Seekers Church
June 8 (Pentecost Sunday), 2014 Stewards Meeting
Present: Peter Bankson, Marjory Bankson [recorder], Kevin Barwick, Ken Burton, Pat Conover [moderator], Dave Lloyd, Sandra Miller [worship],Brenda Seat [angel], Keith Seat [angel], Margreta Silverstone, Jacqie Wallen.
Absent: Cynthia Dahlin Trish Nemore, Deborah Sokolove,
Visitors: Jim Cawley (Bokamoso), Judy Lantz (MSG),Vincent Shepherd (MSG), Jeffrey Silverstone (Metro development),
Worship: Sandra led worship with a reading from Jan Richardson, titled “Pentecost,” which concluded with reading Seekers’ call together.
Housekeeping: next meeting will be July 6. 5:30 pm at Conover-Nemore summer house.
Moderator: Dave Worship: Peter
Recorder: Ken Angels: Sandra & Marjory
Metro Development: Jeffrey Silverstone
In preparation for an upcoming hearing on the size of the building, sidewalk width and related bike access to be constructed on land adjacent to the Takoma Park Metro stop, Jeffrey circulated a statement representing Seekers Church to support current zoning requirements. APPROVED with one “stand-aside.” Jeffrey agreed to include a few suggested changes and email a final copy to be filed with these notes.
His second proposal, to post a “right-sized not super-sized development” sign in the front window a week before the hearing, was NOT APPROVED.
Bokamoso: Career Development Workshop & ADP Program: Jim Cawley
With gratitude for Seekers continued support of the January fund-raising visit by 12 Bokamoso youth and 3 staff members, Jim described how the visiting group has been able to take what they’ve learned here to help other Bokamoso youth in Winterveld. With Solly’s sudden death, Mmule Tsogi has become the Center Coordinator and the staff is sorting out various practical issues in an effort to be more collaborative and transparent.
Jim also described the daily schedule for 60 youth involved in the Adolescent Development Program (ADP). In morning and afternoon sessions, they cover a variety of critical life skills: anger management, conflict resolution, crime prevention, women & child abuse, career development, sports & fitness, gender issues, history and culture (there are 11 official languages), computer skills and HIV/Aids awareness.
Q: How can Seekers be a better partner for Bokamoso?
A: Increase awareness of their situation. Maybe brainstorm to expand the possible work-site situations to include entrepreneurial explore. Jim also offered several short videos from Winterveld which we could use to invite work-site situations.
Earth Day Celebration at Dayspring (June 1): Peter
Early in the afternoon, some hiked with Jim Hall and Cheryl Hellner, while other gathered on the Farmhouse porch to hear stories from the Hubers and othe
About 40 people were present for the closing worship, and four churches participated in creating the worship: Dayspring, Eighth Day, Festival Church and Seekers. Peter produced the worship folder and Ken was co-liturgist with Jean Brown. Ten Seekers were present.
Suggestion for next year: bill this as the yearly gathering of the Church of the Saviour, rather than a Dayspring “Earth Day” event. Email notification is not enough.
Progressive Network Listing: Peter
Noting that Seekers has been listed on the Progressive Network website for a long time, he passed out “Eight identifying marks” listed on their website. Stewards APPROVED spending $75 to continue our membership, and PAT volunteered to monitor this network and add a descriptive paragraph about Seekers.
Accountability exercise: Marjory
Looking at the last three spiritual practices that Stewards agree to, we focused on “identifying our gifts.” In groups of three or four, we identified gifts “for the good of the whole” in each person, and asked each person to claim one of those gifts as specially touching or important.
Afterward, we talked about the expectation that, unless someone is sick or away, we do expect all Stewards to attend meetings. This completes the survey of commonly accepted spiritual practices among Stewards.
The meeting closed with SOUL TALK.
Submitted by Marjory Bankson
June 10, 2014
