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ALL FAITHS UNITARIAN
CONGREGATION
BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETING
TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2008
1.
The meeting was called to
order by the president, Joyce Ramay, at 4 p.m. A quorum was present,
including Doug Cartwright, Lloyd Fish, Carol Elrod, Lisa Leonhardt,
Robert Bennett, Tom Poe and Ernie Fierro. Lou Pizzini, past president;
Wayne Robinson, minister, and Carol Siferd, chairman of the Social
Circles committee, also were present.
2.
The secretary’s report from the December 18,
2007, meeting was approved.
3.
Treasurer’s Report -
(Handouts: treasurer’s report narrative and the nine months detailed
income and expense statement.) The expenses for All Faiths for the month
of December were $24,890. Of that, $6489 was collected for the Lyman
family, which has been undergoing severe challenges; $300, for Hope
House, and $1645, which was collected for the minister’s discretionary
fund. (Contributions from AF for the Lyman family were sent to the bank
which is collecting the funds.)
Income
for December was $34,094, including the three special collections
mentioned above, for a net gain for the month of $9,504.
As of
January 15, 2008, the bank balances were:
Florida
Gulf checking - $23,044.19
Florida
Gulf money market $2,535.93
Raymond
James money market (operating reserve) -
$18,700.34
Total
monetary assets - $44,280.46
The
treasurer, Doug Cartwright, said the Sunday-morning collection on
January 13 yielded $6,375, an impressive total.
More than
50 picked up their statements of the year’s charitable contributions to
All Faiths at the service on Jan. 13, thus saving postage. Statements
will be available at the services until January 28 after which time the
remainder will be mailed.
Nine
Months Income and Expense Statement (See handout). The AF financial
condition has improved greatly over the past year, due to oversight of
spending and increased donations. This will be communicated to the
congregation.
The board
voted to approve the treasurer’s report and submit it for audit.
The
annual all-congregation budget meeting will be Sunday, January 20 at
12:15 p.m. A quorum is required, according to the by-laws. The purpose
of the meeting is to approve the budget for 2008, to receive information
about the nine months’ income/expense statement and have preliminary
discussions about the possibility of a home of our own.
The final
draft of the budget, prepared by the finance committee with consultation
of the board, was approved. (See handout) It was stressed that most of
AF’s expenses are fixed: salaries, insurance, rent, payroll taxes and
the like. It was agreed that fiscal responsibility is of utmost
importance. With that in mind, the board and finance committee voted to
cut expenses during June, July and August by buying smaller newspaper
ads, eliminating outside musicians and reducing the religious education
budget, perhaps by having child care only. (Lloyd Fish will consult with
Amanda Evans about summer spending on RE.)
The 2008
budget will be submitted to the congregation for approval at the Jan. 20
meeting.
The board
had a long discussion about a possible home of our own. It was decided
we need ongoing dialogue with the congregation. Several members have
been looking casually at properties for sale, but have been uncertain
how to proceed without congregational input. The board will talk about
the matter at its retreat on Feb. 9. By the March congregational
meeting, the board will have more information.
4.
Minister’s Report —
(See handout) Wayne said worship space has been reconfigured so that
seats are in a modified U shape. Instrumentalists and singers have been
recruited to help with hymns, and each service will have at least three
hymns, some of which will be unfamiliar to the congregation. Wayne
reported that 170 people attended the service on Jan. 13 with many
snowbirds just having returned.
Tamalyn
Dallal, who spent several weeks in Islamic countries and has prepared
documentaries about her adventures, will participate in a service
February 10, with a workshop to precede it
- at 9 a.m. She will conduct a
belly-dancing class in the afternoon for a charge of $10, half of which
will go to the Quality Life Center and half to her 1001 Lights
Foundation.
The
minister asked that a written statement from the board of governors be
placed in the Bridge stating that All Faiths has people of both major
political parties and that they support a variety of candidates. In
addition, it needs to be said that we are a non-profit entity and thus
cannot engage in partisan politics. He asked that no announcements of a
political nature be made.
The
minister’s report was approved.
5.
Committees
A)
Service Support Council -Doug Cartwright announced that
the Founder’s Day celebration will be Feb 17 with special music by
Acoustic Eidolon and lunch catered by Elvira Griffin. Tickets will go on
sale soon. The board voted to increase Elvira’s remuneration to $7 per
meal from $6. AF will charge $10 per meal for adults, with children,
youth and those unable to pay eating free. Even with some free meals,
these lunches are a money-maker for AF.
Doug
said that private funding has been secured for the performance by
Eidolon in addition to the $75 in the budget.
Building Your Own Theology will again be led by Ed Fulker. The first
session was Jan. 13.
B)
Social Circles —
Carol Siferd, chairman, reported that on Sunday March 9, AF will have a
gala at Colonial Country Club, which is just east of 1-75 on Colonial
Boulevard. The evening, including a dinner, gratuity, taxes and the cost
of the facility will be $27 for each person. Carol said we would
probably charge $30 each so as to cover additional expenses (music, for
example.) Party-goers will gather at 5 p.m., and dinner will be served
at 5:30.
C)
Social Outreach Committee
— Robert Bennett,
chairman, reported the following:
·
Quality Life Center will have
a charity banquet
on Feb. 5 at Harborside
Event Center.
·
McGregor Clinic - The white elephant sale, originally
planned for Jan. 20, has been moved to Jan. 27 to avoid conflicting with
the all-congregation budget meeting. Hope House
- Collections have resumed.
January is paper products.
·
Environmental and Peace Education Center will have a booth
in Centennial Park for the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative March on
January 21. The congregation is invited to help man the booth.
·
Feeding the homeless and needy. Volunteers are needed to
prepare food in their homes and deliver it to All Souls Episcopal Church
in North Ft. Myers. Three members of our congregation are now
participating in this program.
·
Coalition of Immokalee Workers. Peggy Jsingh has been
discussing fund-raising ideas with Jordan Buckley of Interfaith Action.
·
The Service Support Council, Robert Bennett and Wayne
agreed that monthly reports at the service about AF’s social outreach
projects would be a good idea. Dale Weber of the McGregor Clinic
committee will be the first presenter, on Jan. 27.
Robert
Bennett suggested that the following be added to the SOC’s project list:
·
The Dominican Republic Service Learning Project 2008 (run
by Craig Heller and Ingrid Martinez-Rico, FGCU professors)
·
Mano á Mano: Aid to Bolivia (Segundo and Joan Velasquez
run this program)
D)
Music -
Co-chairman Carol Elrod said the music committee met Jan. 13 and
chose the hymns for February -
around the themes of Founder’s Day, Presidents’ Day and Black History
Month. Charlene Jassim, using her computer software, transposed hymns
for the instrumentalists who do not play “C” instruments. This music was
used at the service Jan. 13. She will make transpositions for future
Sundays as well.
E)
Care and Support Groups
— Debbie Kleinow, chair, said
her committee is encouraging the neighborhoods to have parties in
January/February. The care and support log is being updated so we know
who has a need. The committee is becoming more pro-active and hopes to
have cards available at services so congregants can write the names of
people in the hospital, ill or otherwise needing support.
6.
Old Business
A)
A board brainstorming session will be at 11 a.m. Feb. 9 at Joyce
Ramay’s house. The purpose of the meeting is to define the mission and
to ensure the future of All Faiths. Among the topics to be discussed
will be a capital fund, ministerial succession, facilities, and UUA
affiliation.
7.
New Business
The board
set the date for the Annual Elections Meeting. It will be March 30 after
the service.
Adjournment was at 5:40 p.m.
Next Meeting - Tuesday, February 19 - 4
p.m.
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