Conference Annual Meeting Continues:
Delegates Confront Difficult Questions

The 136th Annual Meeting of the UCC's Connecticut Conference continued. The day included additional reports and recognitions, and also brought the body to wrestling with serious issues of concern. The budget presentation, resolutions debate, and even Speak Outs all raised vital and difficult questions.

The Hon. Frederica Brenneman

Before these questions arose, keynote speaker the Hon. Frederica Brenneman spoke eloquently on "Impact Thinking for a People of Hope." Judge Brenneman brought a wisdom tested in experience from her long career in the Child Protection Division in Connecticut's Superior Court. "I have come to the conclusion," she said, "that all of us have an obligation as individuals, as church members and as citizens of the most powerful country on earth to make realistic and accurate predictions of the impact of any proposed action or policy on the people who will be affected by them." She offered examples from child welfare law, domestic and foreign policy, and even the Marshall Plan that followed World War II.

"The Marshall Plan was like a miracle, the birth of which I partially witnessed," she said. "I went off to college in the middle of that war, and for three years, in every course, every semester, in economics and government and history classes, we were taught that we must never repeat the mistakes following the First World War of reducing our vanquished enemies to humiliated weaklings, thus laying the groundwork for the rage and passion for revenge that resulted in what became the Third Reich. We had learned the hard way what would be the impact of this course of action if repeated after 1945, and wisely changed course. The impact of the decisions we did make after World War II was a half century of peaceful relations with our former enemies."

"Constantine's sword [of exclusion and persecution] should be buried, and in its place should be erected the ultimate symbol of hope: The cross of resurrection, of reconciliation, of tolerance and above all of love."

The full text of Judge Brenneman's address may be found here.

Erskine McIntosh

An affirmation and a proposed resolution generated intense debate, carried out with close attention to Moderator Erskine McIntosh's call to respect opposing speakers. The body passed an amended version of "Affirmation: Equal Civil Rights And Responsibilities For Same-Sex Couples" [final text--unofficial version] after considerable discussion. More debate arose in response to "A Resolution In Support Of Legal Marriage For Same-Sex Couples." On a close vote, the body decided to table the resolution until the 2004 Annual Meeting, at which time the assembly will need to vote to consider it anew.

At the end of the afternoon session, the Rev. Nancy Milton was granted a point of personal privilege. She offered a motion to encourage the Board of Directors and Conference staff to lead a discussion process on the issues of same-gender marriage. Again the body engaged in some debate, and decided to refer the matter to the Board of Directors for resolution.

Conference Treasurer Bob Giles and Budget Committee Chair Tom Stiers described the difficult financial circumstances in which the Conference finds itself. Both individuals conclude their service to the Conference this year. Treasurer Giles noted the impact of the the sagging economy on investment income, and described as well the flatness of local church support over several years. Since 1987 local churches have doubled their spending, but contributions to Our Church's Wider Mission (in dollars which have not been adjusted for inflation) is the same in 2002 as in 1987.

The Board of Directors has proposed an increase in its per capita request of the churches from $2 per person to $4. The higher rate would allow the Conference to cover cost increases and restore some activities cut due to 2003's shortfalls. Overall, the 2004 budget represents a 7% decrease over its 2003 request.

The budget will be voted by the delegates on Sunday morning. The proposal may be found here.

A number of delegates participated in the day's two "Speak Outs," allowing them to address the body on a matter important to them. Topics ranged from the importance of blood donation to a youth delegate's notice of her church's vacancy for an interim youth minister. Several delegates called emphatically for the Conference to match its stated commitment to people of color with action. They look to see people of color in leadership positions and concrete support for those ministries.

The Conference recognized those celebrating 25 and 50 year anniversaries of their ordination following dinner [complete list], and presented the Laity Award to Judge Frederica Brenneman for her work on the bench and for children, and to her husband Russ Brenneman, whose pioneering work on the environment includes teaching, advocacy, and work on the legislation that protects Connecticut's environment.

The evening closed with music from Silver Lake's talented new Co-Directors Tim and Anne Hughes, joined by a number of other musicians, who sang and played the delegates into the night. They return in the morning to continue their work as a people of hope.