54th Annual Meeting Held Virtually
September 26, 2020
Summary by Char Burch
One hundred Thirty-eight lay and clergy delegates participated in our first Virtual Annual Meeting, with additional visitors observing via YouTube Live. There was a wonderful spirit of community! Aspects of the technology were new, like voting via polls, but people were gracious as we practiced first and then went through the agenda.
Let me share a few highlights. However, the complete Agenda, Agenda items and Recognitions can be viewed below.
We passed 2 Bylaw Amendments that established affirmation for any future virtual meetings of the Conference and Board of Directors. We elected several new members of the Board of Directors, including Moderator, Ugena Whitlock and Vice Moderator, Myrtle Johnson; General Synod Delegates, and Conference Nominating Committee. We also passed the Budget for 2020-2021.
A significant decision was made to begin the search for a Full-time Conference Minister. This decision will change our Conference staffing configuration from a Half-time Transitional Conference Minister (Char Burch) and a Full-time Associate Conference Minister/Administrator (Heather Fosburgh) to a Full-time Conference Minister with 8-10 hours of administrative assistance. The positions of Generosity Coordinator and Director of Communications remain the same. The hope is to have a Conference Minister candidate to present at the June 2021 meeting.
In addition to business, we had videos from Rev. John Dorhauer, General Minister and President of the UCC and Rev. Traci Blackmon, Associate General Minister for Justice and Local Church Ministries. There was a time for local church delegates to share those who had passed away this past year and a time to express gratitude for those with Ordination Anniversaries, churches who had supported OCWM, and churches who were declared “5 for 5” because of their support of the 4 Special UCC Offerings. These Recognitions are also listed below.
Unfortunately, there was a technical glitch, and the Opening Worship could not be viewed. The Worship was designed to lift up our Connections and the need for Reconciliation between us and beyond us as we seek to be the Beloved Community.
The Opening Worship and the Business Meeting can be viewed at www.secucc.org/youtube.
Many thanks to the people who contributed to the Annual Meeting and made it all possible: our Tech Stewards, the Worship Planning Team and Worship Leaders; Member of the Board of Directors, and staff.