SEEKERS CHURCH
Stewards Minutes
May 5, 2019
Present: Marjory Bankson, Peter Bankson (recorder), Ken Burton, Joan Dodge (angel), David Lloyd (meditation), Sandra Miller, Trish Nemore, Brenda Seat, Keith Seat, Margreta Silverstone (angel), Deborah Sokolove (moderator), Jacqie Wallen, Glen Yakushiji.
Absent: Cynthia Dahlin, Michele Frome, Elizabeth Gelfeld, Judy Lantz, Vincent Shepherd.
Opening meditation: Dave offered a guided meditation on theGospel lesson for the day, Jesus’ appearance to the disciples by the seashore (John 21).
Housekeeping: Stewards will next meet at 5:30pm on Sunday, June 2, 2019 at the church.
Moderator: Glen Reflection/Meditation: Sandra
Recorder: Marjory Angels: David & Brenda
Summer Sunday School:
Dave reported for the Children’s Team that the Summer Session for Sunday School begins on June 9th and runs for 15 weeks, until September 15th. During this time:
- There will be no Sunday School program for the teens or the younger boys; and
- Weekly support for preschool children in the nursery will be provided by mission groups.
Mission groups are encouraged to discuss their options soon, to determine the specific Sundays they can be with the children in the nursery. Based on prior experience it is helpful to have at least two members of the mission group available each week. Dave noted that Celebration Circle and Living Water may have less capacity to support this commitment, and encouraged other mission groups to step forward. Brenda will send an e-mail soon to all mission groups requesting information about their commitments to support our young children during the summer.
Takoma Park Street Festival: Joan reported that the Outreach Mission Group is ready to help Seekers Church participate again in the festival on Sunday, October 6th. Doug Dodge will facilitate calling together a team to support our participation. The Stewards affirmed this initiative. Trish noted that the October Stewards’ meeting will be rescheduled for October 13th to allow more participation by Seekers.
Ministry Teams for Special Community Meals: Brenda briefed the Stewards on the need for volunteers to help organize special community gatherings, including Christmas Eve dinner, Easter breakfast, and the emerging Thanksgiving dinner. Brenda noted that Elizabeth has been coordinating these gatherings but would likely benefit from a more clearly identified ministry teams of two or more volunteers to help with the planning and coordination for each event. Also, once the initial round of Seekers’ Fellowship Dinners is complete, Seekers will need volunteer ministry teams to support continuation of these special gatherings. Several Seekers have expressed interest in helping, but the effort needs a ministry team to hold the vision and focus the effort. Brenda said that she will be holding this opportunity for community and welcomes ideas from others, including suggestions about who might be invited to help. Since Elizabeth was not able to attend this meeting, Brenda will talk with her soon about the details.
Down The Road Team Request to Become a Ministry of Seekers Church: Jacqie reported that development is continuing with the Down the Road project, which emerged from a series of 2018 meetings within the Seekers Church community in which we discussed our hopes, fears, plans, and ideas about how we might be a more supportive community for those among us who are dealing with issues of aging or disability in themselves or others.
The first accomplishment has been to create a website (www.downtheroad.life) to provide a forum for Seekers to share information, ideas, resources, plans, and feelings about their own later years or those of their friends and families. The website is open to all, except for the Seekers Chat Room, which is for Seekers only. This website was made possible by a gift from the Seekers Growing Edge Fund, which paid for one year of the website, one year of email, and a program called Word Press which helped in the design of the site.
Jacqie requested that the Stewards designate Down the Road as a ministry of Seekers Church. (Request attached.) The Stewards enthusiastically affirmed the designation. Jacqie and the DTR team will continue to involve Seekers in the ministry.
Two Stewards to Share: Deborah and Joan shared their reflections their life journeys over the past year.
Pastoral concerns – no notes.
The meeting closed with prayer at 7:45 PM.
Submitted by Peter Bankson
May 6, 2019
ATTACHMENT
Down the Road Project Request for Status as a Ministry of Seekers Church
ATTACHMENT
THE DOWN THE ROAD PROJECT
Request for status as a Seekers Ministry
5/5/2019
Background
The Down the Road project emerged from a series of 2018 meetings within the Seekers Church community in which we discussed our hopes, fears, plans, and ideas about how we might be a more supportive community for those among us who are dealing with issues of aging or disability in themselves or others.
The first accomplishment of this project has been to create a website (www.downtheroad.life) to provide a forum for Seekers to share information, ideas, resources, plans, and feelings about their own later years or those of their friends and families. The website is open to all, except for the Seekers Chat Room, which is for Seekers only. This website was made possible by a gift from the Seekers Growing Edge Fund, which paid for one year of the website, one year of email, and a program called Word Press which helped in the design of the site.
The Down the Road Team
The Down the Road project is headed by a team of three Seekers: Jacqie Wallen, John Morris, and Peter Bankson.
Mission Statement
Down the Road is a project aimed at helping Seekers
- to remain connected to the Seekers community as they age
- to plan ahead for aging-related needs in themselves and their loved ones
- to be a supportive community for older Seekers and Seekers who care for older loved ones by providing information about services and resources, creating opportunities for sharing and discussion, and facilitating the development of specific projects related to housing, transportation, or other issues of concern to older adults.
Request
The Down the Road team requests that the project be granted the status of a Seekers ministry to increase its visibility, attract funding, and interest potential team members.
