CALL TO THE ANNUAL MEETING

September 8, 2003

TO: LAY DELEGATES from LOCAL CHURCHES
YOUTH DELEGATES from LOCAL CHURCHES
ALL AUTHORIZED MINISTERS OF THE CONFERENCE
ALL OFFICERS OF THE CONFERENCE
MODERATORS OF ASSOCIATIONS
FORMER MODERATORS OF THE ANNUAL MEETINGS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEES NAMED IN THE BYLAWS

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Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

This comes to you as the Call to the One Hundred Thirty-sixth Annual Meeting of the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ (Connecticut Conference of the Congregational Christian Churches) to be held at

Saxe Middle School
469 South Avenue
New Canaan, CT
October 17 - 19, 2003

The meeting is hosted by the churches and ministers of the Fairfield West Association. This is the third mailing/emailing on the Annual Meeting.

Remember that all sessions are open to registered visitors as well as delegates, so be sure to tell others about the events of the weekend!

Registration will begin at 4:30 p.m. at Saxe Middle School followed by Hearings on the Resolutions and dinner. The Call to Order and Opening Prayer will be at 6:30 P.M. followed by the Conference Minister's Address at 7:30. (See the "What's Happening..." guide for the complete schedule.)

A change for this year: Ordained ministers celebrating both 50th and 25th anniversaries of ordination will be honored at the Saturday night dinner at Saxe Middle School. (Their names were listed in the second mailing.)

A Worship Committee led by our Conference Preacher and Chaplain, the Rev. Dwight Juliani of Madison, has planned worship experiences. In order that members from congregations of the area churches might attend the major worship service on Sunday, Worship with Holy Communion will be on Sunday afternoon at 1:15 at the Congregational Church of New Canaan, which will also include installation of officers. We invite clergy to bring your robes to join in the processional with your lay delegates. We encourage delegates and pastors to attend the final business session on Sunday morning at the Saxe Middle School. An offering will be received with the proceeds going towards the rebuilding of the Health Center at Silver Lake.

Our keynoter on Saturday morning will be the Honorable Frederica Brenneman, the second woman to be appointed a judge in Connecticut and advocate for a wholistic and realistic approach to juvenile justice and model for television's "Judging Amy". She is a member of the Saugatuck Congregational UCC Church in Westport. Judge Brenneman's address will bring her passion for social and juvenile justice to key issues we all need to ponder.

Our theme "A People of Hope/La Gente de Esperanza" was chosen by the Planning Committee for this challenging time of economic distress, insecurity, and rising global violence. We believe that as Christians we are always people of hope, filled with faith and courage by the presence of the Holy Spirit.

In addition to hearing and acting on Social Resolutions and reports from the Board of Directors the following business will be discussed and acted upon:

1. Actions Recommended by the Board of Directors of the Conference
   1. Pertaining to the conduct of the Meeting
      1. Adoption of Rules of Procedure for the Annual Meeting
      2. Business and Amenities
         The Conference takes the following actions concerning Committees for the 2003 Annual Meeting:
         1. The Executive Committee of the Conference shall act as the Business Committee at the Annual Meeting.
         2. The Program Committee for the Annual Meeting will act as the Committee on Amenities and present resolutions in appreciation for action by the Conference.
   2. Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM)
      OCWM Goal for 2004
      Suggested Action: The Board of Directors recommends to the Conference the adoption of a Basic Mission Support Goal of $2,617,560 for 2004.
   3. Distribution of Monies
      Suggested Action:
      The Board of Directors recommends that the Conference take the following action:
      The Conference adopts the following distribution of monies received for the Connecticut Conference and the ministries of the United Church of Christ during 2004:
      1. Basic Mission Support monies to be divided on the basis of 37% for the Conference and 63% to the United Church of Christ nationally for distribution among the ministries according to the payment schedule adopted by the General Synod of the United Church of Christ;
      2. Investment income to be used entirely for Conference work unless otherwise stipulated by the donor;
      3. Special Support, capital and emergency appeal monies to be designated entirely to the purposes for which they were authorized.
   4. Per Capita Contributions
      Suggested Action: The Board of Directors recommends that the Conference take the following action:
      The Conference, upon recommendation of the Board of Directors, establishes the per capita contribution request for 2004 at $4.00 per member to be used entirely for Conference work.
   5. The budgets will be adopted for 2004. The budgets will be presented on Saturday and voted on Sunday morning.
      1. Proposed 2004 Budget for the Missionary Society of Connecticut
         Suggested Action: The Board of Directors recommends that the Conference take the following action: The 2004 Proposed Budget of $5,392,652 for the Missionary Society of CT is adopted, and the Conference grants to the Society the privilege of revising the budget during the year as funds are available and needs arise.
      2. Proposed 2004 Budget for the Trustees of the Fund for Ministers
         Suggested Action: The Board of Directors recommends that the Conference take the following action: The 2004 Proposed budget of $958,929 for the Trustees of the Fund for Ministers is adopted, and the Conference grants to the Trustees the privilege of revising the budget during the year as funds are available and needs arise.
2. Officers and the Nominating Committee will be elected on Sunday morning and commissioned in the closing worship on Sunday afternoon.
3. Such other actions that may come before the meeting.

When we assemble in New Canaan at Saxe Middle School, we will be the Body of Christ worshipping, praying, deliberating, and making a witness to Jesus Christ. Come prayerfully, thoughtfully, and enthusiastically to seek God's wisdom for our common mission as the United Church of Christ in Connecticut.

Sincerely in Christ,

The Rev. Dr. Davida Foy Crabtree
Conference Minister