Old Business

The minutes from March 27 were approved as amended by Jackie Seymour. We discussed the articles that are needed for the May Newsletter. Jackie will write a short thank you to the congregation for supporting the high school students in Fiji. Connie Durant requested $450. more so that they could finish their education. Part of the money came from the congregation and the rest through Stephen’s discretionary fund. Jackie will also write a headline and one short sentence about the Heifer project for the May newsletter. Jackie will also write an article about Bread for the World for the June newsletter. It’s a good thing that Jackie is a writer!

Joan Law then updated us on a letter from Anandon, Prabu’s mentor in India. Anandon wrote that Prabu will complete his civil engineering degree this May. We should be very proud of Prabu because he has studied hard and is a vastly different person now. It is a great achievement for him and Anandon thanks us for our prayers and support of Prabu. Anandon will now look for another candidate in India for our congregation to support, perhaps this time it will be a female student. Joan went on to explain the relationship with Anandon that began twenty years ago with the Skyland Women’s group. A missionary, Dr. Matthews, selected a young man, Anandon, for our church to support. Though he faced many challenges, including severe diabetes, he felt that God has transformed him as he studied for his bachelor’s degree with our help. Since then Anandon has selected other students to receive support from our congregation. Joan has kept up a correspondence with him over the years. A suggestion was made to put the letter on the bulletin board as well as the thank you letter from Connie Durant for the support of the Fiji Students.

Stephen said that he and Caroline were going to walk at the Crop Walk at Lincoln High School this coming Sunday, April 29. He will pass the donation envelope around in church again and explain that the money goes to Second Harvest and Catholic Charities.He will also invite anyone who wants to walk with them. Sounds like fun.

Then we discussed the ecumenical mountain clean-up day on May 5. Stephen suggested coming at 9AM to the Mormon Church on Summit Road. Bring a bag lunch and gloves. The Mormon Church will supply drinks. Mt. Bible will bring orange vests and recycling bags. Nancy Jo said that people really want to work. Nancy Jo volunteered to do words for the children about recycling and the clean-up day and Stephen reminded everyone that cleaning up is taking care of God’s creation.

Jackie reported that the Mission Board had submitted a report at the Vision Committee meeting on April 15 and they had approved it. Included in the report was how Skyland Church could be certified as a “green business” by Santa Cruz County.

Jackie received information from Santa Cruz County about the certification process. There is a checklist that is reviewed and complied with, and then there is an inspection for compliance. Jackie feels that it is feasible and would be an excellent idea. She then further elucidated the process where the “green business” makes a pledge to do everything in their power to maintain their status as “green” using sustainable environmental practices. Then the church would be recognized in a public ceremony. Stephen feels that it would set an example for other churches to be certified “green”. Stephen added that perhaps the certification process could find a home with the Mission committee. Then the trustees could be informed of the process since it is part of their charter. Then it could go to the council and the congregation. Jackie said that she would talk with Brian Wood, chair of the Trustees, about sharing some of the tasks of becoming certified “Green” with the Trustees since some of the maintenance issues are under their charter. Then together the Trustees and the Missions committee would take the project of becoming a certified green church to the council for approval. Nancy Jo said that she would informally give the information to Larry Lopp. Then began a discussion about the certification process. Joan felt that it should be under the council’s aegis and was concerned about the amount of work entailed. Jackie felt that the process needed a home and had begun to evaluate the feasibility of the church becoming “green” as well as organizing the steps needed. She further stated that the council had looked at it and that the Mission Board was a good home for the process. Nancy Jo added that that she was excited about the prospect and willing to work hard.

Then Stephen explained how to proceed with the certification process. The goal would be to be recognized as a “green business”. First the Trustees would look at the checklist and approve it. Then the Trustees and the Mission Board would report to the council. If the council approves it, then the Trustees and the Mission Board would go before the congregation and explain the process. Mary Ellen made a motion to approve this series of steps and Nancy Jo seconded it.

Stephen then said that he’d like tips on going “green” if we had them for the newsletter. We also thought green ideas on the bulletin board would be a good idea.

The Vision Committee also recommended that the Mission Board put the Heifer tube out all the time to collect quarters. Mary Ellen said that once it was full of quarters that equaled $125. and we could buy a pig, a sheep or a goat. We discussed that the tube needed reinforcing and that someone would have to be responsible for it every week. The discussion ended because we decided to try it, and see how it will work if the tube is put out all the time. So let’s bring in all those quarters!

Nancy Jo Lopp invited us to her house for the next meeting on May 22 at 7:30PM.

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