Southeast Conference of the United Church of Christ

Conference News and Announcements

Summer Mouintain Mission Trip 2008

It is time again to begin our planning for the 2008 UCC Mountain Mission! Here you will find an information packet that outlines everything you need to know for the mission trip including dates, cost, location and accommodations, registration forms, waivers, and a tentative schedule.

Please note that all files are in PDF form and require Adobe Reader 6.0 or higher. You may download the latest version for FREE at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

Also, you’ll notice throughout all three publicity files little “notes” that direct you to some action before printing. All of the promotional materials are designed to be customized by typing your name and contact information in the appropriate places. You cannot save these changes to the original document; however, you can print the resource with your new information added.

When viewing the information packet, I recommend you click on the “bookmark” icon on the left-hand side of the screen. This will allow you to locate quickly specific information. You also may wish to select the “comments” icon at the lower-left part of the screen so that you don’t miss any of the notes I’ve made throughout the file. I recommend that each participant be given the entire information packet (printed or emailed) because it provides answers to all of their questions and gives them helpful advice on how to go about fundraising for the trip. As the group coordinator, you may want to have on hand extra copies of pages 12-18, as these pages include all of the forms to be returned as well as emergency contact information for parents.

I hope that you find all of this information helpful and user-friendly. Please let me know if you need anything else or a DVD of the 2007 Mountain Mission trip. The DVD is a nice way to get your church and participants excited about the trip and works well with fundraising dinners and fellowship suppers.

Heidi Schuler (hschuler@ellijay.com)
Project Coordinator

Highlights of the Southeast Conference Board of Directors meeting.

April 18, 2008.

Cameron Trimble reported that in the last 10 years the Southeast Conference has worked with 22 new or affiliating congregations, of which 16 continue to be viable churches. She noted that there are three congregations in the Conference considering the possibility of birthing new churches. We have a fully developed a new church development starter kit, and an excellent process of congregational affiliation. If the Conference continues to pursue an aggressive growth strategy over the next 10 years, we may have up to 220 congregations, up from 53 today.

Kathy Clark noted that we currently have seven TAP programs. She is exploring the possibility of establishing four more programs.
Gerri Hudson reported that 26 of our 53 congregations submitted in their yearbook forums for 2007. She continues to work on developing a database of the conference, its pastors, officers and leaders.
Tim Downs reported that his time is being spent on the capital campaign development, pastoral searches and representing the Conference and Association meetings. He is also involved in several conversations around fostering greater collaboration among the associations and the conference.
The board voted to authorize the formation of a Ministry Task Force. The members are Roy Bain, Elizabeth Clement, Jennifer Crane, Allen Mullinax, and Tom Baird. Their responsibilities will be to administer theological scholarship program, exercise oversight for ministers in private therapeutic practice and assisting in the follow up on the Ministry Issues Pronouncement Implementation.
Gary Spencer has agreed to be nominated to serve on the Board of Trustees of Talladega College. Gary is a member at First Congregational UCC Atlanta, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Southeast Conference.
The board acted to recommend that two resolutions be approved to the Conference Annual Meeting. They are a resolution declaring the Southeast Conference a whole earth conference, and a resolution on nuclear weapons danger.
Tim Downs reported that Local Church Ministries of the UCC has offered to pay half of the salary for Cameron Trimble, beginning in June 2008, so that she can serve as a consultant to other conferences in the UCC in new church development.

The initial steps of the assessing the feasibility and planning in depth interviews to refine the proposed capital campaign for the Southeast Conference are nearing completion. All the committees and boards of the Conference have been interviewed, and their feedback is being consolidated. The next step is to identify 55 key leaders of the Conference to be interviewed for their input on our initial findings. These interviews will be conducted over the course of the summer.

The Alabama Tennessee Association held its Annual Meeting in Huntsville on April 4. The United Church UCC, Huntsville was generous with its hospitality and warm with its welcome! Felix Carrion, newly appointed national staff person for the Still Speaking Ministry presented the keynote on the theme "Congregational Vitality." Responders including Oveta White from Unity UCC, Montgomery Bob Hurst United Church UCC, Cindy Andrews Looper, Holy Trinity Community UCC, Nashville, and Angie Wright, Beloved Community UCC, Birmingham. As noted above, the Association also approved Chrissy Cataldo for ordination. Tim Downs installed the officers of the Association. The officers elected at this meeting included Jeanne Elrod member of Pleasant Hill Community UCC, TN. Marilyn Jones member of First Congregational UCC, Birmingham,Aundrea Crum of Unity UCC Montgomery, and Jennifer Crane of Brookmeade Congregational UCC, Nashville.

The Georgia South Carolina Association held its Annual Meeting, April 25-- 26 in Midway, GA hosted by Midway Congregational UCC. The program included tours of the historic Midway museum and introductions to the rich Congregational history in the area. Much of the time together was spent in Ecclesiastical Council. The meeting ended with a service of communion led by retiring moderator Kim Buchanan, pastor of Pilgrimage UCC, Marietta. Succeeding Kim as moderator of the Association will be Susan Dunn of Circular Congregational UCC, Charleston SC. Elected as treasurer of the Association; Charles Joye of Garden of Grace UCC, Columbia SC. Ginnie Ferrell of Central Congregational UCC; Atlanta was elected as an at-large member of the executive committee. The Association unanimously approved of a new constitution and bylaws, bringing them fully into compliance with the constitution and bylaws of both the national setting, and the Conference.

Barbara Steinhaus has announced that she has been elected to the Board of Directors for the UCC Musicians National Network. Barbara is a member of Central Congregational UCC Atlanta, and is seeking to connect musicians from across the Conference for a conversation, and perhaps mutual resourcing. If you are a church musician in the Southeast Conference or you could pass this on to the musician serving in your congregation, please encourage them to contact Barbara at bsteinhaus@secucc.org.

Stewardship 101: Action Steps to a Successful Fall Season! May 16 and 17 at Pilgrim Congregational UCC in Chattanooga Tim Downs and Nancy Chorpenning will be leading a workshop to equip the renewal stewardship in your congregation. If you need hotel accommodations, please contact us and we will make the arrangements. We are asking that a pastor and at least two lay leaders come from each participating congregation. Cost? $60 per congregation. For registration, contact stewardship@secucc.org.

The Annual Meeting of the Southeast Conference is around the corner, June 13--14. Taking place in Pleasant Hill TN, this will be a gathering you will not want to miss. Each congregation is entitled to bring a minimum of three delegates, and unlimited visitors. All authorize (ordained licensed and commissioned) ministers are delegates to the annual meetings and therefore are expected to be present. Registration will be available online, please go to the Southeast Conference website for registration and more details about the schedule of the annual meeting.

Southeast Conference is committed to making leadership training opportunities available to all of our clergy and lay leaders. We hope you've noticed, the leadership development workshop May 23 for Youth Ministry Leaders in our congregations, and of course the new church leadership development workshops in August, which the Southeast Conference co-hosts with the national UCC evangelism team. Both of these opportunities are introduced on the Southeast Conference website (link).

A unique opportunity for pastors of congregations wishing to affiliate with the United Church of Christ! This summer, July 14-16, and August 4-6 the Southeast conference will open host convocation for the pastors and ministerial staffs of congregations exploring affiliation with the United Church of Christ. We have been approached over the last several years by over 10 congregations who expressed an interest in affiliating with us. The purpose of this convocation is to foster conversation between interested people, as well as with national leaders of the United Church of Christ including John Thomas, General Minister and President. Included in the leadership in this event will be leaders and staff from the Southeast Conference. This event will satisfy the UCC history and polity requirement for pastors who seek authorization. Further information will be available on the Southeast Conference website shortly, and invitations will be going out to specific individuals as well. For further information contact tdowns@secucc.org .

Posted on May 12, 2008