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Date: July 11, 2003
Contact: Walt Wiltschek
V: 847/742-5100 F: 847/742-6103
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Newsline	 July 11, 2003

"...do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus." Col. 3:17b 

NEWS
 1) Highlights from Annual Conference in Boise, Idaho.
   a) Delegates take action on India, call for a "living peace
church."
   b) Jim Hardenbrook called as moderator-elect; other election
results.
   c) Variety of speakers, musicians fill Conference worship
services.
 2) General Board meets in Boise, takes hard look at finances.
 3) Brethren Volunteer Service Unit 254 head to project placements.
 4) Brethren bits: Iraq aid, Brethren World Assembly

PERSONNEL
 5) Vernon King is named president/CEO of Brethren Home Community.
 6) Bethany calls Amy Gall Ritchie, Leland Flora to serve.
 7) IMA seeks vice president for international program development.

***************************************************************

 1) An Annual Conference that 2003 moderator Harriet Finney of
North Manchester, Ind., characterized as "bathed in prayer" was
held July 5-9 under sunny skies on the campus of Boise State
University in Idaho.

About 2,900 people registered for the event, and others from the
area attended worship services held over the weekend, making it one
of the largest conferences ever hosted by the city. Attendees
enjoyed abundant recreational options nearby, on-campus food
options, and a hotel shuttle service provided by the Boise
Convention & Visitors' Bureau.

Between the fun and the food, much work and worship took place amid
the orange and blue seats of the campus' Pavilion arena. Most other
events, including insight sessions and special meals, were held in
the Student Union. Highlights are as follows:

 a) Business: Long lines at the microphones didn't prevent a
generally smooth trip through the Conference business agenda. All
items were finished on time or ahead of schedule, even allowing for
a Tuesday afternoon period of sharing on the blessings prayer has
brought.

After lengthy debate, delegates gave strong support to a General
Board recommendation for a "fresh approach" to a complex situation
in India. The paper calls for relationships with both the Church of
North India, a longtime partner, and with Brethren groups that
separated from CNI in the late 1970s. 

An overwhelming majority also endorsed the Call for a Living Peace
Church, which calls on Brethren to engage in prayer and study of
the scriptures as they address violence in all its forms. It builds
on the Decade to Overcome Violence initiative adopted by delegates
two years ago. On Earth Peace and the General Board, which jointly
brought the resolution, are to provide additional resources and
support.

Delegates backed Standing Committee's recommendation for the query
on The Person and Redemptive Work of Jesus Christ, as well,
returning it to Southern Ohio District while reaffirming the Annual
Conference statements cited in the query. The recommendation
suggests that the Scriptures, and not a position paper, are the
best source for understanding the concerns presented.

Two items were sent to the Annual Conference Council, formed just
two years ago by delegate action in Baltimore. Guidelines on the
role of local church moderators were sent back for rewriting and
the incorporation of new suggestions that were offered in Boise. A
Michigan District query asking for "Clarification of Confusion"
resulting from the 2002 decision against the licensing and
ordination of homosexuals was sent to the council so it can
interpret past Conference actions and provide answers to the
district's concerns.

A query on Congregational Disagreement with Annual Conference
Decisions, sent by South/Central Indiana District, generated some
passionate debate and fears of disunity in the church. Though it
was the closest vote of the Conference, delegates gave their
support to Standing Committee's recommendation, forming a
five-person study committee that will report back next year.

A committee studying the denomination's name asked for an
additional year to complete its work, as it uses a "framework for
conversation" it has developed. It will report back next year with
a possible recommendation on further action.

The annual Live Report used a running dialogue between young adult
Daniel Radcliff and Don Vermilyea, a Brethren Volunteer Service
worker on a Walk Across America, to connect a series of videos and
other ministry highlights shared by the five Annual Conference
agencies. Southern Virginia Brethren band 2MJ added upbeat music,
including a version of "I Want Jesus to Walk with Me" that served
as a transitional bridge between segments.

Among other reports given, the Pastoral Compensation and Benefits
Advisory Committee recommended a 2.1 percent increase in the
pastoral scale for 2004, and Annual Conference Program and
Arrangements Committee announced Richmond, Va., as the site for the
2008 Conference, which will mark the denomination's 300th
anniversary. The Brethren Church of Ashland, Ohio, will hold its
assembly in conjunction with the Church of the Brethren's meeting,
pending approval by the Brethren Church later this month.

Special greetings came from international guests at the Conference
and from Idaho State Treasurer Ron Crane. Stan Noffsinger was
consecrated as the new general secretary of the Church of the
Brethren General Board, effective July 9, and the Brethren Benefit
Trust marked the 60th anniversary of its Pension Plan with a brief
birthday celebration. A citation and thunderous applause was given
to Howard Royer, who is retiring in August after 50 years of
service with the General Board.

 b) Elections: Delegates made a bit of history by calling Jim
Hardenbrook, pastor of Nampa (Idaho) Church of the Brethren for the
past decade, as moderator-elect. Hardenbrook is believed to be the
first Idaho Brethren ever elected to the office. He will assist
moderator Christopher Bowman over the next year, then moderate the
2005 Annual Conference in Peoria, Ill. 

Others elected by delegates are as follows:

Annual Conference Program and Arrangements Committee: Rosanna Eller
McFadden; On Earth Peace board: Kimberly Noelle Rhudy Chaffin;
Brethren Benefit Trust board: Eric P. Kabler; Association of
Brethren Caregivers board: David Fouts, Vernne W. Greiner; Bethany
Theological Seminary board: Phill Carlos Archbold (ministry),
Raymond M. Donadio Jr. (laity); Pastoral Compensation and Benefits
Advisory Committee: Linda Frey Barkdoll; Committee on Interchurch
Relations: Steven Brady. Numerous other agency-elected and
-appointed people were also affirmed.

In addition, Standing Committee elected Jeff Carter as World
Council of Churches representative and Jennie Ramirez, Cheryl
Brumbaugh Cayford, and David Whitten as National Council of
Churches representatives. 

 c) Worship: Five worship services helped to interpret the
Conference theme, "In Jesus' Name," centering on aspects of prayer
and unity.

Moderator Harriet Finney spoke at the opening service Saturday
night, looking at the differences between harmony and dissonance.
She suggested that the denomination needs to work at true unity,
not just a veneer. That unity, she said, can only come through
Jesus Christ.

Steve Reid, newly called as academic dean of Bethany Theological
Seminary, spoke Sunday morning and urged Brethren to "participate
in emptiness" rather than filling up everything with their own
agendas. He used the example of a "Big Empty" piece of artwork in
which the "canvas" was just a large, gray, empty space. 

Bethany professor Dan Ulrich followed Monday night, calling on
Brethren to stay connected to the vine and to bear fruit by abiding
in Jesus. The future of the Church of the Brethren "depends on
Jesus Christ," he said, drawing a chorus of "Amen"'s

Bonnie Kline Smeltzer, pastor of University Baptist Brethren Church
in State College, Pa., addressed the ministry of healing on
Tuesday, citing examples of God's power to raise people from all
the things that cripple them and hold them back. The worship time
closed with a service of anointing, with Brethren going to people
with oil stationed around the arena.

Wednesday's closing service included a consecration service for
moderator Christopher Bowman and moderator-elect Jim Hardenbrook,
and a message by Bermudian Church of the Brethren (East Berlin,
Pa.) pastor Larry Dentler. Dentler spoke of the need to remain
focused on Jesus and "let him in." He asked all present not to
leave before taking "an honest look" at anything causing separation
from Christ.

Music coordinator Shawn Kirchner and a team of musicians led a
variety of inspirational and energetic songs during the week, while
Pat Koehler directed a choir that highlighted each worship service
with an anthem. A children's choir sang Tuesday night.

In addition to the formal worship times, an "Hour of Prayer" was
held Sunday morning, in which spiritual director Glenn Mitchell led
several hundred people through a variety of prayer forms
interspersed with music.

Full sermon texts, along with other coverage of Annual Conference,
are available online at www.brethren.org/AC2003.

 2) The Church of the Brethren General Board met July 5 in Boise,
immediately prior to Annual Conference.

Much of the business focused on financial information, looking at
the past year, the current situation, and future projections. The
news was troubling, with a total loss of $2.5 million in the
General Board's net worth in 2002, due to a sharp decline in
investments, a continuing gradual decline in congregational giving,
and rising costs.

The 2003 General Ministries budget, which supports most of the
agency's ongoing programs, has already been reduced by $384,000 via
staff cuts and other reductions. An ever smaller balanced budget
was brought for 2004, but only via a $194,000 "patch" from one-time
designated funds. 

With that patch in place, board members approved a $5,226,000
budget parameter for the General Ministries fund for 2004, not
including self-funding programs such as Brethren Press and
Emergency Response. Board chair Warren Eshbach said there "must be
new creative options" for the future as deficits totaling more than
$750,000 were projected for 2005 and 2006.

Several ministry areas gave updates on new initiatives and special
events, and citations were given to General Board members who
finished their five-year term and to departing staff members David
Radcliff, Russ Matteson, and Howard Royer. Retiring general
secretary Judy Mills Reimer was honored with a slide presentation
showing highlights from her five years as head of the
denomination's main program and administrative arm.

Staff and board members then moved to the General Board exhibit,
touring its features and dedicating it in prayer. 

In a reorganizational meeting two days later, board members called
Donna Shumate of Southeastern District as chair for the coming year
and Glenn Mitchell of Middle Pennsylvania as vice chair. Others
called to the executive committee were J.D. Glick, Carol Kussart,
Doug Price, and David Sollenberger.

 3) Following their orientation in Putney, Vt., members of Brethren
Volunteer Service Unit 254 have headed to their assignments across
the country and beyond.

Volunteers, their hometowns, and their placements are as follows:
Sue Albright, Huntingdon, Pa., to CooperRiis, Mill Spring, N.C.;
Mary Beliveau, Fredericksburg, Va., to Brethren Historical Library
and Archives, Elgin, Ill.; Melody Cline, Middletown, Del., to
Oakland (Calif.) Catholic Worker House; Cindy Laprade, Rocky Mount,
Va., to Church of the Brethren General Board Youth/Young Adult
Ministry office, Elgin, Ill.; Anna Pomazal, Dixon, Ill., to Holy
Family Services, Weslaco, Texas;

Matt Rucker, Elgin, Ill., to Camp Bethel, Fincastle, Va.; Callie
Surber of Phoenix, Ariz., to General Board Global Mission
Partnerships placement, Mubi, Nigeria; Christopher VanderReyden,
Syracuse, Ind., to Camp Harmony, Hooversville, Pa.; Elizabeth Waas
Smith, Pinckney, Mich., to Camp Myrtlewood, Myrtle Point, Ore.; Amy
Adkins, Middlebury, Ind., placement pending.

 
 4) Brethren bits: Other brief news notes from around the
denomination and elsewhere.
 *Church World Service announced last week that it was shipping
$1.2 million in donated medical supplies to Iraq, to be used in
local hospitals and medical facilities. Church World Service
International Disaster Response consultant Steve Weaver will
coordinate the shipment's late July arrival in Jordan, and then
overland transport into Iraq. The supplies include surgical kits
and sterile surgical components, addressing one of the highest
priorities in Iraq. Service Ministries staff at the Brethren
Service Center in New Windsor, Md., loaded four 40-foot containers
of the supplies for shipment on behalf of Church World Service. The
supplies were inventoried by members of Grossnickle Church of the
Brethren, Myersville, Md. 

 *The Church of the Brethren Ministers' Association held its
meetings this week in Boise, Idaho, immediately following Annual
Conference. . . . The Brethren World Assembly, drawing together
members of the various denominations descended from the original
Brethren in 1708, will take place July 23-26 in Winona Lake, Ind.

 
 5) Vernon L. King of Newton, Kan., has been named president/CEO of
The Brethren Home Community in New Oxford, Pa., effective Sept. 1.

King, who grew up in central Kansas, has 17 years of experience in
the continuing care retirement industry and currently serves as CEO
of Mennonite Manor in South Hutchinson, Kan. He has been with
Mennonite Manor for six years.

He is a graduate of Goshen (Ind.) College. He and his wife are
parents of two grown sons and have one grandson.

 6) Bethany Theological Seminary has announced the appointment of
Leland W. Flora and Amy S. Gall Ritchie to its Office of Student
and Business Services, to the positions of director of Student
Development and director of Admissions, respectively.

Gall Ritchie has served as pastor of Florence Church of the
Brethren in Constantine, Mich., the past 12 years. She co-pastored
with her husband, Kurt, for the first 10 years and was part-time
solo pastor the past two, combining her pastoral work with
employment by the Constantine Township Library.

She is a member of the Ministry of Reconciliation Practitioner
Network and has served on the Northern Indiana District board and
as district clerk. She is a graduate of Manchester College (North
Manchester, Ind.) and Bethany. She and her family will move to
Richmond, Ind., in early August as she begins the new position.

Flora has spent his career as an educator in Prince William County
Public Schools of Manassas, Va. He has been a teacher and assistant
principal and for 27 years was personnel supervisor for the county,
administering the employment process for 2,500 positions. Since
retiring in 1998, Flora has continued to work as a consultant. He
was named Teacher Recruiter of the Year for Prince William County
Public Schools in 2002.

While working in Manassas, he attended Manassas Church of the
Brethren and chaired the church board for 19 years. He now lives in
Hardy, Va., where his wife serves as minister of Christian nurture
for the Oak Grove congregation. Flora is a graduate of Bridgewater
(Va.) College and the University of Virginia. He will begin the new
position in early August, working from his home in Virginia.

 7) Interchurch Medical Assistance Inc. is seeking a vice president
for international program development and coordination. The newly
created senior management position will be based at IMA's
headquarters at the Brethren Service Center, New Windsor, Md.

The position will be responsible for design and implementation of
program services, providing technical support to member and other
partner agencies in monitoring and evaluating program services,
developing program measurements, building positive working
relationships with other agencies and organizations, and
identifying opportunites for new program services.

A master's degree or doctorate in public health is required, along
with five years of overseas experience in a public health program
managerial position. Written and oral French language proficiency
is an asset. A detailed position description can be found at
www.interchurch.org. To apply, e-mail cover letter, detailed
curriculum vitae, and salary requirements to Carol Hulver, AVP
Administrative Services, at carolhulver@interchurch.org.

Newsline is produced by Walt Wiltschek, manager of news services
for the Church of the Brethren General Board, on the first, third
and fifth Friday of each month. Newsline stories may be reprinted
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