Minutes - Spring Meeting of Metro Association
April 24, 2004
Scarsdale Congregational UCC

1. Moderator Geraldine Dudley introduced new member churches and guests. Sean Murray was declared parliamentarian. Rev. Christopher Ponnaraj declared the quorum, with 153 delegates representing 45 churches present.
   
2. After corrections, the minutes of the November 22, 2003 Association meeting were approved.
   
3. Fannie Davis presented the unaudited Treasurer's Report. After discussion, Fannie moved that the report be accepted. That motion was seconded, and voted approval.
   
4. Rev. Sean Murray thanked people who said yes to being nominated on the slate of officers, directors, and committee members. Nominations were taken from the floor:
   • Anna Taylor Sweringen to the Committee on Church and Metropolitan Community
   • Michelle White, Max Surijadinadah, and Rev. Lethia Alston, to the Metro Youth Advisory Committee
   • Donna Prince to the Spiritual Life and Professional Development Committee.
   • Nominated from the floor for the Nominations Committee: Buddy Sampson and Rev. Jose Mantigua. It was moved and seconded that the slate be accepted by the delegates. The motion passed.
     
5. Michael Caine then installed new board and committee members and directors, and prayed with thanksgiving for the service of leaders retiring from serving their full terms.
   
6. David Tucker reported for the Ordination and Ministerial Standing Committee, on the upcoming Boundary Awareness Training sessions scheduled for the fall. He moved that the resolution by the committee (see p. 15 of Annual report) be accepted. That motion was seconded and passed. Then David introduced Rev. Jan Powell, who will be the new chair of this committee.
   
7. Rev. David Bocock introduced the Harold Wilke award. David made the motion that the Association establish such a Harold Wilke Award. The motion was seconded and passed.
   
8. Rev. Cruz Echevarria, Coordinator for Hispanic Church Development, was introduced to the meeting. He spoke briefly, noting that "something is cooking" in many of our Hispanic NYC UCC churches.
   
9. John Werner, chair of the Deer Hill Board of Directors, presented the Deer Hill facility report. (See p. 23 in Annual report). He announced that on or about June 1, 2004, the Deer Hill facility will be sold to the Charity Baptist Church, and all creditors will be paid with interest, including the Association.
   
10. Rev. Ron Wells announced that the Fund for Theological Education is being revitalized. He requested that the offering at all Association led ordinations and installations be directed toward helping the replenish this Fund. He thanked the Rev. Janie John, whose recent Ordination Service offering provided $1500 to the Fund.
    
11. The upcoming dialogue on gay marriage at Riverside Church was announced, and commended to the delegates attention.
    
12. Adrienne Brockway announced that three grants were made by the Metro Mission Priorities and Stewardship Committee, on behalf of the Association: $5,000 to the Parish Resource Center;  $2500 to the Long Island Council of Churches; and $2500 to the NY Metro Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
    
13. James Thomas urged the delegates to attend the New York Conference Annual Meeting, June 11-13, at the Laguardia Marriott Center. It will be the 10thy Joint Conference with the Disciples of Christ.
    
14. Lucy Werner introduced the new Association website: www.uccmetrosuffolk.org and thanked the web "eteam" which created it. She made a plea for people to visit it, to contribute to it, and to tell others. The website includes the contact information for every church in the Metro and Suffolk Associations, plus meeting and event information, registrations forms, etc.
    
15. Rev. Alan MacLean, Metro Meeting Planning Committee chair, thanked the Scarsdale Congregational UCC for hosting the Association. He noted with appreciation its beautiful facility and cooperative, welcoming people.
    
16. A few additional announcements were made, and then the meeting was adjourned at 1:14 p.m.

Minutes Prepared by Noel Vanek