Minutes

CAUCE

Date | time3/14/2017 10:00 AM | VIA WEBEX/Meeting called byCoordinating Committee

Attendance: Karen Ziel Tracy Bausum, Dawne Quinn, Julia Manners, Amy Giguere, Georgette Huie, Tracy Gormley, Gwen McCann.During the course of the meeting we learned that some members could not join us because they lost power in the storm.

Opening prayer
Since we are meeting via Zoom due to the snow day, we tabled the devotional and educational segments of the agenda. / Karen Ziel
Approve minutes and reports
  • Minutes of 2/14/17 meeting were approved as submitted.
  • Registrar’s report – our current number of supporting members is 21 compared to 30 at this time last year. We attribute this to the fact that we did not have a fall event in 2016 which would have generated some memberships. We can try to get new and renewed memberships at NEAUCE and perhaps through next year’s post office mailing. There were no membership responses to this year’s mailing. Gwen suggested we send a list of supporting members at the time of the next mailing to remind people of their expiration dates. Tracy does send reminders via email. We will have brochures at Stepping Stones next week.
  • Treasurer’s report – Current balance is $1861.39 which is very good and we can give generous NEAUCE scholarships if requested.
  • NEAUCE report – At the Planning Team meeting last week, it was noted that registrations are far behind this time last year. Karen noted that many registrations for Super Saturday were late this year, too. Karen will include NEAUCE info in her email blast tomorrow and we should mail our regions as well. The deadline for early registrations has been extended to March 31 so you can still save $30.
We discussed some ideas for generating excitement through social media: Ask questions such as “How many books do you have in your resource library with people of color? ow many three day conferences can you atten for How many three day conferences can you attend for $285 with lodging and meals included? Also reminded our committee to register.
NEAUCE is planning to draft a template we can use to send around the state but if it does not materialize in a few days we should do our own emails. / Rosemary
Tracy G.
Georgette
Tracy B., Georgette /
Read our vision statement: CAUCE will foster communities that affirm, equip, support, develop, and advocate for leaders of faith formation / All /
Report from Conference Minister of Faith Formation and Leadership Development –
Stepping Stones: March 21 in Weston will be the last SS for this year. Two Associate Pastors, Shawn Garan at Second Cong in Greenwich and Gary Morello at Darien Cong will present a workshop on “Critique and Re-Imagination: A Millennial's Approach to Ministry andProgramming” will address how existing ministries and programs are currently serving (or not) youth and young families. The Simsbury SS by Assoc. Min. Kevin Weikel was on “Praying and worshipping with your Youth Group”. He described some prayer stations and a different way of doing highs and lows with his youth group of 70 kids! It is a closing circle that uses candle prayers in the sand. It has totally transformed their youth group. This way of praying takes the focus off the individual and puts it on the light of the candle. It is the ritual and sense of the holy that can be transformational. Karen is looking for our suggestions of topics for next year: Georgettesuggested one on Racial Justice and Tracy B suggested one on Milestones.
Karen is part of a new team at the Conference and one of their projects is creating communities of practice for both clergy and faith formation leaders starting in the fall of 2017.
Commissioned Ministers will be invited to gather on April 5 to discuss the proposal of the UCC to no longer commission individuals for ministry. Our NEAUCE rep to AUCE, Carolyn Keilig (NH), will attend and will pursue a suggestion that this action be reconsidered. It will also be discussed at NEAUCE in May.
Compensation Guidelines still need review And possible updating; Dawne, Karen, Amie, and Gwen will ask Jane Rowe. This will be a much shorter process this time – perhaps 4 to 5 hours over 60 days.
Transitions- Tracy Fouke Bausum will rep the Southeastern Region. Lisa Lambert is new Dir. of Child. Min. in Groton. Genevieve Spitale is in Mystic. Daniel Schlorff left Niantic where there is now a transitional Minister and the Interim Christian Education Minister is Pam McCauley and Interim Youth Minister is Beth Lambert. Amie Giguere is taking a one year leave of absence from Tolland to be a full time seminary student. She will graduate in May, 2018. / Karen Z. /
Our June retreat:
Of the 18 surveys sent to committee members, 14 have been received at that this time June 1 is the date most people are available. Karen will help us locate a venue. Time will be 9 am to 3 pm. At our April meeting, we will finalize the format for our spiritual practices opening at the retreat; our fall e vent and /Stepping Stones offerings. We will also determine our 2017-18 program year monthly meeting day and time. / Dawne and Gwen /
By laws reviewtabled until the April meeting
We are reminded to reach out to our regions with reminders for NEAUCE and the extended scholarship deadline of March 31 and the March 21 Stepping Stones workshop at Norfield Congregational in Weston. / Dawne and Gwen
Continuing Ed: share ideas about CS Sunday and/or summer programs – tabled / All

Corrected April 4, 2017 and approved.

Next meeting: Tuesday, April 4 in West Hartford at the newly moved Ruth Dudley Resource Center where Jennifer DeSimas is the new Director. A tour and discussion will be our Continuing Education segment. Coffee and at 9:30 am. Meeting begins at 10:00 am.

First CC West Hartford is located on the corner of S. Main and Farmington
Ave in West Hartford Center.
The address is 12 S. Main ST.
Directions can be found here:

Free parking is behind the building (access from Farmington Ave.) or on
the street in front of the building (metered)

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