Conference News and Announcements
Board of Directors Meeting Highlights
September 6, 2008
Paul Hiltman, treasurer of the Conference reported that OCWM Basic Support was behind, as is often the case following the summer. He urged congregations to make OCWM payments monthly or quarterly. He will have a narrative summary on all of the restricted invested funds of the Conference at our next board meeting.
The board received an extended report from Steve Havey, on the Fund Raising Potential for the Proposed Capital Campaign. The full report was made on the basis of 55 interviews conducted with leaders from across the Conference. These 55 individuals were drawn from 90% of the congregations. Mr. Havey reported that the Conference, its staff and ministries are viewed highly positively by an overwhelming majority of those interviewed.
The Recommendations of the report are:
- That the Conference should proceed with plans for a Conference-wide fund-raising campaign.
- The goals recommended are: a minimum goal of $1Million, intermediate goal of $2 million, and a challenge goal of $3.6 Million+. Pledges from all congregations, individuals, foundations, and other sources will be sought.
- A vote on the proposed campaign should be scheduled to take place at the Annual Meeting of the Conference, June 12-13, 2009.
- An Awareness/Education Committee of the Board should be appointed to:
- Reexamine the Statement of Needs in light of the Study Findings, and prepare a preliminary Case for Support to reflect these changes, and provide more detailed documentation.
- Conduct an Awareness/Education Program through a series of meetings hosted by clergy and lay leaders across the Conference.
- If the outcome of this step is positive, a Conference-wide fund-raising campaign would be started in July, 2009, and conclude in April, 2010.
Following vigorous discussion, the Board approved the funding to take this next planning step.
The Youth Task Force reported that the North Georgia Mission Trip in June attracted 35 participants. Given the success of this effort, and the level of volunteer and youth participation in the National Youth Event in Knoxville, the Youth Task Force is beginning to plan for a Conference-wide Youth Event in Atlanta, in fall, 2009
The Stewardship and Finance Committee reported that they are planning an event February 6-8 for all stewardship committees, finance committees, treasurers and other financial officers. The intent of the gathering will be to equip those who provide oversight to the finances and financial development within local churches with the tools they need to do their ministry with effectiveness.
Cameron Trimble reported that the new church development continues with energy, and the new church development advisory committee has been reorganized. There is also a surge of new church developers approaching the Conference for conversation and support.
Gerri Hudson reported that she and Rick Grimes are working with Kathy Clark to strengthen the financial and administrative infrastructure of the TAP program. Rick is working part-time as an associate to Kathy Clark. She expressed the gratitude of the entire staff for the warm hospitality of Pleasant Hill Community UCC, TN, for their hosting of the Annual Meeting of the Conference in June.
Tim Downs reported that he has spent a large amount of time on organizational issues having to do with the authorization of ministries at both association and conference levels. He has been working with staff around the development of grants. This summer he conducted a class in UCC history and polity. He continues to serve on five Boards in the national UCC. He has been working with six congregations in active pastoral searches, and is giving a great deal of time to strengthening communication between the Conference and local churches.
The Board approved a document that provides for the Conference to serve as a calling body for ordained ministers who are in private practice as counselors. They also reviewed the revised documents and application forms for the Southeast Conference Theological Scholarship Program.
Gary Spencer, member of First Congregational UCC, Atlanta, and a Board member has been elected to the Board of Trustees of Talladega College, Talladega, AL, where he will represent the voice of the United Church of Christ.
The Still Speaking Ministry of the UCC has requested special support for the launch of the next UCC ad. The Board committed $1,000 to the ad launch, and encouraged the board members to match these contributions with their own.
Mark the date! Alabama-Tennessee Association Fall Gathering will take place on October 3 and 4 at Pilgrim Congregational UCC, Chattanooga. The theme of the meeting is “education in the Presence of God”, and the preacher will be Robert Emil Koenig retired editor-in-chief of the Division of Christian Education of the UCC. Also featured in the program is Jan Resseger, Minister for Public Education. Beginning at 3:45 with a showing of “2 Million Minutes”, a documentary concerning contrasting educational opportunities in the United States, China and India. The event will continue with a keynoter on education, workshops on a range of educational related issues, time of fellowship, and much more. For further information, contact Don Clark at djclark@frontiernet.net.
In July we welcomed on to staff Adrienne Singley-Candido as support staff to Cameron Trimble. Adrienne, a native of Baltimore, has traveled widely with her husband who just retired from the Army. She is the new editor of our newsletter “Voices and Visions.”
Looking ahead…The 12th Annual Winter Youth Retreat will be held January 16-19, 2009 (MLK, Jr. Weekend). This collaborative event between the youth of the Southern and Southeast Conferences has become a widely anticipated tradition. Registrations packets were mailed out mid-September, and registration will begin at the end of November. For information, or if you wish to volunteer to assist call Kristin Gerner Vaughn at (336) 402-2897.
The Southeast Conference provided about 100 volunteers from a number of our congregations to the UCC National Youth Event, held in Knoxville, TN, July 25-27. The event has been described as “the best ever!” Volunteers were coordinated by Ann Harvey of Church of the Savior, UCC, Knoxville, and came from Church of the Savior, Pleasant Hill Community UCC, TN, Holy Trinity Community UCC, Nashville, Central Congregational UCC, Atlanta, and a number of other congregations. Thank you to all who extended a Southern welcome to the UCC!
Tom Warren, pastor of Pleasant Hill Community UCC, TN., and his wife Kim Miller spent their sabbatical this summer exploring the social changes unfolding in Guatemala, Venezuela, and Cuba. They have a Power Point, and want to engage in conversation with other local churches about their experience. They are interested in the possibility of organizing an emersion experience in Venezuela for the Southeast Conference to learn more about the Bolivarian Revolution. Please contact Tom at phcc@frontiernet.net if you would like Tom and Kim to visit your church.
It is with great pride that the Southeast Conference was a sponsor with the Evangelism Team of the United Church of Christ, Lancaster Theological Seminary, and others to support the UCC New Church Leadership Institute, held August 12-15 at Emory University in Atlanta. The Director of the Institute was our own Cameron Trimble, Association Conference Minister for Church Development. 100 participants gathered for keynotes and workshops around foundational aspects of effective new church development. This is a part of the growing commitment of the Southeast Conference to extend our ministry through building progressive and welcoming congregations across the South.
We have news from our newly reorganized Disaster Assistance Relief Team (DART) inviting congregations to respond to the needs of victims of floods and disasters by purchasing the supplies for and assembling Clean Up Kits, as well as Kits of the Heart (health kits, school kits and personal kits). For information about how to make and distribute the kits, go to www.churchworldservice.org, then to “make a kit”. Alert our DART that you are preparing kits at cbwaidphtn@frontierner.net or call (931) 277-5529.
The SEC DART is organizing a work camp team to go to Back Bay Mission, November 29—December 5, 2009. The camp will include new construction and rehabbing, and skills in construction, electrical and plumbing will be helpful. There will be orientations on the ministry of the Back Bay Mission, tours of area, and time for the beach. Email Connie at cbwaidphtn@frontiernet.net for information and registration, and check out www.backbaymission.com.
Posted on September 12, 2008
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