UUBCO Discussion & Message Forum

Attendees:  Rick Turner, Nenette Kress, Jeff Hass, Greg Kullberg, Anne Pearl, Shahan Islam, Gerry Peet, Teri Lukin, Guests: Peggy Clarke, Brian Kahn

Opening words:  Gerry led us in opening words

Minutes:  The Minutes were reviewed and a motion was made to accept them and passed unanimously. Teri will send them to Rita with a request to post on the website.

Roof:   Work has been completed, though we are still awaiting the written guarantee that the bats will not return for 10 years. Holes have been blocked with wire mesh. We should to do regular inspections to ensure the bats do not return in the spring. Nenette suggested we ask B and G about repairing and painting the ceiling of the sanctuary now that roof work is complete.

Babysitting: We do not have the money for the rest of the year. Peggy has requested an additional $100. Tracy has volunteered to do this once a month. Board unanimously voted to support paid babysitting for the remainder of the year.

Leadership Workshop: Doug Zelinski’s workshop was attended by about 35 members. The Board proceeded to engage in a lengthy discussion on this and what we want to do to move forward and grow.

Discussion Points:
• Doug pointed out some things we need to do. We will change, either by growing larger or smaller.  We need to make a decision about how we want to do this.
• Morale is high but so is anxiety for some people.  We just need to redefine ourselves and then set the direction.
• Are we committed to growing to the program size or do we want to keep it at the pastoral size? We need to define what it means to grow. This began with A3. Some of us leave the smaller model very reluctantly because they like it.
• It is time to decentralize some of the governance. In a program model, there are few standing committee: Finance, CoM, Admin Committee, Personnel, and Nominating Committee. Standing committees report to the board and are selected by the Board. Other committees (not mandated by the bylaws) report to the Leadership Council and do the day-to-day work. The Leadership Council which is chaired by the Board V.P.
• Leadership Council bounces issues back to the board if related to policy. Committees would be more autonomous, and the Board would not have to manage and spend time on committee issues.
• Board gets to spend time writing the rules: bylaws, policies and then send them to the Leadership Council for feedback and input.
• Committees should be empowered to do their work.  Charter of each committee has to be accepted by the board. Certain facets must be in the Charter. Committees need to take and circulate careful minutes.
• Board is responsible for oversight and governance, not day to day. Ultimately responsible not fully responsible.
• Everything must be tied to vision and mission. We need to look at the bigger issue: who do we want to be in the world. It is time to review and re-articulate our identity.
• How do we do this? Start little conversations of who we are, where we want to go, how we want to spend our time. This is a whole Fellowship process – consider a Fellowship retreat to focus on this. Right now we are inwardly focused not outwardly focused. Doug shared  7 possible ways to identify your mission. For example, Portland, OR’s mission is “We want to be the conscience of Portland†.
• Congregations should redefine the mission every three to five years. We can't define it as a board but we can help everyone define it. Frustration ensues if we don’t have a way to bind together the little clans together into a congregation.
• One way to do this is “Visioning Sundays† to get people together answering questions.
• Vision: start small conversations which grow into a large conversation, facilitated by someone outside
• Right now, we are limited by our physical capacity. “Is this the right building?† is not the right question. We wil never agree on the building, but we can agree on the mission.
• Growth evolves from what we do
• There are now several pockets where these conversations are happening. We should encourage those conversations. The Church Revitalization Book Group has much energy. We want to keep these conversations going,  to define “Who are we?†; getting people thinking together, then articulately their thoughts and build on it together
• How do we create an identity? One way to start is by a Fellowship-wide covenant.
• “Congregational polity† each congregation creates itself. This is our structure. In the end the congregation runs the place, the board doesn't.
• In some program models, board appoints the chairs of the committees. Often the board will take the recommendation for chairs.
• People will say why do we need all of this.  Consensus needs to come from the group. It has to go back to the vision.
• We are struggling to find leadership, need to create rewards for leading.

Action items discussed:
• Reduce the number of members on the board to seven
• Reduce the number of committees. Consider what we call standing committees: only those we must have
• Ask every committee to write a charter: who they are right now, what you do, why you do it.
• Committee should create portfolios for each member
• Committee should prepare detailed reports. Peggy will circulate a possible format.
• Revise the by-law to give the committees more autonomy

Concern: How do we address the perceived disconnect between the Board and the membership. In the new model, the board will be more disconnected but since they are not managing, the disconnect is less problematic

Pledge Drive:  Des and Jean are delighted to join us and lead the pledge drive.
Theme: build on our creativity with a theme of “Creating Abundance†.
Ideas:
• Fellowship dinner on a Saturday night, price of admission is a filled out pledge card. Entertainment would be nice.
• Separate smaller dinner groups and get together for dessert.
• Campaign to be goal oriented. What is our goal? Are there specific targets? What can we highlight? Do we agree what our goal should be? What are we hoping to do?
• Leery about a minimum target. May want to look at those below the recommended minimum pledge. How do we address those who pledge significantly under the suggested minimum?

Future Board composition: Our Treasurer, Greg, is leaving the Board. This is an opportune time to reinvent how we handle finances.  We should consider a paid bookkeeper. Rita could likely take on that role. We should revitalize a Finance Committee complete with portfolios for the members of the committee. We need better segregation of duties. There should to be a written process of how we handle collections etc. We should also purchase a safe. Jeff said he will consider stepping into the fole of Treasurer

Other Business:
• Green Sanctuary has requested board approval on partnering with Clearwater for an environmental justice project. A motion was made, seconded and passed unanimously.
• B & G has created secure storage
• Montessori Space. If Elizabeth decides not to contue the school, Jeff will do a spec sheet and put the ad together and email it to the Board
• Membership recommends purchasing a “Standing on the Side of Love† banner for $146. Discussed, does not need Board approval


Executive Session: to discuss confidential matters concerning a person or persons.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Teri Lukin