2024 April Stewards Minutes
SEEKERS CHURCH
Final Stewards Minutes
April 14, 2024
Stewards present: Marjory Bankson, Peter Bankson, Ken Burton,
Joan Dodge (meditation), Elizabeth Gelfeld, Judy Lantz, David Lloyd, Sandra Miller (moderator), John Morris, Trish Nemore, Brenda Seat, Keith Seat, , Deborah Sokolove, Jacqie Wallen (notetaker), Glen Yakushiji, Margreta Silverstone.
Stewards absent: Cynthia Dahlin
Nonstewards present as guests: Liz Gould-Leger, Jeanne Marcus
Moderator: Sandra
Worship/Meditation: Joan
Recorder: Jacqie
Housekeeping
The next Stewards will be held on May 12th at 4 pm on Zoom.
Moderator – Ken
Recorder – Margreta
Meditation leader – Sandra
Review Team for Trish
SLT members are typically reviewed every 4 years to discern whether they are still called to be on the team. Margreta will coordinate a review team for Trish. Marjory, Joan, and David volunteered to be on the team.
Celebration Circle
Deborah and the rest of the mission group gave the yearly report on the CC Mission Group. The attachment summarizes the highlights of the CC activities for 2023 that were presented by Peter and provides details on the preaching during that year. Deborah reported on the experience of having REJMT take on worship for Lent. CC members agreed that this was a very good thing for them, since it gave them a break during which they could do things that they don’t usually have time to do. She added that CC is always open to an individual week where an individual or group plans and presents a one-time sermon on a topic that is alive for them.
Deborah noted that CC plans to continue the hybrid worship service. They feel it is important to continue doing it in order to support the spiritual lives of those who are unable to attend. She added that it is important to encourage participation on the part of those who have joined on Zoom, rather than having them simply watch and listen. This is different from the approach usually taken in other hybrid Zoom services.
Ken reported that CC is open to having one or two new members and intends to publicize this call on the Seekers email list and in worship. Mary volunteered to be an at-home Zoom host for CC. Ken also noted that the conversations that follow the worship service on Zoom are very thoughtful and interesting.
John asked about plans for Children’s Word. Deborah said it was not up to CC—the Children’s Team is responsible for making decisions about the Children’s Word.
Questions and issues related to hybrid worship will be discussed in the June Stewards meeting.
SLT recommended that Stewards have a conversation at our next in-person meeting about whether, beyond Sunday worship, we want to be a hybrid church and if so, what that means for mission group participation, who can request Domestic and International Giving grants, who can receive financial assistance from the Holy Spirit Fund and other matters.
REJMT
Trish gave a brief history of REJMT beginning with George Floyd killing. Erica called for the first vigil, Jacqie carried in on for a while, during which time participants began having periodic meetings. Eventually this group became a ministry team and created a statement against racism and white supremacy which appears on the Seekers website. REJMT taught an in-person class on reparations it in the School for Christian Growth that included participants from outside of Seekers. A discussion of how to bring the results of the class to wider community led to REJMT taking responsibility for a Lenten liturgy focused on racism and white supremacy, including the consideration of reparations. More recently REJMT has had intense conversations about the Palestine/Israeli conflict. They would like to promote a broader community conversation and hope to have a plan for that in the not-too-distant future.
Jeanne Marcus facilitated a brief conversation about how we might continue the conversation that Deborah and Sandra have highlighted for us about the Christian origins of antisemitism and its ongoing virulence. Some ideas were generated about how to promote this discussion:
- Having 3 or 4 people to meet outside of Stewards to structure a conversation for the larger group. John is willing to participate, Trish is not able to at this time. Deborah would like to be a part of any conversation about this but doesn’t want to be the who takes a leadership role in creating a group to discuss responses to antisemitism).
- Brenda pointed out that this conversation doesn’t need to happen in Stewards. If the group makes recommendations for what Seekers wants to do then bring it back to Stewards
- John Deborah, Jeanne, Glen, Liz Gould-Leger indicated an interest in being involved in such a group
Pastoral concerns were discussed
Glen and Peter celebrated their April birthdays by sharing and Soul Talk ensued
ATTACHMENT: