220th Annual Conference Des Moines, Iowa July 1-5, 2006

Index	Theme	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Wrap Up

Morning worship began with a consecration for 2007 Annual Conference moderator Belita Mitchell (kneeling left) and moderator-elect Jim Beckwith (kneeling right). The 2006 moderator, Ron Beachley, led the service (standing center). - photo by Keith Hollenberg

Worship closed with a rousing rendition of "Bound Together and Finely Woven," a song by Ken Medema. The worship leaders danced along to hte tune: (from left) David Shumate, executive minister of Virlina District; Belita Mitchell, moderator for 2007 and pastor of First Church of the Brethren in Harrisburg, Pa.; and Brian Maguire, Wednesday morning's preacher and pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Xenia, Ohio. - photo by Keith Hollenberg

At the close of worship, moderator Ron Beachley applauds the close of the 2006 Annual Conference. - photo by Keith Hollenberg

The McBride family wearing the Passport to Wellness t-shirts that they earned at the Conference. - photo by Mary Dulabaum

QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The Great Commission is our mandate, the nations are at our doorstep.” --Ray Hileman, pastor of First Church of the Brethren in Miami, Fla., expressing appreciation for the work of the Intercultural Study Committee

“How can we be community without including all and holding all in respect?” --Process observer Donna Forbes Steiner, in her report to the delegates

“If you take some prayer squares home with you, Sister Belita won’t have quite as much work to do.” --2006 moderator Ron Beachley, urging Conference-goers to continue in prayer. Belita Mitchell will serve as moderator for the 2007 Annual Conference.

OVERVIEW OF THE DAY
Bible study and theological study opened the last day of the Conference.

A brief business session included an interim report from the Intercultural Study Committee, a report from Standing Committee, the report of the Program and Arrangements Committee, a presentation to the moderator from the Association for the Arts in the Church of the Brethren, and the passing of the gavel to moderator-elect Belita Mitchell.

Mitchell and new moderator-elect James Beckwith were consecrated for their leadership of the denomination in a ceremony opening the morning worship. They will lead the 2007 Annual Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, on June 30-July 4.

Closing worship featured Brian Maguire, one of the facilitators for “Together: Conversations on Being the Church.” David Shumate led worship.

A NEW MODERATOR AND MODERATOR-ELECT ARE CONSECRATED

“God...it’s a good time for your church. It’s a good time for your kingdom,” prayed Atlantic Northeast District executive minister Craig Smith, as he helped consecrate Belita D. Mitchell as 2007 moderator and James Beckwith as moderator-elect.

The ceremony that opened worship included anointing for Mitchell before her consecration to leadership, at her request. Family, friends, congregation members, and supporters gathered around the two highest elected leaders in the Church of the Brethren as they knelt to receive the laying on of hands.

“As you take on this responsibility,” 2006 moderator Ron Beachley said, “many people will pray for you, the Holy Spirit will watch over you, and you will be blessed.”

A REPORT FROM CLOSING WORSHIP
"We’re bursting at the seams with new ideas, new hopes, and new dreams to share with our congregations back home,” said Brian Maguire.

“...And then comes Paul.”

Maguire, an attorney and pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Xenia, Ohio, was the preacher for the closing worship service of the 2006 Annual Conference. He was also a resource person for sessions of “Together: Conversations on Being the Church.”

The race is just beginning, just when we thought we could go home, Maguire reminded us. “We have not reached our goal.”

The Apostle Paul must have seen the athletes preparing for their races, Maguire said, and no doubt knew something about sprinting himself on those occasions when he had to outrun his opponents. Maguire encouraged us to, in the words of Paul, forget what lies behind--which does not mean forgetting the heritage that keeps us grounded, he said. “History will not tell the Church of the Brethren how to run today.”

Maguire also called us, like marathon runners, to keep our eyes on the prize and look ahead, but also to remember that having the right answers may not be as important as the world thinks. “In our rush to be right, might we not ignore a quiet voice in the corner speaking the truth to us, even when we dare not admit it?” Had our ancestors focused totally on being right they might not have listened to a carpenter from Galilee, he said.

Our Together conversations may provide a way for us to listen to each other and to God. “As each of us sees only in part and knows only in part, we have to do this together,” Maguire said. “That’s the way God’s people have always received God’s word.”

--Frank Ramirez is pastor of Everett (Pa.) Church of the Brethren

Members of the 2006 Annual Conference news team, a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board, contributed to the Annual Conference web pages: Jake Blouch, Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, Kathleen Campanella, Eddie Edmonds, Karen Garrett, Clara Glover, Amy Heckert, Keith Hollenberg, Jill Kline, Sarah Kovacs, Frank Ramirez, Jesse Reid, Regina Roberts, Frances Townsend, and Becky Ullom.