Council of Elders Meeting in Seattle Washington
United Church of God, an International Association
Council of Elders Meeting Report
Friday, August 27, 1999 — Seattle, Washington
Fridayâs third day of Council meetings dealt with two main fields of discussion: numerous Ministerial Services items moderated by operations manager Richard Pinelli, and Beloit, Wisconsin, elder Galen Morrisonâs presentation on TV and radio promotions.
Ivan Yurishko
Before Mr. Pinelliâs presentation, Council member Victor Kubik introduced a special visitor ö Ivan Yurishko, administrative head of one of the Ukrainian Sabbatarian groups with whom Mr. Kubik has had extensive contact for a number of years. Mr. Yurishko, who has been instrumental in publishing a number of our booklets in the Russian language, was in the area visiting relatives and took the opportunity to visit the Council meeting. He presented the Council with a certificate of thanks from his city for the assistance given by United Church of God members during their recent economic difficulties.
Ministerial Services
Mr. Pinelli took the floor to lead discussion on a number of items from Ministerial Services. He first updated the Council on progress in handling doctrinal concerns put forward by members of the church. A total of 34 position papers have been published by the United Church of God since its inception, with eight more in various stages of completion. A list of 29 more areas of concern submitted by members shows the work yet ahead.
Further fine-tuning of a job description for U.S. church pastors followed. A new method of job evaluation encompassing self-assessment, managerial evaluation, peer input, and congregational surveys is included in the development of this field.
Burk and Susie McNair
The Council next turned its attention to crafting a clear policy statement on United Church of God elders speaking at the services/events of other religious organizations, and the accompanying concept of elders from other groups speaking at UCG functions. Some of this has occurred with no difficulty (Mr. Kubikâs contact with Sabbatarian groups in Ukraine, for example); other situations have arisen that had potential for misunderstanding or offense. The three international representatives on the Council asked Mr. Pinelli for time to put forward their concerns, as there are sometimes clear differences compared to the American experience.
A brief review of policies on ordination, credentiallings, and expulsions took place next, followed by a more extensive discussion on ministerial candidate identification, selection, and education.
Nearly two years ago, a task force of ten elders hammered out a proposal for just such a program. This group, chaired by Indianapolis, Indiana pastor Darris McNeely, presented its suggestions to Ministerial Services in late 1997. Other concerns forced consideration of the project to the background temporarily. Now, however, with the proposal of a new educational thrust by the church (the Ambassador Bible Center), Mr. Pinelli brought this material to the Council to illustrate progress in an area recognized as an increasingly important concern. Mr. Pinelli presented the approach Ministerial Services intends to take as three-fold:
Media
The afternoon session focused on the current round of TV ads, accompanied by a trial 30-minute TV program, set to air in three markets beginning September 4. The ads will air in three markets ö Utica, NY, Winston-Salem-High Point, NC, and Dallas, TX. The TV program will air on donated time in Utica, NY only.
Mr. Morrison was joined in his presentation by church member John Barbush, radio promotions advisor and no stranger to the Council of Elders. Mr. Morrison and Mr. Barbush showed the council the ads and the TV program and asked for input.
Several Council members noted the style as being different to the pattern familiar to them. Mr. Morrison compared the production to a magazine-style format similar to the successful "Sixty Minutes" television program aired in the United States. The four segments of the trial telecast shown were taken from various programs produced by the Beloit, WI group for the cable access show "Tomorrow." Despite the short amount of time remaining before the annual Feast of Tabernacles (which begins the evening of Friday, September 24), Peter Eddington, video productions manager at the Home Office, indicated his willingness to put together a short segment taken from the ads and the TV show which could be shown at the festival in conjunction with this yearâs Feast video production.
The dayâs session concluded with a variety of input from Messrs. Morrison and Barbush, Council members, and church officers on media marketing strategy. Gauging successful response is not always easy. Differing opinions were expressed, ranging from what response it takes to be able to classify an effort as successful (Mr. Morrison suggested 0.1%) to recognition that "seed-sowing" doesnât always bear an immediate and measurable response to be able to classify it as successful. Both are important in determining how best to use the resources God gives us; this is the task facing the church management team.
-Doug Johnson
