The Brethren Evangelist - Sept/Oct 2016

the Brethren

Evangelist

sept/oct 2016

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Hello everyone! To say the cover of our last issue caused a ripple through the community of Evangelist readers would but putting it lightly! I have many passionate responses to the cover of the May/June issue of the Evangelist that just reminded me that you all love our Church. Some of the responses we received were concerns about the future of the Evangelist. To help with the concerns we received about the last issue, I want to give you the rationale about why we published such a cover and what we will need to do as we move into the future!

As I looked over our communications strategy, I discovered that our main form of communication, the form of communication on which we spend the most time and resources, is one that is quickly becoming a minority source of communication. Print materials like the Evangelist are valuable to our movement, but can no longer be the majority of our communications strategy.

From the responses we received, I am convinced that we need to continue to move forward in developing new ways to communicate with The Brethren. One of the barriers to better communication is our access to individual Brethren’s contact information. While we have nearly 6000 mailing addresses for the Evangelist circulation, we have fewer that 600 email addresses and even fewer cell phone numbers.

Webpages, emails, and cell phones may not be everyone’s preferred source of information, but it is the primary source for many people in our culture today. As we move further into the 21st century, we must capitalize on how we best communicate with all generations and demographics represented in our Church. You will continue to receive your copy of the Evangelist for the foreseeable future. If you do not read your copy and you prefer to get you information about our Church in other ways, please call the National Offices and give us your updated information: 419-289-1708.

As we move into the future, we are putting together a strategy that will better utilize digital communication platforms. Our goal is to increase the number of people with whom we are able to communicate effectively and communicate the kind of information that benefits the movement of The Brethren Church.

We appreciate your commitment to The Brethren Church and look forward to communicating with you in increasingly better and more creative ways. Enjoy the rest of this issue as we tell you the stories of just how the Holy Spirit moved through our midst at General Conference this year.

Blessings,

Steven Cole Executive Director The Brethren Church

contents Letter from the Executive Director.....................2 The Brethren Evangelist Asks...............................3

by Ann Miller

Brethren Academy................................................5

by Hanna Strickland

Mid-Level Task Force............................................7

by Ronald Waters

Conference Pictures..............................................9 Discipleship Training Manual........................... 10

by Brad Selan

WMS.................................................................... 12

by Gloria Radcliff & Sherry Van Duyne

Social Issues Task Force..................................... 14 Conference Reflection....................................... 15

by Tom Schiefer

Engage Reflection.............................................. 16

by Winter Lawson

Budget Update................................................... 18 Bits & Pieces........................................................ 19

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ON THE COVER: Communion was offered at Conference in the most un-orthodox fashion. Dustin White and Nate Bebout explained that Jesus left Heaven and entered the mess of humanity; a fact we must remember when receiving the bread and cup (both of which were offered from among heaps of trash that had accumulated from all conference attendees).When we participate in communion, we too agree to be sent as Jesus was, by entering the messes of those in our communities.

THE BRETHREN EVANGELIST ASKS...

Ann Miller Ann wrote an incredible piece on her blog, of which she has graciously allowed us to share here. For more of her story, visit: annleemiller.com July, 18, 2016, Ashland OH—My eyes traced the gold and maroon geometric pattern on the carpet of Ashland University’s Upper Convo. I’d attended the Brethren National Conference for over 35 years and I was focused on slipping off my new sandals without dinging my blisters. I was not thinking about God doing something magical.

My pastor husband, Jim thumbed through the program book beside me. Glenn and Sarah Black stood against the accordion wall with their foster sons, still closer than relatives from our years planting Oasis Community Church in Phoenix.

Mostly familiar faces dotted the room.

Executive Director Steven Cole opened his address, “We need to quit believing the lie that because we are small—as a denomination, as individual churches— that we are ‘less than’ other churches.”

He was right about the church. And about me. God knew I’d carted around a wheelbarrow of lies leftover from being raised by a hyper-critical father. I’m a lousy Christian. God can’t possibly be pleased with me, and a flock of other falsehoods that felt true deep in my gut. Intellectually, I believed that when the Holy Spirit convicts, He’s specific about what sin I committed. Yet most of the time I felt a vague sense of guilt and unworthiness that I could never shake.

A few mornings later, Pastor Ron Waters who had challenged me when I was in my early 20’s to teach a Sunday School class of 11 and 12 year-olds at Park Street—told emcee Nate Bebout that he was concerned about conference attendees who felt defeated. Nate had been thinking about the same thing. Near the end of the service, Nate rubbed his rusty beard and asked folks who struggled with feeling “not good enough” to stand.

God elbowed me in the ribs. I could stand up and everyone would stare at me like a gauze-wrapped thumb. But I didn’t want to go home with the same old worthlessness. I lurched to my feet with now-or-never determination. Icy air conditioning floated in the quiet. Maybe I could have dealt with this in private…. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a teen, maybe two, pop up. Someone far to my left rose. I shifted from one barefoot to the other, feeling a hundred eyes on my back, wishing I could disappear.

Nate asked the congregation to gather around me, and the few others who had stood, to pray for us.

I knew I needed more prayers than my own, but I felt like a patient wheeled in for surgery by committee. Too many people would be looking at my insides.

Fourteen-year-olds, Taylor McLaughlin and Madisyn Schmidt from North Manchester bolted toward me with huge grins on their faces. We had met and prayed together the day before, forging a bond that crossed generations. Nappanee Youth Pastor John The Brethren Evangelist 3

Howenstine—who had driven me crazy on the Camp Bethany newspaper staff when he was 14, now in his forties—walked on chairs to get to me. Jim’s arm slipped around me. Jill, my AU dorm neighbor in 1980 and lifelong friend, and her husband, David Stone, from Sarasota, Florida, gathered around. Jim and Susie Black from Milledgeville, Illinois, crowded closer.

Michelle DeLaughter, one of my über spiritual Camp Shipshewana kids, back in the 80’s when she couldn’t be bothered by wild-boy Tim DeLaughter, left her seat, intent on praying for me, but God urged her past me and onto the stage to pray for everyone who had responded. An hour earlier she had been delivered from her own lie. Michelle’s words ran over me, sweeter than Raspberry Truffle ice cream I bought at Ashland’s Brookside Park every summer.

When Michelle ended the prayer, happy tears wet my face. I hugged my precious new teen friends, and every person surrounding me. My teeth clunked into Tom Schiefer’s scalp, another college classmate. Fatherly Joe Burgos—whom I’d never met, but who had gone on a mission trip to Peru with my daughter, Annie, seven years earlier—took my face in his hands. “God loves you,” he said.

That afternoon, Pastor Brad Selan stood at the podium as I slipped in late from a meeting. He’d had three sermons prepared. Previous speakers had “stolen” the first two. He was left with the story of his own wheelbarrow of untruths he’d rather not parade before the denomination. But he saw me near the front, thought of my willingness to be transparent, and took heart.

I didn’t know he’d read the roots of my lies on my blog. Brad told how the falsehoods he’d learned in childhood had recently imploded.

His marriage and ministry turned to rubble. He

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told about the hard-fought truth he and his wife, Cara, had since built their lives and ministry on.

At the end, he asked the listeners to write down lies we believed about ourselves, rip them up, and throw them away in baskets on the stage.

I wrote three pages—just the fibs lying around in my head like dirty laundry. There were more, but the music wound down. I felt certain God would vanquish those, too. I dashed to the baskets, ripping the pages as I went, a grin stretched across my face.

At communion, Bill Ludwig, who has long been an ironsharpens-iron friend to Jim, looked me in the eye and smiled. “The blood of the new covenant, spilled for you.” He handed me the communion bread, heavy with purple and significance.

I would live the remaining quarter of my life in the new covenant of truth. Bill said later that the words he spoke to me were slightly different from what he said to the rest of the people in line. He’d felt God in that moment like I had.

Pastor Bryan Karchner stopped Jim and me after the service. Bryan and his wife, Linda, had connected with us during the past year over shared heartaches. Bryan said God had been prompting him all week to pray for me. At the end of his prayer, he looked at me and said, “God wants you to know he loves you. You are precious to Him.” God used a tiny denomination who often feels “less than” to tell me the truth. He enunciated with careful precision to make sure I understood, so I would never again believe a lie. I thank these people whose history is tangled up in mine. I thank God. I get it. I am delirious. Giddy. Loved.

Brethren Academy a reflection by Hanna Strickland

Hanna shares how attending Brethren Academy has begun to change the way she thinks about a situation. The impact of Brethren Academy has affected her in many ways. Please allow her thoughts to help you ponder how you can change the world where you are right now and into the future.

I signed up for Brethren Academy not really knowing what to expect.

I knew we were going to learn about leadership, the history of the Brethren church, and we were going to help out a little during Engage Conference. I was excited and nervous at the same time. Every day we learned something new about who we are as Brethren, and as Christians. Every lesson and worship service was filled with God moments or lightbulb moments.

Bill Ludwig spoke at one evening session. His topic was Inspire a shared vision. He started off by asking what the definition of vision was; people said what they thought could be the answer; Bill gave us some answers and finally said “a vision is a clear, shared and compelling picture of the preferred future.” This made me think but only really enough to write it down. He continued to talk about our values, being a leader, and community. Then he told us to think about newspaper headlines, what the headlines would be in 10 years because of The Brethren Church. So then he asked what we saw as some problems in the world that we, The Brethren Church, could help fix. We listed things like poverty, Kenya’s unclean water, human trafficking, sicknesses that were sweeping the world, etc. Bill told each table to pick one of these topics and come up with the story.

The Brethren Evangelist 5

My table talked about clean water for Kenya. This is what we wrote: “A team of Brethren missionaries went to Kenya and saw a need. They learned that 26,750 people die each year die from dirty drinking water. When they returned they raised money for 400 buckets and the buckets worked so well that a nationwide fundraiser was started and The Brethren church donated enough money for buckets to give clean water to every person in Kenya. There are 10,000 Brethren in the United States and 17,000 in India; it is estimated that each person paid $9 for one bucket. These only last a year. Help the Brethren Church end all thirst in all nations.”

These buckets are really a filter inside a bucket that filters clean water for 40 people for a year. My sister Naomi, who was also in the group, has fundraised with a group before who buys these filters and gives them to people in Kenya. To get the filters we donate money to them and they take filters over and help the people of Kenya learn how to use them.

When we wrote the article we thought that if every person in the Brethren Church donated $9 would that be enough to actually clean all the water in Kenya.

Unfortunately, one person giving $9 would not clean all the water but it could make a huge difference. Not nearly as many people would get water if each person only donated $9 but then what if everyone gave $18 a week. That would mean that we would save 80 people every week!

Why is this so important? We live in America which is basically the most privileged country in the world. We are so privileged here we never really see the hardships that other people go through. Many go days or weeks without clean water or food, and have just enough to barely survive. Some of these innocent children are so young they don’t understand why they are hungry and thirsty. What would you do if you were a parent in that situation?

This all stuck in my heart during the rest of the night and into the next morning at Brethren Academy. I am not a parent but I babysit children all the time and I love them as though they are my own kids. When I am gone from them for a while I miss them so much. I

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put myself in the position that those kids are like my godson or goddaughter and thought, “would I just sit there and let them die from thirst when I could simply give a little money to help save them?”

This sat on me like a huge weight, but what could I do? I am just a 16-year-old girl. I decided to talk to my mom, Paula Strickland, and Steven Cole to see if we might be able to do some kind of offering at conference. When I talked to them, Steven said if they had time they would do an offering at conference. I was so excited that I had finally done something. We were unable to do an offering. That made me think why stop with donating money, why not go a step further and try to get a water filtration system that we could help to put in, creating something sustainable. That would then create a healthier environment for the people and could create jobs and then the economy would get better which would make the country better which would make the world better.

...[I] THOUGHT, “WOULD I JUST SIT THERE AND LET THEM DIE FROM THIRST WHEN I COULD SIMPLY GIVE A LITTLE MONEY TO HELP SAVE THEM?” As Bill said in the beginning. In ten years what are the headlines going to say about the Brethren Church?

What are we going to change in the next ten years?

What are YOU going to do in the next ten years? Is it going to be here in America, Kenya, or are you going to do something in India? What can you doing for Jesus in the next ten years? What will the headlines say about the Brethren Church in ten years? My prayer is that we will embrace who we are as Brethren and change the world.

mid level task force update Ronald W. Waters Team Coordinator The 2016 General Conference resoundingly adopted a series of amendments to “A Manual of Procedure,� the organizing document of The Brethren Church. The amendments implement a regional reorganization adopted by the 2015 General Conference by an 81% favorable vote. When fully implemented, five regions will replace the nine current districts.

The vote followed breakout sessions earlier in the week to answer questions and discuss the proposed amendments.

The amendments constitute the first major revision of the manual regarding midlevel organization since it was first adopted in 1915. They required a two-thirds favorable vote by the conference for adoption.

Chapter one on the local church remains largely advisory and unchanged except for a few additional amendments to bring the manual into alignment with current practice and terminology.

The amendments create three new chapters. Chapter Two on regions presents their purpose as the preservation and promotion of existing congregations and the development of new congregations within their boundaries.

This chapter describes creation of Regional Leadership Teams. These teams serve an executive function in their region; provide oversight of pastors, elders, and congregations (including examination for licensure, ordination, and commissioning); and serve as advocates for the mission and programs of The Brethren Church. They also are advocates for regional ministries including church multiplication, congregational vitality, and any camps in the region.

Chapter two also describes the appointment of regional resource coordinators who work under direction of the national staff. These coordinators serve on the Regional Leadership Teams and as their representatives to congregations in the region. They promote the mission and vision of The Brethren Church. They coordinate the equipping, training, and resourcing of clusters of congregations and encourage regular inter-congregational fellowship, collaboration, and connectivity through these clusters.

The Brethren Evangelist 7

Chapter three describes a new National Board of Oversight. This board will assume the responsibilities of the present National Ordination Council by providing final examination and approval of candidates for ordination and by setting policy and procedures for licensure, commissioning, and ordination. It will maintain a national list of elders and of licensed and commissioned pastors. The board will serve as a final appeal in cases of regional discipline of pastors, elders, and congregations.

Chapter four reworks the former Chapter Two on conferences. This new chapter focuses primarily on General Conference and its Executive Board. It also includes the portion of the old Chapter Two on district conferences until 2020 or until all districts have transitioned into regions, whichever occurs first.

The amended manual includes six exhibits which replace earlier addenda to the manual. The exhibits cover nomination processes for moderator, Executive Board, and Regional Leadership Teams; descriptions of General Conference committees; a new statement on indemnification of officers and board members; and a new policy on conflicts of interest.

With the adoption of these amendments, districts may now begin the formal transition from districts to regions. During the past General Conference year, five districts (California, Central, Florida, Indiana, and Ohio) voted to move forward with transition by mid-year 2017. Northeast District expects implementation over several years. Midwest and Southeastern districts are still exploring the implications of regionalization. Southwest District will decide their approach on September 17.

The new National Board of Oversight will be formed by mid-year 2017.

The proposal for regional reorganization is the result

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of an extensive study by the Mid-Level Organization team that has been meeting since fall 2011. It gave a preliminary report at the 2014 General Conference and at 2015 district conferences.

The team was formed by the Executive Board and includes members of the Executive Board, the General Conference Polity Committee, and former members of each. It will continue to function by assisting districts in their transition to regions. Members appointed as contacts for specific districts are: Dan Acker – Southwest District • • Steven Cole – California District • Emery Hurd – Midwest District • Dale Stoffer – Indiana District • John Swope – Southeastern District • Ronald W. Waters – Central, Florida,

Northeast, and Ohio districts The 2016 version of “A Manual of Procedure” may be found online at: http://www.brethrenchurch.org/reorganization-info Questions about the transition may be addressed to me by e-mail at RonaldWWaters@gmail.com or by phone at 330-525-7169.

GLOBAL PARTNERS DINNER MOVED HEARTS A Recap by Scott Soden The Global Partners dinner was a huge success this year. We enjoyed reports and stories from four different groups and more information and inspiration than one can possibly explain all in one article. Suffice it to say, every person who attended walked away with food-filled bellies and spirit-filled hearts.

• Dave and Jill Stone spoke about the great work being accomplished at the orphanage in Puerto Maldonado. They spoke of their many adventures and the fruitful work that’s taking place in Lima, Pucasana, and Puerto Maldonado.

Their stories and photos touched the hearts of the audience and told of the great needs that remain in Peru.

• Linda Immel stretched hearts as she spoke of the ongoing ministry in India through the Kumar family and The Brethren Church there. She spoke of the blessings, the hardships and mostly the boundless grace and hope offered through Christ in a land where many have lost all hope. Though much has been done, there is so much more to be accomplished as Linda outlined ways that churches and individuals could be involved in the ministries of our Global Partners in India.

• Kurt Stout spoke of the many amazing things happening through the ministry of The Godoy family in Papudo, Chile and the work of the church in Santiago, Chile. He told of The Blue Door Café, Puertas Ministry, and Pastor Carlos Quiroga and the Santiago the church which works to minister in countless ways.

• Nappanee sent a team to Argentina in June. They came back filled with stories of new friends, great adventure, powerful prayer and the ministry that the Brethren Church in Argentina is accomplishing through the power of Christ.

Our offering went to help our missionary families like the Ferrari family in Colombia or the Molina family in Spain, to take time away and travel to their extended family in Argentina. There they may receive a time of rest, relaxation and connection with fellow Brethren Churches. All who attended were indeed blessed by such a special and spiritfilled evening. Thank all of you who partner with us on the Global Partners Team. If you’d like to learn how you can better connect with our Global Partners, please contact us.

The Brethren Evangelist 9

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING MANUAL

by Brad Selan

In September 2014, a group of 11 Brethren pastors and denominational leaders began a journey together with the intended outcome of creating a Discipleship Training Manual…or so we thought! Instead, our lives, lived in community together, became the curriculum that formed the contents of the Discipleship Training Manual many of you had a chance to review at this year’s General Conference.

I have always been a “resource junkie”, looking for the next great thing to assist me in becoming more productive or efficient in life. So, when Ken Hunn extended the invitation to join a group that would help form a new resource for our denomination, I was quick to jump at the opportunity. It wasn’t more than an afternoon into our first gathering, though, when it became evident to the group this would be far from just another working session intent on crafting an exceptional product to be promoted in our churches. Mike Chong Perkinson, our facilitator, began calling out wounds, lies, and dysfunctional patterns in discipleship many of us lived and/or experienced that would need to be addressed before any work on a manual would be able to take place. In fact, it was well into the first year together before we even began to discuss the resource itself.

Little did we know, as I mentioned above, our lives in transformation

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were becoming the curriculum we unknowingly were writing as each quarterly four-day gathering took place.

A common formula that Mike Perkinson often focused our conversations on was the idea of a Wound-Lie-Contract. A wound takes place in our life, which Satan uses to create a lie we believe about ourselves or others, and thus creates a contract of behavior that compromises our ability to live a life fully into our destiny as sons and daughters of God. This manual seeks to reveal such wounds and renounce the lies Satan has deceived us into believing. The intended outcome, then, becomes a new way of living that is rooted not in changed behaviors, but in a clear understanding of who we are in Christ, thus enabling us to make healthier, more mature disciples.

As one of the writers of the manual, my task was to integrate how we understand our identity in Christ as we set out to make disciples. This came out of my own journey over three years of surrendering to how fractured and distorted I understood my own identity, which unknowingly was then reproduced in those I was discipling. Those with whom I continue to be in a discipling relationship have remarked an observable healthy transformation in my discipleship patterns that has paralleled the clarity with which I began to understand my full identity in Christ. God instrumentally used the creation of the Discipleship Training Manual to accomplish this transformation.

that occurs “as we go” in ministry. It is messier and more unpredictable, but the fruit of this work has been some of the most significant I’ve experienced in over a decade of pastoral ministry.

If you haven’t had a chance to read the manual yet, I cannot encourage you strongly enough to ask your pastor for a copy, or better yet, call into the National Office to order a copy for yourself (they are $15 each copy).

At St James Brethren Church, we have begun to implement the tools found in this discipleship manual, both on a leadership development level as well as in an individual discipleship context. As a result, we have experienced how quickly environments can transform and opportunities for deeplevel life transformation open up. As our leadership continues to live closer in alignment with who each are in Christ, we find them leading people towards meaningful ministry opportunities. These opportunities then have created moments of discipleship The Brethren Evangelist 11

Women Meant to Serve

2. Are seeing women’s ministry as a priority, not just focusing on the numbers, but rather on ministering to one another, enhancing the relational aspect and broadening our scope to include discipleship, outreach, service and mentoring.

A WMS Update

6. Who have a vision and desire to reach out to our communities, and have utilized the National WMS Grant program to jumpstart new avenues of ministry that otherwise would not have been possible.

by Gloria Radcliff & Sherry Van Duyne

We wanted to highlight and celebrate what God is doing through women in our local churches, districts From where I stand, WMS is alive and well and making a difference in the lives of men, women and families in our churches, communities and across our areas of missions both close to home and globally.

It gives me great pleasure to take a moment to share with you who we are and what we are about.

We are Women Meant to Serve.

We are Women Who: 1. Have a vision, have taken a serious look at our mission statement and adopted goals relevant to our culture and time. We have spent time setting personal goals and time as individual groups evaluating our relevance to our culture, brainstorming WMS ministry/ outreach ideas and then creatively searching for new ways to be “on mission” for Christ’s kingdom in our churches, our communities and our world.

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3. Encourage one another to grow in faith by providing the opportunity to attend WMS gatherings designed with a purpose.

4. Serve together in our communities, go on mission trips together, have fun together.

5. Give of our time, talent and resources to support our home missions and global partners.

7. Support our missionaries not just by giving money, but by making it a priority to be informed of their needs and how to best pray for them. To better accomplish this, Linda Immel keeps us updated with what she calls the “MOLE” report. MOLE stands for Mission Outreach Liaison, etc.

8. Who are learning how to maximize our strengths and minimize our weaknesses, learning from our past with eyes on what the future has for us.

WMS gives the opportunity to do what God has called us to do as women. We are seeking to be a vibrant and thriving ministry of women working toward one goal: to spread the gospel in meaningful ways.

It is my hope that you will be encouraged and excited as you hear what is being accomplished in missions as God uses WMS as an arm of support to Brethren missions. Yes, there are the bumps in the road, but, we are Women Meant to Serve, Women serving God and God’s people wherever they are. That is who we are and what we are about.

“Forgetting what is behind and straining for what is ahead, I press on toward the goal lo win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

WMS is alive and well and we are Pressing ON! Here are some of the ways WMS ladies have served in the past year:

• Some Indiana District WMS ladies traveled to Lost Creek, KY to Riverside Christian School. It was their second mission trip to support and encourage the staff and students. North Manchester WMS ladies received a Legacy Grant last year and traveled to South America to buy and build a shed for the Blue Door Café, an out reach ministry in Papudo, Chile. They also traveled to our other Brethren Global Partners in Chile and Peru.

• Jason Barnhart and Mallory Miller shared with us about the new and ongoing work of the Campus Minis try at Ashland University. Monday evening at conference, we sponsored a banquet which was open to all conference attendees. Several men thanked us for sharing.

• Our ladies are involved in their local churches and communities. Last year’s Legacy Grants winners shared with us how they ministered with the money they were awarded. Our ladies are also generous with their time, talents and abilities.

• We awarded three Legacy Grants for this year.

1. Nappanee, IN: $840 for fabric and supplies to make Cancer Care Comforters as an outreach into their community.

2. North Georgetown, OH: $400 for Tailgating Outreach at local high school events.

3. Oak Hill, WV: $750 for establishing Living Our Legacy – FaithGirlz Club” for girls ages 6-13.

Our current project is remodeling and helping the ministry in Pucasana, Peru. We have collected over $7,000 so far which will enable them to secure the area and add safety features for both the students and the property. We don't realize the absolute necessity of a walled perimeter here in America but without this the work is greatly limited. They are very, very thankful.

Two churches were so challenged and inspired by our day that they went home to start new WMS Groups. We gave them resources and encouragement!

Our new project will be to send rolled bandages to India. Watch for more information in The M.O.L.E. Report.

The Brethren Evangelist 13

SOCIAL ISSUES TASK FORCE At this year’s General Conference, the Social Issues Task Force (comprised of Jayne Wilcox, chair, Dustin White, Scott Soden, Rich Hagopian, Roger Stogsdill, Steven Cole, Dianna Teusch, and Jason Barnhart) presented a revised Social Issues document for the Brethren Church. The issues discussed in this new document were as follows:

• Addictions (Drugs, Alcohol, Gambling, and Pornography) • Consumption & Wealth • Issues of Life & Death (Abortion, Suicide, Euthanasia, Death Penalty, Human Trafficking) • Immigration • Poverty & Racial Inequality • Sexuality (Homosexuality, Heterosexuality, Celibacy, Intimacy) • Creation Stewardship • Peace & War

The Executive Board of the Brethren Church assembled the task force and commissioned them to research our positions on social issues. The desire was to revisit our social issues to make sure the language was applicable to our current context. The desire throughout was not to change our fundamental positions on the social issues that comprise our current “Brethren Positions on Social Issues.” Instead, we wanted to make sure that our social issues statements best represent the Word and Spirit balance that is part and parcel of our Brethren witness. We also wanted to address pertinent issues not discussed in our current social issues document. In Brethren spirit, we always want to be about the “Love of God and our neighbor’s good.”

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The conference week included a session for questions and answers before a conference vote on Wednesday of that week. Prior to General Conference the document circulated among the districts and their respective elders groups and a paper copy was mailed to each of the churches around the country. Many suggestions received before and during Conference were amended to the document.

The conversation around the document embodied the best of the Brethren. All in attendance wanted to maintain adherence to Scripture and work out ways to best communicate those truths to a new generation and context. In this spirit the Conference voted to table the document until next year to allow for further conversation in districts and local churches. Also, The National Association of Brethren Church Elders (NABCE) will be working through the document in a series of online conversations facilitated by Fred Miller. Our hope is that this will give the Brethren the time we need to engage in these needed discussions.

To review the revised edition of the document, please go to the following link: http://www.brethrenchurch.org/proposed-socialissues-document Our request is that you would prayerfully process this document individually and with your local church. We look forward to the conversation surrounding these social issues at next year’s conference after a year of prayerful review.

HOW THE SPIRIT MOVED AT GENERAL CONFERENCE 2016

by Tom Schiefer

You can plan. You can position yourself, as well as your heart and soul. But when the Holy Spirit moves and stirs the waters, you must be ready to embrace the flow. General Conference this year was one of those special moments when collectively the people of God heard the Spirit speak.

From the 13 TED-style talks that inspired and gripped our hearts… to the business meetings (yes, I said you could sense the move of the Spirit in business meetings) … to the extended morning prayer times to intercede for the Brethren and the conference… to the ministry-focused events that highlighted the specific mission of the Brethren Church and the great opportunity and challenge before us… to the inspired and participatory worship… to, and very specially, the intergenerational combined worship of the General Conference and the Engage Youth Conference which was not about platitude or obligation but the whole Body of Christ joined in heart and soul… …the move of the Holy Spirit was present and evident to all.

…ONCE THE SPIRIT OF HIM WHO RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD LIVES WITHIN YOU HE WILL, BY THAT SAME SPIRIT, BRING TO YOUR WHOLE BEING NEW STRENGTH AND VITALITY. - ROMANS 8:11 (PHILLIPS) I shared with the Nappanee congregation on the Sunday following that if I had any idea how much, and how consistently, the Holy Spirit was going to move among the Brethren this week, I would have loaded them all up on a bus and brought them. I repented to them of my personal fears and questions leading into this week.

I readily admit, I have been inspired and challenged at General Conference in previous years - yet this year, the presence of God flowed from beginning to end.

But more than that, the recurring comment, in one form or another …by adults and youth and pastors… was this: “Jesus was here. Jesus met us here and spoke to us here and moved among us here…and I have never been more excited to be part of this movement and what God has in store for us.”

There was no way that anyone could foresee how God would take the vast amount of planned but un-orchestrated elements (the 13 speakers were just told to share as they felt led as to their journey and life experience in discipleship for example) and weave together a unified message of challenge and encouragement, a joy for all God was doing among us, and the blessing and prophetic words from adults to youth and youth to adults. Kairos moments were lighting up the room and our lives. Divine appointments were happening even while waiting to enter or leave a session. God is alive and well and I stand in awe.

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Engage

A Reflection by Winter Lawson

Amazing…

Holy....

Awesome….

Spirit filled….

Let's do it again...

youth groups not just for a year but beyond as Lorissa Sweet from College Corner said it’s “A powerful week of learning to hear the Holy Spirit and using that gift to pray for and bless others. It was a life changing experiWe learned together what it really These were just a few of the phrases means to be a community of believers, ence for our group that formed bonds I heard murmured amongst groups as not just a single church. We witnessed for a lifetime.”

Engage Conference came to an end.

2nd Timothy 4:12 as young people As I prepared to write this article, the were unafraid to come alongside Luke Dowdy from Berlin Brethren only words that I could find were Holy their adult community. Moments that Church says that “Churches are keen Moments, but alas, the Lord supplied a teens and adults shared real, vulneron using the language of ‘hands and few more for me to share! feet of Jesus.’ But I think conference enable, and authentic togetherness. As they came together to pray over each forced the biblical truth that together, Holy moments certainly overflowed the other, to encourage and bless each youth and adults, we are more than the campus of Ashland University July 18- other with words from the Lord, using hands and feet of Jesus--we are the 22, 2016. Moments that filled each in the Blue Prayer Model. body! And together, the Brethren will attendance to the brim with the Lord's spread the love of Jesus to every part goodness.

Moments that changed and impacted of the world that needs to hear how Moments that will carry Logan from College Corner Brethren Church through this next year. His moment was rooted around his favorite bible verse Psalm 23 “‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’ It applies with what I'm going through in life. Especially now, where my dad is being shipped overseas to protect our country in the Middle East, right before my graduation ceremony. Leaving in the time I have so many questions and in the time I need him the most is very hard.”

Moments that provided clarity as teens stood, to say yes Lord, I hear your call in my life to vocational ministry. While in that same space teens wrapped their arms around pastors and their

16 Sept/Oct 2016

spouses to lift them up in prayer asking the Lord to meet every need and sustain them through this next year of ministry.

He's making broken lives new.”

We had other moments filled with laughter as we all experienced, with the help of illusionist Tim Kuch, impressions of Vanna White in a whole new way!

Played games into the night and served to help the community of Ashland.

God has placed each of us on a journey that contains thousands of moments and, for one week, the Brethren Church’s moments converged into one. We all, since accepting Christ as the Lord of our lives, have been instructed to go. “Go and make disciples.

Go and feed My sheep.” Sometimes we are great at that and at other times we find that instruction to be challenging (or maybe that’s only me). But for this one week, we were immersed in those instructions. We experienced what it really looks like to go. Go and love. Go and serve. Go and obey. Go. God prepared us for this year's moment over the past few years by teaching us how to Take Hold of Him and how to Become like Him. We can't be sent out for Him if we aren't solidly rooted in Him and growing to be like Him each day. He desires for us to know that he is our anchor. We have to become like Jesus, in order to hear the voice of the Father.

We must know how to receive our directions so that we can get to the moment he has for us each and everyday.

As we live out conference this next year, that must be the filter of our moments. How does Jesus want us to go? So as each of you goes, remember that your going (or you could say your calling) isn’t about the calling, but the people that you are called to. Find your people, go to them and love them well. Serve them well.

Budget Update The 2016 General Conference was full of awesome times of worship, great times to connect and reconnect with our “family,” and important conversations about the future of our Church. One of those important conversations is the 2017 Budget and the new funding model that was passed by the General Conference. One aspect of our budgeting process that is important to us all is clarity and transparency. We have been working hard over the past several years to bring ever greater amounts of clarity and transparency to our budgeting process. This year we took it a step further and separated the documents that report operating fund giving from our designated fund giving. Our hope is that this will help you see more detail on where your donations go when they are given to The Brethren Church.

All of these reports plus videos that help explain our budgeting process can be found on our website; www. brethrenchurch.org/2017-budget.

Another important aspect of this year’s budget is the new funding model that was passed by the conference.

Because we have moved forward with the reorganization efforts for our districts, we must take into account how the new model is to be funded. As a part of the budget proposal we must address the way in which we fund all of the ministry we are working on together to achieve.

Since 2008, our giving recommendation has been based on 10 percent of the local congregation’s giving income. We have asked that each church send in their support, reflecting 10 percent of their monthly offerings.

To address the increasing demand on our budget from the mid-level organization and our desire to continue planting churches, raising up leaders, and increasing church vitality, we are proposing to increase our recommend giving percentage. We propose that each church increase their giving to The National Brethren Church by 2 percent, from 10 percent to 12 percent.

Practically, we are asking that each church increase their giving to the general fund by 2%. If your congregation is giving 4%, we ask that you consider 6%. If is it 8%, we ask you to consider 10%, if 10% then 12%,

18 Sept/Oct 2016

etc. Ultimately, our hope is that all of our congregations see the value of our work together and can commit to raising their giving commitment to 12 percent.

To help reach this new percentage, we recommend that each church reallocate funds that they give to their district to increase their giving to the national church by 2 percent. Because each district will make the move from a district to a region at different times, we understand that this reallocation will not take place until your church’s district makes the transition to the new regional structure.

Finally, we recommend that each church consider giving to Ashland University and Ashland Theological Seminary. As a part of this recommendation, The Brethren Church will designate those gifts to be given to The Brethren Connections ministry at Ashland University and to the development of Brethren pastors and leaders at Ashland Theological Seminary.

The Budget in Summary

1.

Each church increase their giving to The

Brethren Church by 2 percent.

2.

The new structure will be a 10% - 1% 1% allocation.

a.10% of your churches giving income

for the mission of the Brethren Church

b.1% of your churches giving income for

the Brethren Connections ministry at AU.

c.1% of your churches giving income

for the development of Brethren pastors

and leaders at ATS. d.In an attempt to bring higher clarity

to the finances you generously donate to

The Brethren Church, we ask that each

church calculate their giving and com

municate that to our financial staff. The

contribution form that comes to your

church will ask you to be intentional

about your allocations and communicate

those designations to us via the contribu

tion form.

bits pieces

&

Our first Maker’s

Mart was a success!

We would love to feature more handmade products by our fellow Brethren next year. If you, or someone you know, has a trade and would like to reserve a table, please contact Jamie White at: zwytedesign@gmail.com.

Can’t wait to see more of the creative outlets our communities make!

Many of you picked up books at the Moblize table during General Conference, all of the money donated at the table was added to Brethren Relief. A total of $241 was given. THANK YOU for supporting Brethren Relief in this way. If you took a book and weren’t prepared to make a donation at that time, please forward your donation to our office marked GC-Brethren Relief.

those who have gone before us Eleanor Wolfe Bolton,99, passed away on June 18, 2016. She was born December 28, 1917. She was married to Rev. Cecil Bolton. Together they served churches in Gatewood, WV, Cameron WV and Quiet Dell PA and Pleasant Hill OH. Mrs. Bolton is survived by two daughters, Clara Ann Bolton and Kaye Bolton Seese, Kaye's husband Ora, 3 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.

Rev. Stephen Samuel Cole, 68, died Tuesday August 23, 2016 He was born March 20, 1948 in Portland Maine. He was a pastor of the Brethren Church for 38 years, serving Wiliamstown (OH), North Liberty (IN), Loree (IN), Newark (OH) and served as the pastor of the Masontown Brethren Church before his retirement. Surviving are his wife of 42 yrs. Peggy (Rumple) Cole, a daughter Jennifer Cole.

Patricia Morris, 82, passed away Thursday August 18, 2016. She was born July 3, 1934. Pat was the wife of Brethren Pastor, Richard Morris. Together they have ministered at the Columbus (OH) First Brethren Church since 1987. Pat worked for the Columbus Public Schools until retirement. Pat is survived by her husband Richard and four sons, Dave & Tonda, Jim & Lisa, Jon & Kari and Tim. The Brethren Evangelist 19

The Brethren Evangelist (SSN 0747-4288) is published quarterly by  The Brethren Church, Inc., 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792  (telephone: 419-289-1708; email: brethren@brethrenchurch.org; fax: 419-281-0450. Authors’ views are not necessarily those of The  Brethren Church.

Subscription rates: Sent free to Brethren Church  members; $15.00 per year to others. Member, Evangelical Press  Association. Postage: Paid at Ashland, Ohio or additional mailing  office at Mansfield, Ohio. Postmaster: Send address changes to The  Brethren Church, 524 College Ave., Ashland, OH 44805-3792.

Sept/Oct 2016, Vol.138, No. 4.   Please let us know when you are moving.  This will save us much-needed funds for ministry. 

  

 

        Yes! I’d Like to Help   One Time Gift of: $ ________________   _________________________________ Name

 _________________________________  Address Mobilize National Coordinator Gary Diehl leads our Mo _________________________________ City, State, Zip bilize Team Members to work WITH ministries and help _________________________________ them understand the"vital signs" of a healthy ministry. This Phone # will help increase a ministry's capacity to fulfill their God________________________________  given potential and calling. They engage in activities that Home Church   will ultimately result in growing more disciples of Jesus  who make more disciples. If you'd like more information Please complete the information above, about Mobilize, contact our office.  detach this form, and mail it to the  address below, or call the office.  Secure contributions may be made  online by going to  www.brethrenchurch.org/contributions 

 Thank You for Your Contribution!  The Brethren Church  524 College Ave. Ashland, OH 44805 419-289-1708

 With numerous hours of travel and conversations, as well  as the activities and resources that are spent working with  each ministry YOUR help is needed. Our goal is to see every Brethren Church ministry become a thriving, fruitful and multiplying part of the kingdom of God. Won't you consider giving a gift to help us help our churches and leaders? And "thank-you" in advance for your participation in kingdom work!