GA Report 2003

 

·        Solstice Ritual: 
We held our ritual Friday night at Boston Public Garden, near the Swan Boats’ Pond.  We UU pagans crossed Boylston and Arlington Streets, the intersection made famous in “Make Way for Ducklings,” and entered the Public Gardens at the gate near Channing’s statue.  We hung the double chalice CUUPS banner in a locust tree, and circled a white oak tree.  After casting the circle and invoking the quarters we  introduced ourselves with the water gathering ritual.  We then raised energy with chants, a circle dance, and a spiral dance.  We watered the white oak tree and locust tree with the water and opened the circle as night fell.

·        Annual Meeting:

Note:  Our meeting was scheduled for the lunch "free" timeslot between the Service of the Living Tradition, in the Fleet Center, which was scheduled to end at 11:30 am, and the plenary session, in the convention hall, which began at 2:00 pm.  The Service of the Living Tradition ran very late, making many people late, while others, notably board member Rev. Melanie Morel Sullivan, board member, and nominating committee members Rev. Joan Van Becealare  and Rev Mary Wellemeyer , missed the entire meeting.

o       Invocation:

Mary Gelfand gave an invocation and then introduced the board members and staff who were present: Shari Storm, Judy Kay Craft, David Huffman, and Susan Craft-Rendon.  Shannon Cocheo arrived after the introductions. 

o       Approval of previous minutes:

Judy Kay Craft read the minutes & report from GA2002. She then noted that she thought she, Susan Craft-Rendon, and Niko Tarini were the only people from the 2002 meeting at this meeting, since Joan van Becelaere, Mary Wellemeyer, and Dick Merrit were at other meetings.  Judy  was corrected by Lance Brown, who was indeed at the meeting in Quebec, and she apologized. 

 

 

o       Re-Visioning Report:

CUUPS is conducting two polls, one to individuals members and another to chapter contacts as the first step in our re-visioning process.  We will also have a workshops at General Assembly and Convocation to do more brainstorming.  We plan to conclude our Re-Visioning at our Annual Meeting at the Long Beach General Assembly in 2004.

o       Nominating Committee Report:

The Nominating Committee nominated Mary Gelfand, Cindy Glaze, Rev. MelanieMorel Sullivan, and Niko Tarini for the board of Trustees for the three full terms opening on the board at Samhain.  No nominations were made from the floor, and the annual meeting voted to close the nominations for board of trustees.  The nominating committee nominated Paula Ferguson, Eric Dutton, and Karen Dutton to the polling committee. No nominations were made from the floor; the nominations for polling committee were closed. The nominees were elected to the polling committee by acclamation.  The nominating committee nominated Dick Merrit, Rev. Joan Van Becelaere, Rev. Mary Wellemeyer, and Victoria Hammel to the nominating committee.  No nominations were made from the floor or from the board, and the meeting closed the nominations.  The nominees for nominating committee were elected by acclamation.

 

o       Convocation Committee Report:

Mary Gelfand presented the current plans for Convocation at The Mountain in March 2004.  There will be at least one Re-Visioning workshop at Convocation

o       Other Business:

Many members stressed the importance of a paper newsletter, mailed to each member.  There was also discussion about contacting Rev Shirley Ranck about revising the “Cakes for the Queen of Heaven” curriculum.  The Religious Education committee was requested to work on developing earth centered material for the children’s “Pillars” program, for a better fit with the way most congregations do Sunday School.  The need for something like “Cakes” and “Rise Up” for men was also discussed.

o       Adjournment:

Keisha Hildebrand moved that the meeting be adjourned, and was seconded by several members.   The meeting was adjourned by acclamation 

 

·        Weaving the Fabric of CUUPS (Workshop):
 

After the board members present (Shari Storm, Mary Gelfand, Judy Kay Craft, Shannon Cocheo, and Rev Melanie Morel Sullivan) introduced themselves, the group broke up into 5 discussion groups, each facilitated by a board member.  Each board members notes will be included with the polling data and interviews into the Final Re-Visioning Report