43^rd Annual Meeting
New York Conference,
United Church of Christ
Silver Bay Association - Silver Bay, NY
June 9 - 11, 2006

Rev. Dr. Christine M. Smith was our keynote speaker and preacher at Sunday worship. She urged us to turn our lives to the re-creation of God's world, a world ravaged by our habits of over-consumption. We must put aside the mindset that says, "If I can pay for it, I have the right to as much of it as I want."

Each of us could attend two of the nine workshops offered to provide practical ideas on how to weave the wonder of God's creation into our own lives.

Energetic programs for children and youth made this a valuable time for our younger participants and gave adults a taste of the talent of these young people. On Sunday morning the children presented "Peace in the Kingdom," a musical written by Michael and Cynthia Marion. On Saturday the youth led evening worship with a dramatic presentation of how hard it is for a wealthy woman to change her focus from accumulating more possessions to serving God and God's children.

Storyteller Valerie Tutson conducted one of the workshops and worked with the youth for Saturday worship. Though few of us can match her skill in storytelling, she gave us tips on how to communicate more effectively. For example, one can read the Scripture with "eyes up" and genuine enthusiasm, rather than in a "heads down" drone.

Visitors from the Union of Evangelical Churches (UEK) in Germany had been throughout New York State prior to joining us in Silver Bay . The national setting of the UCC has had a relationship with these German churches since 1981. The New York Conference is exploring a relationship with one of the regional settings of the German churches, enriched by Conference Minister Geoffrey Black's visit to Germany and the Germans' visit to New York State this June.

Conference Minister Geoffrey Black reminded us that it takes courage to be "this church in this country in this day", yet we are showing that courage - as did our predecessors in the United Church of Christ. We must continue to take actions that assure that "justice for all" means ALL. Included in Conference initiatives to strengthen our local churches in this work are: new church starts, the New York School of Ministry, our Laity Empowerment programs, the upcoming web-based handbook for local churches, disaster response trips, the ecumenical partnership with the UEK and partnerships in global mission.

During our business meetings we learned the Conference is exploring the possibility of buying a 5,100 square foot building rather than leasing office space. The American Heart Association is consolidating its offices and seeks to sell its building in a residential section of DeWitt, NY . The building has more individual office space than the current leased space, plus it has two conference rooms which would allow programs to be conducted on site, rather than seeking other venues. There is also parking for 15 cars. We voted to allow the Executive Council to consider this purchase as long as decisions relating to the purchase are agreed to by 2/3 of the Council members.

We accepted the recommendation of the Executive Council to do two years' business at this 2006 meeting so the New York Conference can participate fully in the 2007 celebration of the UCC's 50 th Birthday. Thus we accepted budgets for 2007 and 2008 and elected officers for these two years. These budgets project small deficits which we seek to eliminate through the same sort of enthusiastic giving which gave us a positive cash flow in 2005.

We rejoiced in the New York State gifts of $168,912 for Tsunami and Hurricane relief and asked that future financial reports itemize gifts such as these which flow through to the national church and are therefore not part of the Conference "budget".

As the meeting closed we had opportunities to sign the Silver Bay Declaration of June 11, 2006 which calls upon us "not to stand by in silence but to act now in love, opposing a war of aggression upon Iran ."

Throughout the meeting there were opportunities to explore the lively exhibits, walk the labyrinth, participate in devotions, meditations and a Taize service, walk the trails of Silver Bay , watch a movie, use the gym, and eat - everything from well-balanced meals to cookies and ice cream.

Although the sun made relatively few appearances, its absence meant there were no black flies to share the beautiful setting.

Reported by Lucy Werner

The historic inn at Silver Bay housed many attendees and was the center for exhibits.	Silver Bay lies along the shores of Lake George.

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