MOUNT VERNON UNITARIAN CHURCH

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

April 30, 2006

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 6:37 PM by Ric Sears, outgoing Chair of the Board of Trustees.  Wendy Burns and Jane Nelson confirmed that a quorum was represented.

Election of New Members to the Board of Trustees

The 2005-2006 Nominating Committee, consisting of  Dorothy Brandt, Curtis Hunter, Vince Patton, Georgia Pourchot, and Carolyn Slenska, proposed the following slate of nominees:

Board of Trustees

 Lisa Guide

 Heather Harts’Horn

 Lauck Walton

 Kelly Jemison, YRUU Representative

General Assembly

Ron Brandt

Vince Patton

Bill Alsmeyer-Johnson

Lynn Alsmeyer-Johnson

Cynthia Phinney

Stephen Phinney

Endowment Committee

Oma Elliot

Program Council

Tamara De La Camp, Religious Education

Sandy Peterson, Our Home Community

2006-2007 Nominating Committee

Lucinda Mosley

Tony Barkume

Suzanne Cleary

Janice Fitzpatrick

Lynne Kennedy

There were no nominations from the floor and no discussion.  A motion to elect the entire slate of candidates of the Nominating Committee was made and seconded, and the motion carried unanimously by a show of hands.

Proposed Changes in MVUC Bylaws

The Board of Trustees proposed the following changes to the MVUC Bylaws:

Article VI.  Board of Trustees

2.  Composition.  The Board of Trustees shall be composed of ten (10) persons.  At each annual meeting, the resident members shall elect a youth member to serve for one year and three adults to serve three year terms, as well as any adult members needed to fill vacant terms.  All terms shall begin at the first regularly scheduled meeting of the Board following the annual meeting.  All terms shall begin upon election at the annual meeting.

Article VII.  Officers

3.  Secretary.  Following the annual meeting, the Board shall elect a secretary from its membership to serve a one-year term.  The secretary shall provide for recording and timely posting of the minutes of all meetings of the congregation and the Board, and for maintenance of a manual of policies and procedures adopted by the Board.

Article VIII.  Committees

4.  Program Council.  The activities of all committees so designated by the Board shall be coordinated by the Program Council consisting of one coordinator for each program area.  Members of the Program Council shall be elected by the congregation at the annual meeting for two-year terms which begin at the first regularly scheduled meeting of the Program Council following the annual meeting upon election at the annual meeting.  In the event of a vacancy on the Program Council, the Board may appoint a resident member of the congregation to serve until the next annual meeting, at which time the congregation shall elect a replacement to serve the remainder of any unexpired time.

5.  Nominating Committee.  A Nominating Committee of five (5) resident members of the church shall be elected at the annual meeting by those authorized to vote at the meeting.  The term of office for members of the Nominating Committee shall be one year beginning at the first regularly scheduled meeting of the Committee following the annual meeting which begins upon election at the annual meeting.  In the event of a vacancy on the Committee, due to a member’s resignation or inability to perform the duties of a Committee member, the Board may appoint a member of the church to fill the vacancy.  Current trustees are not eligible to serve on the Nominating Committee.

6.  Endowment Fund Committee.  Membership of the Endowment Fund Committee shall consist of six persons, plus the church treasurer.  Members shall be appointed by the Board, upon nomination of the Nominating Committee, for three-year staggered terms.  Terms shall commence at the first regularly scheduled meeting of the Committee following the annual meeting.  Terms shall begin upon election at the annual meeting.  Officers of the Endowment Fund Committee shall be determined in accord with the charter of the committee.

In response to the question, “who will maintain the policies and procedures if the secretary is no longer responsible,” Ric Sears answered:  MVUC’s Business Administrator.  In response to the question, “why is it necessary to change the start of the new term for these groups,” Ric Sears answered:  This change makes it clearer when their responsibilities begin and allows for a more graceful transition.

A motion to approve each of these proposed changes to MVUC’s Bylaws was made and seconded.  More than 90% of the congregants voted in favor of the motion by a show of hands.

Proposed Social Action Task Forces

Bill Alsmeyer-Johnson, Chair of the Social Action Committee, requested that the congregation endorse following five task forces:

Affordable Housing

Green Sanctuary

Reproductive Rights

United Community Ministries Support

Immediate Witness

The Social Action Committee proposed to the congregation that a social action group representing MVUC must gain the formal support of the congregation each year or lose its standing to represent MVUC.  An attempt by the Social Action Committee to obtain support from the congregation for these five task forces in October 2005 failed due to lack of a quorum.

After considerable discussion, the congregation, prompted by a suggestion of Joanne Masterson, the 2006-2007 Chair of the Board of Trustees, abandoned its efforts to rewrite the action plan of each of these task forces prior to voting for or against approval.  A motion to endorse each of these five task forces was made and seconded.  More than 90% of the congregants voted in favor of approving the five task forces by a show of hands.

Reproductive Rights Position Statement and Call to Action

Lynn Alsmeyer-Johnson, Chair of the Reproductive Rights Task Force, requested the congregation to support the following position statement and call to action:

BE IT RESOLVED that:

The congregation of Mount Vernon Unitarian Church (MVUC) affirms

1.      The right of each woman to make the decisions concerning her own body and her future, and we stress the responsibilities and long-term commitment involved in the choice of parenthood;

2.      The right of each woman to have access to safe contraception;

3.      That young women and men should receive sexuality education, including contraception options.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that:

4.      The congregation of MVUC actively opposes all legislation, regulation, and administrative action, at any level of government, intended to undermine or circumvent the Roe v. Wade decision;

5.      The congregation of MVUC will communicate our opposition to such attempts to our legislative representatives and to the electorate;

6.      The congregation of MVUC promotes legislation funding safe abortions for low-income women;

7.      The congregation of MVUC calls on the FDA to make emergency contraception available over the counter; and

8.      The congregation of MVUC calls for state and federal legislation to require all pharmacies to stock and dispense all legally prescribed contraceptives.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that:

We reaffirm the right to choose contraception and abortion as legitimate expressions of our constitutional rights.

CALL TO ACTION

The Reproductive Rights Task Force proposes that the congregation of Mount Vernon Unitarian Church promote the following actions to support a woman’s right to choose:

Voter Registration

Develop a comprehensive get out the vote program to ensure that all members, friends, and family of the MVUC congregation register to vote.

1. Provide information on early voting and absentee ballots.
2. Ensure transportation and assistance to correct polling place.

Voter Education

Provide information on individual candidates’ positions on reproductive rights issues.

Letter Writing

Set up a letter writing campaign to express support for reproductive rights, access to family planning and contraception, and sexuality education for youth, including contraception options.

3. Provide sample letters that members can use as models.
4. Target elected officials and the media:

a.       Write to U.S. senators and representatives,

b.      Write to state senators and delegates,

c.       Write to school board members regarding our support for sexuality education, including contraception, and

d.      Write to local, regional, and national newspapers.

Public Demonstrations

Participate in pro-choice public demonstrations and lobby days.

Sexuality Education at MVUC

Continue MVUC’s commitment to sexuality education through the Our Whole Lives (OWL) program.

A motion to endorse the position statement and call to action of the Reproductive Rights Task Force was made and seconded.  More than 90% of the congregation voted in favor of the motion by a show of hands.

New Business

The Board of Trustees was requested to budget time and money to restore the RE library.  The Board of Trustees also was requested to allocate funds for a full-time groundskeeper.

Adjourn