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Ex-Officio Members of the Board of Administration: |
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Board of Administration Report |
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| It is truly an honor to serve as the Chair of the Board in the Pacific Southwest District. I am convinced that
this is a place and a time where all can clearly see the movement of God's Spirit as we all seek to serve Him.
There is a sense of purpose and excitement in the board as we work together with our congregations, new and old,
to share the good news of Jesus Christ with those around us. Across the District there are signs of growth, signs
of life, signs of God's presence as our people respond to Christ's simple command, "Follow me!" We have been blessed with a truly wonderful staff here in the PSWD, and I give thanks for the hard work of our tireless District Executive Minister Bryan Boyer, our Administrative Assistant Joe Vecchio (thanks, Joe, for trying to keep me organized this year), our Treasurer Larry Woodruff, and our Financial & Property Manager Carl Beckwith. We have been very excited about the arrival of our new Missions Director, Carrie Cesar, who has brought real enthusiasm and dedication to her work, and to our new Center for Brethren Studies Director, Doris Dunham, who has done a truly incredible job of creating a new program which provides wonderful learning opportunities for all of us. Finally, we give thanks for the ministry of Dena Gilbert, whose long tenure ministering to District Youth is coming to a close. It is with profound appreciation for her many gifts, with appreciation for the love which she has brought to her ministry, and with sincere affection that we offer our heartfelt gratitude, and our best wishes as the Lord leads Dena into the future. The Board has been hard at work, deciding where the Lord is leading us as we consider how best to fill the needs of the District in the areas of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, and we are excited about the new directions we are pursuing. Be sure to read the respective reports of our staff members – these are not just "reports;" they are accounts of the work of the Spirit of God in our midst, and there is a lot to be excited about. |
There are many events that you can be involved in through the year (just take a look at the District calendar!);
I personally was blessed to attend several, including the Spring Event in April, Evangelism for the Rest of
Us, led by nationally known evangelism leaders Jim Henderson and Rose Madrid-Swetman; my thanks to the Imperial
Heights Church for hosting this insightful training session. The Board and it's commissions, workgroups, and committees have done an amazing amount of work this year, with the approval of new job descriptions, the creation and processing of surveys, the administration of hundreds of thousands of dollars of grant monies, and work towards creating a new, more streamlined Board structure, more in line with the demands of our mission and vision of ministry. Across the Brotherhood, the PSWD is garnering attention for our dynamic approach to planting and revitalizing churches. I hope that this District Conference and these reports will help you to gain a sense of the powerful ways that God's Spirit is moving in our midst, as we seek to be faithful to the call to minister. God bless, Jim Davis District Board Chair |
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Historical Committee Report: |
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| As of 7/9/2007, No report submitted. |
Members: Marlin Heckman (La Verne) Bill Lemon, (Pomona Fellowship) Board Chair, Jim Davis Moderator, Mary Kay Ogden District Executive Minister, Bryan Boyer |
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Ecumenical Council Representatives Report: |
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| Arizona: Robert E. Keim Arizona Ecumenical Council www.aecunity.net has grown to include a sizeable portion of Christian groups in our state. They hold various training events and continuing education efforts for all, as well as having several committees working actively on social justice issues. There is an ongoing effort to provide classes in training for church leadership. A number of these activities are funded by various jurisdictions that assess themselves financially to cover the expenses. Our Church of the Brethren, being smaller, has contributed a lesser amount on an annual basis. Tithing individuals and local congregations are encouraged to underwrite this umbrella group that crosses denominational lines to present cutting-edge programming for all. It is a joy to represent you at the quarterly meeting of this ecumenical group. |
Northern California: Art Crane I attend the North State Ecumenical Conference in Sacramento, California. www.nsec.org "The NSEC is a gathering of judicatory representatives that serves as a forum for on-going discussion of faith and order matters for the purpose of developing and expressing unity in Christ in our witness to the world. We bring diversity that benefits all participant members and we encourage bilateral and multilateral dialogue. We attempt to nurture a diversity that enriches the faith and order of all participants without advocating uniformity. We will seek opportunities to express our emerging unity. We meet to keep communication and local discussion open between our Christian churches, to learn more about one another, and to foster Christian unity. We have hosted ecumenical study days, special worship services and ecumenical activities." |
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"Revitalizing Churches" Bill Johnson, workgroup chair |
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| The Church Revitalization Work Group was really created in 2006 and did some preliminary work in the area of camps,
newspaper advertising and has vigorously supported congregations looking at grants for additional support in their
ministries and operation. This year will be the third and final year for full financial support for advertising.
In the 2008 budget we are proposing a 50/50 split in cost between the district and the congregation. However in 2007, with the help and support of Jeff Glass and Marty Sondermann (Lindsay) we are piloting the set up and running of up to 3 congregation web sites (to be on display at district conference) but also including in the 2008 budget sufficient funds to have all of our congregations equipped with a current well maintained site at district cost. Our provision in the 2008 budget is approximately $20,000 which is a fraction of the funds we have spent on newspaper advertising. At present only 11 of our congregations show that they have a web site. Some of those in place do not receive regular updates. Our commitment going forward is that once new information is faxed or emailed in that the change would take place within 48 hours. Early reaction to our planned "website development" has been very good. We look for all to take advantage of this tool. We find that many young adults and young families frequently will "shop" a new church online before they ever walk through the door. Jeff Glass and members of the church revitalization work group are actively working to have pilot programs in place for the "Strengths Program" and for "Natural Church Development." Both programs are excellent for a congregation to use as tools getting back on track for positive progress. Probably the most vital activity that the church revitalization work group will do this year is the personal face to face call each congregation is to receive this year from a member of the church revitalization work group. The call will involve four questions regarding progress in the four ministries (adult, young adult and young families, youth and children). What we are looking for and intend to share is what's working. We are looking for those great "best practices" that work and why. |
At conference in October we intend to provide a best practices breakout session where we will have 3 to 4 best
practice presentations by the folks that are actually doing the work and getting the results. We will also be providing
a handout listing all the best practices received this year and who is doing what. It is hoped to update this handout
from year to year. Stewardship commission members and now members of the church revitalization work group have found it rewarding and interesting to hold the one on one discussions and finding out those "best practices" used. These calls give congregational leaders (pastors, board chairs) a chance to communicate, ask questions in a non crisis atmosphere. It's a chance to share "what's happening (that's good) elsewhere in the district and for the calling individual to provide essential follow up to help the congregation moving forward. Through the work of our new Missions Director, Carrie Cesar, our new start up congregations and project congregations have regular communication scheduled throughout the year. For our 32 original and existing congregations this process of regular, structured communications is not in place. It is hoped that through the current proposed board restructuring, of job descriptions of paid staff and goals that annual face to face, one on one discussions will be seen as an essential need and priority. We have made progress. We will have success stories to tell. We still have much to do. |
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"Training Leaders" Paul Lovelace, workgroup chair |
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| The Training Leaders Workgroup distributed a survey to pastors, board chairs and moderators in February 2007. Our aim is to help the local congregations to: 1) Call out and train leaders, 2) Present creative programs for your congregations, 3) Identify the skills and gifts of your congregants. To help train local leaders, we sent a $50 certificate for Brethren Press to the churches that responded by March 31st. At our August meeting, we will go through the surveys and prepare materials for the future. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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"Serving & Evangelizing Our Neighbors" Thomas Dowdy, workgroup chair |
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| As of 7/9/2007, No report submitted. |
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# = serving second term 
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