Highlights of regular meetings of the Toronto Conference Executive September 10 and November 12

and a special meeting of the Executive December 3, 2008

and meetings of the sub-Executive of Toronto Conference July 10, July 30, August 19, September 26, October 31, and December 10, 2008

The Executive of Toronto Conference met on three occasions in the last half of 2008 and the sub- Executive met on six occasions.

Executive meetings: All three meetings of the Executive had a heavy emphasis on the restructuring of the Conference and the nine Presbyteries. At its two regular meetings, the Executive heard regular reports from the Commission on the Role of the Executive, the Staffing Commission, the four Presbytery Commissions, the task group on assets and funding, and the task group on communication. To get new and archived material on the work of the Commissions and task groups, go to www.torontoconference.ca.

Support for Ministry Personnel: The president was authorized to establish a task group on Ministry Personnel concerns; the group will look at current sources of support, finding ways for the church to be a better employer, and ways of being supportive of Ministry Personnel. The group will report to the April, 2009 meeting of the Executive.

Living into Right Relations: At its November meeting, the Executive heard a report on a May event where six persons from Toronto Conference journeyed to Manitoba for a consultation on building right relations between aboriginal and non-aboriginal peoples. The six persons representing the Conference have made a five-year commitment to right relations work. The Executive will discuss further how the Conference can be involved in this important task.

Donation: The Executive expressed thanks to the Trustees of the former Hawkestone United Church which closed at the end of June. The Congregation donated $30,000 toward the cost of renovating the former Guthrie United Church, which will become the office of the Northeast Presbytery in 2009.

Special meeting: At a special meeting December 3, the Executive began working through a significant number of recommendations regarding the assets currently held by the Conference, its Presbyteries two Presbytery-related corporations, and Toronto United Church Council. The Executive affirmed the following principles for financial management within the Conference:

1. in the development of policies, there must be clear, transparent and effective consultation;
2. a financial system must create maximum benefit to congregations and mission units;
3. a financial management and oversight structure must be simple and transparent;
4. access to funding must be equitable and transparent for all Presbyteries;
5. funding must be based on clearly-articulated Presbytery priorities.

The Executive agreed to fund a variety of ministries which are currently supported within the Conference. Consultation will take place with the Presbyteries and corporations on how the commitments will be funded. The Executive authorized the president to name a task group to clarify the mandate and role of the Toronto United Church Council with a report to be received at the April, 2009 Executive meeting.

Other Decisions: The Executive a) approved boards of directors of Incorporated Ministries; b) granted sacramental privileges to a number of Ministry Personnel; c) appointed people to serve on various committees and Commissions; d) approved 2009 mission support grants for Pastoral Charges and Outreach Ministries throughout the Conference; e) expanded the list of corporations considered to be “non peaceful” as they relate to the Middle East; see more information at http://torontoconference.ca/boycottdivest.htm; f) contributed $500 to the Canadian legal costs of Omar Khadr.

Sub-Executive meeting: The sub-Executive held six meetings, mostly by conference call, the shortest of which lasted six minutes.

Property: Much of the sub-Executive’s business related to property sale and/or management. Because the Conference is not a legal entity, an agreement was approved whereby the General Council will hold Conference property, e.g. the Guthrie and Wilmar Heights buildings which will be used as offices for the Northeast and Southeast Presbyteries, respectively.

The former Melville United Church was sold during the fall, and the assets received were distributed to a number of ministries within York Presbytery. A gift was made to the Emmanuel College UCW Bursary Fund and the Melville Cemetery Board. The remainder of the money received will be used for church development and other Conference purposes according to the Conference’s property policies.

The sub-Executive decided to not sell the former WoodGreen United Church property on Queen Street East, Toronto. The property will be kept for up to five years; the current major tenant Woodgreen Red Door Family Shelter has been offered a three year lease.

The sub-Executive expressed its thanks to the WoodGreen Trustees who have looked after the property for a number of years.

In a related matter, the sub-Executive approved the expenditure of nearly $400,000 from the WoodGreen Trust to pay for two area ministry proposals which had been developed by Toronto South Presbytery. The new ministries should begin in 2009.

Other Decisions: The sub-Executive also a) approved boards and loans regarding Incorporated Ministries; b) granted sacramental privileges to Ministry Personnel; c) made a number of appointments to committees and Commissions; d) placed the names of two persons on the Discontinued Service List (Voluntary); and e) approved the final figures for the 2009 Conference assessment.