Minutes of Deacons Meeting

March 9, 2009

Jennifer Busam called the meeting to order at 12:10.

Stephen opened with a prayer.

The minutes from the February meeting were approved as written.

Housekeeping Tasks

Sunday Liturgist DOD

3/16 Moira Julie

3/23 Moira Jennifer

3/30 Don Richard

4/6 Carolyn Don

Communion elements - Julie

Communion servers - Ruth, Glenda, Don

4/13 Julie Glenda

4/20 Maundy Thursday Readers: Jennifer, Richard, Ruth, and Don

Set-up - Richard & Don

Cleanup: Don

Kristen Pratt reported that she had completed her studies at PSR and her internship. She has received a call to serve as a Chaplain with Hospice. She has decided to establish her new four-way covenant with the Foothill Church in Los Altos. She said that she has developed a strong feeling of belonging at Skyland and thanked everyone here for their continued support during these last few years

Stephen reported that PSR said that they would probably be able to share expenses for an intern at Skyland next year. Under these arrangements we would provide the funds included in our proposed budget and they would make up the difference. He reported that this plan had been approved at the Council Meeting. (Our budget provides for an intern every other year) Stephen will see that the notice is posted at PSR.

The board discussed a possible mentoring relationship with a Monterey County Samoan UCC Church. Stephen reported that he had discussed this with the minister of the church but had not had a response. He will bring it up at the Ministerial association on March 14, but it appears at this time that our services will probably not be required.

Don summarized the bylaw requirements and the current membership of the Memorial Committee. The committee has not had a meeting during the past year: however individual members have contacted several of the families to get approval for use of the memorial monies in the recent projects. Jennifer will contact the current members to see if they wish to continue on the committee and recruit a new member from the Trustees, as the bylaws require.

Jennifer distributed the updated Deacon’s Task List for the year, which incorporates the applicable tasks from the three historic lists.

Julie brought a request from some of the members of the congregation that the announcement time be moved to the beginning of the service so that those who were not interested could avoid them by arriving late. This subject was discussed at length, along with suggestions to put further limits on what can be included in the announcements. The board also considered other options including the use of e-mail notices and completely eliminating the announcement period. In conclusion it was decided that the announcements were such an integral part of what makes up the “Sense of Skyland��? that they should be continued, with some effort to keep them reasonably short.

Richard suggested that a suitable goal for 2008 would be to develop plans for increasing church membership. The board agreed and as a first step identified April 20 and November 16 as New Member Sundays. It was also proposed that we meet with the prospective new members at the beginning of our next meeting.

Stephen distributed an updated telephone tree and suggested revisions to the church membership list. Comments will be incorporated as discussed.

The next Deacon’s meeting will be April 13 after church.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:00 PM .

Respectfully submitted:

Don Law

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