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SNIPPETS May 6, 2013
SOUTHWEST OHIO NORTHERN KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION
OHIO CONFERENCE-UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
‘It is not you that support the root, but the root
that supports you.’
(from Romans 11:18)
‘
THIS NEWSLETTER IS MADE POSSIBLE BY YOUR OCWM GIVING.
News, Generosity, Celebration Mark SONKA Spring Gathering
There will be change. What that change will look like is yet to be determined.
This was the overarching message from SONKA leaders as they addressed more than 100 people gathered at
Christ Church UCC in Fort Thomas, KY, April 27 for the association’s Spring Gathering. It was clear that
the Ohio associations and the Conference leaders have opposite views of what that change should entail.
Discussions among association and conference leaders will continue in an effort to come up with a plan for
the reorganization of the middle judicatory in Ohio—a plan which matches current realities while meeting
the needs of local churches.
Reorganization
Proposals
Representatives of both the Conference and the SONKA Strategic
Planning Team took turns broadly outlining plans for
reorganization, with the association proposing a bottom-up
approach in which monies currently given to the Conference would
remain at the association level for SONKA functions in support of local church ministry. The Conference
proposal calls for centralizing all middle judicatory functions at the Conference level, with the Conference
receiving all OCWM Basic giving from association churches. It also calls for the Conference to furnish all
staffing from the Columbus office.
Conference Vice Moderator Tim Smith, who was invited to present the
Conference reorganization proposal at the SONKA meeting, reported that the
plan had been soundly rejected “by all,” referring to all five Ohio associations.
Smith, a member of St. John UCC in Newport, KY, reported that OCWM
support in the Conference in 2000 was 3.1 million, with the associations
retaining 1.5 million, but this year the OCWM support dollars will amount to
about 1.8 million, with the five associations keeping about 1 million.
“The Conference runs out of money in 2015,” Smith reported. (Continued on page 2)
Photo by Karen Gutierrez
SONKA people representing 38 different churches worship together at the association’s 2013 Spring Gathering.
Current OCWM Distribution
10%
Nat'l.
15% Conf.
75%
SONKA

Spring Gathering (Continued from page 1)
The association reorganization concept would call for SONKA retaining all or most of the 15 percent of
OCWM support that currently goes to the Conference, reported Carl Robinson of the Strategic Planning
Team. The association plan calls for the Ohio region (Conference) to be led by a Collegium of Officers
comprised of the association ministers, and with staffing at the association level. Pastor Carl also shared that
association leaders currently are considering a network model of organization, whereby churches could be
grouped by strengths and needs.
Summarizing the role of the middle judicatory, Pastor Carl remarked that the Strategic Planning Team’s
mantra is “the job of the association is to help local churches move from isolation into community.”
Phrasing it another way, Karl Ulrich, Strategic Planning Team member, stated that the middle judicatory
exists” to serve the mission and ministry of the local church.” The SONKA team believes strongly this role
is best served at the association level, and not at the Conference level. Discussions about reorganization will
continue among the five associations and the Ohio Conference.
Rubate Water Project
Pledge Drive
Offering in Honor
of Mission 4/1 Earth
Affirmation
of Ministry Candidates
Listening Session
Results
A highlight of the Gathering was the spirited Rubate Water Project
Pledge Drive, conducted by Dan Weyand-Geise of the Global
Partnership Team and originating in response to a generous challenge
grant from First St. John UCC in Hamilton. First St. John pledged matching funds, up to $7,500, toward the
Rubate Water Project.
Pastor Dan outlined the goal of the Water Project, which began one year ago in an effort to raise funds for a
new water delivery system for SONKA’s Global Partners in Rubate, Kenya. A bore hole that had been dug
years ago dried up, leaving Rubate, the site of a teachers college and a clinic that SONKA donations helped
to build, without sufficient or clean water. Donations from SONKA churches and individuals helped start
the construction of the new water system last year. Currently four miles of pipes and channels bring much
needed clean water from a river to the village. But the college still requires a $15,000 water reserve system.
The result of the morning’s Pledge Drive was that nearly $9,000 was pledged, surpassing the $7,500 required
to fund the $15,000 project (counting First St. John’s matching funds). Not only did the total exceed the
goal, 14 different SONKA churches stepped up to enthusiastically pledge toward the project.
In a continuing spirit of generosity, SONKA people in attendance
donated $619 in an offering dedicated to the Ohio Interfaith Power &
Light organization, a project of the Ohio Council of Churches which
seeks to empower a religious voice in dialogue concerning the
environment while encouraging faith communities in energy conservation. The organization advocates for
policies which ameliorate climate change, and provides resources for congregations, including energy audits,
an on-line energy use tracking tool, carbon footprint education, green sermons and more. The offering was
given in honor of the UCC Mission 4/1 Earth campaign, which encourages everyone to “green up, power
down and shout out for the environment.”
The association office will report Mission 4/1 earth care hours to the national offices for time spent by
SONKA’s Communications Coordinator on creating Rubate Water Pledge Drive and Ohio Interfaith Power
& Light flyers, and researching and writing newsletter stories about these projects and Mission 4/1 Earth
activities within SONKA.
Also at the Gathering, a celebratory atmosphere was evident as four
candidates approved for ordination pending a call were affirmed by
applause from the Gathering attendees. Congratulations to Aaron
Saari, Avery Sledge, Ken Weidinger and Charles Williams.
Reporting on the association’s Listening Sessions, held last fall
through this past winter, Karl Ulrich of the Strategic Planning Team
said roughly half of all SONKA churches participated in the sessions.
During the sessions SONKA churches identified their strengths and challenges. Some of the strengths
(things that are working well) mentioned by our churches included pre-schools, grant-writing, cable TV
coverage for shut-ins, the ONA process, a church merger, visitation teams and others.
The challenges reported included attracting new members, an aging congregation, the lack of volunteers,
finances going to a big building, Christian education improvements, attracting younger families and the need
for assistance with social media.
-Lynne Wise
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NEW! MARCC Delegates Meeting
The MARCC (Metropolitan Area Religious
Coalition of Cincinnati) Delegates Council will
meet Wednesday, May 8, at noon in Synod
Hall of St. Peter-in-Chains Cathedral
downtown. Attorney Alphonse Gerhardstein
will share insights from his involvement with
the Collaborative Agreement and speak to the
role the Agreement continues to have in
ongoing efforts to reduce violence and improve
community-police relations.
NEW! RVCC Clergy Group Meetings
The Cluster 1 (River Valley Covenant Cluster)
Clergy Group will continue to meet on a new
day, Thursday, throughout May, with the next
meeting set for Thursday, May 9. All meetings
are from 10 – 11:30 a.m. at the Highland
Springs Nursing Home in Fort Thomas, KY.
Heidelberg Choir Concert
The Heidelberg University Concert Choir will
perform at Harmony Creek Church, Kettering,
Tuesday, May 14, at 7 p.m. Highlighting the
program will be compositions by Howard
Helvey (O lux beatissima), Gwyneth
Walker (I Will Be Earth), David Conte (a
setting of Theodore Roethke’s The Waking),
Irving Berlin (Blue Skies) and more. The
concert is open to the public. A freewill
offering will be taken.
NEW! First-Troy Salad Buffet
The women of First UCC in Troy will have their
annual All-You-Can-Eat Salad/Sandwich/-
Dessert Buffet on Wednesday, May 15, from 11
a.m. – 1 p.m. Everyone is invited to come to the
church for lunch, featuring a huge variety of
salads, sandwiches and dessert treats. The price
is $6, with admission charged at the door.
Cluster 2 Meeting
SONKA’s Cluster 2 (Westside Cincinnati) will
meet on Thursday, May 16, at 7 p.m. at Trinity
Hill Church.
THIS WEEK
COMING UP
NEW! Polk Grove Ascension Day Service
Polk Grove UCC in Dayton will host a
cooperative Ascension Day worship on
Thursday, May 9, at 11 a.m., with a light
fellowship lunch provided after worship.
NEW! Fairborn Pancake Breakfast
Trinity UCC in Fairborn will
have its next free Community
Pancake Breakfast Saturday,
May 11, from 9 – 10:30 a.m.
Trinity started this ministry
earlier this year after receiving
an abundance of sausages from a local food
bank. That kicked off a long-desired program to
serve a free breakfast to the community on
occasional Saturdays, augmenting the free
dinner programs in the community.
Helen Prejean Talk
The author of Dead Man Walking, Sr. Helen
Prejean, will speak at Epiphany Lutheran
Church, Centerville, Saturday, May 18,
beginning at 5:30 p.m. Good Shepherd
Ministries of Dayton, a faith-based nonprofit
which offers counseling, career planning and
spiritual development to people with histories
of incarceration, is sponsoring the event, which
also will feature food, raffles and a silent
auction. Advance tickets are required. Prejean,
is a Roman Catholic nun who wrote Dead Man
Walking as an autobiographical account of her
relationship with a death row inmate. It served
as the basis for the well-known feature film.
For more information, call 937/938-5781 or
email dalenieberding@hotmail.com .
NEW! Christian Connections Meeting
Greater Dayton Christian Connections will
have its annual meeting Sunday, May 19, from
3-5 p.m. at 1436 Needmore Rd., Dayton. A
panel discussion on gun control will take place.
West Liberty to Install New Pastor
West Liberty UCC will have a special
installation service for its new pastor, Paul
Forrey, on Sunday, May 19, at 3:30 p.m. at the
church, 212 W. Newell St. Clergy are invited
to dress casually for the installation, which will
be followed by a reception with light
refreshments. All in SONKA are invited.
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Polk Grove Observes Earth Day with Mission 4/1 Tree-Planting
In honor of Earth Day, Polk Grove UCC had worship services April 21 lifting up
creation and including an exercise in which worshipers placed flowers on a cross in the
sanctuary to symbolize the continuation of the Easter season. After worship, the church
family planted and dedicated two 12-foot Blue Spruce trees on church property to
honor Earth Day and the UCC’s Mission 4/1 Earth
campaign. The congregation joined together in
singing The Johnny Appleseed Prayer, as the legendary Johnny Appleseed is said to
have passed by the church’s Dayton neighborhood long ago, spreading seeds which
would sprout apple trees.
FYI: Pulpit Updates
SONKA minister Mark Moore has been called to
be the new pastor at St. John UCC, West
Alexandria. Pastor Mark, currently pastor at West
Milton UCC, will begin his new call in July. West
Milton UCC has plans to call a part-time pastor.
Campaign
Continues
until
May 19!
* NATIONAL AND CONFERENCE *
NEW! Grandparents Camp
There are six different Grandparent Camps
scheduled this year by the Conference Outdoor
Ministries team, allowing grandparents to spend
time with their grandchildren while sharing their
faith and having fun. These are half-week
camps, and families stay together in private
rooms. The sessions are:
June 23-26 (ages 4-9)
June 26-29 (ages 4-9)
July 7-10 (ages 4-9)
July 10-13 (ages 7-12)
July 21-24 (ages 4-9)
July 24-27 (ages 7-12)
For more information, go to
http://www.ocucc.org/OutdoorMin/Summer%20
Camp/SummerCamp.htm.
NEW! Widening the Welcome Confab
The 2012 Widening the Welcome conference
will be another pre-Synod event this year,
scheduled for Thursday, June 27, in Long
Beach, CA, one day before General Synod 29
starts. The national gathering will focus on
developing the life of congregations to include
persons with disabilities and mental illness and
their families. For more information, go to
www.wideningthewelcome.com .
* PRAYER REQUEST *
Please hold in prayer retired SONKA minister Mendle Adams and his extended family, especially his
grandson, Pierson Adams, and Sherea Edmondson, parents of an infant boy, Ivan Benjamin Adams, who
died of SIDS April 29 in Indiana. Mendle had baptized the baby April 21 at St. Peter UCC in Pleasant
Ridge (Cincinnati), where he is Pastor Emeritus. Mendle will officiate at a funeral for the baby today,
May 6, in Indiana.
* OPPORTUNITIES *
Knob Prairie UCC in Enon is looking for an organist/accompanist to accompany its choir during Sunday
worship services and Thursday evening practices. The salary is negotiable. Interested musicians should
contact Worship Director Debbie Kunselman at 937/232-1967 or kkunselman@sbcglobal.net.
The position of Designated Ohio Conference Minister has been posted in the UCC Ministries
Opportunities database and on the Conference website.
Interim Association Minister Kathryn Anadein: kathryna@sonkaucc.org
Snippets Editor/ Communications Coordinator Lynne Wise: lynnew@sonkaucc.org
Bookkeeper Wilda Peters: wildap@sonkaucc.org
Registrar Jim Hill: jimh@sonkaucc.org
SONKA: 937/438-8050 or Toll Free: 888/631-9578
SONKA WEBSITE: www.sonkaucc.org
NATIONAL UCC WEBSITE: www.ucc.org
OHIO CONFERENCE WEBSITE: www.ocucc.org
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