PCD UUMA President Report March 17-October 17, 2016

Greetings dear colleagues,

As your new President I hope this report updates you on what has been happening with your chapter leadership since the Spring Retreat. It will be in outline form. Feel free to ask questions if you want more information.

Just days after our spring retreat, Steve Burns, President of the PCD Board of Trustees contacted me to ask me to give the opening words for the PCD DA Business Meeting

Vail Weller contacted me and suggested having some kind of organized presence of ministers at DA.

I wasn’t going to DA because I was going to the Revolutionary Love: Tools, Tactics, and Truth-telling to Dismantle Racism conference in NYC in April. But given the two aforementioned requests, I re-arranged my schedule (and worked with my co-minister) so that I could do both.

It was LOVELY to have several ministers from the district and region, organize, drum, and process for Friday night DA! We didn’t really get a shout-out in the PCD newsletter but I know our collegial presence made a difference that night as Chuck thanked me/us in person.

My opening words/remarks at the DA business meeting seemed well received by those in attendance. The late Prince was an inspiring muse for some of what I shared.

I conferred with Leslie Takahashi (in the Chicago airport!) about the process for moving forward on appointing a Treasurer having received the notice of resignation of Lisa Wiggins at the Spring Retreat. It was clarified by her that the new Exec could appoint a Treasurer until the fall retreat at which time, those in attendance (if we have a quorum) could then formally elect Lucy Bunch who was unanimously appointed by the Exec.

Alyson Jacks, Pam Gehrke, and Lucy Bunch worked with me to formalize a job description for the PCD UUMA Registrar and clarify how retreat centers are chosen, contracts are negotiated, etc. All of this was done in consultation with these three wonderful colleagues and Lisa Wiggins in the role of Treasurer. Axel Gehrmann has agreed to be our next Registrar through at least the fall of 2017.

Susan Conrad, VP and I have met more times than I can count (ok-so I went back through my calendar-14 times as of Oct. 17) by conference call to build our relationship, to clarify our roles, to deepen our collaborative leadership, and to discuss anti-racist, counter-oppressive, multicultural ways of being together, ways of conducting the retreats, and what kinds of training we, as a chapter, might need to grapple with the complexities of privilege and oppression as UU religious leaders in a wide variety of contexts in which we serve. What can sustain us? What will build our resilience and courage at such a time as this? We think the program ought to address those needs too.

Susan Conrad, VP, and Sonya Sukalski, and I have met three times via zoom to learn some of the recent history for continuity of leadership to further clarify the roles of retreat negotiation, authority, responsibility, etc.

Lisa Wiggins, in consultation with the newly elected/current exec reserved dates of Apr 21-23 for our PCD UUMA retreat. I checked in with Steve Burns and Chuck Rosene on dates for DA or RA before committing to this particular weekend. We really hope y’all come!

Shortly after DA, I was told it would be nice to have me be part of the PCD Board retreat for a 15-minute conversation and lunch on June 4. As it would be a 1.5 hour drive (approx depending on traffic) to San Damiano, I requested to be ‘Zoomed’ in. On the morning of June 4, I was informed of the content of our conversation –how might the PCD Board be supportive to ministers…and an hour later was on a Zoom call with our wonderful PCD Board. Having not had much time to poll all of you, I opted to mention the stress of systems in our congregational and community based ministries that perpetuate behavior that is out of covenant/right relationship and that our lay folks need skills and training on addressing one another when folks act outside of covenant. (and ministers could benefit too)

There is more to this adaptive challenge than a quick technical fix will offer. I also mentioned that any conversations around covenants in our congregations need to include conversations about white privilege and right relationship. So grateful for Chris Bell’s leadership on the PCD Board and for Russ Menk’s willingness to jump in and serve. It was great to have Jan Christian and James Kubal-Komoto from the Region also present on the call affirming some of the challenges they are seeing with regard to our relating and communicating as UUs throughout the region.

Greetings on behalf of the chapterwere delivered to the UUChurch of the Monterey Peninsula for the glorious celebration of the Installation of Elaine and Axel Gehrmann on June 5. I am grateful that Sofia Betancourt was willing to be my plan B if Lynn and I could not make it due to traffic. The Freeway deities blessed us and we made it in 3.5hrs and were on time to celebrate with this congregation and to be blessed with wonderful music, a beautiful bold butterfly ritual, and a powerful sermon by Rosemary Bray McNatt.

Several folks have been working diligently to update various job descriptions for the various roles and there is more to do but we are making excellent progress. Special shout-out to all who are helping this happen!

We are in the process of formalizing a Membership role to help alleviate some of the responsibilities of the Treasurer and also to be able to track our colleagues a bit closer in terms of when they arrive so we can welcome them and leave the district so we can say good-bye.

Recently returned from Russell Lockwood Leadership School (RLLS), I had the privilege of working with some incredibly colleagues from all over the Pacific Western Region. Lynn and I were invited to be on the faculty, particularly focused on worship. Jonipher Kwong, the Academic Dean for RLLS, introduced me to participants as the new chapter president.

Greetings on behalf of the chapter were delivered to the UU Fellowship of Chico for the wonderful celebration of Bryan Plude’s ordination and installation Oct. 15.

Have worked closely with Susan to formalize the Fall Retreat schedule, recruit worship leaders, get together the Exec session for Monday, put together the Business Agenda, solicit input from leaders on that, upload reports to the website, etc. It has been a pleasure and a labor of love to work together on behalf of our chapter. We hope you experience something you need at this retreat. We hope you contribute to someone else’s needs getting met. May we feel more resilient for having gathered together!

In revolutionary love,

Wendy

Wendy Bartel, Chapter President

Co-minister, Sierra Foothills UUs

On a side note: I attended a small thank you reception for the Sustaining the Call Ambassadors just after Ministry Days in June. Thus far the endowment campaign has raised $762,219.94. Please see Bonnie’s and my report for more information.