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| The Conference honors generous churches at Annual Meeting. |
MIDDLETOWN (10/26/2010) -- Over 500 authorized ministers, delegates, and interested persons came together for two days at Middletown High School October 22-23 for the Fall Session of the Connecticut Conference Annual Meeting. The assembly articipants honored the two hundredth anniversary of the nation's first overseas mission society, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions; heard about contemporary overseas work; and considered the new directions for the Church's mission in other nations.
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Flyers
Meeting Keynoter: Robert C. Orr (HTML | PDF) Authorized Ministers' Luncheon Flyer (PDF) Living Waters Award Honoree: Bryan Nurnberger (HTML | PDF) Honorees Celebrating 25 and 50 Years of Ordination (PDF) FormsWorkshop Listing (HTML
Registration Form for printing and mailing (PDF) Child Care Registration Form (PDF) Delegate MaterialsRules of Procedure (HTML | PDF) Report of the Special Commission on Conference Sustainability Summary HTML | Full Report PDF Delegate Information and On Being a Delegate (HTML | PDF) Budgets Proposed Amendments to the Constitution of the United Church of Christ (PDF) Resolution of Affirmation: Calling for Recognition of Sacred Time (PDF) Committees of the Annual Meeting (HTML | PDF) General InformationDirections (HTML | PDF | Google Maps) |
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Annual Meeting Resources | ||||
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Special Commission on Conference Sustainability Report: HTML |
Delegates also considered the business of the Conference. They voted two resolutions, one which directs leaders to explore becoming a Global Mission Conference over the coming year, and one which commends Sabbath and Sacred Time to a busy, complicated society. They chose to ratify changes to the United Church of Christ Constitution sent to the Conferences by General Synod 27, and voted budgets for 2011.
Keynote speaker Dr. Robert Orr, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Planning and Policy Coordination in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, deeply impressed his hearers with his breadth of knowledge and passion for the welfare of the planet's citizens (see related story). Noting the astonishing progress in reducing extreme poverty in the world in recent years, he dared to proclaim, "We are privileged to be able to say that the poor will not always have to be with us." Successful strategies developed in implementing the UN's Millenium Goals could lead to poverty's elimination in the next 15 to 20 years.
Major challenges before the global community remain. Though the number of people living under war conditions is going steadiy down, said Orr, the UN's mandate to reduce international conflict endures, and without further reductions in war, poverty will continue to be a problem.
Dr. Orr particularly stressed the serious dangers of global climate change. Each year, he said, the data not only gets worse, the data is worse than it was projected to be. "We have a big, big problem coming, and that's already here, even if we stop [carbon emissions] today."
In his first address as Interim Conference Minister, the Rev. Charles L. Wildman declared, "It's a privilege to be here in ministry with you, in this amazing Connecticut Conference of our amazing, beloved United Church of Christ." He celebrated Connecticut's mission history over the last two hundred years, lifting up the 284 missionaries sent by the state's congregations to serve in this country and overseas, and the reception of missionaries from other countries in more recent years.
"We have met the missionaries and they are us," he said, "and we are friends in faith working together for the healing of the nations and of the earth itself, our common home." He stressed the gift to be shared by the United Church of Christ: the good news of a still speaking God, a God speaking a word of inclusion and affirmation, a God speaking a word of justice, love, compassion, and peace, a God speaking a word of welcome and redemption wherever anyone may be on their life's journey. "In our congregations we're trying to love all people as God's people fully and completely."
Wildman invited members of the Conference staff to offer presentations on good news in Conference ministry. The Threshold Initiative looks to help congregations with good health take steps "across the threshold" into expanded vitality and dynamic ministries. The Crossroads ministry works with churches whose resources and membership are low, to help them discern and decide their future course. Silver Lake Conference Center co-Directors Tim and Anne Hughes shared a short video celebrating the outdoor ministry center's significant ministry of transformation, and Generosity Minister Patsy Bjorling honored the new projects being undertaken because of the Small Church Grant program begun in 2010.
Lifting up the day-to-day work of pastoral support to the churches and ministers of the Conference, Clergy Concerns Minister Ron Brown offered a brief video of interviews with the five Regional Ministers. And Youth Minister Da Vita McCallister shared good news of the Giv2 youth service program, now working in three different locations in the Conference, and the Thinking About Working for God program, supporting young people considering ordained ministry.
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| Dr. Robert Orr |
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| Interim Conference Minister the Rev. Charles L. Wildman |
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| Simply Smiles' Bryan Nurnberger |
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| Conference Preacher the Rev. John Nelson |
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| Rev. Dr. Cari Jackson leads the assembly in song. |
The Conference presented the 2010 Living Waters Award, recognizing significant ministry by a lay person of the Conference, to Bryan Nurnberger, president and founder of Simply Smiles. A member of the Naugatuck Congregational Church UCC, Nurnberger established Simply Smiles in 2003 after seeing the grinding poverty of so many residents of Oaxaca, Mexico, which he was visiting while recovering from an athletic injury. Since then, the agency has helped support a local orphanage, build homes for people scrounging from a nearby dump, and labored to feed and rebuild an industry for coffee growing communities in the mountains. "You have helped children smile, empowered families to find dignity in their environment, and worked to bring food and shelter to the least of these," read Chuck Wildman from the award citation. "We give thanks to God for you and for your ministry."
The story of Simply Smiles, said Nurnberger, is the story of paths, and what people choose to do after they see need. "Without you, it's just my two hands," he said, praising the congregations and church people who have supported his work with volunteer labor and financial gifts over the years. "Take this as a moment being place in your path," he urged, "Learn more about what churches like yours have done and what churches like yours can do" through Simply Smiles and organizations like it.
Financial concerns occupied a fair amount of the opening night agenda. Treasurer Lynn Cripe and Budget Committee chair the Rev. Jonathan Lee emphasized the difficult situation of the Conference. Our Church's Wide Mission Basic Support contributions from local churches have fallen steadily, forcing cuts in program funding and leaving, at this point, only staff costs (and associated services) to further reduce. The Conference ended 2009 with a surplus, despite loss of income due to the OCWM reductions and poor investment performance, because of sharp cuts in expenses and significant gifts to the Friends of the Conference appeal. The 2010 budget projects a further reduction in OCWM support, and asks for a $2.00 increase in the per capita contributions from each church.
The Special Commission on Conference Sustainability formally presented its report to the assembly. Co-chairs Doug Morrill and the Rev. Micki Nunn-Miller expounded on the key themes of Communication, Connection, and Covenant. The Commission urged work to strengthen all three in the relationship between local churches and the Connecticut Conference. Their fourteen concrete recommendations are available here.
Devotional times placed throughout the meeting emphasized the worshipful character of the Conference's ministry and its business. Voices old and young brought the words of Scripture in languages from around the world, including Korean, Hindi, and Spanish. Song leaders encouraged the assembly to sway and praise to tunes from Southern Africa, South America, Korea, and the United States.
In his sermon, Conference Preacher the Rev. John Nelson, pastor of the Niantic Community Church, asked what it looks like when the "first world" dies. Viewing its passing from a resurrection faith, he quoted a colleague: "'Learn what is beautiful about the world without us, so that we can be transformed by the power of God in that beauty.' When we see God's beauty outside of our own convictions and our own culture, the first world dies."
"Imagine," he closed, "Jesus Christ is taking away everything that is not life. Will we allow him to do that in us? Imagine: life is ours because of Christ, life is ours through Christ, life is ours in Christ. People of God, let go of everything that is not life. It is far heavier than a cross. The realm of God is oh, so near, near enough that we can hear it; near enough that we can taste it. Use everything you've got, for Christ's sake. Amen."
Meeting participants attended over thirty workshops which ranged across a wide variety of ministry settings, approaches, and topics. Dr. Orr had further conversation with interested attendees, while others learned about Faith Practices, mission agencies, evangelism, environmental ministry, mission trips, and much more.
The Spring Session of the 2011 Annual Meeting will be held on May 14, 2011, at the Naugatuck Congregational Church UCC.
