Resources for Congregations
The Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ (UCC) has gathered a variety of resources for our congregations related to church vitality and conference support. As a conference, we seek to support the ministry of all our local churches. Not finding what you need? Please let us know! You can contact the conference office at 207.662.3100 or via email.
Core Resources
Compensation Guidelines
Salary and benefit guidelines for clergy in the Maine Conference are reviewed and approved annually. These are guidelines approved by the 2023 annual meetings for the year 2024.
Abuse Prevention Resources
Insurance Board partners with Praesidium to offer a toolkit to assist churches in developing a strong abuse prevention program. With this tooklit, churches can protect their ministry against the potential of abuse.
Living Wage Calculator
The tool helps determine a local wage rate that allows residents to meet minimum standards of living. Estimate the cost of living in your community or region based on typical expenses.
Pension Boards Information
View the current rates for the UCC Medical Benefits Plan through the Pension Boards, offering a schedule of comprehensive benefits to assist participants in maintaining healthy lifestyles.
Our Churches' Wider Mission (OCWM)
Each church in the Maine Conference is strongly encouraged to give a portion of their yearly budget to Our Churches’ Wider Mission (OCWM) basic support. Learn more about the process of giving, what resources are available, and the other special funds of the UCC, and how to be “5 for 5”.
Insurance Board Questions
Questions about the Insurance Board? Talk to the Maine Conference representative, Jeff McDonnell.
Address: 141 North Main Street Brewer ME 04412
Phone: 207.942.7371
Email: jeff@insurancemadeeasy.com
Connection and Support
Search and Call
The staff of the Maine Conference are ready to support local churches seeking leadership. Entering a time of leadership transition? Contact our Ministerial Staff. You can be in contact with either Conference Minister Rev. Dr. Marisa Laviola or Associate Conference Minister (ACM) Rev. Samantha Houser to be directed to the appropriate resources and guidelines.
Rev. Dr. Marisa Laviola
Rev. Samantha Houser
Associate Conference Minister
Email for questions about Ministerial Standing and Search and Call.
Resourcing the Local Church
Resourcing the Local Church Grants provide funding to churches and individuals within the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ (UCC). This is includes grants for churches, grants for individuals, and scholarships for Members in Discernment (MiD).
Pulpit Supply List
To learn more about who is available for Pulpit Supply in your Association; please contact the Moderator of your Association or a member of our Ministerial Staff.
Because the act of worship leadership and preaching is sacred and carries such responsibility, you are encouraged to have a conversation with individuals before asking them to preach. You will find it meaningful to ask about their theology and beliefs, what themes or scriptures they like to focus on when preaching. You are encouraged to ask them about their training and education, and their style of preaching and worship leadership, including how they want to be involved or not in the planning of worship and the other parts of worship beside preaching. It will also be important to ask their willingness to lead in-person and/or online worship, their willingness to being a part of worship that is recorded or broadcasted, and to talk through the safety practices of your congregation regarding Covid-19.
Consolidated Trust
The Board of Trustees manage the Consolidated Trust of the Maine Conference, a pooled collection of endowment and investment funds of the Maine Conference, plus 75 Maine Churches and 9 related ministries. The funds are professionally managed by HeadInvest, an investment firm in Portland, ME, with a focus on long-term investment. The Trustees meet quarterly to review the performance of the Consolidated Trust Fund, as well as review and set investment policy, and set the annual pay-out rate.
About the Consolidated Trust
The Trustees, with the expertise of their financial advisor, are committed to preserving the principal of the Consolidated Trust focusing on the long-term balanced with Socially Responsible Investing and keeping in mind the values of the United Church of Christ.
Our Priorities
- Investing for long-term growth.
- Providing a means of income for investing churches through a quarterly pay-out.
- Investing to achieve a long-term return necessary to offset inflation and to pay out the scheduled disbursements.
- Setting the quarterly payout rate annually, i.e. the rate for the year is set in March and that same rate is used for all four quarters.
- Periodic review of the Investment Policy with updates as warranted.
- Socially responsible investing.
Our Trustees
Jeff McDonnell
chair
Hariph Smith
Treasurer
Renita Dehais
Treasury Assistant
non-voting
Ken Blaschke
Investment Advisor
non-voting
Rev. Dr. Marisa Laviola
Conference Minister
non-voting
Alexis Fuller-Wright
Associate Conference Minister
non-voting
Scott Hammond
Dana Mitiguy
Diane Bennekamper
Bernys Doak
Caroline Payson
Investment Resources and Information
Maine’s UCC Churches are serving their congregations and communities in a variety of ways, from regular church services, to food pantries to mission work. All of these services have one thing in common: they must be financially supported. As our churches face these challenges, many have found it necessary to develop endowment funds to ensure that such services can be continued in future years. Assuring that these funds are well invested is difficult in financially turbulent times, especially for smaller churches which find the cost of managing endowments prohibitive. The Maine Conference Consolidated Trust Funds offer an effective means of professionally managing funds for your church.
Performance and benchmark information and necessary paperwork can be obtained by contacting Renita Dehais via email or phone at 207.530.9593. Investments and withdrawals are allowed at the end of each quarter, proper paperwork must be received by the Maine Conference by five business days prior to the end of the quarter.
Contact Us
Questions about the Consolidated Trust? Contact Renita Dehais via email or phone at 207.530.9593.
Get Involved
Interested in serving on the Board of Trustees for the Consolidated Trust? Submit your name to the Governance Committee. Prior investing experience, whether personal or professional, is a plus but not required.