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GUIDELINES FOR CONGREGATIONAL WITHDRAWAL
                                   FROM THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

                                    SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA DISTRICT

                        court could award the property to a majority of the congregation. To avoid this
                        potential, congregations are encouraged to acknowledge a trust/fiduciary
                        relationship between the District and the congregation. This can be
                        accomplished, either through amendment of the congregational by-laws or a
                        formal Trust Agreement, to be effective and binding in the event a majority of
                        the membership of any congregation wishes to disassociate itself from the
                        Church of the Brethren. To that end, the District would avail itself to serve as
                        Trustee for such purposes. For all other issues regarding property holdings and
                        financial resources, the District will defer to the Denominational polity as a
                        guide. (SEE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN “Manual of Organization and
                        Polity.)

                    4.2 Dissolution Statement. Southern Pennsylvania District, Church of the Brethren,
                    though individually incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a part of
                    the Church of the Brethren denomination with general offices located at 1451
                    Dundee Avenue, Elgin, Illinois 60120. In the event of, or upon dissolution, the net
                    assets of this Corporation shall be distributed to the Church of the Brethren.

               In light of the above information from both Denominational and District polity, and in
               order to    provide for an orderly separation in fellowship when reconciliation cannot be
               achieved, the following Guidelines for Congregational Withdrawal from the Church of
               the Brethren Southern Pennsylvania District is hereby adopted.


                     GUIDELINES FOR CONGREGATIONAL WITHDRAWAL
                                    from the Church of the Brethren
                                     Southern Pennsylvania District

           I.  It is the responsibility of the congregation, its moderator and/or ministerial leadership,
              and  its Leadership Team to notify the District Executive of its conflict or uncertainty
              about remaining in the Church of the Brethren. Plans for withdrawal should not be
              made in secret.

           II.  The District Executive, District Board Chair, District Ministry Commission Chair, and
              one other District Board member appointed by the District Executive shall serve as a
              Reconciliation Committee. Should the District Board Chair or District Ministry
              Commission Chair be part of the congregation wishing to withdraw or if either should be
              unable to serve for any reason the Vice Chair of the District Board and the Vice Chair of
              the District Ministry Commission shall serve.

              A.  The Reconciliation Committee should meet with the congregational leadership
                   within  thirty (30) days of receiving official notice of the congregation’s concerns
                   to listen to their leadership, to understand their grievances, and to attempt a
                   resolution of the same.


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