Mission & Outreach

Meeting Minutes of March 5, 2009

Present: Laurie Cary, AnnElissa Leveque, Carol Scheffler, Greg Wyman, Sandy Dyer, Sarah Randall, Linda Skinner

Sandy opened the meeting with readings from “Earth Prayers from Around the World.”

February minutes were accepted.

TREASURER’S REPORT
Confusion noted over the date for One Great Hour of Sharing — March 1 or March 22, since there’s a $130 deposit already (per 3/15 Beacon, it’s on the 22nd). Funds from Christmas Offering and Veterans of the Cross have been zeroed out.

Price of birthday cakes for Long Creek have gone up to $26.99 per half-sheet cake. Will be $324 per year at the new rate.

Greg was thanked for creating a user-friendly format for the Treasurer’s Report. Report for 3/5 was accepted.

Thank-you's received in February/March for first-quarter donations included:
Bangor Theological Seminary
Preble Street for donations from the Mitten Tree
Grace Street Ministry
Wayside Soup Kitchen (Note: this is for the $1,000.00 received from the Christmas Bazaar - Laurie will let Darla Harris know that this ended up in the MOB mailbox.)
Long Creek Youth Ministries
Doctors Without Borders (Christmas Offering)

COUNCIL REPORT
Council members will be visiting teams to check in. Andy Ellis will visit the Mission Outreach team in April.
Discussion continues about overlap between MOB and Crisis Ministries.

MINISTER’S MOMENT
Micah Project trip to Rutland has been cancelled. The $60 deposit from the Mission Board’s discretionary fund is non-refundable, so it will become a donation.

Elsa has sent out invitations for a Poverty Advocacy event in Davidson on Wednesday, March 11, at 7:00 p.m. Eric C. Smith from Maine Council of Churches will lead a conversation about how we can become advocates for the poor.

The annual spring rummage sale has been cancelled, as Prudy is unable to head up this event. Elsa asked that we send her notes of support and ask that she focus just on taking care of herself. Sandy raised the question: Why is just one person responsible for a major fund-raising event? Elsa suggested it may be time to either discontinue the sale or come up with an alternative.

As noted in the prior Beacon, Elsa and John will no longer sign state marriage documents until legal rights are extended to the GLBT community. A notary or attorney can sign the marriage certificate, but official documentation will have to come from elsewhere.

OLD BUSINESS
Coffee hour: MOT hosted after-service coffee hour on February 1 and 22. It went well and we agreed we would be willing to do it again next year if asked.

ONGOING BUSINESS
Micah Projects
Heifer Project: Disappointing volunteer response. Elsa will no longer lead The Micah Project, but we appreciate her initiative and hard work in getting us to this point.

Friendship House: No response from Beacon request for recycling help. One-on-one approach would be better way to recruit. Richard Kepler would be willing to give a presentation to FCC about Friendship House prior to the May 9 project. AnnElissa suggested expanding conversation beyond MOB by having Kepler speak after service in Davidson. Laurie will contact him about this. AnnElissa volunteered to announce the May 9 project during service 2 weeks prior to the event.

Pilgrim Lodge: Contact list for cleanup recruits will be divvied up at the April MOB meeting. Laurie will compile more viable list of potential volunteers to contact

Fair Trade Coffee
Good order last time. All extras (needed to make up full boxes) were sold. Momentum seems to be growing. Next order will be in mid-April.

Easter offering
Easter Sunday is the focus date, but donations come in waves. Suggested recipients, reflect local and national need: Split offering between Wayside Food Rescue Program and Friends of World Food Program.

Food Pantry Drive
Two drives in Cape Elizabeth will be making drops at the pantry in March. AnnElissa reported in follow-up e-mail that May would be a good time for a church-sponsored food drive.

QUARTERLY DISBURSEMENTS
We decided to spend $4500 per quarter with donations to six organizations per quarter, with remaining funds going to the Food Pantry. Second-Quarter disbursements, at $750 each, will go to:
Opportunity Farm
National Scholarship Fund
Root Cellar
Friendship House
Pilgrim Lodge
St. Luke’s Kitchen

Requested disbursements for 3rd quarter: Spurwink, Center for Grieving Children

NEW BUSINESS
Don Russell will put a notice in the Beacon about a presentation on March 29 in Davidson featuring a slide show on “The Two Chinas.” Sponsor is Children of China Fund, which works to help educate disadvantaged Chinese children. WE agreed to make a $100 donation.

Handouts “Building Community” and “A Plentiful Harvest” were distributed and tabled for a separate meeting at 6:30 p.m. March 26 in Laity Room.

Meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.

Minutes submitted by: Linda Skinner