Highlights of the sub-Executive meetings of December 9 and 21, 2005
and the meeting of the Toronto Conference Executive
January 11, 2006

1.  property:  The sub-Executive approved an offer of purchase of the United Church’s share of the property at 1082 Finch Avenue East, the former Hillcrest United Church in Toronto Don Valley Presbytery.  The sale price is $295,000.  The sub-Executive also confirmed the disposition of other assets as requested by the former congregation. (excerpts from minutes available upon request)

2.  reviews:  The sub-Executive continued its follow-up work on two reviews of Ministry Personnel.

3.  property policies:  The Executive completed its work on property policies by agreeing that funds received by the Conference from disposition of church property will be used in the following manner:

        70% to the church development fund or its successor for…

• ministries in new areas of growth
• transitional ministries
• ministry in designated high needs areas
• leadership development

15% to be held for Conference for support for social ministry;

10% to be held by Conference for experimental ministries, e.g. youth, camping, rural;

5% to be held by Conference for archives and other Conference use.

The use of the funds will be reviewed by December, 2008.  (full report and final Decisions available upon request)

4.  covenants with TUCC:  The Executive approved revisions to two agreements outlining the relationship between the Conference and Toronto United Church Council. These agreements were originally developed in 1995, and are reviewed every five years.  (documents available upon request)

4.  covenanting:  The Executive covenanted with Jemelda Johnston, Aboriginal Relations Vision Keeper.  The Executive was joined by members of the Aboriginal Solidarity Sharing Circle and two representatives of the Francis Sandy Theological Centre, where Jemelda is a student.  Jemelda will work on particular projects identified by the sharing circle.

5.  annual meeting venues:  The Executive accepted the recommendation of the agenda planning that the 2007 and 2008 annual meetings of Conference be held at the Sheraton Parkway North Hotel, site of the 2006 meeting.  The hotel has offered a frozen rate for the three year period.

6.  interim ministers and sacraments privileges:  Three persons were approved as Interim Ministers – Gordon Crossfield, Donna Hazlett and Glenn Smith.  Two individuals were granted sacramental privileges – Cheryl-Lynn MacPherson at Cliffcrest United Church and Desmond Parsons at Riverdale United.

7.  consultation follow-up:  The Executive will devote its entire February meeting to a conversation and initial Decision-making regarding the consultation with Presbytery Executives and related conversations which have been underway in the last year.  The Executive will consider steps which can be taken immediately or in the short term, and will look at work which needs to be done in the longer term on major issues like structure and staffing. (excerpts from minutes and notes from consultation available upon request)

To receive excerpts from the minutes as noted above, please contact Larysa Kazyeva at lkazyeva@torontoconference.ca