Mission and Outreach

Meeting Minutes of November 4, 2010
Recorder: Richard A. Parker

Attendees: Sarah Randall – Chair, Jan Bosse, Laurie Cary , Mike Kasputes, Suzanne Linder, Richard Parker, Kristen Silvia, Elsa Peters (part time)

OPENING:
Kristen opened the meeting with a reading from Kahlil Gibran on working; Susanne Linder was welcomed as a new member to the team.

OCTOBER MINUTES:
Minutes approved as submitted.

MINISTER’S MOMENT:
SPEAKER FOR MISSION SUNDAY 13 FEB: Scott Planting from the Maine Seacoast Mission. Still to be confirmed.

MICAH PROJECT: Because of too many other commitments, Gretchen has resigned as coordinator. A new coordinator is needed.

HOLY JOE’S CAFÉ: Elsa did not receive a response from the UCC. She is looking elsewhere for information and support.

MAINE SEACOAST MISSION TRIP JULY 24-31, 2011: Elsa distributed information including an estimated budget of $5070 (assuming 20 participants). The two primary items discussed were recruitment of participants and ways to raise money. There are already three definite attendees. The trip will be advertised at next week’s coffee hour and in future bulletins. The Maine Seacoast Mission will also be the focus of Mission Sunday (see above). Other recruitment opportunities will be taken as they present themselves. It was decided that half of the Christmas Offering will be used to defer costs. Additionally, Laura will ask the Administration Team if special offering envelops can be placed in the pews for Mission Sunday and beyond.

TREASURER’S REPORT:
Mike distributed the report. The collections for NIN (Neighbor’s in Need) significantly exceeded last year’s. See Mike’s report for additional information.

OLD BUSINESS:
CHRISTMAS OFFERING: Historically, half of the offering goes for local support and half to support an organization with a global perspective. It was decided that this year’s Christmas offering will be distributed as follows:
- Local Half – to be used to defer the costs of the Mission Trip (see above).
- Global Half – to Common Hope – an organization that supports education and family needs of children is Guatemala. Richard is to send Sarah and Maureen supporting information and contacts so that Maureen can prepare a notice for the bulletin.

COFFEE HOUR: Mission team is the sponsor this coming Sunday.

NEW BUSINESS:
THANK YOUs: Thank you notes were received from Union Theological Seminary, Pilgrim Lodge, Day One, and Preble Street.

2011 BUDGET: Proposed budget for fiscal year 2011 must be submitted in December. After two years of budget cuts, it was decided to propose that the budget be increased to the level it was in 2008 – i.e. $21,000.

POTENTIAL NEW CHARITY - GLSEN - This is an organization that works with homosexual high school students. They have asked if they could be added to our fund distribution list. The decision was deferred until we learn more about this group. Laurie will bring additional information to the December meeting.

REVIEW OF CHARITIES SUPPORTED BY THE CHURCH’S MISSION: The GLSEN discussion raised the need to periodically review and re-qualify the charities and organizations supported by our church. To this end, it was decided that a program to review the organizations on our Outreach List would be put in place by the second quarter of 2011.


CLOSING:
Kristen closed the meeting with a reading from Kahlil Gibran on giving.