October 2008 Stewards Minutes

Minutes of the Seekers Stewards Meeting 

October 5, 2008

 

Present – Peter Bankson, Ken Burton, Jeannine Caracciolo, Pat Conover, Kate Cudlipp, Cynthia

Dahlin, Jane Engle, Sue Johnson, Muriel Lipp, Dave Lloyd (moderator), Aeren Martinez

(worship leader), Sandra Miller, Trish Nemore (recorder/angel), Brenda Seat, Keith Seat,

Margreta Silverstone, Deborah Sokolove (angel).

 

Absent – Marjory Bankson, Lewise Busch

 

Worship – Aeren created and led worship inspired Reinhold Niebuhr

 

Housekeeping – The next Stewards meeting will be November 2, starting at 5:00 p.m. Ken will

moderate, Jane will record, Sandra will lead worship, and Brenda and Keith will serve as

dinner angels.

 

Thanksgiving Baskets:  Covenant Community is requesting donations for its Thanksgiving

boxes; we do not give money from the budget, but individuals should contribute if they wish.

Make checks to Covenant Christian Community and leave them in the appropriate mail slot on

the first floor.

 

Christmas offering: Stewards approved the SLT’s recommendation to commit $1200 of the

Christmas offering for our most current SSIHC family which is expecting a new baby.  The

money will be given to SSIHC. We will decide later about allocation of the rest of the

offering.  (Last year’s total offering was $3,491.)

 

Shepherding in Stewards’ meetings:  In small groups, we worked with the questions:

 

When someone in our meetings displays strong emotions or is visibly upset, I react by

_______.

Because I react in this way, I need a shepherd or the circle to help me _____________, in

order to stay present.”

 

Comments reported back to the whole group included:

 

If I am the one who is  upset, I want a good listener to hear me out at the latest very soon

after the  meeting,  to listen until I can figure out what’s real and what’s going on for

me.

 

We need to stop the action, slow the exchange in a prayerful manner:  stop and invite

prayer, shared breathing, laying on of hands, as appropriate, on the one who is upset.

 

We need help identifying elements of the exchange either inside or outside the circle.  If

inside, who decides whether to put aside the agenda to address the concern raised.

 

We need care of the individuals engaged in the issue and care of the whole group.

 

We need communilogue-style mirroring with those in the midst of the issue.

 

This should not be the moderator’s job.

 

We need guidance through the emotional minefield.

 

We need to pay attention to those who are withdrawing, not merely those who are visibly

upset.

 

SLT will consider the ideas from small groups and report further at a future meeting.

 

Recommitment. Everyone present, as well as Marjory, intends to recommit.  We did not know

about Lewise.

 

We should work with these questions:

1.  What am I being called to offer to God and God’s creation?

2.  How can being a part of Seekers Church support my response to God’s call?

3. What do I need from and through this community in order to deepen my commitment to

Christ?

 

Working with those who “come to our door.”  The sporadic presence of Lonnie and Annie/Grace

in our midst, as well as  others who show up from time  to time, offers us concrete opportunities to practice being in solidarity with people in need.

 

We have strong connections to organizations (SSIHC, CCHFP, N Street) working with homeless

people from which we can draw resources to help us better understand a  spirit-based

engagement of these and other folks.  Eyes to See mission group agreed to consider whether

it is willing to help the community develop next steps in this work.

 

Report on the building at 2025 Massachusetts Avenue.  The Ecumenical Council has voted to

put the building up for sale; Kate Cudlipp is heading the group to find a realtor.  Kayla

McClurg will remain as “the face of CofS” in space at Festival Center for next year.  Gordon

will also have an office at FC.  2025 will be heated while we look for a buyer.  There may

be a shortfall for money to pay Kayla and heating in 2009, with possible requests to the

faith communities to help financially.

 

In early December, there will be a celebration of the building with the possible sneaking in

of a celebration of Gordon’s leadership of CofS.

 

On the question of Wellspring, Keith reported that the mission group, which had put down the

running of Wellspring as its mission, had found new energy and was not putting it down. 

Marjory has communication with the Wellspring mission group; ideas Seekers have to

rejuvenate Wellspring could go, informally, through Marjory, or, more formally, through Kip

Landon who is Dayspring’s Ecumenical Council representative.

 

Soul Talk.  We shared among ourselves about our lives.

 

Meeting adjourned.