Present: Marcie Agee, Deanne Bellinger, Ginger Comstock, Gordon Comstock, Rick Cowles, Lawrence Gilley, Peg Mainusch, Clare Price, Bob Welcher. Margie Watrobski.

In the absence of Bonnie Bates, Bob Welcher presided. The meeting was called to order at 11:00 a.m.

Clare Price offered an opening prayer.

COMPLETING THE CIRCLE
An update on the Personnel Committee’s “Completing the Circle” review was tabled until Bonnie Bates, who is also the Personnel Chair, could be with us.

DAVID SOUTHARD
Bob Welcher spoke of how touched the Southard family was to our naming the Global Mission award after David, and how much they appreciated the thoughts and memories of David they were sent from our last meeting.

SOUTH AFRICA TRIP
Rick Cowles provided an itinerary of the upcoming trip on July 30-August 16. The primary locations the group will visit are East London, where the Barnes have been stationed, and Port Elizabeth, where the EKHN has contacts. There also will be an overnight stay at a Game Reserve and Elephant Park. The Barnes will be in the states at the time, but will set up hosts for us. The itinerary and application are available on Rick’s Flowing Streams site. The age for participating is between 18 and 30; the total expense has not yet been finalized, but is estimated at $3000 ($1600 of which is for air fare). At our next meeting we will discuss the possibility of financial aid for the South Africans who will be joining us. The Commission’s budget must pay one-half of Rick’s expenses.

NY/HELP
Ginger and Gordon Comstock reported that a trip to Honduras is planned for Feb. 21 – March 4, and another during the summer. Eleven individuals are going in February, including four Spanish-speakers. A decision will be made whether NY/HELP can finish their work at LaLaguna; the new government might pay the salary for the nurse at the clinic. NY/HELP is looking at the possibility of moving to another location in Honduras. Sustainable Harvest also is looking at one of those areas and NY/HELP might work with them.
A discussion was held regarding the lack of any official connection between NY/HELP and Global Ministries. The reason for this is, at least in part, that the church in Honduras through which Global Ministries works is not as interested in the community social and medical work done by NY/HELP as it is in church-building. Moreover, NY/Help is more ecumenical.

NICARAGUA UPDATE
Margie Watrobski reported that Mision Cristiana is unable to send anyone to our annual meeting. They have been rebuilding following a hurricane in November that damaged four of their churches, as well as many roads. One of the Mision Cristiana churches provides food and life-skills education for about 300 children, five days per week. Another church does the same for 118 children, three times per week. Marcie Agee is travelling to Nicaragua in February with students from the Lutheran High School on Long Island, and will try to connect with a Mision Cristiana church if possible.

HAITI RELIEF
The UCC has an ongoing relationship with the Council of Churches in Haiti. Any money sent through the UCC will be well spent. Church World Service needs hygiene kits to replace or add to the kits that have been or are going to Haiti. The Global Ministries website has links for donations and devotions relating to the crisis in Haiti. Bob Welcher provided a prayer for Haiti, from the Global Ministries Website, which was read in unison.

DISASTER-RESPONSE TEAM
Clare Price reported that the Gowanda Church has made a lot of progress in repairing damage from the floods last August, but recently lost the manse to a fire. It was their new pastor’s first week at the church. Charlotte Cialone and Amos Acree have stepped up as disaster-response leaders in the Western Region. The Metro Association, however, needs more outreach than what has been done so far. The training program is being streamlined; the team is to have a meeting with Conference Staff; and the team will do a workshop at the Annual Meeting.

EKHN UPDATE
Clare Price reported that, EKHN is inviting up to 7 youth, ages 14-18, to join their annual youth event in early June. Our Commission on Ecumenism is inviting German youth to visit us during the summer. The youth are to be hosted in local homes across the state.

WEBSITES
Lawrence Gilley reported that he has been unable to correct errors on a Global Church page on the Conference website. A result, we have been using Rick’s Flowing Streams site more than the Conference site.

NEW MEMBERS
It was noted that we should encourage anyone with an interest in Gloibal Mission to be a member of the Commission or work with us on an ad hoc basis on our various projects.

MISSIONARY UPDATE
Bob Welcher reported that Jonathan and Dawn Barnes (South Africa) officially are to begin itineration in July 1. We are trying to get permission for them to come earlier and be with us at the Annual Meeting, and it appears that we will be successful in that effort. Bob Welcher has invited the Barneses to his church and Peg asked him to consider the Garden City Church in Metro, as well. Bob will contact Cleveland for assurances that the NY Conference will be on their itinerary. MOTION by Lawrence Gilley, seconded by Peg Mainusch, and unanimously carried, that we act on our prior decision to enter into a relationship with the Hansens (Honduras), mainly consisting of communications and mutual visits. Bob Welcher will ask Global Ministries why the Hansens are not listed on the website as missionaries.F1 Rick pointed out that Alan Dicken is the only missionary listed in Honduras.

ANNUAL MEETING
Bob Welcher reviewed the proposals he has had for workshops. Peg Mainusch will contact Rev. Donna Schaper about a workshop on the New Sanctuary Movement. Rev. Craig Schaub might also participate. Rick Cowles reminded us the there are pages on the Flowing Streams website for the Annual Meeting. Rick will send commission members Jonathan Barnes’s abstract of the book Learning to Live Together by Lothar Bauerochse. The abstract will be easier to read than the entire book, should we choose it for a discussion at the Annual Meeting. BE READY TO DISCUSS THE ABSTRACT AT THE MARCH MEETING. Marcia Tollman (sp?), who oversees the children’s program at the Annual Meeting, wants to incorporate the theme of Global Mission, as well as have the children participate in the hygiene-kit project. Peg Mainusch will put together a letter for Claudette Spence to include in the newsletter, asking any local church that has done global mission work to send summaries and photos for a display at the Annual Meeting. Melva Victorino will be asked to create a letter to local churches with an explanation of our desire for 10 GM Churches by June, the requirements for becoming a GM Church, links to the GM website for the application, and an offer of assistance to any church that needs it.

The meeting ended at 2:40 p.m.
Rick Cowles prayed us home.

NEXT MEETING – MARCH 27