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March 2, 2021

In Attendance: Daniale (Moderator)

Lana (Vice Moderator)

Jocelyn (Treasurer)

Arianna (Secretary)

Mark (Member at large)

Craig (Minister)

 

AGENDA:

  • Check-In
  • Meeting Minutes-review from 2/2/21 board meeting: Approved
  • Standard Reports:
    • Minister’s Report: see below
    • Worship Committee Report
      • Mathias has joined. Jocelyn is stepping back.
      • There are lots of ideas to fill in the calendar for the rest of the year.
      • There are plans for a Pasco congregation exchange.
      • We will have an extra $850 in budgeted speaker fees.
    • Social Justice Committee Report
      • Thinking of the focus for next year. Leaning toward “Economic Injustice”. Now trying to solidify organizations that fit the focus.
      • Also working on indigenous land acknowledgement.
    • RE Committee Report
      • Kate is developing a project to begin in March, which will be a series of activities for kids to choose from, each relating to one of the 7 principles. They will earn recognition and a prize for participating.
    • Membership Committee Report: see below
      • There is a new lock on the HSC - Ron has the keys.
    • Treasurer’s Report
      • We are basically breaking even for the year, despite expecting to be digging into savings.
      • Canvass/Draft Budget
        • Proposed budget of $80K, which assumes in-person gathering beginning in September, and is in line with pre-pandemic levels
        • Proposed pledge goal of $62K, which is halfway between this year’s projected income and last year’s.
        • Jocelyn will reach out to committees to discuss budget
        • Ari will reach out to committees for annual reports
        • Proposed schedule:
          • March 21st: Stewardship Sunday
          • April 6th: Board mtg
          • 2nd draft budget with input from committees, updates based on updated YTD actuals, mid-point pledge status
          • April 18th: Goal for all pledges in
          • May 2nd: Budget briefing after service
          • May 4th: Board mtg - any final adjustments to proposed budget based on congregation feedback/Q&A
          • May 16th: Annual Meeting after service

 

  • Wy’east Chat Requests
    • There have been a lot of asks via the wyeast chat email group, such as to sign petitions. Some members have said it can be overwhelming.
    • We can discuss it next month.
  • Office Emails
    • Receiving and forwarding office@wyeastuu.org will become a responsibility of the board secretary.
  • Linda M’s tasks
    • Linda would like to pass off some of the tasks she’s been doing.
    • Linda will send out direct asks.
    • There could be a Sunday breakout room - learning about the different tasks - Lana will talk to Linda about it.
      • Maybe April 11 - to fit with larger church discussions / ministerial search
  • GA/5th principle 
    • There is a debate in the congregation about the 5th principle Project, an online petition, and a Statement of Conscience being brought to GA.
    • We will talk about how to facilitate conversations and decisions around this after canvass.
    • Jolanda can help by putting out a preview of GA.
  • Other items/reflections?
  • To Confirm when meeting in person: (meeting in Spring?)
    • Board:  
      • Meeting Notes April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, January, February, March
      • Endowment Committee Members
      • Board Discretionary Fund for Zoom License
      • Contract w/ Jolanda Walter
    • Congregation:  Annual Meeting Notes/voting
  • On Hold:
    • Ron would like time to discuss ordering rainbow chalice tees-- waiting until  logo is finalized. Daniale will email Ron and Paul
      • Trademark? Lana will ask Linda
    • GA2022:  will send an email via the newsletter to determine if anyone is interested in hosting any activity. Jolanda will get this started
  • Confirm Next Meeting Date: 4/6/21, 7pm


 

Respectfully submitted by Arianna Lambie, Secretary

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ministers Report

 

1) Sermon preparation, newsletter columns, etc.  Several extra columns around holidays.

 

2) Phone calls,  e-mails.  Pastoral calls, Zoom meetings with congregational members/leaders.  

 

3) Colleague consultation.

 

4) Martial arts and Spanish language study

 

5) Kentucky UU/Muslim Book study group—proposal submitted to UUA Article 2 commission to include Islam in Source language

 

6)  UUMUAC meetings:  preparing for February conference on defending the 7 current principles.  More information coming! (Time: 1-3 p.m.) I will deliver closing words for the conference

 

7) 5th Principle Project meeting—preparing to run a candidate for UU Board.  No Board members have been elected with discussion/debate/opposing candidates since 2012!  All have been “rubber-stamped.”  Not this time!

 

8) Attended most Wy’east Sunday services

 

9) Preached at Salem UU church Jan. 24

 

10)  Prepared response to Sunday service survey for Worship team:

 

11) Working with Kate to create a video to illustrate my original story in upcoming (May?) sermon

 

12) Reviewed colleague’s new book—more on that soon

 

13) Secured agreements to speak at Wy’east from Dr. Vivian Djokotoe, Derek Bradley (policy advisor for Joanne Hardesty), Dr. Han Liang (regional mental health director for Kaiser), Rev. Dr. Finley Campbell (UUMUAC leader, educator, labor activist),  Rev. Summer Albayati, Dr. Amadou Fofana (director of Portland African Film Festival), and Lama Eric Treiblehorn from local Tibetan Buddhist center

 

14) Simple “research” on proliferation of new UUA administrative positions and connection to authoritarian overreach.  Here are some summary statements from a recent email, for the record:

 

I followed up on a couple of recent mailings from UUA staff, inquiring whether theirs were paid or volunteer positions and also how many paid staff positions there were in their respective "offices" (I'm sure that they don't really have a suite of luxury offices somewhere, but are mostly working from humble physical settings at home!)  Both responded that they were holding paid positions.  One said she didn't know how many other positions in her "department" or "office" were paid,  another said that hers was the only permanent paid position though the office also makes seasonal part-time hires. I thanked both for their prompt replies. My concerns about what a burgeoning national staff means for the power and autonomy of local congregations have only increased.

 

From what I have heard, the UUA Board is turning for guidance to a paper by the Rev. Frederic Muir, who has identified three "problems" in  our historic UU approach:

 

· First, we are being held back and stymied by a persistent, pervasive, disturbing, and disruptive commitment to individualism that misguides our ability to engage the changing times;

· Second, we cling to a Unitarian Universalist exceptionalism that is often insulting to others and undermines our good news;

· Third, we refuse to acknowledge and treat our allergy to authority and power, though all the symptoms compromise a healthy future.

 

So we must give up 1) individualism, 2) a sense that our congregation and others like it have something special and unique to offer, 3) and begin to accept guidance and control by a central authority structure--namely, the ever-growing UUA administration (with the help of ministers who agree to serve that administration loyally). 

 

The Board is also drawing from a 2015 task force proposal to make congregational membership contingent on ideological standards imposed by the UUA, membership that could then be renewed or revoked at the administration's discretion:

 

“imagining a future for our association in which congregations were not merely members of an organization, but related to the whole dynamically and organically: through covenants, that could be renewed periodically.”

 

This would require changing our most fundamental--even defining--organizational by-law, in effect for decades:

“The primary purpose of the Association is to serve the needs of its member congregations”

This would be the end of congregational polity, the form of church governance that has defined congregations like ours since the 17th century.  I, for one, am unwilling to buy into such a program and plan to stick with my "disturbing and disruptive commitment to individualism"! 

_______________________

 

I was encouraged by  UU congregation members to attend seminary.  I was ordained by the congregation that I had served as an intern minister on that congregation’s authority—only the second time they had bestowed such an honor.  I have answered the call to serve congregations faithfully for many years—their call, since it is only theirs to make.  I do not serve the UUA or at the pleasure of any central organization, although that organization confirmed my qualifications to serve in parish ministry.  Our congregations can endure without the UUA.  The UUA cannot endure without the congregations and it’s high time they were reminded of this fact!

 

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE NOTES

Again Sundays followed our normal routine with Craig providing terrific and very timely sermons and the Worship Committee engaged two fine speakers discussing The Q Center and Portland Police Accountability. Our attendance ranged from 40 to 49 which is consistent with past months. Our average attendance runs between 40-50 since entering our Zoom service format.

 

Lilac Meadows continues to be our focused project for the 2nd Sunday of the month and Linda B. reported that the facility improvements that we helped support are close to completion. The congregation continues to rally in support of this Social Justice work with very positive feedback coming from their staff.

 

This month we had four visitors (Darcy Gabriele, Lynette Yetter,  Amelie Karas and Ian Morton) fill out the information form and I invited all to our Path to Membership class on 2/28. Lynette Yetter joined Mary Pleier and both committed to joining the church. Mary is actually rejoining as her membership lapsed when she moved to Milwaukie so I will make a statement to that effect during the ceremony. Earlier in the month Alana Graham emailed me saying she was ready to join (she had been to a PTM class recently) so we have a New Member Ceremony planned for 3/21. Mabel continues to sending welcoming emails to visitors that share their contact information.

 

I called Jim Menard who indeed had fallen and hurt his back. He does have help with him but the healing process will take some time. I said he very much appreciates Wy'east and knows that he can reach out to us for help if needed. I sent him one of the weekly newsletters showing the service link and he said he would try and join us.

 

Diane I. keeps the telephone tree running smoothly and I continue to get very positive feed back from people on my list thanking me for checking on them. I have also added our most promising visitors to my list and they also appreciate the calls.

 

Chalice Circle and Friday Coffee Hour are healthy and going strong.


 

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