The Community Life Commission met at the Waterville church eight times during the 2003-2004 year. Our commission is responsible for the following groups: Outdoor Ministries, Women of the Maine Conference, Small Church Mission Team, Support Staff Network, Rockcraft Committee, YMAT Committee, Clergy Spouse Network and the Resource Center. As in past years we ask that a member of each group meet with us during the year so we can get a clearer understanding of what they are doing and how we can help them achieve their goals for the year. A member of our commission is also a resource to the group and attends the committee meetings when they are held. Members of our committee are Earle Simpson, Deb Jenks, Jean Pilletere (left us in May) , Phyllis Marley, Peter Godfrey, Pam Precourt, Carolyn Lambert, Cheryl Roberts, Al Worden, Anita White, David Deas ( joined us in May), Linda Smith, Evelyn Franson, and Steve Harding (joined us in May). We still have an opening for Washington County.

Our first meeting in October was devoted to welcoming and orienting new members. We discussed Rockcraft at great length. A suggested committee for Rockcraft was given to Jean and she will convene the first meeting of the group. They will report back to us in April. We discussed the National Youth event that is being held in Tennessee. Appointments for the executive board and coordinating council were made. Herb Oliver will be our representative to the executive board and one of the coordinating council members. Pam Precourt will be the second representative to the coordinating council. Al Worden will be the representative to the annual meeting committee.

Our November meeting had David Gaewski spoke to all three commissions reviewing the Coordinating Council Fall Retreat Report. He indicated that the council had 4 main areas to address: Pilgrim Lodge, Leadership Development, Stewardship Education, and Prophetic Witness. David said that the council would like the committees to respond to these areas, not take them over. We also had Mark Pilletere speak to us about the resolution regarding Seminarian debt. He asked that we appoint a person to work on a committee to figure out the logistics of this process. He is willing to work with the committee. Our committee went to work after the two reports. At the meeting we spent a great deal of time on the Youth Event hearing from David Gaewski about the format of the organizational details. We spent some time discussing Pilgrim Lodge and the 50th celebration in 2005. Our third area that we discussed was the Women of the Maine Conference. Ann Marie was disappointed at the turn out of women at the sub committee meeting at the annual meeting. Her term ends in October and she is concerned about the group’s continued existence. We talked about how we could continue some of the projects that were being done by the women.

At our January meeting we had Mark Schussler go over the budget process. As usual he did an excellent job. We then charged the representatives to get from the group they represent how they had spent the money for last year and what they were requesting for the 2005 budget year. We again discussed the Rockcraft committee and recommended these additional people to serve. Phyllis Marley, Stuart Cooper, Esther Cooper, Jim Fletcher, Brad McCurtain, and Dawn DeFeo. They names were brought to Coordinating Council and approved. Cheryl reported that the Support Staff Network was having a Partners in Ministry Day at High Street Church in Auburn on May 25. Ron Buford from UCC Proclamation, Identity, and Communication Office will be speaking on “How to Market Your Church”

February meeting was held in Waterville on a wonderful sunny day. So far the winter has been nice to us. We spent time discussing the budget for 2005. The first meeting of the Rockcraft committee was held on February 5. Jean went over the mission statement so that everyone was clear what the responsibilities of committee were. She also stated that May 1 Rockcraft was going to have a clean up day.

March meeting came in like a lamb. We discussed the budget for the groups that we were under our umbrella. Support Staff Network holds 2 events a year one in the fall at Rockcraft and the spring one at a church. They also offer scholarships. Attendance varies at the meetings fall-15-20 spring 40-100.

YMAT reported that they regularly have 3 SYC events --Beach Day, Fall Convention held at PL and Mid-Winter where new officers are elected. The Mid-Winter meeting is held at a church and the youth stay with host families. The JHN (YUMS) group has several gatherings a year usually in the eastern part of the state. David G reported that the Youth event is growing in numbers and that God is still Speaking to us about this event.
Women of the Maine Conference representative met will us to discuss the future of the group. Ann Marie was very concerned about the life line of the group. They didn’t meet in February because of the weather and hoped to meet in April. Women of the Maine Conference special projects include Baby-Think it-Over, Family Thank Offering, Celebration Seven, SERRV and sending an Honored Lay Women to Synod.

April brought the Small Church Mission Team members to discuss their budget. John MacDuffie and Barbara Grover reported that there are currently 4 churches in the Parishes of Promise program with 1 more church being proposed for 2004. It is anticipated that 2 more churches will be added in 2005 making a total of 7. Outdoor Ministries representative Peter Godfrey report that Jumpstart weekend work day at PL is set for April 23-25. The fall work day is schedules for October 30. Al Worden reported that the resource center committee had been presented two handouts from Annette Mott as a result of her sabbatical. We will receive copies and review at a later meeting.

David Ray attended our May meeting. He shared with us a handout entitled “So what will the world of small churches look like in 2030? We discussed what is considered a mega-church. In the future David envisions more small churches. There will be a decrease in denominationalism along with an increase in diversity and focus on what works for different areas. Each place will cater to its own needs; less conventional and more experimental. He commended the conference for finding a way to bring his position into being when the money was tight and expressed praise for the Conference staff and the job they are doing. He suggested that a goal for 2005 Annual meeting should be to have some program time for small churches.

We discussed the report that Annette Mott wrote during her sabbatical. We discussed looking for ways to provide education opportunities to outside churches via the internet of ITT with a special concern of reaching those in Aroostook County.

Earl reported that the Rockcraft work day was successful. There were a small number of people in attendance but a lot of work was completed. We moved to add Wally Flaherty to the committee.

June meeting brought out the best in us all. We needed to discuss the budget for 2005 again since the finance committee recommended a $700 cut for our group. Another topic that we discussed was the Youth Event. They are ready to go. The plane is almost full and more than enough adults. They still need a male advisor for the Senior Youth Group. This meeting was our reorganizational meeting. Herb Oliver was elected chairperson and Steve Harding secretary.