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The June 30 - July 4, 2007 Annual Conference was held in the Cleveland Convention Center located next to Lake Erie, the Cleveland Browns Football Stadium, the Great Lakes Science Center, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 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. Year by year, Whole Families are taking advantage of the open area behind the main conference floor. Children love to run and this open area permits a freedom that would otherwise be hindered by regular connected chair seating. Tuesday evening worship is the traditional time for the Children Singing.

Two words go together at Annual Conference - Delegates & Rush. With a post 2000 Conference shorter time frame for business it has forced the Officers and Delegate Body to work harder in order to process the usual amount of business. This year it was necessary to convene a special two hour business session immediately following the Tuesday evening worship service. Accessibility and sensitivity issues continue to be respected: persons in wheelchairs found special niches in the seating area, an odor free zone for persons with allergies, closed-circuit captioning for the hearing impaired, and Spanish Translation for those not understanding English.

This convention center 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. And entrance to the facility is confusing. One entrance is above ground, a second is below ground, and the registration lobby is underneath both. City Planners have been seeking to replace it for several years, yet it is one that is rich in history.

HISTORICAL NOTES: In 1957, two denominations met in this very Auditorium Hall 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 Conference moderator. (The first women to serve as moderator was Elaine Sollenberger in 1989, and the first African-American man to serve as moderator was William Hayes in 1988.) 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 the University of Ashland 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*. 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. *(Note: These wax figures are in the lobby where photography is not restricted.)

INSIGHTS SESSIONS: Numerous opportunities abounded for Conference attenders 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.

EXHIBITS:. Agencies, Colleges, special interests, and the General Board were well represented. Ohio Northern District and Ohio Southern District were the host districts which typically provides a Hospitality Center where people can relax, enjoy Puzzle Working, play games, and chat. Bible Visit encouraged Brethren to reexamine their biblical connections with a strong emphasis on reading the Bible and understanding their biblical heritage. Free DVDs were passed out to further explain their purpose, especially the historical contributions of the Christopher Saur family. An original Saur Bible printed in 1763 along with accompanying Framed Pages and interpretative text was on display.

REPORTABLE AGENCIES: 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. President Eugene F. Roop announced his retirement last year and has been succeeded by Ruthann Knechel Johansen.

OFFICERS: 2007 Conference Officers were Fred Swartz, secretary, Belita Mitchell, moderator and pastor of First COB, Harrisburg, PA, and James Beckwith, moderator-elect and pastor of Annville COB in Annville, PA.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Brethren Medical Plan (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 Annual Conference 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 ammended 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 Evaluation (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.

1. Merger of General Board and Association of Brethren Caregivers including Annual Conference Council
2. Leadership roles examined and enhanced for consistency
3. Core values should be promoted through identity and heritage curriculum
4. Evangelism needs to be strengthened
5. Stewardship education with necessary staffing
6. Professional growth and sabbatical to alleviate burnout. Review calling out process
7. Stagger denominational conferences so as not to convene in the same year
8. Technological methods should be explored to better communicate information and activities
9. Congregational Life Teams need to promote their mission to congregations
10. Encourage churches to be more welcoming to diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds

Doing Church Business (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 challenges 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 a resource and study information” and to be view “as possible options for future Annual Conferences.”

Becoming a Multi-Ethnic Church & Need for Cross-Cultural Ministries (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:.

Christian Churches Together recommendation that the Church of the Brethren become full participants is approved.

Child Abuse Prevention to examine how Conference statements regarding prevention are actually implemented was referred to the Association of Brethren Caregivers.

Annual Conference Schedule prompted by financial burdens and the general acceptance by Brethren of new communication technologies was referred to the Conference leadership.

Annual Conference Polity 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 concentration of Brethren.

Reverse Membership Trend to reexamine solutions to reverse the current declining membership in the Church of the Brethren was adopted.

Report of Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee was accepted that recommended a cost of living adjustment of 2.7%.

Additional Notes:

• David Shumate, District Executive/Minister of Virlina District, was elected as Moderator-elect who will serve as Moderator at San Diego in 2009.
• Folk singer Joseph Helfrich coordinated the music during worship along with a talented group of Accompanying Musicians.
• 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 of blood for the American Red Cross.
• Total registered attendance was 3,578 including 831 delegates and 2,747 nondelegates.

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 CCOB 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