Splinters from the Board

August 2008 - Patrick Pine

Planning Y(our) Future:

We need your help – we need volunteers to participate in our next strategic, long

range planning effort. We have some volunteers already – BUT WE NEED YOU,

too – because your thoughts on our future are very important and valuable. We have

not yet determined exactly how we will proceed – whether there will be one large group

or perhaps two or more committees or groups focusing on a different aspect of our

congregational life. Nor have we decided exactly what length of time will be considered

long range (fewer than three and probably no more than six). Below I have listed those

who have volunteered so far – but on behalf of the board, the staff, and members and

friends – please volunteer to share a little of your time and a lot of passion, commitment

and expertise with us.

Please contact me or the church office so your name can be added to the list of

volunteers below – you will be glad you did…. Send an e-mail to:

info@uuccwc.org or patrick.pine@comcast.net

Or if you prefer send a written note to the Church office (UUCCWC , 22785 NW Birch

Street, Hillsboro OR 97124-6558) or call the Church office at 503-648-1720 and ask to

have your name added to the list of illustrious volunteers.

Thanks, Patrick Pine, President, Board of Trustees

July 2008 - Patrick Pine

The Board of Trustees and Minister have traditionally held a retreat in June to discuss some of

the primary issues facing the church community in the coming year – as well as to organize the

Board. This session was recently held and this column will summarize a few highlights.

On Friday evening, the Board met to thank Ted Fuller for his service and to welcome Dar

Parrow to the Board. One of the things the Board has done in recent years is to spend some

time at its meetings for individuals to share something about their lives, their backgrounds, and

their interests and to share news about their involvement in some aspect of church life. At this

meeting, we had a chance to learn about Dar Parrow’s background and experiences. These

interactions are one of the best parts of serving in a leadership role in the congregation – you get

to meet the most fascinating people.

The Board also organized itself for the next church year. The officers for the coming year

really do not change – Patrick Pine is president, Clark Allworth is vice president, Steve Larson

is secretary and Jay Hamlin was elected by the congregation as treasurer. This continuity

should benefit the community. While there is always a need for volunteers to serve limited terms

in certain capacities-which requires continuous development of new leaders to fill vital roles or

for existing leaders to periodically fill different roles – there is a value in some continuity in

roles. Similarly, the Board has assigned responsibilities to individual Board members to serve

as liaisons to our major volunteer interest areas. Jay Hamlin continues as liaison to the Financial

Stewardship Services team; Vicki Staley will continue to serve as liaison to the Administrative

Services Committee; and Steve Larson is continuing to interact with the Property Services

Committee and the Building Team. Warren Wylie is continuing to liaise with the Membership

Services Committee. Dar Parrow is the Board liaison with the Social and Environmental Action

Committee. Regular Board meetings will normally occur on the first Wednesday night of each

calendar month commencing at 6:45pm.

We do have several leaders who have graciously accepted a new role. An example of a new

volunteer leader is Julia Churchill, who has accepted the role of leading the Committee on

Ministry. Carole McAdams has also joined the Committee on Ministry. John Cloe is joining the

Property Trustees to serve along with Allan Warrior and Kay Demlow. Judy Zimmerman and

Anne Dale are coordinating the Pastoral Care Team.

We are continuing to seek volunteers to serve in other important roles. One example is to seek

volunteers to participate in a new long range strategic planning group. So far we have three

individuals who have volunteered for leadership roles and eleven others who have expressed

interest in serving in a participatory role. We will be continuing to seek participants in this new

effort. We do not yet have a firm structure for this effort – our last plan covered a five-year

period ending this year. The strategic planning effort will have a significant connection with

our ongoing capital campaign effort and building plans – but will also need to address other major

aspects of our church life. If you want to join in this important effort, please contact the

Church office.

June 2008

By Steve Larson

With words from Rev. Christine Riley celebrating our “free religion,” “shared ministry” and

“shared decisions,” the UUCCWC Annual Meeting was launched Sunday afternoon, May 18.

To the delight of the attendees, President Patrick Pine recognized two members who have

devoted countless hours to the vitality and growth of the church community. Ted Fuller, whose

term on the Board of Trustees is ending, was recognized not only for his board involvement but

also for his work with the Green Sanctuary, Worship Associates, his recycling efforts and for

being part of the UUCCWC institutional memory. Sara Cloe was recognized for her extraordinary

efforts in building the very successful Religious Education program and for her overall

dedication to the church community. Both Ted and Sara received standing ovations, with

Sara responding that the community “enfolds me in love.”

The congregation then got down to business. Two members were elected to the Board of

Trustees: Dar Parrow for a three-year term and Clark Allworth for the remaining term in the

position to which he was earlier appointed. Two members also were elected to the Nominating

Committee: Jenny Houston and Alana Graham.

Exigent circumstances required the church roof to be repaired prior to the Annual Meeting, and

the board requested retroactive approval for the use of invested reserve funds. The members

retroactively authorized the use of invested reserves, not to exceed $21,000, and were informed

that a requested Chalice Lighters grant, if received, would replace this expenditure.

Treasurer Jay Hamlin then described three interrelated financial proposals/activities involving

the church’s Operating Budget and our Capital Campaign funds. Primarily because of lower

Operating Fund pledges for the coming church year, the Board of Trustees has had to decrease

expenses and commit the church to additional fundraising to avoid other budget cuts that could

cause long-term harm to the congregation’s future. A major element of the Operating Budget is

the monthly mortgage payment of $1648 for the funds borrowed to purchase the parish house

and the three parcels of land. Of the $1648 monthly payment, $1000 is to pay interest. The

board, with support of the Capital Campaign Team, the Building Team and the staff, developed

a proposal 1) to use a portion of Capital Campaign funds to pay the monthly mortgage payment

as a way to help balance the 2008/2009 Operating Budget and 2) to determine the most

effective use of contributed funds, including the possible near-term elimination of the mortgage

debt. Jay described the effort as part of the complex process required to enable the church to

actually build a new structure. After questions were answered and comments taken, the members

voted overwhelmingly for the following:

- Remove the $1648 per month mortgage payments from the 2008/2009 Operating Budget.
- Authorize the Financial Stewardship Team with approval by the Board of Trustees to develop

and execute plans for capital/debt retirement/maintenance of working capital to maximize the

effective use of contributed funds. Each Capital Campaign contributor will be given the choice

to keep his/her pledge restricted to the original Capital Campaign purpose.

- Approve the recommended Operating Budget for 2008/2009.

Patrick finished the meeting with an inspirational summary of the congregation’s accomplishments

and its generosity in providing both operating and capital pledges, and also requested

“new leaders” to bring their talents to the service of the UUCCWC.

May 2008 - Patrick Pine

This month's Splinters will discuss three separate but related items:

1. Celebrating Rev. Christine’s initial year with us and her recent Installation ceremony;

2. Leadership training opportunities;

3. And the upcoming annual meeting.

Happy Anniversary to Reverend Christine Riley

and the members and friends of UUCCWC!

Almost exactly a year ago this congregation called Rev. Christine Riley to serve as

our settled minister and she accepted our call. That was an important milestone in

the history of our fellowship. We have had the benefit of her spiritual leadership

since late summer. We anguished when she suffered a life threatening physical

ailment and rejoiced in her remarkably strong recovery. Many of us were able to

enjoy Rev. Christine's installation in early April at Southminster Presbyterian in

Beaverton. It was nice to share this singular event with members of her family, with

representatives of the Pacific Northwest District, and many UU ministers from far and

near. Many members of the congregation did an outstanding job in all aspects of preparing

for the ceremony. The food and refreshments were out of this world!

Leadership Training

By the time you read this, several of us will have attended a leadership training session

sponsored by the PNWD at the Eugene UU Church. The District regularly offers training

in a variety of topics and we have benefited from these programs and other services

from the District. I encourage all members and friends to take the opportunity to attend

these programs in the future.

Upcoming Annual Meeting of the Congregation - Sunday, May 18

We are a self governing community of voluntary members and as such follow certain

principles including acting democratically, being transparent in sharing important information

about our church with all members, and in fulfilling our fiduciary obligations to

sustain the church. At the upcoming meeting we will elect new members of the Board

of Trustees and consider the adoption of a budget for the next church year beginning

July 1. There is much important business and vital information to be shared and it is

important that as many members as possible attend and participate. And we will even

have a surprise. You won't want to miss our important meeting and the planned surprise.

April 2008 - Vicki Staley

Do you know how many of us at UUCCWC are Chalice Lighters? Do you know why

that number is important? Do you know what the Chalice Lighter Program is?

Only 31% of us are Chalice Lighters. The Chalice Lighter Program assists the growth

of new and existing congregations in the Pacific Northwest District by providing grants.

One of the requirements for receiving a grant is that at least 30% of the members of the

church are enrolled in the program. The amount of a grant depends on congregational

needs and current Chalice Lighter participation. The program is funded exclusively

through contributions from Unitarian Universalists who participate as Chalice Lighters.

Chalice Lighter grants are intended to help congregations by providing funds to

implement a significant part of their growth plan and may be used to:

• secure or increase professional religious leadership;

• help a congregation secure, improve or furnish a building;

• reach out to the community to attract new members;

• initiate a new congregation; or

• fund any other creative program to facilitate growth.

There are many good reasons to join the more than 1,400 PNWD Unitarian Universalists

who are Chalice Lighters. Being a Chalice Lighter brings you the joy of watching

your $10 (or larger) contribution to a call multiply to a grant of more than $14,000 to

support the growth of our liberal religion in the Pacific Northwest. Also, by being a

Chalice Lighter, you help your congregation qualify for a Chalice Lighter grant. For

UUCCWC, we are now looking at applying for a grant to help us finance some needed

roof repair/replacement on the sanctuary. The greater our number of Chalice Lighters,

the better our chances of receiving a grant.

Up to three letters a year will come your way telling you the purpose of the call and

asking you to send in your pledge of at least $10. Each call will go for the purposes

described in the letter, so you will know exactly where your money will be going

to work. Your only obligation beyond fulfilling your pledge 2 or 3 times a year is to

keep the district office informed of any change of address. Now, isn’t that beautiful in

its simplicity? Becoming a Chalice Lighter is as easy as filling out a Chalice Lighter

Enrollment Form downstairs in the social hall after services and mailing it to PNWDUUA

or going online at www.pnwd.uua.org. Once it is received by the district office,

your name will be added to the rolls and you will receive your own Chalice Lighter pin.

Wear it proudly!

March 2008 - Ted Fuller

I heard something on the radio in mid-February that made me think of church. I was listening to the news
on Oregon Public Broadcasting, when the local announcers came on the air to talk about the winter pledge
drive, one of OPB's periodic fundraiser events.

I got to thinking about how much I value OPB and National Public Radio: The independent news, the voice
of reason, the absence of repetitive commercials. Before I knew it, the pledge break was over; somehow
I had tuned out what they were talking about.

This is what got me thinking about UUCC. As part of our annual gift renewal events, during Sunday services
in the weeks leading up to our Fellowship Dinner and Celebration Sunday, we hear testimonials from members
about why they support our faith community.

While UUCCWC has people talking about giving generously, unlike the scripted speeches on the radio that
I immediately tune out, I'm all ears when members of our church family talk about what UUCC means to
their lives. I like to hear what's important to our members, what moves them to donate, what it is that
makes UUCC their spiritual home. And it inspires me. It inspires me to dig a little deeper, to give a little
more. When each one of us gives our time, energy and money, we all work together to build a better world.

February 2008 - Jay Hamlin

We have organized ourselves as a self-governing group of people free to worship together and engage in

the activities needed to fulfill our mission. In order to be recognized by the state of Oregon as a 501c3

non-profit organization we created our own “Articles of Incorporation” and “Bylaws.” These documents

are vital and valid for our operation, but the document we use most frequently to guide our work together

is our Policy and Procedures Manual. It is formed from an ordered collection of individual documents

that together provide all of us with a sort of “Owner’s Manual.” The lay leadership of our congregation

changes and this is the document that contains our collective shared learning and best-known methods for

maintaining and growing this wonderful group. Simply stated it is used by the Board of Trustees, our staff

and membership at large to operate our church. Our Policy and Procedures Manual consists of 12 Sections

and an Appendix covering things such as administration, budgeting, Committee organization, and Board

and staff conduct. The policies and procedures contained in the manual are static and version-controlled

but are also dynamic in that they can be altered by changes proposed by members, Committees, and the

Board. Changes are approved by the Board of Trustees, incorporated into the whole and made available.

These policies and procedures are important to the way we operate and interact together, as described in

this excerpt from the Introduction:

“Essential to the smooth function of any church is a clear and consistent application of policy by the

Board of Trustees. When lines of responsibility and authority are clearly marked, and when policies for

operating in both ordinary and extraordinary circumstances are well understood, the participants can

occupy themselves with the work that needs to be done rather than the procedures that structure the work.

When unusual or sensitive situations arise, the Board can rely on established policies to guide the group

and is not burdened with generating fair policy in the face of an emotionally charged atmosphere.”

Your Board of Trustees is responsible for the maintenance of the Policy and Procedures Manual and at the

first meeting in June of each new church year one of the members of the Board is designated the honor of

maintaining and updating the official policy manual. He/she also has responsibility for:

• identifying situations that arise for which the Board needs to define policy
• researching and drafting policy for such a situation and submitting to the Board for approval
• being alert to situations for which there is existing policy and bringing it to the attention of Board members
• keeping the policy manual synchronized with actual Board policy by updating and rewriting policy
• accepting and presenting proposed policy changes from congregational members
• educating the congregation and committees about its existence and use.

For church year 2007-2008 I am that designated Board Member. Currently our Policy and Procedures

Manual is at version 1.4 but a new version containing several changes made during the past and current

church year is ‘in the works’ and is expected to be available at the spring Council of Committees meeting.

A current copy is always available in the Parish House for anyone in the congregation to review and consult.

An electronic version is also available.

Your Board encourages you to familiarize yourself with this important document, our “shared wisdom”

on our “shared ministry.”

January 2008 - Warren Wylie

The Board would like members of UUCCWC to consider attending the 2008 Annual General Meeting of the Pacific North West District (PNWD) being held at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma, Washington, during the weekend of February 29 – March 2, 2008. The PNWD is one of twenty Districts of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in North America. The mission of the UUA Districts is to serve as a resource for local congregations and to help extend Unitarian Universalist influence in the larger community.

Each district has its own executive director and board of directors. Our own Allan Warrior is a member of the PNWD board.

Blessing the World is the theme of the meeting, which is taken from the Reverend Rebecca Parker’s book Blessing the World: What Can Save Us Now. Reverend Parker is the president of the Starr King School of Ministry. Her book is a collection of essays on a wide variety of subjects, including violence, redemption, process theology, and religious education. Her most recent focus is on non-violent resistance to oppression, injustice, and war.

The agenda for the three-day gathering is a mixture of business meetings (only delegates need attend, but all are welcome) and 26 workshops on a wide variety of topics, including those on congregational leadership, fundraising, what it takes to maintain a healthy congregation, creation of a just and compassionate society, and living one’s own bliss.

A Saturday and Sunday breakfast buffet, a Saturday luncheon buffet, and Saturday banquet with a rousing after-dinner program will be provided. The meeting will conclude with a Sunday morning worship service.

The Hotel Murano is centrally located in revitalized downtown Tacoma with many shops and restaurants nearby, as well as the Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and the Washington State History Museum.

For more information, and to register, please go to www.pnwd.org or contact Warren Wylie at (503)848-9545 or wbwylie@aol.com.

Updated July 31, 2008

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Splinters from the Board

August 2008 - Patrick Pine

July 2008 - Patrick Pine

June 2008