The 221th Annual Conference (June 30 - July 4, 2007) of the Church of the Brethren was held in the Cleveland Convention Center Public Auditorium, 500 Lakeside Avenue East, Cleveland, OH 44114, located next to Lake Erie, the Cleveland Browns Football Stadium, the Great Lakes Science Center, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the latter promoted by 9 foot Guitars on most street corners. Lake fronts provide an attractive place for Weddings and more Weddings, and in Cleveland the customary transportation is a Stretch Hummer. The Convention Center has over 278,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 10,000 seat Auditorium, a 3,000 seat Music Hall, a 600 seat Little Theater, and a spacious 21,000 square foot Registration Lobby. Unfortunately, this facility was not as modern as Brethren have enjoyed recently. Construction of this neoclassical edifice began in 1920 and received a few upgrades, the last being in 1964. But as of 2007, this auditorium is an aging facility. Plaster is hanging loose from walls and ceilings. Fixtures are heavily worn. Ramp paving blocks have numerous chips and cracks. Springs are pushing up through the padding of balcony seats. Entrance to the facility is confusing. One entrance is above ground, a second is below ground, and the lobby is Underneath Both. City Planners have been seeking to replace it for several years, yet it is one that is rich in history. Despite its drawbacks, the convention officials were accommodating and rolled out the Welcoming Banner.
HISTORICAL NOTES:
The word Cleveland brings to mind one of the all-time great football legends, Jim Brown, who played professional football for the Cleveland Browns from 1957 until 1965. His lifetime statistics are overwhelming, especially considering the league's expansion to 16 games in 1978. In National Football League history, Brown is the only rusher to average more than 100 yards per game for a career. Brown's record of scoring 100 touchdowns in 93 games withstood all challengers until the 2006 season. He was the rusher who could not easily be tackled. Brown's lifetime rushing record was an astonishing 5.2 yards per carry. Sometimes it required three or four opponents to bring him to the turf. One surely must wonder what his lifetime stats would have been if he would have played 16 games per season instead of 12. Jim Brown is rated by the NFL as the #2 Player of all-time (as of the 2009 season).
Another milestone took place in 1957, when two denominations met in this very Auditorium to form a new denomination of about two million members: The Evangelical Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches became the United Church of Christ. History was made again this year when Belita Mitchell, pastor of Harrisburg First COB, became the first African-American women to preside as Annual Conference moderator. (The first African-American man to serve as moderator was William Hayes in 1988, and the first women to serve as moderator was Elaine Sollenberger in 1989.) Mitchell has achieved a milestone which reflects a growing openness among Brethren to diversity and cultural issues. Her Sunday Morning sermon emphasized the need for prayer in every avenue of our life. She encouraged members to be intense about the work of Christ: “I don't believe declining membership was a part of Christ's mission!”
SPECIAL NOTES:
A pleasant drive south on Interstate 71 from Cleveland is the city of Ashland which is headquarters to our sister denomination The Brethren Church and home to Ashland University, founded in 1878. Administrative control and hence the future mission of this university (then a college) was hotly contended by two major factions in The Brethren Church during the 1930s. Thousands left to form the Grace Brethren denomination and those remaining in The Brethren Church were sometimes referred to as the Ashland Brethren. Continuing south along the Interstate is the city of Mansfield and the Bible Walk museum and Cathedral which portrays biblical stories through numerous scenes of Wax Figures. (Note: These wax figures are in the lobby where photography is not restricted.) Just around the corner is the former Ohio State Reformatory whose Castle Like structure has been film location for several movies including the emotionally charged Shawshank Redemption. It is now a museum and open to the public for scheduled events such as meetings, parties, and receptions, as well as regular guided tours.
With a post 2000 Conference shorter time frame for business it has forced Conference Officers and the Delegate Body to work harder in order to process the usual amount of business. The long times of conversation following business sessions of many years ago have been exchanged for Rushing and Running. This year it was necessary to convene a special two hour business session immediately following the Tuesday evening worship service, in order for Delegates to process the load of business. Many other particulars seemed to continue as usual: persons in wheelchairs found special niches provided for them in the main seating area, persons with allergies congregated to the odor free zone, closed-circuit captioning was again provided for the hearing impaired, and Spanish Translation was available for those not understanding English.
Year by year, Whole Families are taking advantage of the unrestricted open area behind the main conference seating. Children love to run and this open area permits a freedom that would otherwise be hindered by regular connected chair seating. Conference-goers were happy to make friends with Fuzzy Dog who gave warm hugs and hand-shakes. Tuesday evening worship is the traditional time for the Children's Choir to sing.
INSIGHTS SESSIONS:
Numerous opportunities abounded for Conference attendees to be enriched by these classroom type sessions, and several agencies offered more than one. Enhancing Worship with Digital Stained Glass or Multimedia Worship explained how technology is enhancing the worship service and also how to stay focused on the essence of worship so that technology does not become a distraction. Awards were given for the best submitted presentations.
A first for Conference this year was the public use of Wi-Fi (pronounced why-fye) or wireless Internet connection offered by Bethany Theological Seminary. Conference goers having wireless enabled devices could pick up the SSID of Bethany when inside the broadcast perimeter of their Access Point. Bethany also provided Laptop Computers for anyone to stop and check their e-mail. Bethany president Eugene F. Roop announced his retirement at AC 2006 and has been succeeded by Ruthann Knechel Johansen.
OFFICERS:
2007 Conference Officers were Moderator Belita Mitchell, pastor of First COB, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Moderator-elect James Beckwith, pastor of Annville COB, Annville, Pennsylvania; and Secretary Fred Swartz.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Brethren Medical PlanAC 2005 study committee called for the phasing out of the Brethren Benefit Trust Medical Plan due to decreasing membership and the inability to spread costs over a large pool of users, plus the increasing cost of health care in general. Membership in the plan was at 3,119 in 1993 but dropped to 796 in May, 2005. Insurance consultants advised BBT that stability was urgently needed. The report of BBT at AC 2004 announced that the Plan was in a “death spiral.” December 31, 2007 was announced as the beginning of the phasing out period for ministers and retirees. Although the imminent demise of the plan had been expected for the past two years, it was still discomforting to some pastors and it left others disillusioned. The report was amended to include that BBT continue to determine if the Plan could be retained for agencies who have 100 per cent participation, and that BBT assist plan participants to find alternate coverage.
Review and EvaluationAC 2005 study committee recommended ten changes to improve denominational consistency, financial considerations, and ministry, the first of which called for the merger of the General Board and the Association of Brethren Caregivers into a new entity labeled The Church of the Brethren, U.S.A. Some delegates felt these trailing letters to be more of a political statement than a geographical reference. All instances of U.S.A. were removed by amendment. This proposed merger would not affect Bethany Theological Seminary or Brethren Benefit Trust.
Merger of General Board and Association of Brethren Caregivers including Annual Conference Council
Leadership roles examined and enhanced for consistency
Core values should be promoted through identity and heritage curriculum
Evangelism needs to be strengthened
Stewardship education with necessary staffing
Professional growth and sabbatical to alleviate burnout. Review calling out process
Stagger denominational conferences so as not to convene in the same year
Technological methods should be explored to better communicate information and activities
Congregational Life Teams need to promote their mission to congregations
Encourage churches to be more welcoming to diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds
Doing Church BusinessAC 2004 study committee presented delegates with a broad brush of suggestions to improve how we process business. A one year extension had been granted from AC 2005. Some observations of the committee were: the adequacy and fairness of Roberts Rules of Order, pain and loss from elections which produces winners and losers, Holy Spirit inspired preparation of delegates before Annual Conference, lack of training in some areas of leadership, and the AC 2000 initiated shorter business time frame has challenged delegates to properly discern the mind of Christ. The committee enumerated and explained several possible tools and methods for delegates. The large scope of their suggestions invited a motion that the report be received “as resource and study information” and to be viewed “as possible options for future Annual Conferences.”
Becoming a Multi-Ethnic Church & Need for Cross-Cultural MinistriesAC 2004 chose its theme scripture from Revelation 7:9: “of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues.” The 41 page report was one of the longest reports in the Conference booklet. AC 2004 combined these originally two separate queries into one and required that committee membership be purposefully composed of an ethnically diverse representation of those cultures presently in the Church of the Brethren. Committee activity included establishing definitions to resolve confusing terminology, identifying denominational barriers that hinder the fulfillment of Rev. 7:9, exposing unwillingness of some to share power across cultural boundaries, observed congregational inertia to explore cultural opportunities, and questioned structures that intentionally inhibit recruitment of minorities. “After much prayer, study, research, and deliberation, our committee concluded that one essential part of the answer to that question is for us to be Separate No More”.
NEW BUSINESS:
Reverse Membership Trend adopted per Standing Committee recommendation to reexamine solutions and reverse the current declining membership in the Church of the Brethren. It was a lengthy recommendation that called for taking the Great Commission of Matthew 29:19-20 more seriously, a fresh reading of the 1981 Diminishing Membership paper, and identifying actions for congregations and districts.
Annual Conference (New) Schedule was referred to the Conference leadership. Financial burdens and stress of meeting on an annual basis coupled with the general acceptance by Brethren of new communication technologies prompted a reexamination of the current schedule and its real effects.
Child Abuse Prevention to examine how Annual Conference statements regarding prevention are actually implemented was referred to the Association of Brethren Caregivers.
Annual Conference Polity adopts a recommendation from the Annual Conference Council to change the rotation schedule so that Annual Conference is held more frequently in areas where there is a higher population of Brethren.
Christian Churches Together recommendation adopted that the Church of the Brethren become a full participant.
OTHER BUSINESS:
Report of Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee was accepted that recommended a cost of living adjustment of 2.7%.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
Total registered attendance was 3,578 comprised of 831 Delegates and 2,747 Non-Delegates.
David Shumate, District Executive/Minister of Virlina District, was elected as Moderator-elect to serve as Moderator in 2009 at San Diego, California.
Association for the Arts Quilt Auction raised a total of $7,558.58 from several wall hangings, worship tapestries, plus a special Moderator autographed 300th anniversary calendar. Volunteers donated lots of personal time in order to finish the quilts in the shortened post 2000 Conference time frame. Serious Bidders helped raise funds which also benefits the Global Food Crisis Fund.
Blood Drive participants were successful in donating 212 units for the American Red Cross.
Program & Arrangements Committee announced that ST. LOUIS, Missouri, will be the location for AC 2012.
WORSHIP SERMONS:
SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 30 :
Jeff Carter, (not available) Pastor of Manassas COB in Manassas, Virginia
SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 1 :
Moderator Belita Mitchell, (not available), pastor of First COB in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
MONDAY EVENING, JULY 2 :
Duane Grady, BUILDING WELL RELATIONSHIPS, member of General Board Congregational Life Team
TUESDAY EVENING, JULY 3 :
Tim Harvey, WHEN SHAME MEETS GRACE: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JESUS, Pastor of Central COB, Roanoke, Virginia
WEDNESDAY MORNING, July 4 :
Ataloa Woodin, SERVANTS ENABLED WITH A GREAT POWER, Pastor of Community Brethren Church, Fresno, California
“They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them,
should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders (about this question).”
Acts 15:2
