Annual Congregational Meeting

Join us for our Annual Congregational Meeting! We would like to reflect on our past year, plan financially for the upcoming year, elect church leadership, discuss the vote for the 8th principle, and celebrate our life together.

For more information, please contact Janet L.

Notice of ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

Sunday June 9, 2024 via Zoom
Meeting  will be held on Zoom via the following link (it is our regular Zoom Room 1) or phone number.
https://zoom.us/j/97905246696 Meeting ID: 979 0524 6696 or Dial by your location 669-444-9171.

AGENDA

1. Attendance / Establish Quorum: Dallas Moore, Secretary
2. Call to Order: Janet Landau, President
3. Chalice Lighting 
4. Leadership Reports
   1. Minister: Rev. Gordon C. Bailey
   2. President: Janet Landau, Board President
   3. Endowment Committee: Pete Cox
5. Motion: To approve minutes from June 11, 2024 Annual Congregational Meeting (See Attached)
6. Presentation of Slate of Candidates for Elected Offices: Pat Cox, Nominating Committee
   1. Motion: To accept Slate of Candidates for Elected Offices
      1. SLATE OF CANDIDATES  
         1. BOARD OF TRUSTEES POSITIONS:
            1. President: Janet Landau 2 years (2024 – 2026) 
            2. Secretary: Mary Kraig 2 years (2024 – 2026) 
            3. Trustee: Gary Davis 2 years (2024 – 2026) 
         2. NOMINATING COMMITTEE POSITIONS:
            1. Pat Cox 2 years (2024 – 2026) 
            2. Angie Whiteman 2 years (2024 – 2026) 
         3. ENDOWMENT COMMITTEE POSITIONS:
            1. Pete Cox 3 years (2024 – 2027)
7. Finance Presentation – Phyllis Ruscillo
   1. Review of current year (See Attached)
   2. Motion: To adopt Proposed Budget for FY 2024/25
8. Motion: To adopt the 8th principle by Board of Trustees – Janet Landau

“We, Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist Society, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”

9.  Closing/Adjournment

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Annual Congregational Meeting: Minister’s Report
Rev. Gordon Clay Bailey
May 2024

This year will complete my 29th year in active ministry and my first with this congregation.  As I began in 1995, I remember thinking about what a pleasure it would be to serve a congregation with a great deal of potential, positive people and an excellent location.  And so it has come to pass mostly.  I love being here.  I believe SepulvedaUU possesses all of the necessary ingredients to flourish spiritually and communally (The City of LA, The Valley in particular, Los Angeles Co and in this South West Region) of the UUA.  I’m still trying to figure out how this all came to pass during last August and all that happened to bring me here.

I am always looking forward to working with a new Board and I want to say thanks to the Board that has served during the 2023-2024 congregational year. Our relationships have been good, new, challenging and I hope for each of us a learning experience.  We’ve navigated a lot.  Injuries, lack of familiarity the realities of not being in a space that is truly ours has given us a lot to face this year.  

I hope it has been an eye opener for each of us.  I hope we learned things about ourselves?  I hope ultimately it has been good for you all  or at least an experience to grow from.  This experience prayerfully will help us as we discern our next steps as a congregation.  

In terms of the congregation as a total package -I have found this group of people to be lovely!  You are a deeply committed group of spiritual/religious pilgrims.  Overall, your  seriousness results in Sunday after Sunday despite small numbers of people to be a congregation that cares, that shares, that is committed to UU values and this makes SepulvedaUU an experience and spiritual home that offers a good life at SepulvedaUU for all who choose to enter into our space.

Now, as  SepulvedaUU moves forward together, keep that energy and commitment, let’s grow it further.  Spirituality matters, compassion matters, a vision/mission/covenant matter for these things give life to a people committed to shared values and congregational life.  I’m hoping we will have a Vision, Mission, Covenant workshop in the early fall.  We will renew our commitments and step into our potential.

Religious Education is vitally important and I am so pleased to be part of a congregation that takes Life Span Religious Education seriously.  That being said, we must face the challenges of this present time.  We presently don’t have a professional Religious Educator.  We don’t have a very large budget for it either.  We have a small number of children that visit infrequently ranging from the very young up through a few in high school.  We potentially have more people who are not members but are in the orbit of our congregation this means if we build more maybe more people will come? I hope we can plan for a future where a staff person is identified and chosen.  It makes a difference and I look forward to that individual sharing the beauty of growing kids, youth and families with us at SepulvedaUU. 

Our Adult RE/ programming has been ok.  A few challenges but I believe we have a congregation of eager participants.  I think about this past year. I’m proud of the group that showed up for our learning more about the history of Indigenous peoples.  I think the Deaf Cafe has great potential. I wonder if we have the bandwidth to do more but time will tell. This community needs more UU values shared communally. I think Interfaith learning and deep diving into UU history, social justice and supporting the LGBTQIA community will be the blueprint for the future growth of our community.  Our future is always dependent on religious education both for the youth and for the adults.  That being said- Growing the collective souls of SepulvedaUU and the rest of humanity is and will be our work to do.  

I must also give thanks and praise to the committees for the work they do.  Thanks to all of you that support and make this place run! We share so much together.  Pastoral Care/Caring Circle you are awesome.  The task is great and those of you who serve give and share of your time and so much more!  I also want to give a special nod to Program and Sunday Service committees.  Gary with the program committee has tried to help us have positive and fun times together this year. I am grateful. Teri, Dallas, and others with the Sunday Service committee have been great along with the whole committee. The WA and Ron with joys and concerns make such a difference for us all. I see you and appreciate your participation. Marilyn, Doris, Teri, Mary you have been awesome this year helping us pull together our services!

THANK YOU SO MUCH for all you do and have done!! 

Wow, I think what goes on in those groups settings really supports strengthening of our connections. I can’t wait until we can break bread together and to share the many events, dialogues, personal stories and idle chatter that comes with being with so many interesting souls. Thanks to the Finance Committee, the Nominating Committee and everyone that serves with SepulvedaUU!

Social Action/Social Justice is always about to take off.   It’s important to us both as UU’s that live their values and for our standing in the community. Connections with other UU congregations, the connection to the NVCS, Interfaith involvement, maybe Sierra Club, 8th Principle, Habitat for Humanity, the ACLU, NAACP  and so much more will continue to call our attention.  I am both grateful and always concerned about what we get involved with given the issues of the day. How we respond to the global crisis says a lot about us. Let’s engage with the world, our state, our county and our local concerns. You UU’s can and should engage, get involved and do what we can. 

Membership is key to our future.  We need to figure this out. How will we attract new people? More discussion about this.  Use of social media and other tactics will have to be employed to make us grow! One of the ways we show love for our community and any guest that comes to be with us is in how we treat people.  You all do a wonderful Job. The goodies are always appreciated!

Denominational affairs have largely been something that is both a religious professionals concern and also a congregational issue.  Going to the District Conference/Regional meeting is important and we have been represented by our president Janet and I at events. I believe in attending GA and am so grateful we can see it online. If you haven’t been to GA plan on attending.  It’s online.  Watch from home and gather as a family or SepulvedaUU members?  GA is for our UU community. Start planning now.  It is an amazing experience!  Let’s plan a group watch if possible?  

I want to say a word or two about our experimental Sundays with The Mountain Top.  I am so happy that Pastor AJ Blackwood and religious educator Denard Blackwood participate with us.  This is our only opportunity at present time to engage with a BIPOC community. These religious professionals share with grace and love each third Sunday service and I believe this offering is important for us as we express our openness to the global majority. The numbers of visitors may not be big yet but the potential for growth for us in this valley of great diversity is great. Special appreciation to my colleagues.

Let’s stay connected!

As I think over the year that is almost complete, I would like to offer my personal thanks to a number of people.  First and foremost, thanks to the Board for their good works. The Worship Associates have been an invaluable part of our services and they are awesome. I never had a team like these folks before.  I appreciate each of you!  I want to thank Bridges for the technical work they do for us.  We needed a lot of help and you all pay for it but they do what they do with care and concern for our wellbeing.  Geneys Landry as our administrator is available and on point for us. I am pleased with her skills and support. I want to Thank Paul Ermisch and the music ministry. It isn’t easy in this new world of ours to have music that is legally ours to use and share. Without a professional in house with us I think Paul provides us with good UU hymns and more every Sunday. Thank you Bridges!

Lastly, I hope I didn’t forget any of you wonderful folks; thanks for all that everyone does to make this congregation all that it is.  I appreciate the grace and many kindnesses that have been extended to me and my family this year.  I look forward to next year with a great deal of excitement.  We’ve only just begun…

Best wishes and lots of love,  

Gordon

Rev Gordon Clay Bailey    

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Annual Congregational Meeting: Minutes
Sunday June 11, 2023: 12:30pm via Zoom Meeting

In Attendance: Attached 

Meeting was convened at 12:40pm – quorum was established

AGENDA

1. Attendance / Quorum

Total Members	Attendance	Quorum Met?	Visitors
24	12	5 Yes	No

2. Chalice Lighting: Teri Ismail 
3. Welcome: Janet Landau, Board President 
4. Reports 
   1. President: Janet Landau, Board President 
   2. Executive Director: Brent Huss 
   3. Finance, Brent Huss (in absence of Finance Officer Angie Whiteman)
      1. Revenue – Projected $19,500, at $14,500 or ~75% revenue, expect some catchup checks in may, by the end of june will probably be at 80% of estimated revenue. Almost all revenue pegged to pledges. Overall a good year 
      2. Expenses – contract expense, budget through April 30 is $72,900, actual expense is $58k, almost $15k positive variance 
      3. Discretionary Program – Budgeted $9,167, actual is $7719
      4. Operating Expenses, – budgeted $16,522, actual is $18,834
      5. Total through April, estimated at 98610, actual 84646, net loss of just over 70k, 10k under what was projected.
      6. Question – How is the bookkeeper relationship working?
         1. A: Only $100/month, not a lot of transactions, working well.
      7. Question – What is the status of the Endowment fund – how is it doing?
         1. A: Brent and Angie have been attending investor meetings with UUA for ~18 months, currently down about 20%, it was 25%, but the trajectory looks pretty good.
             
   4. Endowment Committee: Pete Cox
      1. List and photos of memorial tiles from old location available via the office. Compiling list of tiles for member access to be shared.
   5. Ministerial Search Committee – Marilyn Morton
      1. Question – How many people would have been notified of the position opening, and who are those people?
         1. A: Job listing is posted on the UUA.org website which includes not just ministers, but other roles: office admin, music directors, ED, etc.. It is a very extensive posting and where a minister looking for a job would go to look for openings. We don’t know who is viewing it. If we are interested in hiring a non-UU minister, there is a separate process. The committee is going to talk about these things when we meet next. Janet Landau is in communication with Melissa James, supporting for our region. 
      2. Question – How long will we be able to use CSL?
         1. A: There is no limitation. They’re happy with us, we’re part of their income, and there are no known complaints. 
5. Vote to approve minutes from last year’s Annual Congregational Meeting, June 12, 2022 
   1. Motion: Pat C. – Motion to approve the year 2022/2023 minutes of the last annual congregational meeting, held June 12, 2022 
      1. Second – Phyllis R. 
      2. Discussion – No discussion 
      3. Result –Unanimous approval
6. Presentation of Slate of Candidates and voting for 2023/2024 positions – presented by the Nominating Committee
   1. Motion: Phyllis R. – motion to “accept the slate as presented by the Nominating Committee” 
      1. Second – Gary D. 
      2. Discussion – No discussion 
      3. Result – Motion approved unanimously 
7. Presentation of 2023/2024 Budget and vote to approve – presented by Brent Huss
   1. Summary from Brent Huss and request for questions
      1. Question – Was 22 from the pledge drive?
         1. A: Yes 
      2. Comment – If we don’t identify a candidate earlier in the year, that money would not necessarily be spent and would be transferred or moved forward to the next year. 
      3. Question – Are the contract expenses assuming someone is starting July 1, 2023?
         1. A: Yes
             
      4. Comment – Numbers are conservative, pushed towards the higher end of the range so we have room to negotiate (also includes benefits for negotiation) 
      5. Comment – If we don’t get a minister for some reason, does the Sunday Service committee have enough funds to run the Sunday service for the year?
         1. A: We might need to revisit if that is the case. 
   2. Motion: Gary D. – motion to “accept the budget as written”. 
      1. Second – Phyllis R. 
      2. Discussion – No additional discussion. 
      3. Result – Motion approved unanimously 
8. Closing/Adjournment – Adjourned at 1:36pm

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Annual Congregational Meeting: Finance Report
Year to Date 4/30/2024
June 2024

REVENUES	Year	Budget
Pledges	$          15,483	$          22,000
Collections, Contributions	2,339	1,000
Fund Raising		500
TOTAL NET REVENUES	17,874	23,700
CONTRACTUAL EXPENSES
Minister	91,564	117,000
Minister FICA reimbursement	4,112	6,372
Minister Search		6,000
Executive Director	14,985	5,850
Administrator	12,250	26,000
Payroll Taxes	1,146	1,146
Musician		4,800
Unitarian Universalist Association	5,206	5,230
TOTAL CONTRACTUAL EXPENSE	129,263	172,398

PROGRAM/DISCRETIONARY EXPENSE	Year	Budget
Annual Stewardship Drive		1,000
Board Retreat	4,945	3,000
Board Discretionary Fund		1,000
Minister Discretionary Fund		1,000
Bookkeeping	500	1,200
Matching Funds	370	1,200
Leadership Development		2,000
Hospitality	512	1,500
Membership		1,000
Caring Circle		125
Nominating Committee		110
Personnel	418	750
Program	507	2,500
Justice		3,000
Sunday Services	3,168	6,000
Marketing		8,000
TOTAL PROGRAM/DISCRETIONARY EXPENSE	10,420	33,385

OPERATING EXPENSE	Year	Budget
Insurance	3,597	3,800
Office & Telephone	1,576	3,000
Credit Card fees	7	100
Rent	10,000	14,500
Storage	4,037	4,620
Technology	5,318	9,200
TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSE	24,535	35,220
TOTAL EXPENSES	164,218	242,294
Net Operating Income (Loss)	$ (146,344)	$ (218,594)

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Annual Congregational Meeting: Proposed Budget
FY 2024/25
June 2024

REVENUES	Budget 2023-2024	Budget 2024-2025
Pledges	$          22,000	$        26,000
Collections, Contributions	1,000	3,000
Fund Raising	500	500
Miscellaneous	200	200
TOTAL NET REVENUES	23,700	29,700
CONTRACTUAL EXPENSES
Minister	117,000	130,000
Minister FICA reimbursement	6,372	6,420
Minister Search	6,000
Executive Director	5,850
Administrator	26,000	21,000
Payroll Taxes	1,146
Musician	4,800	4,800
Unitarian Universalist Association	5,230	4,685
TOTAL CONTRACTUAL EXPENSE	172,398	166,905

PROGRAM/DISCRETIONARY EXPENSE	Budget 2023-2024	Budget 2024-2025
Annual Stewardship Drive	1,000	500
Board Retreat	3,000	4,000
Board Discretionary Fund	1,000	1,000
Minister Discretionary Fund	1,000	1,000
Bookkeeping	1,200
Matching Funds	1,200	1,200
Leadership Development	2,000	2,000
Hospitality	1,500	3,000
Membership	1,000	600
Caring Circle	125	500
Nominating Committee	110	110
Personnel	750	500
Program	2,500	3,000
Justice	3,000	4,500
Sunday Services	6,000	6,000
Marketing	8,000	5,000
TOTAL PROGRAM/DISCRETIONARY EXPENSE	33,385	32,910

OPERATING EXPENSE	Budget 2023-2024	Budget 2024-2025
Insurance	3,800	3,800
Office & Telephone	3,000	800
Credit Card fees	100	100
Rent ( 1000 X 12 + extra)	14,500	18,000
Storage ( 396 X12)	4,620	4,800
Technology	9,200	12,463
TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSE	35,220	39,963
TOTAL EXPENSES	242,294	239,778
Net Operating Income (Loss)	$ (218,594)	$ (210,078)