The (new) United Church Benefits Centre is set to open July 4th! The transition is almost complete, and now the postal stoppage is almost over the information packages for all members (ministry and lay personnel of the United Church, and affiliated organizations) and treasurers should be arriving by next week.
This is the Congregational Finance News page: it's updated periodically with important information for treasurers and office/payroll administrators working in ministry units and pastoral charges.
Check it out! This has just been updated for the 2011 new year!
The funding process has been finalized and as of Dec. 1, 2010, it's on! Interim ministry personnel may apply for Sabbatical funding: there's a process, and long lead times, but if you're interested, start developing a plan, and some goals and researching Conference committee meeting dates.
We live in a world in which extremist think tanks have enormous influence ever governments and the news media. There "studies" invariable recommend less for us and more for the corporations and wealthy individuals. Their profits will then be used to benefit everyong. (Right. Tell that to Haiti, Iraq, and Guatemala. Tell that to unemployed Americans who live in a country without with one of the largest gaps between right an poor in the world. Their moral basis, often enough stated publicy enough, is greed is good.
Is anyone familiar with the Environics Congregational Report?
Have you used it?
Did you find the information provided worthwhile?
Our congregation is thinking of using this to gather information to be used for the upcoming Stewardship campaign and just generally as a means to understand the demographics of our community.
I have just started a new blog. The URL is unfortunate. I wrote in when I was angry, then found I could not change it. Anyway, it deals with how and why newspapers mislead us - at least, that's the starting point.
Also a reminder for Moncton and area readers. I have a current events group that meets the first week of each month at Moncton Library at 2:pm. The next meeting, then, is May 6.
There have been some cases in Canada. Each news cast shows how quickly this is spreading across the world.
When would the church act if this virus escalates in Canada?
Shaking hands at door ; serving and taking communion ; babycare? Would the church wait for a directive from the Govenmemt and the Department of Health? Or would each congregation make their own decision?
The final thing that I hear that churches would do is close churches for worship if there was a directive not to have public assemblies.
