Wy'east UUC Board Meeting Minutes October 2, 2023
Board Meeting October 2, 2023, 7:00-8:30 PM via Zoom.
Minutes by Larry Burt: Final, 10/10/2023.
Attending: Kathy Scanlan (Co-moderator), Hank Hadaway (Treasurer), Larry Burt (Secretary), Rev. Leslie Becknell Marx (Minister), Ron Thurston (Membership Chair), Jan Hively (board nominee for Committee on Ministry)
Absent: Marcy Sullwold (At-Large), Diane Arnold (Co-moderator).
Invocation by Rev. Leslie:
Virtual Chalice lighting
Check-in: As a Wyeast member and board member, how does our congregational mission statement align with your activity at Wy'east. "What do I do?" with/for Wy'east?
Previous Minutes: 9/18/23 minutes were sent to board members and attendees on 9/19. No further changes were proposed at this meeting, so we voted to approve them. The minutes were sent to our Administrator Gigi for posting to our web site and archiving.
Committee and Minister Reports
Membership: Chair Ron Thurston reported:
For September the Sunday pot-luck lunch was moved to the 2nd Sunday due to Labor Weekend and it was well attended. There is an increase in the attendance of our in person services as more members get comfortable in returning to the Senior Center. Members were generous in the food offerings and the personal reconnecting with the members is wonderful.
We had a brief Membership Committee meeting with just Linda B. and I attending but we identified needed supplies for our pot luck lunches and Linda along with Diane I. and Diane H. will be adding pictures and descriptions showing our community by arranging the window in Class Room "A" at the Center. Jan H. was also involved in the pictures.
Lilac Meadows and Chalice Circle remain active and healthy as members continue their support for these events.
Chandra had her twins!
Social Justice: No new report. Next meeting is Saturday, October 14 at 2:00 PM. Following meetings will be the second Saturday of the month at 2:00 PM.
RE (Religious Education): No new report.
Treasurer: No new report
Worship: Chair Linda reported:
We have determined a worship arc for the year and identified "themes" for each month loosely based on an exploration of the values articulated in the new article II:
- October: Love
- November: Generosity
- January: Justice
- February: Interdependence
- March: Transformation
- April: Equity
- May: Inspirations
We have subscribed to a new Sermon of the Month offering from the UUA that offers one recorded sermon each month for the church year at a flat rate of $300. We are very excited about this resource.
We will be talking about increasing Ellen Godula's compensation to $75 at our next worship meeting. I think we can do this within the confines of our existing budget.
We have advertised the Worship Support Tech Job and have one very Promising applicant. Leslie and Linda are planning to do an initial interview with her on Friday at either 11:30 or 1:30 on Zoom (to be confirmed today -- I hope). It would be ideal to identify a board member to participate in that interview and be the "board liaison" for the hire.
Minister Report: Rev. Leslie reported:
Sunday Services: October 1 began the planned exploration of the UUA Article II revisions which were approved by the 2023 General Assembly of UU congregations. After Linda MacPherson and I provided context at the September 24 service Unitarian Universalism – Where are We Going, Why and How? A UUA General Assembly Report Back, I started the exploration with a service focused on Love at the Center grounded in our Universalist theological heritage centered on God’s love.
Sunday October 8 will include a recorded sermon from UU minister Rev. Monica Dobbins focused more explicitly on Love as the center value in the proposed Article II language.
I will offer services about each of the values in the following rhythm. Likely another Sunday service or other event in the month will also provide perspective and opportunities to reflect on the value
* October: Love
* November: Generosity
* December: Pluralism
* January: Justice
* February: Interdependence
* March: Transformation
* April: Equity
Working closely with the Worship Committee, I continue to provide support for Wy’east Sundays by creating and delivering one full service a month (typically the first Sunday of the month) and contribute to one other Sunday service. Because August and September had me preparing extensively for two services, I will not directly deliver any part of an October service beyond the first Sunday but will of course still be supporting the Worship Committee.
Our tech support position is posted at Portland Community College, and Linda MacPherson and I are interviewing an applicant on Friday. We would like to have a Board member participate if someone is available.
Congregational Engagement
In addition to Sunday services, I will experiment with offering a conversation series to explore each month’s value. I will design and facilitate a conversation where we can engage with each others’ perspectives and ideas.
For October, I will experiment with the timing: offering two opportunities to participate, one during the day at Rose City Park Presbyterian Church and one in the evening via zoom. We will see how attendance goes and decide whether to continue to offer these conversations twice or choose the format preferred by people.
Wy’east and Rose City Park Presbyterian Church
Kathleen and I will be meeting with Kate, the office coordinator, to finalize our plans to implement the recommended flexible arrangement for Wy'east's use of Rose City Park Presbyterian Church's meeting spaces.
Denominational Affairs
I am part of the leadership team for the UU Minister’s Association Pacific Northwest District and am helping organize the PNWD Fall Professional Days October 6-8 at Alton Collins retreat center east of Portland. As UU colleagues, we will consider the predictable adverse impact of clergy misconduct and other boundary violating behaviors (by the clergy and lay leaders) on congregational culture and ministerial practice utilizing your PNW experience, histories of misconduct locally, regionally and in our wider Association.
I continue to provide vocational advising to a candidate for UU ministry who is in her internship experience and attending Meadville-Lombard seminary and will be meeting with a new seminarian and applicant for UU ministry who is considering choosing Wy’east as their home congregation.
Old Business
We continued discussing concerns about the CPFA (Community for Positive Aging) space where we meet. The CPFA doesn't have a space for children and has limited times and spaces for other Wyeast activities, including pastoral care, meetings, office, and small groups. Leslie collected data about members' vision/values for Wyeast at last March's congregational Zoom meeting, which she will bring to our next meeting.
Kathy reported on her talk with the RCPP (Rose City Park Presbyterian) administrator about options for Wyeast to have additional flexible use of RCPP spaces to supplement our use of the CFPA. The RCPP admin said it's all open. We can negotiate any time. Our use can include Sundays. Kathy and Leslie will meet with the building manager on Thursday to discuss options and bring information back for the board to consider.
Our HCPA situation has plusses: Diversity of the neighborhood, excellent accessibility, familiarity, low cost. Right now we are paying the HCPA/Senior Center $600 per month plus $100 to RCPP. Might increased use and a room by room fee at RCPP end up being more expensive?
In addition to RCPP, there are several other churches around the neighborhood that might be more suitable for us, especially facilities for children. We need information about options, research on other neighborhood church buildings that are available. Larry offered to do some preliminary investigation He will consult as needed with our RE director, Minister, and Worship Committee chair and report back to the board at the next meeting.
New Business
Committee on Ministry
Leslie met with the board's appointee, Jan Hively. Jan agreed to accept the position. Leslie also met with her appointee and will let us know when they have accepted. Then the two appointees will choose a third member and begin to meet with Leslie.
We discussed systematic easy ways to facilitate communication between members, board, and minister. Ways to process concerns, comments, requests related to our values and mission. Interactive processes including brochures, web site, bulletin board, etc.
Candidate for Tech Position
Linda M and Leslie are Zoom interviewing a candidate for the position on Friday. Interview at 11:30 or 1:30. They want a board member at the interview. If it's at 1:30 Kathy will attend. If it's at 11:30 Diane A. will attend.
Service Format Subcommittee
What mix of services do we want going forward to best meet our mission and be sustainable? Keep the current mix of in-person plus Zoom hybrid on 1 & 3 Sunday, Zoom only on 2nd and 4th; or change. The decision is also dependent on the aforementioned tech position. The subcommittee will meet this month and report back to the board. It will include Diane A as tech lead, Linda M as worship lead, Leslie as minister, and maybe others.
UU Cluster Meeting and Interfaith Alliance Representatives
Barbara Dow has represented us on these two groups but she is leaving. We discussed what these groups do, whether we need to be represented, and who would represent. The cluster connection has opportunities for cooperation with the other UU churches in the area. The Interfaith Alliance has opportunities for cooperation with other faith groups in the area. Kathy will ask Jeff Showell, who is on our Social Justice committee, if he would be interested in the positions. Leslie will write an announcement about the positions and ask GiGi to put it in our Wyeast News. We will think about who else might be interested and continue the discussion at our next meeting.
Next Board Meeting
The next meeting date was set for Monday, November 6, 7:00 PM. Format will be Zoom.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:15 PM.
Action List
Leslie:
Announcement about UU cluster and Interfaith Alliance Representatives
Meet/consult with Service Format subcommittee
Interview tech candidate on Friday
Confirm her Committee on Ministry nominee
Meet with RCPP re building use on Thursday
Kathy:
Meet with Leslie and RCCP admin on Thursday re: building use
Attend Zoom Tech interview Friday if it's in the afternoon
Ask Jeff Showell about Cluster and InterFaith alliance positions
Diane
Convene service format subcommittee
Attend Zoom Tech interview Friday
Larry
Research other church buildings and possible CFPA improvements