Call to the Fall Annual Meeting

September 14, 2007

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

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

This comes to you as the Call to the Fall Annual Meeting (Part II of the One Hundred Fortieth Annual Meeting) of the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ (Connecticut Conference of the Congregational Christian Churches) to be held at

Tolland High School
1 Eagle Hill Drive
Tolland, CT
Friday, Saturday: October 19-20, 2007

The meeting is hosted by the churches and ministers of the Tolland Association. This is the second and final mailing 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 two days! Our theme for the meeting is “Let It Shine…Into the Future.” Our Keynote speaker is Hans Holznagel, from our national United Church of Christ. Hans is better known as “Hans the Answer Guy” from the UCC @ 50 DVD “Yesterday’s Visionaries.” Many of you will remember him from General Synod. Hans will be joined by several of “Today’s Voices,” young adults who will share their vision and help us engage in a conversation about our church as we enter the next 50 years of the United Church of Christ.

Registration is available on-line here. Pre-registration for meals must be received no later than Sunday, October 14 on-line and Friday, October 12 by mail.

Registration will begin at 3:30 PM at Tolland High School. Those attending the Authorized Ministers’ Lunch (click here for the flyer, PDF) may register before that event for the Annual Meeting. There will be a variety of Informational Hearings on Friday afternoon, dinner will be at 5:15 and the meeting will begin at 7 PM. The Conference Minister’s Address will be at 8 PM followed by Worship with Communion. (See the enclosed “What’s Happening?” guide for the schedule.)

Hospitality: Please check our website (www.ctucc.org) for information about child care, special needs and bed-and-breakfast arrangements.

Ordained ministers celebrating their 50th and 25th anniversaries of ordination will be honored at the Friday clergy luncheon at United Congregational Church of Tolland, 45 Tolland Green.

A Worship Committee, led by our Conference Preacher and Chaplain, the Rev. Deborah Blood of Bloomfield, has planned our worship experiences. We invite members from congregations of area churches to attend the major celebrative worship service on Saturday morning at 9 AM. Offerings will be received at the Saturday morning worship service for our partnership in Colombia working for justice and peace with Ricardo Esquivia and Sembrando Paz, and at the Friday evening worship service for Challenged Conferences of the United Church of Christ.

The following business will be discussed and acted upon:

1. Actions Recommended by the Board of Directors of the Conference
   1. Consent Agenda
      Our Board of Directors uses a method in their meetings called the “Consent Agenda.” Attached to this Call are the items on the Consent Agenda with an explanation about a Consent Agenda.
   2. Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM)
      OCWM Goal for 2008
      Suggested Action: Upon recommendation of the Board of Directors, the Conference adopts a Basic Mission Support Goal of $2,268,323 for 2008.
   3. Distribution of Monies
      Suggested Action:
      Upon recommendation of the Board of Directors, the Conference adopts the following distribution of monies received for the Connecticut Conference and the ministries of the United Church of Christ during 2008:
      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 to the Conference that per capita contributions for 2008 be maintained at $5 per member to be used entirely for Conference work.
   5. The budgets will be adopted for 2008. The budgets will be presented and acted upon on Saturday.
      1. Proposed 2008 Budget for the Missionary Society of Connecticut
         Suggested Action: Upon recommendation of the Board of Directors, the Conference adopts the 2008 Proposed Budget of $4,340,592 for the Missionary Society of CT, and the Conference grants to the Society the privilege of revising the budget during the year as funds are available and needs arise. [Proposed MSC Budget, PDF]
      2. Proposed 2008 Budget for the Trustees of the Fund for Ministers
         Suggested Action: Upon recommendation of the Board of Directors, the Conference adopts the 2008 Proposed budget of $547,112 for the Trustees of the Fund for Ministers, and the Conference grants to the Trustees the privilege of revising the budget during the year as funds are available and needs arise. [Proposed TFM Budget, PDF]
2. Resolutions and such other actions that may come before the meeting.

When we assemble at Tolland High 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

Enclosures:

• Consent Agenda (attached to this letter) PDF
• Proposed 2008 Budget for the Missionary Society of CT (PDF), and Proposed 2008 Budget for the Trustees of the Fund for Ministers (PDF)
• “What’s Happening?” HTML | PDF
• List of Ordained Ministers celebrating 50/25 years of ordination PDF
• Hospitality Flyer HTML | PDF
• Flyer on Authorized Ministers’ Event PDF
• Hotel flyer PDF
• Directions to Tolland High School and United Congregational Church of Tolland HTML | PDF
• Registration and Meal Reservation Form PDF