Attendees: Phil Runge, Herb Bartlett, Dick Robison, Robert Laskey, Rev. Scott, Shelley Brosnan, Claire Brown, Matt Dunham
Opening Reading/Joys & Sorrows: Rev. Scott read the opening reading sent in by Julie Schuck as 5 candles were lit. Joys & sorrows were shared.
Approval of Jan 2009 Minutes: Minutes were approved with Rev. Scott’s and Marsha’s corrections.
Member’s Time: none
Calendar: The calendar was distributed for corrections.
Minister’s Report: (see attached report) Minister Update - Rev. Scott wants to have every committee do their yearly planning by August 1 each year. This leads to the need for a May or early June leadership retreat so that prior leaders can transition their plans, status, and knowledge to the newly elected leaders before the new church year begins. The Annual Congregation Meeting will be held April 26, so by the 3rd or 4th week in March, the Annual Report must be completed. Dick suggested that it would be a good idea to send a format to all the committees, so that reports are consistent.
Action Item: Committees to submit their annual reports to Ellen no later than March 23.
Action Item: Robert to send out a format and also get an article in the newsletter about the annual reports this week.
DLE Report: none
Board of Trustees Report: Matt reported that the Board discussed the budget, where income is projected to be $5500 below expenses, so fundraisers will have to make up the difference. A task force was formed to decide if the church should seek to become incorporated so that it is easier to deal with the endowment and other issues. The Board accepted new guidelines for Helping Hands program.
Membership Coordinator: (no written report) March 7 will be the next Newcomer Orientation.
COOM Report/Updates – Herb reported that the Board was concerned about having no report from the Worship Service Task Force in monitoring the single service, so the task force was asked to provide an update at the next board meeting. However, Celeste and Paulette will be out of town at that time, so they will report at the April meeting instead. Herb says that the attendance level on Sundays is not yet at the point that it alone will justify going to two services. But there are separate questions relating to the structure and content of the current services and there are polarizing views on this issue. A third parameter is the sufficient parking question. So all these issues will play a part in any final decision, but a change is not likely to happen this year. Rev. Scott added that the reason the decision seemed more imminent was that the Worship Committee was looking forward to what such a change might mean for them in the future. Dick Robison saw the issue of structure and content as a positive opportunity to appeal to more people.
Herb is an advocate of the cluster structure for committees. The COOM still thinks the church goals fit the congregation, but they are not sure that the objectives still reflect our current priorities. The COOM plans to ask each cluster to create 3 – 5 things they wish to achieve in their cluster during the next three to five years along with their reasoning. Then the COOM will synthesize that input for the congregation to consider and endorse. The 2009 FYP objectives have been established and no new 2009 objectives will be added. Any new objectives would be initiated in 2010 and beyond. Dick asked if the COOM is looking out at 5 years from now and Herb said that is what they expect from the clusters. Although many clusters are currently operating simply as an amalgam of committees, Herb sees this request as a reason for the committees to get together and look forward as a cluster to their future objectives. For example, only by looking at our long range desires and dreams for Faith Development Cluster will we create a true synergy between the various committees within the Faith development Cluster.
Cluster Sharing of Significant Matters
Congregational Development Cluster - The Communications meeting was last week with Cindy, Shelley and Jeff attending. One item of discussion was that the Public Relations Committee should be in the Congregational Development Cluster, not Outreach.
Action Item: Jeff has asked anyone who has media contacts to send them to him. (Dick has a mailing list he will send to Jeff.)
The Newcomer Orientation will be on March 7. The Membership Committee meeting is this coming Wednesday. One new member has signed the book this year so far. John Lanzarotta is working in Pennsylvania for a few months, so he is not available to help at the church at the present time.
Faith Development Cluster – (see attached report) Rev. Scott reported a couple of changes to Julie’s report. Under Worship Committee, 2nd paragraph, Paul Eisemann is the correct spelling. 3rd para – Rev Scott will be in pulpit all but 2 services in August. Many people church-shop in August and early Sept. so Rev. Scott wants to be here as much as possible during that time. Worship is trying to arrange to have a discussion after every service. The Storytelling Workshop has been postponed due to lack of sign-ups. Sharon Jaffee is restructuring the Music Committee. Rick Lux will be the Music Coordinator and Sharon will no longer do the piano accompaniment on Sundays when the choir sings. Julie is doing a great job running the LEC. The soup part of SoupRE Sundays had good attendance and a good number of people signed up for the classes.
Logistics Cluster – (see attached report)
Outreach Cluster - (see attached report)
Action Item: Claire to ask Kitty to double-check that she is correctly reporting the nth anniversaries for the deaths of Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi because the years don’t seem to be right as reported.
Stewardship Cluster – The auction is May 9. Ken Heller is the lead for it. More helpers are needed. Herb suggested that they break down tasks into small chunks for the evening and charge for each paddle. Dick said that Judy has passed on all this kind of information from past auctions. Rev Scott asked to be kept in the loop for the early auction planning.
Action Item: Dick to see that Rev. Scott is notified of auction planning.
Pledges are about $5K short. Dick has ideas for the future to improve the pledge performance by having ongoing activities throughout the year plus several fundraisers.
Leadership & Development – no report.
New Business – Budget allocation (see attached file for budget numbers)
Council - dropped to $0 per Robert Laskey.
Finance - dropped to $0 per Ed Cochrane.
Communications is looking at new signs this year. Jeff is looking into portable signs too. Rev Scott suggested we drop this budget to $275.
Lifespan Education – They need at least what they spent last year which would be $2000.
Social Justice – Drop $75 off to leave $1600 which is what was spent last year.
Worship – We have not been paying the UUA recommended honorarium for ordained ministers in the past (which is $350 plus travel expenses). Rev. Scott thinks that $1800 is about the right number for this.
Music – This budget request is high. Rev. Scott thinks that this could be reduced to $1000. Guest musicians are paid from this budget plus choir sheet music, but not the staff pianist.
Piano – $0 (already reduced)
Pledge – This budget is too low based on last year, so this should be increased to $1100.
Membership – This covers new member materials and orientations. Shelley agreed to cut to $375.
Green Sanctuary – Marsha has authorized a drop to $1000. This does not include recycling costs.
Fundraising – This can be dropped to $0 per Dick.
Social Activities – $0 since there is no committee for this.
Pastoral Visiting Group – They are currently working off an old reserved account which still has $823, so this will be dropped to $0.
COOM – $500 can be removed so this drops to $250. Some money is needed to get plans from the county and copy them. There is a meeting scheduled for next week where the cost of the plans can be determined.
Public Relations - $0 for this new start.
Leadership Development – This buys supplies and materials – set to $0.
The total for committees then comes to $9400, instead of the target of $8500. However, overall the church budget is still over by another $2000 because moving $2000 from the reserved Green Fund to the general budget is unacceptable to the Green Sanctuary Committee which runs the Fair Trade project, since that money was intended only for “green” uses. So that puts us about $2900 over the target budget.
A motion was made, seconded, and approved to accept an $8400 budget for the committees, with the assumption that the reserved Green Fund can be used to support the Green Sanctuary Committee expenses and thus drop the GS Committee budget to $0.
Action Item: Claire to contact Marsha regarding the proposed cuts to the Green Sanctuary budget.
Observer’s Comments – The whole meeting was focused on the agenda.
Next Council Meeting Date – Mar 23.
The meeting observer will be Shelley; open and close readings will be done by Phil.Rev. Scott closed with Julie’s submitted words from Bill Schulz. Meet adjourned at 9:45 pm.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Claire Brown
Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church February 2009
Reverend Scott Sammler-Michael
In the Church
The church is entering a time of deepening relationship and covenant. The start-up workshop was well attended and helped clarify many things between and the congregation. We shall continue to listen and build the relationships that will be the foundation of our ministry together for years to come.
In an attempt to build community through events that are fun and contain time for religious reflection I showed a film Friday, January 23 – Wall Street – where we encouraged folks to reflect ethically on economic concerns. There will be more films shown like this, including Fog of War on March 13, and Paradise Lost on May 15.
I am happy we are having a Single Action Item BOT meeting focused on the Budget. This, along with our work at Feb's council meeting will help us down a path to better processes around our stewardship.
I am happy that Scott Dunham and the communications crew continue to look for ways to improve our efficiency. They recently set up a Google group to facilitate the communication with the entire congregation. This is an efficiency issue, a pastoral care issue, and staff hour-use issue. Thanks Scott!
I have been in conversation with Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity about how to best serve the needs of the county and our church. I also began a conversation with him about how to proceed with any plan that may come out of our Land and Building Use Task Force. I was put in touch with the County Ombudsman for Churches – Tom Nelson – and I am planning a meeting with him, Don Eckerman and others March 2 here at the beginning of the Task Force's work, to build relationships and get this thing off the ground smoothly. I was especially inspired by Tom's openness to helping us find a good parking solution.
Robert Laskey has convened a Committee to manage the Ministerial Installation, which occurs on Sunday March 29 at 4 pm. I am so looking forward to the months ahead. Things are looking so good around here, and our newcomers are proof we're on the right track. We need to plan over the summer for next-year's programming to provide necessary services for the young families joining our church. My deadline for our rough draft Church-year program calendar is August 1.
On January 30 we had our second Sprinkler head burst in five weeks. The renters, notably Spring Mar, are becoming concerned. We need to keep this from happening any more for this winter, and to develop a long-term solution by putting the work out for bid. We need to include Spring Mar at every step along the way so they know we are serious and working on this.
I remain convinced we need a technology/systems revision – beginning with a Technology audit to make sure we have the right equipment and practices. We have received a targeted donation for the website of $1500. It is my firm belief the website should be built by professionals, not volunteers, so there is accountability, training and a deadline. A Request for Proposal is being drafted and will be sent out to bid shortly for the website.
There are transitions around here. DLE Sarah Edelson gave birth to Jackson Porter January 19th. And Sharon Jaffee has stepped down as Chair of the Music Ministry and Music Coordinator. She has turned those over to Rick Lux. This is an important transition, but so far it has gone very well.
In the Denomination/Community
The First year Ministers' conference in Boston Feb 2-4 provided much needed space and time to reflect back on our work together, as well as connect with some great classmates I haven't seen in ages. My experience convinced me we are doing good work here and I will soon share my learning and experiences. This was a powerful event at UUA headquarters, featuring Keith Kron from the BGLT office, and Jory Agate from Ministry and Professional Development.
The UUA led Marketing Campaign for DC continues to chug along. I am convinced VOICE will continue to do good work. VOICE had success in Arlington this week, getting promises for Dental care for poor people and ESL training for legal immigrants. I am involved with Bruna
Genovese from VOICE to help inspect low-income housing for electrical code violations, beginning in Falls Church on Feb 25.
In My Life
I continue to play music as much as possible. My brother Rob is coming to visit from Seattle Feb 20, and my brother Dan and I are re-mixing some of his songs for a rock opera.I just returned from a reconnaissance trip to New Orleans and there is much to report, good and sad. I brought back samples of the tiles we got donated – and are they ever beautiful!
Respectfully submitted, February 22, 2009
I regret I have to miss the Council meeting. I need to attend an evening committee meeting and dinner for my job. One of the reasons why I remain tentative about signing up for meeting roles – such as my reading assignment. I have attached two readings to the end of this report in case someone can fill in Monday.
In this past period of workshops and retreats and frustrations, I have decided to pass two ideas to the Council.
1) I would like to put together a “nuts&bolts” list for new committee chairs – this will include things like an office mailbox exists, calendar procedures, communication deadlines, by-law requirements,…. If one already exists, please send to me. If not, I will take a stab in the near future of what I know and circulate to Council for their additions. Then I suggest the final version be reviewed by the Council annually and when a new chair comes on board it is passed to the new chair by both the retiring chair and Council president (just to be sure).
2) I have been concerned about passing along information appropriately (and have a few examples) but haven’t generated any good solutions yet. I fear we put too much reliance on newsletter write-ups, evening or after service forums, and broad email notices and because of diverse and busy schedules and too much to read the appropriate point persons aren’t being consulted. At this juncture, because I don’t have any great ideas over what’s already being done, I would just like to ask that when groups are considering something that would affect others, they actually contact (phone, email, or at church) the chair or POC of other groups affected. Now of course figuring out what are affecting actions and who will actually be affected is not necessarily easy – but at least put it in your agenda. (One recent example is the effort of the Sanctuary Arts Working Group who is looking to change the gallery and hence bulletin boards – which will affect other groups’ plans to use their bulletin boards. I only heard about it on a side-tangent with Rev Scott.) And secondly, as you diligently read through these reports to the Council, try to pick out things being discussed by different committees that may affect your committee and touch base.
Lifespan Education Committee (LEC)
The next LEC meeting will be Wednesday February 25, 6:30-8:30pm, off-site (a week off the regular third Wednesday due to a conflict). We hope to have a discussion on the AUUC youth program with invited youth and guests – looking at successes, challenges, and future directions; we will also discuss forthcoming happenings and events such as adjustments to children’s curricula, thanks yous, children’s collection, children/youth choir trial, regular parent forums with Rev Scott (next ones Mar 22 and June 21), Easter service, game night (April 24), family picnic (June 21), and Sarah’s return. Current members include Julie Schuck, JoAnn Flanagan, Sandra Mumford, and Sarah Edelson (ex officio).
On Sundays, we regularly average 25-30 children and 5 adults downstairs during the service and 25-30 children (includes a few additions and dismissals) and 11 adults for journeys in faith classes. A few guests attend on occasion. We are “re”-starting a push for extra volunteers so we can have nursery attendants as well as an extra class for the school-age faith activities during service. The SoupRE program (adult education) started February 15 and will continue the 1st and 3rd Sundays for four more Sundays. Though a bit crazy post RE and discussions, Soup lunch went well thanks to all the helpers and attendees. We had a small but talented crowd for the Open Mic on 2/15 during SoupRE. If we can push out more advertising and attendance, this will be a nice addition to the program. We have a rough enrollment of 14+ for Building Your Own Theology and 8+ for Ethical Eating. Rev Scott’s second course Countering Pharaoh’s Production will start Wednesday February 25, 7-9pm, and run for five consecutive Sundays. Education programs are going well but we miss Sarah. In this more-responsibility-interim, I have unfortunately or fortunately discovered some things and have generated my own ideas or been given some – many worth pursuing with more time or volunteers or redirected energies.
Music Committee
The music committee’s next meeting is Thursday February 26, 7:30-9:30pm. They regularly meet the fourth Thursday of the month. Rick Lux is the new chair and members include Sharon Jaffee, Ginny Moser, Moe Moser, Jackie Ball-GullJee, and Marge Runge. The committee is examining how big a program can we have with very little money and how can we meet the needs of a congregation with diverse musical interests. In January, they held a visioning and planning workshop to identify overarching goals. One idea generated was to sponsor an Open Mic during the SoupRE Sunday program – they plan on making this a mostly monthly event. They conducted a survey of the congregation concerning the music in the church and are subtly seeking ways of expanding the choir. They are pursuing the notion of how to have a successful concert series/coffee house event. They are currently planning for a Music Workshop sometime in the late spring/early summer or later. It will be open to any church that wants to send folks to it. Its shape and content are yet to be determined.
Worship Committee
The Worship Committee last met on Thursday February 12. They have changed their committee meeting time to 7:00 p.m. versus 7:30 p.m. and are looking to get those times into the church calendar and appropriate church media. Current members include Warren McLaine (chair), Daria Akers, Pete Fontneau, Bob Heald, Ginny Moser, Hannah Truitt, Walter Wilson, Diana Wilson, and Harriette Winingham, and Rev Scott and Sarah Edelson (ex officio).
In regards to the 29 March worship service (10:00 a.m.): Rev. Scott will ask the person who funded his "TUULS" ministry, Mr. Paul Eisenman, to speak at the 10:00 a.m. service. Mr. Eisenman will be a guest of Rev. Scott's at the 29 March 4:00 p.m. installation service. Topic TBD.
Rev. Scott will be out of the pulpit on 28 June, 5 July, 12 July, 19 July, 2 August, 9 August, and 6 September. These are services when we will need to find either a guest speaker, guest musician, or find someone to lead a lay-led service. We are going to gather our thoughts and present the congregation with some themes or ideas for a lay-led service and put those in the newsletter and "This Week At Accotink", and also perhaps the church supplement. Rev. Scott will be in the pulpit for Fathers' Day and for all but one service in August when people are "church hunting". He wants to have a professional presence in the pulpit for most of August. We talked about the possibility of having a Coffee House service, more along the lines of years previous to last year's "Epiphany" Coffee house, in other words sharing of musical, dramatic, poetry reading, etc. We don't have any details or leader for the Coffee house service as of yet. Warren is going to research topics and speakers from the George Mason Speakers' Bureau and circulate those ideas to the committee as possible guest speakers for the Sundays when Rev. Scott is not in the pulpit. The worship committee and music committee will work together to coordinate the summer services programs.
At the last meeting, the committee had a long discussion concerning the expansion of children's participation in our worship services. Basically they decided that they needed input from the parents and that this was a "Visioning" theme that needed lots of thought. Those that are good contacts for ideas and comments include Diana Wilson, Daria Akers, and Julie Schuck. Our effort with the children needs to focus on the teens, according to what Warren gleaned from the discussion. The teens meet at church in the evenings. Whether to bring them in more to the morning time service schedule or leave it in the evenings is one of the topics for discussion with I would imagine both the teens and their parents. There seem to be pros and cons to one service or two or the idea of the teens having their own time at church.
The committee decided that it was important to have a discussion period after each service. The worship committee will take the action to get the discussion started about 11:30 and if Rev. Scott is in the pulpit, he will join the discussion after he takes care of greeting people and seeing to other tasks immediately after the service. There will be a discussion period this coming Sunday with Pam Gehrke. She has agreed to stay from 11:30 to noon. People will be invited to stay and continue the discussion after Pam has to leave.
Few have signed up as yet for the Story Telling Workshop on 28 February. It will be held, if it is held, in the sanctuary from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Saturday 28 February. The Story Telling Workshop is looking to achieve something along the lines of a "Pixar Movie" – story telling that’s understandable by adults yet attractive and interactive with the children. The Worship Associate Workshop on Saturday 14 March will be led by the Rev. Anya Sammler. Rev. Scott will be publishing more details in the church media and getting the word to the Council at the next meeting.
Assembled and submitted by Julie Schuck (Cluster rep)
A lot of excitement was generated when the day before Christmas Eve, our favorite sprinkler head froze, broke, and triggered the fire alarm. Fortunately, Rev. Scott was on premises when this happened, and shut the sprinkler system off before we had the flood of a year ago. A plumber was called and fixed the sprinkler head situation. The fire department approved the result. I called in Va. Sprinkler System to do its annual inspection, and we passed that. So our sprinkler system is again operational. Our insulation folks that insulated last year to prevent this kind of thing from occurring again were called in to look at the situation, and confessed that insulation alone apparently will not solve the problem. The plumbing solution we have now is thought to be adequate. Since we have had colder weather than what caused the sprinkler head to break with no ill results, it appears to be adequate. A different sprinkler head broke on Jan. 30th. The same plumber that fixed the first sprinkler head problem said that this was totally unrelated, and according to him, just a bad sprinkler head. Of course it was in the same area as the first one, so one wonders whether it is a simple matter of getting more heat to that area. I am now exploring with our mechanical contractor whether we can put a duct off of our main system to protect that area. There was another pipe in the sprinkler system downstairs in the mechanical room that also had to be replaced, but that, too, was just wear and tear on a 15 year old system. Things are now back in working order.
I lost the battle against the little mice downstairs when one the ones I didn’t catch jumped out during one of Spring-Mar’s classes. We hired an exterminator, which has resulted in no more mouse sightings. We did find some mouse droppings in an area that the exterminator had not set traps, and I caught one mouse in that area with my old wooden traps. Spring-Mar appears to be satisfied that the mouse population is decreasing and with the efforts of AUUC and the exterminator. Spring-Mar has also been briefed about the sprinkler situation.
We have received a smaller recycle bin. All we have to do is keep the regular trash out of it.
The Korean church, due to economic hard times, has ceased to operate in AUUC. That frees up Sunday afternoons. Kaplan Test Preparation has resumed renting one classroom for two classes a week. That will help offset the revenue situation.
Upon Ellen’s and my recommendation, a space heater was purchased for room 107 downstairs. That room is heated by the same unit that heats the sanctuary. Thus in order to heat that room you are also heating the sanctuary. Since Spring-Mar uses that room on weekdays, we figure it is cheaper to use the space heater rather than the main heating unit for the sanctuary.
Nothing else seemed remarkable.
The results of the Social Justice Survey are in:
The top 4 issues people want us to get more involved in are:
- Environment/ecology/energy
- Affordable housing/homelessness
- Poverty/economic justice
- Care of the aging
30 people are willing to help with various issues.
The top 2 things people want to learn more about are Habitat for Humanity and our Partner School in India.
14 organizations were proposed for Outreach Sunday collections.
The Season for Nonviolence will continue through April 4.
The next Adopt-a-Highway litter patrol will be Saturday, March 7th.
Green Sanctuary Committee Report
Marsha White
- Committee was represented both days of the ministerial start-up weekend.
- Preparing to launch the 10 Tree Challenge on April 1; more publicity in the next newsletter; Kate Wanderer is the coordinator.
- Working with Rev. Scott on the “green’ Service for April 19.
- Preparing “green” candle lightings for each Sunday in April (coordinating with Kitty for transition with the Season for Nonviolence).
- Reviewing results of SJC survey to integrate into our committee’s focus.
Denominational Affairs-February 2009
Pete Fontneau
February 2 Accotink certified its membership (202) and reported other data to the Unitarian Universalist Association. Thank you, Ellen. Certifying that the Peacemaking Statement of Conscience is ready to be discussed at GA helped get the required action by congregations to bring a social witness statement to GA.
March 1 is the deadline for input on the next congregational study/action issue, Ethical Eating, after one year of study. Doug McCusker is leading a SupRE Sunday class on this issue now and will be taking inputs for forwarding to the Commission on Social Witness.
March 2 registration for General Assembly in Salt Lake City opens. AUUC will need five lay delegates. Now is the time to decide to attend GA! AUUC’s board normally designates delegates at its April meeting, April 13. Let me know if you are interested.
GA will address the Peacemaking Statement of Conscience; conduct elections for President, Moderator, Financial Advisor, Trustees and various committee members; discuss in a special plenary session, and vote to refer the Commission on Appraisal’s proposed restructuring and rewording of Article II of the UUA bylaws-the purposes and principles-to congregations for a year of study before a final vote in 2010. All GA attendees will have an opportunity to take two half-day blocks of training in one of a half dozen tracks at UU University.
April 2 is the late registration date for the Joseph Priestley District Spring Conference at the DoubleTree Hotel in Wilmington, DE on April 24-26. The program looks packed with great workshops. The UUA President candidates will speak there. If you are thinking about going to GA, it would be great to ‘practice’ in Wilmington with a large meeting (or small GA) and hear the candidates so our voters in Salt Lake City are informed voters.
Committees: 2009 Requested 2009
WorkingCouncil Reduction Council 50 50 0 Finance 200 200 0 Communications 1,025 1,025 275 Lifespan Education 1,500 1,500 2,000 Social Justice 1,675 1,675 1,600 Worship 6,375 6,375 1,800 Music 1,000 Piano Replacement 3,660 0 0 Pledge Campaign 350 350 1,100 Membership 700 700 375 Green Sanctuary 1,685 1,685 0 Fundraising 200 200 0 Social Activities 50 50 0 Pastoral Care 250 250 0 COOM 750 750 250 Public Relations Cmte. 2,500 0 0 Leadership Development 60 60 0 21,030 14,870 8,400 - -6,370 - 8,500 8,400