Over 300 clergy, lay leaders, church delegates and visitors attended the 31st Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference, held in Grand Junction, Colorado. For four days, June 9 through 12, workshops, worship, fellowship and business meetings offered something for everyone.

Attendees enjoyed the gracious hospitality extended by the congregation of First Congregational United Church of Christ and the Rev. Sharyl Peterson. The churches in the Western Association supplied hundreds of wonderful home-baked cookies.

Clergy, in care students and partners gathered for a dinner and to hear Ron Buford speak about the God is Still Speaking Initiative on Thursday evening.

On Friday morning, clergy and lay leaders were able to complete the second part of boundaries training and learn new strategies and approaches for stewardship.

Displays educated meeting delegates about justice issues, education resources, outdoor ministries and various other opportunities.

The La Foret Board of Directors hosted a hospitality tent, providing s'mores and information about our beautiful retreat center.

The first business session, on Friday afternoon, began with the Rev. Curt Minter leading “Liturgy for a body in need of a heart doctor.” The Rev. Sharyl Peterson welcomed everyone to her church and to Grand Junction.

Our keynoted speaker was Sid Fowler, the national UCC’s minister for worship, liturgy and spiritual formation. He presented the results of the UCC's research on how we worship today.
Are we who we say we are? As might be expected, the answer to this question varies a great deal between our churches.
This research will assist us with strategies for worship and leadership in our churches today and in the future.

Special guests at this year’s meeting includedDaniel Sevilla and Ramon Castillo, ministers from the Evangelical Pentecostal Union of Venezuela (UEPV). Also introduced were Robinson Lapp representing the CUE Seminaries, JoAnne Bogart and Joy Wills, national educational consultants for the UCC and Bruce MacKenzie and Chuck Holgren, annuitant visitors for the conference.

Delegates and clergy, from churches in the Rocky Mountain Conference, discussed and approved at this year’s annual meeting:

• the 2005 and 2006 budgets
• an increase in per capita – from $5 per member to $10 per member
• changes to the RMC By-laws, Constitution and Articles of Incorporation
• new Clergy Compensation Guidelines.

Tom Rehling, nominated by the Conference Minister Search Committee and recommended by the RMC Board of Directors, was elected to serve as conference minister of the Rocky Mountain Conference by the annual meeting delegates and clergy.

Rob and Jan Lapp, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by treating everyone to cake, at the lunch association meetings, on Saturday.

On Saturday afternoon, delegates attended workshops or went on a winery tour.

At the Saturday evening banquet the peacemaker, church person of the year, honored laywomen and the scholarship were awarded and the film “Call Me Malcolm” was shown.

The 2005 Rocky Mountain Conference Annual Meeting closed with inspirational worship services on Sunday morning.