SHENANDOAH ASSOCIATION 44^th ANNUAL SPRING MEETING MINUTES

April 27, 2008

St. John's Reformed United Church of Christ Middlebrook, VA

Barbara Rhodes, Association Council President welcomed attendees to St. John's and called the meeting to order.

Adair McConnell and Rev. Julie Overman provided an opening musical devotion.

Budget Report. Marilyn Heishman reviewed the Budget Report for the period 1/1-4/16/2008. Marilyn indicated that $14,791.25 has been raised to assist John Ware with his medical bills. Marilyn also pointed out that the Association can use the churches' dues payments and asked that they be sent to her home address: 973 College Avenue, Harrisonburg, VA 22802.

Conference Minister Report. Conference Minister John Deckenback reviewed recent developments in the Conference, including (1) the Board's work to update Conference documents such as the Bylaws and personnel policies, to draft a conflict of interest policy, and to modify how staff evaluations are done; (2) that the Conference received a grant from the private Clark Trust to support small rural churches in three ways -$60,000 will be awarded directly to small churches through grants (approximately 25 churches have applied), in Spring 2009 a gathering of the leaders of small churches will be held where noted small church expert Anthony Pappas of Andover Seminary will speak, and Gil Rendell will conduct a staff development exercise for small churches; (3) boundary training for clergy and others who work with children within the Conference will be offered in 2009; the Conference's Board is urging all Associations to require this training of all clergy, including retired clergy; (4) the Conference has hired a part time Youth Ministry Coordinator, Lancaster Seminary student Kristen Curlee to work with the youth leaders in Conference churches and to encourage youth participation at this summer's youth event; (5) a search for an ACM for the Chesapeake Association is expected to begin in the near future with a goal of filling the position within the next year; (6) the Conference Annual Meeting will be held on June 13-15.

The CM then provided an informative slide show presentation on his sabbatical trip to Iraq and Jordan in January and February of this year. The second part of his sabbatical, scheduled for this summer, will take him to Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Palestine and Jordan.

Breaking Cycles of Violence

Mary Thiessen Nation, a professor at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, gave a compelling and informative presentation about how to create hope and break cycles of violence. Nation argued that love from the community creates hope ("nothing can separate me from the love of God"), and internalized hope creates faith and a commitment to break cycles of violence.

Nominations, Election and Installation

Nominations for the Church and Ministry Commission and other Association positions were presented as follows:

Church and Ministry Commission

Betty Redding

Don Smith

Tom Arner

Earl Shirkey

Lorna Lutz

Church and Ministry Chairperson: Don Smith

Central Atlantic Conference Board of Directors

Alexa Slonin

Shenandoah Association Ad Hoc Audit Committee

Wes Loom is Craig Smith

VOTE: The slate presented was approved unanimously.

The vote was followed by worship and installation.

Boundary Training Resolution

The ACM presented the Boundary Training Resolution approved by the Conference Board. The Resolution urges Conference Associations to require all clergy, including retirees, to obtain boundary training within two years of it being offered. Association members expressed concern about the Resolution provision

requiring the Church and Ministry Commission to revoke the standing of clergy who do not obtain training after timely notification.

VOTE: The Resolution was approved unanimously with an amendment to change the requirement that Church and Ministry "will" revoke standing to "may" revoke where a minister does not obtain training after timely notification.

Review of Proposed Amendments to the Association's Bylaws

Melinda Loeblich reviewed the proposed amendments to the Bylaws. No vote was taken. Melinda indicated that an additional change to the Bylaws would be contained in the draft to be presented to the Association for a vote at a future meeting. On line 419 in Article VII, Section 3 [Elections], after "In the event of a vacancy in a Chairpersonship" the following words will be inserted: "or a position vacancy in any commission or task force."

Concern was raised about the provision in Article IX, Section 3 that permits a special meeting of the Association to be called upon the request of "ten voting members of this Association." The view was expressed that the provision would enable a few people from one church to trigger an Association meeting and should be changed to prohibit members from one or a small number of churches to trigger such a meeting. The Council will work with the ACM to address this issue.

Regarding the Association delegate provisions [lines 495-502], a suggestion was made to create a category of delegates of people less than 30 years old, and to permit each church to appoint two "under 30" delegates plus another for each additional 300 members. This proposal also will be considered by Council working with the ACM.

Association Fall Meeting

The Fall meeting will be held on October 26 at St. Stephens UCC. Rev. Graylan Haglar will be the featured speaker.

Youth Activities

Barbara Rhodes announced that the Association has monies set aside to support youth activities.

VOTE: The motion to adjourn was approved by consensus.

Respectfully submitted, Leslie Nickel, Secretary