United Church of God, an International Association

Council of Elders Meeting Report

Wednesday, August 19, 1998 - Cincinnati, Ohio

Somewhat tired but very upbeat about the work it accomplished, the Council of Elders wrapped up its eight days in Cincinnati on Wednesday, August 19. As is common on the last day of its conferences, it addressed a wide variety of agenda items that needed attention before adjourning.

The most noteworthy matters of the day concerned issuing a statement on healing, and brainstorming on ways to be even more effective in communicating the Church's message and crystallizing its identity.

"Divine Healing" statement

"We've had several requests as to 'why isn't healing among the 20 Fundamental Beliefs?'" said Jim Franks. "Our simple answer was that it wasn't a part of what Mr. Armstrong had put together [in his version of the statement of beliefs, after which UCG's was modeled] so we simply hadn't put it in. It certainly wasn't because we didn't believe in healing; it simply wasn't among the 20 fundamental beliefs."

This is not a doctrinal study paper, but a statement of what we believe, written in the same fashion as our Fundamental Beliefs, he said. "Other articles can be written, but this at least establishes what our fundamental belief is."

By an 11-0 ballot (Don Ward had to return home last night) the Council approved the statement to be sent to the General Conference of Elders. As soon as their edits are incorporated into the paper, which should be done very shortly, it will be mailed to everyone.

In a related action, Mr. Franks later introduced, and the Council approved 11-0, a revision to our Passover ceremony outline addressing the suggestion from some that healing is not adequately covered in the section on the meaning of the bread. Minor edits rearrange some sentence structure, but the main change adds to the commentary the sentence, "Christ's broken body is also for the healing of our illnesses (Matthew:8:16-17; Isaiah:53:3-6)."

Developing a logo

For several days the Council and staff had opportunity to stop by a table in the office and view a display of ideas that members have submitted over the last few months for a logo, the graphic representation or symbol of the Church.

"This pretty much brings to closure the input that has been received from different members," said Vic Kubik who was responsible for soliciting and collecting them. "At this point I feel it is no longer a Council matter, but that we should turn it over to operations, who can turn it over to a professional designer."

However, the Council was not quick to adopt any particular one, because, as Gary Antion stated, "A corporate logo says a lot about us. It is a unifying form and helps us establish our image."

Bob Dick added, "As product comes forward I would like to see that there is also a rationale as to how it establishes, for lack of a better word, our 'brand.' What is it about this graphic that identifies United? It is not a contest between good-looking graphics, but it must say something about who we are and why it identifies us as distinct from anyone else."

Contributors used a wide range of artistic symbols that ran from highly traditional to contemporary, complicated to simple. Most conveyed meaning about various elements of the Church, its work, the future, and various biblical themes, although some simply portrayed the name only, without any symbols. "We've had crowns, sheep, candlesticks, stars, a wave sheaf, a trumpet and 'united' symbols," Mr. Kubik noted. "Are we comfortable with any of them, or are we comfortable with none of them? Perhaps that should be part of the discussion."

The challenge of logo selection lies in choosing something that clearly registers in the mind of an international audience "who you are, what your mission is and how you want to be seen by the world around you," said Mr. Dick. "I don't think you can incorporate every single symbol in there," said Mr. Antion, noting that some symbols were strong and meaningful, but too complicated.

A couple of selections were clearly more popular with the Council members, but they concluded that these did not entirely capture the essence of what we need. To approve one or the other at this point would "get the cart before the horse." As Mr. Dick put it, "The artist is left determining our brand. He has to try to read our mind, come back to us and we say, 'no, you didn't capture our thought.' When we don't collectively have that clear thought, the artist has an impossible mission."

At this point, Mr. Kubik summarized, "After seeing what the input is, we can direct it and have more input based upon what we want." The next step in the logo selection process is for the Council, after further deliberation, to give an explicit concept to the artists.

The Council expressed great appreciation for the contributions, noting the time, thought and effort that went into them. Collectively, it was a very helpful step toward the Council getting a clearer focus in its decision-making process.

The "Church identity" think tank

Not all of today's session dealt with task-oriented functions. The logo discussion tied directly to a shift in the Council's attention to revisiting a point raised last Thursday -- the ever-present need to establish a clear identity of the Church and how that relates to effectively spreading the gospel message.

The time spent in this segment was not meant to be conclusive, but to initiate what will be an ongoing "think tank" discussion of a more abstract task. Ideally, it will lead to "defining our mission in a fashion that gives a clear and unified focus to all of us, and also can be clearly and simply communicated to the membership of the United Church of God," said Mr. Dick. It does not mean rewriting the mission, but stating it in a greater variety of ways that powerfully connects with the hearer.

Referring to comments made in Thursday's "Credibility and Communication" presentation, Mr. Dick recalled, "The reference was made back to Mr. Armstrong's ability to put things in phrases that people spoke. We had 'church speak' all those years and it didn't matter what the particular current phrase was--everyone knew the phrase, and everyone parroted the phrase. That ability to capture people to the point where everyone is saying, 'get back on the track,' or everyone is referring to 'the two trees,' 'the way of get and the way of give.' We've been a church with leadership that has given us a capacity to focus on phrases that gave us our marching orders for a period of time and only when that particular march was over was a new phrase developed and a new march was created."

The Council is optimistic that after a challenging beginning the UCG has made a positive turn toward a more encouraging and fruitful future. It sees as an important part of its leadership role the need to coalesce the entire body. One undeniably neccessary method is through crystal-clear, positive expression of the Church's goals and purpose. We have always known who we are and where we are going, but effective communication of that needs to be more powerful.

"This is fundamentally a brainstorming session," Mr. Dick said, welcoming any and all thoughts to be put on the table. By its nature, he said, brainstorming is not disciplined, but encourages a free flow of abstract ideas from which concrete expression begins to take shape. Abstract phrases do not motivate people; motivation comes from relating a concept what people can actually do in real life. The phrase "we are to be kings and priests" projects one to the future, for example, but the phrase, "we are kings and priests in training," relates that futuristic concept to life right now. Real life application is obviously far more compelling and motivating in one's daily activities.

They began to put a lot of thoughts, ideas and phrases on a white-board, categorizing them under conceptual headings such as the purpose of why UCG began, what we are now, what do we need to do and general miscellaneous philosophies that relate to the Church.

At one point Leon Walker and Mr. Dick fed off one another's thoughts, elaborating on the reasons why the Council was having to engage now in this exercise. Starting with our recent history, Mr. Walker defined part of the identity problem many members have had. "We were saying early on in 1995 that we wanted to make the church a home for those who were looking for a home. To some extent that invited people who had differing philosophies, everything from the congregational on one side to the wanting of a pastor general on the other, and almost everything in between. So this is a part of the problem that we are facing today. It was partly because of the way we started, by saying that we wanted to make a home for everyone. So, are we still the home for everyone, or are we focusing more narrowly? Part of our identity problem is that we started out with an identity problem."

Mr. Dick enlarged on this thought. "Let me add one to Leon's. As I've gone through all the Q & A's [question/answer sessions] the last few months there are certain recurring themes. Another part of this starting out problem, put in a single phrase, is: It's a whole lot easier to be united against something than it is to be united for something. We came into existence very easily [because] we were all united against what was happening to us. People had a certain euphoria that unification against an adversary constituted unity for going forward. It doesn't."

"We knew more what we weren't than what we were," replied Mr. Walker. "I would add that in 'providing a spiritual home,' many were coming in with different concepts as to what that home would be. It was more than just a home, it was to be a home for everyone of like belief. We had belief doctrinally, but not in terms of some other concepts. People were coming out in large numbers because of what was happening. They wanted to be part of something, but because of the experiences of the past--and people had different experiences--they had different concepts as to what that home would be. We're still fighting that battle."

"We have a challenge as a body of developing in our members a distinct 'pride' in being a part of the United Church of God without simultaneously creating a closed community," Mr. Dick stated. "Both war with the other and we want to accomplish both. We don't want to be so ecumenical that we disorient the people who are part of us into thinking 'my allegiances would be as well spent anywhere else.' At the same time, those who have not given us their total allegiance, we don't want them to be in a position where they feel 'if you're not in the UCG then you've got to be wrong.' So we're conceptually fighting a battle on two sides: creating a sense of pride in being a member of United, but without simultaneously breeding exclusivity of spirit. That's a challenge."

These discussions were not conclusive, nor were they intended to be, but they did begin steps toward jelling thoughts about how to more powerfully present the Church's unique identity and mission.

In other business . . . Proceeding with the Rules of Association

Mr. Franks gave the Council a revised draft of the Rules of Association, reflecting the changes made in yesterday's discussion. He asked the members to look it over once more and if no further changes are suggested, it will be sent to the General Conference of Elders on Monday for their review. GCE members have a November 1, 1998 deadline for returning their remarks. According to the cover memo to the GCE, the Council should be able to consider the final product during its November meeting if this review proceeds smoothly.

Policy development

A discussion of "Festival Allotment Policy for the Employed Ministry" eventually became mired in the complexities and questions about the US government's Internal Revenue Service tax code, and was tabled pending further direction and advice from experts in that field. It will be readdressed in November when President Les McCullough will bring back a concrete recommendation. In principle, the policy is designed to end some of the historical confusion and establish a consistent management to this issue.

Job Descriptions

Next, Dennis Luker, chairman of the Roles and Responsibilities Committee, furnished the panel's blueprint of job description for the Council of Elders. This committee's charge is to construct such outlines for all of the various duties in the Church.

He first reminded everyone of the overall purpose and need for such descriptions, quoting a statement from a governance booklet published by the National Center for Non-Profit Boards-"There is the growing acceptance of the notion that effective governance determines organizational effectiveness." The pamphlet stresses that certain fundamental principles of organization and responsibility applies to all forms of administrative structure, and Mr. Luker structured many of the points in his presentation on the guidelines it contains.

The five-page document opens by quoting the Constitution Articles (4.2 and 3.2.2.4) that pertain to the Council of Elders responsibilities. It then elaborates on the following nine areas:

• Determine the organization's mission and purpose
• Select the chief executive officer
• Support the executive and review his performance
• Ensure effective organizational planning
• Manage resources effectively
• Determine and monitor the Church's programs and services
• Enhance the organization's public image
• Serve as a court of appeal
• Assess its own performance

He did not have time to get to the prepared outlines for the Chairman and individual Council members, but those will be next on the docket.

Financial report

Treasurer Tom Kirkpatrick submitted a preliminary financial report, which the Council unanimously approved. This information will be publicized in an upcoming issue of the United News.

Roy Holladay was also formally appointed to the Finance Committee.

Correction

The Tuesday, August 18, Council report stated that Bill Jacobs is the director for the summer camp program. Due to having other job responsibilities now, because of going on half-salary employment status, Mr. Jacobs withdrew from that position in June.

"Thank you!"

The Council and staff extended a special thanks to all the members in the Cincinnati area who provided lunches during the eight days. Not only did it save the Church money and time, but the food was positively delicious.

At day's end, when asked how he would characterize the week's meetings, Mr. Dick stated, "Probably the most definitive term applied is that Council members said it was once again enjoyable to be in Council of Elders meetings. The pleasure of being here has returned." Along with the pleasure came increased productivity. "We got a tremendous amount accomplished, even at times getting ahead of the agenda schedule," said Mr. Kubik.

The home office will again host the next round of Council face-to-face meetings November 11-18, 1998.

- Clyde Kilough

© 1998, United Church of God, an International Association