wfn.org | Newsline: Church of the Brethren holds Annual Conference in San Diego

[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

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN CONGREGATIONS TO SEND DELEGATES TO SAN DIEGO FOR ANN UAL CHURCH CONFERENCE

(June 15, 2009) Elgin, IL -- An Annual Conference of the Church of the Bret hren on June 26-30 will bring delegates from across the country to San Dieg o, Calif. This will be the 223rd recorded Annual Conference for the Church  of the Brethren.

The Annual Conference will meet on the theme, "The old has gone! The new ha s come! All this is from God!" (2 Corinthians 5:16-21).

David Shumate of Roanoke, Va., will serve as moderator of the Conference, w hich is the highest elected position in the church. He also serves as execu tive of the church's Virlina District.

The Conference will welcome church members from across the US and Puerto Ri co, and delegates from the Church of the Brethren's 1,000 congregations and  23 districts. More than 2,000 people are expected to attend, including chu rch members and families, pastors, denominational officers, and church staf f.

Eric H. F. Law will bring the Sunday morning message on June 28. An Episcop al priest and consultant in the area of multicultural ministry, he is autho r of a number of books including "The Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb: A Spi rituality for Leadership in a Multicultural Community" and "Finding Intimac y in a World of Fear."

Business for the delegate body includes "A Statement of Confession and Comm itment," which is a paper from the district delegates addressing a call to  unity on issues of sexuality; a paper offering "A Structural Framework for  Dealing with Strongly Controversial Issues"; queries from congregations on  the issues of "Language on Same-Sex Covenantal Relationships" and "Secret O ath-Bound Societies"; and revised bylaws for the denomination, which last y ear underwent a restructuring. Also on the agenda are reports from church p rograms and elections of church officers.

Programs for the children, youth, and young adults plan to take groups arou nd the San Diego area to do community service projects during the Conferenc e. The 3rd through 5th grade children plan a "Caring for Creation" service  project on the beach; the junior high and high school youth plan a day of " Ministry, Calling, and Discipleship" participating in different ministries  around San Diego; and the young adults plan a service project for San Diego 's homeless.

In addition, in witness events, the youth group plans a peace and justice e vent focused on immigration concerns at the US/Mexico border; and the young  adults plan a "Beach Walk for Peace."

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination stemming from the Br ethren movement that began in 1708 in the village of Schwarzenau, Germany,  when the eight founders were baptized in the Eder River. The denomination t urned 300 years old last year. The church is committed to continuing the wo rk of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in community . It is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions and is one of  the three Peace Churches (along with the Society of Friends (Quakers) and t he Mennonites). The Church of the Brethren counts about 125,000 members and  1,000 congregations across the US and Puerto Rico, and has missions and si ster churches in Nigeria, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Haiti, and India.

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>CONTACTS
>Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
>Director of News Services
>Church of the Brethren
>1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
>office: 800-323-8039 ext. 260
>cell: 224-735-9692
>cobnews@brethren.org