COORDINATING COUNCIL
MAINE CONFERENCE, UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

June 11, 2010

Olsen Student Center, University of Maine at Farmington

Farmington, Maine

 

Minutes

Present:

Anita White, Moderator                     Steve Hastings, Commission for Witness Life

Herb Oliver, Vice-Moderator            Susan DeCoster, Commission for Community Life

Walter (Ted) Ruark, Clerk                 Betty Ann Haskell, Commission for Community Life

Gerard Moore, Treasurer                   Linda Kimball, Commission for Spiritual Life

Zachary Grant, State Youth Council  David Gaewski, Conference Minister

Bernys Doak, Hancock-Waldo           Darren Morgan, Associate Conference Minister           

Jane Lowell, Kennebec Valley                                   for Small Church Development

Anne Roundy, Mid-Coast                  Susan Craig, Associate Conference Minister           

Don Isham, Oxford Union                  Mark Schussler, Business Manager

John Glover, Penobscot-Piscataquis  Susan Stevens, Conference Executive Assistant 

Don Green, Washington                     Connie Insley, Finance Committee   

Franklin Anderson, York                   Doug Nielsen, Vice-Moderator Nominee

                       

Absent:

Aroostook representative                   Susan Kaplan-Burgess, Franklin       

Ron Beinema, Board of Trustees       ___________, Commission for Spiritual Life

Nita Dehais, Cumberland                   ___________, Commission for Witness Life

 

Call to Order: Anita White called the meeting to order at 12:00.

 

Next Coordinating Council Meeting: Herb Oliver announced that the next Coordinating Council Meeting would be he annual retreat on September 17, 2010 at Pilgrim Lodge with a beginning time of 9:00 a.m.

 

Introductions: Anita introduced Rev. Doug Nielsen who will be nominated as the new Vice-Moderator and Zachary Grant representing the State Youth Council.

 

Sunday’s Offering: On a motion by Anne Roundy, seconded by Susan DeCoster, the council voted (with 2 opposed) to donate the Sunday offering to the Annual Meeting to the Friends of the Maine Conference Appeal.

 

Conference Bylaw Revisions: Walter (Ted) Ruark distributed copies of the summary of the Bylaw revisions and commented on the hearing and presentation process, inviting council members to alert him to any comments heard about the revisions. He stressed that the changes reflected the cultural shift within the denomination, illustrated by the change in terminology from “in care student” to “member in discernment,” the recognition of many ministries (including lay ministries), and the first step toward a continuing education requirement for authorized ministers through the acknowledgement of education as a life-long process.

 

United Church of Christ Constitution Changes: David Gaewski reviewed the changes proposed by the 2009 General Synod to the United Church of Christ Constitution and reiterated that the vote to be taken was either approval or disapproval. No amendments can be considered.

 

Linda Kimball reported that Rev. Ron Ashworth, a retired minister in the Oxford Union Association, was undergoing surgery today and asked for prayers for Ron and his family.

 

Business Manager’s Report: Mark Schussler presented a proposal from Scott Simons Architects for design services for the replacement of the existing boardwalk at Pilgrim Lodge. The proposal included a scope of work (with 16 specific tasks to be performed), a proposed schedule for that work, and the proposed fees for doing that work. The proposal addressed the design services for the replacement of the existing boardwalk and making the chapel and waterfront handicapped accessible at a cost of between $21,000 and $23,500. After considerable discussion and on a motion by Steve Hastings, seconded by Anne Roundy, the council voted (8-3-2) to proceed with the study of the Pilgrim Lodge boardwalk, to include items 1 through 9 of the Scott Simons Architects proposal, at a cost not to exceed $13,000, pending the availability of funds from the proceeds of the sale of the Rockcraft Retreat Center or from other sources that may become available.

    Mark also described a potential property gift to the Conference from the Norman A. Powell Living Trust in the form of a farmhouse on a half-acre of land fronting on Route 69 in Carmel. He explained the conditions under which the gift could be used: either as a residence for a retired minister or sold with the proceeds to be used by the Maine Conference. Considerable discussion followed Mark’s comments. No action was taken at this meeting, however.

 

2011 and 2012 Annual Meeting Dates: Herb Oliver announced that, after consultation with the University of Maine at Farmington, the meeting dates for the 2011 and 2012 Annual Meetings could be changed from June 9-12, 2011 to June 23-26, 2011 and from June 7-10, 2012 to June 21-24, 2012. The rationale for the desired change is so that the Annual Meeting will not conflict with high school graduations that generally are scheduled for the first or second weekend of June. It was noted that the graduation conflict seriously reduced the number of youth delegates registered for this Annual Meeting and also negatively impacted the number of registered adult delegates. On a motion by Walter (Ted) Ruark, seconded by Linda Kimball, the council voted to change the dates of the 2011 Annual Meeting to June 23-27, 2011 and of the 2012 Annual Meeting to June 21-14, 2012.

 

Sue Stevens requested assistance in packing up equipment and supplies at the end of the Annual Meeting. Several council members volunteered.

 

2011 Clergy Compensation Guidelines: Copies of the 2011 Clergy Compensation Guidelines have been available on the Maine Conference web site. On a motion by Herb Oliver, seconded by Susan DeCoster, the council voted to recommend the 2011 Clergy Compensation Guidelines to the Conference for adoption at the Annual Meeting.

 

Moderator’s Remarks; Anita thanked council members for their work during her 2 years as Moderator. She recognized that there were many hard decisions made and appreciated the civility with which each issue was addressed.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 1:37 p.m.

 

 

Sent to Anita White and Herb Oliver on Friday, June 18, 2010

 

COORDINATING COUNCIL
MAINE CONFERENCE, UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

June 12, 2010

Olsen Student Center, University of Maine at Farmington

Farmington, Maine

 

Minutes

Present:

Anita White, Moderator                     Betty Ann Haskell, Commission for Community Life

Herb Oliver, Vice-Moderator                        Steve Hastings, Commission for Witness Life

Walter (Ted) Ruark, Clerk                 David Gaewski, Conference Minister

Susan Kaplan-Burgess, Franklin        Susan Craig, Associate Conference Minister

Anne Roundy, Mid-Coast                  Darren Morgan, Associate Conference Minister

Don Green, Washington                                 for Small Church Development

Franklin Anderson, York                   Mark Schussler, Business Manager

Connie Insley, Finance Committee    Susan Stevens, Conference Executive Assistant 

 

Absent:

Aroostook representative                   Don Isham, Oxford Union

Gerard Moore, Treasurer                   John Glover, Penobscot-Piscataquis

Zachary Grant, State Youth Council  Susan DeCoster, Commission for Community Life    

Ron Beinema, Board of Trustees       Linda Kimball, Commission for Spiritual Life

Nita Dehais, Cumberland                   ___________, Commission for Spiritual Life

Bernys Doak, Hancock-Waldo           ___________, Commission for Witness Life           

Jane Lowell, Kennebec Valley          

 

This special, unscheduled meeting became necessary because of business that required Coordinating Council action prior to Plenary 2 later that morning

 

Call to Order: Anita White called the meeting to order at 7:30 a.m.

 

Powell Property: With the press for time at Friday’s Coordinating Council, no action had been taken with regard to accepting the offer of the farmhouse and half-acre of land from the Norman A. Powell Living Trust. On a motion by Don Green, seconded by Herb Oliver, the council voted to accept the offer from the Norman A. Powell Living Trust. A subcommittee of David Gaewski, Mark Schussler, Ron Beinema, Anita White, and Herb Oliver was asked to oversee the acquisition and eventual sale of the property.

 

Coordinating Council Recommendation: In light of the strong sentiment expressed at both Plenary 1 on Friday regarding the commitment of the net proceeds of the sale of the Rockcraft Retreat Center, the council decided to revise and reword its motion concerning the funding of the design project for the Pilgrim Lodge boardwalk. On a motion by Steve Hastings, seconded by Anne Roundy, the council voted to proceed with design phase of the Pilgrim Lodge boardwalk at a cost not to exceed $13,000, pending the availability of funds.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 7:46 a.m.

 

Sent to Anita White and Herb Oliver on Friday, June 18, 2010