Annual Meeting 1999 -- Day 3

To the sounds of drums, holy speech, and glorious song, the One Hundred Thirty Second Annual Meeting of the Connecticut Conference United Church of Christ came to a joyful close, having accomplished its business and celebrated its mission. The delegates gathered their materials, the staff packed the resources and tools of the weekend, and everyone returned to their homes and churches, preparing for the challenges to which their choices will lead them tomorrow.

After two bright clear mornings, this day began in a blanket of fog, but it did not obstruct the gathering in the main room of Port N Starboard. The room had taken on a new appearance; a wall which had divided the exhibits area from the meeting hall had disappeared overnight, creating a central worship space for the afternoon's service.

The day began with considering the other two Resolutions that had been brought to the Meeting for the delegates consideration. A substitute text replaced the Resolution on Christians, Riches, And Poverty In Our Times which was first placed before the delegates; the changes were mainly in finding more suitable language to express the original ideas. It passed easily.

This left sufficient time for a "Group B" resolution that had been submitted by First Congregational Church of Danbury only a week before. In response to the shooting at a Hebrew day care center in California, the pastor and people of the church worked quickly to declare their opposition to such violence and encourage the church to develop friendships with local synagogues. The delegates answered the summons with speedy and overwhelming support for the resolution.

Dana Fisher, Director of Silver Lake Conference Center, then gave a comprehensive report about this long standing and highly valued ministry. She reported that the brand-new Board of Directors of the Conference Center has begun a long-range planning endeavor, and has received a first report from a consultant on the current condition of "the Lake." Her findings include:

During the summer, SLCC operates very nearly at capacity, a remarkable achievement.
During the year, SLCC operates very nearly at capacity on weekends.
The majority of SLCC users outside the camping season are members of the Connecticut Conference, which demonstrates a strong loyalty to the program.
The site is not used to capacity mid-week during the off-season. This represents a potential source of revenue which would help balance the budget.
The physical condition of the site's buildings requires substantial attention. Many of the buildings are thirty years old or more, and weathering has taken its toll.

In response to these and other facts and challenges, the Board is working on a long-range plan, and the site staff are responding to the facility needs with full repairs as required.

Dana also showed (after Conference staff resolved certain technical problems) a video produced this summer by the Silver Lake staff and Gordon Rankin. During the two minutes an original song (recorded during a camp week) accompanies images of campers, counselors, and staff taking part in the activities which make SLCC such a remarkable experience.

The delegates then turned their attention to approving the financial reports, retention rate, and budget for the coming year's mission work through the Conference. After the preparation of the previous day, the delegates decided these issues with confidence and alacrity.

Valerie Tutson returned to continue the story of Esther, and to lead the assembly in yet another rousing song -- this one accompanied by dance motions. Later in the morning, Acting Moderator the Rev. Gordon Rankin exercised his "personal privilege" by asking Valerie to lead the group in "the party song" again.

Board Chair Jane Chittick of Monroe then presented the report of a task force which had examined the idea of declaring the Connecticut Conference a "Just Peace" church. The report illustrated the history of the Conference's involvement with justice and peace, dating back to a resolution in the early eighties. The task force's conclusion was that a Just Peace declaration was unnecessary, and that the earlier resolution's language of "justice and peace" was preferable. The delegates proceeded to reaffirm the Conference's commitment to justice and peace, and vote an initial implementation plan.

Nominating Committee Chair Doug Andrews then delivered the fruit of his committee's labors, providing a new class of Directors and Officers for the Conference's work over the coming years. After their election, the delegates approved the Board's slate for the Nominating Committee.

A great crowd of General Synod delegates then reported on their experience last July in Providence, Rhode Island, at which the delegates to the United Church of Christ's national elective body approved a sweeping revision of the church's structure, elected a new collegium of leaders, and carried out the business of the national denomination. The Connecticut delegation decribed their experiences, their frustrations, and their excitement about this momentous Synod.

Alan Green and Jane Chittick SouthEastern Regional Minister Kent Siladi delivered the Conference's thanks to the many people who had helped make the Annual Meeting happen, and then Conference Minister Davida Foy Crabtree made some special presentations. To the Rev. Virginia Child, who has chaired the Annual Meeting Program Committee for three years, she gave a lovely clock (and its batteries) "for such a time as this." Jane Chittick, outgoing Chair of the Board of Directors, also received the Conference Minister's thanks and a gift of flowers and a vase from the hands of her successor, the Rev. Alan Green.

In closing the business meeting, Acting Moderator (and newly elected Moderator for 2000) Gordon Rankin said,

I began our weekend together by letting you know that I was excited. My hope and dream for this weekend was that somehow we would all find something that made us excited or inspired or enthused. If you have found yourself excited - a little bit or a lot - then I have a reminder for you. It is the same reminder I offer to my conferees after all the excitement of a week of camp at Silver Lake. It goes like this: if you leave here and you don't take that excitement with you, then it really wasn't worth all that much.

If you really value that excitement then you will take it home with you. Just imagine if we all went home and told people "It is an exciting thing to be the Connecticut Conference." "It is exciting to be the Church of Jesus Christ." What a difference that would make our churches. What a difference it would make in our state. What a difference it would make in our world. Let us go home and let people see that we are excited about all the amazing things God is doing... in such a time a this.

Church Symbols Following lunch, the Conference celebrated its completed business with Festival Worship. The congregation gathered in a circular layout about the communion table and the wooden skiff in which delegates had placed symbols of their churches throughout the Meeting. The symbols included photographs, ordinary objects, and works of art, each one expressive of a need, achievement, or spirit in a Connecticut local church.

A team of liturgical dancers opened the service, which included the music of the Dixwell Avenue (New Haven) UCC choir, the conclusion of the Esther story from Valerie Tutson, and plenty of hand-clapping hymns for the worshipers.

Conference Chaplain the Rev. Katherine Latimer spoke on the Esther story, and the need to be a noisemaker like Mordechai on occasion and work quietly where none can see like Esther at other times. Davida Crabtree presided at the celebration of Holy Communion, and then gathered the entire congregation in a great closing circle.

With the final blessing pronounced, the gathering dispersed, commissioned anew to love each other and serve God, having given direction, renewal, and energy to that part of the Church Universal called the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ.

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