First Universalist Church Board of Trustees August 19, 2021 Board Packet
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First Universalist Church Board of Trustees August 19, 2021 Board Packet Table of Contents August Board Meeting Agenda………..….....……………….…..………..… 1 July Boarding Meeting Minutes ……………………………………………... 2 Senior Minister’s Report ……………………………………………………. 3-7 July Attendance ……..........………...……….....……..........…...............….. 8 July Statistical Report ....................…...…..………………………...…........ 9
First Universalist Church of Minneapolis
Board of Trustees Meeting
August 19, 2021
6:30-9:00
First Universalist Church
Cummins Room & Google Meet (Hybrid model)
I. Welcome (6:30-6:35)
a. Call to Order and Agenda Approval
b. Lighting the Chalice
May this flame that burns before us light our way, informed by the wisdom of leaders gone before, and
inspired by the trust that we have been given as stewards of this Church. May we have vision,
compassion, and courage as we serve this congregation now and for the generations to come.
II. Executive Session (6:35-8:00)
a. Community Building/Restorative Practices Activity
b. Theory of Change Continuation - Visioning & Transformational Shifts for the
Board
III. Break (8:00 - 8:05)
IV. Consent Agenda (8:05)
a. Approval of July meeting minutes
b. Approval of Jill Braithwaite’s Congregational sponsorship
c. Monitoring: Acceptance of attendance and membership numbers and trends
d. Monitoring: Acceptance of staff and significant volunteer changes
e. Monitoring: Hiring process (update)
V. Fiduciary Responsibilities (8:05 ~ 8:40)
a. Capital Campaign Update
b. Review Fourth Quarter Financials
VI. Rough Draft of Staff Work Plan (8:40 – 8:50)
VII. Process Observation and Gratitudes (8:50-9:00)
Adjourn - 9:00
1
1 of 9First Universalist Church of Minneapolis
Executive Session Board of Trustees Retreat
July 15, 2021
6:30-8:30pm
First Universalist Church
Participants: Keven Ambrus, Bryana French, Cathy Geist, Sarah Hedge, Julica Hermann de la
Fuente, Yahanna Mackbee, Ben Miles, Dan Moriarty, Zoe Mulvihill, Rebecca Slaby, Daryn Woodson
Absent: Reverend Jen Crow, Matt Keller
Guests: None
I. Welcome
Call to Order and Agenda Approval
Lighting the Chalice: May this flame that burns before us light our way, informed by the
wisdom of leaders gone before, and inspired by the trust that we have been given as stewards
of this Church. May we have vision, compassion, and courage as we serve this congregation
now and for the generations to come.
II. Consent Agenda
a. Approval of June meeting minutes
b. Monitoring: Acceptance of attendance and membership numbers and trends
c. Monitoring: Acceptance of staff and significant volunteer changes
MOVED by Keven. SECONDED by Rebecca.
DISCUSSION: Question about the surveys and the co-senior evaluation. Link is to the
general “Widening Circle of Concern” link. Congregational survey results vs. the staff
survey results. Will be sent to all board members. Congregants had some concerning
comments regarding some staff of color that illustrated the different developmental
stages of congregants. Staff results were strong. Sarah will tweak the minutes to clarify
the questions.
APPROVED unanimously.
III. Executive Session
IV. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30pm.
2 of 9Senior Minister Board Report
Prepared by Rev. Jen Crow
August 12, 2021
I. Monitoring Items
A. Staff and Volunteer Changes
On August 1st, we welcomed Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout as our new Director of
Worship Arts Ministries. Glen Thomas comes to us from the Unitarian
Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he has served in a
variety of leadership roles since 2007, including most recently as Director of
Worship and Music. Known for his deeply collaborative creation of worship
services for congregations and national gatherings, Glen Thomas teaches
worship design at Meadville Lombard Theological School and is the author of the
curriculum, De-Centering Whiteness in Worship, with Julica Hermann de la
Fuente and Rev. Erika Hewitt. Glen Thomas holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in
Conducting from the University of Michigan, and prior to the pandemic, traveled
internationally to support the choir of his youth in its ensemble tours. Glen
Thomas will serve on our Leadership Team with Rev. Jen, Rev. Arif, Lauren
Wyeth, Rev. Karen, Julica Hermann de la Fuente, and Jenn Stromberg; and will
lead our Worship Team, which includes: Dr. Randy Buikema (Choir Director),
Franco Holder (pianist), Aimee K. Bryant (Artist-in-Residence), Rev. Jen, Rev.
Arif, Lauren, Julica, Rev. Karen, and Jenn Stromberg.
On August 9th, Jim Poulter joined our staff team as our new Building and Office
Manager. Jim brings years of experience in event coordination, marketing, public
relations, and construction to this role, and we are looking forward to his expertise
and enthusiasm as we reopen our building to in-person gatherings this fall. You may
recognize Jim from the pews or from his time as a Coming of Age mentor. Jim and
his wife Kim raised their three children at First Universalist and are members of the
church. After an unsuccessful external search to fill this newly created and urgently
needed position, Rev. Jen and Rev. Arif reached out to Jim - knowing his
commitment to the church's vision and mission and his expertise. Jim agreed to
come on board in an interim capacity, helping us create the systems and structures
we need as we move back into our renovated facility.
The Leadership Team has recently created and enacted a new policy for all staff and
in-person volunteers and leaders.
First Universalist Church of Minneapolis
COVID 19 Staff & Volunteer Vaccination Policy
Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to reduce the spread of COVID 19 among
staff, volunteers, and our larger congregation and community, thereby living into
our guiding principles of community care, centering the needs of the most
3 of 9vulnerable, and drawing the circle wide by reducing our collective health risk. We
intend to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of health
status, health vulnerability or ability. Further, First Universalist recognizes the
interdependent web of which we are a part. We acknowledge that our actions as
individuals and as a group impact our members and our community.
Policy: All First Universalist Church employees, contractors, Religious Education
volunteers, choir members, musicians, guest worship leaders, greeters, ushers,
and in-person small-group leaders must be fully vaccinated (having received two
shots) against COVID 19 by Sept. 12, 2021. Should an employee or volunteer
have a disability, health condition, or a sincerely held religious belief that impacts
compliance with this policy, First Universalist will attempt to provide reasonable
accommodation. Such accommodations may include, but are not limited to,
working offsite if the job duties make it reasonable for the employee/volunteer to
do so. First Universalist reserves the right to prohibit unvaccinated volunteers
from participating in in-person Church activities. Employees who do not comply
with this policy may be subject to adverse employment action, which could
include a reduction in hours, suspension without pay, and termination. All
employees, contractors, and on-site volunteers are required to follow the
guidelines for masking that are posted at the entry of the church building.
Procedure: Employees and volunteers are to demonstrate proof of vaccine
status by September 12, 2021. Employees shall present a completed CDC
vaccination to Brad Schmidt to demonstrate proof of vaccination status.
Volunteers shall present a completed CDC vaccination to the staff person with
whom they work most closely to demonstrate proof of vaccination status.
B. Staff Work Plan - Draft
The Leadership Team and the full Staff Team met last week to identify key
themes and goals for the year. The Draft Workplan presented below captures the
high level themes, but we have not yet had the chance to operationalize these
goals into specific, achievable outcomes. This work will continue over the next
month.
2021-22 Staff Workplan - Draft
Guided by the church’s Mission:
In the Universalist spirit of love and hope, we give, receive and grow together.
And directed by the Visionary Goals, 2017-2022
1. First Universalist is a faith community committed to a transformational spiritual path guided by
Unitarian Universalism’s theology and Seven Principles. Our worship, spiritual practices, and
rituals unify us, challenge our assumptions, provide comfort, and connect us to the holy.
4 of 92. First Universalist is a multi-generational congregation where we connect to ageless wisdom,
our ever-evolving religious tradition, listen for the call of love, and build meaningful relationships
and community.
3. First Universalist is a multi-racial, multicultural, and intergenerational faith community of
mutual caring and support where people bring all of who they are and welcome each other with
joy. Our sense of who we are as a community of faith is ever expanding.
4. First Universalist is a faith community that acts with humility, bravery, and compassion to
create a racially just and sustainable world.
The staff of the church will focus on the theme, Building a New Way, for the 2021-22 church
year:
As we continue to live within the wider context of racism and oppression in its many forms, the
COVID 19 pandemic, and the climate crisis - your church staff are focused on proactive, faithful,
sustainable, inspirational, and joyful ways of being. Building A New Way will be our theological
theme for the 2021-22 church year. We approach our work with a spirit of yes, and - as we
acknowledge that new understandings and experiences will change and add to our course
throughout the year. As our Transcendentalist ancestors said, “revelation is not sealed.”
Our individual and team work will support four main goals:
● Building a multicultural, multi-racial, intergenerational community of mutual caring and
support where people bring all of who they are and welcome each other with joy. Our
sense of who we are as a community of faith is ever expanding.
● Actively developing sustainable practices (environmentally, spiritually, as an employer,
financially, for our building, etc.).
● Designing and living into multiplatform church.
● Collaborating with the Board to clarify the role, purpose, and vision of the church.
Preliminary Conversations with staff indicate the following outcomes:
Building a multicultural, multi-racial, intergenerational community of mutual caring and support
where people bring all of who they are and welcome each other with joy. Our sense of who we
are as a community of faith is ever expanding.
● Continuing to embody adrienne maree brown’s fractal theory of change (how we are on
the small scale is how we are on the large scale), we will build multicultural, multi-racial,
intergenerational communities of mutual caring and support where we can bring all of
who we are and welcome each other in joy, ever expanding our sense of we are:
○ In the choir
○ On the Leadership Team
○ On the Staff Team
5 of 9○ In our communities of communities, focusing our energy and attention on those
most impacted by the triad of oppression, pandemic, and climate crisis.
● In music and worship, we will expand our understanding of how a culturally white
congregation and choir can ...engage with Blackness, respectfully sing and lead from a
variety of cultural perspectives...
● We will learn how our history informs our present - Rev. Karen preaching and teaching
Actively developing sustainable practices (environmentally, spiritually, as an employer,
financially, for our building, etc.).
● Spiritual Practices
○ Joy, lament, discomfort
○ Music as meditation
○ Experiences of the holy, together/shared
○ Welcome
○ Fostering Mental Health and Wellness
● Environmental Practices
○ In our building & grounds
○ Education, faith formation, action
● Employment Practices (for both staff and volunteers)
○ Creating healthy expectations and support for a diverse team, recognizing and
supporting different work styles, practices for in-person vs. at home, and the
different impact of ongoing pandemics/crises
○ Sharing knowledge and information
○ building shared leadership and team capacity
○ Continuing to implement and test hiring and vendor policies
● Financial Practices
○ models/methods of sustainable giving and gratitude
○ Complete transition to new financial software
○ Transition to new giving platform
○ Practices of gratitude and communication with givers
Designing and living into multiplatform church.
● Discover, assess, collect what we have learned so far about what works and what
doesn’t, and for whom
● Proactive planning
● Responsive decisions and care
Collaborating with the Board to clarify the role, purpose, and vision of the church.
● Hopes and Histories sessions?
● Support board process for developing new Visionary Goals
● We will learn how our history informs our present - preaching, teaching, small groups,
listening
6 of 9C. Financial Condition
Due to our ongoing transition to new financial software, financial condition
documents will not be available prior to the Board meeting. They will be included
in an updated Board packet posted to the church website.
D. Capital Campaign/Project Phase 2 Update
Phase 2 is well underway, with the majority of all work to be completed before
September 12th. Several areas (atrium, exterior signage and landscaping,
playground, terrazzo refinishing) will be completed in October. The project
continues to track within the approved budget, and a construction loan through
Sunrise Banks has been secured. A summary of the key terms, as well as a
summary of the Phase 2 budget will be provided at the Board meeting.
Fundraising continues for Phase 2. The initial gap of $1.3 million to cover the
total cost of the project has been narrowed to $700,000 thanks to the generosity
of many congregants. An email blast and invitation to the rest of the congregation
went out on Saturday morning, and we look forward to hearing from everyone
and continuing to invite donations to close this gap.
7 of 9July
Attendance
2021 2020
10:00 10:00
Adults Wed. AM YouTube Wed. AM
1st week 46 * 168 214 52 345 397
2nd week 34 151 103 288 76 290 366
3rd week 26 139 114 279 52 294 346
4th week 32 139 109 280 67 309 376
5th week 57 57
Monthly Total 138 429 494 1061 304 1238 1542
Average for July 35 143 124 265 61 310 308
RE
1st week 0 0
2nd week 0 0
3rd week 0 0
4th week 0 0
5th week 0 0
Monthly Total 0 0
Average for July 0 0
Combined
Average
* 4th of July at Lake Harriet bandshell- in-person attendance not taken
YouTube views recorded at 9 a.m. August 2.
8 of 9Statistical Report
July 2021
Board Meeting July 19, 2021
MEMORIAL SERVICES: 0
MARRIAGES/SERVICES OF COMMITMENT: 0
MEMBERS FOR APPROVAL: 0
MEMBERS REINSTATED: 0
MEMBERS FOR REMOVAL: 3
Peter May, passed away July 15
David Lauth, moved away
Lindsay Thomas, moved away
Kelly Westhoff
Quang Nystrom
CHILDREN DEDICATED: 0
Total members as of the last meeting: 1058
To be added: 0
To be removed: 5
TOTAL MEMBERS: 1053
To Date End of Year Totals
MEMBERS JOINED 2020-2021 2019-2020 2018-2019 2017-2018 2016-2017
(Fiscal Year) 18 21 81 66 109
TOTAL MEMBERS: 1058 1061 1058 1049 1,011
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