Annual Meeting A Rousing Success

La Foret Retreat and Conference Center offered the setting and the memories to create a spirit-filled experience for attendees of the 36th Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference last weekend. Nearly 200 clergy and delegates gathered amid the tall trees, homey cabins and unseen squabbits to discuss issues surrounding the future of the conference.

At the closing worship service on Sunday morning, the "children" of La Foret -- those who first heard a calling to ministry during camp  -- summed up the event. "If these walls could talk," Corbin Tobey Davis said, motioning to the adobe of the La Foret Chapel. "I remember so many Sunday mornings here when we would all be sad because we had to leave this magical place and go back to places where people didn't understand.

"No matter where you are, though, remember we are family. We are United in Christ."

Rev. Erin Gilmore of Holladay UCC drew upon her just-completed sabbatical to illustrate how sharing a table brings people together. From incredible hospitality from strangers in Denmark to a sandstone table shared with her partner in the Grand Canyon, she said, "Christ reminds us that we belong here." Encouraging the group to feel their own heartbeat, she noted, "In you is the sound of the beginning. We are all one."

Rev. Kelly Jo Clark of Union Congregation in Crested Butte, after handing off her newborn for momentary safekeeping, asked all to envision family, friends and eventually the planet in our hands, then lifting up those concerns to give them to God.

Coordinator of the weekend's worship programs, Rev. Curt Preston concluded the service by noting that we had all been fed at the table of the Rocky Mountain Conference and, like Jesus' disciples, had been equipped with what was needed to go forth into the world.

"Faith is hard work, but God will give us the strength."

Strength will be important, if the nearly 200 people who attended various parts of the conference hope to follow the suggestions offered by the many speakers.

Changing Lives through Our Church's Wider Mission was a major focus of the event, with Rev. Jane Heckles offering insights from her position as minister for OCWM Development in the Office of the Executive Minister, Local Church Ministries.

While mainline church attendance is dropping, UCC churches are growing, she said, attributing that rise to the good news that UCC offers all people. Using video clips from the national UCC website, she noted the three core values of the UCC:

1. Continual Revelation – God is still speaking to each new generation and to the issues and dynamics of that generation
2. Extravagant hospitality – God extends unconditional welcome and love to all
3. Changing Lives – God is at work in our local congregations transforming and changing the lives

Following her Friday session was the premiere of a new DVD on RMC OCWM, showing how your contributions affect people throughout the area. Each church will have a copy of the short video to present to their own congregations. If your delegate did not bring one back, contact Lorraine Elsen at lorraine@rmcucc.org.

A new concept for the meeting debuted Friday afternoon as participants split into 10 Family Groups to explore various issues and get to know each other. The groups reconvened again Saturday but time forced cancellation of a final group. Nonetheless, many attendees enjoyed the groups and the opportunity to learn from and about each other.

Honored at the Friday evening Awards Banquet were churches that met the 5For5 Goal and those showing above-average growth last year. Those churches will be highlighted in a future newsletter.

After the awards, Rev. Preston again led a unique worship experience with Rev. Clark and Rev. Tamara Boynton of Berkeley UCC. Members of the audience played supporting roles as did a small bear lured by the smell from the afternoon's popcorn break.

Keynoter Tim Wright

Keynote speaker Tim Wright kicked off Saturday's events with some lessons learned over 25 years of ministry, primarily with a Lutheran "megachurch" in Phoenix. In the "come and see" model practiced there, he said, worship was much like a good movie. "Our focus was to help the person who had never been to church experience the savior without knowing what to do," he said, noting that most churches create worship for the people who are already there, not new people they might want to attract.

Among his suggestions:

• Use music people like to listen to. "Ever notice there are no radio stations playing organ music?"
• Do children's ministry and do it well. The challenge, he noted, is that adults are often distracted by children in worship and parents avoid church because they do not want their children to be that distraction. However, studies show that children who attend only Sunday School never learn about a worship service and thus do not attend one as adults. A hybrid model, such as that used in many UCC congregations, appears to be the answer, allowing children to experience some of the worship service as well as a vibrant Sunday school. Further, he said, invest in the children as a community, not just a separate entity.
• Traditional elements also can be incorporated into a contemporary service. "Some people are looking for a bit of ritual, so give it to them but let them know why it is important."

In a comment that drew hoots from the audience, Wright suggested the pastor must set the agenda for the church, not a committee. "God gives vision to a leader, not a committee."

Responding to a question on social action, he noted that the UCC does that very well and "living under the lordship of Jesus requires people to live as he did."

The Phoenix minister then fielded the inevitable question about immigration and how churches should react when the laws are not just.

"How do we as people of faith who are American citizens show compassion?" he said. "The issue is not always black and white." He noted that Arizona has raised the issue and made it a public one the entire country needs to deal with.

Capital Campaign & Other Business

Board chair Jan Hepp then introduced an exciting new chapter in RMC history, a capital campaign to create a permanent Conference office (more details at right). Association meetings followed.

The business session of the meeting included reports and passage of three resolutions and ratification of national UCC Constitutional and Bylaws:

Encouraging Church Growth: Each delegate agrees to take action between now and the 2011 annual meeting to support the Conference’s long term goals for growth, including but not limited to inviting friends, family and acquaintances to attend worship with us at our UCC congregation, sharing our personal stories of faith with one another and with friends, family and acquaintances, sharing our spiritual journeys with other persons to inspire them to develop more spiritually fulfilling lives, and to encourage other members of the local congregation to do the same. Time at the 2011 meeting will be made to allow sharing results. (click here for full text)

Solidarity on Immigration: The resolution states, in part, "we stand in solidarity with the Southwest Conference (SWC) of the UCC and our immigrant sisters and brothers in Arizona and call upon members and congregations in the RMC to consider signing the pledge of non-compliance with SB 1070 ; and that the RMC support the SWC call for an economic boycott of Arizona until SB 1070 is repealed; calling on RMC members to consider using their influence with businesses, professional organizations and other organizations to relocate any and all meetings or conferences to be held in Arizona and to not make any purchase or contract with firms who are headquartered in Arizona; and ...call its members to consider prayer, study, protest, and other possible actions for immigrant rights, and that the RMC will mobilize our congregations for just and fair Federal Comprehensive Immigration Reform; and call upon the Justice and Peace Ministry Team to develop resources for congregational discernment and examples of action. (click here for full text)

RMC Endowment Fund Bylaws . This item essentially involved specifying the Conference as the RMC and the annual meeting as its venue for reports to appease IRS regulations.

Ratification of national UCC Constitution and Bylaws, which change how the UCC credentials clergy leadership. (click here for full text)

Also formalized at the business meeting was the election of officers. The new moderator is Rev. Pete Terpenning from Community UCC in Boulder. Vice Moderator is Bill Dodge of First Congregational UCC in SIlverton, and the new treasurer is John Rostykus of First Congregational in Longmont. New association representatives are Bev Larsen from Utah and Corbin Tobey Davis from Metro Denver.

The Utah Association concluded the formal business with an invitation to the 2011 Annual Meeting, including original words to the tune "There's a Long, Long Trail.,"  (at right) Entertainment on Saturday night included the New Choice Band from Fort Morgan, Colo., and a bluegrass band that included a La Foret board member and a DOC pastor from Lafayette.

Conference particpants who registered with their own email address will receive a followup survey on the meeting within the next week. We encourage comments on ways to improve the meeting through that venue or by emailing anyone on the RMC staff.

  Calendar of Events  

June 28- July 1: UCC Musicians Network Annual Conference, Denver (details)

July 14-17: UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns National Gathering, San Diego, CA (details)

Aug, 5-8: CrossRoads in the Wilderness, Ward CO, retreat sponsored by Men's Leadership Alliance (details) NEW! YouTube video (click here)

August 9-13: New Church Leadership Institute: Seven Secrets of Effective Churches, Atlanta (details)

Aug. 20-21. Keystone 2: Exemplary Youth Emphasis (click here for details or to register)

Aug. 20-22: Our Whole Lives training for educators. Community UCC, Boulder (details)

Sept. 23-26: Widening the Welcome: Inclusion for All, national gathering of the UCC Mental Illness Network and UCC Disabilities Network, St. Louis (details)

Invitation to RMCUCC 2011 in Salt Lake City

There's a Long, Long Trail

adapted by Dorothy Talbert and Russ Baker

How nice to wander through the forest
To see nature up close
To walk the labyrinth quietly
Or Indian Trees we can boast
.Our speakers, leaders, fellow
   campers
Helped us think outside our box.
Take a new idea home with you
and see how well it rocks.

Did you see a squabbit, bird or flower that was special for you?
Give worship and entertainment
  an A plus too.
We've had a great time here at
  LaForet.
This place is always the best.
Old friends and new are gathered.
We do business and some jest.

As we end our time together
we think where next year?
The Utah Association invites you
   with a cheer.
It'll be at historic Fort Douglas
and Olympic Village too.
In June next year we're planning
on regathering with you.

We'll Be Coming O'er the Mountains

Come on o'er the mountain when
  you come
Come on o'er the mountains when
  you come.
We will welcome you to Utah
And to Olympic Village
Come on o'er the mountains when
   you come.

We are famous for green Jello in
    Utah,
But we'll leave it off the menu when
   you come.
Let's eat a lot of ice cream
And try our native fry sauce
On potatoes at the cookout when
     you come.

We will powwow like our Utes of
    history
What else we'll do is still a mystery.
We wil sing and pray and dance.
And leave nothing just to chance.
We'll celebrate our UCC-ness when
   you come.

GIve Your Church an International Flair

Representatives of the UEPV, our counterparts in Venezuela, will be visiting Denver in late June and would be happy to speak to any congregations interested in the mission work of our Global Partners. If you are interested in hosting our Venezuelan brothers and sisters please contact Marcia Meier (meiermarcia5@gmail.com). The group is scheduled  to attend a celebration at First Congregational in Boulder on June 27.

In addition, Iliff is offering a five-day seminar exploring the religious, theological, and ethical context of Venezuela within the larger context of the Latin America liberationist movement. The small class will allow for unprecedented access to those dealing with the issues first hand. Registration is $200 but Global Partners may be able to offset some of that cost for interested persons. View the class flyer here.

 OOOPS! Mission Trip is to Venezuela

THe Last issue of RoMoCo included an article on the October Global Partner Medical Mission Trip, but erroneously noted the trip was to Guatemala. July 1 is the deadline for applications to join the Global Partners annual Medical Mission Trip to Venezuela.