Church Development Committee

Minutes May 1, 2008

1. Attending: Jim CastroLang, chair, Bill Stanley, scribe,

Don Hanson, Penny Pulou, Paul Forman, Peter
Robertson, Steve Hanning, Myles Alexander, Mike
Denton, Conference Minister. Debbie Baden arrived
during Richmond Beach presentation.
2. Steve Hanning reads John Thomas’ statement of today
regarding Rev. Wright’s comments to the National
Press Club.
3. Set Agenda. Don discussed Everett church as an
example of a crisis intervention need. How could CDC
intervene? Add to agenda if possible.
4. Minutes approved as submitted.
5. Prayerful reflection: members write prayer for our
local churches, conference or committee
6. Check ins.
7. Paul Forman’s last meeting as Treasurer and CDC
member; Kathy Youde takes over Treasurer. Paul
joining Christian Life and Action. Paul notes that CDC
has in actual, available funds about $30K.
8. Dan Stern’s Renewal Loan Covenant proposed
document. Suggestions:
a. Clarify third paragraph – who determines?
b. Delete fourth paragraph.
c. Covenantal language over contractual. Relational
over legal.
d. Add at beginning the actual terms and shared
intent of the loan, possibly from the executive
summary.
e. Seeing this as a template for future loans evaluated
by CDC.
f. Loan repayment allows further CDC loans and
funding.
g. Myles will take Dan’s document and these ideas
and produce a new document for our further
review.
9. Steve Hanning and Richmond Beach situation.
a. Budget considerations, consultant.
b. How were decisions reached?
10. Mike and Forks church.
a. Changes in city and church, down to 12-15
attending.
b. How to afford the minister, or stay in the building.
 c. Continue as house church, or other setting.
d. Yet church’s presence is essential, huge social
problems. Its presence is very needed.
e. Church building is the biggest room in downtown
area, and best for large community gatherings.
And it would be hard to sell. Use as community
center?
f. Projector would be a very helpful addition to city
activity.
g. Two churches in town greater than 100 members:
Assembly of God and Baptist (highly involved in
local and divisive politics). Some collaborative
work conversations with Lutheran church.
h. How to reach out to non-churched in new ways?
11. Don Hanson regarding Everett.
a. Hanging on, optimism, some new members.
b. Then, finances $1K in red monthly (out of $87K
yearly budget).
c. Everett is UCC voice in Snohomish County.
d. What role does conference/CDC have in helping a
church in crisis? When does a church ask for help?
When does a church decide to end? Can rebirdth
occur with this congregation? This is Everett, a
booming community, not Forks.
e. Can conference engage in corporate ministry? Paul
compares with use of PIF.
12. Jim notes CDC’s challenge to expand scope. Our
limitations and goals.
13. Richmond Beach presentation. Present: Marcia
McLaughlin, Carol Colt; by phone: Joy Haertig, Pastor,
Jim Cibarra. Requesting grant to cover George Meier’s
consultant fees for next year: $5900 for 2008, $7300
for 2009.
a. Issues are recent changes in church structure and
goals.
b. Broad range of issues. Planning not part of our
operations. Find consultant to help us do this –
George Meier.
c. Many church attendees and Sunday School
participants, but little increase in pledges.
d. Project has already begun, funded by endowment,
with George’s initial involvment.
e. Reacting to the new: separate churches here.
f. Did Percept study. Demographics show local
population: young people, contemporary
preferences.
 g. Jim notes his background is corporate planning, but
church planning is quite different.
h. If CDC couldn’t fully fund the proposal, do
contingency plans exist? Perhaps use internal
sources, and it would go more slowly. Definitely
not end the process. Perhaps use a carry-over from
07 to partially fund the consultant. Yet are in the
middle of a capital campaign that competes for
funds (80-90 % near goal).
i. Describe annual budgeting process: boards submit
requests, pledges arrive, stewardship matches the
two.
j. Means of describing this planning project to church
members with varying levels of involvment. They
do know the church faces two people retiring.
k. Is project dependent on George? Yes, to get
started.
l. Initially considered budgeting for consultant, then
PIF’s changes moved church to come to CDC. Also
importance of having an outsider involved.
m. Endowment available: 6-7K available yearly, and
50% available, 75% to capital, so $1800 really
available.
n. Observation that issue is cash flow, not resources.
RB confirms.
o. Affirmation that a “wildly successful” church will
plan for the future, to become even more vital.
p. Current budget: 355K, 10% OCWM off the top.
Church also 5 for 5.
q. Jim proposes meeting with RB this summer for
further the conversation.
14. Discussion about RB.
a. RB has many resources, but has a short term need.
A loan might be appropriate. Church will be able to
repay the loan, could do it from endowment alone
over a longer period of time.
b. Can we afford this from available CDC funds? Yes,
funds are available.
c. Noting that RB relying on consultant. Is there
energy elsewhere?
d. Noting that Joy emphasize that RB is very willing to
carry its learning elsewhere, a point raised by CDC
at last meeting.
e. Myles suggests RB then produce a power point
presentation to the conference on what it did and
how it did it.
 f. CDC will recommend to the Board of Directors a no-
interest loan to RB of up to 13,200 for a two-year
consultation, with a repayment over a 4-6 year
period. After the first year, CDC requests a
continuing discussion about the project. The CDC
also will recommend a grant up to $500 to
document RB’s process, procedures and outcomes,
with the intent that CDC and RB meet at the close
of the project to develop strategies for sharing
what is learned with the conference and local
churches. S/P.
15. Workshop at Annual Meeting.
16. Affinity Group Saturday evening, Sandy and Jim. Will
give some reading over the level of interest in new
church starts.
17. Forks presentation.
a. Don Hanson’s introduction.
b. Present: Bill Comfort, pastor, Sherrie Comfort, Mike
Gurling.
c. Tiny congregation for awhile, was thriving along
with the city in the 1950’s, now 35 members, 12
core people. Church out of money, can no longer
pay Bill’s salary. Yet core will remain and be UCC.
d. Proposal is a grant for the purchase of an LCD
projector.
e. Discussion on how this all will evolve.
f. Some possible alternative uses of the building.
g. How broad is the movie interest?
h. Is there enough manpower to pull this off?
i. Draws on the felt need in Forks for a community
feel. How to engage others in helping put this on?
j. Paul moves that CDC will recommend to the Board
of Directors that the Forks request be approved for
up to $3500 for the purchase of an LCD projector.
Peter seconded. Approved.
k. Paul recommends that CDC continue discussion
with churches such as Forks and Everett regarding
a continued presence in those communities. Jim
asks Don as Forks liaison to talk with Paul
regarding his thoughts, and to bring this back to
the CDC next meeting.
l. Paul will present this to the BOD Friday; Myles is
writing the Executive Summary.
18. CDC workshop on church web presence, Jim leading.
Seeking a wider base in using technology.
19. Display table. Debbie and Bill.
20. Meet with RB in the summer? June 28? Send Jim email
of weekends that totally do not work. Also into the fall
through mid-November.
21. Set up CDC Blog?
22. Adjourn.