Passing the Buck on Climate Change

Okay, so I did say that I would write more in this issue of the E-Bulletin about climate change and the two resolutions that General Synod will act upon this summer. I did hear from a few folks who shared important information both in support of continuing investments in fossil fuel corporations and in support of fossil fuel divestment efforts due to the devastations of rising air temperatures from the carbon emissions of cars, factories, and energy generating plants.

Whatever I have to say about this matter pales in comparison to what Rev. Jim Antal shared with the Nebraska Conference UCC at their annual meeting last week. These two PDF files - one a keynote address and the other a Sunday sermon - are very significant "call to arms" for those of us in the religious community. Each is a powerful reminder of the moral power of our churches that should be mustered at this critical moment in the history of our planet. Jim Antal is the Conference Minister of the Massachusetts Conference. I commend these presentations to you with the hope that they will spur the churches of the Michigan Conference to begin new conversations about our role in helping to save Mother Earth.

Jim Antal Keynote Address

Jim Antal Sermon

                                                                                              With you on the journey,

The Michigan representative to the UCC's Executive Committee, Penny Lowes, and Conference Minister, Campbell Lovett, are working with the Compassionate Generosity Mission Area Team to begin an OCWM Ambassador program. The goal of this project is to recruit a dozen "ambassadors" in each Association to visit every local church and share expressions of thanks. Local churches join in the mission of the wider church through their support of Our Church's Wider Mission. A program to systematically say "thank you" for support and answer questions about the work of the wider church is very important in helping churches feel connected to the mission and ministry of the Association, Conference, and National Setting of the denomination.

Retired Clergy, former board members, mission committee members, General Synod delegates, those who were trained as Mission Interpreters, and anyone else who loves the United Church of Christ are being invited to take part in this innovative program. If you are interested in finding out more information about OCWM Ambassadors, please email or call Lisa Soulliere at the Conference Office (lisa@michucc.org)

Conference staff recently sat down with Mark Lambert, the Michigan Representative of the United Church Insurance Board to talk about summer mission trips.

Q: Hey Mark, we've got a lot of local churches heading out this summer for mission trips. Is there anything these churches should do in advance?

Mark:  You may have sold the church bus long ago. But that doesn't mean your church is free from transportation risk. Every time personal cars transport people to and from church-sponsored functions, the church could be assuming some liability for the occupants' safety.

Q: You talk about liability, Mark, are you a lawyer too?

Mark: Let me stop right here and say I am not a lawyer, and that this should not be construed as legal advice.  You must seek the advice of an attorney licensed to practice in Michigan before acting on this information. That being said, let's talk about "entrustment".

The church could be held responsible for the acts of the drivers of private cars on church-related business because it "entrusted" its members to the care of the driver. So, if the driver acts in a negligent way and people are injured, the church could be charged with "negligent entrustment." This could be construed as a failure by the church to recruit competent drivers, or a failure to train and monitor them.

Q: Is this something our church insurance policy might cover?

This risk in a church insurance policy is addressed by a coverage part called the "Hired and Non-Owned Auto" section. Here is what you should do to make sure you are covered:

1. Contact your agent to be sure Hired and Non-Owned Auto coverage is in place on your policy. With some companies, this coverage part is automatically included in every policy. With other companies, you must add it by endorsement and pay an additional premium.
2. Once you confirm that the coverage is in place, ask "Who is an insured?" for the purposes of this coverage. Make sure that church members and volunteers are named in this section.
3. Check your limits. One or two million in coverage seems to be the limit most often seen in this coverage part.
4. Since this part also covers the operation of rental vehicles, ask if physical damage to the rented vehicle is covered.

Q: This is great advice, Mark! Is there a website that has more good information like this?

Mark: The Insurance Board has a tremendous resource to help you with these issues - and many more - that relate to the operation of a vehicle owned by the church, or the coordination of transportation provided by volunteers. Go to www.insuranceboard.org . On the home page, click on Safety Solutions, and then look in the middle of the page for a hotlink that says Manual, Loss Control - Vol. 3 - Transportation.

Of course, you are free to browse through the many other FREE safety resources at our site. You don't have to be a participant in our property insurance program to use any of our prevention resources.

Q: Thanks, Mark. 

• Our first Advocacy Day went well. We have reviewed the feedback and plan to make revisions toward offering similar events, perhaps in various locales.
• We are pleased to announce that we have been awarded a Brown Grant from national to fund our Inclusive Justice program. Within the next few weeks we will plan workshops throughout the conference.
• On July 13th we will participate with the UU Social Justice Network and leaders from the Jewish community in a Reproductive Justice Conference in Detroit. A save the date flier is attached.  SAVE THE DATE - Flyer
• Draft Resolutions are due by June 19th. Submit them to Lisa Soulliere ( lisa@michucc.org). Review of proposals, as well as, the Conference resolutions guidelines be conducted by the team at the June 22nd meeting after which the team will send those who have submitted proposals, the details of how to proceed with the process.
• PI-MAT continually evaluates its effectiveness and updates procedure to be good stewards of our resources. We are working toward stronger relationships with churches and leaders. At our next meeting we will discuss how social action and social justice ministry interface. Although we want to focus on advocacy we realize that hands on projects contribute to the trusting relationships in which advocacy has the deepest meaning.

July 13  9 a.m. - 4 p.m. STANDING UP FOR REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE ... an interfaith voice for women, men and gay communities. First Unitarian Universalist Church of Detroit, 4605 Cass Avenue, Detroit. This conference examines the religious grounds (United Church of Christ, Judaism, and Unitarian Universalism) for being a reproductive justice advocate; discusses the impact of reproductive injustice on various communities; shares resources for teaching others about reproductive justice; provides updates on Michigan legislation; and trains citizens to communicate with their State legislators. KEYNOTE: Rep. Vicki Barnett. Sponsors: Equality Michigan; Mothering Justice; Michigan Conference - United Church of Christ; Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network; National Council of Jewish Women - Michigan; and Planned Parenthood - Michigan. Lunch and child care provided. Register at: www.uujustice.org/conferenceregistration2.html $15 ($5 for students or low income persons). For more information (or to register) call: 248-549-5170.