COORDINATING COUNCIL
MAINE CONFERENCE, UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
September 25, 2009, Grand Summit Hotel, Sunday River, Maine
Minutes

 

Present:

Anita White, Moderator                                 Linda Smith, Commission for Community Life

Herb Oliver, Vice-Moderator                        Ann Roundy, Commission for Spiritual Life

Walter (Ted) Ruark, Clerk                             Linda Kimball, Commission for Spiritual Life

Gerard Moore, Treasurer                               Jeanne Davis, Commission for Witness Life

Nita Dehais, Cumberland                               David Gaewski, Conference Minister

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

Victor Stanley, Hancock-Waldo                    Darren Morgan, Acting Associate Conference

Don Isham, Oxford Union                                          Minister for Small Church Development

John Glover, Penobscot-Piscataquis                          Mark Schussler, Business Manager

Franklin Anderson, York                               Connie Insley, Finance Committee

Susan Stevens, Conference Executive Assistant 

                                                                        Richard Bennett, Conference representative,

General Ministries

Absent:

Aroostook representative                               Phillip McKean, Lincoln 

Kelsea Trefethen, State Youth Council         Don Green, Washington

Ron Beinema, Board of Trustees                   Susan DeCoster, Commission for Community Life

Jane Lowell, Kennebec Valley                       Lori Whittemore, Commission for Witness Life 

Bryan Breault, Pilgrim Lodge                                   

           

                       

   

 

Call to Order: Anita White called the meeting to order at 12:14 p.m.

 

Minutes of the August 26, 2009 meeting: On a motion by Anne Roundy, seconded by Linda Smith, the minutes of the August 26, 2009 meeting were accept as printed.

 

Treasurer’s Report: Gerald Moore highlighted the following from his written report:

1.     There has been a 2% increase in income this year to date over the same time period in 2008. 

2.     There is a $10,831 surplus as compared with a $45,492 deficit at the same time last year.

3.     Expenses are down approximately 4% compared to the same time last year.

On a motion by Herb Oliver, seconded by Susan Kaplan-Burgess, the Treasurer's report was accepted as printed.

 

Business Manager’s Report: Mark reported that six groups or individuals have taken at least 2 tours of Rockcraft and 3 of those are currently preparing offers (though none has been received to date). On a motion by Susan Kaplan-Burgess, seconded by Linda Smith, the Treasurer's report was accepted.

 

 

 

Conference Ministers’ Remarks

  1. David reminded the council that the Fall Learning Event would be held at the High Street Congregational Church in Auburn on November 13th and 14th, with Diana Butler Bass as the workshop leader.
  2. David informed the committee that, following the promulgation of new Internal Revenue Service regulations, the Pension Board is initiating a procedure for documenting local church approval of its contributions to pension systems on behalf of its minister. He also indicated that the Coordinating Council would need to take similar action for those Conference employees for whom contributions to the UCC pension system are made. This action, at both the local church and Coordinating Council levels, must be completed by December 31, 2009 and will be an annual requirement. David will alert all ministers and the Pension Board will communicate the new requirement to its contacts in the local churches. This new requirement could create two potential problems: (1) churches may rethink and perhaps change the way they make their pension contributions; and (2) churches that have traditionally issued 1099 forms and made pension contributions directly to the Pension Board will now have to make those contributions to the minister, who would then submit the money to their pension fund. On a motion by Linda Kimball, seconded by Herb Oliver, the council approved the Conference Pension Policy.

Susan Craig: Susan highlighted the following from her written report:

1.     The State Youth Council has been active this summer, with activities and planning fall events. It has also requested that it be permitted to accept a 5 for 5 offering at its worship service at the 2009 Annual Meeting. On a motion by Anne Roundy, seconded by Franklin Anderson, the council voted to permit the State Youth Council to receive a 5 for 5 offering at its Annual Meting worship service.

2.     The Academy for Congregational Life and Leadership has begun its second year with 22 of the original 25 students participating. The advisory committee is discussing the possible structure of a third year, which would consist primarily of independent study, and the process of recruitment of a new class of students for the fall of 2010.

3.     She noted that churches seeking fulltime ministers are receiving a good number of profiles but that churches seeking less than fulltime ministers are receiving many fewer.

4.     She continues to work with church and ministry committees on the Ministry Issues implementation.

5.     Advice relating to the H1N1 (swine) flu has recently been sent to all churches.

 

Darren Morgan: Darren reported that he had attended the United Church of Christ Leadership Training in Atlanta, Georgia, the focus of which was the vitalization of mall churches.

 

Continuing Business:

  1. 2009 Annual Meeting:
    1. Offering: On a motion by Anne Roundy, seconded by Linda Kimball, the council voted to contribute the Annual Meeting offering to the Friends of the Conference Fund.
    2. Annual Meeting Agenda: On a motion by Victor Stanley, seconded by Linda Smith, the council voted to adopt the changes to the Annual Meeting agenda and to approve the sale of Fair Trade coffee by the Honduras Partnership.
    3. Annual Meeting Agenda: The approval of the minutes of the June 6, 2009 Special Conference Meeting was added to the Annual Meeting agenda, following the approval of the 2008 Annual Meeting minutes.
    4. 2010 Budget: On a motion by Susan Kaplan-Burgess, seconded by Anne Roundy, the council voted to recommend the 2010 budget proposed by the Finance Committee to the Annual Meeting.

2.     Next Generation Working Group: The Next Generation Committee held its first meeting on September 10, 2009. Because of its daytime meeting schedule, Kelsea Trefethen will not be able to continue as a member. David Clark will be asked to replace her on the committee. The committee has set an ambitious schedule, which includes interviewing approximately 16 to 18 groups or individuals.

3.     2010 Annual Meeting: Bob Edgarton (Commission for Spiritual Life) and Martha Phillips (Commission for Witness Life) were added as members of the planning committee.

4.     Bylaw Revision Committee: Walter (Ted) Ruark distributed copies of his report, outlining the anticipated work schedule of the committee.

5.     Calendar: Anita announced that the Executive Committee would meet on October 15th (2:30 p.m. – conference call) and November 18th (2:30 p.m. – Waterville), and that the Coordinating council would meet on October 23rd (10:00 a.m. – Waterville) and December 4th (10:00 a.m. – Rockcraft Retreat Center). The agenda of the October 23rd Coordinating Council meeting will include the setting of the 2010 meeting schedule for both the Executive Committee and the Coordinating Council, discussion of the Fair Trade coffee to be offered by the Honduras Partnership, and discussion of the Conference’s Outdoor Ministries (specifically Pilgrim Lodge). The agenda of the December 4th meeting will include a morning session conducted by Jill Job Saxby of the Maine Council of Churches and an afternoon business session. A discussion of merging associations will be held at the January Coordinating Council meeting (date to be announced).


Reports from the State Youth Council, Associations, Others:

  1. The fall association meetings were announced for the following dates:

October 18 – Lincoln, Penobscot-Piscataquis, Oxford Union

                        October 25 – Cumberland, Aroostook, Kennebec Valley, York

                        November 1 – Franklin

                        November 8 – Waldo-Hancock

  1. Linda Kimball reported that Cindy Bohran of the Mexico Congregational Church had written a new hymn. At the request of the council, Linda will ask Cindy to play the hymn at the 2010 Annual Meeting.
  2. David reported that he would be participating in a press conference supporting a NO vote on Question 1 (marriage equality) on October 1st.

 

There was no New or Other Business to come before the council.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 1:04 p.m.

 


Emailed to Anita White and Sue Stevens on Tuesday, September 29, 2009