Sunday, January 19, 2020

Servant Leadership Team Minutes from Jan. 11, 2020




In attendance: Mary Williams, Linda Dollins, Merrilee Melvin, Diane Oldfield, Vicki Rehkoph, Elena Andrews, Rick Martin, Susan Wheeler, and Patti Smith.

Opening:  Mary led us in a period of Centering Prayer and then we read aloud the CONSD Mission, Vision and Core Values statement.  Mary continued to lead the business meeting.

Report from Teams and Team Leaders
CONSD Liaison:  Mary reported for Diane Langworthy.  On January 18th Point Loma Presbyterian Church is hosting “Putting on the Mind of Christ” with Chris Hagen.  There are still openings for COSD’s Intensive Retreat at Prince of Peace, April 13-19.  United in Prayer Day is March 21, 2020 and hosted by COSD.

Introductory Workshop: Our next one is January 25th at St. Bartholomew’s.  We reviewed the changes to the Intro Team, including Rick Martin as the new team leader. Current members also include Jan Simpson (Moderator), Diane Oldfield (registration), and Vicki Rehkopf (12-step). The follow-up sessions for this workshop are on Tuesdays from 5:00-6:30 with the St. Bart’s prayer group.  Patti Smith stressed the importance of attending our Intros when we can to give support and to refresh our practice.  Rick suggested we advertise in the local newspapers.  Mary said St. Thomas More might host a workshop.  Next year Vicki and Patti will consider doing a 12-Step Intro.

Hospitality:  Joan Thompson was not present, but she emailed Linda that she needs the calendar of events so she can plan.  The St. Bart’s prayer group and the Intro Team will furnish hospitality for the Intro on January 25th.

Registration:  Susan Wheeler.  All is well.  Susan asked for prayers for Bernie Mendoza, a registration helper, who is being treated for breast cancer.

Prayer Group Facilitator Support:  Kathy Agnew will be available later this spring.  Last year she visited prayer groups as needed and is trained as an Intro presenter.  She is also writing monthly support emails to prayer group leaders.

Spiritual Development Team:  Mary reported for Deborah Lewallen that the Deepening will be April 2-5 at Prince of Peace Abbey.  24 spaces are available, and 20 servant leaders have expressed an interest. Two additional spaces are reserved for our retreat leaders: Susan Rush and Susan Komis.  Final registration is on February 15th.  Scholarships are offered.  Mary will develop the registration email and include descriptions of the conferences to be sent out shortly.
     The Deepening notice on the CONSD website under Events, will be marked “closed.”  If spaces are still available after February 15, they will be offered to COSD leadership and by invitation only to CONSD members. 
     Patti Smith described The Spiritual Journey Series class on the Human Condition she presented in October/November 2019.  17 attended and she said she would repeat this offering but at an inland location either later this spring or in the fall.
     Linda suggested CONSD might organize various classes modeled after the class Patti taught targeting certain contemplative interests such as lectio divina or specific books. Classes might meet once a week for 3-5 weeks. 

Outreach:  Elena Andrews reported on the prison ministry she does with Riti DiAngeli.  They are going about once a month to Otay Mesa to visit two groups, high-risk women and low-risk men, for one hour each.  They give the groups a Centering Prayer brochure in Spanish and English as well as other materials. Elena received a request for donations from the C.O. Prison Ministry to cover the cost of the materials they send to prison ministers.  $100 buys materials for 10 people.  After discussion, Vicki moved and Susan seconded that CONSD contribute $200 to this ministry.
      Mary reported on the Pre-Cana program we have helped serve this past year.  The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego is rethinking the retreat agenda, which may affect whether we continue our Centering Prayer presentations with them.

Media: Diane reported that the media boxes are here at the meeting for facilitators to check out. 

Financial Report:  Merrilee reported that our account is at $9,718.86.  Scholarships for the Deepening still need to be dispersed as well as the $200 for the Prison Ministry.  We discussed whether we should give $100 a month to C.O. and decided we would use the extra resources to support those within our chapter. For example, we have changed the suggested donation for Intro Workshops from $25 to a freewill offering and offered more scholarships.
   Proposal to approve Mary Williams to be on the SDCCU CONSD account.  Merrilee Melvin moved to add Mary Williams to the account and Diane Oldfield seconded the motion.  Mary asked for the vote and the motion was unanimously approved. 

Communications:  Elaine Griveas has retired but left us a detailed information file to explain how she advertised should we find a volunteer.
    Mary has created a blog for the chapter called “Be Still and Know.”  We each received a link to the blog before the meeting. https://bestillconsd.blogspot.com/  We will use the blog as a central information site for facilitators, servant leaders, and presenters, not everyone in the chapter. We can leave comments on the blog as well as find past information because everything will be archived. 

Webmaster Diana Conner:  Diana is considering upgrading the consd.org website. 

Other:
Potential Speakers: Merrilee suggested Ali Kirkpatrick who helps write Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations, has an article “Monk in Midlife” in a CAC journal, lives in San Diego, and is connected to the Mary Magdalene Catholic Community; and Ellen Haroutunian, who lives in Denver, is a psychotherapist, a writer, has an MA of Divinity, and is ecumenical.

Merrilee announced Rev. Susan Latimer will present a morning of music and contemplative chant.  From the flyer: Singing and Chanting as Spiritual Practice, Saturday, February 8, 2020, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Cost: $25 (Free for Good Shepherd folks), The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 308 E Acacia Ave. Hemet, An experiential retreat, including singing and chanting new and old sacred songs.

Susan Wheeler suggested we renew a possible investigation with COSD into the online Meditation Chapel.  We also might create a contemplative day around it.

Calendar Scheduling Notes
United in Prayer Day:  March 21
The Deepening:  April 2-5
COSD 6-day Intensive:  April 13-19
SLT: May 16
Chris Hagen half-day:  June 13
Discernment Day:  July 25
SLT: September 19
Prince of Peace Retreat: October 16-18
[March 7 or April 25: Save for CONSD speaker]
[Spring or Fall:  The Human Condition, Inland, with Patti Smith]

Respectfully submitted,
Diane Oldfield


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