I believe that man’s noblest endowment is his capacity to change. Armed with reason, he can see two sides and choose: He can be divinely wrong. I believe in man’s right to be wrong. Out of this right he has built, laboriously and lovingly, something we reverently call democracy. He has done it the hard way and continues to do it the hard way — by reason, by choosing, by error and rectification, by the difficult, slow method in which the dignity of A is acknowledged by B, without impairing the dignity of C. Man cannot have dignity without loving the dignity of his fellow.
I believe in the potential of people. I cannot rest passively with those who give up in the name of “human nature.” Human nature is only animal nature if it is obliged to remain static. Without growth, without metamorphosis, there is no godhead. If we believe that man can never achieve a society without wars, then we are condemned to wars forever. This is the easy way. But the laborious, loving way, the way of dignity and divinity, presupposes a belief in people and in their capacity to change, grow, communicate, and love.
Any time I see a quote with the work "man" I always intone as i read "and woman" ...
If you don't want to use the link, here is a preview in a scrollable frame too.. In a browser it's scrollable and on a tablet from the WOW blog the whole freakin complete weekly digest eflyer just automagically appears...
We have to bring on board our crew - all of you who belong to our Sugarloaf community!
We hope to set sail when the crew list of volunteers is complete. Jeff B is below deck creating the volunteer profile list. Jeff is creating new custom fields for our crew to use to sign-up in our Church Membership On Line software. The new fields will give these choices for how one wishes to volunteer:
Self Directed – for those offering to do self-initiated projects
Willing to Help – for those who are open to take on a new task
Call Later – for those not able to give the time at this point in their lives
Can Work On-site – for those preferring tasks on our property
Can Work At-home – for those preferring tasks to be done at home.
Helen P our Volunteer Captain will also keep a list of all the volunteer tasks and what each crew member is doing. We need to keep track of what hat each crew member is wearing. Some crew members wear more than one hat.
Our system’s basic tenet is fairness. When a volunteer takes a turn to participate by responding to a personal invitation to do a task, that person will let the Volunteer Captain know. She will check off that volunteer’s name until all who are registered on the crew’s list have had their turns. At that point we start the volunteer turn cycle again.
It’s important for everyone to sign up and take a turn volunteering. The Volunteer System will help us to achieve our goals identified during our next step meetings, to let everyone know what is going on, and to prevent burnout.
Please try on a new volunteer hat. September 20 is our deadline to sign up.
If you don't want to use the link, here is a preview in a scrollable frame too.. In a browser it's scrollable and on a tablet from the WOW blog the whole freakin complete weekly digest eflyer just automagically appears...
Our yet-to-be established system is like a sailboat still tied up to its dock. August 9 th’s meeting to launch it, ended with a focus on who belongs on the crew (volunteers’ list) for the maiden voyage. This voyage will be the system’s trial with our Membership Committee at the helm, steering this experimental leg of the journey.
This report on Meeting #1 starts an information series. Preparation for the trial and evaluation period has begun. A key foundation for the System rests in two ways to volunteer. First it comes from a personal invitation to do a specific (usually one-time) task that comes out of needs that originate in Committees and our Board. The second way is when a congregant chooses to initiate a task for solving a problem (or, simply, to enhance our Sugarloaf community life.) After a turn is fulfilled, that person will not be asked to volunteer, again, until all who are registered in the Volunteer System have had their turns or the spirit of volunteering moves the person to volunteer again.
The main point to remember is that we are an independent self governing body who abides by a covenant, principles, by-laws and a democratic form of governance via the most current edition of Robert's Rules of Order and our mission and definition statements.
“Why
Does Sugarloaf Exist?”
Sugarloaf
is a spiritual community that asks questions, explores answers, and shares the
lessons of life. We celebrate theological and cultural diversity and are united
by our caring for humanity and Earth.
The Mission of Sugarloaf
Renew the Spirit
Connect More Deeply
Inspire Good
So we use our best judgement, speak, listen, vote, and lather rinse repeat.
Personal interpretation is the hallmark and foundation of democracy.
Communication is key. And with communication we should be able to avoid conflict
Quick overview ...
There are three types of ministers that one can hire. One joke is all this is like a bird mating dance
but i digress
The most formal is the Called Minister -- a called minister is one the congregation marries "forever with no known end date" like Rev Megan ...
The board forms a ministerial search committee and the ministerial search committee is sworn to secrecy and to find a minister that will be approved by an almost unanimous vote by the congregation...
The main tasks of the ministerial search committee for a called ministerial search outlined in the most sacred of UU text the settlement handbook are ...
establish a budget (local search is cheaper and faster than a national search)
survey the congregation on the type of minister they want
define what the congregation needs
put the congregational record together
present to ministers at an online minister & congregation dating site
select candidates
communicate with candidates
arrange interviews (if a local search free ish ,.. if a national search airline tickets & hotels)
arrange third party locations to view a sermon -- neutral pulpit visits
keep the board apprised of what is going on
select the one minister candidate
negotiate contract terms
organize candidate weekend
have everyone meet the candidate in different venues of the congregation
finalize contract terms
organize the congregational meeting for the fait accompli vote
ish ...
This is usually done after the congregation has been with an interim minister.
We've had three called ministers. Our first minister Rev Charlie was an exception he was selected by the UUA and the congregation approved. Rev Amy and Rev Megan were selected by a SCUU ministerial search committee.
The Interim Minister has a little less formal search process but is very formal in the pecking order ...
The Interim Minister is a minister trained in interim-ing. Which means to help the congregation get prepared to do a formal Called Minister search. The interim minister usually works for one year. We've had two in our history and both stayed for 2 years. Rev James and Rev Myron. An Interim Minister cannot become the Called Minister.
Both of these handbooks carry Sacred Heat. You can feel historical experience going back hundreds of years. The whole point is to avoid awkward situations, tar, feathers and torches.
But these two mating seasons have passed. The search timeframe for the Called Minister is one year. The search timeframe for an Interim Minister is four months ish.
Which to emphasize means that due to the timing of Rev Megan's departure (a time of year when official searches were closed) our only choices were either a contract minister or going at least 6 months with no minister at all.
So the board has decided to hunt for a Contract Minister and the process is streamline/simplified even more for a contract minister. The timeframe for a contract minister search is fast like a bunny -- one to two months -- now ish.
The Contract Minister can do whatever we the board and the congregation decide the contract minister should do and that the contract minister agrees to do ...
The plan is to be clear about all that -- in a contract.
Also if we want we can pivot too. We could end up hiring a contract minister have her or him do interim-ish things commit to a year and then extend. And if we really like her or him convert him or her to a called minister. A contract minister is pretty free form. About as "Alice in Wonderland" as you can get. And we're ok with that.
The board has voted to use the following process to find a Contract Minister ... Each step assumes the candidate has passed the prior step.
1. An interview is scheduled with candidate and as many BOT members as can attend.
2. References are called and verified (by BOT volunteers).
3. A Meet and Greet is scheduled and church leaders and elders and worship committee are invited to attend. Informal setting to meet and talk with candidate.
4. BOT makes decision on whether to proceed to an offer and what the offer should be.
Underpinning all this is the vote the congregation made to increase the Minister's time and pay.
This should be the new rainbow flag
The congregation expects us to move. We want a minister in place by September. Minister priorities have already been established. But the intent is to collaborate to figure out the best way to go.
The board is working with help from the UUA to find a contract minister best suited to move us forward. We will move carefully down the Contract Minister rabbit hole.
If you don't want to use the link, here is a preview in a scrollable frame too.. In a browser it's scrollable and on a tablet from the WOW blog the whole freakin complete weekly digest eflyer just automagically appears...
If you don't want to use the link, here is a preview in a scrollable frame too.. In a browser it's scrollable and on a tablet from the WOW blog the whole freakin complete weekly digest eflyer just automagically appears...
