COORDINATING COUNCIL

MAINE CONFERENCE, UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

January 25, 2008, Waterville

Minutes

Present:

Denise Goodman, Moderator Franklin Anderson, York

Anita White, Vice Moderator Herb Oliver, Commission for Community Life

Walter (Ted) Ruark Clerk Linda Smith, Commission for Community Life

Chelsea Bicknell, State Youth Council Judy Hubley, Commission for Spiritual Life

Richard Weidler, Cumberland Anne Roundy, Commission for Spiritual Life

Victor Stanley, Hancock-Waldo Jeanne Davis, Commission for Witness Life

Jane Lowell, Kennebec Valley Connie Insley, Commission for Witness Life

Dan Johnson, Oxford-Union David Gaewski, Conference Minister

John Glover, Penobscot-Piscataquis Susan Craig, Associate Conference Minister

Don Green, Washington Mark Schussler, Business Manager

Ron Beinema, Board of Trustees Sue Stevens, Conference Executive Assistant

Absent:

Susan Kaplan-Burgess, Franklin John Deal, Aroostook

Phillip McKean, Lincoln

Call to Order and Prayer: Denise called the meeting to order at 10:10 a.m. and opened with prayer and a reading from the devotional book Bread for the Journey, the theme of which was “being in the church and of the church.”

Minutes of November meeting: On a motion by Herb Oliver, seconded by Linda Smith, the minutes of the November 17, 2007 meeting were accepted with corrections.

Business Manager’s and Treasurer’s Report: Mark distributed his report, which included a December 2007 YTD Budget report. David noted that the report provided the following good and challenging news:

a. OCWM giving increased in 2007 (to $577,915), countering a 3-year downward trend;

b. Although Fellowship Dues receipts were $8,543 lower than budgeted, this represents failure of payment or underpayment by only 4 churches;

c. Receipts from the Friends of the Maine Conference were $104 short of the $4,000 budget figure, but still represented a 9% increase over 2006 (David explained that contributions to Friends of the Maine Conference typically come through web site donations – one of four choices for giving on-line – and through an annual Friends appeal);

d. Contributions from churches (OCWM, Fellowship Dues and Friends of the Maine Conference) combined exceeded the budgeted amount;

e. Deficits at Pilgrim Lodge were $27,700 and at Rockcraft were $45,000. However, the Rockcraft deficit was lowered to $15,000 because of a $30,000 loan from the “remnant funds” (available unexpended project or appeal funds) in anticipation of the sale of a portion of the Rockcraft property. David also noted that the “surplus” recorded in the 2006 Rockcraft account was offset by the $6,765 legal costs attributable to the Sebago town lawsuit challenging the non-profit status of Rockcraft. Those costs are shown in the budget as Conference costs; and,

f. A closing date for sale of the portion of the Rockcraft property is scheduled for mid-February.

Mark reviewed the reasons for the deficit at Rockcraft, citing the following three items:

Income from use of the facility was $20,153 less than budgeted;
Contributions were $3,566 less than budgeted;
Endowment income was $177 less than budgeted;
A preliminary review of extraordinary, emergency maintenance and repairs/projects resulted in at least $15,528 in unanticipated expenditures; and,
Uncontrollable costs required an unanticipated expenditure of at least $8,721.

Mark and David provided the following reasons for the $27,700 deficit at Pilgrim Lodge:

Increased insurance costs;
Costs incurred to ensure ACA certification; and,
Necessary tree removal.

At David’s request, Bryan Breault had prepared a plan to fund the deficit over the next 3 years. On a motion by Walter Ruark, seconded by Dan Johnson, it was voted unanimously to accept the proposed 3-year deficit repayment plan to rebuild the reserve fund by affecting 2008 budget cuts, increasing camp tuition by no more than 10%, and increasing retreat fees.

David reported that the Nominating Committee is still working on finding a new treasurer, and that he has encouraged the committee to seek a person from a large church in the greater Portland area. He explained that this area and large churches are underrepresented on the Coordinating Council. Because of potential audit issues resulting from the lack of a treasurer, a treasurer pro temp will be sought. Denise will contact Chuck Ilhoff to see if he will accept that position.

Sue Stevens reported the recent hiring of Alyssa Lodewick as Placement Assistant and Beth Humphrey as Accounting Assistant. She also presented Denise and Anita with a summary of policy decisions made by the Coordinating Council over the past few years as recorded in the Council minutes.

Conference Ministers’ Reports:

Susie Craig highlighted the following items from her written report:

She is currently working with 9 churches in the search process and 3 churches with “difficult issues”;
She has met with the York Association to discuss the draft of the proposed changes to the Manual on Ministry;
Continues her work on the National Youth Event in Knoxville, Tennessee in July, mentioning that the age range for the event is 13 through 18; and,
She has participated in the search process for the Director of the Academy of Church Life and Leadership.

David Gaewski highlighted the following items from his written report:

He is currently assisting 3 churches in conflict;
He announced that the Honduras Partnership has received a vote of confidence from the Annual Assembly in Honduras and that he and Sarah Bigney would be meeting with the new Board of Directors in the near future;
He noted that the Honduras Partnership Committee had voted to disassociate itself from the Amigo Program sponsored by the York Association;
In addition to the list included in his report, he noted that Rev. Anita White had added the Sweden church to her pastoral responsibilities; and,
He reported that he and Richard Weidler had met with the Board of Trustees as requested by the Council to discuss the Council’s concerns about the proposed investment policy, acknowledging that the information they had gathered from the meeting had convinced them that the proposed policy would indeed be beneficial to the churches of the conference (churches would be ensured an annual return at least equal to the previous year’s plus a cost of living adjustment).

Following a brief discussion, on a motion by Richard Weidler, seconded by Ron Beinema, the council voted to accept the investment policy as originally proposed by the Board of Trustees regarding the transfer of funds on an annual basis from the Consolidated Fund. The vote was 8 in favor, with 1 opposed and 7 abstentions.

Denise mentioned that she had received a letter from United Church of Christ President John Thomas thanking the Maine Conference for its support of the national church.

Continuing business:

Annual Meeting 2008: Herb reported that the planning committee would be meeting again on January 30^th, and that the draft of the program would be presented to the Council at its February meeting. One anticipated change would be that the Council meeting would be scheduled as a working lunch on the Friday so that Council members would be able to attend the pre-annual meting retreat if they wish.

Town Meeting Summary and next steps: Herb reported that the planning committee would be compiling a summary of the information gathered at the town meeting and would present that summary to the Council at its February meting as well as being placed on the Conference web site. The discussion that followed included the suggestion that the Council at its February meeting discuss what additional information would be desirable to have before making any further decisions and what the process would be to make those decisions.

Acting Associate Minister for Small Church Development: David reported that 2 applications have been received and 1 interview conducted. He expected an offer to be extended within the next week and, if accepted, would expect the person to begin sometime between April 1 and May 1, 2008.

Status of settled Associate Minister for Small Church Development search: Denise reminded that individuals had expressed a willingness to serve on the search committee, but had not yet met. The committee interviewing for the acting ACMSCD position has recommended that the search committee not begin its work until at least 6 months after an acting ACMSCD is appointed, since it takes a while to learn the responsibilities of the position. David indicated that, if the present candidate does not accept the acting position, he would recommend that the acting position not be filled and that the search committee begin its work immediately.

Meeting with Bangor Theological Seminary President and trustee: Anita and Denise reported on the meeting with President Bill Imes and Trustee Robert Grove-Marshwood. President Imes agreed to work through the Maine Council of Churches to re-establish a judicatory advisory committee. Denise and Anita will seek to revive the Seminary Support Committee.

Personnel Committee: David and John Glover reported that the Personnel Committee had discussed his 3-month sabbatical leave, which begins in July 2008, at its last meeting. He will be submitting a proposed job description to that committee at its next meeting. Since David’s contract calls for a 3-month sabbatical leave every 5 years, and David did not take a sabbatical in 2007, the Personnel Committee recommended to the Council that it approve a 3-month sabbatical in 2008 and that David be eligible for his next sabbatical in 4 years (2012). The motion was approved by unanimous vote.

Annual Meeting 2009 date and site: Denise indicated that there was concern about alternating the timing of annual meetings between June and September. After considerable discussion, on a motion by Richard Wiedler, seconded by Don Green, the Council voted (with 1 abstention) to hold the 2009 Annual Meeting at Sunday River on September 25 – 27, 2009.

Academy for Congregational Life/Leadership: Judy Hubley reported that interviews for the Director’s position were being conducted.

New Business: The Conference has received a request from Susan Gilton of the Prides Corner church for financial support of the Portland Freedom Trail. David suggested that unexpended funds from the Amistad Visit Fund could be used as the donation because of the relationship between the two. Following a brief discussion and on a motion by Franklin Anderson, seconded by Herb Oliver, the committee voted unanimously to donate $792.41 to the Portland Freedom Trail.

Resourcing the Local Church vacancy: David reported that there is a vacant position on this committee. Linda Smith volunteered to serve and, on a motion by Ron Beinema, seconded by John Glover, the Council voted unanimously to appoint her to that position.

Reports:

State Youth Council: Chelsea Bicknell reported that she had resigned from the SYC Executive Committee and that this would be her last meeting with the Council. She also indicated that the Mid-Winter Convention on February 22 – 24 has been moved to Saco (originally scheduled for Windham), that Kris Galasyn and Mary Angela Davis are the new advisors to the SYC, and that plans are proceeding for the National Youth Event in July.

Spiritual Life: Judy Hubley reported that the committee will hold a Grant Writing Workshop on January 31 in Belfast and is planning the Clergy Spring Retreat for April 28 – 29 at Living Water in Winslow.

Witness Life: Jeanne Davis referred council members to her written report.

Community Life: Herb reported that, in addition to the work on the Town Meeting reports, commission members met with Jane Lowell (Finance Committee chair) to begin the 2009 budget process. He also indicated that the Support Staff Network workshop had been canceled due to insufficient registrations. He noted that the Small Church Ministry Team was currently reviewing applications.

Associations: Verbal reports of activities were given for the following associations:

Washington Cumberland Kennebec Valley Penobscot-Piscataquis

Hancock-Waldo York Oxford Union Aroostook

The meeting adjourned at 3:13 p.m.