Updates from the Board – March 2021

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To: Members of PrairieUU Congregation

From: Vivian Littlefield, President of the Board of Trustees

and Susan Ermisch, Chair,  Committee on Shared Ministry

Susan Ermisch and I invite you to a Winter Congregational Meeting on March 28, 2021, immediately after candles.

This is an important meeting. We will move to suspend the section of the bylaws referring to our nominations process so we can trial our new Leadership Development process and suspend term limits so elected members can stay in their positions this next year. Additional agenda items include: electing members to the COSM and sharing an update on plans for restoring right relationships and healing will also be discussed. The agenda is below.

Please let me or Susan know if you have additional items to add.

Thank you for attending.

In Covenant,

Vivian and Susan

 

Meeting Agenda

Establish a Quorum: Kim Murray, Board Secretary

Call to Order:  Vivian Littlefield, President

Welcome: Susan Ermisch, Chair, COSM

Chalice Lighting: Pastor AJ

Touchstones:

Land Acknowledgement: Prairie UU Member

Action Items:

Board Of Trustees

  • Plan For Transition To New Leadership Development Process: Jen Simon
  • Motion To Suspend The Bylaws Regarding Nomination Committee And Term Limits: Board/COSM for 2021-2022 Year – Vivian
  • Election of COSM Members: Janet

COSM

  • Discussion About Returning In Person: COSM and Vivian
  • Update on Right Relations and Congregational Healing Process: COSM, Pastor AJ, and Vivian

Finance

  • Financial Status: Clark

Call for Other /New Business

Closing: Pastor AJ

Adjournment: Vivian

Healing thoughts for you:

I am saddened by the pain and hurt that many of our members have shared with me. I hope that our community will reach out to each other with love and care, seeking a new understanding of why others are hurting. Our Covenant says we are ” a welcoming and loving community”. We are of course individuals with our own perspectives and understandings. So we have to make daily efforts to be that loving community. Sometimes we get it wrong, sometimes right. I ask you to remember when our community got it right. Also, reflect on why we got it wrong recently and help suggest ways to get it right again. Thanks to those of you who are staying at the table to help in the healing process. I, the Board, and the COSM are open to your suggestions. Share with one or all of us. Ideas we have heard for the next steps will be discussed in the Board meeting on March 17, 2021. We will then take the ideas to the Congregational meeting on March 28, 2021. Please be there to guide us.
AJ, Susan E, and I have written a letter of apology to all of our members. We have/will recognize/d the contributions of those who have left our community in candles.  I personally apologize for not asking us to stop, breathe and reflect before continuing a discussion that was harmful to members of our beloved community. I will ask to meet with all those I know were harmed and hurt. I have appreciated those of you who have reached out to meet with me and share your concerns and ideas for returning to the right relationships.
In love and covenant:

With Gratitude

The Board and Finance Committee are busy, engaged in a variety of projects and continue our leadership development activities. I am grateful for so many things, I want to share a few:

  • Thanks to Clark and Renee, we have a second PPP loan, $12,000.
  • Thanks to Janet we have a chair of the Stewardship Drive
  • Thanks to Jen, our Diversity and Inclusion Advocate, we are planning the next steps to transition to the new Leadership Development process
  • Thanks to Calisse and Clark, we can now buy Scrip cards
  • Thanks to Bill we have a cyber safety advocate
  • Thanks to Calisse for her COVID Corner
  • Thanks to Kim and Carol, we are on our way to revising the Membership Resource Book and creating a Board Resource book
  • Thanks to the entire Board, we will soon have a more defined role and expectations for the Board Liaison to Standing Committees
  • Thanks to the Board’s commitment to learning about leadership, we are reading “Serving with Grace, Lay Leadership as a Spiritual Practice”(Link to slide on Workshop here)
  • There is more, but you have other things to do!
  • Thanks to Prairie UU members for your commitment to Prairie UU.

I am grateful!

Vivian, President of Prairie UU

[email protected]