COORDINATING COUNCIL

COORDINATING COUNCIL
MINUTES and WEBSITE TRAINING SESSION
October 9, 2010

In attendance for either event. Pat Bitner, Carol Bilyeu Bonnevie, Candee Cole, Bob Coleman, Dana Dedrick, Rev. Alicia Forsey, Nikki (Monica) Frank, Judie Hansen, Ishbel Lane, Brian Lewis, Dick Loescher, Elliot McIntire, Martha Osgood, Cindy Pitcairn, Barb Prentice, Amy Raven, Bill Rodgers, Ken Ross, Ruth Ross, Judy Shaw, Olga Turner

1. Opening Words. Elliot McIntire read the poem, Poem in a Time of Peril, from Barbara Rohde's book, "All the Gifts of Life."

2. Committee reports.

Carol Bilyeu Bonnevie encouraged people to attend the fundraiser, "Across the UUniverse: A Beatles Extravaganza." Speaking for the Membership Committee, Carol also reminded the group about the "Getting to Know You" newcomer orientation sessions on the next two Saturdays, October 16 and 23, which will run from 9:30 to 2:30, including a potluck. Willing current members of UUCE will help provide a potluck on the 16th; newcomer participants will be asked to provide the potluck on the 23rd.

Brian Lewis indicated that the Stewardship Group is getting started on this year's campaign and they expect to be ready by February. Brian also mentioned that the Events/Funds Group is working hard in hopes of making the $20,000 goal that was set by the current budget. Fundraising events include book sales, clutterbusting garage sales, the bazaar on December 4, and entertainment events like the Beatles Extravaganza. It was pointed out that we've already raised about $10,000.

Bob Coleman again pointed out that the Caring Committee is managing, but that it needs more members. Currently the members are Bob and Chuck Wagar; Barbara Davis writes XXX (??). Bob also mentioned that there are four Men's Groups. Only the Wednesday group, for which Bob is the contact person, is an open group. The Men's Groups are having a retreat at Yachats over the October 16 weekend. Someone asked whether there are similar groups for women. Yes, there is the Sister's Circle for women, as well as Women's Alliance.

Amy Raven indicated that 13 people attended a recent meeting of our social justice group, SJUUCE. They agreed that SJUUCE should serve as an umbrella group for church groups focusing on various social justice issues. Amy noted that the CROP walk on Sunday (October 9) was a success and that UUCE had the most from any church, 24.

Dick Loescher pointed out that the popular SGM (Small Group Ministry) will have a similar program this year. This year's theme will be "Transitions." The groups will meet every other week beginning in January, and registration begins this month. Unlike last year, money will be available for childcare if needed, provided the meetings are held at the church.

Dick also reported for Adult RE; the chair is Barb Prentice. The third fully-booked "End of Life" course is already up and running. Rev. Alicia will be participating in one or two of their sessions. She is also planning to offer two courses in the spring, one on UU history and one on "building your own theology." Also, as noted below, Candee Cole is planning to give a "parenting class."

Judie Hansen works with Bjorn Olson in encouraging church members to become Chalice Lighters, who support grants to churches in the Pacific Northwest District. Right now 17% of members are signed up. We need 30% in order to qualify for grants, which are usually for about $20,000. Judie mentioned that Thundereggs is struggling with low membership, due to the loss of some key members.

Judie also reported on behalf of BPOC. This group is very busy indeed. A new Landscaping Task Force has been formed and have prepared a mission statement. They will work with the architect to develop plan for the grounds with the goal of installing some trees and shrubs this fall. An Aesthetics and Logistics Task Force is also in place. It will orchestrate the move from our old church to the new church; committees and staff are urged to have their materials boxed up by the end of June and the Task Force will decide what will be moved into the new building. This procedure was suggested by another UU Church which did now allow for enough advance planning prior to moving into a new building. Because of potential burn-out, the BPOC has decided that the new church will not be open for work on Wednesdays and Thursdays, though people with keys can work there anytime. Finally, Judie announced the Croquet Turkey Tournament, a potluck and fun time scheduled the day after Thanksgiving.

Cindy Pitcairn announced that the poetry group is doing well. They were pleased to have a new participant, a young man who is fine poet. Cindy enthusiastically reported that Thresholds, a biannual booklet of poetry, ably edited by Laura Jameison. It has taken off, and good poets around Oregon contribute to it. Thresholds is doing well financially; by the way, they make excellent Christmas gifts.

Bill Rodgers indicated that the Green Sanctuary Committee is now in the process of setting priorities.

Candee Cole is planning another fun Halloween Party; it will be on October 29 this year. She is concerned that she still needs 14 Sunday school teachers, especially for K-5 kids who attend the 11:00 classes. Candee is planning an Adult RE "parenting" course in the spring for parents and grandparents of children up to about 8 years of age who are struggling with behavior issues.

3. Future meetings. Saturdays, 9:30 - 11:30: November 13 and December 11.

4. Opening words. Cindy Pitcairn volunteered to give opening words on November 13, and Bob Coleman agreed to do so on December 11.

Following the meeting, there was a Website Training Session handled by Ishbel Lane, UUCE publications specialist. This was a follow-up to Ishi's power-point presentation regarding the entirely new website system, known in the trade as a CMS = Content Management System, that she is setting up. A handout, "Steps to Editing Your Web Pages," was circulated. A PDF is available from Ken Ross.

The next training will be 7:00-8:30 pm on Thursday, October 28.

 

COORDINATING COUNCIL
SEPT 18, 2010

In attendance: John Clay, Candee Cole, Jean Coberly, Bob Coleman, Sue Craig, Kay Crider, Kathy Dillon, Elan, Judie Hansen, Marilyn Junkins, Nisco Junkins, Ishbel Lane, Brian Lewis, Dick Loescher, maria, Audrey Maslin, Jeanne-Marie Moore, Martha Osgood, Mary Otten, Maren Peterson-DeGroff, Cindy Pitcairn, Barb Prentice, Amy Raven, Ken Ross, Tom Sears, Kirk Taylor, Shale Vaughn

1. Opening Words and Introductions. Board President Mary Otten presided, in the absence of Board Vice President Elliot McIntire.

2. Report on August 14 potluck. The potluck was a big success, even though it was held in the old church and the original intent was for it to take place in the new church and include a tour of the new church.

3. Board report. Mary Otten reported on the workshop on Saturday, September 11, which focused on the relationship between the relatively-new Board and the new interim minister, Rev. Alicia Forsey. The PNWD District Executive, Janine Larsen, who facilitated the meeting, described different leadership styles and encouraged the Board to use more "generative" thinking. We need more work on our governance structure, as the church matures, and we need to clarify our mission as we move to the new church building. We need more intentionality by asking the right questions and not just focusing in crisis mode.

The Board is still working on prioritizing the many issues which surfaced during the afternoon discussion of needs and goals. Some of these clearly involve groups other than the Board and minister. They include: clarifying UUCE's mission and vision in preparation for our move to 13th and Chambers; determining and implementing appropriate management and governance structure for this size church, including clarification and communication of who is responsible / accountable for what relationship of staff to board leadership development; role of the Committee on Congregational Ministry (COCM), especially during this interim period; developing a better understanding of who we are as a congregation, including the influence of our history on our present church culture; celebrating and building on strengths and working to overcome problems that keep us from being the church we want to become.

Here's an outline of the discussion at the workshop regarding Alicia's role vis-à-vis committees. She will attend most Board meetings, except when intentionally absent to allow Board team-building; stay in touch with the following committees: Membership, Stewardship, Small Group Ministry, RE - children/youth/adult, and Finance (occasionally). She will also assume primary leadership in worship functions and work on planning with Worship Associates; work with Pastoral Associates, but may not be able to focus on organizing and training this group. Alicia will supervise paid staff, i.e., serve as Chief of Staff, but she cannot serve as Chief Executive, i.e. Executive Management, in the absence of sufficient professional staff (Business Manager, for example).

4. Update on website and publications. After serving 14 years as our webmaster, Martha is retiring to the background. Our publications specialist, Ishbel Lane, made an excellent power-point presentation regarding the entirely new website system, known in the trade as a CMS = Content Management System, that she is setting up. Benefits include a simplified organization of the content and it can be managed by a large group, which will lower the demand on the webmaster. Among other things, this new system will allow chairs of committees and other groups to add and edit content on their own websites. This will be easy once the system is understood.

Quality control is handled by having several levels of access, including public, author (for committees and other groups), editor, and administrator. Selected sites, including sermons and newsletters, will be archived automatically. There will be one all church calendar, which will be tagged so that special calendars for groups like RE and Music will contain only material of interest to those groups. It is expected that the new website will be up and running and replace the current website by January 2011.

There were many questions. The power-point presentation or notes from the presentation have been circulated. They are also available from Ken Ross.

5. Newcomer orientations. Marilyn Junkins is our current (burned-out) chair of the Membership Committee . She has been unable to find a replacement chair, and urged members of CC to try think of possibilities. She and others have asked several people to be the chair. There was a discussion on how to breakdown and share the tasks of the committee. What is needed is someone willing to be chair in the near future who would be available for training by Marilyn first. Perhaps this person could be co-chair or arrange to be a co-chair.

There were general comments about a leadership vacuum in the church, which some feel is exacerbated by the great energy being put into the new church building. Maren Peterson-DeGroff mentioned that there is a model for volunteer work in which people create their own tasks rather than signing on to a committee; this model was suggested by Gretchen Woods, minister at the UU Fellowship in Corvallis. Sue Craig would like to see us return to the goal of having each committee have a chair and a co-chair, where it is expected that the co-chair will become the next chair.

6. Committee reports. There were no committee reports to allow more time for discussing the new website.

7. Future meetings. Saturdays, 9:30 - 11:30: October 9, November 13, and December 11.

8. Opening words. Need volunteers for October, November, etc.

9. Wrap up and check out.

COORDINATING COUNCIL
June 12, 2010

     Fifteen enthusiastic people attended a Coordinating Council (CC) meeting on June 12, 2010. Communi-cation within the Council and within the church was an overriding theme. The perennial questions about the future and importance of the CC were ad-dressed. There was almost unanimous agreement that the CC serves good purposes and will only be-come more important as time goes on. It was noted that meetings provide opportunities for dissemination of information, brainstorming of ideas, and building rapport. In short, they facilitate communication which helps committees and other groups from du-plicating work.

     The Council discussed the changes in the church of-fice, described in the preceding article, especially re-garding their impact on our publications program. The Council also discussed some other current methods of communication. Information that everyone should see right away is sent to uu-news; all UUCE members who use email are on this list. There is information posted on bulletin boards, both in the foyer and the social hall, including a Membership board and a BPOC board. Some groups, such as SJUUCE (social justice) and CUUPs, have posted information on stand-alone bulletin boards in the social hall.

     As always, the committee reports were useful and interesting. Partly to help encourage other group leaders to join CC, the CC planned its first social event: a special potluck get-together at the new church from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 14. Starting on September 11, the CC will resume meeting regularly 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month.


COORDINATING COUNCIL
APRIL 24, 2010
Market of Choice, 29th & Willamette00

In attendance: Reverend Stephen Ames, John Clay, Bob Coleman, Elan, Ed Hansen, Judie Hansen, Betty Hosokawa, Brian Lewis, Jeanne-Marie Moore, Carolyn Munroe, Martha Osgood, Mary Otten, Cindy Pitcairn, Ken Ross, and Judy Sawyer. Also, Gil Osgood walked by the room.

1. Opening Words. Reverend Ames read a statement from William Schultz, past UUA President.

2. Introductions.

3. Some thoughts from Reverend Ames. First, Reverend Ames provided an update of his role in the transition. His last day in the office will be Tuesday, May 18. After that, he will not be answering email or doing other church business. However, he will continue to be available for pastoral emergencies until July 8. His last service will be on June 6. Though he is pulling back, he can still be contacted. In particular, he is available for calls from leaders over the next three weeks, for closure, etc.; interested parties are advised to contact him soon for such a conversation.

Reverend Ames continues to appreciate what we do, and he thanked us for the various connections in the church through committees and other small group activities from the Shared Ministry Groups to Men's Groups. He expects that the Social Justice and Green Sanctuary efforts will continue to get stronger. He recognizes that we face many challenges with a new interim minister and the new building, but he has confidence in us. Reverend Stephen remarked that Mary Otten has been busy studying about growing churches and transitions, and he is convinced that she will be a very good Board President. He feels that there is good momentum in the church.

4. Report from the Board. Mary Otten said that the Board is working on the transition resulting from Rev. Ames' resignation. The Board is sponsoring Q&A sessions on Tuesday, April 27 at 2:00 in the Sanctuary, and at 7:00 in room 5; and on Thursday, April 29, at 7:00 in the Sanctuary. At each session, a member of the Board and a member of the COCM (Committee on Congregational Ministry) will be present. Also, a Caring Circle is scheduled for 7:00 on Thursday, April 29, in room 5; this will be led by Pastoral Associate Fred Schultz, using the Small Group Ministry covenant which includes speaking without interruptions or any comments.

A Town Hall meeting is scheduled after the second service on Sunday, April 25, for a discussion about how to balance a pledge-challenged budget. This will help the Board prepare a budget which will be presented to the congregation on Sunday, June 6.

Mary also reported on the Interim Search Committee. Other members of the committee are George Carroll (chair), Betty Hosokawa, Dick Loescher, and Gretchen Miller. They are very busy, and they plan to make a recommendation to the Board on May 6 and make a first offer on May 7.

5. Update on office personnel. Ken Ross explained that Steve Hutchison (Hutch) resigned as Office Administrator, and that our previous Office Administrator Kim Harris was interested in the position. She was interviewed on Tuesday, April 13, by the Personnel Committee which recommended to the Board that she be rehired. The Board accepted the recommendation, and Kim was at work in the office on Thursday, April 15. Questions about the Personnel Committee's role and size were raised. The current members of the Personnel Committee are Mary Brau (chair), Hilary Gerdes, and Ken Ross. At this time, the Board is wrestling with governance, lines of responsibility, etc., so the Personnel Committee's role is not now clear. At present, the Personnel Committee reports to the Board, but it also interacts with the minister and the staff. Betty Hosokawa, past chair of the Personnel Committee, said that when she joined the committee in 2001 it was mostly focused on arranging for health insurance and keeping the Personnel Manual up to date. After she became chair, with gentle but steady prodding from Carolyn Colbert and the Board, the Personnel Committee looked at what it would cost to become a fair compensation church, feeling that social justice started at home. They developed a five-year plan to achieve that goal, and eventually got mostly there, although it took a little longer than five years.

The question of the Personnel Committee's role in the budget process was raised. Mary Otten noted that the Board is responsible for presenting a balanced budget to the congregation. Among other things, the Board gets recommendations regarding staff from the Personnel Committee.

6. Update on our new building. Judie Hansen, of BPOC, circulated a map of the new building with the key rooms tentatively named after noted UUs from the past. In this spirit, the entire building is tentatively called the Carl Sandburg Center. At present, we need documentation that the building is used as a church; otherwise we'll be assessed property taxes. For this reason, various groups in the church are encouraged to meet in the new building, taking into account two restrictions. First, the bathrooms are not yet accessible. Second, the 1964 occupancy permit limits use to Worship, Amusement, and Assembly. This implies no overnights and no movies, because there are no fire walls and the exit lighting is not up to code. Judie Hansen will do the booking, so she is the contact person. She will not be handing out keys, but Chuck Wagar will be available to let people into the building and to lock up afterward. It should be noted that Chuck has volunteered to work at the new building over the summer, 20 hours per week. Meanwhile, David Atkin is meeting with county officials to clarify the property-use restrictions mentioned above..

It is expected that the architect will have plans for BPOC and the Board by May 11. If the plans are acceptable, then they will be taken to the congregation. A major issue is prioritization of what remodeling gets done before we move in. As an example, we must have at least one accessible bathroom and RE rooms right away, but we might have to use the sanctuary as is for awhile.

Regarding the bathrooms, Mary Otten emphasized that we, on the Board, "get it," i.e., they recognize that accessibility is a top priority and she appreciates the understanding responses from affected members. She also thanked Jeanne-Marie Moore for contacting the known affected members. Cindy Pitcairn raised the accessibility issue for the hearing impaired. It was noted that Joseph and Carol Bonnevie, and also Ruth Ross, have already been checking out the current sound system of the new building. They are well-aware of the need for suitable hearing-assist devices.

7. Confidentiality issues. (Martha Osgood, Ken Ross) A current issue is the email addresses and phone numbers on our website. Future issues include an on-line directory and a phone tree in case of emergencies (contact info such as land-line phone, cell phone, etc).

Martha Osgood explained that she is in the process of getting more people involved with handling the website, UUpdate, etc. With substantial help from Elena Rae, she is working to simplify the website with drop-down menus. Meanwhile, Martha is dealing with items she calls "urgent," such as new projects that keep coming in, UUpdate, and confidentiality issues.
Martha and several other members of the Council had good ideas. Martha mentioned possible approaches: notify everyone that people, who don't want their names, phone numbers and/or email addresses listed, are responsible for taking care of this. It could be agreed that only committee chairs or other contact people be listed; if this became a policy, it would need to be added to the Manual for Committee Chairs. In any case, there needs to be publicity about this issue. Jeanne-Marie Moore mentioned a model, from the Jefferson Westside Neighborhood website, where the email addresses would be generic like caring AT uueugene.org. While less personal, the reason for this change could be shared with the congregation. John Clay indicated that the search engine could be set so that it could automatically search documents, like the newsletter, for restricted names, phone numbers and email addresses before the documents are posted on the web. Finally, the following motion was agreed to: Martha, with help from Ken Ross and Jeanne-Marie Moore, is empowered to develop, perfect and implement a process and policy surrounding these issues. They will, of course, report back to the Council.

On behalf of a new member, Ken Ross pointed out that users of Facebook should be aware of the consequences, which are annoying to some, because of maliciousness of some software programs and malware.

8. Committee reports. Ken Ross reported that the Facilities Council remains focused on our current building, so it is in maintenance mode. He reported on its biggest challenges in the past four months. Bob Kaeser worked over three months before successfully repairing the dishwasher. The Council is currently having tests on mold in the current building. While this is in response to a complaint, it is important because we need to fix any mold problems before selling the building.

Brian Lewis reported that the pledges for the 2010-2011 church year so far total $281,000 from 187 pledge units. There is hope that there will be pledges from 60 more pledge units. The Capital Campaign is in better shape. Total pledges so far add up to $1,031,000. Some good people have stepped up to the plate with fundraising help. Joseph and Carol Bonnevie have organized a "Let's be Frank" fundraising concert, and Judie and Ed Hansen continue to organize garage sales. Brian expects to devote more time and energy to fundraising events.

Brian is one of three members of the Adult RE Committee; the other two are Barb Prentice and Dick Loescher. This committee needs more members. The participation in courses offered this year has been great. Dick Loescher, chair of the Small Group Ministry (SGM) planning group was at an NVC workshop. Brian reported that their spring program is winding down, with the last classes being in late May or early June. The program has been excellent; the last two sessions will focus on "changes and losses."

Ed Hansen found the Council members in attendance an "enlightening group."

John Clay is chair of the Archives Committee. He mentioned that it has turned out okay that the Annual Reports are not yet ready for distribution. He plans to ask committee chairs and other groups for updates of their previous annual reports before circulating the full collection of Annual Reports. John took this opportunity to congratulate the BPOC and the Strategic Planning Committee for their excellent work, especially how they keep everyone in the loop. He feels that their approach can serve as a template of communication as we continue through our transitions.

Elan reported that the Membership Committee is gearing up for New Member Sunday, April 25. Since Marilyn Junkins has been elected to the Board, this committee needs new leadership. Two people are considering being co-chairs. In addition, this important committee needs more members. Elan also represented CUUPS, which is planning to move its meetings to the new church building. CUUPS is planning a two-hour Beltrane Festival on April 27 and later is co-sponsoring an eight-hour Betrane event.

Betty Hosokawa, chair of the Nominating Committee, focused on communication. How do we get information to the church membership about the current transitions, using electronic messaging and other means?

Bob Coleman and Chuck Wagar are the current Caring Committee. Barbara Davis sends appropriate cards. The committee's most recent effort was helping David Gilmartin move; an SGM also helped. Bob feels that this committee should have more members, though their actual workload is small because they have a list of 40 volunteers who can be called upon when needed. Bob mentioned that the Men's Groups are open to all, whether members of the church or not. He also mentioned that half of the weekly $1 dues goes back to the church.

Bob is also a Pastoral Associate. This group is heavily supported by the minister. Members of the group are available to visit people in need. Their main contribution is to just listen. More Pastoral Associates are welcome; the deadline to apply is April 30. This group's meetings are different than most, since they focus more on the spiritual and less on function. Bob reminded the Council that the privacy issue was recently raised by an SGM. Finally, Bob reminded the Council that he continues to want a way available for regular members to communicate with the leadership without having to make a presentation to some group. For this reason, he still supports the idea of an ombudsman.

Cindy Pitcairn represents our poetry groups, which are thriving. They have a solid group that has been meeting for about eight years. They have been publishing WomenKin and this effort has segued to publishing Thresholds, which is selling well, especially in Portland. Laura Jamieson deserves a lot of the credit for this success. Jeanne-Marie Moore is concerned that these publications are still not accessible to the blind.

Carolyn Munroe is the representative from the RE program. Things have been going well, including getting volunteer teachers and parent involvement. The RE assistant, Marika Banyacski, is wonderful. The Easter program went without a hitch. The Children's Art Show will begin on Sunday, May 2. All in RE are awaiting Candee Cole's return.

Judy Sawyer wore her two hats, Social Justice and Green Sanctuary. A Human Rights event at LCC was successful. The "Blue Gold" movie was shown to a full house; it had previously been shown at church. The Green Sanctuary group has two new members, Quincy Summerlin and Sarah Adamson. Sarah is good at researching grants, for example for supporting green construction. The Green Sanctuary group needs a new co-chair, to replace Judy. The group plans to renew the Garden Committee. A current main focus is the BPOC plant exchange.

Jeanne-Marie Moore announced plans to become a Chalice Lighter, and she encouraged others to join her. See recent newsletters for details. For our church to benefit, we need one-third of our membership (or 128) to be Chalice Lighters. Judie Hansen pointed out that she is now the Chalice Lighter contact; she is replacing Bjorn Olson.

Everyone had such a good time that the meeting didn't adjourn until 11:40.

9. Opening Words for future meetings. Elan volunteered for the NEXT MEETING on June 12.

 

COORDINATING COUNCIL MINUTES
March 13, 2010

Attending: Mary Otten, Carol Armstrong, Sue Craig, Betty Hosokawa, Elan, Dick Loescher, Judie Hansen, Chuck Wagar, John Clay

1. Opening Words provided by Sue Craig.

2. Introductions – attendees introduced themselves.

3. Annual Reports. John Clay reported that the Annual Report for the church year will be collected and assembled by the Archives Committee, as planned last year. This report will contain committee reports for both the 2008–09 and 2009–10 church years. John will be asking for contacts for each committee and group in the next week and then will send letters to the groups asking for their reports by June. If all goes well, the Annual Report will be published by the end of June.

It was suggested that John contact Audrey Maslin, who has been working on a Resource Guide for the Membership Committee, for a current list of committees and contact people.

4. Update on our new building. Judie Hansen announced that we have the keys to the new building and the contract has been signed with the architect, Gary Moye. A group from the BPOC plans to go on a field trip with the him next week to look at the Salem UU church and the First Portland church and he has Judie’s Illustrated Journal that she started 3 years ago. The Scottish Rite people will hold an exit ceremony on April 6, at which time they will exit the building and turn it over to us. We will have a banner raising and sign removal ceremony on April 18; this will not be the dedication of the church, which will occur when we move into it. Elliot and Marina McIntire are planning the ceremony. There will be snacks and goodies at the ceremony—Elan is working with CUUPS and Dick Loescher will contact the SMG groups to supply the refreshments. Other items of interest: we may be able to use the current Scottish Rite sign on the building can be reused at least temporarily; this is being investigated. Also, the Scottish Rite people are leaving the theater seats currently in the building; these may be useful to Lord Lebrick or some other theater company; this will also be investigated.

5. Task Force on Emergency Planning. Chuck Wagar discussed the work of this task force, which consist of himself, Doug Turvey and Ken Ross. They are focusing their attention primarily on Emergency Planning for the 13th Street location. The are working from an established Disaster Plan and the scope includes all sorts of disasters—Chuck mentioned earthquake, fire, water, wind. The planning includes both the church proper and outreach for needs of the neighborhood. They have contacted the Four Square church and believe that no one is currently doing this work.

6. Caring Committee and background checks. Chuck Wagar said that 52% of the volunteers on the Caring Committee have had the background check (There are approximately 50 people on the list.) The committee is continuing to look into the extent of the background check and is also reviewing the status of a memo that we have used to temporarily justify the use of volunteers without background checks. Dick Loescher noted that the UUA website recommends use of background checks and Sue Craig reminded us of the issue about privacy of our data and potential use of it for profit by the company doing the background check.

7. Status of the Personnel Committee. Mary Otten reported. The committee consist of Mary Brau, Hilary Gerdes, and Ken Ross (none present). It’s agenda is to compile an inventory of tasks expected of the office staff, to compile a skills inventory of staff, and to write job descriptions. The end goal is to get task alignment and how to proceed; a second goal is to rewrite the personnel manual. The committee is meeting weekly and will report to the Board in May.

8. Report from the Board. Mary Otten reported that the Board has been focusing on two areas. They have worked with Janine Larsen from the PNWD regarding issues of governance, accountablitiy, and growth especially as it applies to a church like ourselves moving toward the “program” type church. The second area has been working out issues from last year over the Board’s relationship with the minister.

Mary also reported that there was a question about raising a rainbow flag at the new home; it was decided not to do so now since we are not in the building yet. We want to be, and have time to be, more deliberative about what goes up. A discussion followed about the Coordinating Council’s earlier agreement to put up a rainbow flag (at the current church). Nobody knew why it hadn’t been done, so Chuck, representing Facility Council, volunteered to contact Nisco Junkins to locate the flag and put it in a window.

9. Improving communications within the church. There was a general brain-storming session on this subject. Judie said there is often confusion about how to get new ideas done. There are a variety of communications methods—OOS announcements, bulletin board, newsleters, print, online, and email—and it can be confusing to know what to do. Carol expressed a need for direct contact with a person; personal interaction is often the most effective way to get help or to enlist support. No action was taken.

Related to this, Dick suggested that Ishbel (publications specialist) be introduced to the congregation at a Sunday service. He will talk to Rev. Stephen about this. Also, several people commented that they have had problems getting material in the newsletter when they followed the instructions on the web. The problem seems to be the email address—perhaps it is an old address that Kim used. Betty will follow up with the office to seek a resolution. BPOC was mentioned as a group that has done a particularly good job of communicating.

10. Committee reports.

Archives Committee (John) – History book is getting close to completion. The text is written; still formatting and selecting photos. We are seeking committee and other group material for the files—the end of the church year is a good time to do this regular activity.

SJUUCE (Sue)– We are hosting a table at the Human Rights Community Summit on April 10. We also have 2 people presenting—Nisco Junkins (LGBT) and Judy Sawyer (bottled water). For more information, look at http://www.humanrightscity.com. Sue has been authorized to see about starting a non-profit that will help small business startup.

Nominating Committee (Betty)– They are close to having a full slate for the election April 18. A possible treasurer candidate is being interviewed this week.

Dick Loescher reported: Small Group Ministry is half way through it’s season and is doing well. Barb Prentice has taken the chair of Adult RE. The Committee on Congregational Ministry survey conducted in September is on the web for people to look at.

CUUPS (Elan)– Has been invited to do a cleansing of the new church. (This is separate from the banner and sign ceremony.) They are also organizing an All-Church Beltane on April 27 which will be designed for non-CUUPS participants and they are joining with the community Beltane celebration April 15.

Membership (Carol)– New member Sunday will be April 25.

Green Sanctuary (Carol)– planning a 3rd Sunday potluck, a global warming class, plant exchange, crop walk, That’s My Farmer, and vegetable boxes.

Judie Hansen reported: End of Life class will have a follow-on story-circle class by popular demand, starting in April. The next Clutter-Busting Garage Sale will be April 16–17. We now have 46 Chalice Lighters; we need 125 to qualify for their grants. A service auction is being planned (Judie and Elliot McIntire) for the fall; it will be a live auction only. Let’s Be Frank fundraiser is coming up; and Joseph Bonnevie (who is putting it on) is planning something every other month.

11. Opening Words for future meetings. Since the April meeting is being changed to accommodate Rev. Stephen, Mary will see if he will do opening words. No May meeting. Elan volunteered for June 12.

12. Wrap up and check out.

Next meetings: April 24, 2010 at Market of Choice community room 2nd floor at 29th & Willamette.

John Clay
jyalc@comcast.net
541 338-2960

COORDINATING COUNCIL MINUTES
January 9, 2010

In attendance: Carol Armstrong, John Clay, Bob Coleman, Sue Craig, Judie Hansen, Betty Hosokawa, Steve (Hutch) Hutchison, Brian Lewis, Dick Loescher, Carolyn Munroe, Ken Ross, Judy Sawyer

1. Opening Words. Dick Loescher provided opening words.

2. Introductions. Betty Hosokawa served as chair in Mary Otten's absence.

3. Appropriate use of staff. The following was submitted November 3 by our Office Administrator, Steve Hutchison (Hutch). The staff of UUCE is here to support the life of the congregation. We will try to do everything we can to help out. If you need something from the office, please call or email ahead of time--- a week or more for a one-hour job.

It should be noted that while volunteerism is appreciated, volunteers assume a certain level of support for their own activities. It should not necessarily be assumed that because a job requires a printer or computer that the office staff will have time to do it, especially on short notice. However, we will do everything we can in the time we have.

Any request for support from the office, the custodian or the publications specialist will enjoy a greater chance of the desired outcome by providing additional lead time. As lead time decreases, so does the likelihood of us being able to accommodate you fully. The key here is, try to anticipate your needs, and give us a heads-up as early as possible. Help requests for the custodian and the office assistant should go through the administrator.

The publications specialist is charged with layout of the order of service and the newsletter. Any submissions for these two publications should be sent directly to her. Any other requests for her time should be sent to the administrator.

Hutch answered some questions. Hutch announced that Ishbel Lane will be replacing Kim Harris as our publications specialist. She is very savvy about website technology. She is scheduled to work 12 hours per week, on average. Bob Coleman noted how very good and responsive Kim has been; he hopes that this will be conveyed to her.

4. Task Force on Emergency Planning. Information item: The Board has created a task force, chaired by Doug Turvey, and titled, "Caring Community Response to Emergencies Task Force."

4a. Caring Committee and Men's Group issue. Bob Coleman indicated that he and Chuck Wagar are essentially the Caring Committee. This is a very small group, but he has a list of about 40 volunteers who are willing to be on call to help people. The main ongoing problem is that only about ten of the 40 volunteers now have background checks, and background checks are required to work with this committee. The contact person for getting a background check is Hutch, our Office Administrator.

This background checks problem led to several questions, including why there isn't more publicity about this issue. Bob indicated that this very complicated issue is not an easy one to layout in a general article. The following was agreed on: MOTION: That the Coordinating Council supports and endorses the Care Committee's policy of requiring background checks, as is done with people who volunteer in RE. The general support for and need for this policy needs to be publicized to the church membership. (This motion will be shared with the Reverend Ames, and he will be urged to help publicize its importance.)

Bob also noted that there instances where the work of the Care Committee and the Pastoral Associates overlap, since both groups focus on helping people. An example occurred when he drove a person home who had just received devastating news from her physician.

Bob also mentioned a problem with a man, not affiliated with the church, who had been abusive and difficult at meetings of his Men's Group. He took the church's "covenant for committees" to the group and the group, including the man in question, agreed to adopt this covenant.

5. Scheduling of oral committee reports. We have been concerned about oral committee reports taking too much time causing us to sometimes find ourselves rushed to cover the rest of the agenda. Also, some of these reports have included new agenda items not on the written agenda. On the other hand, many of us find it valuable to learn what is going on in other parts of our church. The following compromise was agreed to after a brief discussion.

That it be understood that oral committee reports won't be scheduled for some meetings, either because of a workshop or an agenda that is already too tight. That, when they are scheduled, they are scheduled near the end of the meeting. That, when they are not scheduled, committee chairs may submit brief written reports which may be appended to the agenda. Finally, that it is understood that agenda items should be submitted in time for the written agenda; your secretary will try to alert CC members in advance. (There will occasionally need to be exceptions to this last rule, since CC only meets monthly, and less often in the summer.)

6. Committee reports. Judy Sawyer discussed some social justice issues. She described OFRAH, Oregon Faith Roundtable Against Hunger. It has 15-20 active members and several churches support it. They meeting the first Thursday of each month from 4:00-5:30. The next meeting will be at our church, on February 4. They are interested in specific action as a community: Advocacy, Education, and Direct Action. They are planning a CROP walk for Sunday, October 3; here CROP is an acronym for Committee Responding to Overcoming Poverty. They are also raising money with 25% going to Food For Lane County and the remainder going to related organizations. OFRAH needs a steering committee; volunteers and ideas are needed.

Judy also mentioned an Opportunity Conference coming up on Friday, May 7. This will be an opportunity for families to get out of poverty working one-on-one with individual resources called navigators. Over 130 families have been identified for this conference.

Sue Craig reported further on behalf of the Social Justice group. She noted that Carol Armstrong has been setting up a very nice table between and after services on Sunday. A major focus has been support of Propositions 66 and 67. They are also involved with the planning of the Human Rights Fair, scheduled for Saturday, April 10.

Carolyn Munroe is our new representative from RE --- welcome! She reminded the group that, with Candee away until May, there will be a "DRE of the day" each Sunday morning. Registration tables will be staffed the next two Sundays. Carolyn mentioned that Marika Banyacski is the DRE Assistant, and that Elaine Erwin and Melanie Namkoong are co-chairs of the RE Committee. Everything seems well covered in Candee Cole's absence.

Dick Loescher represented the Committee on Congregational Ministry (COCM), the SGM (Small Group Ministry) program, the Adult Religious Education committee, and the Capital Campaign/Annual Budget Drive committee. COCM conducted a church review survey in December 2009, and is in the process of analyzing the data. There were 60 single-spaced pages of comments to 5 open ended questions, in addition to the responses to the 35 multiple-choice questions. There are nine SGM groups that will meet for a total of 10 sessions running from January into May 2010, with more than 70 people signed up.

Judie Hansen reported on the progress of BPOC (Building Projects Oversight Committee). The recent zone-change hearing went well, with the city completely supportive. A traffic study is holding things up, and then a hearings officer will make a ruling. This will be followed by about a two-week waiting period to give further opportunities for feedback. Because of all this, it now appears that closing will occur in mid or late February. Judie also mentioned the next Town Hall meeting, which will take place on Sunday, February 14. The focus will be to determine whether priorities that members set at earlier meetings leading up to the building purchase are still valid. The expected time-line is now: BPOC determines the church's current priorities, based on previously agreed to priorities plus input from the Town Hall meeting(s). Then BPOC turns over priorities and other guidance to the architect who will need about nine months before actual work begins on the new building. Thus renovations should begin at the very end of 2010, with moving in in the summer of 2011. In addition, Judie announced the upcoming concerts on January 23 and February 13, and stated that tickets are now on sale for these events. All proceeds go to the general fund.

Brian Lewis noted that Judie did much of his report (which was fine with him). He reminded the group that he and David Green are handling the canvass which will be face-to-face this year, and Brian circulated a sign-up sheet for one of two or three canvassing workshops.

Bob Coleman mentioned again his connection with both the Care Committee and Pastoral Associates. He is concerned that the procedures for getting help are not widely known: very briefly, people should contact Bob or Hutch, our Office Administrator.

Bob's concerns segued to a general discussion, initiated by Carol Armstrong, about communication within the church. Carol suggested that, since people don't seem to get their information from the newsletter, it would help if there were half-page and even quarter-page summaries of procedures and events that people should know about. Betty Hosokawa indicated that, on behalf of herself, she has written to the Budget Committee urging the reinstatement of the printed newsletter, for all. She knows that currently people can opt in for the printed newsletter, but is concerned that we need the best communication tools possible during this complication time of transition from a pastoral to a program church. It was not clear how much support there is for this idea of Betty's, though all seemed to share her concerns. Moreover, there was agreement that it would be worthwhile to devote a meeting of the Coordinating Council to communication issues during this transition (perhaps in March, since the February meeting will be devoted to Betty Hosokawa's workshop).

Betty also indicated that the Nominating Committee is hard at work and that the biggest priority and challenge is to find someone for the Treasurer position.

There was further discussion about the newsletter and also about the church's website. Hutch (Steve Hutchison) indicated that the church needs to decide the future of the website. It really needs to be handled by a suitable staff member. Martha Osgood has found people to do part of the website work, but they are finding the task overwhelming.

Ken Ross indicated that the Facilities Council is continuing to maintain the church in anticipation of moving in the next year or so. He asked for input regarding possibilities if we cannot again get the dishwasher motor repaired. The clear response was that we need a dishwasher/sanitizer and we need it built-in. Your servants are working on this.

Ken also mentioned that the Membership Committee would like to have sole responsibility for managing the Membership board in the Social Hall. The Coordinating Council endorsed this position.

John Clay mentioned that he had little to report from the Archives Committee; he is hard at work wrapping up the book on the history of the church. John also added that he strongly supported a (Coordinating Council) devoted to communication issues during our time of transition.

7. Opening Words for future meetings.
February: Betty Hosokawa. March: Sue Craig. April: Bob Coleman.

8. Wrap up and check out.

Next meetings: February 13, 2010; March 13, 2010. The February meeting will include a workshop on "dealing with challenging group dynamics in committees," organized by Betty Hosokawa.

Ken Ross
ruthken@pacinfo.com

COORDINATING COUNCIL MINUTES
December 15, 2009

The Council's charge. The Coordinating Council promotes communication and cooperation among the councils, committees, and affiliated groups of our congregation. It serves as the clearinghouse for scheduling major events; and it provides a regular forum for committees to report their activities, discuss and develop new ideas, address problems and issues that span the work of more than one committee, harmonize the church calendar, and recommend changes in the overall programs and policies of the Church. In so doing, the council helps keep the shared goals and common purpose of our many and diverse committees clearly in focus. The council may also consider policy or procedure changes as may be referred to it by the Board of Trustees.

As you know, our meeting on December 12 was canceled because of icy roads. Accordingly, there will be no CC meeting in December. Our next meeting will be on January 9. Some of the current agenda (for the Dec 12 meeting) will carry over to the January meeting. Below are some items for your attention.

The most important agenda item, which IS time-sensitive, was item 4 on "preparing for the next church budget." Fortunately, Elizabeth Weber provided clear guidelines (see the appendix at the end of this email), so we had only anticipated a discussion about them. If you have questions, contact Elizabeth.

Use of staff and Board action. Regarding agenda item 3 on "appropriate use of staff," Mary Otten has the following to add: As noted earlier, Hutch will quite likely not be able to do as many things for committee chairs and other church members as he would like. Therefore, when making requests of the office staff, please give as much lead time as possible, and please be patient and understanding if Hutch does not get back to you as quickly as he and you would like, or if he can't do what you need done.

Here is why I am stressing this. At its December 10 meeting, the Board discussed the transfer of many administrative/financial duties from the volunteer treasurer to the paid office administrator. This is in keeping with best practices of nonprofit organizations and with our transition to a program church. The change was also necessitated by the fact that our volunteer treasurer was spending several hours a week on her duties traveling to and from the church to pick up and drop off materials, sign checks etc. This is inefficient and, frankly, too much to ask of a volunteer. Because this year's budget is so tight, the Board was unable to add extra paid hours to the office administrator's position or to hire another person to do these day-to-day tasks. We are all hopeful that the upcoming canvas will enable us to pay for adequate staffing, so that our church office will be able to function smoothly and serve the needs of the various church leaders as all would like.

There are also some committee announcements that merit your attention, as follows.

Sound advice. From Ruth Ross: Because there are some changes with the sound system that not even all trained sound techs are "up to speed" on, everyone who wants to do anything beyond using the handheld mike (for which they have been trained) should check in with Ruth for answers to questions. Recently, cords have been used and not put away, and connections on the sound board have been changed and not restored to 'normal' settings. This can cause confusion, frustration and delays on Sunday mornings. Please help spread this word to all persons in your various groups and committees.

Caring Committee. From Bob Coleman: We are down to five members of the main committee and could use some more folks, especially when it comes to the coordinators who check the needs of the church on a daily basis through the "mailbox" we maintain in the church office, as well as individual recommendations. Volunteers are needed.

The situation has come up where people in our church community are struggling with the problems associated with the current recession. Money problems, causing food problems, rent problems, and many other things which come with job loss. While it is not the province of the Caring Committee per se, it is an area for which there is no direct group in the church to provide immediate assistance, and the Caring Committee is sometimes called upon for help. We would like to see a group formed to deal with this situation on a regular basis. At the present time, the minister is consulted and measures are taken from there.

APPENDIX

Preparing for the next church budget. From Elizabeth Weber: This year the Budget Committee will be considering budget requests from committees in a different form than last year. Last fall we were asked by the Board and Rev Steve to solicit from Committees the funding they wanted to fulfill their dream "pie in the sky" committee responsibilities and tasks. We were greatly disappointed that we had to return to the Committees in April to request that they provide the opposite scenario - a bare minimum budget - when the committed pledges were not as high as hoped for. Our current plan for this year for committee line items is three-fold:

1. We will begin with maintaining committee line items at their current FY10 (July 2009 to June 2010) funding level (Centennial committee will be reduced to $0 for obvious reasons).
2. If the Board determines that funding committees above current levels is a priority, and the funds are available, we will review the committee budget requests provided last December and January to recommend increases to be made.
3. If any committee feels they need funds in excess of their current funding level or in addition to the requests submitted last year, or would like to revise their request, please provide a detailed budget request which includes the items you want funded and the amount of funding needed for each item. Items included in such a request must be in the Committee's priority order so that if we are able to fund anything additional, we do so in keeping with that Committee's preferences. We have retained all of last year's budget requests and can provide those to Committee chairs if requested. All revised budget requests are due on January 15.

Ken Ross
ruthken@pacinfo.com
home phone: 541-686-1549

Next meetings: January 9, 2010; February 13, 2010; March 13, 2010. The February meeting will include a workshop on "dealing with challenging group dynamics in committees," organized by Betty Hosokawa.

 

COORDINATING COUNCIL MINUTES
September 12, 2009

In attendance: John Clay, Judie Hansen, Betty Hosokawa, Brian Lewis, Dick Loescher, Jeanne-Marie Moore, Mary Otten, Ken Ross, Laura Stevenson

1. Opening Words. Betty Hosokawa

2. Leadership development workshop. Betty Hosokawa led the first in a series of Leadership Development workshops. This excellent session was devoted specifically to the needs of committee chairs. This particular program was developed based on information collected during our survey of the congregation last year, focusing on those concerns related to running effective meetings and recruiting new members, two intrinsically related topics.

3. Childcare at meetings. Dick Loescher raised the question of how committees and other groups should handle childcare for their meetings, now that childcare isn't covered in the current very tight budget. In a September 10 email, Candee Cole provided a quick overview of the possibilities. Additional information will be made available in the future. Candee indicated that "groups will need to find a way to cover childcare for their group." One option is that the group can pay for the church's child care provider(s) to provide child care. It was noted that some groups have simply specified that childcare cannot be provided, while other groups (including the Small Group Ministry) are trying to determine how best to facilitate childcare. A question is whether SGM would need higher approval to use registration income to pay for childcare. Meanwhile, SGM is trying to be creative; for example, suggesting to families that attend different sessions to consider doing childcare for each other. At least two people present felt that we shouldn't feel responsible for childcare, as that is the parents' responsibility. Mary Otten noted that there's been a culture shift here, partly because more mothers are in the workforce these days.

4. Introductions and brief committee reports. Mary Otten mentioned that, in our Sunday services, people will be advised to touch shoulders rather than hold hands - because of the potential flu epidemic. She mentioned that evaluation sheets from SPC (Strategic Planning Committee) will be circulated to the Council next week. She also reported that our minister has changed his name.

Regarding the Stewardship Committee, Brian Lewis stated that he and David Green will serve as co-chairs. Jeanne-Marie Moore and Laura Stevenson, who are co-chairs of the Care Committee, indicated that this committee is a work in progress. They are still sorting out what they can provide (namely help for short-term needs) and what they cannot. The next Council agenda will include the following item: Do we need a Task Force to help the Care Committee sort out people's short-term needs, which they handle, and people's long-term needs, which need dealing with. Examples: Ongoing transportation needs, yard work, house work.

5. Next meetings: Oct. 10, Nov. 14, Dec. 12

6. Opening Words. October: Ken Ross; November: Laura Stevenson

COORDINATING COUNCIL MINUTES
August 29, 2009

In attendance: John Clay, Sally DeCou, Judie Hansen, Betty Hosokawa, Brian Lewis, Dick Loescher, Mary Otten, Bill Rodgers, Ken Ross, Laura Stevenson

1. Opening Words. Judie Hansen shared opening words tailored to fit the church's current transitional situation.

2. Introductions and brief committee reports. Mary Otten indicated that she is the Board Vice President and that one of her duties is to chair the Coordinating Council. Ken Ross indicated that he's been secretary of the Council for a long time. He is also the communications coordinator of the Facilities Council and co-chair of the Centennial Celebration Committee.

Laura Stevenson is co-chair, with Jeanne-Marie Moore, of the Caring Committee. One continuing issue concerns who can do the care, since background checks are expected. This may be extended to include those who are trusted by the person to be cared for. Laura reminded us that the committee's charge is for short-term care, not long-term care.

Bill Rodgers is co-chair, with Judy Sawyer, of the Green Sanctuary group. He circulated copies of "The Green Sanctuary 5-Year Plan." Bill mentioned that there is some concern with committees having overlapping responsibilities. Also, his group needs more members.

John Clay, chair of the Archives Committee, is currently focusing on two issues: getting the History Book completed, since this is our centennial year; and completing the production of the Annual Report.

Dick Loescher is chair of the Small Group Ministry steering committee; he expects the program to be similar to last year with groups meeting twice monthly from January through May 2010. He is also involved with NVC (Nonviolent communication practice-study groups), the Committee on Congregational Ministry, and the Capital Campaign.

Brian Lewis serves as our "events/fundraisers coordinator;" he keeps an eye on these activities and works behind the scenes. Two recent examples include the Third Friday Potluck (now handled by Laura Jameison) and art in the library (now handled by Barbara Davis). Brian continues his work with Stewardship. The new chair is David Green. Since canvasses are supposed to be face-to-face every three or four years, this year's canvasses will be face-to-face. There will be no big Celebration Sunday-type event; this will also help our budget. Ann Fuller is the new chair of the Adult RE Committee. On her behalf, Brian Lewis indicated that the committee is doing well.

Sally DeCou serves on the Nominating Committee; Betty Hosokawa is the chair of that committee. Their current task is to replace a member who had to resign from BPOC (Building Projects Oversight Committee). Sally is also a Pastoral Associate and was the contact person over the summer. This committee is still in its infancy. Sally mentioned that had a background check; it was easy and she learned something very useful, namely that someone else was using her Social Security Number.

Judie Hansen reported on BPOC; see item 7. She is the organizer of the Birders Group and Thundereggs. The birders go out every Tuesday morning, using followed by a breakfast. The Thundereggs (women of a certain age) meeting Thursday afternoons; these gatherings seem to offer a good opportunity for newer church attendees to get acquainted with established church members.

3. Scheduling committee meetings. This is a follow-up on previous discussions regarding the feasibility of scheduling committee meetings only on certain days. This would save wear-and-tear of the church and would make it easier for Rev. Landale to attend more committee meetings. Mary Otten reported that the devil is in the details. A Board task group, consisting of Mary Otten, Norma Landy, Anna Sontag and Hutch (Steven Hutchison), looked into the possibilities. They concluded that such scheduling changes would be difficult in our current situation, though they are open to a great idea.

4. Strategic Planning Suggestions for Church Committees and Groups. A handout was circulated. Mary Otten indicated that, at its retreat, the Board endorsed the Strategic Planning Committee's desire to get committees more involved with the church's strategic-planning process. A handout for committee chairs, prepared by Kay Crider, was circulated. For the latest five-year plan status report prepared by the Strategic Planning Committee, go to http://www.uueugene.org/SPC/5-yrPlans/Oct08Revised5YrPlan.pdf

5. Church policy on rentals. Mary Otten reminded the group that last spring, as part of dealing with the church's budget crunch, the Board agreed to loosen the rental policies and encourage Hutch (Steve Hutchison) to be more pro-active in getting rentals. Hutch's work reflects this tentative plan which is under review. To help him get renters, it has been suggested that if he has a prospective renter with at least two months lead, then it would be appropriate for him to ask a group already scheduled for the desired time whether they could move their time. The desire would be to encourage flexibility, and it was understood that the committee might say "no" if their program was already well set, or if their program had been widely advertised, or if their program included an invited outside speaker, etc. Mary has already consulted Interweave (Nisco Junkins) who was okay with this approach.

6. Charges for Adult RE classes. The question was whether it is appropriate to charge for adult RE classes. In the past, the charges have usually been around $10; often the income has been used to cover the cost of materials used. The Council was asked its opinion. MOTION: The Council recommends that normally there be voluntary registration fees for adult RE classes. This motion passed unanimously.

7. Discussion of potential new church site. Judie Hansen reminded the group that Town Hall meetings are scheduled for September 8 and 13. The Congregational Meeting to vote on the new site is tentatively scheduled for October 11. Judie mentioned that Karen Gaffney is handling the New Building Questions Answers part of the website; Karen served on the BPOC until recently and knows the history. Judy Sawyer is handling the related newsletter articles. Rich Margerum is working on lining up professionals to do the various necessary inspections, and he is also working
with the city on the necessary zoning changes.

Dick Loescher, who is on the Capital Campaign Committee, mentioned that we have "hired" two PNWD consultants. They will be interviewing some members of the church, during September 11-13, to help assess our ability to buy the property.

8. Leadership development. Our September meeting would focus on leadership development. Betty Hosokawa is handling this, since she is chair of the Nominating Committee and this project has been added to the committee's charge. The focus at the meeting, beginning at 9:30 sharp, will be on running committee meetings. Attendance by current committee chairs is strongly encouraged. Topics for future workshops will be decided later, partly based on a survey that will be taken at this workshop.

9. Other topics from Rev. Steve in April. Steve focused on the need for job descriptions (mission statements or charges) for committees. These already exist for many committees, but might need to be revisited and updated. Mary Otten reminded the group about this. A good starting point is the list of committees on the website http://www.uueugene.org/UUCE/Committees.html; many committee charges can be found here. While you are at it, you can update the name of the chair(s) and members. Send your changes to webmaster@uueugene.org.

10. Next meetings: September 12 (see item 8 above), October 10 (room 5), November 14, December 12

11. Opening Words. September: Betty Hosokawa. October: Ken Ross. November: Laura Stevenson. (A good source is http://www.uua.org/spirituallife/worshipweb/)

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COORDINATING COUNCIL MINUTES
May 9, 2009

In attendance: John Clay, Bob Coleman, Judie Hansen, Betty Hosokawa, Jeff Jackson, Norma Landy, Anndee Lloyd-Burchett, Dick Loescher, Elliot McIntire, Mary Otten, Amy Raven, Ken Ross, Robin Schantz-Mulford

1. Opening Words. Bob Coleman shared his own words:
#1 duty makes of us quiet slaves,
who keep the screaming sounds inside,
for fear that someone else might hear,
and know we have no purpose worth
the price we pay, so dear.
#2 all men the poet be,
if some should find themselves well written,
perhaps its in the song they chose to sing.
patience then,
with songless men,
they are about masterpieces of their own.
#3 touch somebody now,
before it is too late....
and you shall have to spend eternities,
with only dreams to mark the places where love was.

2. Introductions and brief committee reports.

Norma Landy reported on the June 14 All-church picnic at Alton Baker Park. She encouraged individuals and committees to volunteer help with various aspects of the picnic, including set up (12:00-1:00) and clean up around 5:00.

Amy Raven represented the Green Sanctuary group. She also reported on the Ethical Eating project and mentioned their May 16 kick-off event. This project appears to have a leadership crisis for next year.

Bob Coleman reported as chair of the Care Committee. The current coordinators are Bob and Chuck Wagar. There are about 40 volunteers, but there continues to be resistance to background checks, which have now been endorsed by the Board.

Betty Hosokawa chairs the Nominating Committee. They've wrapped up their primary charge for the year, providing nominees for the Board and other volunteer church positions. Betty reminded the group of the upcoming leadership conference on May 23.

Mary Otten reported that the Accessibility Committee has not been meeting lately. As a member of the Board, she reminded Council members that the major budget meeting is currently scheduled for June 7.

Dick Loescher represented the Committee on Congregational Ministry, the Small Group Ministry program, nonviolent communication practice-study groups, and the Adult RE Committee. All are doing well. He noted that Ann Fuller is still the chair of the Adult RE Committee, but may step down after she's elected Secretary of the Board.

Judie Hansen reported the good news that her groups (Thundereggs, a book group, and a writing group) have combined to be the "UUCE Groupies" and that this group is helping Tsunami Books by buying a share in the company. Judie also assured the Council that BPOC (Building Project Oversight Committee) is still active and considering possible properties.

Judie also reminded us about the reception on June 7, 3:00-5:00, honoring the Rev. Steve Landale and Wendy Ames prior to their wedding. Attendees are invited to bring finger food. Judie asked about the food arrangements earlier that day, in view of the planned congregational meeting. The group agreed that "brown bagging" would work well. Finally, Judie announced the next garage sale will be July 17-18.

Anndee Lloyd-Burchett was this month's representative from the RE Committee. She mentioned their successful April retreat. They created the following mission statement: To nurture compassion and integrity while inspiring spiritual exploration and service rooted in Unitarian Universalism. The Council endorsed this statement without dissent; it will be reported to the Board. RE is sponsoring the church's work for Food for Lane County in May in the sense that youth will be encouraged to work and child care will be available for younger kids. Upcoming Sunday-service events include Youth Sunday Service (May 17), Teacher Appreciation Sunday (May 31), and Moving Up Ceremony (June 7).

John Clay, chair of the Archives Committee, first announced that the committee has unanimously agreed to take over the Annual Reports project, starting next spring. The history project is not moving as quickly as desired. The committee is working on updating the guidelines for how committees should archive their material. Finally, the committee is low on members and needs newer church members.

Robin Schantz-Mulford continues to chair the Kitchen Committee. On behalf of the Membership Committee, he mentioned the recent New Member Sunday event. There will be a New Member Orientation on two Saturdays in the fall, to accommodate people for whom week nights are difficult. Finally, Robin mentioned that the new directories, with photos, are out.

Jeff Jackson represented SJUUCE and noted that this abbreviation is used both for the social justice group and for SJUUCE Advisory Group, which includes related groups such as Green Sanctuary and Interweave. SJUUCE receives proposals from both within the church and from the wider community. SJUUCE also receives requests for endorsements. These requests are handled with deliberative care. One such request came from the UU Aids Coalition, spear-headed by Dennis Reynolds. SJUUCE gave its support and the item has gone to the Board. Jeff mentioned that we also need to bolster on-going projects such as our commitment to work at FFLC (Food for Lane County). Finally, Jeff mentioned that he and Sandy Moses hope to meet with Marilyn and Nisco Junkins to discuss possible candidates to head up the organizing and promotional work for the Welcoming Congregation sessions that will take place in the fall or winter.

Our Council chair, Elliot McIntire, admitted that he was present.

Representing the Facilities Council, Ken Ross indicated that Chuck Wagar requests that we use the Breezeway Room more for committee meetings, especially in the winter, rather than the Sanctuary or Social Hall. He also mentioned that the roof leak in the Sanctuary, observed on Sunday May 3, has been fixed; five shingles needed replacing and the cost was $225. As co-chair of the Centennial Celebration Committee, Ken mentioned progress on planning the big September celebration, the float in the parade (a project of the youth), and creation of posters and a banner (the costs include materials only thanks to a "graphic design" class at LCC).

3. Committee night! (or nights!) Elizabeth Weber, from the Budget Committee, reported by email survey results of the following item, to which 141 congregants responded. Use of Church Facilities. Proposal: Restrict use of church facilities for meetings and potlucks to 2 or 3 days/nights per week. Support: 72.5%; Neutral: 18.8%; Don't Support: 8.7%. Seventy comments mostly fell within one of these areas: 1) Is there enough space at the church for everyone to meet there just 2 to 3 nights per week? 2) This would impact member's ability to be involved in more than one committee. 3) Is the little bit of $1,500 saved per year worth this effort? 4) There would be accessibility issues for off-site meetings. 5) General support.

4. Facing budget restraints. Elizabeth Weber, from item 3, reported by email: I did want to pass along to the committees how very grateful the Budget Committee is for the voluntary reductions in budgets the committees have submitted. We are grateful for their guidance and comforted by the shared sacrifices. We are continuing to tweak the line items (all of them, not just committees) to get the budget balanced. We hope to have a budget for the congregation's review and vote by the end of May.

There was further discussion about the current pledge levels compared with last year. The question about the service auction arose; Betty Hosokawa agreed to look into its status. The results of the Budget Committee's survey indicated general support for the difficult cuts except for cuts in the RE program. It was wondered whether the survey results (without the individual comments) could be made available on the church website. Finally, it was noted that the budget crunch isn't going to last just one year, so the church's five-year plan will need to be revisited.

5. Leadership development. Status report. Recall that, at our April meeting, Rev. Steve emphasized that work on this process will save time and energy in the long run. It was agreed that our September meeting would focus on leadership development. Steve's vision includes more new leaders and less over-use of current leaders on multiple committees.

6. Other topics from Rev. Steve in April. Steve focused on the need for job descriptions (mission statements or charges) for committees. These already exist for many committees, but might need to be revisited and updated. Rev. Steve and the Adult RE Committee are resources. Committee chairs might think about this when they prepare their Annual Report (Ken Ross).

7. Annual Reports. They are due June 5.

8. Summer meetings of the Coordinating Council. See item 10.

9. Opening Words. August: Judie Hansen. September: Betty Hosokawa. October: Ken Ross.

10. Future Coordinating Council Meeting. 9:30-11:30 am on Saturday mornings, usually the second Saturday. BUT it was agreed to next meet on August 29.

11. Wrap up and check out. The question of who is responsible for publicity in, for example, the Saturday Register Guard was raised. Ken Ross agreed to check with some of our publicity-oriented people.

Elliot McIntire was thanked for his good work on the Council this church year. He, as well as Jeff Jackson and Amy Raven, indicated that this will be their last Council meeting. We hope not; they will always be welcome!

Ken Ross
ruthken@pacinfo.com

 

COORDINATING COUNCIL MINUTES
April 11, 2009

In attendance: John Clay, Judie Hansen, Sarah Hendrickson, Betty Hosokawa, Marilyn Junkins, Nisco Junkins, Reverend Steve Landale, Dick Loescher, Robbie McCosh, Elliot McIntire, Melanie Namkoong, Mary Otten, Amy Raven, Ken Ross, Chuck Wagar

1. Opening Words. John Clay shared excellent opening words from Margaret Keip.

2. Introductions and brief committee reports. Ken Ross promised Cindy Pitcairn to share the following report, and forgot! The UUCE Poets are pleased to announce their gift of $40 to the church's General Fund. A mere pittance, you might say, but it represents about 80% of the net income from sales of our new poetry journal, Thresholds. (The other 20% will go toward the cost of the next issue.) We hope that by donating such a large percentage we set an example for other groups within the church who raise money for their special interests, and we appreciate the patronage of church members and friends who have helped support our poetic efforts. Don't miss the next issue of Thresholds due out in May and be sure to check out our poetry exhibit on the walls of the library during April!

TEMPORARY NOTE FROM KEN: I'm going to be omitting some of the brief committee reports if the material is readily available elsewhere or has already been given before. (I think I've been a bit too detailed in the past.)

Amy Raven reported that Judy Sawyer and Bill Rodgers will be co-chairs of Green Sanctuary next church year.

Dick Loescher reported that Ann Fuller is the new chair of the Adult RE Committee. Their website is being constructed. An issue they are dealing with is the $10 fee for courses. Dick mentioned that COCM (Committee on Congregational Ministry) discussed the suggestion box further and concluded that they would probably support it if the needs it would address are not met otherwise.

Mary Otten mentioned that the Accessibility Committee hasn't met for awhile. Speaking for SJUUCE (social justice group), Mary noted that the group Ethical Eating is doing well. Also, our UUSC contact, Joyce Thomas, wants to be replaced. SJUUCE will help with the Welcoming Congregation class that is planned for the fall.

Judie Hansen reminded the group of the Clutter-Busting garage sale. A special feature is that there won't be price tags. Experience has shown that church garage sales do better if people pay what they feel is right rather than what's on a price tag. She remarked that it would be nice to have such a garage sale four times a year.

Betty Hosokawa reported that the Nominating Committee has a candidate for Board Secretary, Ann Fuller. Posters about all the candidates will be up soon. The election will be on May 10.

Melanie Namkoong reported that the RE Committee is doing well. Among other things, they will be revisiting their mission statement at a retreat later in April.

Marilyn Junkins, chair of the Membership Committee, indicated that the Newcomers Orientation went well with about 15 regular attendees. Four or five have already signed up to become members, and there will probably be more. They are encouraged to take their time and be sure they want to join, i.e., no pressure. Some new members have expressed interest in serving on the Membership Committee! To accommodate folks for whom evening meetings are not convenient, the next Newcomers Orientation (in the fall) will take place on two Saturdays. Finally, Marilyn assured us that the Resource Guide is "on the way."

Rev. Steve Landale indicated that his mind is on the staff. He is taking President Obama has his leadership model: being positive but being realistic. He urges all to be gentle with the staff.

3. Committee night! (or nights!) Rev. Landale discussed the following. Beginning in September, intentionally scheduling several groups on one or two nights, so that people can meet together for a brief potluck dinner or a brief (15-20 min) worship service. For instance, second Thursdays and third Tuesdays, or something like that. This would build community and, at the same time, be good for Steve because it would be a more efficient way to keep touch with so many committees. Steve needs a partner in organizing these nights.

4. Leadership development. Rev. Landale asked if this has been happening in committees and several responses indicated that people have learned about procedures. Betty Hosokawa pointed out that, in the survey, the main interest was in how to manage difficult personal interactions at meetings. Some leadership development occurs in NonViolent Communication workshops and SGM-facilitator training. (SGM = Small Group Ministry) We need a "structure of expectations." Judie Hansen reminded folks that the UUA and PNWD are good resources, especially some of the UUA lists. A leadership retreat was suggested, but there was concern that not everyone would be able to attend. In any case, brief basic information is needed for new leaders; the Manual for Committee Chairs might be a start. Rev. Steve emphasized that work on this process will save time and energy in the long run. It was agreed that our September meeting would focus on leadership development. Steve's vision includes more new leaders and less over-use of current leaders on multiple committees.

5. Other topics with Rev. Steve, including some (but not all) of the following: Mission statements or job descriptions for committees. Volunteer outreach and support. Keeping connected with UUCE as a whole. Steve focused on the need for job descriptions (mission statements or charges) for committees. These already exist for many committees, but might need to be revisited and updated. Rev. Steve and the Adult RE Committee are resources.

6. Facing budget restraints. An April 8 letter to the Council members from the Budget Committee (Jean Coberly, Doug Barab, Marta Powers and Elizabeth Weber) was circulated. It asked for help in reviewing our budgets submitted in December. And it requests support and understanding regarding a survey that will be going to the congregation.

Sarah Hendrickson reported that the Board gave serious consideration to the budget problem, but is trying to remain positive. The budget deficit is huge The budget committee has analyzed major cuts that may be necessary, but clearly wishes to avoid the worst of them. Ultimately, we must have a balanced budget. Sustainability over the long haul is the challenge. Meanwhile, a survey (using SurveyMonkey on the web) will be offered to the congregation which will simultaneously provide needed information and request input on some hard choices. Elliot McIntire emphasized that it is important to hear from everyone, so that we'll collectively have our priorities straight. The current year's budget is also short, so committees are encouraged not to use up their full budget lines.

Mary Otten indicated that it's important for everyone to understand the seriousness of our situation, and that we all need to pull together. While the Board will have to present the budget, a sense of community is hoped for. The possible cuts in staff are most distressing. Anyone thinking of adding to their pledges are encouraged to do so sooner, rather than later, because staff cuts will be demoralizing even if they are (perhaps partially) unnecessary later on. Steve also reminded us that we're already understaffed. It is hoped that volunteers will be able to help.

There was discussion of how groups can help, perhaps with more fundraisers. The idea of "eScripts" with local merchants will also be looked into. At this point, we were reminded that Alex Crider-Phillips is organizing an auction, probably in late May, to be held at church.

7. Annual Reports and Manual for Committee Chairs. Ken Ross reminded the group about the Manual for Committee Chairs. He expressed concern about the process of creating Annual Reports. It was noted that it would help if a template of questions was available. John Clay and Judie Hansen kindly offered to help Ken this year, and John indicated that the Archives Committee could take on this task next year.

8. Conflicting events within a group event. Ken Ross briefly mentioned that groups need to be careful when scheduling events that might involve other groups.

9. Summer meetings of the Coordinating Council. Should we meet in June and August? The conclusions were: We should meet in August, not necessarily on the second Saturday, and that we should schedule a meeting for June 11, with the option to reconsider it at our May meeting.

10. Information item. There is now a mailbox for the Coordinating Council, located above the coat rack in the foyer across the hall from the bathrooms. Congregants who want to communicate with someone, and don't know where to start, can be encouraged to drop a note in this mailbox.

11. Opening Words. For May, Bob Coleman.

12. Future Coordinating Council Meeting. 9:30-11:30 am on Saturday mornings: May 9, June 11 (but see item 9).

Ken Ross
ruthken@pacinfo.com

Coordinating Council Minutes
March 14, 2009

PROGRESS OF THE COORDINATING COUNCIL

Nineteen people gathered for the most recent Coordinating Council meeting on March 14, 2009.  As always, much was learned at the check ins and some good business was accomplished.  Amy Raven shared the wonderful, but not surprising, news that our church has been formally recognized as an Accredited Green Sanctuary.  All the motions discussed below passed without opposition.

In conjunction with offering a Welcoming Congregation workshop in the very near future, Interweave requested approval for “flying” of a Rainbow Flag outside our church.  A motion approved displaying the flag at the east window of the east restroom, where the flag would be visible from the ramp outside the church as well as from inside the church.  It was agreed that the flag can remain on display until at least the end of the Welcoming Congregation workshop. 

Marilyn Junkins expressed concern about non-UU materials that appear on the welcoming table, on the pamphlet rack and in the social hall.  Our office administrator, Hutch (Steve Hutchison) indicated that the church receives a lot of material and that he and the office assistant, Joyce Levesque, toss a lot of the material and post what appears to be appropriate for our church.  In a motion, the Council empowered the Membership Committee to remove non-UUCE/UUA material from the pamphlets rack and to pass the material to the office staff for disposition.

Bjorn Olson, who recently joined our church, observed that the district-wide Chalice Lighter Program is not well known in our church.  Here’s a brief description:  “The provides grants to congregations in the Pacific Northwest District.  Grants are funded exclusively through contributions from more than 2,000 PNWD Unitarian Universalists who participate as Chalice Lighters.”  In order to benefit from this program, we would need 30% participation of our membership.  Through a motion, the Council supported the promotion of Chalice Lighters in our church.

The Green Sanctuary Committee has generously donated a projector to the church.  To maintain security, the projector, and a DVD player that Green Sanctuary is also getting for the church, will be kept under lock and key.  They can be checked out through the church office.

The Council also received an informational report from the Archives Committee regarding which records the committees should save and the procedures for archiving them.  In particular, if in doubt, committees should save the material and let the Archives Committee decide what to keep.

There was also continuing discussion about Bob Coleman’s suggestion that we have a suggestion box.  During the discussion, it became clear that many people, especially newcomers, don’t know how our church works and that it is our responsibility to make this information more readily available.

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COORDINATING COUNCIL MINUTES
February 14, 2009

In attendance:  John Clay, Bob Coleman, Judie Hansen, Betty Hosokawa, Brian Lewis, Dick Loescher, Elliot McIntire, Jeanne-Marie Moore, Mary Otten, Ken Ross, Judy Sawyer

0.  Before the meeting.  A gentlemen came into the Social Hall.  He was Michael Ramirez, and he indicated that, about five years ago, our church had allowed him and his daughter, Juanita, to live in their bus at the far-end of our parking lot.  He said that it made a big difference, and they are still doing well.  He just wanted to let us know that he still appreciates our help!  He's happy to report that his daughter graduated from high school, with honors.

1.  Opening Words.  Brian Lewis.

2.  Brief introductions and committee reports.  Dick Loescher indicated that NVC (Non-violent Communication), SGM (Small Group Ministry) and CCM (Committee on Congregational Ministry) are ongoing. 

Bob Coleman represented the Care Committee which is continuing to do well (by doing good).  Bob indicated that Sally O'Donnell is currently the "point person" on the Care Committee.

Judie Hansen mentioned that about 80 people attended the Town Hall meeting on February 8 which was sponsored by BPOC (Building Projects Oversight Committee).  She reported that Judy Newman recently hosted a breakfast for Birders which raised $200 for Food for Lane County.  She also mentioned that Thundereggs has increased participation since they've started "table talk," where a common question is addressed by all.

Jeanne-Marie Moore represented the Accessibility Committee; the chair of the committee is Leslie Gilbert.  Jeanne-Marie and Mary Otten shared a concern regarding accessibility at the Music Soire in March.  After some discussion, the group almost unanimously supported the idea that the Soire ought to give up tables (for cabaret style), thereby making the Soire more accessible for more people.  Jeanne-Marie also mentioned that the committee is still working on HOH (hard of hearing) issues and plans to circulate a survey in the near future.

Betty Hosokawa is co-chair, with Nisco Junkins, of the Nominating Committee.  She reminded the group that this committee is charged with finding leaders to serve on SPC (Strategic Planning Committee), BPOC, the Board of Trustees, and the Nominating Committee itself.  Secretary of the Board is a major position that is still open.

Judy Sawyer reported on the Green Sanctuary.  The committee has purchased a projector for the church.  Chuck Wagar has posted signs in the bathrooms encouraging water conservation.  A tour of the Short Mountain landfill is planned; it is apparently fascinating.  There are concerns that recycling in the kitchen is not working and that there are very few responses on the online survey regarding transportation.  It was noted that the church used to have a compost pile, which might be returned to via the "sacred soils idea."  The group is revisiting its charge, on the assumption that the church's application for Green Sanctuary status will be approved.  This raises the question of the group's authority to make policy as contrasted with making suggestions (e.g., about recycling, composting, allowing paper products, establishing "pack it in, pack it out" policy).  Future events, such as That's My Farmer on April 21, were announced.

Judy Sawyer also represented SJUUCE (Social Justice at UUCE), because Jeff Jackson was unable to attend the meeting.  She reported that she, Alex Crider-Phillips and Sarah Hendrickson are working on a charge for this group.  The "Ethical Eating" subgroup is moving forward and has created three task forces to focus on: (1) gardening;  (2) eating locally; (3) reducing use of bottled water.  On the other hand, the subgroup "Human Rights" still needs leadership and may be postponed.  Also, Interweave has purchased a rainbow flag. 

Brian Lewis reminded all about Celebration Sunday, February 15.  After this pledge event, there will be follow ups.  They need help with this.  Brian reported that Adult RE is doing well; they have created guidelines for giving classes.  Regarding events, Brian is working on having an art display in the Library.

Elliot McIntire indicated that Alex Crider-Phillips has agreed to organize a scaled-down auction later in the spring.  Judie Hansen indicated that one of the Small Group Ministries is planning a rummage sale in April.

Ken Ross mentioned his connections with the Facilities Council (FC), the Centennial Celebration Committee (CCC) and of course the Coordinating Council.  He mentioned activities of FC this week included water problems in the bathrooms, heating in the Breezeway  Room, electrical outages in the office, and potholes in the parking lot.

3.  A suggestion box.  Bob Coleman raised the idea of a suggestion box, so that new members and others that aren't in the "inner circle" have a way to share ideas and ask questions.  Bob, Nisco Junkins and Brian Lewis served as a task force to follow up on this idea.  See the report from Bob in the Appendix to these minutes.  Bob stressed that the key idea was communication, which can take the form of questions, suggestions and even complaints.  It was suggested that these categories may need separating.  The suggestion box would need an editor.  It was noted that answers to questions about the church will be more accessible when our office staff is more knowledge, and when and if we get a Volunteer (or Development) Coordinator.

4.  Green Sanctuary Group.  See Judy Sawyer's check-in above.  Concerning the projector, the idea was to store it in the office, require people to sign for it (on a first-come-first-serve basis) and assess a charge, say $10 for using it.  Also, Mark Koenig, Chuck Wagar and Judy are a task force looking into recycling in the kitchen.  The group feels it needs liaisons with other church committees.  It was suggested that it would be better for there to be Green Sanctuary folks on various committees rather than loading the Green Sanctuary group with representatives from various committees. 

     4a.  Kitchen Committee and Coffee.  From Amy Raven:  There really is no Kitchen Committee, only one person, Robin Schantz-Mulford, who has tried hard, but is finding it difficult to keep up.  Specifically, he can't get people to make coffee after services, so has been doing it himself, and can't keep on.  Amy mentioned some possible solutions.  In addition, she offered to help Robin in the short term:  "As I'm home bound for some time, one of the things I would be willing to do on the computer, until the end of June, is to contact people who have made coffee in the past, as well as put something on Share, Chat and the web UUpdate.  If I were to do this, I would need an on-site coffee person who could teach new people the ropes, put out a clipboard for sign-ups, things I can't do from afar." The group discussed the problem and accepted Amy's generous offer to help in the short term.  Some feel that, ultimately, people have to accept consequences:  If no one will take charge of coffee for Sunday mornings, then there will be no coffee on Sunday mornings.

5.  Emergency Preparedness.  From the Committee of Congregational Ministry:  Recently we have discussed how our community could be better prepared for emergencies or disasters and whatever else is entailed in the safety issues which are no longer our arena.  There are resources nationally which could be consulted in the event of a large scale catastrophe and depending on the nature of the event there would be varying approaches and amounts of resources  made available to us.  A good place to start would be  knowing the extent of our current safety plans.  Then items were offered as things we may want to do "before a tragedy occurs." 

Judie Hansen explained why the Committee on Congregational Ministry took this up.  Many of these recommendations are related to our church liability insurance policy.  Also, there was a Register-Guard article about this issue, including the announcement of a workshop where people can get CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) certification.  The idea whether some staff person should get certification was discussed. This topic was deferred to the April Council meeting.

6.  First Aid at church.  Some thoughts from Jack Stevens and Candee Cole:  In an unmarked drawer to the right of the sink, behind a trash bin, is an odd collection of BandAids and other miscellany, including a CPR mask.  I suggest that someone be designated to prepare and maintain a first aid kit and that it be stored in a more prominent place and the space be marked for easy access.  We have several doctors and it would be good to know people who know first aid, CPR and other life saving methods.  We might ask for names of people we can call on in an emergency who have the necessary skills.  What is definitely needed is a knowledgeable adult to look over all the kits and see what is outdated and needs restocking. Perhaps we have a nurse or doctor who would like to be that person?  This item was deferred to the April Council meeting.

7.  Archiving committee records.  What records should committees save and how should they be archived?  This item was deferred to the March Council meeting.

8.  Opening Words.  The following volunteered:  For March, Robbie McCosh; John Clay for April; and Bob Coleman for May.

9.  Future Coordinating Council Meetings.  9:30-11:30 am on Saturday mornings:  March 14, April 11, May 9.

10.  Check out.  A sharing of likes and wishes about the meeting. 

 
APPENDIX
"Suggestion box" for improved communication.
The following is a rough draft of the plan I'm calling "communications" for lack of a better term, for the time being: communications program:

Background:  as the church gets bigger and bigger it becomes more difficult for members of the congregation to air their opinions, concerns, and questions.  even through the structures that exist, the path is not easy in passing on a persons ideas, and if they are part of the "big picture", it still isn't easy to get your idea to the point where there might be a chance of it being heard, if not acted upon. and "heard", not only by the person or persons who might act upon the idea, but other members of the congregation who might be interested in the subject, as well.

    example 1:  person A has a question as to how the church handles an idea they have regarding the procedure to propose an idea they have to the congregation.   Not sure of the avenue to pursue, they talk to their friends, and nobody seems to know who to address.

    example 2:  person B has a suggestion on how to improve a particular procedure they see used in the church.  do they speak to the minister?  the board?  a committee which appears might be related, but not directly?           

    example 3:  person C  has a comment on something they have observed in the church.  they mention it to a friend who thinks its relevant, suggests its something others would be interested in.  but to whom is the comment addressed?  as in the example above, there doesn't seem to be any group it would be most relevant to.           

    example 4:  and, even if the idea is considered by some body within the church, how is that idea communicated to other members of the congregation who might be interested in it? 
      
Proposal:  a collection service to direct questions, comments and suggestions to the appropriate entity in the church, responsible for actions on behalf of the idea.  a kind of "suggestion box" which also considers the other two ideas.  call it a "communications service".  through a container of some kind in the foyer of the church, online through an address set up for such issues, or even through a phone "mailbox" designated for the purpose of channeling the question, suggestion, or comment to the appropriate entity in the church, capable of answering-responding to the idea.  the "communications service"  would check each of the devices mentioned above on a regular basis.  direct the idea to the appropriate entity in the church with the condition that they would then respond to the individual who proposed the idea. in addition, the particular question, comment, suggestion, would be published in the newsletter so that other members of the congregation would be able to examine it.  the published material would, of course, be subject to the work of an editor to insure that the content produced would be of a reasonable expectation of interest to the general population of the church. the implementation of this plan would probably require a small "committee" consisting of an editor, collector of the ideas, and person responsible for the dissemination of the material to the appropriate committee or other part of the church structure (like the minister or RE coordinator or other individual  to whom the idea might be directed.)   

Conclusion:  the implementation of this concept would certainly require more fine tuning than the suggestions above indicate.  it is intended as movement toward better communication in the church, especially to the extent that the "everyman" of the church is not only heard, but is able to hear ideas which could have a positive effect in the health of the church. 

respectfully submitted:   bob coleman

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COORDINATING COUNCIL
MINUTES
January 17, 2009

In attendance:  John Clay, Bob Coleman, Leslie Gilbert, Judie Hansen, Marilyn Junkins, Brian Lewis, Dick Loescher, Robbie McCosh, Elliot McIntire, Amy Raven, Ken Ross, Jake Walsh

1.  Opening Words.  Amy Raven shared some nice poetry.

2.  Brief introductions and committee reports.  Elliot McIntire reported that the Board approved the Council's proposed mission and charge.  Elliot also indicated that the Board is still hoping to find a volunteer to coordinate an auction this year.  Two or three Board members have already indicated that they would help.  An auction at our church that focused on the auction of services would be just fine, hence "half the work, twice the fun!"

Ken Ross admitted involvement with the Facilities Council (as communications coordinator), the Centennial Celebration Committee (as co-chair) and the Coordinating Council.

Judie Hansen represented BPOC, Building Project Oversight Committee.  She reminded the group about the Town Hall meeting on February 8, 12:30-2:00, which will provide a forum or questions and answers regarding the work of BPOC.

Brian Lewis is involved with church events and is mostly working behind the scenes.  He is also the contact person for fundraising events.  Speaking for Adult RE, he mentioned several workshops, one on parenting, one by Jake Walsh and one or two by the Rev. Landale.

Robbie McCosh represented the Stewardship Drive.  Invitations to Celebration Sunday, February 15, have just gone out.  Because of space considerations, this will not be a buffet lunch but rather a "plated meal," i.e., a sitdown meal.

Jake Walsh reported that the Worship Team is doing okay, but is low on resources.  Jake is concerned about their budget because the Rev. Landale wants to build up the worship structure and that takes time, money and energy.

Leslie Gilbert is chair of the Accessibility Committee.  She reported on initiatives involving people with hard of hearing (HOH).  They hosted a vibrant HOH forum in November, but a follow up in December was cancelled.  The committee is planning a short survey regarding hard of hearing issues.

Bob Coleman spoke on behalf of both the Care Committee and the Pastoral Associates.  He indicated that Fred Schultz will be chair of the Pastoral Associates.  Brian Lewis mentioned that Eve McConnaughey's family really appreciated food that people have been providing.  Bob agreed that people in the church step up when needs arise.  Lots of care goes on in the church.  Marilyn Junkins encouraged all to contact Care or Pastoral Associates when they become aware of needs.

John Clay is chair of the Archives Committee.  He noted that everyone seemed to really enjoy and appreciate Gil Osgood's presentation on January 4.  It was an outgrowth of Gil's hard work over the past two years.  The committee is working on a book on the history of the church which will be published in 2009.  Gil and Kathy Dillon will be making brief historical presentation to kids in RE.  On behalf of the committee, John urged that names and dates (including year) appear on each page of each document that might end up in the archives.  Ken Ross reminded the group about the Pageant on January 25 that will be honoring our centennial.

Following up on John's comment about committees' documents, Judie Hansen asked about policies regarding minutes.  Where do they end up?  John indicated that policies are not formal, but many minutes nowadays end up on the church website.  The one guideline is that, after five years, Archives takes committee minutes and many other documents from the office files.  A future Council agenda will address the question of archiving committee documents.

Dick Loescher reported that the Small Group Ministry is doing well; there are 8 groups with a total of 69 participants.  Similarly, the Non-violent Communication groups are doing well, with 3 groups and 24 participants.  As a long-time member of the church and the Committee on Congregational Ministry, Dick was interviewed on January 16 by John Clay.  In preparing for this interview, Dick was amused to find old budgets indicating that the church budget was $32,000 in 1975 and rose to $42,000 by 1978.

Marilyn Junkins indicated that the Rev. Landale has approved the addition of the Welcoming Congregation curriculum for the fall. The course will be sponsored by Human Rights Social Justice (HRSJ) group, Interweave, and Adult Religious Education.  It should be viewed as a rededication and refresher course, with new material on Bisexuality, Transgender, and other oppressed minorities.  The original workshop was offered, and UUCE was certified as a Welcoming Congregation in 1990.  The curriculum consists of 14 sessions of 2 hours each and will probably include at least one weekend to shorten the time to complete. There will be two tracks and sets of trainers, one of which will  be "closed" to registrants, but others will be open to the entire congregation, and possibly even the community.  Marilyn mentioned the need for some dedicated bulletin board space for this program.

The HRSJ will also be supporting participation in TimeBank, a preparatory step to getting involved with Centro Latino for the minority oppression work HRSJ is committed to.  They also approved UUCE's obtaining a table for both the NAACP and PFLAG dinner events.  In addition, they agreed to support  BRO (Basic Rights in Oregon) in a rally scheduled in Salem in March to bring awareness to bullying in schools.  The discrete events will allow active participation as the HRSJ's sponsorship of the Welcoming Congregation will not actually take place until Fall 2009.

Marilyn mentioned the fine films that Interweave sponsors and the recent participation from 12 youth guests from Yachats Job Corps GSA. She and Nisco Junkins plan to attend the Pacific Interweave Convocation, which unfortunately, is the same weekend as Celebration Sunday.

Marilyn appreciated the congregation's passing of the bylaw modifications at the congregational meeting on January 11.  She expects to send out letters to non-voting members (based upon our new bylaws) and complete the tally of voting members by the end of January.  The next four-week Newcomer Orientation will be on Thursday evenings in March and April.  Marilyn reported that the church directory proof arrived with many errors, so there may be further delays.  She hopes that printed directories will arrive by the middle of February.  Bob Coleman expressed his appreciation for the directory, which is very useful.  Finally, Marilyn indicated that recommendations for Lifetime Membership will be taken to the Board for approval.

Amy Raven reported on Green Sanctuary activities.  They are currently surveying the congregation on what they do to be "green."  They've set up an electronic base for car pooling that is offered by LTD.  Another survey is planned regarding people's transportation to church.  Amy also mentioned the excellent film series.  Amy reported for the social justice group, SJUUCE.  The Ethical Eating subgroup is meeting on January 25, and SJUUCE will meet on January 31.  Marilyn Junkins reported that the Human Rights subgroup met on January 13 and approved the items indicated in Marilyn's check-in.

3.  Committee Budgets for 2009-2010.  This was the major agenda item for this meeting and will be reported on in a separate document.

4.  A suggestion box.  This item was deferred to the Council's February agenda.

5.  Rainbow Flag.  In conjunction with offering the Welcoming Congregation curriculum in the very near future, Interweave would like the Coordinating Council (and the Board, if necessary) to approve the flying of a Rainbow Flag outside our church.  There were both questions and concerns raised.  Questions included the size of the flag (3feet by 5feet), where it would be placed, and for how long.  Concerns included whether this would set a precedent followed up by other groups wishing special displays, and hence lead to clutter.  The group agreed to revisit this item at the Council's March meeting, because Marilyn and Nisco Junkins won't be able to attend the Council's February meeting.

6.  Non-UU materials at church.  There is concern about non-UU materials that appear on the welcoming table, on the pamphlet rack and in the social hall.  This item was deferred to the Council's March agenda.

7.  Fund raising policy.  Elliot McIntire announced that, after months of discussion between the Council and the Board, the fundraising Board Policy has been subsumed under a broader study of church finances.

8.  Opening Words.  The following volunteered:  For February, Brian Lewis.  For March, Robbie McCosh.

9.  Future Coordinating Council Meetings.  9:30-11:30 am on Saturday mornings:  February 14, March 14, April 11, May 9.

Submitted by Ken Ross

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