Report 63

Recommendations from
Mid-Atlantic Conference

Recommendation 1

In Report 75, replace Chapter 22-6, Number 5, with the following:

"If a church does not sign and submit the covenant to the national office 90 days prior to the National Conference session, the cluster leader (or another elder designated by the Bishop) shall hold a specially called congregational meeting of the church membership at least 60 days prior to the National Conference. The purpose of this meeting would be to determine if it is the desire of the membership to sign and continue in a covenant relationship with the United Brethren in Christ USA or to withdraw from said relationship. If a majority of the church's members at a duly called meeting determine not to sign the covenant, then the church shall be considered to have withdrawn from the United Brethren in Christ, USA."

[The wording to be replaced is: "Any church that does not sign the covenant shall be considered a non-member of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA, and shall not be given delegates to the US National Conference."]

Recommendation 2

In Report 72, Chapter 9-1, replace the last three sentences with the following:

"The Church of the United Brethren in Christ believes, as experience demonstrates, that the use of alcoholic beverages is harmful to our physical bodies and is a detriment to the best stewardship and witness of our lives. Therefore, we strongly urge all of our members to avoid using alcoholic beverages in any way. We also strongly urge our leaders to teach as well as counsel about the hazards of using alcoholic beverages and that deliverance is possible through the ministry of the Spirit."

[The wording to be replaced is: "The Church of the United Brethren in Christ believes and experience demonstrates that the abuse of alcoholic beverages is harmful to our physical bodies and is a detriment to the best stewardship and witness of our lives. Therefore we urge all of our members to avoid abusing alcoholic beverages in any way. We also urge our leaders to teach as well as counsel about the hazards of abusing alcoholic beverages and that deliverance is possible through the ministry of the Spirit."]

Recommendation 3

In Report 82, replace 36-2 with the following:

"The Executive Leadership Team shall consist of the bishop, plus six laypersons and six clergy elected by the US National Conference. One clergy and one layperson will be elected from each of the four regions of the US National Conference. In addition, two laypersons and two clergy will be elected as members-at-large on a non-geographical basis."

[The wording proposed to be replaced is: "The Executive Leadership Team shall consist of the bishop, plus four laypersons and four clergy elected by the US National Conference. One clergy and one lay person will be elected from each of the four regions of the US National Conference."]

Recommendation 4

We make the following motion: