NOTE: There was NO December 2020 Meeting
UUFRC Program Council Minutes – January 25, 2021, 7 pm, via Zoom
Attendees: Alex, Lori, Ellen, Tovis, Martha, Rev. Brian,
Minutes of November meeting – approved.
PC Cluster Groups
Operations (Alex): Building, Committee on Ministries, Communications, CUUE
Congregational Life (Lori): Caring, Connections
Justice & Outreach (Ellen): Roosevelt Tutoring, Social Action, Interfaith
Sunday Services (Martha): MOCA, Music, Worship
Faith Formation ( ): Chalice Circles, The Learning Journey, Youth & Family
Governance (Tovis): Board of Trustees, Program Council, Finance, Personnel, Stewardship
Chair Update
Alex – Most of the committees have responded to the request to send their budget requests to the Finance Committee. What should PC involvement be in the budget process. For next year, a suggestion that PC might want to review the budget requests from each committee because the PC has an overall view of the activities and needs of the congregation.
Alex – Safety /Security sub group met. Work of this group is not considered critical at this time. A few more volunteers are needed for this committee. It is a new committee with no Charter at this time.
Discussion
Coordination and communication between committees and cluster groups
Board President Chris Stovall suggested that liaisons get the committee heads from our Cluster groups together for a conversation about activities and needs. Have these meetings about every 4 months. The PC liaison would give their Cluster group an update on what is happening in all the other Clusters.
Rev. Brian suggested that PC could think about a retreat format 2 times a year for each Cluster to think more long-term/strategically. This could contribute to the development of the strategic plan for the whole Fellowship.
Developing a Calendar
Suggestion by Rev. Brian and Tovis – create a calendar that shows what each committee does at certain times of the year. The calendar would show what needs to happen, when things are due, what events are routinely planned, for each month or quarter and for each committee. It would be for the internal workings for the Fellowship. Each committee would submit a document listing their particular responsibilities and events for each month of the year. Personnel committee has created this already. Tovis volunteered to put all the information together once gathered from the committees.
Alex noted that the Facilities calendar only lists the Cluster name rather than the committee name when committees add an event or meeting to the Facilities calendar. It would be more helpful for the calendar to list the contact person for each meeting or event, not the Cluster name.
Circle of Concern
This is a lengthy book reporting on a 3-year study regarding inclusion and anti-racism work in our movement. Tovis questioned how we might want to engage the congregation in this topic. Several ideas were discussed. CUUE and the Learning Journey are also talking about this.
Volunteer Job Descriptions – the One-pagers
The “One-pagers” are in the PC Google Drive.
There is urgency to fill the Administrator’s needs for volunteers so that she can work with the Pledge Drive.
Suggested that the needs for volunteers be featured in the weekly bulletin and in the announcement slides prior to the Sunday services.
Cluster Updates
Sunday Services: Martha- Worship committee still needs more volunteers. Coordination is needed between Worship and Connections Committee for scheduling the Committee Spotlights. There needs to be a dialog. Rev. Brian mentioned that the focus of each Worship service and the timing/date are fluid, which makes coordination a little problematic.
Justice & Outreach:
Ellen sent a written report to all members of the PC. Summary: Social Action voted to focus on 4 main areas in 2021 – climate, fair government and voting rights, racial and economic justice, and immigration. Second Harvest monthly food distribution continues with UUFRC volunteers at both the Nesbitt School (formerly Yaseen) and Fair Oaks sites. Roosevelt Tutoring is by remote with only one volunteer. Interfaith Action participation in MLK Day of Service – no data available. PC members please read the full report that was sent out by Ellen.
Ellen – COVID Task force denied two requests for use of the building (a tour & a music rehearsal) to keep consistent with the policy that the building is closed.
Faith Formation: Marina is stepping away from the PC. Look for someone to fill this spot on the PC. Several names were suggested.
Operations: Alex – Communications Committee will rotate leadership at each committee meeting for now, until a chair can be appointed.
Action Items
Lori – Bring a request to the Connections Committee for the BoT and PC to do a Committee Spotlight to emphasize the role of each body.
Alex – talk with Chris Stovall, BoT president, about he Spotlight; ask her for content for the presentation.
Alex – Gather examples from Jan, Administrator, about the questions/problems/issues that come up when people need to know which to go to for answers – PC or BoT.
ALL – Each liaison hold a meeting of all of the committee chairs in our Cluster group for a conversation about every 4 months.
Alex – Craft a letter to send to all Committee chairs asking for a document listing the events and responsibilities of that committee over the year.
Rev. Brian – Talk to Jan about how to clean up the Facilities calendar so that the contact person is listed with each meeting/event, not the Cluster. Website prompts need to be changed.
Alex – To fill the liaison spot for Faith Formation Cluster, ask Jorie Schulz.
Tovis – Put the need for volunteers to help our Administrator in the weekly bulletin, and send the information to Crystal to insert a slide prior to the Sunday service.
Next meeting: Monday, February 22, 2021