All Souls Unitarian Church Council

September 19, 2007

Minutes

 

Present:

 

 

 

Babette Miller, Council Co- Chair, Memorial Reception, Dinner Discussion

Victoria Rempel, Council Co-Chair

 

Helen Dwyer, Council Secretary, Touchstone

John Murphy, President Board of Trustees

 

Bruce Clear, Minister

Nancy Renner Clear, Director of Religious Education

 

Kathryn Woods, Office Administrator

Joan Basson, Grounds Go-Chair, Memorial Gardens

 

John Burns, Ushering Co-Chair

Linda Burns, Parents Day Out, Caring Committee

 

Doris Cantrell, Flowers Co-Chair, Channing Club

Norma Cummings, Communications Liaison Member at Large, Bookshop, Fine Arts Décor Co-Chair

 

Bruce Johnson, Fundraising Co-Chair

Don Killingbeck, Budget, Small Groups

 

John Mendonca, Fundraising Co-Chair

Fern Page, Historic Records Chair

 

Sara Reed-Purvis, RE Co-Chair, Berentes Tripp Fund

Kym Reeves, Social Hour Co-Chair

 

Elsa Sands, Membership Co-Chair, Caring Committee

Caroline Wendt, Partner Church Co-Chair

 

John Wendt, Community Outreach Co-Chair

 

 

 

Victoria Rempel called the meeting to order.  John Murphy was introduced as the new President of the Congregation.  The Board has decided that the policy of taking sides with support groups will be done sparingly.  Freedom of Conscience has been defined as the Church not speaking for the individual.  There was discussion about reactivating the Fellowship for Social Justice Group within the church.  FSJ helps answer the questions about Unitarian Universalists doing more in societies.

 

The minutes (January, February, April, May) were approved as mailed.

 

A request from the Stewardship Committee was made for the Building Renovation Committee to refresh the list of separate projects still needing attention.  The Stewardship Committee will reconsider the new floors in the Spring.  Stewardship also noted there will be special fund raising in October for the Unitarian Universalist Association.

 

A question had been raised about posting the Council minutes on the website.  The website provides viewers the ability to see what All Souls is all about.  Discussion about posting minutes mentioned the need for pre-editing, and the secretary needs to be sensitive about what is happening.  Each Council member will have the opportunity to read the minutes prior to publication, and veto personal items.  It was also recommended that the minutes posted on the website will be labeled “posted”, and will also be available on the bulletin board in the social hall. 

 

Kym Reeves moved the Council accept posting the Council Minutes on the website, with prior availability to Council Members to request edits, and posting on the bulletin board in the social hall.  John Wendt seconded, motion carried.

 

Linda Burns reported Parents Day out was off to a good start, with room for more children to be enrolled.  Cherilyn Salvo is one of the new teachers that has been hired for the Parents Day Out program.  Christopher Salvo and John Burns presented a plan that would enclose the playground area with a fence.  This will keep children within a safe area, and limit the ability for escape into the wooded areas.

 

Elsa Sands moved the Council endorse the addition of fencing around the playground for safety and liability issues.  Kym Reeves seconded, motion carried. 

 

John Burns and Christopher Salvo will working with the Landscaping Task Force, and put together a proposal that will include a timeline, cost, and contractor for the project.  This will be presented at the October Council Meeting.  North-East Coop will be included in the process.  It was noted that the Church budget is very tight this year.  John Burns offered to underwrite the cost of the fencing.

 

Bruce Johnson moved the Task Force take 30 days and present the proposal for a new playground fence at the October meeting to include a timeline, the cost, and one or two possible contractors for the job.  Norma Cummings seconded, motion carried.

 

The Landscape Task Force is tearing up the front lawn, graded, new top soil, and re-seeded.  The Landscape Task Force has kept the concept that the maintenance is to be done by volunteers, and everything is going to be removed.

 

Channing Club is sponsoring Social Hour in the Atrium September 30th in honor of the Stewardship Campaign.

 

Fine Arts is going to have a “Walk Around” meeting, chairs in the Beattie Room will be cleaned.

 

Community Outreach is now working with School 106 to help supply school uniforms .

 

The Touchstone is accepting stories, essays, poems and cartoons for publication.

 

Membership Committee is restructuring, a Pathway to Membership program will be implemented, with classes in finances, stewardship, meeting members by helping in coffee hour, and ushering.  It is the members’ responsibility to talk to the new and old visitors in the church.  New Member Welcoming Ceremony is scheduled for November 11th, with an all Congregation pitch in lunch afterward.  Exploring UU discussion groups will be held the 4th Sunday of the month, following the service, in the Backus Library.

 

Ushers are needed for church services please see John Burns or Julian Coleman.

 

The All Souls RE Retreat is scheduled for October 26th through 28th.

 

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Helen K. Dwyer,

Council Secretary