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General Synod Update from the UCC Web Site

SYNOD SUPPORTS STOCKHOLDER RESOLUTIONS AS TOOL FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE 

Also:
Okinawa resolution passes 
Spotlight on a Synod organizer 
Youth speaks out 

Contact: Irwin Smallwood 
UCC Office of Communication 
July 8, 1997 

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The UCC's General Synod 21 Tuesday voted
overwhelmingly to throw its weight into a campaign to reverse a
Security and Exchange Commission ruling that prohibits shareholders
from using a strategy known as "proxy statements" to raise concerns
regarding such issues as discrimination, fair wages and sweatshop
conditions. 

Delegates voted to accept a strongly worded resolution that encourages
"all conferences, local churches and members of congregations which
hold stock investments" to write SEC members, their congressional
delegations and the President of the United States, urging them to
reverse the so-called "Cracker Barrel decision" and "once again allow
resolutions on employment policies and practices which address
significant social issues." 

These shareholder resolutions formerly could be included on proxy
statements for annual corporation meetings, but in 1992 the SEC made a
dramatic about face. It announced in a "no action" letter to Cracker
Barrel Old Country Stores, Inc., that shareholder resolutions on
"employment policies and practices" for the "general workforce" could
be omitted from proxy statements on ordinary business grounds. 

The UCC and other religious organizations had used their shareholdings
in U.S. corporations for years to start dialogue for social change
and, during the 1980s, to help convince U.S. firms to remove interests
in South Africa in order to topple apartheid. 

The 1992 "no action" letter reversed the SEC's 1976 policy statement
that declared that companies must include in the proxy statement
shareholder resolutions that "have significant policy, economic and
other implications inherent in them." 

Now the SEC suggests that shareholders wishing to hold their companies
accountable in areas of social responsibility should resort to the
legal system for redress. But, according to the resolution's advocacy
statement, such recourse is time-consuming and expensive, increases
the work load of an already overburdened court system, and "polarizes
the parties involved and mitigates against meaningful dialogue between
shareholders and management." 

BY NARROW VOTE, SYNOD URGES WITHDRAWAL OF U.S. TROOPS FROM OKINAWA 

Contact: Irwin Smallwood 
UCC Office of Communication 
July 8, 1997 

COLUMBUS, Ohio - General Synod 21 of the United Church of Christ
Tuesday passed a resolution urging the government of the United States
to "implement immediately a phased removal of all U.S. military bases
and personnel" from Okinawa, but by a narrow margin that remained in
doubt for almost five minutes. 

Proponents argued that U.S. military bases have had a significant
negative impact on Okinawan life. They cited frequent plane crashes,
including one that landed on an elementary school; the fact that
American weapons systems have left toxic pollutants there; and that in
a 1996 non-binding plebiscite nine out of ten of those voting
supported removal of the bases. 

Before the vote was taken, however, delegates raised concerns that
helpful uses of the bases were being overlooked. For example, they
said, at least three major humanitarian relief efforts have been
implemented from the bases in the 1990s, and the bases serve as a
major deterrent against possible aggression from China and North
Korea. 

"There was a significant number who voted against the amendment or
abstained," said Ferdinand Rico of Pacific Islander and Asian American
Ministries (PAAM). "This opposition makes us realize that the myth
that the U.S. military is in Okinawa to protect the Okinawan people is
alive and well. There is so much education that still needs to be
done." 

SHE'S THE PERSON WHO HAS TO SAY 'NO' 

Contact: Irwin Smallwood 
UCC Office of Communication 
July 8, 1997 

COLUMBUS, Ohio - To most of the weary delegates to General Synod 21
here this week, 1999 and General Synod 22 in Providence, R.I., seem
remote and distant. But to Florence Coppola, they feel more like
tomorrow. And Kansas City, 2001 and General Synod 23 are no more than
the day after tomorrow to her. 

On Florence Coppola's shoulders rests the uneasy responsibility to see
that the UCC's biennial gatherings come off smoothly. Her official
title is Meeting Coordinator, but even she would be hard pressed to
recount all her tasks. 

Ask her to characterize her job in one sentence, she replies with a
wry grin, "I'm the person who has to say no." 

She obviously relishes the challenges she faces at General Synod, and
most often can be seen walking softly around the edges of the action,
watching, listening, making mental notes of whatever problems the hour
may bring. She always has her walkie-talkie radio in hand, to keep in
constant contact with her colleagues. 

"I also keep my aspirin and Tums close by," she says. 

A lot of people come to General Synod with an agenda and don't take
kindly to circumstances that get in its way, she says. The one thing
that causes her the most trouble is housing. "The room is too hot, or
too cold, there's no water, the shuttles don't run often enough - it's
never ending," she says. "Like two years ago. One hotel came up 15
rooms short of its commitment, and when I called them on it, the
manager denied it and said, 'Well, they're my rooms and I can do
anything I want with them.' He had given them to others." 

Some delegates also complain about the food, "as though it were my
fault. But they have never tasted my cooking," she adds. 

On-site problems are common, as well. Perhaps the most serious
incident she has experienced occurred six years ago at Norfolk, Va.,
when a man making a committee report to the plenary injected a little
Orson Welles "War of the Worlds" into his presentation. He announced
out of the blue that the arena staff had requested that everybody
evacuate the building at once. 

Fortunately, the ploy was detected immediately and panic was avoided,
calm restored and the schedule resumed. 

Another moment of extreme tension occurred eight years ago at Fort
Worth, when a severe thunderstorm swept over the area. The lights
flickered but, thankfully, power was not lost. "It could have been a
really difficult time if we had fallen into complete darkness,"
Coppola recalls. 

Remembering times like that make minor problems easier to handle, she
adds. "When someone complains that the piano is one foot out of place,
putting the problem into perspective makes it more tolerable," she
says. "Even when the blueprints for the meeting area never arrive," as
happened once. 

What makes it all worthwhile, she says, is seeing it all come
together. "That makes it okay, and all the pain goes away." 

When she first went to work as a temp in the office of UCC President
Robert Moss 21 years ago, she had no idea it would lead to this. After
a dozen or so years there, much of that as an ecumenical liaison, she
struck out on her own as a consultant, then returned a year later to
the UCC. 

Now Coppola works full time for the United Church Board for Homeland
Ministries and spends most of her time planning and coordinating
meetings. After a short break following General Synod here this week,
she will get down to serious work on the details of General Synod 22
in Providence, and then Kansas City. 

Actually, she's already spent more time on Kansas City four years away
than on Providence, because at Kansas City the UCC will hold its Synod
concurrently with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) General
Assembly. That means she and her Disciples counterpart will have to
make arrangements for the UCC's 2,500 people and the 10,000 delegates
and visitors who attend Disciples assemblies. 

QUOTES OF THE DAY:

"With the passage of this resolution, the chances of this same
resolution being passed at the General Assembly of the Christian
Church (Disciples of Christ) in Denver later this month have
increased. The Episcopal Church will also consider a resolution on
Okinawa this year. Consider yourselves to be part of a major movement,
after 52 years, to return lands to Okinawan people." 
-- Ferdinand Rico, after the vote urging withdrawal of U.S. bases from
Okinawa. 

"Several times over the past few days, the youth and young adults in
this denomination have been called the future of our church. As
wonderful and hopeful as that statement may be, it is also important
to fully recognize, acknowledge and affirm the many roles we play in,
and the many contributions we make to the United Church of Christ
today and every day. It should be obvious by now that we are NOT here
to PLAY at being delegates, any more than we are here simply to learn
how to be real delegates when we grow up. Nor are we waiting for a
phone call telling us. 'It's your turn now, the future has come.'
Relegating to the future the role of youth and young adults in this
church overlooks and devalues our past and present contributions to
the UCC. We will be part of the church of the future, but we are also,
with all of you, part of the church NOW!" 
-- Sarah Elizabeth Kim Young, Penn Northeast Conference, during an
early Tuesday morning Speakout session, advocating for more
regard for the role of youth in all the workings of the United Church
of Christ and its General Synod. 

OTHER SYNOD ACTIONS:

Resolution on democracy and human rights in Nigeria passed with a lone
nay vote. 

Resolution advocating for the cessation of female genital mutilation
passed with one nay vote and a scattering of abstainers. 

Resolution urging the withdrawal of U.S. military bases from Okinawa,
Japan, passed. The vote was rather close with substantial nays and
abstainers. 

Resolution to reduce the size of the World Board size committed to
Executive Council for action. The World Board introduced the
resolution in anticipation of the restructure. 

Resolution on the recognition of health and healing ministries passed
overwhelmingly. 

Resolution on reaffirming the role of pastor as teacher passed
overwhelmingly. 

As of press time, resolutions on Jerusalem, Palestine, U.S. prisons as
industrial complexes and Harm Reduction had not yet come to the
General Synod plenary floor. For information on these resolutions,
contact one of the people listed on the first page of this section. 

Contributing to this update were W. Evan Golder, Hans Holznagel, Tim
Kershner, Barb Powell, Ferdinand Rico, Irwin Smallwood, Randy Varcho
and William C. Winslow. 

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