Highlights from the State and National UCC
From: Davida Foy Crabtree <dfc@ctucc.org>
Subject: Letter from Davida Foy Crabtree and the Board of Directors
Date: Friday, February 19, 2010, 2:54 PM
February 18, 2010
To The Board of Directors of the Connecticut Conference
Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ who unites and inspires us for faithfulness in all the times of our lives!
With that poignant mixture of joy and sadness that such a moment carries, I write to tell you of my plan to retire this May as your Conference Minister. The events of the past two years in my personal and family life have made it abundantly clear to me that now is the time for this transition.
When I was called to this position in 1996, I accepted with great joy for it was the Connecticut Conference that had made it possible at Silver Lake in 1959 for a girl from a tiny church in the rural Litchfield Hills to imagine herself an ordained minister some day. It was this Conference that inspired my commitment to parish ministry and to justice ministries. It was this Conference that led me into a far wider vision of God’s world than I could have ever had without its ministry. Coming home to serve you and to serve with you has been deeply meaningful for me.
Over these years, we have together sought to know the mind of Christ for our day. We’ve overcome the strains that were present in 1996, and have probably found some new ones. We developed a new staffing model with deployed Regional Ministers, trying to get as close to the churches as possible so we could assist you as much as possible. Together we strengthened the partnership with the Kyung-ki Presbytery in South Korea and established a second partnership with the Iglesia Menonita de Colombia. We set up strong processes for safe churches and for dealing with misconduct by authorized ministers and we developed resources for the spiritual and pastoral care of clergy. We supported the mission of Amistad America, and were present at her launch. We responded to the horrific events of September 11, 2001 with prayer and healing ministries. We withstood the after-effects economically and psychologically. We launched the Now for the Future Campaign: the Churches’ Campaign for Silver Lake Conference Center, and have accomplished much to renew that sacred space even though the goal remains unmet. We hosted General Synod for the 50th Anniversary of the United Church of Christ, and what a glorious week that was!
Over these years, through times of challenge and times of rejoicing, we have together been privileged to have each other. Your prayers for me in 2008-2009 and for my husband, David, now in 2009-2010, have lifted us into the healing grace of God. If I have any wish in this moment, it would be that you would pray for your Conference and for its churches as powerfully and as passionately as you have prayed for us. There is power in that prayer, to bind you together and to create new life and possibility.
I give thanks to God for each of the staff with whom I have been privileged to work over these fourteen years. They are deeply dedicated to your wellbeing and to your future. And I give thanks for all those who have led this Conference as Moderators and Board chairs, as committee and ministry team members, as deans and counselors at Silver Lake and delegates to Annual Meetings. Together you are strong and resilient.
I have great confidence in you as the Connecticut Conference, and in the leadership that is in place. You will have a good experience in your search for a new Conference Minister and in reshaping your identity and your future. The Holy Spirit will truly guide you through this time – may it be adventurous and full of faithful creativity!
I will miss you all, for in my retirement I will, of course, observe the ethical guidelines. I will no longer be your Conference Minister and you will no longer turn to me for guidance or leadership. I will give only support to my successors, as I have been privileged to receive from my predecessors. I will pray for you regularly.
On May 15, my last day of work, I will hold you before God in prayer and commend you to one another, for you are the Connecticut Conference, a loving, generous, faithful and amazing sign of God’s hope for the world!
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Dr. Davida Foy Crabtree
Conference Minister
C: UCC General Minister and President Rev. Geoffrey Black
The Council of Conference Ministers
Friday, Feb. 19th, 2010
Dear Colleagues and Friends of the Connecticut Conference,
The news of our Conference Minister’s retirement is bittersweet. During the past fourteen years, Davida has embodied the role of servant-leader for us with grace and wisdom, and has blessed us with her gifts for ministry. Her work is recognized throughout the United Church of Christ, and in the ecumenical and inter-faith communities as well. It has been a privilege to work with her during my time on the Board of Directors. I have witnessed her deep devotion to the churches, her love for the Conference as a whole, her commitment to be a faithful steward, and her abiding faith in Christ Jesus. Davida has been the right person, called at the right time, for the people of God here in Connecticut.
Davida’s departure as Conference Minister moves us into a time of transition. Such times are full of uncertainty and apprehension. The Church universal continues to change as we move into the 21st Century; we are in the midst of discovering new ways to be the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ, new ways of sustaining and directing our ministry together. We recognize the challenges that face our congregations and the United Church of Christ national bodies as well. Who will help to lead us into the future? And what will that future hold? The God who led the people through the wilderness, who walked with our ancestors in the faith, who has shaped us… the God of new possibilities, who has spoken, and who speaks still… that great God remains! I believe that the ministry of the Connecticut Conference, with its rich history of over 200 years, has great things yet in store for it!
In times of transition, your Board of Directors is tasked with managing the process, as we seek a new Conference Minister. Not unlike a church seeking a new pastor, there are structures and procedures in place to help us accomplish our tasks. We also have support and advice available to us from the national offices. Our General Minister and President, the Rev. Geoffrey Black, has already been present and available to the Board as Davida announced her retirement. A search committee will be established, accountable to the Board, and ultimately to all of us, when a candidate for election is presented to the Conference. In the interim, the Board will appoint a qualified person to serve as Interim Conference Minister, to coordinate the work of the Conference staff. I give thanks to God that we are blessed with a competent, dedicated staff to help see us through the transition. This will be a time of great challenge and uncertainty for them as well. But the churches will continue to be served, and major initiatives will go forward.
Before a new Conference Minister arrives, however, we need to celebrate Davida’s ministry! Davida is officially retiring November 15th, a date that takes into consideration sabbatical and vacation time, though her last day in the office will be May 15th. At the request of the Board, Davida has often set aside her own needs for the sake of the Conference, particularly during the time of the General Synod’s 50th anniversary gathering. In establishing a fair retirement package, the Board has included this recognition of her services. We have also established an “Arrangements Committee,”
co-chaired by The Rev. David Spollett, and Ms. Joan Burgess (former Board of Directors Chair) to plan the celebration party! Plans are underway to gather on Sunday, May 2nd, from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at the Old State House in Hartford! The official service for “Ending an Authorized Ministry” will take place during the Spring Annual Meeting, on May 8th.
As Davida prepares to retire, we will of course be receiving gifts in her honor and you will hear from the Arrangements Committee about that later. In addition, imagine how great it would be if the churches and people of the Conference would also make it their goal to raise the $1.7 million needed by next fall so we can finally break ground for the new Retreat Lodge so urgently needed at Silver Lake Conference Center! If we were all to work together over these next months, we could attain that goal! If your church can possibly participate in moving this forward, we believe this will be a wonderful conclusion to Davida’s leadership among us. It would only take 50 churches each raising $25,000 to reach $1.25 million, and then a few more making larger gifts to reach our goal!
Surrounded by God’s Grace, we look forward to what the future holds. May the reality of Easter Resurrection be with each of you and with us as a Conference!
Faithfully Yours,
The Rev. Richard A. Koenig
Chair, CT Conference Board of Directors
How to give to disaster relief in Haiti
http://www.ctconfucc.org/news/20100113_haitianearthquake.php
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Dear Friends,
The United Church of Christ has launched an emergency appeal for Haiti after a major earthquake struck the country yesterday. Thousands of people are feared dead and countless have been left homeless.
The need is massive. Your gifts are needed to support immediate and long-term relief.
The 7.0 quake struck 10 miles southwest of the capital just before nightfall on January 12. Our Global Ministries personnel, Kim, Patrick and Solomon Bentrott, have reported to us that they are safe.
It is still too early to know the full extent of the damage, but we are expecting very high loss of life, widespread destruction of homes, schools and other buildings, and major damage to key water, electricity and road systems.
Funds from the UCC's One Great Hour of Sharing are being rushed to our Haitian partners to support their initial emergency response. However, your generous donations are needed to provide the greatest level of support for the victims of this terrible disaster.
Your prayers and monetary support are needed. Here is how you can help.
The Rev. Geoffrey A. Black
General Minister and President
United Church of Christ
The Rev. Cally Rogers-Witte
Executive Ministries
UCC Wider Church Ministries
P.S. If you or your congregation prefer to make your gifts off-line, please send checks to "Wider Church Ministries” and marked in the memo portion "OGHS – Haiti Earthquake Relief" to Wider Church Ministries, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115; or send through your respective Conference office.
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SustiNet is Born: General Assembly Overrides Governor's Veto
HARTFORD (07/21/2009) -- The Connecticut General Assembly overrode Governor M. Jodi Rell's veto of the SustiNet bill last night, setting the state's course toward comprehensive, affordable health care. Inspired in part by the Connecticut Conference's 2007 resolution "Seeking Support for Universal Health Care/Universal Health Care coverage in Connecticut," United Church of Christ members helped educate and advocate for passage of the legislation, which provides a framework for public/private partnerships and a wellness model for health care.
"This is very historic," said Christian Activities Council Congregational Organizer Kenneth Esposito, a member of the Bridgewater Congregational Church, UCC. "It leads the way for the nation." Among the law's provisions are the requirement that the SustiNet Board evaluate the emerging Federal health care plan and find the best way for Connecticut to take part in it.
"People can really reflect on the fact that a year and a half ago they passed a resolution, and this year they accomplished it," Esposito said. They accomplished a major feat." They accomplished it with a series of events, starting small and growing in numbers and focus, working closely with the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut and healthcare4every1.org.
At the beginning, said Esposito, churches held "Second Hour" programs and educational forums to learn about the issue. Larger, more public forums last December brought more people into the effort, and in January over a thousand people kicked off the campaign at the Hartford railroad station. As the bill moved through the legislature, UCC members made phone calls and sent postcards; state senators received nearly 1000 postcards from UCC church members as the initial vote approached.
"I talked to some people who were calling their senators every couple of days," Esposito recalled. "We were definitely a presence in every single Senate district." In the week before the veto session, supporters continued to call their legislators with reminders of their opinion.
The Governor vetoed the bill citing fears of high costs, and indeed, MIT health care economist Jonathan Gruber calculated an $800 million price tag -- but he also calculated savings of over $1.75 billion.
The next step is the selection of the nine-member SustiNet Health Partnership board, and for its supporting task forces and committees to get to work. They will submit a SustiNet plan to the state legislature's 2011 session. Click here for the SustiNet timeline at healthcare4every1.org.
Connecticut Conference Annual Meeting: Fall Session
Oct. 23 - 24
Conference
Join us in Middletown to welcome the nominee for General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, the Rev. Geoffrey Black, who will be the weekend's primary keynoter.
The weekend's theme will be Sacred Conversations on Race. We hope participants find an experience that inspires and equips them for further sacred conversations in their own churches and communities.
"Our conversations will be sacred if we trust in the Spirit of the living God to do a new thing in our midst." -- From a Pastoral Letter on Racism, from the Collegium of Officers of the United Church of Christ
Location: Middletown High School, 200 LaRosa Lane, Middletown
CT Women of the UCC Fall Gathering and Luncheon
Oct. 3, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Conference
The theme of the annual fall luncheon will be related to health care for women and children. Watch for future announcements!
Location: Asylum Hill Congl. Church, 814 Asylum Ave., Hartford
Click for Map
TBA.
Contact: Pam DiDio
125 Sherman St., Hartford, CT 06105. Toll free: 866.367.2822, or 860.233.5564 locally.
pamd@ctucc.org
Web Site
Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM) funds the Connecticut Conference and the national ministries of the UCC. Our Church’s Wider Mission includes Basic Support, for the funding of core programs; and Special Support, for specific mission opportunities through the four UCC special mission offerings.
Every congregation decides for itself how much to contribute to OCWM. Most give between 5% and 20% of their operating expenses to Our Church’s Wider Mission. This means that local churches use between 80 and 95 cents of every dollar locally. The Connecticut Conference sends 63% of OCWM contributions to national ministries, or about 6 cents of the Sunday dollar. On average, Conferences use about 2 ½ cents out of every dollar, and the national ministries receive 2 cents out of every dollar given by UCC members.
In 2007, the Connecticut Conference received $2,661,450 in OCWM contributions. This included $371,900 in receipts from the four UCC special mission offerings (Neighbors in Need, The Christmas Fund, Strengthen the Church, and One Great Hour of Sharing).
In 2007, the UCC national ministries received $15,684,424 in OCWM contributions. This included $5,306,449 in receipts from the four UCC special mission offerings (Neighbors in Need, The Christmas Fund, Strengthen the Church, and One Great Hour of Sharing). These contributions for Our Church’s Wider Mission represent about 2% of total church giving by UCC members.
In the national ministries of the UCC, 7.4% ($688,200) of total Our Church’s Wider Mission contributions are budgeted in 2008 for administration, which includes the costs of overall organization of the national ministries and those parts of salaries, benefits, financial operations, rent, office costs, insurance, and professional fees that apply to administration.
In the Connecticut Conference, 5.1% of Our Church’s Wider Mission Basic Support Contributions are budgeted in 2008 for administration, which includes budgeting and accounting, endowment management, computers and office equipment, property expenses, insurance, capital expenditures and many other expenses. Fees offset almost 20% of administrative expenses. No administrative deductions are made from OCWM Special Support contributions, including the four regular offerings and disaster response gifts.
Our Church’s Wider Mission keeps the church strong, even as it engages in mission and outreach to others. The church has a unique and important role to play in our society and the world, today and for future generations. You can help sustain the church and its ministries by supporting Our Church’s Wider Mission in your congregation.
Tithing Churches in 2007
| Shalom UCC, New Haven | 14% |
| First Congregational Church of Guilford | 13% |
| First Congregational Church of Derby | 12% |
| First Church of Christ, Congregational, Bethany | 11% |
| First Church in Windsor | 11% |
| Rocky Hill Congregational Church | 11% |
| First Church of Christ, Simsbury | 10% |
| Oxford United Church of Christ Congregational | 10% |
| North Guilford Congregational Church UCC | 10% |
| United Congregational Church, Tolland | 10% |
The Connecticut Conference Annual Report can be found through the following link:
http://www.ctucc.org/resources/2008_yearend_report.html
Clergy Learn About Marriage for All
HARTFORD (01/26/2009) -- Over forty United Church of Christ pastors, chaplains, and clergy in other settings spent an afternoon gathering information about marriage in Connecticut for same-gender couples. Love Makes a Family religious organizer Obadiah Ballinger led the workshop on Thursday, January 22nd at United Church Center in Hartford, where he described the impact and limits of the law, spoke of helpful approaches to conversations in local churches, and offered resources for further study.
The attendees reported a wide range of opinion about marriage for same-gender couples among their parishes and settings. Some serve in congregations that have proclaimed themselves Open and Affirming (ONA), the phrase identifying UCC churches committed to full participation of gay and lesbian memebers, while other serve in places that have not undertaken that process. Some congregations have gladly opened their doors to same-gender weddings already, while others look toward lengthy discussion of the issue.
Ballinger, who is working toward ordination in the UCC in the Minnesota Conference, noted that while Connecticut's marrage law makes no distinction in rights or responsibilities between couples, other state laws and federal law definitely do. Married Connecticut residents may file joint income tax returns, for example, but same-gender couples must file separate returns with the federal Internal Revenue Service. At the moment, this actually requires these couples to file a second state return, reflecting their federal status.
This situation is the tip of the iceberg: over 1,000 federal guarentees to married couples are not available to those of the same gender legally married in Connecticut.
Ballinger offered clergy three cautions that should be presented to same-gender couples seeking marriage:
- People planning to move to a state that will not recognize their marriage should know that, in the event they need to divorce, they will need to return to Connecticut to do so.
- Couples planning to adopt may want to adopt first and marry later, as agencies are frequently reluctant to place children with same-sex couples.
- Members of the military are subject to dismissal from the service and even prosecution, with loss of pension and military benefits.
Many of the ministers had questions about discussing the same-gender marriage issue in their churches. "Openness and transparency of communication," said Ballinger, "need to be part of the process." He recommended that lay people lead the conversation, to avoid the perception that it is the pastor's issue. "An ONA process should never be started by the pastor," he said. "It will give the process more authenticity... Otherwise ONA can leave with the pastor."
Important as well is to ground the conversation in broader discussions of human nature and sexuality. These are the groundwork for ONA.
Some service models are available on the Connecticut Conference's web site, which had been written prior to the availability of legal marriage.
Other issues raised included:
- Will the church be available to non-members? If not, what is the difference between making the church available to non-member couples of opposite genders?
- What about couples whose churches will not allow them to be married there, but whose pastors are willing? What accomodation can be made for them?
- What are the roles of clergy in marriage? Counselor, bearer of blessing, agent of the state: how to reconcile these?
Ballinger encouraged clergy, churches, and church leaders to continue to work for full equality. He asked that churches and couples let Love Makes a Family know about weddings so they can share the word; he asked pastors to share their views in local newspapers; he suggested book groups and film screenings. Marriage equality, he said, is a blessing to the community, to be extended lovingly and generously.
Spring Annual Meeting to Examine Health Care
HARTFORD (02/06/2009) -- Juan A. Figueroa, President of the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut, will be one of the keynote speakers at the Spring Session of the Connecticut Conference Annual Meeting, to be held at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church on May 9th. Other workshops, and a second keynote speaker yet to be named, will offer other perspectives and opportunities for conversation around the manifold facets of health and healing.
Mr. Figueroa has led the Foundation since 2003 in its work to bring about universal health care for all citizens. A former Connecticut legislator and Assistant Attorney General, he was also a staff attorney for the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. Prior to assuming the helm at the Foundation, he was the president and general counsel of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund in New York City.
The Hartford Business Journal named Mr. Figueroa one of its 2007 “Health Care Heroes” for his contribution to the advancement of health care in our state.
The church has a long relationship with issues of health, going back to Jesus’ healing ministry. In addition to advocacy, the United Church of Christ has founded and administered hospitals and convalescence facilities, supported parish nursing programs, brought meals to its illness-stricken members, lifted its prayers, and more. Join us May 9th for discussion and discernment of ways to care for the health of God’s people in the twenty-first century.
