Mark your calendars, Bethel's annual meeting will be Sunday, January 31 after worship on Zoom and on Facebook. We will not be having a coffee hour or breakout rooms that Sunday. All members and friends of Bethel are strongly encouraged to attend. It is best if you can join the meeting via Zoom even if you watch the worship service on Facebook. If you still are unable to get on Zoom directly and need help, please contact Nancy Winston at winstonj@comcast.net.
In our tradition, the annual meeting provides a living example of how UCC congregations govern themselves under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The moderator (the chief lay leader of our organization) presides at the meeting. Reports from the various committees and teams are reviewed and accepted. A mission revenue and spending plan (a.k.a. the church budget) is presented, discussed and adopted. Past year successes and challenges are highlighted. Priorities and goals for the upcoming year are shared and celebrated. A slate of officers and lay leaders will be presented by the Nominating committee.
If you are new to Bethel, this is a GREAT way to understand how our church “works”. The meeting is open to anyone who would like to attend. For issues that require a formal vote, the official members of the congregation qualify to express a “yes”, “no” or “abstain”. Bethel friends who have not formally joined the church are encouraged to ask questions and share their insights and perspectives with respect to the topic “on the floor”. While essential decisions need to be authorized by a formal motion and vote, Bethel strives to make decisions through a process of dialogue and consensus.