Chalice Lighting

Announcements
Retreat: June 12-13, 2020
General Assembly, June 24-28
UUCA 10 Credentialed Delegates

  • Board: Jennifer Thilo; Sean Golan
  • Congregants: June Lester, Karen Reagle, Jim Kelly, Frank Casper, Mel Shenstone, Anthony Stringer, Sekayi Stringer
  • Staff: Ayanna Kafi Stringer, Beck Schillizzi

Board Expectations for the Year:

  • To be Determined at the Upcoming Board Retreat
  • Take A Stand: “We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountability dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.” https://www.8thprincipleuu.org/background

Thank You Messages for the Month:

  • The Board agreed to recognize RE leaders.

Circle of Connection:
What I have to offer our congregation this year…what do I need from fellow Board members to help me do this…

  • John Duggar-Grateful for the 2019-20 Board to have established a way forward for our new property by unanimous vote. I hope we will continue to take on and support each other for the hard decisions this year.John Merkel-bring a love of UUCA. A mathematician by training is a good problem solver. Need support to figure out my role.
  • Jason Delaney- Bring a non-anxious presence, and attitude of gratitude. Big picture and historical perspective. Need clear communication and information on how to do that
  • Maureen – enthusiasm and motivation to serve UUCA
  • Bryce- new role working for UUCA- see myself as an expediter, facilitate visions and completion. I am here to serve so let me know how I can best do that.
  • Taryn- I bring clarity of vision and interesting in the process and curiosity about how we get there. I am very interested in liberating the leadership for this community’s mission. Keep us focused on larger goals. I need this board to think of this as spiritual work.
  • Sha’Ron – I will bring energy and enthusiasm around implementing ARAOMC values in the life and works of the Congregation. I need my fellow Board members to get me back on track if I start to go off the rails during meetings.

Board Education

  • UUCA Bylaws:
    https://www.uuca.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2.2-UUCA-BYLAWS-amended-December-13-2015.docx.pdf
  • The Board will familiarize itself with these before the retreat.
    Board Policies: https://www.uuca.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2.4-BOARD-POLICIES-as-amended-November-21-2017_with-appendices.docx.pdf
  • Board Training on the UUA.org: https://www.uua.org/leadership/programs/board-training/governance-basics
  • Board Meetings: Every month on the Fourth Tuesday:

May 26, 2020 06:00 PM
Jun 23, 2020 06:00 PM
Jul 28, 2020 06:00 PM
Aug 25, 2020 06:00 PM
Sep 22, 2020 06:00 PM
Oct 27, 2020 06:00 PM
Nov 24, 2020 06:00 PM
Dec 22, 2020 06:00 PM
Jan 26, 2021 06:00 PM
Feb 23, 2021 06:00 PM
Mar 23, 2021 06:00 PM

  • For each meeting a process observer, host to bring food when we meet in person, and someone to light chalice and provide opening and closing words. Maureen will develop a spreadsheet in Google Docs.
  • UUCA Committee Descriptions

Executive Report

  • Annual Vision of Ministry (AVOM) Overview
    • Deferred until the Board retreat; Taryn will work with the staff on them.
    • Recap of AVOM Goals
    • 1-Manage Transition of Ministry
    • 2-Support Diversity and Inclusion
    • 3-Chart the Path from Visitor to Leader
    • 4-Forge Community Partnerships
    • Reaffirm commitment to Policy Governance
    • Best Practices for the Board

The Work of the Board

  • Decisive Action
    The Minutes from the April 2020 Board Meeting have not yet been approved via email vote.
  • Secretary of the Board to be elected by the Board of Trustees
    • Move to appoint Maureen McAndrews to the position of Board Secretary for 2020-2021.
    • Second: Sean Golan
    • Motion Passed unanimously, without discussion.
  • Teamwork or Google Docs
    • Slack for communications?
    • Secure Slack Channel for Board Communications
    • Google Drive for longer term storage
    • Google Drive for Board- invite Deb Freer?
    • Jen Bain- Revise file naming conventions so that Board Members can find documents easily.
    • Permissions for G-doc to remove former Board members from folders?
    • The Board voted to use Slack & Google Drive.
    • Bryce will help set up the files & permissions.

Board Retreat

  • Safety Plan TBD
  • Start: Friday 5:00pm-8:00pm
  • Comfort level for all involved?
  • In-person- Visit 2650
  • Shade, bathrooms, amenities?
  • 2 hours max
  • Retreat Slack training?
  • Retreat G-docs training?

Membership Requirements:

  • Motion: I move that the Board recognize that “Membership Register Book” includes electronic adendi as kept by th Membership & Social Justice Director, and that electronic signatures are a valid way to satisfy the membership requirement to sign the “Membership Register Book”
  • Second: Jason Delaney
  • Motion passed unanimously, without discussion.

 

Open Question:
What Question do we, as a Board, want to explore this year? To be determined at Retreat (Last year the Board decided that Poverty was the wound in Atlanta that we felt most called to heal.)

  • Rev. Strauss How does this Board want to engage the Congregation?
  • The Board will think about what committees it wants to keep, which ones need clarifying and the purpose of the various committees.
  • Move to have Board Liaisons act as advisors and link between the committee Board, and less of the facilitators and chairs of committees.

Report from Finance Trustee

  • What is the best way to format the reports going forward
  • Lead time? 1 week plus a reminder the day before. Best way to Deliver reports? Slack
  • Highlights/executive summary
    • April is commonly a low-revenue month- this year is no different.
    • Adding an “Implied Pledge” category for tracking givers who have not actually pledged, but reliably give. This way, more accurate pledge tracking will be possible.
    • Under budget for expenses
    • Partially due to Nicole Presley’s temporary transfer to the UUA’s Get Out the Vote staff.
    • Hired three staff members in April, so next month’s expenses will increase.
    • PP Loan- anticipate $108,000.00 borrowed will be forgiven, however planning to
    • Membership Social Justice Coordinator is being paid out of a Development gift.
    • Reminder of the Board’s fiduciary duty to monitor and direct the finances of our non-profit organization. There is Board insurance, to cover liability that may arise.
      Motion:
  • Sean Golan moved to approve the Finance reportR for April.
  • Second: John Merkel
  • Motion Passes unanimously, without discussion.

Project Phoenix/Capital Committee- Need a Liaison

  • Time to pivot from a project to a campaign that is more transparent to & inclusive of the congregation.
  • Clearly define roles
  • Need Liaison that is aware of both PP & CC?
  • Would also coordinate & act as spokesperson & enthusiasm facilitator with the congregation?

Healthy Relations Committee

  • Lots done this year
  • Continue to define the role & purpose of the committee
    • Education
    • Resource repository for conflict resolution
  • Very close to being ready to roll out to congregation
  • Looking to next steps

Stewardship and Generosity Committee

  • Job description delivered to Nominating Committee in early 2020
  • Bylaw was approved December 2019.

ARAOMC Committee

  • Christian Harden has agreed to be Chair of the ARAOMC Counsel
  • Committee created a proposed and council covenant to defined its mission
    • Counsel is meant to have 5-7 members
    • Currently have 3-4 Council members
    • Committee still needs to work on the final 2-3 members.
  • Sha’Ron wants to step out of the Committee Liaison role so she can become a council member.

Bylaws Committee

  • Additional Bylaw issues
  • Absentee voting
  • Bylaw amendment recording procedure
  • Issues from Virtual Congregation
    • Membership Requirements
    • Healthy Relations Covenant
    • E-signature
    • Online Membership?
  • Sean Golan ready to continue serving on the Bylaws committees

Nominating Committee

  • Liaison needed

Closing

Process Observation

  • Observe Covenant? Yes
  • High Point: Jason’s presentation & Jennifer’s facilitation of making room
  • Low Point: People not wearing masks on Beltline
  • Lots of ground covered

Extinguishing the Chalice
Let us begin again in love.