Sharing Our Final Board Meeting of 2024-25

Date
June 25, 2025
Author
UUCC Board of Trustees
Category
Good Governance, Latest News, Membership

Dear Beloved People of UUCC,

The UUCC Board of Trustees year starts July 1 and ends the following June 30. Typically, the June board meeting is some kind of celebration, gratitude and some looking-back.

This year, with some food and conversation, the Board welcomed our incoming board members (Jen Siegal, 2nd Vice President and Jill Cairns, Member at Large), and thanked outgoing members (Laurie Coltri, President, Pamela Henry, Member at Large, and Youth Member, Alex Horn, in absentia).

We also looked back on our board year with conversation circles. We took turns responding to three prompts, striving to keep space for each person to respond. A scribe took notes. We want to share the results of these circles with you, UUCC Beloveds.

PROMPT 1: Describe a deeply transformational moment, action, or outcome, of this year’s board, and tell us why you found it transformational.

Regina Verow, 1st Vice President: The process of hiring an interim minister was transformative. Interviewing the five candidates, as opposed to the packets sent, was a relief! Getting to understand the congregation in a different way using the questions [posed by the UUA process] was also transformative. I got to appreciate the congregation and our faith and how we are, uniquely, us.
Lorien Haavik, Treasurer: A long year, with distractions. There was a sense of accomplishing things at every meeting. A smooth Annual Meeting!!!
Meagan Lopes, Secretary: Writing a personal blogpost, sharing myself, was personally transformative.
Pamela Henry, Member At Large: Two years ago my wish was to find out how UUCC governance functions (nuts and bolts). And I now know and am richer for the experience.
Becky Reese, Member At Large: Notable and wise was the decision to extend the interim ministry period. It went smoothly and was a good decision.
Steve Parr, 2nd Vice President: Time is long and short. It seems like we just had our Saturday orientation last summer. The Lego exercise contributed by Becky was transformative. That and the availability of Play-Doh at the board meetings for people to relax. I keep thinking about that Lego sculpture we made together.
Laurie Coltri, President: The gradual building of trust between and among us was an unforgettable and joyful experience. I think it was infectious and was picked up by the congregation.
Rev. Lisa, Interim Minister: Absolutely so proud and pleased with the interim ministry extension process. From Laurie’s initial sigh through the whole process. It was beautiful.
Laurice Grae, Executive Director: Getting hired!

PROMPT 2: If you were going to display on UUCC’s walls a shadow box, poster, or wall shrine to commemorate each board year, what word, phrase, poem, song, image, etc. would you contribute for the 2024-25 board year?

Regina: Adaptability
Lorien: Image and words: Lego sculpture with descriptions (see below)

Becky Reese’s explanation of the Lego model: “This model was created by taking concepts from each individual model built by board members at the [August 2024 board] retreat and incorporating them into a collective story representing our view of relatedness and stewardship at UUCC.

On the left side of the model is a gray on-ramp into the UUCC community. It leads to pink and blue structures that represent various ways to engage with the community. These structures are a bit delicately balanced with minimal support below them. Underneath the green structure is the tippy top of a haphazardly arranged stewardship tower, which falls just short of reaching the structures it is intended to support. The red bridge from the green structure to the elongated piece to the right represents a bridge between the growth opportunities that we may overlook in our environment on the right and the sprouts of growth and connection of community that bloom on the left hand side. The red and leafy portion of the flame-topped chalice tower on the far left spins and jiggles a bit, representing adaptability and flexibility of ways to live our UU values. It is in close proximity to the flowering community element that links our UUCC internal community to the structures in the surrounding community, which is represented by the brown staircase. The small brown figure carrying a chalice flame up the stairs toward the bridge at the top represents the idea of a mama cougar training her cubs to take the safe path under a highway bridge. Metaphorically, this represents our community members conveying our values into the community in ways that transfer culture and knowledge across communities and generations.”

Meagan: Executive Session.
Laurice: Contributed this image:

Pamela: Play-doh

Becky: We were prescient – from the outset – about almost everything.
Steve: Bullet points:
- Extend Interim Ministry
- New Executive Director
- Solid Budget
Rev. Lisa: Would contribute a miniature model of our DTen machine*.
Laurie: “Moving at the Speed of Church”

PROMPT 3: What would each of you like to communicate to the congregation as we conclude our year together as a board?

Regina: How deeply we love this congregation and what it stands for. We are often in awe of who we are as a community and what we can accomplish.
Lorien: We’re on your side, working for you, we’re here for you.
Meagan: I’ve seen us grow not just as a board, but as a congregation, together, and looking forward to what we can do.
Pamela: The word “NEW.” I was new to this position, which was a little frightening. Sit into it and embrace it. It will come to you if you are patient.
Becky: I look forward to doing a lot of rich, challenging and joyful work together (with all, not just the board) this [upcoming] year.
Steve: In these challenging times, we have more in common than separate us. We must hold together for the good of all.
Rev. Lisa: Trust one another and believe in yourselves.
Laurice Grae: Keep the faith
Laurie: Be brave. We’ve got your back. Keep your collective hearts broken open. Listen, observe, and learn with the curious mind of a scientist and the joy of a child; affirm one another’s perspectives; and reach out beyond UUCC. Let’s strive to keep one another strong for the road ahead.

* FYI, the DTen is a rolling cart with an internet-accessible large monitor, used for hybrid meetings. After Valerie Hsu, our previous Executive Director, left, the DTen caused all kinds of challenges and anxieties as we tried to be inclusive with tech.