UUCF Board Meeting Minutes November 7, 2017

Attending: Board Members - Paul Atelsek, Karen Wolf, Peggy Hillman, Milo Valenzuela, Ashley Rothermel, Kristin Keen, Jeff Snyder, Mary Butler; Ex Officio - Rev. David Miller; Staff – Rich Sider, Pippin Whitaker, Sarah Caine; Guests - Scott Lundgren, Nominating Committee; Steve Gold, Endowment Fund Committee Process Observer – Peggy Call to Order/ Check-In 7:30 pm Spiritual Opening/Chalice Lighting – David Consent Agenda ● Minutes of Prior Meetings (Oct 17 V2.0 was distributed) - adopted

Meeting Agenda

Filling vacant position on Nominating Committee – Scott Lundgren Tom Hettenhouser was being considered for replacing a 1 year the Nominating Committee as a Board Appointee. He has been fully vetted and is willing to serve. Karen Wolf moved that he be appointed, Jeff Snyder seconded. Results of the voting: his appointment passed unanimously. Desirements for next year’s Board members – Scott Lundgren Board members were asked if they had input regarding general characteristics for nominees for next year’s Board. Ideas included during the discussion included preference for gender, cultural and age diversity, those who are familiar with various UUCF activities (while not representing them on the Board) and those who are inclined to concentrate on UUCF’s mission and vision. Endowment Grant Recommendations – Steve Gold About $22,000 was made available for grants. Steve reviewed the grant applications and the Endowment Fund Committee’s recommendations to make grants of $12,250. After they were discussed, Mary Butler moved that the recommendations be approved, Ashley Rothermel seconded. Results of the voting: the motion passed unanimously. Grant recipients will be announced on Sunday, November 19th. Enhanced Minister’s Report including plans for rest of year – David Detailed report included as an addendum to the minutes. Addition to report: A National Day of Witness is being organized for the 5th anniversary of the shootings at Sandy Hook, Thursday, Dec. 14th, 10:00 am to noon, outside the National Rifle Association Headquarters in Fairfax, VA.

November 19 Special Congregational Meeting – Rich/David The meeting will be held immediately following the second service, 12:15 p.m. There are two agenda items: 1) Approve an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation needed to meet IRS guidelines for organizations applying for 501(c)(3) status and 2) Vote to ordain Sarah Caine. Absentee ballots will not be available because the bylaws do not dictate their use for this type of business. Jeff Snyder, Kristin Keene and Mary Butler will conduct all necessary counting. Level of detail in minutes for Board Observations/Process Observer -- Peggy After a brief discussion it was agreed the minutes taken by Peggy Hillman contain the appropriate level of detail. The current guidelines will remain. Executive Session – David/Board only Board Observations – All Safety policies were discussed and comments are being shared with relevant staff. Process Observer – Peggy Peggy commented that the Board’s covenant was upheld. Adjourned 9:35 Next meeting: November 21, 2017 Spiritual Opening: Peggy Process Observer: [Need a Volunteer]

Addendum

Minister’s Board Report and Update

Rev. David A. Miller

Senior Minister

UUCF

November 7th, 2017

I wanted to offer a look back to the beginning of the year and a look forward as we prepare for

the second half of our congregational year.

As we began the new congregational year, much of my effort was spent on the following:

1) Director of Administration search process.

2) Linnea’s unexpected departure and finding an interim solution.

3) The ritual and worship for hanging the banner.

4) The welcome, training and incorporation of Sarah Caine to UUCF.

5) The welcome, training and incorporation of Pippin Whitaker our intern.

6) 6 startup retreats that incorporated lesson and themes from GA including:

a. The Social Justice Council

b. The Worship Committee

c. The Racial Justice Steering Committee

d. The UUCF Leadership

e. The UUCF Board

f. The Lay Ministers My community activities have included many protests and witness events including

Charlottesville, an experience of profound impact for me. And, I just returned from a two week

trip that included service to the UU Minister’s Association as co-chair of the Collegial

Development Team in Chicago for four days, two ordinations including Alice’s in San Diego and

last weekend attending the Mosaic Makers Conference. I have also joined a collegial support

group that include four of the 5 large church ministers in the DMV area.

In the last couple of days, I have been meeting with the ministry staff to discern our major goals

for the rest of the year. In the following chart you will find those goals and supporting

information. With this information, we, the ministry team, are attempting to view these goals

through a number of frameworks which include our UUCF vision, the goals of the strategic plan

and the issues and context of what is happening in the world. To that last point I offer these

thoughts:

1) The context that we are living in includes cultural wavering between uncertainty and

despair.

2) The lens of systems of white supremacy and oppression that inhibit beloved community

as specifically being lifted up throughout Unitarian Universalist institutions and

community.

3) The desire to always be striving to be a congregation with a generosity of spirit, that like

many other UU congregations in this time of shift, is struggling with the delicate balance

of meeting our individual needs and supporting the needs of others.

4) How well we are undertaking, designing and offering programs, worship, activities,

lifespan religious exploration, spiritual enrichment and deepening that supports collective

liberation?

5) How well we are facilitating and supporting not like-minded people but like-hearted

people, open, loving and flexible in a time of challenge and wilderness (see #1).

Goal Summary Lead Lay Leader

Lead

Related Vision from

Strategic Plan

Timeline Needed Resources

Innovation Project

Working on next steps with project team.

David Betsy Bicknell

and Wendy

Goal #2 –

On-going but trying to be prepared

Continue to work with advisory group and

Astell to launch something significant no later than September.

eventually a release of funds.

Reach Social Justice Project

Restarting the development to design a process to distribute funds as promised by the campaign.

David TBD Goal #1 and #3

TBD Probably a new task force/team.

Beloved Conversations

Designing and bringing BC back to the congregation. For a retreat and an 8 session course.

David Racial Justice

Steering Committee

Goal #3 This Spring

$1000 - $2000

The Premise and The Promise

Campaign

Supporting Black Lives UU (BLUU) as called for by the UUA with Worship and Fundraising.

David The Worship

Committee and RJSC

Goal #3 Jan – Feb. The fundraising target as set by the UUA to receive matching funds is $10 per member. At the least a Share the Plate month is being proposed here at UUCF.

Director of Administration

Transition

The Search Team continues to meet and as of tonight, 11/2/17, we are meeting to narrow down the 18 candidate to

David The Search

Committee

UUCF Staffing Completed by mid-

December

Nothing further at this time.

possibly 5 – 8 for initial interviews.

DRE Search Process

David UUCF Staffing

Jan – Jun TBD

Discussion on Race Radio Program /

Local Access Cable

I have been working with Derwin Overton from OAR to possibly host a local radio program or local access show on having difficult conversations about issues related to race. We are in the planning stages.

David #2 and #3 TBD None

UUMA Collegial

Development Team

This team meets in person twice a year, once in the fall and once at GA with various activities through the year on ZOOM.

David David’s contribution

to the UUA/UUMA

ongoing None

Fairfax County Communities of

Trust (Possible Event on Hate Speech

and Dealing with Local acts

of White Supremacy

Have been trying to put an event together with the FFX County Police and an interfaith partner.

David #3 TBD but late winter or spring would be my guess

TBD

Congregational Covenant of

Right Relations

This is a substantial and important project. It is a direct support for our vision

Ministry Team

Create a CCRR

Team to help

design and facilitate

the process

Goal #3 and #4

Jan – June with

possible vote at the

annual meeting.

TBD

and a next step in our evolution as a congregation. It will hopefully be an opportunity for us to work together as a congregation to continue moving towards a community of love and purpose and help to support healthy systems, right relationship and working together for collective liberation.

Spiritual Enrichment

Initiative

To develop and identify leaders capable of providing a broader spectrum of spiritual offerings including spiritual direction groups, small groups for spiritual exploration and providing guidance and resources for committees and other congregation groups for spiritual enrichment.

Sarah and

Pippin

Lay Ministers

Goal #3 and #4

&

Helps with the

integrated approach of

membership, spiritual

enrichment and

leadership development we designed for the new

assistant minister position.

March – April

TBD

Ambassador Program

To identify and educate lay leaders on available programming through UUCF to facilitate deeper connection for members and friends. This is a new initiative to integrate more closely the membership and spiritual enrichment programs of the congregation. The Goal is to make it easier for friends and members to connect to people and programs at UUCF.

Sarah Lay Ministers

Cheryl Sadoski

and Shannon Williams

The integrated

approach of membership,

spiritual enrichment

and leadership

development we designed for the new

assistant minister position.

Jan – Feb

(Rev.) Sarah’s Ordination

PARTY!! Sarah Lay Committee

March 11th We will need to provide some financial support and/or a go fund me support.

Covenant Group

Relaunch

As it sounds, adding more short term groups for new attendees at UUCF and more seasoned attendees to interact in small group

Sarah and

Pippin

Covenant Group

Leaders Team

#4 January 21st

None

ministry.