UUMA Spring 2016 Business meeting
3/17/2016
Election of Officers for the Pacific Central District Chapter of the UUMA.
CENTER Reps: Bonnie Dlott, Neal Anderson
Nom Com: Leslie Takahashi, Sofia Bettancourt, Lindi Ramsden
Good Officers: Jay Atkinson, JD Benson and Lynn Gardner
Vice President: Susan Conrad
President: Wendy Bartel
Continuing: Bonnie Dlott, Leslie Takahashi, Sonya Sukalski (Secretary), Lisa Wiggins (Treasurer)
Summary of Motions
Budget (Details are below)
Motion: Neal Anderson moves we approve the $2000 grant to connections, seconded by Stanley Stefansic, approved unanimously.
Motion: Neal Anderson moved the budget, seconded by Leslie Takahashi passed unanimously
JD Benson proposed a friendly amendment that the programming fees of $1200 be part of the budget. Passed unanimously
Upcoming Retreats
25-27 of October, 2016 San Damiano
March 31 weekend 2017 San Juan Bautista
Oct. 17-19, 2017 Earthrise Ion Center, Petaluma
Summary of Reports below from:
Jan Christian – Pacific Western Regional staff searches and changes
Vail Weller and David Pettee: 1-“In Care” system for seminarians, 2- Ministerial Transitions, 3- Black Lives Matter (BLM) 4- Annual Program Fund (APF) 5 – MFC update
Wendy Bartel – Sustaining the Call Ambassador for the UUMA Endowment Fund
Evan Junker – UU Justice Ministry of California (UUJMCA)
Mary Foran, Jacqueline Duhart, Leslie Takahashi, and Nancy Palmer Jones Racial Equity Taskforce
Sue Magidson – Class Conversations
Michelle Favreault and Chris Bell – Pacific Central District (PCD)
Lisa Wiggins – Treasurer’s Report, Budget discussion, and Grants
Amy Zucker Morganstern – Executive Committee of the PCD Chapter Report
Ben Meyers – New Congregation in Half Moon Bay
Doug Kraft – Process Report
Events can be found on our website.
For a flavor of the meeting if any of you need help relaxing, or are heartbroken you weren’t there, an accounting of our “minutes” together follows.
Opening
9:31 Amy started the meeting with announcements about room cleaning and took a count of people staying for lunch, in lieu of a chalice lighting.
9:33 Lynn Gardner lit the virtual chalice with the illuminations app from the UUA.
9:34 Amy called the meeting to order, and let us know Doug Kraft will be the process observer.
Pacific Western Regional Staff
9:35 – UUA staff report from Jan Christian: there many transitions in Pacific Western Regional staff – Nancy Bowen and Jeanelyse and Ken Brown are leaving, as well as Janine Larson. The new regional lead is Rev. James Kubal-Komoto and has been announced. Other regional staff will be probably announced in early April. We are losing a tremendous amount of institutional memory in these staff transitions. We will need to work harder not smarter – we need to do this in our congregations – there is a lot staff can do, and other things need to be shared. She asks for our prayers and good thoughts as we create new structures and forms.
9:39 Report from APF from Vail Weller and UUA from David Pettee. Want to stay better connected with chapters – 5 things below. Vail is always happy to continue the conversation.
David:
1- In Care system – ask around as he spoke to many yesterday about this in more depth during “free time.” Many regional subcommittees were cut from the budget, so this system came into being – there is a design team of 6 folks which includes him and Sophia Bettancourt.
2 – Transitions 2 main things – 67 congregations in search for ¾ to full time ministry positions - which is a lot for us. 5 years ago 120 ministers expressed interest in 51 congregations. Now 90 ministers are expressing interest in 67 congregations. Keith is preparing for a robust second search. It is a dynamic time. Retirements of colleagues in high almost record numbers continues. Keith is working to overhaul the transitions website system. To complete this process will cost $300k. Many expressed vocal surprise at this number.
3 – GA around BLM - there will be a tracks as well as a witness event related to BLM. Finding our Way Home conference for professionals of color will be happening later in March in Philadelphia. Thrive has expanded for this year which is youth and young adult events for people of color. UUA has a Justice webpage – check it out. There are also grants available.
4 – APF – this district is in a battle for the highest fulfilling rate – she thanks us for our understanding and work as well as Chuck Rosene who really integrates his understanding of it into all his dealings with congregations. Philosophically she underscores that when a congregation becomes affiliated they pledge their support. APF web page has lots of resources – what do we get and why should we give with a 2 minute video. Vail is creating the generosity network of ministers and lay leaders to be the connection for APF. She is recruiting. Future of APF – there is a taskforce – she listed members, and I am not good at figuring out spellings of names. They will bring a recommendation on whether and how to replace the per member formula vs a percent of budget. Leslie Takahashi is a member of this from our area.
5 – MFC competencies and reading list went live today – talk to Sarah Lamert if you have comments or questions. Compensation guidelines are being updated and a vendor has been hired to help with this – talk to Richard Nugent.
Sustaining the Call Endowment Fund for the UUMA
9:52 – Wendy Bartel - ambassador for Sustaining The Call along with Bonnie Dlott. There are materials available about it if you have questions or hesitancies – please talk to Wendy, or Sarah Moldenhauer-Salazar. She gave a powerful testimonial which it would be nice to insert here about ways to contribute to the UUMA endowment fund. $28/month over three years will amount to a $1k donation!
There are prizes! A secret donor helped give a start to folks who truly have a difficult time contributing. There is a desire to get 100% participation – so we can win prizes – obviously.
Prizes – 1. yummy treats for the chapter – 2. - we can have a workshop of our choice or a collegial conversation at ministry days – 3. singing – Janette Lallier will sing happy birthday to you on your birthday. Canada and PNWD are in the lead. Sarah asks we give because it is meaningful – there was more boisterous support for giving because of prizes however. Let’s be good stewards of the ministry – Wendy sat down to applause.
UUJMCA
10:02 – Evan Junker of UUJMCA
2016 legislative cycle has kicked off.
Recap of why UUJMCA is different of UULMCA. We are the first, and the largest (76 congregations in CA) statewide advocacy network. UULMCA started out with legislative focus, but realized they wanted to be more than political. They did a survey – people wanted justice, advocacy and witness as well as faith deepening came back, as well as developing justice leaders, and support the justice ministries of congregations. UUJMCA wants to be a visible, credible partner in advancing justice. Relationship based organizing with a sense of accountability is an emphasis. Check out action.uujmca.org - for petitions, letters and news of key issues. UU Borders trips continue – one starting tomorrow, others in July 22-25, November 4-7. These are experiential, engaging with impacted communities, faith deepening, and education on what is happening, and how to be a vocal effective advocate for immigration reform.
Regional Justice Summits – there are 7 planned for this Spring. There also also Climate Justice and Economic Justice summits coming up for allies to connect with impacted communities.
They are partnering with Starr King with internship opportunities, and Evan speaking to seminarians.
UUJMCA offers a Congregational Discernment and Engagement program which is a 3 part program that is intensive to help focus justice ministries from 37 issues with 39 people involved.
Check out their services and templates – many resources on the website.
Issues – this legislative session
Equity Ministry – Adam Dyer is heading this up. There is no existing network – NAACP and BLM are doing their own things, they are trying to connect equity ministries up across the state. There is a signature gathering effort launching later today. Undoing the sentencing guidelines of the 1990s is a priority.
Economic justice around seniors and housing costs – bills by Mark Leno.
Immigration Legislative Day – please sign up if you are going.
Go to to UUJMCA.org/events to sign up.
Signatures for the equity ministry is the big ask that Evan brings to the minister’s chapter.
Racial Equality Taskforce
10:21 – Mary Foran, Jacqueline Duhart, Nancy Palmer Jones and Leslie Takahashi
10 congregations with 149 people gathered in 2 sites for Beloved Conversations. Sacramento and Oakland hosted. Much revision has happened with the curriculum. It allows extended conversation in the congregation with a kick off retreat and 8 follow up seminars. Fahs collaborative now has staff who are available to work individually with congregations on this work. It is more cost effective for all to combine resources for the opening retreat. See Nancy if you want to do that for next year.
Jacqueline asks us to allow ourselves to feel all the challenges around grief issues of race and class.
Leslie remarked that they have put 65 people through in her congregation, now key leaders are doing it, and they are now opening it to community partners.
Thanks to Mary for shepherding this effort.
Class Conversations
10:29 Class is one of the last frontiers in our congregational conversations – Sue Magidson. There is a new Class Conversations curriculum available for congregations. Mostly these have taken part on the East Coast, though we had a half day workshop with Dorothy Emerson thanks to Jay Atkinson, Sue and Amy Zucker Morganstern. The complications of class backgrounds became evident in this workshop for clergy. Dorothy is looking for facilitators on the West Coast. Thanks to the chapter for funding this so we wouldn’t have finances be a barrier to anyone coming. UU Oakland provided space and hospitality – thanks to them. Sue wants to keep the conversation going.
Break
10:39 – talk to Sonya about allergies arising during your stay at this retreat center – the management is listening.
Pacific Central District
10:40 – Michelle Favreault – PCD still needs leaders – she is on the nominating committee, and clergy participation in district governance has been needed in the past, and still is. Diversity of people on the board and nominating committee needs better represented. Please contact Michelle for that.
Chris Bell – The Way of the Cross seems an appropriate metaphor for serving on the district board – it has been in flux for a long time. Getting clarity about relationship with staff is ongoing. Part of the work is being a voice in the process of regionalization. All districts have letters of agreement with the Region as well as clarity about cost sharing, and making this fair among the regions. The region is the employer and supervisor of staff. We are all trying to cooperate, and huge kudos to Steve Burns for working hard on this. PCD still exists as a 501c-3. We still can use the district for collaboration – the Coming of Age program is an example. Paying for staff people in clusters might be a possibility. We need to share with each other what is working in terms of growing our faith. Vail Weller and Leslie Takahashi chimed in on the district/regional/national ways of organizing. Chris doesn’t want to see us lose the ability to work on and fund projects that are bigger than one congregation. Vail is deeply involved in looking at how funding the services congregations want can happen in a more straightforward way. Chuck Rosene is still our only district staff person. We have some restricted funds that must stay within the district.
Youth
Lucas wondered about the conversation about the youth. Chris invited us all to visit the stations of the cross with him after this meeting. YRUU-P left and affiliated with Northern California Camps and Conferences over a year ago. There was work to reconcile this, they seem to be content with their association with camps and conferences. The board is there for the youth, and means no ill will. Charlotte Selton (Youth Representative this year) has been a good bridge to the youth. Is the region going to provide programming – yes, there is an effort with Eric Bliss for the region doing a laboratory of some of the stronger youth programming conversations.
District Presidents
Still are in conversation and working with staff, and there are regional advisory groups happening.
Please come to DA in Fremont! It is going to be a lot of fun!
There is a survey coming out from Chris and the PCD board and we NEED to hear from you!
Treasurer’s Report
11:08 – Lisa Wiggins
Grants panel wants to give out money – only Chapter members can apply, so mark calendars to apply in January.
Paypal charges 3% - we tried it – it made life so much easier! Lisa got money for retreats and didn’t have to bug people. Lisa believes it is a worthy investment. It cost $266 in service fees for this retreat.
If you pay on the website through the donate button, and pay by credit card, the fee is double. Paypal is half… It isn’t a big issue, just FYI.
Currently we have 111 members, we need to vote on the how much to charge for dues this next year. We have a variety of categories of membership. We tried to reconcile our records with the national UUMA to support our local Sustaining The Call.
Lisa outlined a budget for next year.
Current assets $10,150
Dues$4,400
Scholarships$2,900
Total$17,450
Expenses
Scholarships$4,000 (raised due to Noetics costs)
Travel$500
Grants$4,000 (includes Sustaining the Call, as well as the upcoming one to Connections)
Discretionary$0
Exec$1,500
Program Expenses $200
Balazs$600
Paypal$600
Total $11,400 (leaves about $6k for reserves)
Motion: Neal moves we approve the $2000 grant to connections, seconded by Stanley, approved unanimously.
Motion: Neal moved the budget, seconded by Leslie Takahashi passed unanimously
Lucas Hergert noted with this budget it would be hard for the VP on programs to know what they have to work with. Lisa explained that programming fee was then rolled into the registration.
JD suggested a friendly amendment that the programming fees of $1200 be part of the budget. Passed unanimously
Lisa asked that the process outlined in our procedures be shared with the incoming VP for programs.
Doug suggested that the wishes are clear and to let the Exec figure it out.
Jeannie Foster called the question – which is on the friendly amendment.
Lisa is resigning from the Treasurer position in a year – someone needs to learn how to do this in the near future.
Executive Committee Report
11:31 Exec report by Amy – we are working up our job descriptions to help carry on the institutional memory. The treasurer, secretary, and president have done a lot of work that could go under a membership role. One person has expressed interest – Amy read the list of membership duties.
Amy wants to appoint an ad-hoc committee to talk about continuing education because the Institute affects our continuing education, the CENTER role needs redefinition. Elaine Gehrmann is interested. The new Center rep and Bonnie are suggested to convene that group. Lynn as co-chair of UUMA CENTER is happy to contribute to that conversation.
Alyson – Fall retreat will be on weekdays at San Damiano 2016 – 25-27 of October
Fall 2017 Tuesday Oct. 17-19
Spring is next year San Juan Bautista – they have March 31st weekend.
We need a registrar in training to shadow Alyson in the Fall to step into being the registrar for Spring 2017 for here. Lacking any volunteers, Lucy Bunch explained it is not horrible. Lucy and Pam Gehrke are also willing to provide assistance.
Nominating Committee Report
11:43 Nominating Committee report
Abbey Tennis, Leslie Takahashi, and Chris Schriner (not here)
Appreciation to Chris – who oriented Abbey and Leslie.
Abbey will be going off this year. Leslie will continue, and appreciates all the people who said yes.
Attending to anti-raciscm work was something they looked for in the slate, as well as diversity in the slate.
CENTER Rep with Bonnie Dlott is Neal Anderson
Nom Com: Sofia Bettancourt and Lindi Ramsden
Good Officers: Jay Atkinson is continuing, JD Benson and Lynn Gardner
Vice President: Susan Conrad
President: Wendy Bartel
Moved: Approve this slate – Lisa Moved, seconded by Chris Bell and Lisa Wiggins, Sofia abstained, otherwise approved by members president.
Want to change the way the rotation of Pres/VP and Sec/Treasurer changing at the same time.
Starr King School for the Ministry
11:51– Rosemary Bray McNatt – is happy to be serving. Ibrahim’s passing was the end of an era, and it was a difficult loss for her and the school. His legacy is in the counter-oppressive skills and talents he brought to the school. She appreciated notes of condolences, thank you! They are advertising for new faculty. They will be announcing finalists shortly for new professors. Recruitment is going well, applications are up 19%. They also have rolling admission, most of the people are in the M.Div. program. They want to increase their capacity to care for more students.