The regular meeting of the Coordinating Council of the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ was held on Friday, June 15, 2007, at 10:00 AM, at the First Congregational Church in Waterville, the Moderator being in the chair and the Clerk being present. The minutes from the April 20, 2007 meeting were approved as corrected.

Present:
Ron Beinema, Chelsea Bicknell, June Boutwell, Ernie Campbell, John Deal, David Gaewski, John Glover, Todd Goodeill, Denise Goodman, Judith Hubley, Connie Insley, Don Isham, Dan Johnson, Susan Kaplan, Jane Lowell, Herb Oliver, Anne Roundy, Mark Schussler, Sue Stevens

The Treasurer (Mark Schussler) reported:
- A written report was received and filed with the minutes.
- There will be a deficit in the Rockcraft budget due to a reduced clientele – in part because Rockcraft can only accept customers who are legally defined as not for profit - and due to a reduced per capita income from regular customers.
- Mark is looking at ways to minimize the loss in that area for the short term and long term.

The Business Manager (Mark Schussler) reported:
- A written report was received and filed with the minutes.
- Recently attended a two day seminar on non-profit risk management that was exceptional.

The Transitional Associate Conference Minister (June Boutwell) reported:
- A written report was received and is filed with the minutes.
- The time spend in support (church & ministry, associations, local church, interim, pastoral care) was 43%, which is high due to several factors: there were four association meetings, two full day boundary trainings, and there has been a fair amount of consultations in the area of Church and Ministry in two associations.
- Her last day in the office will be August 9.
- In the process of working with staff on preparing effective transitions.
- She will have an exit interview with representatives from the Personnel Committee next week.

The Conference Minister (David Gaewski) reported:
- A written report was received and is filed with the minutes.
- He expressed his thanks and amazement regarding the special conference meeting and celebration.
- He showed the shirts that were made for Synod in the city.
- There are 183 registered Synod attendees. There are many that did not register with us, so there will be even more in attendance. Maine will be well represented.
- Update on the Honduras partnership:
- 16 Hondurans will be in Maine from one to two weeks; 12 youth and four adults. There are many churches involved in this effort.
- He will be leading the Bangor Seminary trip to Honduras from August 1 to August 7. This is the pre-trip for the big trip in April 2008.
- The April 2008 trip which will involve 65 people.
- When the president and vice-president are here there will be discussions on the renewal of the contract for operating the medical clinic in Pinelejo in 2008, and possibly negotiate a two year renewal.
- There has been a lot of activity on the placement team. The list of placed pastors is only slightly higher than the list of departures.
- He attended the annual meeting of the Maritime Conference of the United Church of Canada which was extremely productive.
- They are planning for the fall a retreat for programmatic staff of the Maine Conference and the Maritime Conference to be held in St. Stephen. The purpose of this retreat is to do asset mapping and exploration on how these two conferences might consider providing better services to the Aroostook Association, the Washington Association, the Woolostook Presbyterian and the St Stephen Presbyterian. These four entities are the furthest from the respective conference offices. What they are exploring is how the staffs of the two conferences might consider crossing the border on a regular basis to provide consistent and better support to our churches in these areas.
- He met with the minister for francophone relations of the United Church of Canada who would like to have some addition conversations with folks in Maine about the potential of French speaking ministries in several parts of the state including Ft. Kent, Biddeford and Lewistion.

Dan Johnson reported on the process for extending the conference minister’s call:
- A written proposal was received and is filed with the minutes
- The proposal was amended by striking out ‘[or Personnel Committee Chair]’ from paragraph 3, and by striking out ‘at the will’ from paragraph 5 and replacing it with ‘under the supervision’.
- Resolved to adopt the proposal as amended. – Motion carried
- The amended proposal is filed with the minutes.

Resolved to extend David’s Gaewski’s contract until September 30, 2007 and to recommend that his contract be renewed by the Annual Meeting until Annual Meeting 2012. – Motion carried.

The Annual Meeting 2007 Committee (Herb Oliver) reported:
A draft of the Annual Meeting Agenda was received and is filed with these minutes. The agenda was approved as amended.
- The Executive Committee has recommended that the offer for the Sunday morning worship at Annual Meeting go to the Home Co-op in Orland.
- The State Youth Council (Chelsea Bicknell) requests that they be allowed to collect an offering at the service they are presenting at Annual Meeting to go toward their 5 for 5.
Resolved that the Sunday morning offering go to the Home Co-op and the Saturday offering, at the request of the State Youth Council, go toward their 5 for 5. – motion carried.

Annual Meeting 2008:
- Herb Oliver has agreed to be a co-chair of the committee.
- Denise will ask Cathy Wallace to be the other co-chair. If Cathy is unavailable, she’ll ask Doug Dunlap.
- Resolved that the moderator be authorized to appoint whomever she feels appropriate to the position of co-chair of the 2008 Annual Meeting committee. – motion carried.

The Coordinating Council Fall Retreat:
- It will be November 16 and 17 at China Lake.
- We will look at demographics and how that relates to churches that are ailing and areas that might be able to support a new church start.
- Andy White will be asked to present this topic.

Town Meetings
- Herb Oliver reported that locations for the Town Meetings to discuss the property owned by the Conference have been confirmed. Seventeen meetings are scheduled throughout the Conference. Tow of the facilitators have bee confirmed and they are working with several others.
- Mark S. is obtaining a professional appraisal of each property. They are hoping to have the information for the meetings by the Aug. 3 Coordinating Council meeting.
- Expect to hold town meetings from September to November 2007 and March through May 2008, and present the feedback from the meetings to the Coordinating Council in time to have a proposal to the Annual Meeting in June 2008. Committee is hoping that the meetings will result in new ideas for better use of the facilities to help increase revenue for our ministries or continue the current ministries.
- Currently the PL Working Group is on sabbatical pending the results of the town meetings. The PL Working Group was charged with the task of determining the optimal use of Pilgrim Lodge – summer only or year round retreat facilities
- It was suggested to accelerate the temp of the town meeting to finish before Dec. 2007, in order to have the information available by Annual Meeting 2008
- Should have some promotion of the Town Meetings at Annual Meeting 2007
- There will be a Recorder at each Town Meeting, who will send the minutes of each meeting to Sue for publication on the Conference website, so that everyone can know what happened at the other meetings.

The OCWM letter will be addressed after General Synod, to be sent to the conference congregations.

Proposed 2008 Budget
- A written Proposed Budget for 2008 was submitted and filed with the minutes
- Total income forecasted to increase by 3.2%
- Staff compensation to increase by 1.2%
- Need to amend the Proposed Budget to cover the Council of Conference Ministers dues of approximately $1150.
- VOTED: to recommend the 2008 Proposed Budget, as amended, be sent to the Annual Meeting for approval.

Rockcraft
- Rockcraft is facing a significant deficit this year. The Executive Committee has recommended that the Conference sell Lot 1, of the Rockcraft West subdivision. This lot was listed for sale in April 1999, and the Trustees put a hold on the sale at the end of that year. We have been paying property taxes on this lot because it is currently listed with the town as actively on the market.
- VOTED: to authorize the Business Manager to obtain a professional appraisal of the property and enter into a contract with a Real Estate agent to list Rockcraft West subdivision, Lot 1 (8 aye, 3 nay, 2 abstain)
- Discussion – to sell the Rockcraft property before the town meeting are held may cause negative feelings among congregations that the Coodinating Council has already decided how to handle the Conference properties; on the on the hand to end the year with at $25,000 deficit at Rockcraft may reflect negatively on Rockcraft and promote negative feelings toward it at the town meetings.
- VOTED: to move the question on the floor
- VOTED: to authorize the Business Manager to negotiate the sale of Rockcraft West subdivision Lot 1, and proceed if we receive an offer equal to or greater than the appraised value. (10 aye, 2 nay)

REPORTS
Commission for Spiritual Life – Anne Roundy reported that they are working on a calendar of events for 2008. Working on a Grant for Ministerial Excellence in coordination with ACLL.

Commission for Witness Life – Ernie Campbell submitted a written report was filed with the minutes. Awarded 7 scholarships of $500 each. Lori Whittimore has replace Lorraine Martin as Disaster Relief Coordinator. Have been contacted by Equality Maine for support in their efforts to promote same sex marriage in Maine. Members are debating whether to support. Also been contacted by Children’s Defense Fund, who supports legislation regarding healthcare for all children. Members are debating whether to support this also.

Commission for Community Life – Herb Oliver – May and June minutes submitted and filed with minutes. The spent the June meeting preparing a mailing promoting Rockcraft to other non-profit organizations.

State Youth Council – Chelsea Bicknell - SYC is looking for two new advisor, working on state outreach to attract more youth, Beach Day is Aug. 18, Fall Gathering is Oct. 12 – 14 at PL, they want to sell bracelets at Annual Meeting to raise money, traveling church services are on lhold.

Trustees – Ron Beinema reported the Smith Barney Institutional Consultant attend Trustees meetings to advis on movement of investments and investing in local banks

Associations
Oxford Union – Celebrated the completion of reconstruction of the Bridgton Church on April 29; will ordain Vicky Carpenter on June 10 in a four way covenant with Maine Medical Center; clergy are meeting monthly
Kennebec Valley – we are fine
Franklin – everything id OK
Aroostook – Association meeting in Houlton May 5 with 7 of 10 parishes represented; Union Church of Ashland has withdrawn from the Maine Conference and the UCC; group of clergy, US government official and Canadian law enforcement officers are meeting to address the problem with drug traffic in northern Maine
Penobscot-Piscataquis – John Glover reported they held their Annual Meeting on Mother’s day and elected new officers.

Note to add an item to August meeting agenda to discuss an amendment to the by-laws regarding meetings by conference calls.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:05 PM.

Todd Goodeill, Clerk