March 2009 Stewards Minutes

Stewards Meeting Minutes

March 1, 2009

 

Present: Marjory Bankson,  Peter Bankson, Kate Cudlipp, Cynthia Dahlin, Muriel Lipp, Dave

Lloyd (worship), Trish Nemore (recorder),  Pat Conover, Keith Seat (moderator), Margreta

Silverstone, Deborah Sokolove.

 

Absent: Ken Burton, Lewise Busch, Jeannine Caracciolo, Jane Engle, Sue Johnson, Aeren

Martinez, Sandra Miller

 

Visiting for a portion of the meeting:  Bob Sabath

 

Worship. Dave Lloyd read from 1st Peter and invited us to reflect on our own baptism and to

give thanks  in our heart for the promise of the rainbow and the  blessing  of our baptism.

 

Housekeeping.  Next meeting is April 5.  Moderator: Deborah Sokolove, Worship leader:

Margreta Silverstone, Recorder: Peter Bankson, Angels:  Sue Johnson and Lewise Busch.

 

Rolling Ridge.  Margreta asked us to think  about what  our hearts say about our desire to

use Rolling Ridge, as we have not been good stewards of our ownership share in the Retreat 

House. The discussion was preceded by a presentation by Bob Sabath about developments on

and near the property that now provide or will in the future alternative settings to the

retreat house for experiencing the wilderness.  The mission group that runs Rolling Ridge 

has  long range plans for five staff houses (the fifth is now being built), two retreat

houses (a second on the lines of Wellspring with a central meeting house and cabins) and

three hermitages (for long-term residence, for therapeutic uses and for generic purposes). 

Some of these plans intersect with developments brought to them by others interested in

developing retreat options in the area (mentioned below).

 

Another user group relates to Stillpoint, a house overlooking the river that some groups

have preferred to the Retreat House (including Seekers Healers group and a soon-to-happen

retreat of the Time and Space mission group).  Stillpoint is 35 acres with a swimming pond

and the house. The house has a living room and three bedrooms, with 18 beds throughout the

house. Fifteen people are  buying one acre lots to build retreat cabins  to be available

near the Stillpoint cabin.  Lots of Stillpoint time is open use, though some will be used

for retreats led  by the Stillpoint  Group.

 

A smaller house is River house, offered by its owner, Janet Carbella, to be  available 50

weeks out of the year.  A nearby resident is building an apartment with his house that he

will make available to Rolling Ridge users.   An Episcopal priest is interested in building

a contemplative center near the RR property and is working with the RR group.  Another idea

relates to becoming a regional retreat center similar to one that exists in New Mexico. 

Ideas related to “wilderness centers” and “wisdom centers” are part of the conversation as

well.

 

The Rolling Ridge group is wanting more shares in the current Retreat House and  is 

wondering if some users (like Seekers) are interested in changing their usage from the

Retreat House to other places such as Stillpoint.  They are looking for one or two more

partners in Stillpoint at $25,000/share (owner share not user share – Bob did not explain

the difference).

 

Margreta pointed out that the Seekers men’s retreat uses the Retreat House, Keith (with 

healers) and others have used Stillpoint (no one  present at  the meeting other than Keith

had been to Stillpoint), and that generally, Seekers does not make full use of its share in

the Retreat House.

 

Discussion followed in which questions  were raised of what might get us out to RR, how we

could have better  access  to a schedule of what  space is available and when, whether we

could “trade” Retreat House usage for Stillpoint usage (Bob said they’d have to figure a lot

out vis a vis such an action), whether to yield a  portion of our Retreat  House usage

regardless of other steps we take.  We agreed to revisit the question in two months; in  the

meantime, Margreta will publish the calendar and asks mission groups to determine what their

use of RR might be over the next year.  We should try to make opportunities to see

Stillpoint, as well.

 

2025.  Keith reported there is a new potential buyer for the space.  After Kate raised the

matter of the costs the Hubers have incurred to relocate the students who were living there,

we agreed we will offer $5,000 from the proceeds of the sale to reimburse them.

 

Pastoring those Seekers not in mission groups.  Brenda led a discussion to identify where,

if at all, Seekers who are not in mission  group are finding connections to the community.

 

Stewards sharing.  We agreed to continue our practice to having individual  Stewards share

in depth at Stewards’ meetings; Marjory agreed to be the person to coordinate that activity.

 

Soul Talk.

 

Adjournment a little after eight.