Restructuring Newsletter - Issue #2

April 10, 2008

New Presbytery Meetings - Update

The first meeting of the new presbyteries took place on March 29 in four different locations. The turnout for the meetings was good, roughly 400 lay and clergy members attended. Feedback from these meetings has indicated that participants were positive. The energy level at the meetings was high and the "new presbyters" were getting to know each other - the primary goal of the first meeting.

The facilitators are in the process of developing the agenda for the second meeting which takes place at the Annual Meeting at the end of May. All who attended the first meeting are encouraged to attend in May, as are all of the invitees who could not make the first meeting. The theme for the second meeting is: "Exploring your vision for this Presbytery - priorities, hopes and dreams".

Please remember to RSVP to Linda Gray in the Conference office regarding your attendance at the second meeting.

email: lgray@torontoconference.ca
phone: 416-241-26677 ext. 222
or 1-800-446-4729

Updates on the meetings will continue to appear in the newsletter and on the Conference website.

Proposed Office Locations

When restructuring takes effect on July 1, 2009 Prebytery-deployed Conference staff will be working in four offices located within the new Presbyteries. The april 5 meeting of the Conference Executive approved locations of these four offices. They are: Guthrie UC, located on Highway 11 between Barrie and Orillia for the Northeast Presbytery, Wilmar Heights, the former Wilmar Heights UC at 963 Pharmacy Ave. for the Southeast Presbytery and 65 Mayall (the existing Conference office) for the Southwest Presbytery. The Property Committee is charge with the task of finding a suitable office for the Northwest Presbytery. The committee will be contacting all Northwest Presbetery Pastoral Charges later this year to find a suitable location.

The Executive Commission

The Assets and Funding task group, discussed in the last newsletter, has been holding its meetings with the Presbyteries (typically chairs and treasurers) and with the corporations holding Presbytery asets. The meetings have been going well, generating many good ideas for the portential pooling and administration of Presbytery assets.

The task group thanks all participants and the churches who are extending their hospitality and hosting the meetings. They hope to present a reort by September 30.

The Executive Commission

The Commission on the role of the Conference Executive has looked at all of the comopliance and oversight responsibilities of the Conference and its Executive. The Manual 400 sections outline these resonsibilities.

The Commimssion has looked at each Manual section and the mandates of all current Conference committees, identified how the work has been done and suggested how this workd could be done in the future. Feedback is being received from the committees.

Several issues, such as communication with General Council, have been noted and we need to work together to find solutions.

The Annual meeting decision was to eliminated most committees at Conference and to have the Presbyteries assume the current responsibilities.

According to Marg Walker, Chair of the commission:

Inspirational Poem

The Restructuring Project is being viewed with mixed emotions. While the majority of individuals support change and are optimistic about the outcomes, there is also some anxiety in the Conference. The UCW will have their work cut out for them as they organize themselves to reflect the four new Presbyteries. After a meeting in January where they began planning for the restructured Conference, one of the members wrote the poem below. It demonstrates a positive approach to a challenging yet exciting time!