October Meeting Minutes
Attendance is listed at the end. We briefly reviewed October activities and November plans:
*Wed. Oct. 21st. Love, Knit & Crochet had its second meeting. We are knitting/crocheting scarves for the homeless from now till Christmas, meeting on the third Wednesdayat 6:30. We hope more will join us.
*Oct. 1st & 3rd. SPIHN (Spartanburg Interfaith Hospitality Network): The Diane Dixon Covenant Group prepared dinner for six guests at Fernwood Baptist Church, and Launa Blackburn and her brother were overnight hosts at Fernwood Baptist Church. Abby Fowler agreed to lead the next dinner, in December. We will look for another covenant group or small group for the following one, in February.
*Pink Sunday: Alice spoke briefly about this breast cancer awareness day at the Oct. 25th service and material was available for interested church members. This material is on the social concerns table.
*Nov. 1st Connie Godenick will begin a monthly Sunday morning health program for our congregation, and also open to the community. Connie and Alice will lead a vegetarian Wonderful Wednesday in November.
This month’s Topics
1. Don Rollins spoke on a particular model for Social Justice activities in a congregation, a model with the power to increase congregational involvement and commitment to issues. Don offered to assist us with this if we wish, and then left for another meeting. We decided we want to work with this model, so will schedule a special meeting in November with Don on how to implement this, with the goal of information-gathering, educating the congregation, and then offering resolutions at the May Congregational meeting.
2. PK gave us an update on the excellent work that Brandon David and fellow students are doing to fight school-district sanctioned religious speech & prayer at school events.
3. PK also reported, from Launa Blackburn, that Park Hills School is NOT accepting new volunteers at this time due to increased cost of background checks and the availability of Americorps volunteers. However, previously screened volunteers are still very welcome.
4. Alice shared the Board’s request that we educate the congregation about the FDA Blood Bank policy and the resolution proposed by David Stack. He shared with us additional information on this clearly discriminatory ban. We discussed this, and all members present agreed to undertake this educational effort and discussed a step-by-step process using the Bulletin, the Happenings, and culminating in a 10:00 am meeting in January, some time prior to the Congregational meeting
5. ShareThePlate: Alice reported that the Board heard the recommendations from the Social Concern and Finance Committees and postponed action. The members of the Board were uncomfortable with the social concerns language because it was not explicit enough. Karen and Nancy Mandlove are working on the phrasing. No decision as yet.
Social Concerns members are anxious for a speedy decision so that we can, hopefully, resume ShareThePlate. Cindy mentioned the favorable attention our church received at the Asheville UU for our ShareThePlate checks on display.
5. Placement of Collection Barrels: We need to find a place—will consider this later.
6. Teretha Fowler presented information on prescription drug assistance available to low income people for a fee of only $20/ year. We posted this information on the Social Concerns bulletin board.
7. The committee approved Flu Epidemic/No hugs reminder signs for the church doors. These are posted.
Present: Alice Sutton (chair), Don Rollins (interim minister), members Abby Fowler, Teretha Fowler, PK Weiss, Cindy Howe, and Ed Wilde, and guests David Stack and Michael Rainey
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