Seattle Council Meeting Minutes for September 7, 2014

Mas reviews charter regarding council role (addressing Sarah’s concern about process)

NOMINATION OF CHAIRMAN

L. Krishnek – Does anyone feel called to serve? Nominates Mas for chairperson. Mike Faris seconds. Mas is willing and able to serve. Suggest that this be an interim position. Elections for all positions will take place at end of term (years end) Not conflict noted with Treasurer position. Mas feels confident. It’s his profession. Mas – doesn’t see chairman role as a strong leadership position. More of a moderator. Thinks a lot about where church is going. Cares a lot and is involved in several ways. Sarah – asks if Justin would like to serve as chair. Justin is open to be Vice Chair. No other nominations for chair.

Unanimous approval of Mas Kubo as Chairman

No additional nominations for vice chair. Sarah nominates Justin Taylor

Unanimous approval of Justin Taylor as Vice Chairman

Start time 12:30 – Chairperson gets agreement to continue for 2 hours. Discussion of the roles of Financial Committee and Treasurer role; can Chairman manage both roles. Agreed that Mas is qualified in area of finances and that he can do that well and be Chairman of Council as well. The interim period allows us to review if this will work.

Motion to approve Mas Kubo’s continuation as Treasurer passes unanimously.

FINANCIAL REPORT – Mas Kubo (See attached documents) Mike Faris – past budget included $1000 for assistant. But, funds not currently available. L. Krishnek – Gerhard Offered to resign if it opens the way to hire other pastor positions. Pastor Roberts – He is the Dist. Admin. Asst. The role is not clearly defined. We could pay Gerhard hourly rather than Salary Mas – asked Pastor Roberts to prepare proposal for Dist. Assistant at the next meeting.

DIRECTORY Mas – made aware there is work toward updating the directory that came from the Jan. 2013 Foundation Day registration. But, that’s 18 months old. We should still do a survey and update data. Need to consider security concerns. Some people don’t want name and email online. Pastor Roberts - Directory helps people connect to other members. Typically it’s a hard copy. Many people ask him for numbers and such. A directory helps. Mas – we need to be very crisp before we hand out the surveys or set up something on line. Can work it out together with Gerhard; how it will be provided and what information is on it. Dr. Burgess – there will be a need to get information from people at church. Need to use both methods. Mas – set up stations at Church and enter data for people.

PASTORS REPORT

Agree that we need to work out strategic vision for the church (where we want to be in five years) Grow bigger, establish satellite churches, etc. Need participation in that. Council could lead that and reach out to the congregation.

Important is increasing membership and improving 2nd gen. participation and in-reach. In-reach: lost 6 tithers, gained 3. Need small groups. First contact with church is in more intimate settings. We need to formalize that without establishing a mandatory system. I have asked people to work on this. Looking for someone to oversee the issue as a whole. Several willing to help, but not to lead the whole things.

What are people looking for? Service projects are a big interest. I applied for a grant to help improve out facility.

Out-Reach: huge division whether people are interested or not. True Mother is really emphasizing this. Rumiko Uezeno agreed to facilitate this effort. I want to get more western members involved. Workshop will be helps every Sat. at Windermere. Alternating Saturday, 3 lectures one Saturday, and rest of lectures the next Saturday.

Reviewing and producing new literature. Tailor HQ stuff for local use. I would like to put together a brain storming team – what can we do to support outreach? (Pancake breakfast, service projects, etc.)

2nd Gen/Youth – Not the same thing. Most are college age and above. We have a very organized Sunday School organized by Mike Lancey but there is low participation. We have to examine why.

Need more couple and young singles programs; Working with Francesca on that. Toshiaki is doing youth events for Jr. and HS students. He is enthusiastic but inexperienced. We can see how he is doing and help improve. Mitsue Wolfenburger will support him and Mas will help mentor.

Properties – Ballard Church needs improvement. Replacing flooring will be about $5000. If we get the grant, we will use that. Windermere – It’s important that we deal with what we have. Working with the Granstroms to tighten up why people are there. Residents know it’s a ministry of the church. There will be requirements clearly spelled out. Attend Sun. Service monthly, attend monthly meetings and invest some time. Looking for 2nd gen. couple to be house parents. Last year we had a big problem collecting the contributions of residents. Mas has created a system that will assure this will be changed.

Nelson will receive $15 per hour for the work he does at Windermere.

As a ministry, Windermere clarity will help clarity of the tax exemption.

Vacation – request approval to take vacation. It will require being gone for 2 Sundays. Speakers have been arranged. Sept. 14th and 21st. Drive to Chicago with son. Fly to NY for the Commemoration event. Drive to back through Montana to visit Billings church community.

NATIONAL COUNCIL

Dr. Burgess – 50 grant applications will be reviewed. Next National council meeting is mid October.

Mas – Rev. Mira should pay rent and then be compensated hourly for the work he does in order to keep everything clear. (rather than deduction from rent). Transactions should be separate.

Sarah – Small group leaders in areas might be better than seeking a central small group leader. Also, some members could be affected by all the changes in our church that causes reduction of tithing. (It’s a national issue according to church auditor) Eunha – We have come to the end of our trial period of the Sunday School schedule. We want to come to 10 for our kids to come to Sunday School. Staying for service is long for us. It’s difficult for a very small kid so we find ourselves chasing our child for two and a half hours. We have been skipping 10 and come at 11. How’s it really working?

Pastor Roberts – lot of people coming at 10:30 am. We could poll the congregation and change accordingly.

Eunha – I’m wondering if we have Sunday school during Sun. Service if that will improve attendance. The objective was to allow the teacher to be able to attend service. Are they even coming for Service?

Pastor Roberts – I wouldn’t mind returning to the old system. Small groups are starting to meet during the 10 am period. We are having some good first gen. stuff going in the sanctuary. (usually starting at 10:30)

Sarah – how about we have small groups at 10 and put Sunday school back at 11. Eunha – didn’t have Sunday School organized for the past 2 years. The Sunday school teachers would only be missing one service per month because of the rotating schedule.

Mas – propose we talk to our constituents and put it to a vote next month.

Pastor Roberts – basically moving Sunday School back to 11. Lunch after is very popular.

Mike Faris – there were some other reason for the change. One is for there to be more internal Unification discussion – keeping it out of the regular Sunday Service. But, I don’t know if that is actually so.

Sarah – I listen with a mind toward whether guests would be comfortable. I believe they would be.

Mas – We need to talk to everyone so we get a real assessment before deciding. We should take whatever time is necessary.

Eunha – the people we really need to talk to are the teachers and the parents of children affected.

L. Krishnek – back in the Lovin Life day, we were always trying to get together a greeting team. I would like to see that looked at. We have a good atmosphere as a consequence of the activities prior to church, but when we have more guest coming, we may need to look at this more.

Mas – we have 3 very dedicated MC’s and a good music team, but it’s something to keep in mind. I will take it upon myself to work on this. We really need to re do our website. I’m going to be looking at that. I would question our need for a website. Pastor Roberts – we need at least one decent video camera for the Sunday School area. L. Krishnek – how about an app instead of a website. Easy for people to access information that way. Mas – I can approach the developers in our community about this.

Motion to approve vacation for Pastor Roberts approved.

Mas – Something I feel missing in our community is a ministry team. A team that owns the operation of the church. More appropriate to direct the community that the council. It would include the Pastor and leaders of all the ministries and the program manager. This is a team that the community and the council can look to for leadership. Report to the council, make funding requests, etc. When we thing of who is the leadership of this community, this is where we look. It’s a lot to ask for all council people to involved beyond the operational capacity unless they feel like they want to. Our responsibility is to get the pulse of the community. We were voted into this position because they trust us to make decisions for them. A ministry team gives periodic reports to the council – on behalf of the community. The council can discuss God’s vision, but the ministry team are the people that do the work – the volunteers that make things happen.

Pastor Roberts – It may be better than the council members not be involved in daily ministry in order to have a larger vision. But, they should be actively involved in the church individually.

Mas – I will talk with Pastor Roberts in the weeks ahead about this.

Sarah – this is really balancing. Such a team would provide balance. In the future, when people vote for this body, they might (ministry team members) be elected.

FILLING VACANT COUNCIL ROLE (Miwa’s seat)

Pastor Roberts presents list of those elected by the community and reviews those he contacted earlier and their responses. Miwa was a choice of Pastor Roberts so he could make the replacement choice. He is open to the council deciding.

List according votes received

Towa Lee – denied David Burgess – denied Nelson Mira – was not asked David Wolfenberger – denied Francesca Kubo – didn’t ask because 2 people in the same couple. Yuko Faris – same reason Leon Granstrom - Mrs. Keating – Teddy Sylte –

The Charter allows us to choose whomever we wish – not obligated to this list. Discussion about people in the same family serving on the council. General agreement about that

L. Krishnek – I would recommend Korie Faris. I see her positively engaged in our church although she is

not on the list, many capable candidates are not (they aren’t well known, other reasons)

List reviewed by council and candidates discussed.

Mas – Time is up. Vote to extend for 10 minutes approved. Mas – I feel good about Korie. Although I respect the vote of the community, If people voted today, I think we would see her name. A lot is probably influenced by public appearance.

Council votes to invite Candidates in this order

Korie Faris David Burgess Leon Granstrom Mrs. Keating

Council likes the idea of 2nd gen. replacing 2nd gen.

L.Krishnek – everyone on the list is integrally involved in our church.

Pastor Roberts suggests that the Council Chairperson contact the candidates.

L. Krishnek – I recommend that we post notes elsewhere. No one, except Gerhard, every looks at them Pastor Roberts – will put a link on the community notes. Also print one copy and make it available to people.

We will table this for later.

Next meeting October 5th.

Closing prayer – Mas.