P&A Committee Strikes Again

April 10, 2003
Mr. David E. Leckrone
Woodbridge, VA

Dear Brother Leckrone:

These are times in the life of the church when we do not find clear-cut directives and unfettered guidance, even if we try our best to be true to the spirit and teachings of Jesus. The church in general, and the Church of the Brethren in particular, are going through a time of change which is testing and refining our identity and our faith. Moderator Harriet Finney tells us that she is finding an uneasiness about the church everywhere she goes in these months leading up the 2003 Conference in Boise. There also seems to us to be a spirit of hostility and defiance at a number of fronts in our denominational family.

It deeply pained the members of the Program and Arrangements Committee to read your letter in the April 2003 Messenger, that contained unkind, unfair, and defiant criticism of our Denomination and its leadership. It was difficult for some members of the Committee to get beyond those biting words to enter into the sprit of open and unaffected consideration of your letter.

As a number of persons on the Program and Arrangement Committee are new, the committee examined carefully the Guidelines pertaining to Annual Conference. A copy of those guidelines, Exhibit E, is enclosed for your reference. We spent a considerable amount of time kneeling in prayer. A motion was made and approved, given the policy of the church in the guidelines of the P&A Committee, the tone of the letter, and the general uneasiness of the denomination at this time, that we decline of your issues. We were not all of one mind on the decision, but we honor the majority in the vote. As Moderator Finney commented, it was very painful for us.

We wish there could have been a more peaceful back drop for this consideration.

Sincerely,

Program & Arrangements Committee

c: Mr. Everett Fisher, BMC