Annual Conference 2007

Jeff Carter (Pastor of Manassas CoB) preached tonight. Jeff Painted picures of how he visualizes the Church. In a reference to his childhood introduction to the Church of the Brethren (at the Westminster Cob) he said the churc is like a radiator ( a heat radiator). He shwed us a picture of the radiator in the Wesminster Church marthex where, as a 7 year old boy, he would sit each Sunday as his Mother took her place in the choir, waiting for someone to invite him to sit with their family. Someone always did - the Church became family to him there at that radiator. Wonderful sermon and great music!

Moderator Belita Mitchel of Harrisburg (PA) Cob, the first African-American woman fully ordained in the Church of the Brethren, as well as its first African American female Moderator spoke. Beautifl imagery of colors blending in the opening of the worship service. Sister Mitchell spoke of the Poer of God through the Power of Prayer.

Sunday business was mostly about rules, agenda, welcoming new congregations and seating delegates. The Review & Evaluation Committee Report - "Rev & Ev" as it is called was charged with evaluating our operations and the new structure of the General Board and other Conference related agencies adopted about 10 years ago. - They rccomended reintegration of the General Board & the Association of Brethren Caregivers into an entity that they suggested could be named "The Church of the Brethren, U.S.A." They also strongly urged that On Earth Peace also join in this merger. After much discussion about what it would mean to incorporate as The Church of the Brethren, U.S.A., the paper was approved with an implementation Commttee assigned to plan the process. The changes involved articulating that the Annual Conference would remain the final authority in all matters of polity and policy.

Business today moved slowly through both reports and an old business item relating to "Doing Church Business". The study committee report on this item was delayed from last year - when discussion and many amendments had bogged down the conference. It was a contentious and tedious process again, with many amendments and lots of votes on whether to amend. This report was amended by accepting all of its reccomendations and processes as tools that future moderators and Conference officers may use as they discern that they would be helpful. It finally passed on Tuesday.

Tuesday worship featured Duane Grady. A wonderful sermon showing the reality of intercultural and multi-cultural church building in the Church of the Brethren and the opportunities available to all of our churches. We are changing as a denomination - more and more Brethren worship in churches that include significant numbers of Hispanic Brethren, African American Brethren, Haitian Brethren,and more. If Duane was not such a powerful speaker, he would have been overwhelmed by the spectacular music used in the service, but his sermon was at least the equal of the power of the music.

Discussion continued on Doing Church Business (see above). The report of the Multi-Ethnic Church Study Committee was delayed by the above noted discussions and amendments to other papers. The paper was the focus of much debate on the sections relating to requiring new nominees for the Standing Committee's Nominating Committee (which nominates all conference ballots) and new nominees for Agency Board of Directors having to have attended at least two intercultural events in the past five years; and the reccomendation that Districts require Continuing Education Credits with intercultural content for re-liscensing and re-ordination. There were amendments introduced to change these items, but they were defeated. The paper, with all of its reccomendations intact was passed by the delegates late on Tuesday.

After worship, there was a late Tuesday business session to catch up the business that was still be done. Mirculously, the delegate body of over 800 worked hard and completed three items in a 1&1/2 hour session .

Business that remained was all completed just before time expired. Queries on Child Abuse Prevention, Reverse Membership Trends, an update to the Annual Conference rotation of locations were all passed.

The final Worship speaker was Pastor Ataloa Woodin from Fresno, California. She presented her message through a dramatic monologue as well as conventional preaching. She focused on the transforming power of Jesus Christ in te lives of his people. She chanllenged the members to go home and work to proclaim the power of God through healing and nurturing nteraction and relationship with the hurt and needy people around us.

We have been home a couple of days and had an enjoyable Sunday service. Thank you to all who made it possible for us to be away for the Conference. Looking ack, this could be a formative year for our denomination's future. The two faces of the Church - despairing at our inability to keep the Medical Plan operating, but welcoming the new faces of Brethren from different backgrounds, languages,and ethnic groups - tell us that God is always at work on us. Let us, as the Conference theme says, "Proclaim the Power of God!" - Tim