2009 Annual Gathering a Great Success!

Bearing Our Burdens, Encouraging One Another

by Meredith Jackson, President, Conference Council

The Northern California Nevada Conference Annual Gathering at Asilomar was a blessed opportunity for over 450 people to gather in worship, workshops, discernment, and the Annual Meeting (for business).  Exploring the theme, Bearing Our Burdens, Encouraging One Another, we welcomed Rev. Dr. Bernice Powell Jackson as keynoter as well as several other special guests from local and national settings.  Farewells wishes were given to Rev. Jo Siders as she retires from her position as Associate Conference Minister and we greeted Rev. Marty Williams as the new Associate Conference Minister for Mountain Valley and Sequoia Associations.  Several business items were considered and all passed in the business session of Annual Meeting.

Delegates were given the opportunity to attend discernment sessions before voting to have their specific questions and concerns answered. The following are the business items that passed at the meeting.  (The complete text of all business items appear as attachments at the end of this article.) Look for a more comprehensive report on Annual Gathering in the next edition of the Pacific.

Conference Goal Budget: “The 2009 Annual Meeting of the Northern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ adopts a Goal Budget for year ending June 30, 2010, for the General Fund, in the amount of $1,098,000.”

Acknowledging a recent decline in local churches’ giving to UCC Share, the Goal Budget did not move staff to just compensation and only included at 3% cost of living adjustment.  Churches are encouraged to support the Goal Budget by moving towards becoming Covenant Keepers (giving 10% of expenses to UCC Share).  Individuals are encouraged to support the Goal Budget by giving to the $100K Run. (Attachment: goal_budget_0910.pdf)

Commitment to Sustaining the Ministries of the Conference: The Annual Meeting affirmed directions for the operation of the Conference, acknowledging, among other operations, that “shortfalls in income will result in reductions in the ministry provided by the Conference”.  The Administrative Affirmation also called on local churches to increase their support of the Conference by continuing to move towards becoming Covenant Keepers (giving 10% of expenses to UCC Share), giving at least $63 per member through UCC Share in the coming fiscal year, and increasing giving to UCC Share by $9 per member by December 2009.  Individuals are encouraged to contribute to the $100K Run and remember the church in their wills. (Attachment: commitment.pdf)

Bylaws Change: In order to bring the Conference Council to the same guidelines as committees of the Conference, the size of the Conference Council was increased by two (2), and “Four voting members positions must be reserved for persons who are thirty years of age or younger when affirmed.” (Attachment: bylaws_change.pdf)

Position Statement Affirming Diversity/Multicultural Education in Our Public Schools: The Annual Meeting approved a position statement supporting diversity and multicultural education, particularly in public schools.   A portion of the statement reads, “In particular, we believe diversity education should include persons of all races, ethnic origins, faiths, abilities, sexual orientations and gender identities, and their families”.  The statement is being prepared to be sent to General Synod. (Attachment: diversity_education.pdf)

Response to May 26, 2009 California State Supreme Court Ruling on the Constitutionality of Proposition 8: In this Administrative Affirmation the Annual Meeting reaffirmed the Conference’s commitment to marriage equality and called upon “our Conference Council to act with our churches and their leaders as prophetic witnesses to the larger community advocating for the right of all couples to marry”.

As implementation of this action, a Ministry Network for Marriage Equality is being formed.  If you are interested in serving on this network, please contact Rev Sophia DeWitt (Sophia_dewitt@att.net). (Attachment: prop_8.pdf)

Affirmation of Conference Leadership: The Annual Meeting affirmed leaders for the positions of Moderator (Rev. Sophia DeWitt), Vice Moderator (Rev. Stephen Glauz-Todrank), Conference Council, Committee on Ministry Sections A & B, and the Outdoor Ministries Committee. (Attachment: crcl_0910.pdf)

Final versions of all business will be affirmed after the Conference Council has approved Annual Meeting minutes.