National Conference Task Force

The National Conference Task Force presented its report to the 2001 US National Conference. Since aspects of this are under consideration in 2005, it is included here for your information.

The General Conference in 1997 authorized the establishment of the National Conference Task Force and elected Paul Hirschy to serve as the chairperson. Each of the eleven annual conferences in the United States were instructed to select one individual to represent their conference on the National Conference Task Force. The following individuals have served on the task force representing their respective conferences:

• Arizona: Len Zaagman
• California: Sam Quinn
• Central: David Hedrick
• Michigan: Carlson Becker
• Mid-Atlantic: Michael Mudge
• Midwest: Thad Clements
• Michindoh: Hubert Schmucker
• Northwest: Vernon Marll
• Rock River: Dean Hoobler
• Sandusky: Ted Doolittle
• Southeast: Fred Johns

Rationale for Considering a National Conference

Several years ago, the issue of general church structure was raised as we endeavored to accommodate some changes in international law, especially in the country of Canada. During those discussions, it was clear that we did not have a specific US entity which could work cooperatively with our Canadian entity in joint ministries. At the same time, we were sensing a desire to give greater recognition to each of the National United Brethren Churches in countries such as Jamaica, Honduras, Hong Kong, and Sierra Leone. Since those early discussions, we have encouraged each of the United Brethren Churches in the respective countries of the world to move toward organizing themselves as national conferences.

As an interim step, the General Conference adopted a temporary US National Conference which is presently in the Discipline as chapter 24 on page 93. This action was intended to be an interim step until the new General Conference structure and the new US National Conference structure could be established. The General Conference in 1997 appointed a group to work on the new General Conference structure which will be presented at the General Conference in 2001. The work of the National Conference Task Force is designed to cooperate with the new General Conference structure. Bishop Ray Seilhamer challenged the General Conference in 1997 to take a good look at some of the following benefits which could result from one US National Conference:

• A large gathering of United Brethren from all over the United States for great worship, excellent Bible teaching, challenging seminars, and wonderful times of fellowship.
• One US National Conference could eliminate duplication of effort which now takes place at each of the annual conferences.
• It would make it much easier to assign pastors since now there is a hesitancy to cross conference lines.
• The total US church would be able to have a better identification with our ethnic cross-cultural churches.
• There may be a possibility of developing a national health insurance program.

Initial Work of the National Conference Task Force

The first meeting of the National Conference Task Force was held in November of 1998 at Michindoh Camp and Conference Center near Hillsdale, Michigan. During that meeting, Paul Hirschy, chairperson of the National Conference Task Force, asked the members to set aside their own personal feelings and help develop the best ideas for one National Conference, without annual conferences, for the United States. After spending two days developing ideas for a US National Conference without annual conferences, the task force determined that it was very much divided on the issue of keeping annual conferences or doing away with them in the National Conference structure. Therefore, the task force decided to make presentations during the 1999 calendar year to annual conferences with both options.

The report with two options was presented to the annual conferences which met early in 1999. It was presented at the General Board meeting in April of 1999, and the General Board took action to stop the presentation of the report with the two options. The General Board felt the report was too confusing with the two options, and they asked the task force in its 1999 meeting to come up with a report which contained only one option.

Since the goal of the National Conference Task Force is to develop a National Conference structure which will enhance the ministry of the church in the United States, it was determined that the elimination of annual conferences in the United States would be too divisive and destructive to pursue that option. Therefore, the task force is presenting a report with the challenge that all annual conferences unite together in supporting the development of this new National Conference within the United States.

The National Conference Task Force presented a draft report to the General Board of Administration on April 13-14, 2000. During this meeting, the General Board decided on a new structure for the General Conference. Because of these changes, the National Conference Task Force met by conference phone call on April 27, 2000 to determine the revisions needed for this final report. The General Board agreed that this report will be presented to each annual conference in their next session.

UB National Conferences

By previous General Conference action, the United Brethren Churches in various countries are working to establish their own National Conference structures. By the General Conference of 2001, we will have the following National Conferences: Canada, Honduras, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, and the United States. All of these National Conferences will be working together in the new General Conference structure that will be established at the 2001 General Conference.

The US National Conference

The duties of the National Conference will be to approve policies and approve Discipline revisions from the US National Board. The National Conference will have the authority to amend the recommendations which come from the National Board. The National Conference will elect the US Bishop. The task force recommends that delegates who are unable to attend the National Conference will have the privilege of voting by absentee ballot for the US Bishop. The US Bishop and the Executive Leadership Team will serve as the nominating committee for the positions of Director of Education and Director of Global Ministries. The Director of Education and Director of Global Ministries will be elected by the National Conference. The National Conference will also need to approve the work of the US National Board.

The US National Conference meeting will have the feel of a much larger gathering like was experienced at Challenge '88 and Challenge '92. We are recommending that this meeting be held once every four years, immediately following the meeting of the General Conference. It would be an excellent time for worship with outstanding speakers. There will be a number of seminars and workshops available as well as a time set aside for business. The task force is recommending that one time block be designated for annual conferences to have special meetings, if they so desire, during the National Conference meeting.

The task force is recommending the National Conference be emphasized as a great time for worship, learning, and relaxation.

The task force is recommending that the location of the National Conference meeting be moved to different areas of the country which would have vacation appeal for families. This means that activities would also be planned for children and youth during the conference meeting. With this in mind, we are making the assumption that the meeting would be held during the summer.

The delegates to the US National Conference will be all ordained elders and licentiates of the eleven annual conferences in the United States. Individuals with local conference licenses will not be delegates to the US National Conference unless they are serving as the assigned pastor of a local church. Each local church will be entitled to a lay representative. Depending on the average attendance of the local church, they may have additional representatives. The following formula will be used to determine the number of lay delegates from each congregation:

Basing this representation on the average attendance is like the US House of Representatives in our national government structure which gives representation based on the number of people.

US National Conference Board

The US National Conference Board will be responsible for processing the US Discipline revisions and making recommendations to National Conference delegates by mail. The task force recommends the Discipline revisions schedule be set ahead so revision proposals can be discussed at all annual conferences the year before the National Conference. This means that all Discipline revisions will be processed at the second meeting of the National Board in the quadrennium. The National Board will elect delegates to the new General Conference from the US National Conference and they will nominate individuals for the position of US Bishop. The US National Board will approve the number of support staff needed at the United Brethren Headquarters. The support staff will be hired by the US Bishop and appropriate directors. The US National Board will approve the work of the leadership teams.

The membership of the US National Conference Board will be representation based on geographic districts. This representation will be similar to the United States Senate in our national government structure. These will be districts of from 9-15 churches, and each district will have one lay and one clergy representative on the board.

Each annual conference will propose and in the future revise the composition of districts by reasonable geographic areas. The National Conference Board will approve the annual conference proposals for districts. Annual conferences of fewer than 19 churches will constitute one district. Annual conference nominating committees will prepare ballots for the election of US National Board members for each district.

The annual conference delegates will vote by district to elect the National Conference Board members. When a conference has more than 18 churches, the lay and clergy representatives are to be elected from different churches.

The number of districts will be determined by the following formula:

The US Bishop, the Director of Education (Huntington College President), and the Director of Global Ministries will be voting members of the US National Board. The US Bishop will be the chairperson, and the assistant chairperson and secretary will be elected by the US National Board. Using the 1998 denominational statistics and the above formula, the total number of voting members for the US National Conference Board will be 52.

The US National Board will meet every two years, on the first and third years following the National Conference.

Executive Leadership Team of the US National Board

The task force is recommending we have an Executive Leadership Team of the US National Board. The US Bishop, Director of Education, and Director of Global Ministries will be ex officio members of the Executive Leadership Team. The National Board will also elect four lay and three clergy from the National Board to serve on the Executive Leadership Team. The US Bishop will serve as chairperson of the Executive Leadership Team, and an assistant chairperson and secretary will be elected from the Executive Leadership Team.

The Executive Leadership Team will have the following duties:

• Establish the job descriptions and evaluation procedures for the US Bishop and directors.
• Work with the US Bishop as they make recommendations for personnel such as directors, auditor and other personnel as needed.
• Receive reports from the US Bishop, directors, auditor, and others as needed.
• Receive update reports from leadership teams.
• Appoint the leadership team chairpersons on the recommendation of the US Bishop.
• Appoint necessary committees to prepare for the National Conference and the National Board meetings.

US Bishop

The US Bishop position will incorporate some of the work being done by the bishop and the current Director of Church Services in the present structure. The US Bishop must be an ordained elder in the United Brethren Church and be elected by the US National Conference delegates. The US Bishop will serve as leader of the US National Conference, be the chairperson of the National Conference, US National Board, and the Executive Leadership Team.

The US Bishop will focus on spiritual and leadership development in the US churches. The US Bishop will be an ex officio member of all US National leadership teams, be an ex officio member of annual conference councils of administration, work with stationing committees in annual conferences, be involved in the ordination of elders in the United States, interpret the US National Conference Discipline, and attend the US annual conferences when possible.

US National Conference Leadership Teams

The task force is recommending the streamlining of our headquarters operation by eliminating the separate departments and consolidating all ministries under leadership teams directly responsible to the US National Board. This may or may not change the number of staff positions in the United Brethren Headquarters structure. However, it gives the National Board the opportunity to assign different staff people to the various responsibilities they would like to have covered with the staff position. This flexibility will enhance the effectiveness of the staff positions and will give the National Board the responsibility of supporting important ministry areas with staff support.

The task force is recommending that each leadership team have up to a maximum of ten members plus the US Bishop as an ex officio member. Each leadership team will follow the 40% lay or clergy representation guideline, and each leadership team may have one member from outside the denomination on the team. The US Headquarters staff personnel may serve as members of appropriate leadership teams.

One of the main advantages of the leadership team structure is that the makeup can be changed during the quadrennium without needing to wait for National Conference Board action. When vacancies occur, the US Bishop, the Leadership Team chairperson, and appropriate directors can make appointments to fill vacancies and report those changes to the membership of the Executive Leadership Team and the National Conference Board.

Each leadership team will be responsible to submit a regular report to the US National Board and update reports to the Executive Leadership Team.

The task force is suggesting the following leadership teams for initial consideration:

• Administration (finance, salary and benefits, pension/Ministerial Aid/insurance).
• Education.
• Global Ministries (church multiplication, cross-cultural ministries, and missions).
• Healthy Church (Commission on Ministry, spiritual formation, camping, stewardship, women and youth).

It will be up to the Executive Leadership Team and the respective leadership teams if they desire to establish sub-teams to report to the leadership team in any of the areas of ministry.

The task force is making the following recommendations for two specific leadership teams.

Education Leadership Team. The task force recommends that there be seven members elected by the US National Board and the US Bishop serve as an ex officio member. This would mean that the seven elected by the US National Board and the US Bishop will be trustees of Huntington College. By using this structure, we will not be requiring the college to change their constitution and structure regarding makeup of the Board of Trustees.

Global Ministry Leadership Team. The task force recommends that the WMF President or the corresponding Missions coordinator in the Women's Ministry be an ex officio member of the Global Ministries Leadership Team. The Director of Global Ministries, an ordained elder, will also be an ex officio member.

The makeup of the rest of the Global Ministries Leadership Team may be impacted by any joint ministry agreements with other UB National Conferences. The makeup of the other leadership teams will be determined by the Executive Leadership Team.

Transition

The transition from our present structure to the new structure will begin with the adoption of this report at the General Conference or the US National Conference in 2001. The General Conference of 2001 will also establish the new General Conference structure.

Following the General Conference of 2001, the US National Conference, as spelled out in the current Discipline, will meet to elect the US Bishop. In that same meeting, the US National Conference will elect the Director of Education and the Director of Global Ministries. The US Bishop and the Executive Leadership Team will make the nominations for the Director of Education and the Director of Global Ministries.

The task force recommends the current Executive Leadership Team serve until the successor Executive Leadership Team is named by the first US National Board. The newly elected US Bishop and appointed directors will replace corresponding current Executive Leadership Team members.

Each US annual conference will elect their members to serve on the US National Board in their annual sessions in 2001 and in 2002. The first US National Board meeting will be held sometime in April or May of 2002. The second meeting of the US National Board will be in 2004.

The first US National Conference meeting will be in 2005 following the General Conference. This will be the first meeting of the US National Conference which will have the opportunity for representation from each local church.

This means that the full implementation of all of these changes will be effective with the General Conference in 2005 and the US National Conference in 2005.

US Annual Conferences

This report does not change any of the United States annual conference structures or operations. If, as a result of the adoption of this report, some of the US annual conferences want to make changes in their structure to take advantage of the new National Conference structure, that would certainly be appropriate as each conference deems it advisable.

If an annual conference chooses to disband its structure and have the local churches participate in the National Conference structure only, this would be approved by the US Bishop and the National Board. In this case, the local church would send their assessments directly to the National Conference office. The US Bishop will appoint individuals to work directly with the local church personnel relations committee as a part of the stationing process when pastoral assignment is needed.

The US Bishop would oversee the process in which these churches would set up appropriate clusters or districts for desired meetings, such as pastor meetings. The US Bishop and the Executive Leadership Team would determine any additional procedures that need to be established to work with individual churches if the annual conferences are disbanded.

Conclusion

The task force is well aware of the changing international expectations in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. The anticipated new General Conference structure will take into account changing many of our present relationships with the other national conferences around the world. The task force believes it is very important that this National Conference structure be established so that the church in the United States will have its identity separate from the international church. In this way, the US National Conference will be able to make deliberate decisions as to its relationship with other national conferences, involvement in cooperative mission projects, and focus on decisions which affect only the United States church.

The changes in the structure at the United Brethren Church Headquarters should help to streamline operations with all decisions being channeled to the National Board. This will mean that one financial statement will cover all of our headquarters operations and will eliminate the need for separate audits for each department. These recommendations are moving us toward the same issues that are being recommended by the current General Church Finance Committee.

The goal of the National Conference Task Force is to present this report in hopes of joining the United States church in a National Conference structure which will result in widespread participation in the National Conference sessions every four years. These sessions should produce a sense of unity and health, as delegates from local churches realize they are a part of a national body which has many parts. This exposure should increase our vision and expectation of what God will do in each of our lives and in our congregations. This new National Conference structure for the US and the new General Conference structure will position the denomination for exciting and challenging ministry opportunities in the new century.

The chairperson expresses appreciation to each of the individuals who served on the National Conference Task Force. This report reflects the majority opinion of the National Conference Task Force. This report is not a reflection of unanimous agreement. The chairperson is thankful for each member's input and willingness to share differing opinions.

Respectfully submitted,

National Conference Task Force
Paul Hirschy, Chairperson
Carlson Becker (Michigan)
Thad Clements (Midwest)
Ted Doolittle (Sandusky)
David Hedrick (Central)
Dean Hoobler (Rock River)
Hubert Schmucker (Michindoh)
Fred Johns (Southeast)
Vernon Marll (Northwest)
Michael Mudge (Mid-Atlantic)
Sam Quinn (California)
Len Zaagman (Arizona)