Listening process task force staffed, meeting held
October/November 2006
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” [Isaiah 43:19]
With the election last June of the Rev. Dr. Jim Antal as the Conference’s new Minister and President, it is a season of change for the United Church of Christ in Massachusetts. Recognizing this new beginning and the need for a new Conference structure, the Board of Directors last spring created a Steering Committee to: “discern the key needs and priorities of the major constituencies of the Conference – laity, clergy, congregations, Associ-ations, Conference volunteers, and Conference staff – in our primary, shared goal of nurturing local church vitality, as well as the covenant among the churches.” Using the results of this listening campaign, the Board of Directors will recommend a new Conference structure to a Conference meeting in 2007 for a one year trial period to begin in January 2008.
Made up of sixteen lay and ordained volunteers from all Associations of the Conference, the Committee met for the first time in late August to begin its work.
“We’ve been asked by the board to create a listening process, so a wide cross-section of members and clergy from around the state can tell us how best the Conference can empower local churches for vital ministry,” said Committee Chair, Rev. John F. Hudson (Senior Pastor, West Concord Union Church, UCC). “This is a new time in our shared life,” continued Hudson. “With new leadership and the reality of budget restraints, the Board felt it was crucial to task one group with listening, praying, and then offering a proposed new Conference structure for all of God’s work that lies ahead.”
According to Hudson, after their first meeting the Committee split up into four working groups: Questions, Format, Logistics and Communication. Those small groups will come back together October 21st to adopt a process and timeline for meetings around the Conference in early 2007, where lay and clergy representatives will be asked how they can best serve the Massachusetts Conference and its local churches. “We’re really starting from scratch,” noted Hudson, “except for our mission which drives the whole process: nurturing local church vitality and strengthening the covenant among our UCC churches.”
Staffed by Antal, members of the committee include Hudson, Rev. Paul Adkins (First Congregational Church, UCC, Shrewsbury), Rev. Liz Aguilar (The United Church of Christ in Medfield), Rev. Dr. Candi Ashenden (United Congregational Church, UCC, Conway), Rev. Cindy Worthington Berry (First Parish Church United, Westford), Ms. Sylvia Ferrell-Jones (Vice-Chair, MACUCC Board of Directors, Pilgrim Congregational UCC, Lexington), Mr. Hooks Johnston (South Church UCC, Andover), Rev. Terry Martinson (Old South Union Congregational Church, UCC, South Weymouth), Rev. Bette McClure (First Congregational Church UCC, Fairhaven), Rev. Dr. Peter Meek (Hancock UCC, Lexington); Rev. Dr. Mike Penn-Strah (Associate Conference Minister, MACUCC), Ms. Juanita Shavers (South Congregational UCC, Springfield), Rev. Dr. Peter Wells (Associate Conference Minister, MACUCC), Rev. Jonathan Wright-Gray (First Church UCC, Sterling) and Ms. Carol Yelverton (Plymouth Church UCC, Belmont).
“We’ll be looking for input and feedback in many ways,” concluded Hudson. “We envision gatherings in local churches throughout the Conference, a web-based survey, phone interviews and one-on-one conversations. We want to hear from as many folks as possible and we ask the Conference as well to keep us in their prayers.”
Look for more information about the 2007 schedule of Listening Meetings in future issues.
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