United Church of God, an International Association
Council of Elders Meeting Report

 Tuesday, May 7, 2002 - Cincinnati, Ohio

The Council of Elders began a three-day session today in Cincinnati, following the General Conference of Elders. The Council selected a new chairman, heard an international report on New Zealand, discussed numerous business items, held a joint discussion with the United States regional pastors, and listened to an update regarding media and communications. 

New Chairman 

Chairman Roy Holladay called the meeting to order, and tendered his resignation from the office of Council chairman to Secretary Gerald Seelig (in order to begin his term of service as Church president). Mr. Seelig moderated the procedure for selecting a new chairman to complete Mr. Holladay’s term, which expires June 30, 2002 (the Council will ballot on Thursday to select a chairman for the period July 1, 2002 – June 30, 2004). Candidates were Gary Antion, Clyde Kilough, and Victor Kubik. On the fourth ballot, which required a simple majority, the Council selected Clyde Kilough as its chairman. 

New Zealand 

Jeff Caudle, pastor and office manager for the Church’s operations in New Zealand, addressed the Council in the morning portion of the meeting. 

Mr. Caudle explained the method of operation in New Zealand – the United Church of God New Zealand (UCG-NZ) functions as a charitable trust. This allows the issuing of tax-deductible receipts for a portion of donations individuals make to the Church. A maximum tax credit of NZ$500 (about US$225) is rebated by the government if an individual’s annual donations reach or exceed NZ$1500 (roughly US$675). Since taxation rates are high and tax deductions few in New Zealand, this small amount of tax relief is important to members and the Church.

Being a charitable trust requires no National Council; three trustees appointed by the United Church of God, an International Association oversee operations. These trustees are Art Verschoor, Marcel Morreel (both local residents), and Council of Elders member Leon Walker. [Tragically, the Council received word as it began its meeting Wednesday morning May 8 that Marcel Morreel had died the previous evening from a heart attack. No further information is available at this time.] The duties of trustees are fiduciary and legal, not governmental in nature. In the opinion of the Church’s legal advisor in Auckland, a National Council could be set up in the future. But with only approximately 50 members in the country, the current structure works best at this time.

The United Church of God has official immigration status in New Zealand, expediting applications for ministerial relocations there, and the subsequent renewals of those applications. Unless there is unanticipated growth, Mr. Caudle foresees the current pattern of one resident pastor working well for perhaps three to five years. One more deacon would be a help in the area; several advisory committees assist Mr. Caudle in his work as pastor, serving four congregations. Services are held weekly in Auckland and less frequently in Tauranga/Rotorua, Napier, and Wellington (all on the North Island). The members are well-informed on Church operations around the world, and a significant group of youth keeps contact by attending United Youth Camp programs in Australia. 

In its proclamation of the gospel, the Church has used ads in Reader’s Digest successfully. Waiting room programs have generally not met with similar success. Though there is no indigenous Web page, contacts from UCG Web sites in other countries still account for 30-40% of all new contacts in New Zealand. The current subscriber list stands at 2,200, with a budget limit of about 2,500. Approximately 8,000 pieces of literature were distributed in 2001. Other than Mr. Caudle’s salary, paid from the United States, there is no further subsidy for the operations in New Zealand, with the last fiscal year’s income of NZ$80,000 (US$36,000) supporting all efforts needed for the Church’s work administered from New Zealand. 

That area of administration includes the island nations of Fiji and Tonga. There are five members, but no elder, in Fiji, where the Good News subscription list has doubled to 200 in the past year. Pastor Heamasi Ta’ofu’ou and his wife Kelela serve a congregation of 27 in Tonga (10 adults, 17 children). Mr. Ta’ofu’ou was unable to attend the General Conference of Elders once again this year due to difficulties in obtaining a U.S. visitor’s visa. 

At the request of the Australian National Council, Mr. Caudle is also pastoring a small group of Church members in Singapore, and will be visiting them 3-4 times per year. A live phone hookup linking Auckland services with the Singapore brethren is being considered. While some future activity may occur on the island of Vanuatu, efforts will continue to be focused in the areas discussed today. 

Open Discussion 

Mr. Kilough asked the Council to bring any non-agenda business items to the floor.

Mr. Antion raised the issue of using the vehicle of the annual General Conference to extend honor and recognize the service of elders or their wives who had died in the preceding year. Mr. Kilough asked Mr. Seelig to integrate this into the planning of the General Conference, with the understanding that the GCE of 2003 would be used to bring such a list of honor up to date at that time.

Regarding planning for the GCE, several suggestions were made:

·        Mr. Kilough suggested much greater involvement by the General Conference, and less by the Council, in planning the annual meeting. The GCE has in its ranks those who are trained professionally in conference planning, and their abilities need to be tapped to make even more effective use of the time.

·        Mr. Holladay asked about the effectiveness of the breakout sessions. Have they outlived their usefulness? Other Council members expressed the opinion that new avenues to make good use of the time available could be tried.

·        Robert Dick proposed remanding the topic to the appropriate Council committee for a plan of action and suggestion of structure.

·        John Jewell suggested the Ethics, Roles, and Rules committee was best suited (Gary Antion, chairman); Mr. Holladay agreed.

·        Mr. Kilough delivered the task to Mr. Antion and the committee as suggested. Mr. Antion proposed a working luncheon this week with the committee to outline how to proceed, followed by a committee teleconference, then a Council of Elders teleconference to present suggestions, all before the August meeting of the Council.

Mr. Antion next called attention to relatively minor revisions needed in certain of the Church’s governing documents, citing Bylaws 7.1 as an example (where there is ambiguity regarding the timing of nominations for Council service). Mr. Kilough asked him to direct the work of the Ethics, Roles, and Rules committee along these lines too, to ensure that suggested amendments could be set in motion in a timely fashion. 

Lastly, Mr. Kilough stressed the task of the Council as leaders, noting that the governing documents of the Church make that role clear. He recalled Gary Petty’s keynote address at the recently completed GCE, and his expression that as ministers, we are “elders, then overseers.” The question is: how can this body (the Council) better accomplish that task? Individuals may see different ways to improve, so he asked Council members to focus their comments on that challenge:

·        Mr. Jewell stated his belief that while the Council is the governing body of the Church, and sets policy, its role goes beyond that to ensuring that those policies are implemented and followed.

·        Mr. Kubik asked that the chairman continue to spearhead the work of the entire Council, with accompanying visibility in the Church, while working closely with the president and Administration.

·        Richard Thompson agreed that there is no question about the leadership role. What does differ from Council member to Council member is the answer to the question: to what degree and at what level? Interpretation of the intent of the Constitution and Bylaws will always factor in.

·        Mario Seiglie recalled instances when the Council’s leadership role had to be more direct (in times of crisis), versus times of lower visibility, when its work has been more indirect, through its committees.

·        Speaking as a member of the General Conference, Peter Eddington said he believes most elders see the Council as much more than just a corporate board, but that they look to the entire Council for spiritual leadership.

·        Aaron Dean agreed, stating that its (the Council’s) visibility should be high within the Church.

·        Mr. Antion asked that the chairman separate items on the agenda of future meetings, showing clearly which ones are U.S. applications only, and which involve the whole Church. This would help the Council to focus more at its meetings, improving its ability to lead. He also asked for the chairman to communicate even more frequently (on behalf of the Council) with the Church membership as a whole.

·        Mr. Kilough thanked all for their comments, pointing out that opinions will always differ, and that as president and chairman work closely together, the focus can be kept sharp on what Council work is, what Administration work is, and on what is delegated to whom. He urged all Council members to speak to the chairman to let their views on Council leadership be clearly understood.

 

Joint Discussion with U.S. Regional Pastors 

The U.S. regional pastors and Ministerial Services team members joined the Council to begin the afternoon session. Mr. Kilough welcomed them to the Council meeting, expressing the Council’s appreciation for their efforts, which he stated were in large measure responsible for the current stable condition of the churches in the United States. Responding for the regional pastors, Jim Servidio pointed to Council efforts to attain the same goals. While the regional pastors do not share a direct working relationship with the Council of Elders, the purpose of this joint session was to encourage open discussion leading to a greater sense of teamwork and understanding. As Mr. Kilough stated, it’s important to “always keep the relationship above the issues.” 

Mr. Holladay started the ball rolling by asking if it might not be a good idea to have one or two regional pastors attend each session of Council meetings and give reports, just as international representatives are now doing. Ministerial Services operation manager Richard Pinelli pointed to the positive impact from earlier joint meetings of the two groups just after the formation of the United Church of God. Others voiced similar thoughts, with one variation being to have this joint session (following the GCE) become a pattern. Mr. Pinelli suggested moving the early winter regional pastors’ meeting from November to December, coinciding with the Council meeting, to allow joint sessions twice per year.  

Mr. Kilough asked for input from either group designed to help the other do its job more effectively. “Sometimes,” he said, “it’s good to back away from issues and look at leadership itself.” 

Several comments began to flow at that point:

·        Mr. Dick asked for the help of the regional pastors in assessing the job the Council is doing. “Regional directors have the pulse of the churches – I would like to know how I’m seen,” he said. He recalled a statement by Australian elder Bill Eddington in a conversation they had: “How leaders perceive themselves is not nearly as important as how their followers perceive them.”

·        Continued efforts to hone speaking are good – the subject of Dave Johnson’s GCE presentation this year. Mr. Kilough noted Dr. Ward’s comments at the meeting of the Ministerial Education Task Force on May 2, to the effect that probably 70-80% of our sermons tend to be descriptive, and only 20-30% prescriptive – the “how to” aspect that is so helpful. Doug Horchak agreed, citing young adult input from his area.

·        Ken Giese gave his view of the GCE – good camaraderie, good response to the presentations, better scheduling, the importance of the chance to get together, and excellent response to the session with the Council to gain GCE input on future annual meetings.

·        Lyle Welty passed on the positive comments he heard and added one suggestion he heard. This was to include a presentation that reinforced positive current practice in the ministry along with the instruction on ways to grow.

·        Mr. Luker passed on appreciation for having church pastors make the key presentations, adding that he had heard one or two comments asking for material specifically helpful to elders’ wives.

·        Mr. Servidio echoed the positive impact, but noted that some pastors were not physically present. He wondered if there were any way to add impetus to promote an “I’ve got to be there no matter what” feeling in more elders, especially those employed by the Church (acknowledging the financial difficulty for those living at some distance from Cincinnati).

·        Dave Register asked whether the concept of the breakout sessions had outlived its greatest effectiveness.

·        Jim Franks further pursued the subject of breakout sessions, and what to do in their place. “Why not just leave open time between [plenary] sessions?” he asked.

·        Larry Greider asked whether more of the Church’s “product” – whether literature, ABC program, or other proclamation efforts – could be “showcased” more at the GCE.

Mr. Luker asked about the input from the elders in the General Conference on the question of the GCE format (every year or some other pattern). Mr. Kilough stated that the Council has not yet had a chance to discuss it, but was well aware of the GCE’s overwhelming support for the concept of the annual face-to-face meeting.  

Mr. Holladay asked if the regional pastors could comment on another topic. As he said, the Council is always asking the question: What is the health of the Church? He had the impression, from some general comments, that the speaking skills of some in the ministry need improvement. Could the regional pastors speak to that, or other issues? 

Mr. Pinelli pointed out that that he has received very few complaints in the last year about ministers being “boring” – that he used to see more. The connection he has made is that the publication of World News and Prophecy seemed to coincide with the drop in the number of comments! He wondered if the earlier complaints expressed the frustration of some about not hearing enough on prophetic topics. He stated that he does occasionally field questions about the precise doctrinal accuracy of particular statements made in individual sermons.

Responses to the comments by Mr. Holladay and Mr. Pinelli:

·        Mr. Register believes the ministry’s level of awareness about the importance of developing speaking skills has been raised.

·        Mr. Welty spoke of the general condition in the church areas he serves, noting the stability of the areas, the slight growth in numbers, the effort being put forth by pastors and other elders. But he expressed his concern when he sees 65-year old pastors being asked to serve three congregations – “we are expecting a lot of many of our men,” he pointed out. He warned that he believes we may be pushing many of our pastors to near-maximum levels of exertion. The strain, for example, on many ministerial marriages concerns him. God has blessed us in the past seven years, and we have had growth, “but not without a toll.”

·        Mr. Franks summed it up as “the state of the Church is good; the state of the ministry is of concern.” Long term, the solution is more men in the salaried ministry. Short term, we’re searching for ways to help. One very positive development, in his view, has been the fine working relationship between pastors and regional pastors, noting the criticism that used to be heard about the field structure itself.

·        Mr. Greider expressed his appreciation for the good response to the ministerial assessment program.

·        Harold Rhodes pointed to the recent increases in Holy Day offerings. “That has to be some kind of barometer” of member support and encouragement, he believes.

·        Mr. Pinelli acknowledged the increased stress on pastors, noting that many non-salaried elders provide invaluable service, especially in circuits where pastors serve three or even more churches.

·        Mr. Dean stated forcefully his observation that the non-salaried elders and many members are also pushing their limits of service, in addition to working long hours at non-Church jobs. “We’re burning out members and non-salaried elders too,” he said – not just pastors.

·        Some questions arose about the Council’s view on what constitutes “micro-managing” – getting into areas that are of more direct concern to Administration (such as Ministerial Services). Both Mr. Kilough and Mr. Holladay urged pastors or regional pastors to “just pick up the phone” and call Council members if they had questions about specific ballots, discussions, or other issues from Council activities.

·        Mr. Suckling asked about progress on various doctrinal statements that have not yet been produced, such as the Church’s official statement on voting. The Doctrinal Committee is working as fast as it can to produce statements on this and other topics.

On behalf of the Council, Mr. Kilough thanked the regional pastors for their comments and participation in what promises to be the first in a regular pattern of contact.

Media and Communications 

Committee chairman Victor Kubik introduced the material on media and communications. The pre-GCE meeting on Friday, May 3 was enlightening and informative. It led to a further meeting Saturday with some of the young adults in the area, seeking their input and ideas for how to help the Church reach its younger audience. 

Mr. Kubik stressed once more the desirability of continuing to increase the media share of the “budget pie” in proclaiming the message of the Kingdom. The recently approved budget (for 2002-2003) contains $3.2 million for media (17.44% of the budget). This is up from $2.8 million (16.35%) in 2001-2002. Is this enough? Can we increase it?  

In some non-profit companies, 25% or even 30% of their budget goes for what is termed “development.” While the Church is not a typical non-profit, there are similarities. With the average age of both ministry and membership advancing almost as fast as the calendar, there must be serious thought given to bringing along new growth. We must focus on “planting the seed” in a wide spectrum of ages of people in our efforts to fulfill the great commission Christ gave His disciples.

How do we do that? There isn’t much but “muscle and bone” in the current Church budget. Salaries, for example, have been trimmed from nearly 50% of the budget in 1996 to only 38.4% at present. No one disputes the need for more pastors either – so there is a quandary.

Mr. Kubik read from a memo written by managing editor Scott Ashley suggesting that the strategic planning and media committees “brainstorm” together to see what possibilities could be considered to increase media. Mr. Holladay stated his support for this idea, noting how it could help in bringing firm ideas to the Council meetings in August.

Media operation manager Peter Eddington then gave a brief report, expressing his appreciation for the recently approved budget, which allows for two new hires in the media area of operations, including an Internet manager. He asked for input on the 2002 Feast of Tabernacles video, and updated the Council on booklet production and other plans for 2002-2003.                

Mr. Eddington then introduced Dan Deininger for a PowerPoint presentation on the e-learning modules due for release soon. The entire Bible Study course has been converted to an online format, with potential for further development into other areas of study based on current Church literature. Council response was uniformly enthusiastic, as Mr. Dick and Richard Thompson both pointed out the immense appeal to the youth that this form of “preaching the gospel” could have.

Chairman Kilough thanked all for their contributions and adjourned the Council from its very full day.
 

-Doug Johnson

© 2002 United Church of God, an International Association