ALL
SOULS COMMUNITY CHURCH OF WEST MICHIGAN
BOARD
OF TRUSTEES MEETING MINUTES
Members present:
Mike Arents, Gordon Arnold, John Belaski, Sue Belaski, Roger Gilles,
David Maxam, Linda Mohney, Jackie Vines, Ursula Williams, Rev. Dr. Brent Smith
Absent:
Dennis Benoit, Dan Schneider, Herman Sullivan
I.
Opening
Words – Rev. Dr. Brent A. Smith
shared the following reading from James Luther Adams:
I
call that church free which enters into a covenant with the ultimate source of
existence, that sustaining and transforming power not made with human
hands. It binds together families and
generations, protecting against the idolatry of any human claim to absolute
truth or authority. This covenant is the
charter and responsibility and joy of worship in the face of death as well as
life. I call that church free which
brings individuals into a caring, trusting fellowship, that produces and
nourishes their integrity and spiritual freedom; that yearns to belong to the
church universal; it is open to insight and conscience from every source; it
bursts through rigid tradition, giving rise to new and living language, to new
and broader fellowship. It is a pilgrim
church, a servant church, on an adventure of the spirit. The goal is the prophethood and priesthood of
all believers, the one for the liberty of prophesying, the other for the
ministry of healing. It aims to find
unity in diversity under the prompting of the spirit “that bloweth where it
listeth…and maketh all things new.”
A. Minutes from the April 21,
2004, Board of Trustees meeting were reviewed and accepted.
B.
Agenda items for
this meeting were reviewed and times were established to complete Agenda within
two hours.
C.
Assignments for
this meeting: Action Item Recorder Mike
Arents, Process Observer Ursula Williams, Timekeeper John Belaski.
A. April
Income Statement and Balance Sheet were distributed and discussed. (See attached financial statements.)
B. Roger
reported that the Weekly Express notice about maintaining pledges over the
summer seems to be working. He will
distribute a letter to all ASCC pledge units on June 6 along with pledge status
reports as of June 1.
C. The
Rev. Dr. Smith suggested mid-July reminders to keep pledges current be sent to
all ASCC pledge units, accompanied by ASCC financial statements. The Executive Committee will discuss this
further.
D. Although
ASCC paid UUA and Heartland District dues early this year (in April, rather
than in June), the Rev. Dr. Smith suggested in 2005 we spread the payments out
in six equal installments between January and June.
E. No
information is yet available on the recent D & W program. Linda Mohney reported that the Meijer “scrip”
program is undergoing substantial change, with nothing paid on the first $100
in monthly purchases and a reduced percentage paid. Because this program requires no
administration, the Board felt ASCC should continue its participation.
F. Heather
Williams is planning to take over the Scrip program in September.
A. Report
from the Minister, the Rev. Dr. Brent Smith
·
The Rev. Dr. Smith strongly
recommended that the next Board of Trustees meeting be spent revisiting the
ASCC Strategic Plan. This will be done
at the August 21 Board of Trustees Retreat.
·
The Rev. Dr. Smith discussed a letter he is sending
to his colleague Rev. Rob Eller-Issacs at Unity Church-Unitarian in St. Paul,
Minnesota, raising issues concerning the work Rev. Eller-Isaacs is doing with
Fountain Street Church, a local independent congregation not associated with
other Unitarian Universalist Churches.
The issues include how Rev. Eller-Isaacs would counsel a non-Unitarian
Universalist Church on the use of Unitarian Universalist pulpits as neutral
precandidating sites, as well as the conflicts of interest of colleagues
working locally with non-Unitarian Universalist churches. (See attached letter.) 2004 Board President Gilles and 2005
Board President Arents will discuss what formal communication to the UUA would
be appropriate on behalf of the ASCC Board of Trustees.
B.
Report from President, Roger Gilles
·
Roger reported that the Called Minister Committee will operate as an Ad
Hoc Board committee, as it does not fit the definition of a Search Committee as
outlined in Article X of the Bylaws. Members
Mike Arents, John Belaski, Roger Gilles, and Suzie MacKeigan will discuss
communicating with the congregation regarding their charge and will ultimately
request congregational approval of their work. John Belaski felt there was merit in holding a
congregational meeting soon to outline both the public and private process
involved.
·
President Gilles and incoming President Arents will prepare a large
poster board showing church committee structure and individual members. They plan to have it ready by Homecoming
Sunday.
·
The June Board of Trustees meeting will be held at Dan Schneider’s home
on Wednesday, June 23. This will be the
traditional pool party/potluck after a short Board meeting, and families are
invited to attend.
C.
Report from Vice-President of Programs, Mike Arents
·
As Mike had previously distributed minutes of the May 23 Program
Council meeting, he focused on 2004-5 program board leadership. Vicki MacConnell will Chair the Music Board,
Shirley and Dick Hoffstedt will lead Newcomers/Membership (a merger of the
Newcomers Program Board and the Membership Committee of the Board), Karen
Arnold will continue to Chair Community Life, Cindy Schneider will continue as
Chair of Religious Education, and a new leader for Covenant Groups will be
selected at the June 17 Branches Leaders meeting.
·
Both Mike and Dan (out-going and in-coming V-P of Programs) will attend
the June 27 Program Council meeting to facilitate a smooth transition.
·
Sue Belaski was asked to arrange for notification in the Weekly Express
that signing of the ASCC book of members will be available at the June 6
all-church picnic and again some time in October.
D.
Report from Site Committee (David Maxam)
David reported that he has initiated conversation with Dave Smith of
the GRPS Facilities Office. He will
arrange for members of the Site Committee (as well as the Rev. Dr. Smith and
Carey Compton, RE Coordinator) to inspect Beckwith Elementary School and any
other available GRPS sites that might be suitable for ASCC.
E.
Report from Vernon Shepard Chalice Committee (Ursula Williams)
The current Vernon Shepard Memorial Fund balance is $400, thanks to a
contribution from committee member Jim Donnahue. Ursula and Shirley Hoffstedt will meet
with the selected potter this month to review dimensions and design of the ASCC
chalice. The committee’s goal is to
have the finished chalice by Homecoming Sunday.
The committee has also contacted Jack Mohney (ASCC pulpit
designer/carpenter) about his building two matching stands for the chalice and
for flowers; he has agreed.
V.
Old Business
A.
Religious Education Bylaws. Mike
Arents moved to approve the Religious Education Bylaws as revised; John Belaski
seconded. The motion passed.
B.
Music Board Bylaws. Mike Arents
moved to approve the Music Board Bylaws as revised; Ursula Williams
seconded. The motion passed.
C.
Overnight Policy for Religious Education. No action has yet been taken. However, the Rev. Dr. Smith will be meeting
with Carey Compton this week. He will
give her the overnight rules and ask her to make one version for participants
to sign and one version for parents to sign.
D.
UU Tee-Shirt Fundraiser. Roger
has discussed this project with Carey Compton who likes the idea and is investigating
a local source for All Souls adult tee-shirts and “small souls” tee-shirts for
kids. Her target date is Homecoming
Sunday.
A. Covenant
Group Bylaws. Mike Arents moved to
approve the Covenant Group Bylaws; John Belaski seconded. The motion passed.
B. Criteria
for Items in the Weekly Express. Mike
Arents moved to approve the Criteria for Items in the Weekly Express; Ursula
Williams seconded. The motion passed.
C. Other.
1.Jackie Vines, Secretary, was asked to send a sympathy card to
Dennis Benoit on behalf of the ASCC Board of Trustees.
2.The Newcomers Board
Bylaws will be reviewed and revised to incorporate the roles and
responsibilities of the Membership Committee of the Board.
Mike
Arents and Ursula Williams reported on action items and group process.
Meeting was adjourned at
8:48 PM
Respectfully submitted,
Jackie Vines, Board
Secretary, All Souls Community Church of West Michigan