Friday, July 19, 2013

ANNUAL CONFERENCE REVIEW via Newsline

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Moderator's block is quilted at Annual Conference 2013
Question of the Week
What are your thoughts about Sunday’s emphasis on spiritual renewal?
“This is directing our focus where it should be, especially before we are in business sessions. I appreciated the emphasis on grace.” -- Lee Smith, Mount Joy congregation in Pennsylvania
-- One of the comments by Conference-goers about the Day of Spiritual Renewal held on Sunday at Annual Conference. The day included two worship services with popular speakers Philip Yancey and Mark Yaconelli, a concert of prayer, Equipping Workshops on a wide variety of topics along with meal events including the Brethren Press and Messenger dinner with Stanley Hauerwas, and a reception in the Exhibit Hall hosted by the Mission and Ministry Board and staff of the Church of the Brethren. For more responses to the Day of Spiritual Renewal, go towww.brethren.org/news/2013/ac2013news/
question-of-the-week.html .
Photos in our Annual Conference coverage are by Glenn Riegel, Regina Holmes, Debbie Surin, and Alysson Wittmeyer. Writers include Frank Ramirez, Karen Garrett, Frances Townsend, Mandy Garcia, and Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
July 4, 2013
REVIEW OF ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2013

 The officers preside over Annual Conference 20131) Annual Conference recognizes the new Church of the Brethren in Spain.
Recognition of the Church of the Brethren movement taking hold in Spain was given with enthusiasm by the delegate body. The proposal was presented by Tim Harvey from Standing Committee and Jay Wittmeyer, executive director of Global Mission and Service.

2) Conference decides that 1979 paper on Biblical Inspiration and Authority is still relevant.
The Conference delegates have decided that a 1979 Annual Conference statement titled “Biblical Inspiration and Authority” is still relevant today, in response to a query on biblical authority. The query from Hopewell Church of the Brethren and Virlina District asked if the 1979 Annual Conference statement is still relevant to the denomination, given what “appears to be a great diversity in approach to the primacy of scripture in general and the New Testament in particular within the Church of the Brethren.”

Nathan Hosler presents Resolution Against Drone Warfare3) Resolution Against Drone Warfare is adopted.

The 2013 Annual Conference has adopted a Resolution Against Drone Warfare. Developed by the Office of Public Witness, the document was passed on to the Conference by the Mission and Ministry Board, which had adopted the resolution at a meeting earlier this year. The resolution is thought to be the first statement against military drones by an American church body.

4) Revision to Ministerial Leadership Polity is returned for further work.
The Annual Conference received the Revision to Ministerial Leadership Polity with appreciation for the work that has been done on the document, but returned it to the Mission and Ministry Board “for revision in accordance with Standing Committee concerns, to be brought back to the 2014 Annual Conference.”

Table groups enjoy fellowship and snacks at AC 20135) Proposal on more equitable representation returns to Mission and Ministry Board.
A proposal prepared by the Mission and Ministry Board to respond to a query on equitable representation on the board has been returned for further work. The board was directed by the 2012 Annual Conference to respond to the query. However, the board’s proposed amendments to the bylaws of the Church of the Brethren did not receive enough votes. Because the proposal would have changed polity, a two-thirds majority was required.
In a separate decision, the Conference approved a proposal to increase the membership on the Executive Committee of the Mission and Ministry Board.

6) Election results, David Steele to serve as moderator of the 2015 Annual Conference.

The Annual Conference has chosen David Steele of Martinsburg, Pa., as moderator elect. He will assist moderator Nancy Sollenberger Heishman in leading the Conference next year in Columbus, Ohio, and will serve as moderator for the Conference in Tampa, Fla., in 2015. Other election results also are reported.

Agency executives and board chairs at AC2013 - by Regina Holmes7) Agency appointees are confirmed by the delegates.

The four Annual Conference agencies presented appointees to be confirmed to their boards by the delegate body. The Conference confirmed all of the appointments as follows.

8) Mission and Ministry Board adopts budget parameter for 2014, welcomes international guests.
Open Roof Award 2013A budget parameter for the Core Ministries budget for 2014 was adopted by the Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board in its meeting on Saturday, June 29. Also on the agenda was the welcoming of international visitors, recognition of board members completing terms of service, a financial update, an update on the Brethren Service Center campus, reports from Global Mission and Service and Congregational Life Ministries. Open Roof Awards were given to four congregations.

Past and new presidents of Bethany Seminary - by Glenn Riegel9) Bethany luncheon features conversation between past president and new president.

The Bethany Theological Seminary and Brethren Academy luncheon, hosted by the Bethany Alumni/ae Coordinating Council, is a time to recognize recent graduates of the seminary and the academy programs, current students, faculty, and staff. The event featured a conversation with Jeffrey Carter, who was in his second day as the new president of Bethany Seminary, and president emerita Ruthann Knechel Johansen, who was in her second day of retirement

Collection of school supplies at AC2013 - by Regina Holmes10) Conference donates backpacks of school supplies in witness to host city.

Annual Conference attendees offered a mountain of backpacks filled with school supplies during Sunday afternoon's worship service. This special offering for the Conference host city of Charlotte, N.C., was a unique way that the Church of the Brethren bears witness to the generosity, service, and love of Jesus. Two days later, during a business session, moderator Bob Krouse presented the backpacks to Jill Dineen, executive director of Classroom Central.

11) Ecumenical visitors include Disciples president, BDM partner.

Ecumenical guests were introduced to the delegate body during the Monday business session. General secretary Stanley Noffsinger introduced Sharon E. Watkins, president and general minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and Zach Wolgemuth of Brethren Disaster Ministries introduced Charlie Gockel, a partner in the home rebuilding project site in Prattsville, N.Y.

At the finish line of the 5K sponsored by BBT at AC201312) BBT 5K contributes to On Earth Peace ‘3,000 Miles for Peace.’

At 7 a.m. Sunday, 37 walkers and 64 runners gathered in Freedom Regional Park in Charlotte, N.C., to participate in the 2013 Fitness Challenge sponsored by Brethren Benefit Trust. BBT president Nevin Dulabaum shared that this year’s race had a unique component: it was a designated “3,000 Miles for Peace” event. All participants had the opportunity to log miles and raise dollars to donate to the Paul Ziegler Young Peacemakers Fund, which undergirds the peace-building efforts of On Earth Peace.

Mark Yaconelli conversation with young adults13) Experiencing God’s love: A young adult conversation with Mark Yaconelli.

Nineteen young adults gathered for casual conversation with Mark Yaconelli on Saturday evening at Annual Conference in Charlotte. A circle of chairs filled the small conference room, and the group conversation was comfortable. Brief introductions were made before Mark told a story to set the theme for our time together.

14) Sending of the Seventy helps bring healing to Northern Plains District.

Northern Plains District held an Insight Session during Annual Conference to explain a program that was developed to help bring healing at a time when the district had become deeply divided and tensions were high. While dealing with this strife, district executive Tim Button-Harrison attended a conference on the Missional Church. The focus was on Luke 10:1-12, the story of Jesus’ sending of the seventy.

Junior higher at Annual Conference 201315) Conference by the numbers, and other bits and pieces from Charlotte.
For more details about the 2013 Annual Conference in Charlotte, N.C., as well as registration numbers, outcomes of the Blood Drive and Quilt Auction, offering amounts, and more, see the “Saturday in Charlotte,” “Sunday in Charlotte,” “Monday in Charlotte,” “Tuesday in Charlotte,” and “Wednesday in Charlotte” pages posted online and linked at www.brethren.org/news .
Go to www.brethren.org/news/conferences/ac-2013 for daily photo albums and links to the webcasts of worship and business sessions, and the webcast of the concert by the La Verne (Calif.) Church of the Brethren Chancel Choir.
Children at Annual Conference 2013 - by Debbie SurinPurchase a Wrap-Up DVD and the Sermons DVD from Brethren Press for $29.95 and $24.95 respectively, plus shipping and handling. Call 800-441-3712 or go towww.brethrenpress.com .
A downloadable pdf print wrap up of the 2013 Annual Conference also is in the works and will be announced in an upcoming issue of Newsline.
Contributors to the news coverage of Annual Conference include: photographers Glenn Riegel, Regina Holmes, Debbie Surin, Alysson Wittmeyer; writers Karen Garrett, Frank Ramirez, Frances Townsend; Conference Journal editor Eddie Edmonds; Brethren Press publisher Wendy McFadden; donor communications staff Mandy Garcia; website staff Amy Heckert and Don Knieriem; and editor Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of News Services.
Look for a Newsline report from the Fifth Brethren World Assembly on July 15. The next regularly scheduled issue of Newsline is planned for July 25.
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