wfn.org | Newsline: District issues open letter re congregation that has left the Church of the Brethren

[cobnews <cobnews@brethren.org>]

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service, News Director Cheryl Brumbau gh-Cayford, 800-323-8039 ext. 260, cobnews@brethren.org

DISTRICT ISSUES OPEN LETTER REGARDING CHURCH THAT HAS LEFT THE CHURCH OF TH E BRETHREN DENOMINATION

(May 26, 2009) Elgin, IL -- The Church of the Brethren's Illinois and Wisco nsin District has issued an open letter regarding Grace Bible Church of Ast oria, Ill. (formerly Astoria Church of the Brethren) and its decision to le ave the denomination. The letter was signed by district executive Kevin Kes sler along with Wilbur Bowman, chair of the district Leadership Team, and G il Crosby, district moderator.

"While we are saddened by the process and the outcome we wish to remain bro thers and sisters committed to Christ's message," the letter said, in part.

Astoria Church of the Brethren "unilaterally decided to disaffiliate from t he Church of the Brethren in 2006," said Kessler. "Without consulting the d istrict, the congregation formed a new non-profit corporation named Grace B ible Church of Astoria and transferred property deeds from the old to the n ew corporation."

The district considered the action to be a breach of denominational polity,  which states that "all property owned by a congregation...shall be held in  trust for the use and benefit and in conformity with practices and beliefs  of the Church of the Brethren" (Church of the Brethren Manual of Organizat ion and Polity, Chapter VI, Article I, Section A). Efforts to amicably reso lve the issue were unsuccessful, Kessler said, "thus, legal action was ente red into to remedy the situation."

However, the legal process became "long, tedious, and expensive," Kessler s aid. "With outcomes being unpredictable, the district Leadership Team decid ed not to continue the legal process. Instead, a new direction was taken, w hich included an open letter to Grace Bible Church of Astoria stating the d istrict's position, as well as a letter to congregations to increase their  awareness of denominational polity related to church property."

The open letter explained the district's recent decision to cease legal act ion to regain the church property: "Grace Bible Church and the Illinois-Wis consin District have wasted far too many of our resources on unproductive l egal action." The letter also reported that the district has given Grace Bi ble Church full use of the property, "as long as they continue to function  as a Body of Christ for the betterment of the Kingdom of God and their neig hbor's good."

The district has asked for an annual remittance of $100 for continued use o f the property, "payable every Easter Sunday when we celebrate our risen Lo rd who sacrificed everything for us." If Grace Bible ceases to function, mo ves, or ceases Christian practice, the property will remain the responsibil ity of the district.

The letter closed by asking God's blessing on the Grace Bible Church. "We a re yours in Christ as you are our brothers and sisters in Christ."

An additional letter that went to the board chair of each church in the dis trict asked the congregations to acknowledge receipt of the letter, affirm  the polity guidelines concerning church property at a congregational busine ss meeting, update congregational documents including deeds and bylaws, and  send a copy of the minutes of the congregational business meeting and copi es of updated documents to the district office. The district's goal is to c omplete this process in the time frame of one year.

"The intent of this process is to ensure that congregations know about chur ch polity, but more importantly that congregations are aware of their partn ership in the larger body we affectionately know as the Church of the Breth ren," Kessler said. "The Leadership Team felt that district resources would  be better used for raising awareness of our mutuality and sense of communi ty than in pursuing legal action that focuses on division."

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continu ing 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 t raditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated it s 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts some 125,000 members across the Unit ed 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