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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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