first meeting

["COBNews Newsline" <cobnews@brethren.org>]

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service -- Oct. 27, 2008
Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, News Director
800-323-8039 ext. 260 -- cobnews@brethren.org

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN MISSION AND MINISTRY BOARD
HOLDS FIRST MEETING

(Oct. 27, 2008) Elgin, IL -- The Mission and Ministry Board of the
Church of the Brethren held its first meeting on Oct. 18-21 at the
denomination's General Offices in Elgin, Ill.

The Mission and Ministry Board is the board of the new denominational
structure for the Church of the Brethren. It is chaired by Edwin H.
Edmonds, pastor of Moler Avenue Church of the Brethren in
Martinsburg, W.Va. Board members come from the former General
Board, the former Association of Brethren Caregivers board, and the
former Annual Conference Council.

On the agenda were a resolution on the "Responsibility to Protect,"
financial reports and a budget for the new organization, reports from
several church programs, and consideration of the need for new strategic
planning documents, among other business. The board approved the use
of consensus decision making for the meetings.

The meeting began with a day of professional development for board
members. The group reviewed the vision, mission, and core values
statements of the prior organizations, as well as the roles of board and
staff, the ministries that the board oversees including ministries of the
former General Board and Association of Brethren Caregivers,
stewardship responsibilities of board members, and the consensus
process.

Worship began and ended the business meetings. Using a theme from
Romans 12:2, "Be transformed by the renewing of your minds," board
members and staff leaders expressed hopes for the new organization of
the Church of the Brethren, and anticipated exciting and challenging
work ahead.

>Resolution on the "Responsibility to Protect"

A resolution on the "Responsibility to Protect" was passed by the board
with strong affirmation. The resolution was brought as a Church of the
Brethren response to the action of the United Nations and to the global
increase of catastrophic atrocities, and as a response to a call from the
National Council of Churches Governing Board for support from
member communions. The resolution was presented by Phil Jones,
director of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office, and Larry Ulrich, a
member of York Center Church of the Brethren in Lombard, Ill., who
has been involved with an "R2P" coalition connected with the Council of
Religious Leaders in Chicago.

"We do differ with the UN document on the Responsibility to Protect,"
said Jones. "We support it fully, except for the use of military force."  In
discussion of the resolution, board members affirmed it but also
identified some concerns. A small task team was asked to bring a
revision that more clearly identified alternatives that the Church of the
Brethren may suggest for nonviolent prevention of and response to
atrocities. The modified resolution was adopted by consensus. Go to
www.brethren.org/genbd/GBResolutions/2008ResponsibilityToProtect.p
df to find the resolution online.

>Budget and finances

A 2009 total operating budget for all Church of the Brethren ministries
was approved: $10,236,210 income, $10,391,760 expense, representing
an expected $155,550 deficit for next year. The action on the budget
represented approval of budgets for the Church of the Brethren's Core
Ministries as well as self-funded ministries including Brethren Disaster
Ministries, Brethren Press, Global Food Crisis, Material Resources,
"Messenger" magazine, and the New Windsor (Md.) Conference Center.

Funding director Ken Neher reported that giving to the Church of the
Brethren remains strong despite the global economic crisis. Treasurer
Judy Keyser reviewed concerns regarding the economy, including a
volatile investment environment and spiraling increases in costs of
energy, travel, food, and other expenses. She identified an overarching
longterm financial issue for the board, that the Church of the Brethren's
income is not matching its current ministry needs. An offering was
received for a capital campaign to upgrade facilities at the General
Offices and the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.

>Other business

The board affirmed the appointments of Stan Noffsinger as general
secretary and Judy Keyser as treasurer of the Church of the Brethren.

The board also had an opportunity to sign a letter of support to the Synod
of the Church of North India (CNI) and the Bishop of Gujarat State. The
Church of North India and its members have been seriously affected by
violence directed at Christians. The violence began in late August in the
State of Orissa, where three of CNI's dioceses are located, but has begun
to spread to some other areas. The board heard that it has not yet  affected
the area where most India Brethren live.

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 more than 125,000
members across the United States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and
sister churches in Nigeria, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and
India.

># # #

>For more information contact:

>Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
>Director of News Services
>Church of the Brethren
>1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
>800-323-8039 ext. 260
>cobnews@brethren.org

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