April, 1998

Scholarship Fund Established

The UCC Office Support Staff Network decides to start a "Scholarship Fund". A portion of the Annual Meeting Registration Fee will be designated for these scholarships starting with the 1999 fees.

April, 1999

Benefits for Layworkers is Supported by UCCOSSN

During their Annual Meeting this April in Black Forest, Colorado, the UCCOSSN approved a letter to be sent to The Pension Board of the United Church of Christ and the Cabinet of the Conference Ministers of the United Church of Christ.

April 12, 1999

TO: The Pension Boards
Cabinet of the Conference Ministers

FROM: United Church of Christ Office Support Staff Network

RE: Fair and Just Benefits Available to all Support Staff

The United Church of Christ Office Support Staff Network met at La Foret Conference and Retreat Center, Inc. of the Rocky Mountain Conference United Church of Christ April 8-11, 1999. We are a Recognized Group with Voice and No Vote at General Synod and under the auspices of the Office of the Secretary.

Joan Brannick was a presenter at this meeting and gave an overview of the Pension Boards' benefit programs available to all support staff employed by the United Church of Christ. Joan lifted up a justice issue that all UCC employees should be enrolled in all programs and that greater participation by support staff is needed in the health program, especially by those who are younger support staff.

At the 16th and 20th General Synod, Resolutions were presented and voted with this intent. Twelve years later many of our support staff, at all settings of the United Church of Christ, are still not receiving the benefits recommended in these voted Resolutions.

We are writing in support of the Pension Boards' efforts to broaden the participation in the programs available to all support staff in all settings. We encourage Conference Ministers to continue educating their staff and local church pastors regarding this important justice issue.

We look forward to hearing from you in the near future about how we can work together on this concern. Your response may be sent to: Cheryl B. Tibbetts, Administrative Assistant to the Conference Ministers, P.O. Box 966, Yarmouth, ME 04096-1966.

cc: Edith Guffy, Secretary of the United Church of Christ.

Guidelines Being Developed

Several members of the UCCOSSN in attendance at the 12th Annual Meeting, April 1999, have agreed to draw up "guidelines" for UCCOSSN Scholarship Fund which will receive it’s first income from this year’s registration fees. It is hoped this fund will enable more support staff from all settings of the church to attend the Annual Meetings. Guidelines should be in place in time to benefit persons wishing to attend the 13th UCCOSSN Annual Meeting in Cleveland, Ohio April 28-30, 2000.

Have Input Regarding Program for Future Meetings

Are there subjects you would like to explore in-depth? Do you have areas in your daily office routine that you could use some help with? What workshops and program focus would be helpful to you? We want to make the UCCOSSN Annual Meetings a real "continuing Ed" experience. Give us your input so we can better meet your needs.

Contact Person for the 14th Annual Meeting in 2001 Syracuse New York:

Susan Gibson, New York Conference, UCC: uccny@aol.com

May, 2000

UCCOSSN Letter to Conference Ministers

May 15, 2000

Dear UCC Conference Ministers:

On April 28th, 54 individuals working in various support staff positions throughout the United Church of Christ convened at 800 Prospect Avenue for the 13th annual gathering of UCC support staff personnel. We came from as far away as California and as close as Cleveland, representing positions in the national church, conference, association and local church offices. We were administrative assistants, bookkeepers, financial assistants, church life coordinators, office managers, and church secretaries.

We came to hear stories, share stories, and write new stories. We heard about planning large and small events; about profile changes; about enhancing communication by designing better brochures, flyers, and newsletters; about the importance of an office procedure manual; and about the toll of stress if not managed appropriately. We shared what worked and what didn’t work for us in our particular and peculiar offices. We networked, fellowshipped, worshipped, and became better at what we do because of it. And we organized ourselves by writing and adopting a set of guidelines by which the Network will operate in the future. We are enclosing a copy for you and your staff.

Our time together was shaped and empowered by intentional, deeply meaningful worship which not only defined us as a group but renewed that sense of spirituality that can unknowingly be “misplaced” when one gets caught up in the day-to-day mundane of working for “the church.” We were, indeed, renewed and refreshed in body, mind, and spirit.

Perhaps individuals from your office, conference, association or church were among those of whom we speak. If so, we extend our gratitude to you for the opportunity you afforded your staff member(s) to fine tune their professional life. Perhaps support staff from your conference did not attend because you and they were not aware of UCCOSSN and its place within the UCC. If so, that is especially why we are writing. To let you know of its life and ministry, and to encourage you to encourage and support your staff to partake of what it offers.

Our next annual meeting will be April 20-22, 2001, in Syracuse, New York. Notices will be sent out early in the new year, and we encourage you to distribute them widely throughout your office and to your local churches. We hope to double our numbers next year, thereby providing an invaluable means of education and professional enhancement to those who work daily to support the ministries of the United Church of Christ.

Yours in faith,

Sue Gibson