CEO presents business plan to UCG-BI council, congregations

By David Fenney

GLOUCESTER, England--The chief executive officer of the United Church of God British Isles (UCG-BI) presented the business plan for the coming year to the sixth annual general meeting of the church, which is affiliated with the United Church of God an International Association, Milford, Ohio.

The meeting took place Sunday, June 29, in Gloucester and was attended by all eight members of the UCG-BI's national council, plus several other church members who are "members of the church as a charity" and thereby enabled to take part in the business of the church as a registered United Kingdom charity.

In all, 18 people were present, with an additional number participating in the business session by means of postal balloting.

Changes to the membership of the national council during the past year meant that both the chairman, Bryan Ellams, and the chief executive officer, Mr. Hawkins, were officiating at an annual general meeting for the first time.

After an opening prayer Mr. Ellams was the first to address the meeting, discussing how the work of the charity had continued through the past year and concluding with words of thanks to the members of the national council, to the members of the church and to the home office of the UCG, near Cincinnati, Ohio, for its assistance and support.

After the chairman's message, Mr. Hawkins reported on challenges and successes the church experienced in the last year, highlighting topics that would form the foundation of the business plan he presented later in the afternoon.

Next Brian Penheiro, treasurer, gave a summary of the church's accounts for its financial year ending June 30, concluding that the church should end the fiscal year with income ahead of budget and with expenditures generally on budget.

In the business portion of the meeting, the minutes of the previous annual general meeting were approved after an agreed amendment; Jan Schroeder, a nonexecutive member of the council whose term expired with this meeting, was returned for a further three-year term; and the church's budget proposal for its new financial year starting on July 1 was ratified.

Finally, Mr. Hawkins presented the business plan, which he summarized under seven headings: the church, finances, the national council, the church's office, the Internet, the mailing list of The Good News; and radio.

As with each of the earlier reports, the meeting was opened to discussion and comments from the audience.