About the USCC Website

This website has been developed and is maintained by members of the Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ (USCC). The original prototype for the USCC Website was conceived in 1994-95 by USCC member and Castlegar artist, art teacher and graphic designer, John J. Kalmakov. He continued to develop its design and content over the years until 2005, at which time he donated the results of his work to the USCC and the site went on-line on a trial basis. With the added involvement and support of others, the website went through further refinement and development and it was adopted as the official USCC Website at the 2008 USCC Annual Convention.

A Protocol for its ongoing development and maintenance was adopted by the USCC Executive Committee on June 1, 2008, at which time John Kalmakov was officially designated as the USCC Webmaster, with D.E. (Jim) Popoff as Assistant to the Webmaster. An active, Grand Forks USCC member, former Editor of ISKRA, and well-known Doukhobor historical authority, Jim had already contributed materials to the Website, and was henceforth entrusted with assisting in the areas of content development, news coverage, communications and special features for the Website. John J. Verigin, as USCC Executive Director, was delegated to serve in an Administrative Liaison role for USCC Website development and maintenance.

Over the next several years, this designated USCC Web Team - consisting primarily of the Webmaster and his Assistant, along with an informal group of photographers, journalistic stringers, and technical consultants, and with financial support from various USCC groups and individuals - proceeded to develop and maintain the USCC Website. During this time, the content and scope of the Web Cluster was increased ten-fold, and the visiting Internet audience comprised tens of thousands of separate individuals per year.

By 2010-11, it became clear that the ongoing development and growth of the USCC Website had attracted a very large audience and that further benefits could be attained with the regular updating of content and the inclusion of more information and interactive features. However, in order to do so, additional resources would be required and new and younger personnel would need to be trained. At the request of the newly constituted USCC Youth, Membership and Communication Committee (YMC), the USCC Web Team presented a business plan for an orderly pursuit of these objectives and the YMC submitted a Resolution in that regard to the 2011 USCC Annual Convention that was unanimously approved by delegates.

However, the USCC Executive chose not to implement the provisions of that Resolution, and after a prolonged period of deliberation by the USCC Executive, USCC Communications Advisory Board (CAB) and others, the administration ultimately adopted a policy effectively down-sizing the scope of USCC online activities. Anticipating that this revised model would also require reconfiguration of resources and personnel, the USCC AGM approved a CAB resolution requiring a new business plan for the future maintenance of all USCC Website assets.

In a related decision, the original USCC Web Team tendered its resignation as of December 31, 2013, while volunteering to remain for an additional six months to continue minimal website maintenance and to help facilitate a transition. On April 15, 2014, the USCC Executive Committee announced its endorsement of a CAB recommendation for a new USCC Web Team, consisting of Brad Zaytsoff, Kelsey Marinov, Kathy Marinov and Cathy Pereverzeff. Guidelines for ongoing USCC Website activity were outlined and a general schedule of procedures was determined at a May 16, 2014 meeting with all those concerned. Consequently, further development and routine maintenance of USCC Members Online was suspended on May 20, 2014, followed by that of the primary USCC Website on June 1, 2014.

 

However, the existing content of the USCC Website, developed and posted by the original USCC Web Team up to that date, will continue to remain online indefinitely in static form. Moreover, some of its dynamic, time-sensitive functions are now available on a new sub-domain - news.usccdoukhobors.org/wp- which is administered by the newly designated Web Team, led by USCC staff person, Cathy Pereverzeff. Please direct all News and Events, Funeral Notices, Obituaries, and all other submissions and inquiries as instructed there. For any other inquiries concerning USCC matters, please use the information given in the Contact Section of the primary USCC Website.

 

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