Stewards Meeting
Sunday, February 8, 2009 (at Goodwin House)
Minutes
Present: Deborah Sokolove (moderator), Muriel Lipp (worship leader),Sandra Miller
(note-taker), Jeannine Caracciolo, Aeren Martinez, Trish Nemore, Pat Conover, Jane Engle,
Ken Burton, Dave Lloyd, Kate Cudlipp, Keith Seat, Brenda Seat, Cynthia Dahlin, Sue Johnson,
Peter Bankson, Marjory Bankson, Emily Gilbert
Guests: Living Water Mission Group members – Emmy Lu Daly, Nancy Lawrence
Absent: Margreta Silverstone
Housekeeping: Claiming roles for the next meeting led to a short discussion regarding
absentees on March 1st versus March 8th. It was decided to keep the regular meeting date of
March 1st at which Keith will moderate, Dave will lead worship, Trish will take notes and
Lewise and Sue will angel.
Soundings: Kate facilitated a discussion about the current and ongoing status of Soundings
and led off with the recommendation of SLT that the newsletter be set aside for a period of
6 months and revisited at that time. This was based on 24 responses to the survey that made
it clear that very few people reference Soundings on-line. There was some interest
expressed in about what might be included in the future including book and movie reviews.
Other issues had no consensus – for instance should there be recaps of emails, sermons,
children’s Word or should the newsletter be about new items. In response to the need for
calendar items to be brought to the attention of the community Deborah suggested that Liz be
questioned about whether she would be willing to pick out 6 or so significant events you
might not pick up from the website calendar to publish via email. After discussion the
suggestion was made that the calendar be published via email and Kate agreed to ask Liz if
she would be willing to do that. All present, except Keith who stepped aside, agreed to a
suspension of Soundings and the need for an email calendar.
Financial Report: Kate reported that we are in the black. Four documents were passed out –
2008 Budget vs. Actual
2008 Profit and Loss Statement
2008 Standard Balance Sheet
2008 Expenses Pie Chart (Peter)
There is one live nibble for renting the office space.
Sacred Conversation: Sandra reported that a majority of the Planning Committee will be
attending the Milagros Phillips workshop the first weekend of April on Race and Healing
sponsored by the Discipleship Year Program. The planning committee was approached
specifically by Dawn Longenecker because of Seekers’ and Covenant’s conversation and will
have some input on the specific topics that will be covered. The committee will be
encouraging Seekers and Covenant members to attend the workshop. Following the workshop the
committee will decide on a topic around which to invite participants into small
conversations at 4 different homes on four different dates over fellowship dinners hosted by
one Seekers and one Covenant member. After the dinners there will be a group wide sacred
conversation during a Covenant worship service to visit how the small dinners worked and if
that is a format that should continue for some period of time.
Brainstorming: Keith facilitated a session on how connections could be kept alive between
the C of S communities. He informed Stewards that the real estate agent is disappointed at
the number of groups that have expressed interest in the building and is looking at
additional ways to advertise the property.
Existing Connections
• Diaspora
• Ecumenical Council
• Dayspring
• Financial contributions to C of S ministries
• Servant Leadership School
• Potter’s House
New Possibilities
• Elizabeth Branner, who is connecting ministries/missions of C of S
• Share among groups from faith communities what is working well for a faith
community, e.g., Seekers way of budgeting
• Council could call churches together
• Annual dinner—sharing ministries, what’s going on
• Resource sharing around specific areas, e.g., worship preparation, SCL’s, children
• Brainstorming about the future with other C of S groups around, for example—
• Festival Center
• Dayspring—might establish a Dayspring council with reps from other faith communities
• Invite other C of S churches and spiritual support groups into our Sacred
Conversations
• Support Discipleship Year as one way of spreading the C of S story beyond the
current churches
• "C of S Sundays/worship times"—rotate each month among faith communities
• Blessing of and by other C of S churches
• Give visibility to other church ministries
Living Water: the group was present for their accountability report to Stewards. They
shared about their meeting activities and showed by example how they open their meetings
with worship.
Soul Talk
