Joseph Priestley District

Board of Directors

January 11-12, 2002

Davies Memorial UU Church, Camp Springs, MD

 

Minutes

 

Present: Evelyn Spurgin (president), Mike Harris (vice president), Ellen Cotts (treasurer), Dave Hunter (secretary), Dawn Star Borchelt, David Chandler, Janet Eisenhauer, Pete Fontneau, the Rev. Anne Herndon, Julia Sayles, the Rev. Linda Olson Peebles (UUA trustee), and Courtenay Harms (DYSC liaison).

 

Absent: the Rev. Howard Dana, Marilyn Dyson, the Rev. Paula Maiorano, and Bill Stroup.

 

Also Present: the Rev. Dr. Richard Speck (district executive), Virginia Jerocha-Ernst (Acting Lifespan Religious Education Consultant), Bob Johnsen (district growth consultant) (Friday only), Kim Mason (campUUs organizer) (Friday only), Liz Echols (Davies, nominating committee chair), Bill Reilly (Arlington, nominating committee) (Saturday only); for opening worship and conversation with local congregations only: Fran Ateto (DRE, Annapolis), the Rev. Don Cameron-Kragt (Davies), Bill Curtis (Annapolis), Sadie Curtis (Annapolis), Joyce Dowling (Davies), Ray Dowling (Davies), Daryl Nash (Annapolis), Nancy Proctor (Annapolis), Al Usack (Paint Branch)

 

The meeting began Friday evening at 7:05 with worship and conversation with local congregations and ended at 9:37.  The meeting was resumed Saturday morning at 9:10 and concluded at 3:10 p.m.  Worship was led by Dave, Anne, Richard and Virginia, and Dawn.

 

1. Conversation with Local Congregations.  Leaders from Annapolis, Davies, and Paint Branch shared information and experiences.  Among the topics discussed were how we can get the word out better and connections between local congregations and the district and higher levels.

 

2. Liaison Roles.  Richard led a discussion of the role of board members as liaisons to congregations.  We considered what purposes we try to fulfill through contacts as liaisons with congregations and whether these purposes could be fulfilled in other ways.  Among the purposes served by liaison contacts are (1) building relationships, (2) discovering needs, (3) learning of problems and thus being able to pass on early warnings to the district executive, (4) publicizing district programs and services, (5) educating board members, (6) communicating the larger faith, and (7) educating congregations about fair share responsibilities.  It was recognized that it is important for board members to stay in touch with congregations.  Among the ways that this can be accomplished (in addition to the liaison process) are (1) contacts through other roles (e.g. through meetings with other religious educators), (2) networking at conferences and other events, (3) visiting congregations, (4) receiving information from the staff, (5) reading church newsletters, and (6) conversations with local congregations at board meetings.

 

3. Anti-Racism Discussion.  Richard and Virginia led the board in discussion based on what they had learned at the December Big Complex Meeting in Boston.  We divided into small groups to discuss our own theological grounding for doing anti-racism work.

 

4. Journey Toward Wholeness.  Evelyn updated the board on activities of the Journey Toward Wholeness team.  There will be a meeting at River Road on January 26 to give UUs from the eastern half of the country an opportunity to share their views with leadership from Boston.  The northen group of the JTW team is planning an anti-racism billboard campaign.  The southern group of the JTW team is planning an anti-racism sermon contest.  The board approved the contest, which would involve a $500 honorarium.

 

5. Finance Committee Report, Treasurer’s Report, Budget Discussion.  Ellen and Mike reported.  (See attached reports.)  It was decided an offering at the spring conference would be dedicated to campus ministry.  Paul Roche, Gene Mulligan, and Julia constitute a finance committee task force on campus ministry funding.  Guided by our discussion, the budget for 2002-03 will be presented for final recommendation to the congregations at the March meeting.

 

6. Nominating Committee.  Liz reported progress.  Board members expressed the desire to have a youth nominated for a board position.

 

7. DYSC.  Courtenay reported plans for adding a fourth DYSC con each year, which would be sponsored jointly with the Metro New York district and held in the summer.

 

8. Long Range Planning.  Mike announced Paula’s departure from the committee to concentrate on spring conference planning and Dave’s addition to the committee.  We will try to have Florida DE Mary Higgins join us for a discussion of policy governance, either at the May 17-18 retreat at Murray Grove or at a later date.  We will try to have a joint meeting with the Metro New York board some time in the future.  An informal consensus of the board opposes constituency representation on the board.  A majority of the members present favor a reduction of the board from 14 members to 10, by eliminating area council (and former area council) representation.  Dave was asked to draft an appropriate bylaw amendment, for consideration at the March meeting and possible recommendation to the congregations for adoption at the annual meeting in April.  Ellen Chulak of Murray Grove will be asked to facilitate discussion at the May retreat.

 

9. Board/Committee/Staff Relations.  At the suggestion last September of UUA Vice President Kay Montgomery, Evelyn prepared a policy paper, which was considered in November and revised for this meeting based on the November discussion.  With a revision indicating that members of board committees need to be approved by the board (to be drafted by Evelyn), the board approved the policy.

 

10. Program Consultant Search Committee.  Co-chairs Janet and Dawn reported on committee activities.  In addition to Janet and Dawn, Jude Henzy (Wilmington DRE) and the Rev. Mike Smith (Lower Bucks) serve on the committee.  An additional member is needed, and Linda was asked to identify a youth at this weekend’s con at Arlington.  The board brainstormed what we are looking for in our PC.

 

11. Minutes.  The minutes of the November 16-17, 2001 meeting were approved as corrected. 

 

12. Executive Session.  An executive session with respect to a personnel matter was conducted, with Richard and Linda present.

 

13. Trustee Report.  Linda reported on UUA developments.  Richard will send to board members Lyle Schaller’s recent book, The Very Large Church.  The proposal to give the Mid-South and Florida districts their own trustees (they now share one) was discussed.

 

14. Staff Evaluation.  Richard explained the process that he is following for evaluating members of the staff and the process he proposes for his own evaluation.  Evelyn, Ellen, and Julia were designated the DE evaluation committee and will meet with the personnel committee to clarify the process.

 

15. UUSJ.  Bob reported on developments.  The three-year focus will be on education.  Bob hopes for a large turnout for a UUSJ event at All Souls on February 9, with Marion Wright Edelman speaking.  We are entitled to three seats on the UUSJ board.  Janet holds one of these seats.  Who holds the others needs to be clarified or persons designated.  We have paid our dues.

 

16. Spring Conference & Annual Meeting.  In Paula’s absence, Richard and Evelyn reported on progress.  It was decided that the board/staff choir will participate.

 

17. Staff Reports.  Staff members were thanked for their good work; their written reports are attached.

 

18. GA Suite.  Richard was requested to obtain a suite in the most central hotel, at a reasonable cost, which may exceed last year’s.

 

19. Next Meeting.  The next meeting will be March 1 and 2, in York.  Michael Tino will meet with us on Friday evening.  Leaders from the host and neighboring congregations will be invited to join us for Saturday lunch.  (Neighboring congregations include Harrisburg, Lancaster, Susquehanna Valley, Boiling Springs, State College, Towson, and Cedarhurst.)

 

The meeting was adjourned at 3:10 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Dave Hunter

Secretary