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Date: Sept. 17, 2004
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F: 847/742-6103
E-MAIL: CoBNews@AOL.Com

Newsline       Sept. 17, 2004

"...Jacob said, `I will not let you go, unless you bless me.'"
Genesis 32:26b

NEWS
1) Annual Conference Council reviews, implements 2004 actions.
2) National Older Adult Conference inspires new journeys with God.
3) Disaster programs care for children, give grant.
4) Brethren Volunteer Service summer unit completes orientation.
5) Brethren bits: Remembrance, job openings, and more.

PERSONNEL
6) Jo Young Switzer called to Manchester College presidency.

UPCOMING EVENTS
7) Organizers announce plans for Mission Alive 2005.

RESOURCES 
8) Lectionary readings posted on website, `Guide' topics announced.

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1) Annual Conference Council reviews, implements 2004 actions.

The Annual Conference Council, meeting Aug. 28 in Elgin, Ill.,
welcomed two new members, took next steps with regard to actions of
the 2004 Conference, and reviewed minutes of a conversation held at
the Conference on the 2003 "Query of Clarification of Confusion,"
according to report by Conference secretary Fred Swartz.

New members are Ronald D. Beachley, moderator elect and executive
minister for Western Pennsylvania District; and Joan Daggett,
associate executive minister for Shenandoah District. Continuing
members are chair Earl K. Ziegler, a past moderator; Jim
Hardenbrook, 2005 moderator; Christopher Bowman, immediate past
moderator; Swartz; and Lerry Fogle, executive director.

The council discussed next steps with regard to two study
committees named by the 2004 Conference: the Doing Church Business
Study Committee and the Multi-Ethnic/Cross Cultural Study
Committee. The Committee on Interchurch Relations was to be asked
to assist in naming the member of the Multi-Ethnic/Cross Cultural
Study Committee who will be ex-officio from the American Baptist
Churches USA. The council also decided to seek the assistance of
the General Board's Congregational Life Team staff who serve as
liaisons to the Cross-Cultural Ministries Team, to develop a form
for use by agencies, districts, and congregations in assessing
their ethnic ministries and relationships.

In a follow-up report, Fogle announced that the Doing Church
Business Study Committee--comprising Joe Detrick, Matt Guynn,
Verdena Lee, Dale Posthumus, and Dave Shetler--will meet Sept.
30-Oct. 2. The Multi-Ethnic/Cross-Cultural Study
Committee--comprising Darla Kay Bowman Deardorff, Nadine Monn,
Ruben DeOleo, Neemita Pandya, Gilbert Romero, and Asha
Solanky--will meet Oct. 17-18. Fogle also announced that this
committee elected Thomas Dowdy, pastor of Imperial Heights Church
of the Brethren, Los Angeles, Calif., as the African-American
member of the group at the direction of Annual Conference. "The
Annual Conference Office extends much gratitude to others who were
on the ballot to fill that additional position," Fogle said.

A new committee to update the 1988 Conference statement, "A
Structural Framework for Dealing with Strongly Controversial
Issues," will be named by the council following recommendations
from the denominational name study committee that reported in 2004.
The three-member committee will consist of a member of the council,
a member of the study committee, and a person with skills in
conflict resolution.

The papers "Functions and Qualifications of the Local Church
Moderator" and "Resolution on Iraq" will be posted on the
Conference website at www.brethren.org. The paper on moderators
will be sent to districts with the request that it be reproduced
for congregations. The council also will remind districts of the
paper on "Congregational Disagreement with Annual Conference
Decisions" as a resource.

Swartz reported that the council "carefully read the recorded
minutes of the `conversation' sponsored by the council, held during
Annual Conference on July 4, 2004." The conversation was held on
the "Query of Clarification of Confusion," which referred to the
response of the 2002 Conference to the query "Licensing/Ordination
of Homosexual Persons to the Ministry in the Church of the
Brethren." The conversation also covered theological and
ministry-related issues.

The council recorded the following minute with regard to the July
4 conversation:

"The council's good intention in holding this meeting was to hear
the ideas, suggestions, and concerns of persons across the
denomination in an effort to gather as much information and
assistance as possible toward answering the questions about
ministry raised in the 2003 query, `Clarification of Confusion.'