DRAFT MINUTES (recorded by Edith Sylla)
Community United Church of Christ. Congregational Meeting, May 20, 2007
(second annual congregational meeting for 2007)
John Little, Moderator, called the meeting to order at 12:15 p.m.
Steve Halsted opened the meeting with a prayer.
The minutes of the January meeting were read and approved (motion by Vandy Bradow, seconded by Sam Johnson, passed without dissent).
Gary Smith, Tom Young, and Gradie McCallie made a presentation (with PowerPoint slides) for the Social Justice and Community Outreach ministries on “Justice in a Changing Climate: A proposal for discernment and action.” They first addressed the question: Is God calling CUCC into leadership? Gary Smith reviewed the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that have been issued this year, indicating that climate change caused by human activities is occurring. The ill effects of climate change, moreover, will disproportionately affect the poor who are least able to adapt. Many Bible texts give humans stewardship over nature and condemn those who oppress the poor. The text of Micah says “What does the Lord require of you? Do justice, love steadfastly, walk humbly with your God.”
The members of CUCC as a congregation can undergo a process of learning about climate change, can change the ways the church operates to begin a process of becoming more green, and can take a leadership role together with other faith communities. Every ministry in the congregation might take part in this focus, with each ministry determining the ways that it might want to participate (some possible examples were given which were intended to be suggestive but not prescriptive). On a rough timeline, planning for the focus would begin this summer with a broadly-based steering committee, formal long term planning would begin in September, speakers would be invited for an in house learning process on global warming and its impact on humans with varying resources, and CUCC would host a “Becoming a Greener Congregation” community event in Lent 2008.
At the end of the presentation, Mac Hulslander moved and Roger Manus seconded that the Congregation go in the direction of establishing a congregational focus on jusstice in a changing climate. In response to requests for exact wording, the motion was stated using words from the presentation:
That CUCC take as a congregational focus for the near future “Justice in a changing climate.” That we lead by learning and acting. In particular, that we educate ourselves; change our practices; and provide an interfaith religious focal point and leadership on climate change and advocacy.
The process that led to this proposal was connected to earlier discussions by the Church Council and by earlier Congregational meetings of how the Congregation might best use the Helen Brown bequest of $50,000. In earlier discussions, a preliminary division of the bequest was made into $30,000 for the property ministry (“God’s House”) and $20,000 for other ministries to be determined later, but preliminarily divided into $10,000 for the Social Justice and Community Outreach ministries and $10,000 for educational activities, including speakers. The current proposal is related to the $10,000 for the Social Justice and Community Outreach ministries, but members of the two ministries decided not to make a specific financial proposal at this time, since this should emerge from the planned discussions and educational process, although the community event suggested for Lent 2008 would obviously cost money. Some of the actions that might be taken to change our practices within the church for energy efficiency might mesh with expenditures by the property ministry. Certain changes to the building might be expensive, but other changes, such as adjusting thermostats, might save money.
At earlier meetings a suggested congregational focus was “elder justice.” Several actions have been already been taken in this direction, but there seems to be more enthusiasm within the congregation for the climate change focus than for the elder justice focus. Roger Manus, who was one of the members working on the “elder justice” focus, said that he was now willing to support the environmental justice focus, which didn’t necessarily mean that actions related to elder justice would not continue – in fact, the two concerns might in many cases be integrated. Robert Parrish commented that Steve Halsted’s sermons and leadership have prepared the congregation for this decision and that this is the right time to go forward.
After considerable further discussion the question was called and the vote was taken. The motion was passed without dissent.
The moderator then opened the floor to any other new business, but none was forthcoming.
At the close of the meeting, Steve Halsted requested that individuals consider signing and mailing cards that he had recently received from NC Interfaith Power and Light addressed to the North Carolina General Assembly, members of Congress (names to be added), and to Alice Lloyd, the Director of NC Interfaith Power and Light.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Edith Sylla, acting secretary