Highlights from our Annual Meeting – June 7, 2009

Our Annual Meeting was held June 7, 2009 in the Sanctuary with a quorum present. Some of the highlights follow. We discussed the proposed budget as printed (-$84,421.95) and ways we could decrease our deficit budget. John Guetersloh reported that since the Annual Report was printed, more pledges have come in and the deficit is now approximately -$65,000. Our moderator, Dick Axtell, also reported that Cabinet voted to freeze personnel salaries. We voted to move up to $15,000 from the Bieren funds to the local budget, and boards were asked to cut back on expenses. We then voted to accept the deficit budget of -$50,000.

Pastor Jamie Howard thanked Dick Axtell for his service as moderator and for co-chairing the fall fair last year with his wife and with Tom and Sue Crowther. She also thanked Susan Wingfield for the annual report, complete with a pictorial view of church life during the year. Jamie attended a memorial tea for Lorena Haines. The Haines’ family returned to the church the painted picture of our church and the handmade quilt that was given to The Rev. Perry Haines when he retired.

Torvy Hurd volunteered to chair the Fall Fair.

Holly Webster asked that we consider having raffles as fundraisers and also asked if she could sell raffle tickets here for the quilt made to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. After much discussion and many opinions, we decided to move this discussion to the June Cabinet meeting (any member of the church may attend Cabinet). For now, the quilt may be shown at church and anyone who wants to purchase a ticket may do so at the Unitarian Church.

At the meeting, the following corrections and additions were made to Officers, Boards, Committees before we voted: Term for Kathy Harris will end in 2010, Nurture-Allyson Printz is in her second term, Ruth Robinson is in her second term and her end date is 2011, Turkey Dinner Chair is Cheryl Pespisa, Fall Fair Chair is Torvy Hurd, and Names in Bold were voted on at Annual Meeting 2009 (not 2008).

The reports of Officers, Boards and Committees were presented. Mark Guetersloh, Chairman of the Board of Deacons, emphasized our need to put our emphasis on membership. He also read the list of deceased members followed by a moment of silence in their memory. Jim Maxon, Chairman of the Stewardship Board, said that their board would like to have manpower volunteers to help with repair work in the church and in the manse. There was an inspection of the manse the end of May and the board will need to prioritize the work that needs to be done. Some work has to be done immediately for safety. Allyson Printz, new Chairperson of The Board of Christian Nurture, had no additional information to report. Outreach Chairperson, Alison Weaver, reported that this summer that to help the Bedford Food Pantry, Outreach will be selling $2 coupons that may be used at Farmers’ Market by those who receive goods from the Bedford Food Pantry.