What’s Happening?

12:00 — 3:30 p.m.

Mark S. Burrows, Professor of the History of Christianity at Andover Newton Theological School will offer an authorized ministry training event entitled "Feast or Fast? Living with the Heart’s Hungers". To be held at the United Church of Christ, Southbury. (Register on Annual Meeting registration form.)

3:30 p.m.

This year’s Annual Meeting will be held at Pomperaug High School in Southbury. Pomperaug is an accessible facility. This facility will allow us to have all of our workshops and meals on site.

4:00 — 4:45 p.m.

Please come and help us honor all those who have served in ordained ministry for twenty-five or fifty years. A list of those who we will be honoring is included in this mailing.

5:00 — 5:45

While we will be dining in the cafeteria, all our meals come from a menu specially designed for our Annual Meeting.

5:45 — 6:30 p.m.

This is a time to come and ask questions about the resolutions which you received in the July mailing in a much more informal setting than the Meeting itself.

6:45 — 7:15 p.m.

This is the essential quick orientation to the way the Connecticut Conference conducts its business. Especially if you’ve never been to an Annual Meeting, this is the place to be.

7:15 p.m.

The Reverend Gordon Rankin, Moderator, will call the meeting to order. The Reverend Jared Rardin, Conference Chaplain, will be called upon to lead the Annual Meeting in an opening service of worship.

7:35 p.m.

We will begin with greetings from our hosts, the churches in Southbury, Middlebury, Oxford and Woodbury. We will then introduce the Connecticut Conference staff, honored guests, those who have been ordained or commissioned in the past year, those who have entered newly into ministry in Connecticut, and members of Connecticut congregations who are In Care.

There are some preliminary items of business that must be taken care of at the beginning of our meeting. First we will adopt the Rules of Procedure for the Annual Meeting and the Agenda. Next, the Moderator will remind us of the guidelines for the "Presentation of New Matters". The Annual Meeting committees will be appointed. The guidelines for "Speak Outs" will be presented. Finally, we will meet our Parliamentarian, the Reverend Malcolm Bertram, Jr., and other guests who will be granted voice without vote status.

8:10 p.m.

Our Conference Minister, the Reverend Dr. Davida Foy Crabtree, will deliver her annual Conference Minister’s Address.

9:15 p.m.

Recess

8:15 a.m.

8:30 a.m.

If you attended Friday night’s orientation, you don’t need to attend again.

9:00 a.m.

Our morning will begin with the Moderator’s call to order and a time of morning worship. Business items for our morning session will include a report from the Resolutions Committee on the 1999 resolutions and setting the priority order for the 2000 resolutions, commissioning those who will be participating in the Annual Meeting Youth Workday, and a report from the Regional Seminary Support Task Force.

9:55 a.m.

Ricardo Esquivia, the executive director of JUSTAPAZ (the justice and peace ministry arm of the Colombian Mennonite churches), will deliver a keynote address. Ricardo will be accompanied by Bonnie Klassen, a Canadian Mennontie who works with him in Bogota, who will translate for him as needed.

11:05 -11:55 a.m.

A variety of workshops will be offered for the edification of our delegates. Due to the overwhelming response at last year’s Annual Meeting, this year we will be offering two workshop sessions. Many of the workshops will be presented during both the 11:05 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. workshop session so that delegates can attend two of their favorite workshops.

12:00 noon

12:15 — 1:45 p.m.

A special luncheon and program is being sponsored by the Connecticut Women of the UCC. This event will be held at the South Britain Congregational Church and transportation will be provided beginning at 12 noon. Please note that those who attend this luncheon and program will not return in time to attend a 1:00 p.m. workshop. (Register on Annual Meeting registration form.)

1:00 — 1:50 p.m.

Workshops — Session II

2:00 p.m.

Our afternoon business session will begin with an opportunity for "Speak Outs" and then will proceed with several significant items of business. During this session, we will receive the Report of the Treasurer and a presentation on the 2001 budget. There will be a report on the ministry of Silver Lake Conference Center. The Board of Directors will present a recommendation that the Conference begin preliminary work in preparation for a capital campaign and report on its response to the Justice and Peace mandate voted on at the 1999 Annual Meeting. Two of our Regional Ministers will be invited to offer reflections. The Annual meeting will begin to consider and act on resolutions. Our afternoon session will conclude with a couple of pieces of uplifting business: a renewal of our partnership with the Kyung-Ki Presbytery of Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea and the presentation of our Laity Awards.

6:00 p.m.

Dinner

7:00 p.m.

We will begin our evening session with another series of "Speak Outs". The youth who participated in the Annual Meeting Youth Workday will present a report on their activities. The Annual Meeting will continue its consideration of resolutions

8:15 p.m.

Delegates will have an opportunity to raise questions to our Conference Minister regarding the various ministries of our Conference. Dr. Crabtree will then lead us in time of saying farewell to the Reverend Barbara Brown Zikmund, former president of Hartford Seminary.

9:00 p.m.

Following announcements and a benediction, we will recess for the evening.

9:00 a.m.

Our Sunday morning session will include a reflection by the third of our Regional Ministers and another opportunity for "Speak Outs". The Annual Meeting will conclude its consideration on resolutions. The Annual Meeting will adopt an annual budget for 2001 based on the recommendation of the Board of Directors. The Board Director will offer a report and recommendations based on the evaluation of the Conference Design received at the previous Annual Meeting. The Nominating Committee will present its report and the Annual Meeting will elect officers for the Conference.

11:10 a.m.

Ricardo Esquivia will offer a second address as we conclude our weekend together.

12 noon

If there is any unresolved business, the Moderator inform the delegates of the process by which they can extend the Meeting. If there is no remaining business, the final business session of our Annual Meeting will be concluded with an Amenities report, presentations from our Conference Minister, and final remarks from our Moderator.

12:15 p.m.

Recess and Lunch

1:15 p.m.

Prelude to Worship

1:30 p.m.

We will praise God, enjoy special music, install our new offices, hear a sermon from the Reverend Jared Rardin, Conference Chaplain, and share the meal of Holy Communion. Blessed by God with fellowship with one another, we will go forth from this service, strengthened for another year of service as the United Church of Christ in Connecticut.

3:00 p.m.

Adjournment