NEWSLINE - July 2, 1997 Special Annual Conference Report NEWSLINE is the weekly online newsletter of the Church of the Brethren posted each Thursday by the Communications Dept. through cobnews@aol.com. Interested persons can "hear" Newsline by calling 410 635-8738 or receive a "fax" of Newsline by calling 800 323-8039, ext. 257. Newsline by "e-mail" is available by sending an online request to cobnews@aol.com. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% NEWSLINE 07-02-97 1) 2,660 Brethren are registered as Conference participants. 2) Today's Conference events/activities. 3) A snapshot of the Conference experience. 4) Along with several other decisions, delegates name Elaine Sollenberger acting moderator for 1998. 5) Twenty-"Fore!" conferencegoers participate in the Eighth Annual BBT golf outing. 6) Applicants are being sought for Mid-Atlantic District associate executive. 7) Over 200 people participate in the "Wade On In: Dancing at the Water's Edge" pre-Conference event. 1) 723 delegates and 1,937 non-delegates have registered through Tuesday evening as Annual Conference participants. 2) From spiritual nurturing to denominational business and age-group activities, the first full day of Annual Conference is filled with a multitude of events and activities. Tonight's worship service theme is "Count Well the Cost of Community." Judith Kipp, pastor of Ridgeway Community Church of the Brethren, Harrisburg, Pa., will preach a sermon titled "Not to be trifled with." Leslie Cooper Jr. of Waterford (Calif.) Church of the Brethren will serve as worship leader. Other Annual Conference activities taking place throughout the day include: *Bible study electives -- "The abundance with simplicity," "Giving up individualism and exclusivism," "Gaining interdependence and perspective," "What a free gift costs," "La meta del discipulo," and "Simplicity (attention and gratitude)." *Junior high -- decorating t-shirts and quilt making, with proceeds going to disaster relief. *Senior high -- traveling to University of La Verne and area hiking. *Young adult -- evening coffeehouse with Salsa music. *Luncheons -- Ecumenical, Outdoor Ministries, Program for Women, Ministry of Reconciliation, National Youth Cabinet, Single Adults. *Brethren Press book signing by Eugene Roop, author of "Esther," a book in the New Covenant Bible Study series. *Dialog room -- "Hazardous duty?: Leadership in the Church of the Brethren." *Insight sessions -- "Marriage and premarital resources," "New church planting in Pacific Southwest," "Brethren commitment to the United Nations," "BVS: chuckles, challenges and change," "Counting the cost of accessibility," "Cultural skills for urban ministry," "Sharing the good news in a cross-cultural setting," "Lafiya care groups coming of age," "Gladdys Muir: educator, historian, peacemaker," "A renewed attention to biblical discipline," "WCC Programme to Overcome Violence," and "Young adults and worship." *Dinners -- Church Growth and Evangelism, World Ministries Commission, Retired District Executives. *Early evening concert -- In the first of three Annual Conference early evening concerts, The La Verne Singers, a group from the La Verne, California, Church of the Brethren, will present "an upbeat program for all ages." *Outdoor Ministries Association intergenerational campfire featuring musicians Mike Stern and Paul Robb. 3) California is a big state, judging by the distance between the Long Beach Arena where worship and business is conducted and the Exhibit Hall that houses the Conference exhibit area. To help orient Brethren who have traveled from points eastward, Pacific Southwest District volunteers have assembled pictures of each church building of their district, along with their location on the map. The geography lesson is a small part of the hospitality center located in the center of the main exhibit area. Ventriloquist Steve Engle and his dummy Hildy also helped orient newcomers to California in a brief routine prior to the morning business session, noting that the Golden State is one of the few places where one can visit the beach, mountains and desert all in the same day -- and that's only during a small earthquake. Engle assured the Conference body that California Brethren don't baptize in Perrier water, but the hospitality booth is offering fresh drinking water, free candy, comfortable seats and tables and "I love Long Beach" buttons. Giveaways abound in the main exhibit area, as the more than 60 exhibitors vie for conferencegoers' attention. Mutual Aid Association makes the most enticing offer, giving 20 minutes of free phone calling with a pre-paid phone card in exchange for the opportunity to give an insurance quote. Literature, video shows, candy, tote bags, buttons, pencils and lollipops are among the other perks offered at exhibits, representing various Brethren institutions, interest groups and General Board programs. The exhibit area offers Brethren a chance to give as well as get. Blood collection began today, with the goal of donating 500 pints to the Southern California Region of the American Red Cross blood services, and will continue on Thursday and Saturday. Forrest Gordon of McAlisterville, Pa., donated a pint of blood today, making a total of 18 gallons that he has given in his lifetime. Nearby, volunteers have begun work on creating quilts to be auctioned Saturday at the Association for the Arts quilt auction. This auction typically raises about $10,000 and is used to help the hungry through donations to the Washington, D.C. soup kitchen, and Brethren-related projects in Mulukuku, Nicaragua; Puerto Rico; and Tijuana, Mexico. Fewer patches will result in fewer and smaller quilts, says quilting coordinator Rachel Brown. By midday congregations had brought about 180 quilt patches, enough to make two twin-size and one queen-size quilts, instead of the more typical three queen-size quilts. In addition, severall smaller wallhangings will be made and sold. Arts and crafts donated by Brethren artists to the AACB display are also down, probably owing to the West Coast location of Conference. “It’s hard to bring pieces out on the plane,” said AACB coordinator Louise Blickenstaff. Potters Joyce Parker and Dorothy Hess will be demonstrating their craft throughout the week. While AACB volunteers are quilting the old-fashioned way, Mutual Aid Association's booth features an attractive computer-generated quilt background that has been catching the eye of many. An exhibit commemorating the 100th anniversary of Brethren Press is another focal point of the exhibit hall. Created by Messenger editor Kermon Thomasson, the exhibit uses photographs, historical artifacts and text to trace the evolution of the Brethren publishing arm. While food and other items in downtown Long Beach are expensive, many Conference attenders are enjoying shopping at the more reasonably priced Brethren Press and SERRV International stores. #) In this first day of Annual Conference business, delegates accepted Standing Committee's recommendation, with one amendment, to appoint Elaine Sollenberger to serve as acting moderator for 1998. Sollenberger will fill the position vacated last weekend by moderator-elect Jimmy Ross. An amendment was passed to add to the Standing Committee recommendation that a letter of thanks be sent to Ross for the time he has served the Annual Conference along with prayers for his recovery. Delegates approved a new business query on domestic violence, with a slight amendment. Standing Committee voiced concern over the issue and recommended that General Board staff gather resources for denominational use. Delegates instead voted that the request be given to Association of Brethren Caregivers, which already has several resources on the issue. Delegates also asked for resources that include the prevention of domestic abuse. Delegates heard a report from the Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee. Included in the report were concerns over medical benefits and their rising costs, a recommendation for a 3.2 percent increase in the 1998 Base Cash Salary, clarification on salary scales for part-time pastors and possible changes in the eligibility guidelines for early withdrawal from the pension plan. The committee also reported that Mennonite Mutual Aid is now handling contributions to the Pastors' House Fund. Annual Conference delegates accepted the "Defining Ministry Limits of Licensed Ministers" query, directing the query's concerns to the General Board and Council of District Executives. The query, which was sent by Oregon/Washington District, "asks for a study to widen our designation for standing to include additional categories for ministry such as those commissioned for service in specific situations." Standing Committee and delegates called on the Board and CODE to follow the recommendations included in the 1996 Annual Conference Statement "Calling and Forming Quality Ministerial Leadership within the Church of the Brethren." Annual Conference delegates were reminded during business sessions that the Congregational Structure query, while it is still an item of business, has been deferred until the 1998 Annual Conference when it will be treated as a new item of business. Delegates accepted the "Relationship with National Association of Evangelicals (NAE)" query and referred it to the Committee on Interchurch Relations to study the financial costs and observer status implications, as well as collect other information concerning the potential relationship. A report will be brought back to the 1998 Annual Conference. 5) Twenty-four members of Brethren Benefit Trust took to the links Monday for the Eighth Annual BBT Golf Outing, held at El Dorado Park Golf Course in Long Beach. Taking first place at eight under par was the team of Jim Bryant, Francis Hendricks, Tony Schneiders and Gene Wenger. Three teams tied for second at three under par. They were Troy Reimer, John Harvey, Wil Nolen and Dean Miller; Jim Chinworth, Nathan Downhour, George Reimer and Al Deeter; and Todd Reish, Tony Anthony, Earle Fike and Joan Deeter. 6) Applicants are being sought for associate executive of Mid-Atlantic District. Qualifications include strong management skills and administrative experience, successful leadership experience in collaborative planning and group dynamics, strong interpersonal and communication skills and commitment to and experience in the Church of the Brethren. Ordination and/or pastoral experience is preferred. For more information contact Office of District Ministry at 800 323-8039. 7)More than 200 people attended the "Wade On In: Dancing at the Water's Edge" event June 28-30, at La Verne (Calif.) Church of the Brethren and at the University of La Verne. Activities for this event that was held prior to Annual Conference included evening worships, concerts, Sunday morning worship with the La Verne congregation, a theater performance exploring issues of sexuality and acceptance, and afternoon conversation circles. Topics of discussion included "Responding to Denominational Silencing;" "Supportive Congregations Network;" "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Still Christian;" "Struggling to Survive: Women and the Church;" "Church of the Brethren Restructuring Implications;" and "Envisioning a New Future for the Church." Sponsors of this third Dancing event were Womaen's Caucus and Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian and Gay Concerns, with additional sponsorship from the La Verne congregation and the University of La Verne.