Minutes of the Meetings -- March 18, 2001

Members Present:    Rev. David Ridge            (DR)

                                    Patrick Sanders            (PS)

                                    Brian Robertson            (BR)

                                    David Cowles             (DC)

1.                  Opening prayer - DR

2.                  Review Minutes of last Board Meeting – BR

The minutes were read as submitted.  We discussed the brevity of the minutes and determined that as a lasting record of the meeting, able to be viewed by future Board members and congregants who were not present for the actual meeting, that the minutes shall be revised to include more detail, rather than the “bullet point” outline initially presented.  All future meeting minutes shall be detailed.

The January tithe allocation was discussed in detail, recalling that 40% of the amount we tithe to the community will be distributed to Unity programs, and 60% will be distributed to local organizations and charities as follows:

Month              Local organization                 Unity program

February         Battered women/children      Unity School (USRS)

March              TBD                                         new Loveland Unity church

April                 TBD                                         Silent Unity

May                 TBD                                         AUC

June                 TBD                                         Unity Pathways

July                  TBD                                         SCUCA

PS is waiting for a return call for the battered women and children group to identify to whom the tithe shall be made.  DR asked that we all consider other local organizations for future months’ allocations and bring suggestions to the next meeting.

The next item discussed was the $5,000.00 challenge grant.  We agreed to amend the wording to be “Borrow up to $2,500.00 for operating budget, with the balance to go to the building fund.”

Motion to accept the minutes as discussed by DC, second by DR.

We agreed to ask Bill and Terry Gillard (BG, TG) to resubmit the February minutes in an expanded form.

3.                  Board Member responsibilities – clarification and discussion:  Refer to Bylaws.

a.      Secretary – Shall record the minutes of the Board Meeting as more in-depth such that anybody can read them and know what was discussed.  Minutes shall be at a “substantial summary” level.

b.      The duties list was read and discussed, with the following proposed revisions:

Item k - shall be clarified to include the Treasurer, collection counters, etc.  DR will look into our insurance policy (Church Mutual)

      Item o – shall be expanded to include the congregation

c.      We next discussed “backup” roles in the case of the absence of Board members at a Board Meeting.  The Vice President shall backup the President, the Vice President and Treasurer has no backup, and the Secretary shall be backed up as agreed by a volunteer from the Board members present.  In addition, if an absence is planned, the Board Member shall notify the rest of the board via the President, who will let the rest of the Board know.

d.      We discussed amending the Church Bylaws Item a)4.06.1 to read that the Board will meet on the third Sunday of the month or other date by agreement.  This will allow more flexibility to allow for vacations, holidays, etc.

e.      DC raised the issue that DR is currently paying for several items and signing the checks rather than the Treasurer.  We agreed that this arrangement still made sense logistically for such items as weekly musical guests, child care, etc.

f.        DR asked for, with Board discussion and input, a regular schedule that Board documents be distributed for a more orderly Meeting as follows:

Meeting minutes shall be distributed 1 week after the Meeting

Reminders will be distributed 1 week prior to the next Meeting

Treasurer’s report will be distributed 3 days prior to the next meeting

President’s agenda will be distributed 3 days prior to the next meeting

4.                  Broad goals brainstorming was tabled until the next Board Meeting.  Motion to table by DR, second by DC.

Upcoming events and scheduling was discussed.  The next Board Meeting tentatively will be April 8, pending BG and TG availability (the Treasurer’s report will be distributed via e-mail after the meeting, since the data will not be available that soon).  Easter Sunday is April 15, 2001.  Our next Friendship Sunday will be April 22, 2001, accompanied by a Pot Luck lunch.  The next Unity 101 class will be held April 29, 2001.

5.                  We made the formal decision to remain at our present location, with the lease to be renewed by July 1, 2001.  Motion to approve by DC, second by DR.

We then discussed building a moveable partition wall, in segments to replace the fabric panels we currently use to separate the Sunday school and child care areas.  DR estimated $350.00 and 25 man-hours of construction.  Motion to approve pending a 1-year lease extension with a 1-year option by BR, second by DC.

6.                  The next item was the Expansion Funding application.  DR presented the availability of a one-time grant from the AUC.  This is a $1,000.00/month grant with $500.00/month from AUC, $250.00/month from Living Water Unity, and $250.00/month pledged from area churches.  High Country Unity, Unity on the Avenues, Unity Temple, and Unity of Boulder have pledged this portion.  All monies shall be paid to our Sponsor, Unity on the Avenues.  The money can be spent on whatever we declare in the application.  Only (6) applications are approved per year, the money is only provided if the application is approved, and this is a one-time, one-year grant.  BR will handle the application, and provide a draft to the Board at the April 8 Board Meeting.  The application deadline is May 1, 2001.

In addition, DC will complete the IRS application for 501.c.3 status (non-profit charitable organization).  DR will provide the IRS packet to DC.

7.                  We discussed implementing the “Offering Counting Circle”.  All offerings shall be counted each week after the service by (2) unrelated Board Members, starting March 25, 2001.  Motion to approve by DR, second by PS.

8.                  The tithe allocations for February and March were re-discussed.  Our February local recipient shall be Alternatives to Violence ($180.00), and Unity recipient shall be USRS ($120.00).  Our March local recipient shall be determined, and Unity recipient shall be the new Loveland Church.  DR suggested we consider Planned Parenthood and Rocky Mountain Prenatal.

DC and TG shall explain to the congregation to whom we tithe, and ask for suggestions for our local tithe recipients again.  The Board Members shall give a list of ideas to PS for inclusion in the next agenda for discussion and approval.

9.                  We agreed to table discussion of the Non-violence Action Team until the next Meeting.  Anne Brisnehan has expressed interest in assisting with this Team.

10.              DC presented the Treasurer’s Report.  Motion to approve as presented by BR, second by DR.

11.              Motion to adjourn by DR, second by DC.