September, 26, 2003 – Sugarloaf USA
The Motion was made by Charles Whiston, Vice Moderator, that the Coordinating Council receive the report of the Search Committee and recommend to Annual Meeting that the Reverend David R. Ray be called to the position of Associate Minister for Small Church Development for the Maine Conference United Church of Christ. Dick Waddell led the Coordinating Council in prayer.
VOTED, unanimously, to approve the Motion.
VOTED to adopt the principles outlined in Section 3 (of details of the agreement) upon which a fiscal agency agreement may be negotiated with the Kennebec Valley Organization, for the Intervalley Project, and direct the Business Manager to negotiate a fiscal agency agreement, forwarding it to the Executive Committee for ratification.
VOTED to accept the recommendation of the Executive Committee that the Annual Meeting Offering go to Sabeel, a “Christian Voice for Peacemaking in Israel and Palestine”.
VOTED to recommend as Tellers at Annual Meeting the following: Rick Small, Chair, Deb Small, Diane Bennekamper, Susan Gilpin, Allie Rimkunas, John Rimkunas.
VOTED to recommend the adoption of the Rules of Procedure for Annual Meeting as published by the Conference.
VOTED to accept the recommendation of the Executive Committee that Anne Roundy chair the Committee for Annual Meeting 2004.
VOTED to ratify action of the Executive Committee to approve the Honduras Partnership Covenant and to recommend it to Annual Meeting for ratification.
VOTED to appoint David Hall to the Personnel Committee for the term ending
in ’05.

November 8, 2003 – Living Waters Spiritual Center, Winslow
VOTED to approve the appointment of Jane Lowell, Finance Committee; Al Worden and Christine Guy, Annual Meeting Committee; Emily Taylor,
Resourcing the Local Church
VOTED to adopt the Guidelines for Annual Funding Appeals. Thanks were expressed to the finance Committee for persevering through the work on this presentation. A position paper outlined more details of the guidelines.

January 23, 2004 – First Congregational Church, Waterville
VOTED to add the $35,468 surplus to general undesignated reserves.
VOTED: In a spirit of Covenant the Maine Conference will loan the UCC Identity and Vision Plan of the National Setting $26,160 from our unrestricted Endowment Funds, and the Coordinating Council will decide on a repayment plan in two years time. The vote was unanimous.
Pilgrim Lodge Focus Group: Names were presented for this team to work on program, facility, and the 50-year celebration. Dick Thomas, Diane Bennekamper, John McCall, Jack Steeves, Pat Seaward, Steve Gettle; Staff, David Gaewski, Mark Schussler, Bryan Breault. VOTED to approve these names.
Rockcraft Advisory Committee: Names were presented for this committee. Phyllis Marley, Stuart Cooper, Esther Cooper, Jim Fletcher, Brad McCurtain, Dawn Defeo. VOTED to approve these names.
Dedication of Capital Funds to pay for technical replacements:
VOTED to transfer $5,540 from Capital Funds to the General Fund.

March 31, 2004 – First Congregational Church, Waterville
VOTED: The Coordinating Council commends the State Street Church community and the Reverend Stephen Carnahan in their discernment of God’s call toward a new church start in Portland. We offer our early prayers of support in this endeavor and our continuing interest in its development.
VOTED to approve Mary Beth Dorsey of the Hancock Church as at-large member of the Commission for Spiritual Life (2005) and to approve Ken Hartwell of Woodfords Church as a member of the Board of Trustees (2006).

May 8, 2004 – Sky Hi Retreat Center
VOTED that the Coordinating Council affirms the importance of Outdoor Ministry to the mission and ministry of the Maine Conference UCC.
VOTED to appoint a Pilgrim Lodge working group to prioritize the proposed development and expansion of Pilgrim Lodge, including the development of a year round facility, and to investigate the costs of developing a comprehensive and strategic plan and feasibility study, and report back to the Coordinating Council by September 24, 2004.
VOTED that the Coordinating Council expresses appreciation for the extensive work of the Pilgrim Lodge Vision Group and dismisses them as a Vision Group with the sincere thanks of the Conference.
VOTED to thank Hammond Street Church, but with further consideration, the Conference has decided to hold Annual Meeting 2005 at Sunday River in Bethel, September 23, 24, 25, 2005. David will write to the church to that effect.
VOTED to make “Prophetic Witness” the theme of Annual Meeting 2005.
VOTED the Coordinating Council directs the Conference to switch all of its electrical systems to Green Electricity beginning in 2005.
VOTED to approve a new line item category in the budget for a $137.25 Campaign.
VOTED to designate the 2004 Annual Meeting Offering as seed money to start a Seminarian Debt Reduction Fund.

June 18, 2004 - Pilgrim Lodge
Budget 2005 - The Motion was Made and Seconded to approve Budget 2005 as recommended by the Executive Committee.
An Amendment to the Motion was Made and Seconded to amend Budget 2005 as recommended by Executive Committee (reference to Summary-Handout A [page 11of Coordinating Council packet for June 18, 2004]) by replacing the figures in column headed ‘2005 Exec. Rec.’ with those in column headed ‘2005 Dept. Rec.’ with the following exceptions:
line 328 Fellowship Dues - $236,893
line 333 $137.25 campaign – deleted
line 334 Total Income - $1,394,058
line 344 OCWM to National UCC - $154,000
line 348 Total Expenses - $1,394,058
line 350 Operating Surplus (Deficit) - $0.00
line 358 Net Surplus (Deficit) - $0.00
VOTED to approve the Amendment. (2 Nay votes)
VOTED to Approve the Motion as Amended. (2 Abstentions)
VOTED to recommend to Annual Meeting 2005 an increase in Fellowship Dues from $7.70 to $10.00. (This would include the expected Cost of Living increase for 2005.)
VOTED Each year the budget will reflect the vote of 2001 to increase Fellowship Dues in accordance with the increase in Cost of Living. (1 Abstention)
VOTED to recommend the Draft Mission Statement to Annual Meeting for adoption as the Mission Statement of the Maine Conference.
VOTED to modify the 2004 Budget with the changes outlined by the Finance Committee, as follows:
Personnel Expense cost-cutting saving $9200
Rockcraft Committee saving $600
Women of the Maine Conference saving $1000
Small Church Office reduced $1200
Travel and Hospitality reduced $1000
Honduras Partnership Team - $3000