MINUTES of MSUUF WORSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING of September 10, 2003

Present:

          Staff: Mark Gallagher

          Members: Nora Siegfried (Chair), Gretchen Meyer, Marvin Benson, Patty Page, Kate Rae

          Liason: Erica Kelley (Music) (Scribe)

Absent: Jack Slingerland, Leslie Clute (Members)

1.          Meeting started at 7:03 w/reading by Gretchen Meyer
Checkin
Process Covenant, repeating each sentence, per Retreat chat

2.          Adjustment to Agenda. Topics follow accordingly.

3.          Conflict discussion –led by the Norms committee (Patty, Gretchen & Kate)
Reviewed the Retreat discussion of “conflict resolution” (refer to Retreat Minutes items 6 and 7). Gretchen handed out a summary of “MSUUF Worship Committee Current Agreed Norms” dated Sept 10, 2003 covering: Behavior and Attitude, Minister’s Role, Meetings, Decision-Making, Use of E-Mail.

During her presentation, Patty polled the group for words associated with “conflict;” they were:

fight          anger                    tension

distress          tears                    fear

aggravation          stomachache

challenge                    change          dread

oh, no, not again!          I’m outahere

remorse                    heightened energy

win-or-lose          feeling alone

misunderstanding          clarification

growth          creativity          self-doubt

frustration          denial                    stuck

Green resulted from identification of associations as positive. Patty presented a list of “common perspectives” re conflict, and types and characteristics of constructive as well as destructive conflict. Her favorite principle: “Conflict is our friend!”
What is to be the outcome of this issue?
Patty proposed that some time is spent at every meeting on group process.
The topic was left unfinished when Nora called time.

8:00 Break

4.       8:05 Approved Minutes of August 6^th
No discussion

5.          December Services  - Gretchen
Distributed list of Services 9/7-5/2/04.
Expressed concern for December 28; she repeated her desire that a subcommittee be formed to coordinate it. Members discussed whether the traditional Service, presenting Past, Present and Future, should be established, or whether alternative formats could be designed. Ritual could be retained but in different ways. Candles need to be made safe; length of time/#of candles lighted may need to be limited. Mark proposed that a guide sheet about the Service be drawn up for future use. Gretchen does not want to coordinate the Service and doesn’t know who would. Nora suggested she contact Jack and Penny since they have done it before. If they aren’t able, she’ll bring the concern back to the committee next month.

6.       8:27 WC Chair Job Description
Nora reviewed the 5-month processes this has gone through without completion. She needs to get it resolved. Marv moved to adopt the “Job Description for the Worship Committee Chair,” Patty seconded. Discussion: Members started editing para 1; Nora questioned the need to continue processing it after all this time; there had been no time for it at the Retreat and she had asked for a vote at this meeting. Gretchen asked the committee to consider her e-mail of Sept 6 entitled “Chair Job Description,” which presented a different version of a job description which the Norm Setting task force felt it was important to offer for consideration. Discussion became convoluted. An informal poll of attendees about how to get resolution resulted in Mark’s undertaking to wordsmith the Job Description, circulate it before next meeting [done 9-11] and it will be an action item at next meeting.

7.       8:50 Checkin on jobs:
Patty got approval to pass Usher Coordinator duty to someone outside Committee. However, members discussed that any delegator should have ultimate responsibility over the task delegated outside the committee. Other jobs are on task (Guest Speakers, Program Leaders, Logistics Coordinator). It’s not clear who is Keeper of the Budget; Gretchen thinks it’s Chair’s function; no other comment on that. It was suggested that we check in each month to be sure all services are covered.

8.       8:55 Rex’s audio report:
Motion moved and passed unanimously that Rex [or audiotech on duty] approach the speaker to adjust the mike.

9.       8:57 Round Robin –meeting evaluation.

 

ITEMS IN THE BIN –

No new items added 9/10/03.

Previous items from Jack’s Minutes of August 6, 2003 WC meeting and of August 23 WC Retreat:

Tabled motions residing in the Bin:

The “Change for the World” program is limited to coins.  [tabled from July, 2003, meeting]

In the Bin from Previous Meetings:

Approval of the minutes of the May, 2003, meeting. [Aug 6, 2003]

Do we want to follow the term limits adopted by the 1996 Worship Committee?

What is the meaning of membership on the Worship Committee?

What is the mission of the Worship Committee?

What structures do we operate by?[1]

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Respectfully submitted by

Erica Kelley