Announcements
Donuts and Discussion– September 22, 2019. The topics are Healthy Relations Team and ARAOMC Team from 10:35am-10:50am
Inquirer’s Series– Board member is invited to attend, September 22, 2019
Mountain Summit Representative, Carolyn Shaklee- September 6-8, 2019
DRE Hire!- Fenwick Broyard III
● First day will be 09/03/2019
Small Group Ministry commences in September 2019
Board Expectations for the year:
● Policy for the following committees: Healthy Relations, ARAOMC and Generosity and Stewardship, Social Justice Work (Poverty)
● Creation of a dashboard
● Visual Timeline to the congregation: Feasibility Plan to First Worship Service at 2650
● Braving Space and The Mountain Summitt
Thank You Messages for the Month
Whitney Young Jr. Society
Elisabeth Schreibfeder
Marycallie Laxton
Circle of Connection: If you found a magic lantern and a genie gave you three wishes, what would you wish?
Looking backward, Looking Forward
● Recognizing need for “interim work”
○ Opportunity to reflect honestly on what is still working for us and what was not working for the congregation.
○ Chance to improve culture and operations.
○ Questions passed around (10min on answering)
○ Question1 “What is important from Anthony’s ministry that we want to continue”
■ Sean -held space for validating “God” and “emotions” into the service
■ John-admires Anthony’s sermons/intellect/philosophy of kindness, and hiring Don Milton III
■ Jen-great sermons
■ Jennifer- Love and compassion in each service
■ Bryce-Created a feeling of authenticity, creating “safe space”, and open care for congregants.
■ Dave-Care and exuberance on Sunday
■ Christine- New, old, etc. everyone was always welcomed genuinely and . Anthony built strong personal relationships and reach out in person.
■ Jon-loves to teach, great workshops
○ “What did we hope would materialize that did not?”
■ Jon-follow through not strong, continuity of staff, did not become an acknowledged flagship congregation or leverage our status.
■ John-Social justice activities/organization for social justice. Persistence
Christian-Did not make UUCA a focal point for social justice action. Missed
■ opportunities to become consistent player in social justice.
■ Jennifer-Organizing entire congregation lacking, cohesive vision never materialized.
■ Sean-Clear reflections on what is working and what is not, clear objective, specific actionable steps
○ Dread but stopped dreading
■ Jen-no longer dread we are going in circles. Energy to move forward, not in circles, forward momentum
■ Jon-All the same dreads
■ Sean-giving and talking about money and resources at UUCA. Hope that we continue and amplify the giving
○ Anxieties that and usual
■ Christian Average Annual Pledge decreasing Giving
■ Jen-Friends who hoped would come back when Anthony left, but they are not.
■ Dave-Worries about losing members unfounded
■ Jon-Will music director stay? Capital Campaign fears.
■ Sean-how to keep space for “God” and validate believers without alienating
○ Who has been activated as a worrier?
■ John-Older v. young generations in congregation split on how to use and raise money. Congregants not voicing their concerns.
■ Christian-growth in new facility, if we actually become more diverse how will our congregants react when it happens in fact v. in theory? Worried about “white flight” if we have POC in positions of power. Outreach always visiting those in their communities and not inviting them to join or come here. Can we create a culture that creates a comfortable place for new POC members. Worried about the fear.
■ Sean-Growing pains as we grow more diverse
○ Continue & Revisit next Board meeting
Annual Vision of Ministry (AVOM) Overview
● John-Tony Stringer gave us a great sermon on UUs and race controversies.
● Taryn-
○ Letta Wo lead a great search committee in a very wise and competent manner.
○ Elizabeth Schreibfetter set up meeting and
○ Worship themes for the next three months set
○ Guest speakers lined up for when Taryn is gone
■ continuing to make concerted effort find diverse speakers.
○ How do you UU? challenge and inspire growth and practice our values in the world.
○ Stewardship Campaign- no co-chairs yet, Jon Guyton has agreed to be the co-chairs “Obe Wan”. Many people have said no. Search for Co-chairs continues.
■ Jennifer- Board will need to support new co-chairs more than last year.
○ DLRE hire is both POC and the most qualified candidate
○ Liberation theology orientation is one possible reason more POC members.
○ Search committee for full-time professional support staff member
○ Carol Ann with on-board new members until staff hired. Radical Hospitality, UU Evangelism,
○ Nicole has contracted Spark Creative for website redesign.
○ Nicole is also working on launching an error free digital picture database and engaging congregants to update their own info in database.
○ Joined Georgia Interfaith Policy Center- Taryn now on board- they are hiring full time executive director –
■ Jennifer- Is this a liberal organization?
● yes-liberal but not progressive Coalition issues
○ Developing interfaith connections -going well
○ Taryn has offered to host a monthly UU clergy/DRE gatherings at UUCA to grow or strength and cohesion of UUs in GA.
○ RE launch VERY successful 39 kids attending @ 9:00am
Decisive Action
The Minutes from the July 2019 Board Meeting were approved via email.
● Board members had trouble finding Minutes
○ Error in link sent
○ Will fix and resend for approval by tomorrow
Finance
To include position of outsourcing and Feasibility
● Budget from July approval
○ Bryce moves to approve
■ Dave seconds
■ July Budget approved unanimously
○ Weighted average for monthly historic information, to get closer to a real estimate.
○ False alarm of budget shortfall- from project phoenix Sign costs created
■ Jon – we are on a very tight budget and have been for a long time.
○ Donor restricted accounts were not being respected.
○ 2 Reserve accounts
■ Restricted Reserve account has 3.19%
● Use only with approval of congregation
■ Board Reserve account has 4%
● Use only with approval of Board
■ Procedure and by-laws violated in past by using donor restricted account funds to pay operating costs.
■ Reserve Accounts replenished using project phoenix funds
● Donor restricted accounts
● ACS accounting lumped all monies into one fund
■ Jennifer- How do we make sure this doesn’t happen again?
● These are now seperated in ACS
● Former
■ Dave-have discussion on wednesday and give recommendation to board on how to fix this
○ Feasibility study committee is formed
■ Errors & outdated info in membership database creating inaccuracies in feasibility study.
■ John-additional information needs to be disseminated to congregation.
● Bryce-Yes, how?
○ Bryce-Weekly update paragraph?
○ guest-Project Phoenix issue?
○ Jen-link/section to project phoenix website?
○ Christian-town halls with updates
○ Bryce-Insert on two Sundays (9/8/19 & 9/15/19)?
○ Dave-give more time to send out information out
○ Bryce will draft and coordinate with Nicole to provide copy for the weekly update & insert for (9/15/19)
■ Jon asks about outsourcing update
● Chrstian-tabled for next month
■ Sean- call to action is to update the database information for congregants
● Jen- single page website as resource
Project Phoenix
● Dave-
○ preliminary drawings for new building
■ elevations are being detailed now.
■ sketches will be used for feasibility study
■ facilities study recommendations are being used to guide space allocation in drawings
○ Sign design and specs completed
■ power point, wifi linked
■ Timeline hopefully in time for Thanksgiving
● permitting allowing
○ Project Phoenix
■ All estimated to be complete construction 2021
■ Completion dates relatively similar no matter which option we choose.
● Option 1
■ 2 years from today, we can hope we are in the new building
○ John- 60% coverage restriction due to zoning part of the design process?
■ Dave-yes, plenty of room to grow
○ John-How many options will we present to the congregation?
■ Dave-we will present? We will present and raise money for Option 4
■ Option 3 has already been through the design development phase so easy to fall back if option 4 is not feasible
○ John- how much of the existing building can be kept/reused for this?
■ Bryce-each time we call to evaluate options we get charged money.
■ Jen suggests typing up a Q&A form.
Open Question- How to implement our commitment to healing poverty in Atlanta?
● Jon and Bryce met last week on this
will schedule a meeting with Rev. Strauss tonight.
Board Committees
Healthy Relationships Discernment (Jennifer)
● Version 5 available
○ Will table questions for next meeting and hold discussion via email
○ Christian – notes it will be rolled out on weekly update
■ Importance of Board demonstrating
■ suggestions for how to roll out
○ Jennifer asks, do new members sign a covenant of healthy relation?
■ Travis notes if it is a requirement for membership then it will need to be added to the by-laws
○ Healthy relations training on October 5th
■ $20 per member
ARAOMC Discernment & Way Forward Team (Sharon)
● Tabled for next meeting
Nominating Committee (Jon)
● Jon-thanks Board for opportunity to liaise with nominating committee
○ Committee is formed
○ meetings held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month
○ They are informed of duty to nominate search committee member for Jan 1st
■ Slate for search committee planned to be ready for December