MINUTES OF THE

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING

AND

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

OF THE

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CONGREGATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES

October 25-27, 2007

Country Inn & Suites, Milwaukee, WI

AGENDA	DISCUSSION/ACTION
1. Welcome/Roll Call	Chairman Wendy Van Tassell convened the meeting of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches on Thursday, October 25, 2007, 7:00 p.m. Executive Committee voting members present were: Rev. Wendy Van Tassell (Chair) Claudia Kniefel Joelle Sommers Edith Bartley Rev. Casey vanderBent Don Sturgis Rev. Neil Hunt Rev. Bobbie Chapman Harry Holz Rev. Earl Crutchfield Dr. Lowell Linden Board of Directors voting members: Claudia Kniefel Joelle Sommers Don Sturgis Edith Bartley Rev. Casey vanderBent Rev. Wendy Van Tassell Rev. Dr. Lloyd Hall Rev. Neil Hunt Rev. Bobbie Chapman Harry Holz Rev. Earl Crutchfield Dr. Lowell Linden Also present: Rev. Dr. Thomas M. Richard, Executive Secretary Dan Drea, Financial Manager Jeff Dillon, Treasurer Susan Carter, Secretary
2. Introductions/Opening Devotions	Neil Hunt gave devotions. Each member was asked to introduce and say three things about self – one of which was untrue. Others were asked to determine which was untrue. Wendy asked for an update on fires from California members. There will be a special offering through the NA.
3. Review 07 minutes	Sue Carter reported that all minutes were approved and have been posted on NA website.
4. Staff	4a. Executive Secretary – Rev. Dr. Tom Richard. Accepted report. Don Olsen has accepted call as Sr. Minister of Wichita Church. Do not have final date of departure. Announcement will be made next week. 4a1.Cottage Roof Repair. What is the advantage of keeping this cottage? Moved by Bobbie Chapman, second by Claudia Kniefel, that the EC authorize up to $3,000 for repair to the roof of the cottage behind the NA building. VOTE: Motion defeated. Wendy directed Tom Richard to seek legal counsel toward the end of vacating and abandoning the cottage located behind the NA office. Tom will come back with a recommendation. 4F. Publisher Report. Received report from Lisa Dembrowski. Tom will ask Lisa to request proposals from vendors for printing the Congregationalist in the Milwaukee area. Jim Eaton has been unresponsive and Tom is asked to handle the situation.
10. Meeting Planner	10a. Carrie Dahm, NA Meeting Planner, joined the meeting to discuss future annual meetings. Presentation by Andrea Schmidt, representative from Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau. Also received information regarding the proposal from Phoenix. 10b. 2010 Annual Meeting - Alaska or Phoenix. Much concern for the cost of going to Alaska. NA cannot subsidize Leadership Team for full amount. The hotels in Anchorage will be Hilton and Howard Johnson Motion by Claudia Kniefel, second Joelle Sommers, that we accept the invitation from First Congregational Church, Anchorage, Alaska, June 23-29, 2010. VOTE: Motion adopted Motion by Earl Crutchfield, second Don Sturgis, that the NA tell the Leadership Team there will be only a certain amount of expense for the Annual Meeting paid by the NA. Amount to be determined by the EC. VOTE: Motion adopted Nominating Committee has been asked to communicate this information to future leadership candidates. Staff was directed by Wendy to research and come back with proposal for amount to be covered at February meeting. The invitation from Phoenix was accepted. Carrie will be asked to contact the Sun City Church to see if they would change their proposal to 2011. Carrie will report to the EC in February.
11. Moderator Report	11a. Moderator Bill Fillebrown joined us via conference call. Accepted report including schedule and presenters. EC members shared concern about 13 workshops in one afternoon and the Reconciliation Service. Concerns will be conveyed to Bill regarding serious reservation with the Reconciliation Service with native Americans. We need to know exactly what this is going to look like. 11b. Moderator-Elect Lottie Jones Hood, 2009 Annual Meeting. Process: Will be in regular communication with Divisions. Asked EC members to give input. Theme: Isaiah 43:19 Behold I am doing a new thing Vision for 2009 - Annual Meeting that is a living experience. Sensory experience. Experience that is spiritual, educational and fun. Open communication. Talked about ideas for Sunday afternoon. Different buses to go to: tour of exceptional churches in area; difference restaurants; Miller Brewing; Harley Museum; Zoo; Gardens. Bible Lecture: Rev. Dr. Charles G. Adams, Inaugural William and Lucille Nickerson Professor of the Practice of Ethics and Ministry at Harvard divinity School.
5. Finance	5a. Financial Manager – Dan Drea Treasurer – Jeff Dillon Accepted written report. Jeff highlighted the printed financial report. Right now we are slightly above budget for income. Next several months will be critical. 5b. Member Church Giving Analysis Diana, Dan and Tom gave PowerPoint presentation NACCC 2006-07 Member Church Giving Analysis. It is a critical issue. 20% of churches are Fair Share or Fair Share Plus. Average gift is $7.23/member. This does not factor in non-giving churches. 37.5% of NA churches give nothing to operating budget. To maintain what we are doing now need to increase giving by 33% or $500,000. Several churches give to Missions and not operating budget. Charge/request to EC: · Review and debate the alternatives presented here when you return home · As a body, set a goal of coming to an agreement on how to address this issue at the Feb. conference call · Be proactive in “selling” the agreed on plan to the entire NA · Schedule a “focus” conference call to discuss in mid January. Tom - Goal to stabilize the GOF is crucial. Investors want to know we can live within our means. We need a marketing piece to everything we do. Critical time for us. How are we going to move forward? NA needs to get closer to our churches. Work of NA and state associations is important. 5c. General Operating Fund. Discussed changing name of GOF to Shared Ministries Fund. Moved by Neil Hunt, second Claudia Kniefel, that we rename the GOF to the Shared Ministries Fund. VOTE: Motion adopted (1 negative vote)
9. Percept	Program that relates to church growth, revitalization- Diane Christy, VP. Online Information System – VISTA Online. Local churches cannot use this service unless national or local association is involved. Could offer Great Lakes Region. Would work with us on pricing based on what we want to do. National study would allow all local churches to participate – access to link 2lead.com plus twenty people from each congregation would have access. Tom would recommend that CCD and DFM review it. Neil spoke from experience of using it. It has been an extremely dynamite tool for the church. Tool to help CCD when we plant churches. Motion by Neil Hunt, second by Casey, that the EC suggest to CCD & DFM that they look at Percept with the thought that this be offered to our churches. VOTE: Motion adopted NA staff will talk with CCD and DFM and ask them to get back to EC prior to Feb. meeting. Action will be placed on February agenda.
8. Branching Out/Capital Campaign/Implementation Team	Diana David -1/3 of way to reaching our goal. Steady progress. Developing Leadership Team.
7. Marketing Development Work	Diana David – has prepared NACCC Fundraising/Marketing Calendar. Would like to run for a couple of years to see how it goes. Missionary Society has requested an extension for this year since October is earmarked for their fundraising and it is already the end of October. Commissions/Committees are all under GOF and therefore not on this calendar. Moved by Claudia Kniefel, second Bobbie Chapman, EC adopt Marketing Calendar with proviso that Missionary Society be allowed to run an additional appeal for 1/08 for first year in place of 10/07. VOTE – Motion adopted
13. Division Reports	13a – CFTS – Irv Gammon Liaison Casey vanderBent. Meeting right now in California. Working hard on position description for Director of the Center. Lloyd added to report saying the Institute met and made major strides in the rewriting of the Lay Ministry Program. 13b – DFM - Linda Anderson Liaison Lowell Linden. Expressed concern over lack of time for seminars at Annual Meeting. 13c – Missionary Society – Jeff Robie Liaison Joelle Sommers. Conference call last week. Will meet in Phoenix at Cook College next week. Pleased at the idea of Missionary reception being on Mayflower. Thanked Dan and Rebecca for timely financial reports. Missionary Society Alumni Association. 35 people have signed on and volunteered to help at Annual Meeting. 13d – CCD – Art Ritter Liaison Earl. John Carson reported they are reading a book Big Dream, Small Places. Three new projects: Fourth congregational Church, Chicago; Community of St. Stephens, California; La Grange Church in Georgia. Jeffery Jones is speaker they will sponsor at Annual Meeting.
14. Commissions	14a. Youth Commission Liaison Neil Hunt. NAPF will invite those graduating from eighth grade this year. Much concern about the wisdom of this decision. Encourage Youth Commission to evaluate after one year. 1. Debit cards need to be addressed by EC. Dan Drea reported that they will be issuing the cards most likely in April. 2. NA not responsive- Tom will check on this issue 3. NA website not user friendly. Will need to outsource for design and then train staff to update daily. 4. Database was not accessible to NAPF Directors Youth Leaders retreat will be held in March. 14b. World Christian Relations. Liaison Bonn Clayton. No report 14c.Church Services. Liaison Edith Bartley. No report. Conference call on Monday night. Goal is Annual Meeting that is satisfying to everyone.
6. Fees for Service	Accepted report from Dan Drea and Tom Richard. Motion: by Neil Hunt, second by Lowell Linden, that the staff be directed to initiate a Fee for Service schedule as follows: Fair Share Churches - Receive full services with no fees but are requested to help with travel-related expenses Non Fair Share Churches that contribute at a rate of at least 50% of the Fair Share rate - Receive full services based on a fee equal to 50% of the established fee for the service plus 100% of a reasonable estimate of travel expenses. Churches that contribute less than 50% of the Fair Share rate - Receive full services based on a fee equal to 100% of the established fee for the service plus 100% of a reasonable estimate of travel expenses. Criteria for determining the fee category, will be based on where a member Church places based on the prior fiscal year’s giving, unless a Church, prior to the original inquiry for the service has contributed an amount this fiscal year that would place them in a more advantageous category. Rationale: · This is a simpler approach · Does not differentiate between NA staff or non-staff persons representing the NA · This schedule of fees will not rescue our deficit · It will help provide us (staff or volunteers whom we appoint) a measurement of support for the increasing costs of travel. VOTE: Motion adopted
Saturday, October 27, 2007, 8:30 a.m.
14. Committee Reports	14a. Communication Services – no report Liaison Claudia Kniefel. Reported Advent brochures are ready to be distributed. Working on two other sets of devotionals. Encouraged EC members to send in devotionals and send to Kate Galloway. Working on War Time devotional. They are doing a great job with the Communicator. Talking about new branding for NA. 14b. Financial Services – Bill Barnes. Accepted written report. Joelle Sommers, liaison. No additional comments.
15. Subcommittee Reports	15a. Nominations and Appointments, Claudia Kniefel. Accepted written report. Have been making phone calls to various churches. Old form on website and is difficult to find. Will be corrected and placed in a more strategic area of website. 15b. Membership and Procedures. Edith Bartley. No written report Motion by Edith Bartley on behalf of the Membership and Procedures Committee that the EC recommend to the NA acceptance of the application for membership from Freedom Congregational Church of Freedom, Maine. Motion by Bobbie, second by Joelle, that the above motion be tabled. VOTE : Motion adopted Discussion on how applications come to us. Should we be proactive? There are many churches that have left the UCC. We should probably be communicating with those that are historically Congregational. A letter will go out under the signature of Tom and Bill Fillebrown. 15c/ P&A Committee. Casey vanderBent. No written report. Casey questioned who calls a search committee for an executive type position? Who has served in that capacity in the past? Answer: EC determines that. Draft of job description for Dean of the Center for Congregational Leadership was presented. EC was asked to review and give input. Final draft should be available in the next month. Some question re name of position. Is it Dean or Director? Dean seems to fit position because of its educational connection. Need to add under qualifications: Ordained and member of NA church. 15e. Budget Subcommittee. Don Sturgis, Chair. Accepted written report. Moved by Budget Subcommittee that the Budget Subcommittee recommend that the Executive Committee reduce the investment drawdown to 5% for the next fiscal year, 2008-2009. VOTE: Motion adopted Moved by Budget Subcommittee that the Budget Subcommittee request the Executive Committee to ask the Investment Advisory Committee (IAC) to review its investment policy for the Congregational Investment Trust (CIT) with the goal of moving toward an asset allocation split of 75% equities and 25% fixed income. VOTE: Motion defeated Motion by Joelle Sommers, second Edith, that by February 1, 2008, the Investment Advisory Committee give the Executive Committee an update on the next steps to improve our portfolio’s performance in light of our deep concern that the change in the investment policy is not working. VOTE: Motion adopted
16. Historian	Lloyd Hall. Out of room in the archives. Need temperature and humidity control to preserve documents. Suggest asking Congregational Foundation to list this need. Will look at cost of storing in rented space.
17. The Congregationalist	Jim Eaton. No written report. Concern about paying proof reader that can’t proof read. Reinforce to Eaton that there will be four issues, not five. Motion by Casey vanderBent, second Lowell Linden, that the EC issue a vote of no confidence in the performance of Jim Eaton as the Editor of the Congregationalist. VOTE: Motion adopted
18. Strategic Planning	18a. Strategic Planning. Neil Hunt. No written report because have not met yet. Motion by Neil Hunt, second Bobbie, that we appoint the following individuals to the Strategic Planning Team: Bob Carlson, Hannah Hall, Jim Hopkins, Mark Jensen, Betsey Mauro, Noel Vanek, Art Voisin, Jim Waechter with the addition of two individuals from the western states. VOTE: Motion adopted 18b. Green Team. Casey vanderBent. Expect to have report by February EC meeting. 1. Cheap or free things to do to reduce waste 2. Some cost but have long term benefit 3. Definite and significant cost. Motion by Casey, second by Bobbie, that the EC accept the following to join Casey vanderBent on the Green Team: Hillary Viets-Bowser and Blaine Simons. VOTE: Motion adopted 18c. Church Services/Annual Meeting Team. Becci Dawson Cox. No written report.
Next meeting	EC will meet February 21-23, 2008 in Chicago. Thursday at 7:00 p.m concluding Sat. 2:00 p.m.
Closing Prayer	Closed by singing “Blest Be the Tie That Binds”
Adjournment	12:30 p.m.

Recorder: Susan Carter, Secretary