16 Sep Mid-Atlantic Conference Moves to Disband

The Mid-Atlantic Conference Council, during its September 10 meeting, passed a recommendation that the Mid-Atlantic Conference “officially disband operations as of December 31, 2005, unless otherwise needed.” This recommendation will be voted on the Mid-Year Conference Session on November 12. That meeting will be held at the Prince Street UB church in Shippensburg, Pa.

Anthony Blair, in an email, explained, “The December 31 date was chosen because on January 1, we will move into will move into the new national conference structure, including the paying of assessments (3.5% of income) directly to the national office. This motion gives us the option of continuing some functions later that than date if needed. A transition team will likely be appointed to help us move from status quo to the new structure. If we vote in the affirmative, the Mid-Year Council Session will include a worship experience to celebrate what God has done among the conference for the past 216 years.”

The Council would like to continue a group health insurance policy for active ministers after the disbanding of the conference. It authorized “the Commission of Administration and Finance to continue looking for any and all possibilities for a vehicle for an insurance group plan, and that funds be made available for necessary legal advice….The group health insurance plan for retired ministers, spouses, and widows is more difficult. The conference supplements the premiums on this plan by $90,000 annually from conference funds. If the conference no longer exists, those funds will no longer exist and a number of our older retirees in particular cannot afford to pay for our current plan all by themselves. Our relationship with and commitment to our retirees means that we cannot simply abandon them to their own devices in this situation….

“During the Mid-Year Council session the Commission on Administration and Finance would like to meet and discuss options with all of the participants in the retiree plan who are able to attend. Those who are not able to attend will be met with individually at their homes as necessary. Again, the intention is treat our retirees with grace and respect through this process, present multiple options to them, and assist them as necessary in identifying an option that best suits their financial and medical parameters.”

The Conference Council didn’t take formal action on anything relating to clusters, but did spend considerable time addressing the transition to healthy church clusters. Both the national office and the conference Commission on Church Growth and Renewal will be assisting churches to create and/or find clusters this Fall.

The Council did not have an opportunity to address the future of Rhodes Grove Camp, but recognizes that the relationship with the camp will need to be re-defined if the Mid-Atlantic Conference no longer exists. Options include transferring ownership to the national conference, creating a membership organization to support the camp, folding it into the Mid-Atlantic Foundation, or establishing a covenant relationship that preserves its UB identity without the legal liabilities of outright ownership.

16 Sep ELT Holds First Meeting

The new Executive Leadership Team held its first meeting September 12-13 in Huntington, Ind. Ron Ramsey chaired the meeting. Tom Brodbeck was chosen as assistant chairperson, and Brian Hughes (Walbridge, Ohio) was named secretary.

Leadership Teams. A major item of business was to approve chairpersons and members of the various leadership teams: Healthy Church, Global Ministries, Education, Pastoral Ministry, Administration, and Church Multiplication. Much of that work was done, though a variety of positions remain to be filled.

Strategic Initiatives. Bishop Ramsey presented five strategic initiatives for the US National Conference, and the ELT approved them. The steps to accomplish these initiatives remain to be fleshed out. However, those five strategic initiatives are:

1. Implement and encourage an atmosphere where multiplication of leaders and churches will be considered as normal.
2. Encourage spiritual formation and renewal within the church of the United Brethren in Christ.
3. Actively equp churches and pastors for effective ministries.
4. Develop a plan to identify and retain those who are being called into fulltime Christian service.
5. Discover, evaluate, and articulate the perceived brand image of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.

2007 US National Conference. Bishop Ramsey recommended, and the ELT approved, the following: “That the 2007 National Conference be a two-day event held sometime during the period of June 18 through July 7, depending on availability of facilities.” Potential locations are being researched in Lancaster County, Pa., Baltimore, Md., Virginia Beach, Va., and Huntington University, Huntington. Ind. The National Conference would be promoted as a convention/family vacation, with business kept to a minimum and inspiration to a maximum. The event would include high quality music, speakers, teaching, and worship, and special events for children, youth, and pastors’ wives.

National Conference Covenant. The National Conference Covenant, approved by the 2005 US National Conference, represents a fundamental change in how we operate. Every local church will need to sign a covenant, which affirms their commitment to eight points. If a church refuses to sign the covenant, then they are saying, “We no longer want to be a United Brethren church.” The ELT agreed that the initial signing of the church covenant would be completed by all churches before January 1, 2006. Bishop Ramsey will be sending out copies of the covenant to each church. You can see a sample copy of the covenant here.

Clusters. Another fundamental change approved by the 2005 US National Conference was to reorganize the US churches into clusters, and to phase out the annual conference structure. This is still in its earliest stages. However, Pat Jones, the Director of Healthy Church Ministries, hopes to have the clusters formed by January 2006. A mailing concerning clusters went out in mid-September. All of those materials are also available on the website, along with other information about clusters.

31 Aug Hurricane Katrina Relief

United Brethren people have a history of responding with funds and as volunteers when disaster strikes. When hurricanes hit Florida, we worked through our UB churches there providing relief. After the tsunami last December, we worked through our workers in India.

Several UB people have inquired about ways to help victims of Katrina. Because we do not have any close United Brethren connections in the area that has been hit by Katrina, we are referring people to other reputable organizations that are able to mobilize this relief effort.

Please contact the organization of your choice. We suggest the following:

World Relief
World Vision
Samaritan’s Purse
Salvation Army
Red Cross
AmeriCares

26 Aug Letter from Pat Jones

The following was sent out to the UB email list by Pat Jones, the new Director of Healthy Church Ministries. He provides some information regarding what lies ahead as the United Brethren church embarks on radical transformation in how we operate, and as we begin implementing a new structure based on cluster group.

“An age of change has come for the United Brethren church. After a time of challenge, we have come together to look toward the future by copying a chapter from our past. Otterbein and Boehm were men who came from different backgrounds, but agreed on their purpose: reaching people with the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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20 Jul New Process for Church Assessments

Beginning in January, all local churches will send 3.5% of their income (minus mission giving, building funds, and estate income) directly to the United Brethren Offices. This is a new process. A second check will go to the conference to cover any continuing conference assessments (check with your conference superintendent on this). Details regarding procedures for sending in the amount to the UB Offices will be sent to all churches this fall. However, at this point, you could warn your church treasurer that this change is coming, and also use this information as you prepare your church’s 2006 budget.

20 Jul Central Conference Approves Dissolution

Central Conference, during its July 11-12 meeting, took action on a detailed plan developed by Superintendent Tom Brodbeck which will help bring the conference into alignment with the decisions of the US National Conference. Because of a pending lawsuit, Central Conference cannot dissolve the corporate yet. However, they took the following actions to downscale what the conference does and prepare for full implementation of the cluster system:

1. 1. The 2005 meeting will be the final annual meeting of the conference.
2. The current conference leaders–superintendent, district superintendents, conference council–will continue in office through the end of 2005.
3. The conference council will take care of any necessary business until the corporation can be dissolved.
4. The superintendent will focus primarily on helping the Healthy Church director organize cluster groups for Central Conference churches, working with Laurel Mission and the camps to develop organizational structures, processing any issues related to the lawsuit, and handling other administrative matters involved in preparing for the transition to the cluster system.
5. The conference council will focus mostly on giving final approval to the constitutions, deeds, and other documents needed for the camps, churches, and other Central Conference entities as they transition into the new structure, and will name a new superintendent and council of administration to serve beginning January 1, 2006.
6. Beginning January 1, 2006, the conference leadership will consist of a superintendent ($100 a month honorarium, plus expenses), and a council of administration consisting of the superintendent plus three clergy and three lay at-large members. They will have full authority to act on all matters related to the conference.
7. This resolution for dissolution was approved: “Resolved, that the Central Conference Council of Administration, acting on behalf of the churches and ministers of the Central Conference, be hereby authorized and directed to formally and officially dissolve the corporation known as Central Conference, Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA, Inc., and incorporated in the states of Ohio and Indiana, upon the final resolution of all legal and financial obligations before the corporation.” Central Conference includes churches in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, but no incorporation was ever done for the Kentucky churches.
8. In 2006, churches will be assessed 1% of tithes and offerings to cover expenses, honorarium, and health insurance obligations. Funding for all conference ministries–the camps, Laurel Mission, and church planting–will end, as will the retiree health insurance benefit.

27 Jun 2005 US National Conference Report

The US National Conference, our highest governing body, met June 20-23 and adopted a number of major changes.

Rev. Ron Ramsey (above) was elected on June 23 as the new bishop of the US National Conference. He will take office on August 15. Bishop Ramsey has served as pastor of the Main Street UB church in Walbridge, Ohio, for the past 12 years. You can read his biographical information and vision statement online.

The Property referendum was passed. It gives local churches title to their property. In the past, such property has been held in trust by the denomination.
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13 Jan Denominational Finances in 2004

Giving toward denominational finances was very good in 2004. We received 96.8% of the general benevolence needs. Bishop Hirschy notes, “In light of the financial pressures created by rising insurance costs and the uncertainty surrounding the discussion about the Missionary Church, I view 96.8% as a very positive show of support from the local churches and the annual conferences for the US National Conference benevolence. I certainly want to express my thanks.”