wfn.org | Newsline - Church of the Brethren weekly news update

[Church of the Brethren News Services]

Date:      July 1, 1998
Contact:  Nevin Dulabaum
V:  847/742-5100   F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL:   CoBNews@AOL.Com

Newsline         July 1, 1998
Wednesday in Orlando—

1) 2,968 Conferencegoers are registered for the 212th Church of the Brethren 
   Annual Conference in Orlando.
2) Delegates accept Standing Committee recommendations on queries related to 
   Fetal   Tissue Use, Congregational Structure and Caring for the Poor, and 
   conduct other business.
3) The schedule for Thursday.
4) Standing Committee pre-Conference action not reported yesterday includes   
   reports from the Interagency Forum and the subcommittee formed to study the
   Role of Standing Committee.
5) Goings on in and around the Convention Center included the annual blood
drive, 
   which collected 152 pints for the Central Florida Blood Bank.
6) Thursday’s Newsline preview — more Conference business; General Board Live 
    Report; installation of Judy Mills Reimer as Church of the Brethren
Executive 
    Director.

1) As of 4:30 p.m. today, 2,968 individuals had registered for the 1998 Annual
Conference in Orlando, including 809 delegates and 2,159 nondelegates. 

2) Among the business that delegates discussed today were queries on Fetal
Tissue Use, Congregational Structure and Caring for the Poor. Delegates also
acted on the paper “The New Testament as Our Rule of Faith and Practice,”
heard a report on the World Council of Churches and recognized several
ecumenical guests present at this Conference.  

After some confusion about the motion at hand, Conference delegates accepted
the recommendation of Standing Committee to return the query on Fetal Tissue
Use to the Onekama (Mich.) Church of the Brethren, the originating
congregation. While some delegates wanted to discuss the issue of fetal tissue
use, the actual recommendation involved whether to return the query, which was
originally part of a larger query asking for a study committee to address the
issue of fetal tissue use at the same time that it updated the denomination’s
“1987 Genetic Engineering Statement.”

A query on Congregational Structure asking for new models of organization that
remain true to Brethren practice was overwhelmingly accepted by delegates.
Acceptance of the query also included appointing a three-person study
committee charged with returning to the 1999 Annual Conference with a report.
Delegates spoke both for and against the motion as many shared stories about
their own congregations or ones within their districts dealing with
restructure. Some felt that since each congregation is unique, congregations
should have the freedom to seek the best way to organize. Others felt strongly
that denominational guidance and some established models of organization were
necessary and desired.

With regard to a query on Caring for the Poor, the delegate body nearly
unanimously accepted the recommendation of Standing Committee to accept the
query and appoint a three-person committee to study the concerns and to report
back to the 1999 Annual Conference. Most of the Conference floor discussion
was in strong favor of the query, affirming the need to explore areas of
responsibility for alleviating poverty and expressing the desire for models of
congregational response to issues of poverty.

In an unfinished business item, delegates considered the recommendation by
Standing Committee to accept the paper “The New Testament as Our Rule of Faith
and Practice,” which returned to the 1998 Conference after a draft statement
was received by delegates last year. Following some minor editorial changes,
Conference delegates accepted the paper without further discussion.

Delegates also heard and accepted a report on the World Council of Churches by
former general secretary Don Miller, who informed delegates that the WCC World
Assembly will be held in Harare, Zimbabwe, later this year. Miller asked for
Brethren pray for the assembly.

Several ecumenical guests were presented by the Committee on Interchurch
Relations during the afternoon business session. Two of the guests were
recipients of CIR’s 1998 Ecumenical Award. Frances Clemens Nyce of
Westminster, Md., has been a member of the ecumenical relations committee in
her district and has led international work camps, served on boards of several
ecumenical agencies and has participated on delegations to churches in
Guatemala, Cuba, Honduras and Nicaragua. Jesse H. Ziegler of Dayton, Ohio, has
devoted much of his life to developing standards that guide theological
education for a variety of communions. He has also served on the faculty of
several denominational schools and as executive director of the Association of
Theological Schools. 

3) A full slate of Annual Conference activity exists for all ages and
interests throughout this week. The schedule for Thursday is as follows — 

Thursday daytime
* Brethren Press breakfast
* insight sessions — Swords, plowshares, and the federal budget; Affording a 
   Brethren College Education; Guatemala: Peril and Promise
* addictions support group
* pastors’ burnout support group
* Bible Study — “Stories of deep faith,” Matthew 9:20-22; “When you’re up to
your 
   eyeballs in alligators, it’s easy to forget that the task was to drain the
swamp,” 1 
   Cor. 2:1-5; “God and relationships,” Mark 10:1-16; “Explorando la
profundidad de 
    la Fidelidad,” Hebreos 11:23-28
* age-group activities — children: music and worship, field trip to Orlando
Science 
   Center; junior high youth: devotions, field trip to Kelly Park for
swimming, tubing 
   and nature trails; senior high youth: General Board Live Report, Wet & Wild
   amusement park
* business
* CODE/district board chairperson’s luncheon
* church and persons with disabilities luncheon
* HIV/AIDS networking meeting
* ABC Brethren chaplains’ networking meeting

Thursday evening
* HIV/AIDS support group
* mental health support group
* Brethren Benefit Trust board reorganization dinner
* MESSENGER dinner
* past moderators dinner
* early evening concert — Phyllis Wine of the Jacksonville (Fla.) Church of
the 
   Brethren.
* worship — Fred Swartz, preacher
		“Making the real sacrifice”
		Belita Mitchell, worship leader
* age-group activities — junior high youth: Drama presentation by “Love Under 
   Grace”; senior high youth: talent show/fellowship; young adult: Wonderworks
fun 
   center; singles: board games, conversation
* Bible study — “Peace and nonviolence,” Matthew 5:9, 21-26, 38-43
* insight sessions — Late night with BVS; Brethren in Nigeria; Making the
stock  
   market work for you and your church; Congregational responses to crisis:
when a 
   disability strikes a member of your congregation; From outward rites to
interior 
   purity: Brethren spirituality in 	the 20th century; Ministry Summer
Service; 
   Journey of faith, information about a new General Board program in the area
of 
   spiritual formation and stewardship education; A congregation cares for the
poor, 
   how one inner-city church has experimented with the call of Jesus to “bring
good 
   news to the poor”; Evangelism, three congregational stories on their form
of 
   evangelistic outreach; Outdoor Ministries Association family campfire; The 
   Matthew 18 workshop: a new resource for congregations; Asset 
   development for youth and family; Swords, plowshares, and the federal
budget 

4) In pre-Conference action not previously reported in Newsline, Standing
Committee heard a number of reports, including some that will be heard by
Annual Conference delegates this week and some that won’t. One report that
will be heard by delegates comes from the Committee on Interchurch Relations,
which last year was charged with studying the financial costs and implications
of developing a relationship — including potential observer status — with the
National Association of Evangelicals. The committee was asked to report back
to the 1998 Conference.

Delegates at Long Beach, Calif., last year had accepted the query from the
Cando (N.D.) Church of the Brethren to explore this relationship. After
Standing Committee received the CIR report, some members voiced concern that
the observer status as outlined in the CIR report would not allow for the kind
of open exchange they felt would be most helpful in building a meaningful
dialog with NAE, especially in light of the cost to send an observer, which
might take funding away from other CIR activity.

Standing Committee eventually accepted the report and its recommendation that
CIR appoint a visitor to the next NAE Evangelical Summit. In another session,
however, Standing Committee reopended the discussion and the motion and
ultimately accepted the report but not its recommendation to send a visitor.

James Beckwith, CIR chair, shared with Standing Committee members that their
concerns were also part of CIR’s internal debate about whether to seek
observer status with NAE. However, Beckwith said the general feeling had been
that enough Church of the Brethren members and congregations were either
members of NAE or had contact with the group to justify seeking a
relationship. It was noted and agreed to by Standing Committee members that
while the committee had decided not to seek observer status at this time, it
still encourages CIR as part of its ongoing ecumenical efforts to pursue a
meaningful dialog with Brethren and others who participate in NAE and to hear
back about other opportunities for involvement.

Standing Commitee also heard a report from the Interagency Forum, a group
formed last year. The primary purpose of the forum is coordinating and
providing links among Annual Conference agencies so that the work of each can
take place cooperatively and more effectively. IAF is directly reportable to
Standing Committee and is accountable, but not reportable, to the agency
boards that make up the group. IAF chair David Wine shared with the 1998
Standing Committee that the feeling of trust and collaboration among the
agencies is high. He asked Standing Committee members to commission IAF to
continue working on the organizational and structural issues raised in its
report.

Wine did note that because of the transitional nature of the church at this
time, and in light of the possible addition of Association of Brethren
Caregivers and On Earth Peace Assembly as Annual Conference reportable and
accountable agencies, that the focus and structure of IAF may need to shift in
the future. Standing Committee accepted IAF’s report and voted to select a
Standing Committee member to serve a one-year term on IAF.

In a somewhat related matter, Standing Committee decided to explore
possibilities for networking with other groups that may have an interest in
the 300th anniversary of the Church of the Brethren and to then have the 1999
Standing Committee take action on putting together an anniversary committee to
brainstorm and develop ways in which the denomination might celebrate its
anniversary in 2008. This item came as a result of the IAF report because
Program and Arrangements Committee had previously requested that IAF take up
the assignment of generating and presenting anniversary celebration ideas. 

Standing Committee members also heard a report from the Role of Standing
Committee subcommittee that was appointed as a result of a motion by the 1997
Standing Committee to research how it can best serve the church in light of
what some believe is an increase in Standing Committee responsibilities that
have evolved in recent years. One of the report’s recommendations that
received extensive debate centered around lengthening the term of service of
Standing Committee members from three to five years to build continuity among
the committee.

Some members expressed concerned that this would make it possible for an
individual to serve 10 consecutive years, thereby decreasing the opportunity
to bring new talent and perspective to the committee. Others voiced concerned
about how this might disrupt the current pattern whereby one-third of Standing
Committee members roll off the committee each year. Wording was added to the
effect of having the transitional details related to the proposed five-year
term be addressed by the Nominating Committee of Standing Committee.

Since the proposed change in the term length is a polity issue, this item will
come before the 1999 Annual Conference delegates when Standing Committee makes
its report next year. No real conclusion was reached or confusion alleviated
with regard to exactly how the changing nature of Standing Committee is to
function in relationship to IAF, the General Board and other Annual Conference
agencies. However, Standing Committee did accept the report of the
subcommittee and recognized it as a working document and tool for helping
Standing Committee carry out its coordinating and unifying functions.

5) The cavernous Orange County Convention hall is home to Annual Conference
exhibits. The usual number of Conferecegoers can be seen popping in and out of
business sessions and milling about the booths and Brethren Press and SERRV
displays during scheduled breaks.

New in the Brethren Press bookstore are two Sunday School curricula series,
“Good Ground” and “Let Our Joys Be Known.” Forthcoming will be a collection of
favorite Brethren songs recorded by Andy and Terry Murray that will available
in both CD and cassette. Available now is the 1998 Church of the Brethren
Yearbook that includes e-mail addresses, maps and organizational charts. And
you can find copies of BVS Stories: 50 Years Through the Eyes of Volunteers,
which includes personal stories of service of current and past BVSers.

For fun, you can pick up a “Buzzword Bingo” card from the Brethren Press booth
that includes favorite denominational lingo such as “systemic,” “stewardship,”
“transformation,” and “discern.” Conferencegoers who get bingo by circling the
buzzwords as they hear them spoken during business sessions can enter their
cards for a prize drawing.

Elsewhere in the exhibit hall is the annual quilt-making activity in
preparation for Saturday’s auction. The Association for the Arts is also
conducting a silent auction on several of their craft items.

This year’s annual blood drive sponsored by Emergency Disaster Response was
being conducted for one day only. By day’s end, 152 pints of blood had been
donated by Brethren for the Central Florida Blood Bank. 

Outside the Convention Center, Christian Peacemaker Teams has scheduled a
daily vigil to encourage Disney to pay a living wage to apparel workers in
Haiti who sew Disney garments.

And beyond the Convention Center, Brethren are getting their share of news
coverage this week. The Tuesday Orlando Sentinel included a feature about the
Brethren invasion of Orlando and the volunteer work being done in the
neighboring Winter Park area as Conferencegoers take time out to repair and
rebuild homes belonging to uninsured and underinsured tornado victims. A
segment on a local television news station likewise highlighted the activity
of the denomination this week in Central Florida. 

6) Thursday’s Newsline preview — more Conference business; General Board Live
Report; installation of Judy Mills Reimer as Church of the Brethren Executive
Director

Newsline Orlando is produced by the Church of the Brethren General Board’s
Communication Team -- Nevin Dulabaum, Karla Boyers, Kathleen Campanella, and
Walt Wiltcheck. Newsline stories may be reprinted provided that Newsline is
cited as the source and the publication date is included.

Newsline and complete Annual Conference coverage is available at
www.brethren.org. Newsline is also archived with an index at
http://www.wfn.org.