2021 September Stewards Minutes

SEEKERS CHURCH

 Stewards Minutes

September 5, 2021

Present: Marjory Bankson, Peter Bankson, Ken Burton (recorder), Cynthia Dahlin, Joan Dodge, Judy Lantz (meditation), David Lloyd, John Morris, Brenda Seat, Margreta Silverstone (moderator), Deborah Sokolove, Jacqie Wallen, Glen Yakushiji, Michele Frome, Elizabeth Gelfeld, Trish Nemore, Keith Seat.

Absent:, Vincent Shepherd, Sandra Miller

Guests: Anita Jackson, Liz Gould-Leger, Doug Dodge

Meditation: Judy shared a piece by Thicht Nhot Hanh from Earth Prayers.

Housekeeping: Stewards will next meet via zoom Sunday, October 10, 5:30-7:30 pm. Note: This meeting will take place on the second Sunday in October.

Moderator – Deborah

Recorder — Trish

Meditation leader — David

Takoma Park Street Festival – Speaking on behalf of OMG, which coordinates our participation in the Festival, Doug recommended that we not participate this year due to factors related to COVID-19 as well as other circumstances. Stewards regretfully accepted this recommendation and look forward to resuming our participation in 2022.

Sunday School Team Report (Judy, Dave and Brenda) – There will be no formal Sunday School until after Seekers resumes in-person worship, and perhaps not for a while after that. Judy continues to supply resources to the three Seekers families with young children, and Stewards expressed their appreciation for her effort.

School for Christian Growth – On behalf of Learners and Teachers, Dave presented an overview of the classes offered in the last year and some perspective on plans for the future. His report is attached to these minutes.

CreatureKind Affiliation – John Morris proposed an affiliation of Seekers Church with CreatureKind. A non-profit based in Oregon, CreatureKind’s mission is “to encourage Christians to recognize faith-based reasons for caring about the wellbeing of fellow animal creatures used for food, and to take practical action in response.” The core message is “that we are CreatureKind  together with other animals, and ought to be CreatureKind in how we treat them.” Stewards approved the proposal with the clear understanding that no financial commitment is required. John, Deborah, Anita, and Dave will work with CreatureKind staff on next steps.

Returning to In-Person Worship – Celebration Circle reported that the virility of the delta variant of COVID-19 together with the greater vulnerability of about 75% of the Seekers congregation, and the relatively small size of our worship space, among other factors, make it necessary to postpone our return to in-person worship indefinitely and to continue to gather on Sunday morning on Zoom. Stewards expressed agreement with this decision.

Pastoral Concerns – not documented.

Two Stewards to Share – Keith and Michele updated us on their lives.

The meeting ended with Soul Talk

Submitted by Ken Burton
September 6, 2021

Attachment:

SCHOOL FOR CHRISTIAN GROWTH CLASSES

Fall 2020 1st session (6 weeks)

            Braided Sweetgrass    (Sandra Miller)                                    (Christian Growth)

            Church History           (Dave Lloyd)                                      (Christian Doctrine/Teaching)

Fall 2020 Mini-term (2 weeks)

            Short Stories of Edward P. Jones       (John Morris)

Fall 2020 2nd session (6 weeks)

            Servant Leadership     (Brenda Seat & Marjory Bankson)     (Christian Growth)

            Paul and the Least of These    (Deborah Sokolove)                (New Testament)

January 2021

            Poetry night (1 wk)     (John Morris)

            Art of Listening in a Healing Way (2 wks)     (Michele Frome)

Spring 2021 1st session (6 weeks)

            Varieties of Spiritual Experience       John Morris &

                        Deborah Sokolove)                                                     (Christian Growth)

            Inspired           (Erica Lloyd & Elizabeth Gelfeld)                 (Christian Growth)

Spring Mini-term

            Art of Listening in a Healing Way (2 wks)     (Michele Frome)

            Answering Your Questions About Seekers (1 wk) (Peter Bankson)

Spring  2021 2nd session (6 weeks)

            “I’m Not Throwing Away My Shot” (Hamilton)       (Marjory

                        Bankson & Rev. Maybelle Bennett                            (Christian Growth)

Summer 2021

            Meditations on the Parables of Jesus (2 wks)             (Mary Mehala &

                        Marjory Bankson)

            Short Stories of Edward P. Jones (2 wks)      John Morris

            Creature Kind (1 wk)                                      John Morris &

            Poetry Night with Vita Poetica (1 wk)           (Julie Wan & Nita Mason)

            Tips on Teaching in the School of Christian Growth (2 wks)

                        (Marjory Bankson)

Fall 2021 1st session (6 weeks)

            Isaiah Then and Now              (Dave Lloyd)                          (Hebrew Scriptures)

            Active Hope: Reconnect with Christ in Creation      

                        Kolya Braun-Greiner                                                  (Christian Growth)

Fall 2020 2nd session (6 weeks)

            The Realm of God: on Earth as it is in Heaven?

                        (John Morris)                                                              (Christian Growth)

            Revolutionary Love    (Lucy Slater & Erica Lloyd)               (Christian Growth)

December/January 2021

            Down the Road (2 wks)          (Jacqie Wallen)                       (Christian Growth)

Spring 2021 1st session (6 weeks)       (tentative)

            Abraham: A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths

                        (Dave Lloyd)                                                              (Hebrew Scriptures)

            Women with Jesus and Paul               (Marjory

                        Bankson)                                                                     (New Testament)

Spring  2021 2nd session (6 weeks)     (tentative)

            Protest Kitchen           (Katie Fisher & John Morris)              (Christian Growth)

            Addressing Police Violence    (Erica Lloyd)                          (Christian Growth)