Boards and Committees

Boards and Committees of the United Congregational Church of Tolland are established in the Church Bylaws.  Terms expire at the end of the calendar year; new nominees are voted on at the January Annual Meeting.

Church Officers

Stewardship Committee

The function of the Stewardship Committee is to plan and organize the annual pledge campaign for the United Congregational Church of Tolland.

Business Committee and Board of Trustees

The members of the Business Committee and the Board of Trustees are responsible for overseeing the maintenance of church properties, the payment of the church's financial obligations, and the development of the annual budget with the assistance of the various boards and committees of our church.

Trustees

Business Committee

Board of Christian Education

The purpose of the Board of Christian Education is to foster, develop, and maintain a comprehensive and vital program of Christian Education for the church.

Church School is held in the Christian Education Building Sunday mornings, September through May, at 8:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. for children two years of age through seventh grade.  Confirmation Classes are offered for eighth graders.  Cradle Room service is provided during the 8:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. worship services for children and infants to two years of age.  Contact Amie Giguere at AGiguere.ucct@snet.net. 

Board of Deacons

Missions and Outreach Board

The function of the Missions and Outreach Board is to promote the missions of the United Church of Christ which include One Great Hour of Sharing, Neighbors in Need, and other  related missions such as the Heifer Project, and Church World Service.  Also, the board is responsible for educating the congregation about opportunities and programs of these and other missions.

In addition to being recognized as a "beyond tithing" congregation in our financial giving, members work together to improve others' lives.  We participate in special offerings:  Habitat for Humanity, Tolland Food Pantry, Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, and Tolland Fuel Bank.  In the fall of the year, we sponsor the annual CROP Golf Benefit.

Flower Committee

The purpose of the Flower Committee is to arrange for the flowers at the worship services of the church.

Music Committee

The Music Committee, in cooperation with the Director of Music, shall have general oversight of the music of the church.  We have active Adult Choir, Children's Choir, and Joyful Voices Choir. 

Scholarship Committee

A Scholarship Committee was established in 2000 to promote church scholarships and to receive and review applications to existing and all future scholarship funds.  In consultation with the pastors, the committee selects the recipients, determines the amount of each award, and shares in the presentation.  Students may find the applications for the scholarships online.

Delegates to the Tolland Association and 
Connecticut Conference

Delegates to the Tolland Association and Connecticut Conference represent our church at all meetings of the Tolland Association including examinations, ordinations, and installations of clergy.  Delegates may be asked to serve on Association committees or as officers and to attend our Church Council meetings if needed, to present an Association concern to church leadership.

Senior Pastor Pastoral Relations Committee

The goal of the Senior Pastor Pastoral Relations Committee is to support and maintain an open and healthy relationship between the Senior Pastor and members of the congregation.  This committee is an advisory group to the Senior Pastor and provides support for his leadership.

Associate Pastor Pastoral Relations Committee

The goal of the Associate Pastor Pastoral Relations Committee is to support and maintain an open and healthy relationship between the Associate Pastor and members of the congregation.  This committee is an advisory group to the Associate Pastor and provides support for her leadership.

Church Council

The Church Council consists of all board and committee chairpersons, representatives of all organizations affiliated with the church, the pastors, church officers and three new members at large.  According to church bylaws, the Council shall serve as a program-planning group, coordinating all church activities and organizations.

The Church Council will serve as the leadership body of the congregation to provide greater church direction, support the mission of the church, and be a forum for church-wide topics.  Focused on that objective, and by maintaining a current understanding of the feelings, thoughts, concerns, joys and heritage of the congregation we will:

• Provide feedback on issues or potential decisions presented by boards, committees or organizations
• Review and propose changes to gaps in church programming
• Ensure support of church calendar planning
• Establish and oversee special committees
• Review by-laws and propose changes as appropriate
• Ensure open and timely communication throughout the church on church-wide topics

The Church Council will make its decisions by being accountable to God, the congregation, Council members, and the boards, committees and organizations they represent.

Tolland Green Learning Center

Tolland Green Learning Center is an independent program that provides care for children 3 through 8 years of age Monday through Friday from 6:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.  Founded by the United Congregational Church, we continue to support this quality program for families.  They occupy six classrooms of the Christian Education Building and the playground behind. Contact Liz Thornton (875-2795) for information.  

Endowment Committee

In recent years more and more churches, both denominations and local churches, have been engaged in helping members do planned giving—the giving of gifts of accumulated assets either in the giver's lifetime or after death. (from http://www.ucc.org/giving/endowments.html) 

Youth Committee

The purpose of the Youth Committee is to support the existing youth fellowship programs with the Director.  The committee shall work to create opportunities for youth involvement in a growing number of places in the Church, and to promote strong relationships between peers, adults, families, and personal relationships with God.

Web Page Committee

In March 2002, Bob Bittner created the United Congregational Church of Tolland Web page.  Bob has been a member of our church since 1980.  He currently serves on the board of deacons and on the Web page committee.  Bob created and maintained the Vernon Center Middle School web page while teaching there and later the Rockville High School web page after being transferred to that school.  He retired and gave up the high school page in 2007.  Bob taught technology education and computer science.

The United Congregational Church of Tolland web page is updated continuously and serves as a source of general information about activities and events at the church.  The web page committee meets on the first Thursday of the month.  Contact the following for comments, questions, or concerns about our web pages.

Interiors Committee

The Interiors Committee focuses on completing projects that were initiated in past years as well as initiating new facility improvement efforts.  The committee completed the decorating and furnishing of the Miller room, the Reading Room and replaced the exterior doors on the church stairway landing.  Many of these projects were made possible only through donations by groups and individuals within the church.

Now, for the Future Committee

The Connecticut Conference embarked in a Capital Campaign in October 2005 to raise funds for the improvement of the Silver Lake Conference Center.  In 2007, our Church Council accepted and endorsed a recommendation to set a congregational goal for our church of $120,000 over four years to be raised through fundraising and voluntary pledges.  The committee has held suppers, concerts and other activates to raise funds toward this goal.

Gigi Broderick    Dottie Kick    Lori Thompson

Updated January 30, 2012
Webmaster RBittner@charter.net