ALL
BOARD
OF TRUSTEES MEETING MINUTES
Members present:
Gordon Arnold, Dennis Benoit, John Belaski, Sue Belaski, Roger Gilles,
David Maxam, Linda Mohney, Dan Schneider, Jackie Vines, Ursula Williams, Rev.
Dr. Brent Smith
Absent: Mike
Arents, Herman Sullivan
I.
Opening
Words – None that can be
recorded.
A. Minutes from the January 21, 2004, Board of Trustees meeting were reviewed and approved as submitted.
B.
Agenda items for this
meeting were reviewed and times established to complete Agenda within two
hours.
C.
Assignments for
this meeting: Action Item Recorder Dan
Schneider, Process Observer Ursula Williams, Time Keeper John Belaski
A. New
Accountant. Chad Coffman, an ASCC
member, has been hired as the part-time ASCC accountant. He’s been working very hard to get up to
speed quickly with the 2004 budget; our former accountant is closing out 2003.
B. January
Financials. No January financial
statement is currently available; however, Dennis will e-mail it to Board
members as soon as it is complete.
C. Vernon
Shepard Memorial Fund. The current
balance of the Vernon Shepard Memorial Fund is $315. John Belaski moved to empower a group of
people to purchase a chalice in memory of Vernon. The motion was seconded by Ursula Williams
and approved by the Board. Roger
Gilles and Ursula Williams will form a committee to select the chalice.
D. Pledge Update and Possible Budget “Replenishing.” The 2003 ASCC Budget closed -$564. Currently, we’re at the 2004 Budget
break-even point with pledges.
Therefore, we may be able to “replenish” funds at our March meeting.
E. John
Belaski suggested ASCC start a “Fund Balance Account.” This will be discussed in future months.
A. Report
from the Minister, the Rev. Dr. Brent Smith
·
The Rev. Dr. Smith reported on a meeting
with Dr. Burt Bleke, Superintendent of Grand Rapids Public Schools, attended by
Linda Mohney, Roger Gilles, and himself, in order to express ASCC support for
public education. Ideas for ASCC
involvement in public schools were discussed, as well as the availability of
unused school buildings and GRPS “flexibility” for potential use of these
properties. The ASCC Site Committee
will contact Ben Emdin and his assistant to continue the discussion regarding
GRPS properties.
In addition, the group
discussed ASCC working with Sue Kreiger, GRPS Communications person, on the
issue of the separation of church and state in public education. Working with the Freedom Forum, ASCC could
offer assistance in educating parents, teachers, and students on this
issue. This is a unique opportunity for
ASCC, as the GRPS has no policy in place and needs one to avoid lawsuits. The Rev. Dr. Smith and Roger Gilles will
continue the discussion.
·
The Rev. Dr. Smith reported on a meeting in
Boston between the UUA and the Faith and Values Network, a national interfaith
television station which merged with the Hallmark Network in 1998. Next week a soft launch of streaming video is
scheduled for the Faith and Values Network website (www.faithandvalues.com). The Rev. Dr. Smith volunteered to be the
point person between the UUA and the Faith and Values Network, facilitating UUA
participation. Implications for ASCC
include being able to offer Newcomers a diskette instead of a brochure to learn
more about the UUA and our church as well as providing potential second-year
Branches programming.
·
The Rev. Dr. Smith reported that he’d
dropped off a manuscript for his first book with Skinner House while in
Boston. The topic is the separation of
church and state, and Skinner House is interested in publishing the book.
B. Report from President, Roger Gilles
· Sunday Mornings Committee. President Gilles reported that Sunday morning organization has been haphazard over the last two months. We need persons to be responsible for chairs, hymnals, ushering, and clean-up. Officially, as a recent message from Julie Galle outlines, our contract with Aquinas entitles us to use the lobby area and rooms 141, 132, 219, 220, and 221, as well as an area in the basement for storage. We are expected to return all rooms to their original condition. President Gilles asked all Board members to take responsibility for the condition of Aquinas when we leave the building on Sunday afternoon. In addition, we will ask Campus Safety to lock the building when we leave. President Gilles will write a notice for the Weekly Express, communicating our arrangement with Aquinas to the congregation, and John Belaski will e-mail Julie Galle’s message to Board members.
· Nominating Committee. The Board terms of Dan Schneider, Gordon Arnold, Linda Mohney, and Mike Arents end June 30. President Gilles will write a notice for the Weekly Express about the May election, Board vacancies, and the 2004 Nominating Committee. Board members interested in running for re-election and/or officer positions should let him know as soon as possible, and that information will be passed on to the 2004 Nominating Committee. Suzie MacKeigan, Jen Schpiro, and Tracie Dixon were suggested as potential committee members; Board members were asked to send President Gilles additional names via e-mail.
· Communications Committee. President Gilles has some people interested in this committee, and they plan to meet soon.
C. Report from Vice-President of Programs, Mike Arents (submitted to the Board via e-mail)
· Vice President Arents reported that New Member Recognition Sunday is scheduled for March 14, to be followed by a Community Life St. Patrick’s Potluck. The Membership Committee will meet March 7 to finalize plans.
· The new ad series is running, with very positive results.
· The Free Forum Discussion Group is scheduled to meet again February 29 after the worship service.
· By-Laws are in the works for RE, Music, and Covenant Groups.
· RE has been asked to submit Off-Site/Trip and Overnight policies to the Board for approval. A Permission Slip is currently in place.
D. Report from Site Committee (David Maxam)
David reported that the Site Committee met January 27 and concentrated on three areas: financial, what’s needed/what’s “good enough”, and what’s available. The committee has measured current space to serve as a guide for what’s needed. The Rev. Dr. Smith asked the committee to contact the Rev.Tracy Robinson Harris, UUA Head of Congregational Services, to explore financial resources available to congregations.
E. Report from Minister’s Contract Committee (John Belaski)
John reported that Head of Staff has been
added to the minister’s responsibilities, with “working with the RE
Coordinator” added to the job description.
The minister’s primary responsibility is 40 weeks of preaching + filling
the pulpit the other 12 weeks. John
noted that Pastoral Care is NOT among the minister’s responsibilities. The Rev. Dr. Smith has been handling some
pastoral care but would prefer to delegate that to the existing Pastoral Care
Committee. The Board discussed the
possibility of the Pastoral Care Committee being trained as Stephen Ministers.
(Stephen Ministries is transdenominational Christian education organization that provides high
quality training and resources to strengthen and expand lay ministry in
congregations, according to their web site www.stephenministries.org)
However, John feels that the biggest issue facing ASCC is the fact that
we’re in the third year of a three-year contract with the Rev. Dr. Brent
Smith. The original 2001 contract was
for three years with a one-year renewal; the Contract Committee left this
renewal terminology out of this year’s contract. John stated that before June 30, 2003, the
Board of Trustees should have a Plan A and a Plan B in place to move toward a
called minister for All Souls. President
Gilles and John will discuss this further.
V.
Old Business - none
A. Plate
Donation Proposal: Habitat for Humanity
Sandy Van Dragt asked that the next ASCC plate donation be made to a local Habitat for Humanity project. Dennis Benoit so moved; John Belaski seconded. The motion was approved.
B. Other
· Heartland District Meeting (Roger Gilles)
The Heartland District
Annual Meeting is scheduled for April 2 – 4 in Southfield, Michigan. Anyone interested in attending may obtain
full information at the Heartland District web site: www.heartlanduu.org
· Social Action (Roger Gilles)
Roger asked whether
Social Action was coming to ASCC via Branches or Branches Leaders/Covenant
Groups. This topic will be discussed
at the next Branches Leaders meeting March 18.
· 2003 ASCC Budget Deficit
John Belaski encouraged
Board members to consider donating funds to remove the $564 deficit and get us
into the black. Checks may be given to
Vice President-Finance Benoit or put into any Sunday offering with an
appropriate notation.
Dan
Schneider and Ursula Williams reported on action items and group process.
Meeting was adjourned at
8:55 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Jackie Vines, Board
Secretary, All Souls Community Church of West Michigan