Central Association Annual Meeting Massachusetts Conference, United Church of Christ May 5, 2019
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Central Association Annual Meeting Massachusetts Conference, United Church of Christ May 5, 2019 Worcester Area Mission Society & United Congregational Church 6 Institute Road Worcester, MA 01609 With Gratitude and Congratulations the Central Association recognizes the following ministers on their Ordination Anniversaries 60 years The Reverend Mr. Warren Hanson 55 years The Reverend Mr. Gordon Merten 50 years The Reverend Mr. Paul Sanderson 45 years The Reverend Dr. Jeri Babinsky The Reverend Mr. Harold Lloyd 40 years The Reverend Mr. Keith Jenkins Man The Reverend Ms. Dadgie Scott 35 years The Reverend Ms. Ellen Bailey The Reverend Mr. J. Clifford Davis The Reverend Ms. Karen Dorshimer-Chaplin The Reverend Dr. Linnea Prefontaine The Reverend Dr. Gregory Schmidt The Reverend Mr. Steven Small 30 years The Reverend Ms. Celsa Ayala-Coloma The Reverend Dr. Frances Bogle The Reverend Ms. Marvin Caldwell The Reverend Dr. Deborah Clark The Reverend Mr. John Hudson The Reverend Ms. Barbara Keast The Reverend Dr. Wanda Martinez 25 years The Reverend Ms. Barbara Aiello The Reverend Ms. Lynne Dolan The Reverend Ms. Gail Kendrick The Reverend Ms. Sarah Maker Deyst The Reverend Ms. Gail Miller Anniversaries are listed for celebrants of 25+ years. Please let us know if we missed your anniversary. Table of Contents Report Name: Page Number: 2019 Annual Meeting Missive 2 Minutes from 2018 Annual Meeting 3 2019 Moderator’s Report 5 2018-2019 Committee on Authorized Ministry Report 7 2018 Worcester Area Mission Society Report 10 2018 Statement of Financial Position 11 2018 Profit & Loss Budget Performance 12 2018 Income by Church 13 2019 Budget and 2018 Audit Report 15 2019 Nominating Report 16 Order of Worship 18 Hymn – #284 20 Hymn - #586 22 1 The Heart of the City, The Heart of Christ “Behold, I make all things new”- Revelations 21:5 The Annual Business Meeting of the Central Association Massachusetts Conference, United Church of Christ Sunday, May 5, 2019 Worcester Area Mission Society & United Congregational Church 6 Institute Road Worcester, MA 01609 The Program: 3:30 – 4:00 Registration 4:00 – 4:30 Calling the Roll of Churches and Business Meeting: Welcome and Opening Prayer ~ The Rev. Sally Norris, WAMS Central Association Annual Business Meeting Association Reports and Budget Installation of Central Association Officers and Committee Member 4:30 – 5:30 Ecclesiastical Council for New Hope United Church of Christ, new church start! Something new at our annual meeting! Come and join us as we hear about this new church start, its prayerful process and new beginnings. This is a unique opportunity to learn more about the Spirits promptings among us. Come be part of this historic vote! 5:30 – 6:15 Worship: The Rev. Sally Norris and The Rev. Nancy Elder-Wilfrid with representatives from United Congregational Church and WAMS: Come and learn more about the unfolding ministry collaboration between WAMS and United Congregational Church as they share the story of the “gifting” of United’s building and endowment to WAMS. Consider the ministry possibilities for your church! There will be two collections taken during the offering. The first will benefit the Association Scholarship Fund and the second will benefit the Worcester Area Mission Society. 6:30 Dinner: The meal will be catered by Elsa’s Bushel and Peck and consist of the following choices: Smothered Chicken, Baked Haddock, Rice Pilaf, Vegetarian Pasta Primavera (side of Garbanzo Beans), Steamed Green Beans, Garden Salad, and desserts. $12.00 per person Please indicate food allergies when registering for dinner. Please contact Deb Holmes at 508-963-8106 or [email protected] with any questions. 2 Central Association Annual Meeting May 6, 2018 Minutes of the Business Portion The meeting was opened by the Moderator, Rev. Elaine Gaetani who called the meeting to order and asked for a roll call of churches. The Registrar announced that 38 churches, 1 clergy serving WAMS, 1 ACM, and 1 clergy serving The Massachusetts Conference were present. 90 people represented the following churches: Athol Congregational Church, UCC Memorial Congregational Church, UCC, Baldwinville First Parish Church of Berlin The First Parish of Bolton First Congregational Church, Brimfield Brookfield Congregational Church First Congregational Church of Dudley Faith United Parish, Fitchburg The Franklin Federated Church, Franklin First Congregational Church, UCC, Gardner Union Congregational Church, UCC, Groton The Congregational Church of Harvard, UCC First Congregational Church, Leicester Pilgrim Congregational Church, UCC, Leominster Congregational Church of Littleton First Church in Marlborough (Congregational) First Congregational Church of Milford The Eliot Church of South Natick Trinity Church Northborough First Congregational Church UCC, Oxford First Congregational Church UCC, Paxton First Congregational Church of Princeton, UCC First Congregational Church of Rutland First Congregational Church, UCC, Shrewsbury Pilgrim Congregational Church, UCC, Southborough Elm Street Congregational Church, Southbridge First Congregational Church UCC, Spencer The First Church in Sterling Federated New Hope Church, Sturbridge First Congregational Church, Sutton First Congregational Church of West Boylston First Congregational Church of West Brookfield Congregational Church of Westborough First Congregational Church of Westminster Hadwen Park Congregational Church, Worcester Lake View Congregational Church UCC, Worcester The First Congregational Church in Worcester United Congregational Church, Worcester 3 The requirement being met for a quorum, the meeting continued. The moderator, Rev. Elaine Gaetani, then invited The Rev. Steven A. Small, Pastor of the First Congregational Church of West Boylston, the host church, to offer an invocation and comments. Rev. Small announced that he was retiring after 35 years of ordained ministry. The moderator then offered The Moderator’s Report, thanking all present for being there and offering thanks for the opportunity to serve the Central Association. Rev. Gaetani thanked Rev. Kelly Gallagher, Area Conference Minister, and Deb Holmes for their hard work and support. In addition, Rev. Gaetani acknowledged and thanked the Central Association Board and Committee on Ministry for their hard work and support. The Rev. Dr. Keith Alderman presented the report of the Committee on Authorized Ministry. He highlighted some of the important work of the committee that was covered in his written report, and he asked for a round of applause for the faithful service of Rev. Steven A. Small. Rev. Alderman also thanked Rev. Gallagher, Deb Holmes, the Committee on Ministry, and the Board. The Rev. Bob Bachelder gave the WAMS report. He highlighted new initiatives being started in Worcester and emphasized that the only hope for economic progress is the local community. He mentioned Bruce Katz on the Metropolitan Revolution. The remaining reports were acknowledged by the Moderator with no comments from the floor. A motion was made and seconded to approve all reports. Approved unanimously. The Moderator then asked the newly elected Board and Committee on Ministry to stand and be installed into their new positions. A presentation was made by Rev. Lynne Dolan of the Massachusetts Conference on the Resolution regarding the creation of a New Conference, Together As One. A presentation was made by Rev. Dawn Adams, Pastor of the First Congregational Church, Brimfield, on the Immigration and Refugee Task Team. Worship service followed the business portion. A heart-felt and inspiring message was delivered by Rev. Bob Bachelder, Minister & President of WAMS. Also participating in the service were Rev. Elaine Gaetani, Central Association Moderator & Associate Minister of the Congregational Church of Westborough, and Kristjon Imperious, Minister of Music, Congregational Church of West Boylston. After worship, Rev. Gallagher and Rev. Gaetani presented a gift to Rev. Bachelder commemorating his long and faithful service to WAMS and acknowledging his retirement from ordained ministry. Respectfully submitted, David King, Registrar 4 MODERATOR REPORT, May 5, 2019 Grace and Peace to you my Siblings In Christ, Eastertide Blessings! What a productive and good year we have had as your Board of Directors! We are truly blessed with the most gifted, committed and faithful members on our board! It is such a joy to work/minister alongside each and every one of them as we seek to serve the churches in the Central Association of MACUCC. Working closely with our Area Conference Minister, Rev. Kelly Gallagher has been like a post-doctoral program in “how to lovingly and faithfully serve The Church!” Her profound commitment, dedication, diligent work and masterful gifts of bringing churches together is a study on leadership & discipleship! What a blessing we have in this area minister! Our Administrative Assistant, Deb Holmes is our record keeper, calendar master extraordinaire and planning coordinator that helps to make it all happen. I couldn’t do my job without her and our board runs far more smoothly because of her. We owe her much gratitude! Thank you Deb! We have been blessed to welcome the new Minister and President of WAMS Rev. Sally Norris. She brings with her many gifts and passion for ministry and mission. She is a true visionary with a profound love for God’s people and The Church. We are so grateful to have her as one of our board members. Her contribution to the board has already been felt significantly! Please make an effort