July 18, 2008
Email address for Rev. Daniel Busch, Association Minister dlbusch@nwoa.org
Don’t forget to visit our website at www.nwoa.org
Rev. Daniel Busch will join in the Farewell Service for Rev. Jim Latimer at Point Place UCC in Toledo this Sunday, July 20 beginning at 10:00 am. Dan will then travel to Chicago for a seminar on Monday, followed by vacation time July 26 – July 30th.
Prayer Requests
Pauline Cook, wife of Rev. Wilbur Cook is now living at Auglaize Acres Nursing Care north of Wapakoneta. Please keep Will and Pauline in your prayers.
Rev. Don Rock, interim at St. John’s UCC-Bluffton is having heart problems. Please keep him in your prayers.
Mary Maurer is moving to be closer to her children in the Cleveland area
after suffering from a stroke. A farewell reception will take place for her
at Otterbein in St. Marys this Sunday, July 20, from 2 to 4. Her new
address will be: 889 Aurora Rd. #119, Aurora, Ohio 44202.
earlmaurer@yahoo.com.
330.562.2649.
Around 50 Youth and Adults will be traveling to the National Youth Event
next Thursday, July 24th. We pray for save travel to and from
this event at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.
Please add First Congregational UCC in Berlin Heights to your prayer list. They will be traveling to Back Bay Mission on Aug. 9th.
UCC ads will return to national TV, if fundraising makes it so http://www.ucc.org/news/ucc-ads-will-return-to.html
First Congregational UCC in Berlin Heights is going to Back Bay Mission in Biloxi MS for mission work in August. We have openings for 3 individuals aged 16+.
Destination: Back Bay Mission
Leaving August 9th and returning August 17th
Cost of $375 includes: Van rental and gasoline, all meals, 2 nights hotel stay, and program costs.
It will be hot and buggy but God will see us through. For more information call Joyce Schroer at 419-588-2102.
ALL TEAM EVENT – August 16, 2008 at Trinity UCC, Tiffin 9:30 -2:30 pm
For all members of: Regional Coordinating Teams, Ministry Teams, Cabinet, Church Development Team, Deans
Timely Topics begins on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008 here at the Association office with Paul Nickerson, speaking 10:30 – 1:30 am. Brown bag lunch.
United Church of Christ History and Polity will be taught this fall at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH. It will be an online “hybrid” course worth three hours of graduate level credit. The course, DN 119; UCC History & Polity, will include just two Saturday face-to-face sessions, Sept. 20 and Dec. 6. All other sessions will be on-line and will include weekly discussions, readings, video and more. Instructors will be James Eller, a UCC Licensed Minister and the librarian of UTS and Rev. Ruth Brandon, the Association Minister for SONKA. The course will introduce students to the history, theologies, liturgical traditions, polity, organization, ministerial authorization policies, and practices and mission of the UCC. If you are a student taking the course for credit, use the usual UTS registration process. If you wish to audit the course, you will need to register as a “special” student and pay an audit fee. For more information, go to the UTS website http://www.united.edu/ or contact Carolyn Christman at the UTS admissions office. For more details and for an online learning readiness survey you may go to http://www.united.edu/academics/onlinelearning/.
Still Open Serrv Sales is looking for a new home Rev. Elmer Novak and his wife Ruth have attended the SERRV SALES for around 10 years now and are ready to pass this on to the next willing person. Anyone that is interested please call Elmer and Ruth at 419-625-7722.
IRS Offers UCC Complete Vindication
Written
by J. Bennett Guess
The Internal Revenue Service has concluded that the UCC did not violate tax
laws when U.S. Sen. Barack Obama addressed the denomination's 50th
anniversary General Synod in Hartford, Conn., in June 2007.
"Based on your response to the inquiry, we have determined that the activity about which we had concern did not constitute an intervention or participation in a political campaign - and that the United Church of Christ continues to qualify as an organization described in section 501(c)(3)," according to a May 13 letter from the IRS.
The IRS determination outlined several steps taken by the UCC that indicated compliance with the law. The letter said the UCC's invitation to Obama came "well before he announced his candidacy and that [he] was invited to speak - in a non-candidate capacity, on how his personal faith intersected with his public life."
"You further established that the United Church of Christ had verbally communicated to those in attendance that Senator Obama was there as a member of the church and not as a candidate for office, that the audience should not attempt to engage in any political activities, and that the church's legal counsel had advised Senator Obama's campaign on the ground rules for the speech," the IRS determined.
The letter also concluded that the UCC did not authorize campaign volunteers to set up tables near the entrance of the Hartford Civic Center. "The activity was conducted on public property outside the control of the Synod and therefore was not attributable to the church," the IRS said.
The IRS also noted that the UCC's website provided a link to the IRS fact sheet on prohibited campaign-related activities by non-profit groups and that the church's legal counsel had properly advised UCC leaders of these rules.
"We are pleased that the IRS reviewed the complaint quickly and determined, as we expected, that the church took every necessary precaution and proactive step to ensure that Senator Obama's appearance at General Synod was proper and legal," said the Rev. John H. Thomas, UCC General Minister and President. "This is very good news."
Donald C. Clark, the UCC's Nationwide Special Counsel, called the IRS' specific affirmation of UCC planning and action "gratifying."
"A faith community should not, and by following these now established best practices need not, be timid in asking any member to share her or his faith journey," Clark said.
Thomas praised the work of the UCC's legal team, especially the leadership of Clark.
"From the early days of planning for our General Synod in Hartford, Don was committed to making sure that the United Church of Christ modeled the way in which it properly handled this matter," Thomas said. "He has provided expert legal counsel and the IRS' determination only underscores this."
William J. Wilkins and Brian J. Menkes, attorneys in WilmerHale's Washington, D.C. office represented the UCC before the IRS. Wilkins commented, "The denomination simply did not conduct any political activity in this case. The conduct of Synod events and the nature and timing of the speaking invitation made that clear." Menkes added, "Reviewers at the IRS gave our submission prompt review and consideration. We appreciate their bringing this inquiry to conclusion once they learned there was no basis to proceed."
Training dates for youth leaders.
This from R. Philip Hart, Director of the Youth Compassion Initiative,
National Youth Advocate Program, Inc.
1801 Watermark Dr., Suite 200
Columbus, OH 43215
Limited enrollment is available for interested persons. If you are interested please contact the Association office so we can contact Rev. Philip Hart.
August 15th 9am-4pm: "Culture and Diversity"
Phil Hart, Director Youth Compassion Initiative
September 18-19th: Volunteer Management: Basics for Building Volunteer Programs
Joanna Huffer, Community Education Administrator, Firstlink
Fall Work Days at Camp
Pilgrim Hills – Sept. 20 Templed Hills – Oct. 4
Get your group together and come to camp to help out. Lunch provided. Bring work gloves and basic tools. Job details available closer to work dates. Call 800-282-0740, ext. 207 or email campregistrar@ocucc.org for details.
Printer Available
The office has a Hewlett Packard Laser Jet 4 Plus Printer in fair condition. If interested call the office 419-447-8323.
Update your web page
would you like to update your church webpage, ask
webinfo@nwoa.org for help. Visit
www.nwoa.org
for more Association information.
Printer available
Deadlines and Meeting Dates
Upcoming
July – 2008
19 Finance & Budget 9:00 – noon
24-28 National Youth Event Knoxville, Tennessee
August – 2008
1 Boundary Training 9:30 – 2:30 pm NWOA office, Tiffin
5 Church & Ministry Team Meeting
14 Auglaize Valley Clergy 11:30 am Old Barn Out Back, Lima
16 All Team Event 9:30 – 2:30 Trinity UCC, Tiffin
20 Stewardship & Caring Meeting 1-3 pm
September – 2008
1 Office Closed/Labor Day
2 Church & Ministry Meeting
4 Small Church Cluster Meeting 7:30 pm
8 Sandusky Valley Clergy 11:30 am Fairhaven, Upper Sandusky
9 Timely Topics 10:30 – 1:30 Paul Nickerson, Speaker
11 Auglaize Valley Clergy 11:30 am Old Barn Out Back, Lima
11 Auglaize Valley Regional Coordinating Team Same Location 1:30 pm
14 Stewardship Event 3 – 5 pm First UCC, Findlay
17 Stewardship & Caring Meeting NWOA Office 1-3 pm
18 Faith Formation Meeting 10 – 2 pm
28 Sandusky Valley Regional Event St. John’s UCC – Bucyrus 2:30 – 5:30 pm
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