Restructuring Newsletter - Issue #8

May 20, 2009

The Restructuring Project wraps up in five short weeks and Toronto Conference begins its new journey. These final weeks will be filled with many individuals ensuring that the Presbyteries and the Conference are prepared for the changes that take place on July 1. This is the final issue of the newsletter. Remaining restructuring news will be posted on the Conference website.

Remember that you can find the reports referred to in this newsletter on the Conference website.

Assets and Funding Implementation - Church Development and Property Policy Review Task Group

After the meeting of the Conference Executive on January 21, two task groups were formed. One had the mandate to review church development in the Conference and to make a recommendation for a new property policy. This task group included Allan Parker (Muskoka), Eleanor Scarlett (Dufferin – Peel) and Ann Harbridge (Simcoe).

The second task group was formed to implement the Executive’s motions regarding assets and funding. The task group was not formed by members of Presbytery or Conference but by Don Hunter, Chair of the General Council Finance Committee, Kay Johnstone, member of the former Assets and Funding Task Group and Carol Paniccia, Restructuring Project Manager.

The first task group produced a report that was presented to Conference Executive on May 13. From the report, the following motions were passed.

MOTION:
That Toronto Conference expand its definition of church development to include redevelopment and revitalization, and eliminate the separation between the two. Church development/ redevelopment will refer to the work of any congregation or congregations working together to redevelop property or programs to meet the needs of the community they serve.   This could include but would not be limited to amalgamation, specialized ministries such as youth, seniors and community ministries, and it may or may not involve property.

MOTION:
That Toronto Conference understands that Presbyteries and Congregations are responsible for initiating a church development project.

MOTION:
That Toronto Conference develop an Approved (but not exclusive) Funders and Service Providers list. This list will be produced with input from Congregations, Presbyteries and the General Council.

MOTION:
That Toronto Conference request that any of the four new Presbyteries that have an ongoing church development project, review the project(s) and determine its viability by June 30, 2010, the results of these reviews to be provided to the Conference Executive.

MOTION:
That the Conference develop a repository of information and resources regarding church development and redevelopment. This would include (but is not limited to):

• Names of individuals within the Conference with expertise in church development or areas involved in church development (e.g. building congregations, developing business plans, real estate, project or areas involved in church development management, etc.)
• Names of organizations in Canada and the U.S. offering church development training, leadership training, etc.
• Results of all church development project reviews within the Conference, including lessons learned.
• Sources of funding that the Conference has previous experience with (may include institutions NOT recommended)

MOTION:
That a Commission be formed after restructuring has taken effect, to develop and recommend a policy for the distribution of the proceeds from surplus property within the Conference, the Commission to include representation from each of the four new Presbyteries and from the Conference. The Commission should consider the responses to the Church Development and Property Questionnaire and should further consult with the new Presbyteries and others in developing their proposed policy.

MOTION:
That the Conference Executive Secretary and Finance and Property Administrator make recommendations regarding the disposition of Conference property and any other property matters.  

MOTION:
That the proceeds from surplus property and sale of property continue to be deposited into the Inter-Presbytery fund until such a time as a policy has been developed for the distribution of these funds. 

MOTION:
That the president and executive secretary name the members of the Commission on property policy with the Commission report in the fall.

Clarification of the Role of Toronto United Church Council

Also in January a task group was formed to carry out the December Conference Executive motion concerning the clarification of the mandate and role of Toronto United Church Council.  The task group, appointed by the Conference president, included David Bruce and Bill Bruce. Their report was presented on May 13 to the Executive and the following motions resulted from it:

MOTION:
That Toronto Conference:

a) affirm and celebrate the existence of the Toronto United Church Council, as neither a subordinate nor subsidiary entity, but rather an arms-length charitable corporation that holds both a shared history and common purposes with Toronto Conference, and

b) encourage continued cooperation between TUCC and the four new Presbyteries.

MOTION:
That Toronto Conference inform the Toronto United Church Council that the Conference construes its reorganization and devolution of operational responsibilities to the four new Presbyteries to effectively end the current framework documented in "partnership agreements" made by nine Presbyteries, TUCC, and Toronto Conference; and encourage TUCC to negotiate continuity of its roles with the reorganized Conference and Presbyteries, in particular regarding camping, new church development and redevelopment, property management, leadership development, and related communications and fundraising.

MOTION:
That Toronto Conference invite TUCC to schedule its annual meeting in conjunction with, but not part of, that of Toronto Conference, to the end of maximizing the attendance of its members, and confirm that while individuals may belong to the class of members of both bodies, that their participation in either body is independent and autonomous.

MOTION:
That Toronto Conference recommend to the four new Presbyteries that they consult with Toronto United Church Council, among other service providers, regarding camping, new church development and redevelopment, property management, leadership development, and related communications and fundraising policies and operations, seeking specific agreements with clear terms in each case.

For more information on Toronto United Church Council you may visit their website at www.tucc.ca

Assets and Funding Steering Group Report

Some of the motions made at the January 21 meeting of the Conference Executive were not able to be implemented. The January 21 motions were included in the last issue of the Restructuring Update and involved a plan for creating funds for technology, restructuring and the four new Presbyteries.
An Implementation Task Group (ITG) was established to do the work associated with the setting up of these funds. The work included defining governance and oversight, investment policy and supporting processes and procedures. The ITG was also responsible for developing a plan to fund all of the Presbytery and Conference commitments that were to be funded for five years after restructuring. The ITG was unable to obtain the agreement of the Presbytery corporations to participate in the plan. This necessitated abandoning the plan and resulted in new motions being carried on May 13. The motions included:

MOTION:
That an Inter-Presbytery Fund be established to receive the proceeds of surplus property and sale of property until such  time as the Conference has developed a new property policy.

MOTION:
That the assets of all the existing nine Presbyteries held as of June 30, 2009 be divided equally among the four new Presbyteries creating four Presbytery funds.

MOTION:
That, subject to future action by the Conference Executive at this meeting, that a technology fund of $100,000 be created using money from the Cedar Glen Fund to allow Pastoral Charges and Outreach Ministries to purchase necessary computers and internet services in order that they may communicate electronically.

Conference Funds

The Conference has made commitments in prior years, particularly in the area of new church development, in good faith with its partners. In light of the fact that, at the present time, no new money will be deposited into the church development fund the Conference has had to look to other sources of money to honour these commitments. Motions were made to remove all restrictions on the Cedar Glen Fund, the Social Ministries Fund and the Experimental Ministries Fund to enable the fulfillment of prior commitments. At this time there will be no grants made from these funds.

Implementation Task Group

The Implementation Task Group spent considerable time carrying out their work. They consulted with the Commission on the Role of the Executive regarding governance and with the General Council Office on matters regarding investment policy, transferring of assets, financial policy, accounting processes and potential liability for volunteers. They considered concerns expressed by  the Presbyteries and the corporations while developing their report. The forty-three page report, which can be viewed on the Conference website, includes many recommendations that will assist the Conference in implementing the previously considered motions should the funds of the corporations become available. The remaining members of the task group (Kay Johnstone and Don Hunter) have expressed a willingness to continue their work should this occur).

Commission on Staffing

The Commission on Staffing has completed two more program-level hirings of staff and the four administrative staff people.  The full-time program level position in the Southeast Presbytery will be filled by a two-year contract.

The position descriptions of the executive secretary, the finance and property administrator, and the executive assistant need to be up-dated in light of the restructuring.   
The Commission has largely completed its work.  At the May 13 meeting of the Conference Executive the following motion was made:MOTION: That the Staffing Commission consisting of Linda Thompson, chair, and members Michael Blair, Cora Krommenhoek, Jim McKnight, Brian Nicholson and Michael Shewburg be dismissed with the thanks of the Conference.

Commission on Role of the Executive

The Commission has completed as much work as it could, and it is handing a handbook and policies to the new Executive for review and revision.  A request was made that the handbook be sent to the Presbytery Commissions.  It will appear on the Conference website. The commission, consisting of Marg Walker, chair, and Michael Kooiman and Shelley Roberts was dismissed with the thanks of the Conference.

Project Manager Reflections

As Restructuring Project Manager (and editor of this newsletter) I ended my engagement with the Toronto Conference on May 15. I asked permission to share a few reflections on my time with the Conference.

In the early 1990's I worked for the national office on a very large project that spanned all departments over a period of two years. That project remained my favourite for the next fifteen years. When another opportunity to work with the United Church came up, I thought long and hard – I very much wanted to pursue the opportunity but a not-for-profit that I had been working with had asked me to take on another project with them. In the end I sent in my resume on the last day and decided to see what  happened.

The Steering Group offered me the role and I was thrilled, except for the prospect of telling my other client. In the end, the director I reported to understood and was completely supportive. She is a lifelong member of the U.C.! And so began our journey.

This project has been another wonderful experience for me, despite the fact that things have not always gone as I hoped. I have had the privilege of working with many, many talented, gifted and committed individuals. I am astonished at the amount of work people are willing to undertake on a volunteer basis and it has opened my eyes to how significant a contribution one can still make after retirement (and before of course!). I look forward to those days.

I must admit though, to also being surprised by the lack of trust among members of the church. Though not pervasive, I observed it inhibiting creative and open thinking about directions and solutions that might be for the greater good. At times I knew some people even doubted my intentions, despite the fact that I had nothing to gain or lose. Fortunately this never impeded my work. So much hard work went into this project, and despite the fatigue resulting from the countless days and weeks and month of effort, most people seem to be very positive about the outcomes. I hold out tremendous hope for the restructured Conference and will be sure to get updates.
Not being a member of a congregation and attending church sporadically at best, I prayed more on this project than I have in years. It has been a wonderful experience and allowed me to reconnect with God.

I faced some significant personal challenges over the past eighteen months as well, and there could not have been a better place for me to be.

In closing I would like to ask you all to see each other through the eyes with which I saw you – as a loving, committed and faithful group of people working to keep the church a welcoming and inviting place of worship for yourselves and generations to come.

Thank you for letting me share this significant experience with you all. And a very, very special thanks to "my" Steering Group who supported me and were always there for me.