Shelley Fields (Team Leader), Hank Jud, Melinda Jud, Pastor Carol Kniseley, Pastor Jim Kniseley, Pastor Lucille Mills, Josh Mills, Bill Smith, Pastor Tim Waltonen.
Note: Pastor Brumbach was unable to attend because of a schedule conflict. Our adoption of a consistent calendar for meetings (see “Steering Committee Recommendation for Team Process,” page 2, below) should prevent such problems in the future
Old Business
Report on Synod Council Presentation. Bill Smith reported on a successful presentation for our team that raised the Council’s awareness of our existence and purpose, though he also remarked that the absence of any different (i.e., multicultural) voices on the Council still raises a question as to how thoroughly the Council understands the situation of people of color in our church body. In response, Pastor Kniseley suggested a future effort by our team to nominate such a voice (specifically, Bill himself) during the open nominations process on the Synod Assembly floor. (Note that further checking reveals that the election for synod council this year does not include a lay male position. As an interim alternative, Pastor Kniseley will ask Bill to accept nomination to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis.) We can further assist increased awareness by reporting to the Council on our meetings and activities
Pastor Mills reported on a highly positive response to her PowerPoint presentation about Rejoice, which is now accessible via the VA Synod web site.
Rejoice Report
Pastor Mills reported that the co-tenant of Rejoice’s future office park location has recently opened shop, and is attracting a great deal of business. He will be able to begin directing Rejoice’s build-out soon, and hopes to have it completed by the end of July. Next step in the process will be signing a lease.
Pastor Mills also provided materials comprising a Rejoice Information Package for use by team members and others in making our respective churches aware of the opportunity this mixed congregation offers for VA Synod ELCA ministry in the Tidewater/Chesapeake. Package components include a letter to pastors, a two-sided bulletin insert, two brochures, and individual/family and congregational commitment cards. Team members and others in the Synod can let her know which materials they would like, and quantities. The PowerPoint presentation downloadable from the VA Synod web site is intended as an accompaniment. A suggested Scenario for Use consists of our presenting the package to our church councils along with a request to have a Sunday set aside for Pastor Mills to come and address our respective congregations. (Possibly a pulpit exchange could take place.) Hearing an eloquent expression of the profound potential of a dedicated ELCA presence in the Tidewater/Chesapeake region – witnessing for the community – should raise awareness needed for support of this mission.
New Business
Steering Committee Recommendation for Team Process. The team Steering Committee, consisting of Team Leader Shelley Fields, Assistant Leader Melinda Jud, and Pastor Tim Waltonen, presented a recommendation for an enlarged team leadership structure (addition of two co-leaders, in place of one assistant leader, and a team secretary), with defined terms of office, staggered for periods of one and two years, to allow for continuity.
The proposed structure, including a slate of candidates nominated by the Steering Committee, consisted of the following:
Team Leader – Shelley Fields (2 year term)
Co-Leaders – Melinda Jud (2years) and Bill Smith (1 year)
Secretary – Liv Hauge (1 year, pending Liv’s approval)
Steering Committee – Officers plus one additional member – Pastor Waltonen (1 year)
A proposed meeting schedule to accompany the new structure identified third Sundays in January, May, July, and October as regular meeting dates, with one meeting per year to be held in Chesapeake. The availability of dates a year in advance, together with the enlarged leadership structure, should promote greater efficiency and consistency. Pastor Mills will have the option to participate in Fredericksburg meetings by conference call capability (available both through the Kniseleys and Resurrection Lutheran Church).
Bill Smith moved, and Hank Jud seconded, the adoption of the enlarged structure, slate of candidates, and calendar. The motion carried unanimously.
One Year Later: Where We Need To Go From Here. The Steering Committee suggested a multi-pronged approach to opening awareness to the need to diversify single-race congregations. Pastor Waltonen drew attention to a program recently publicized by the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia as a possible place to begin. Melinda Jud will contact Satoshi Ito, who is organizing the Diocese’s training sessions through its Anti-Racism Commission, to obtain a set of the training materials for discussion and and a framework for generating ideas at our July meeting. Additional ideas for a multi-pronged raising of awareness included repeat performances of their 2006 Synod Assembly “Walkabout” piece by Shelley and Melinda, subsequent “teaching sessions” in which Synod teens might learn to construct such performances of their own for other youth at Synod Assembly, choir exchanges between congregations of differing ethnicity, other ELCA church sharing, college students’ exchange (two weeks working at an inner city church in summer and simultaneously learning about the city, or staffing a summer daycamp), participation by ELCA churches in programs such as Fredericksburg’s “Micah Ministries” for the homeless, helping immigrant workers meet employers, and possible cooperation with Lutheran Tidewater Council and Lutheran Family Services in providing community support (e.g., counseling services, a class on anti-racism, etc.). We should also contact Everett Flanigan again concerning the Regional Conference idea. Also, Mr. Padilla, Global Missions, Chicago, may be a contact with resources. Our focus in whatever we go about: “Doing for the community, not simply for the church and the church’s survival; rather, witnessing for the community itself.”
AAOT Presence/Participation at 2008 Synod Assembly, June 6-8.
Pastor Waltonen has drafted a leaflet entitled “Call to Civil Dialogue in the 2008 Campaign & Election” that we hope to have included in the convention packets. He will also register to speak in this vein during the “Items of Concern and Conscience” portion of the Assembly. (The 2008 presidential campaign continues to be a history-making event in American society, with several cultural boundaries being eclipsed. This affects our Lutheran churches; thus, the need for civil dialogue to be addressed.)
We will present a display (new display area, Colkett Center, 2nd floor, air conditioned!)
We will submit an announcement inviting assembly attendees to join us at one (possibly two) lunch tables on Saturday, for conversation in response to Pastor Waltonen’s five-minute “Call to Civil Dialogue.”
Next Meeting Date: Sunday, July 20, 2008, at Rejoice in Chesapeake. (Please make an attempt to share the Rejoice information package with your church council in advance of the meeting, if possible.)
Action Items
1. Melinda Jud will contact Satoshi Ito, of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern VA concerning its anti-racism materials.
2. Melinda Jud will follow up on Eric Carlson’s request that we communicate with the Synod office directly to have our reports and minutes posted on our page of the Synod web site.
3. Melinda Jud will check on the cost of a team banner and report this to Bill Smith.
4. Pastor Waltonen will register to speak to the need for a “Call to Civil Dialogue in the 2008 Campaign & Election” during the “Items of Concern and Conscience” portion of this year’s Synod Assembly. He will also provide the leaflet on this topic to be included in the Assembly packets.
5. Shelley Fields and Pastor Mills will provide materials for our team’s Synod Assembly display. Shelley and Melinda Jud will provide a sign-up sheet for requesting additional performances of their 2006 “Walkabout” piece. Ellen Greene will help set up and man the display.
6. Melinda Jud will coordinate details for the Saturday lunch tables and tickets for the lunch with Pastor Gunsten. Hank Jud will produce team “business” cards. Ellen Greene will provide two identifying signs. Everyone else, please let us know ASAP whether you can come! (To date, Shelley Fields, Bill Smith, Pastor Jim and Pastor Carol Kniseley, Pastor Ken and Liv Hauge, Melinda and Hank Jud, Pastor Waltonen, and Pastor Mills are signed up. We welcome more!)