In November, we received the sad news of the resignations of two valued members of our staff: our Director of Finance and Operations, Rebecca Chatfield, and our Facilities Manager, Dianne Upton.
Rebecca Chatfield has served East Shore with tireless dedication, impeccable skill, and professionalism. This marks her second tenure with us, and she concludes this month with seven years of service as our DFO. Rebecca has led us expertly through all matters of finance, operations, and the efficient management and monetization of our campus, which includes five commercial buildings. Even as her final day approaches on December 15th, Rebecca, ever dedicated to East Shore, will stay on temporarily to ensure our 2024 financial books are closed and our vital bookkeeping continues smoothly. Please join me in showing our deep gratitude for Rebecca’s service, dedication, and excellence.
Dianne Upton has been a member of East Shore since 2005, serving as a volunteer and then a paid staff member for over 10 years. As Facilities Manager, Dianne has been the nerve center of every activity on our campus—from worship services and programs to long-term rentals, weddings, recitals, climate revivals, and summer camps. If it happened at East Shore, Dianne was involved, ensuring that it happened smoothly and well. She has also expertly managed the maintenance and functioning of our facilities, coordinating with our Caretaker, Celil Cakmak, to keep our campus welcoming and well-kept.
While we are saddened that Dianne is leaving our staff, we are grateful that she remains a member of East Shore. Please join me in expressing our heartfelt appreciation for Dianne’s service, dedication, and excellence over the years.
In the interim, the Board and Staff Leadership Team are working with the whole staff to ensure immediate needs are met. A Transition Working Group has also been put together to work on long-term strategies for staffing and volunteer work. Please look for opportunities to volunteer at East Shore as well as possible new ways to ensure your room requests are met. Thank you for your understanding and patience while we work.
Voting members will elect a new Board and Nominating Committee and vote on some bylaw changes. More information will be available in the coming weeks, but please mark your calendars. The meeting will be on Zoom in the same room as worship and in the Sanctuary. Please keep an eye out for details about voting which will be sent in mid-May.
2024-25 Slate of Candidates
The East Shore Nominating Committee has completed the slate of candidates for next year’s Board of Trustees and Nominating Committee positions. This slate will be voted on at the June 9 Congregational Meeting.
The positions in bold print are up for election. The others are informational, to provide a complete list of members who will serve during the next church year.
In addition to the slate of candidates from the Nominating Committee, our church bylaws allow Nominations by Petition. Members in good standing may nominate themselves or others for any position up for election. To do so, signatures of at least fifteen members of the congregation must be presented to the church office at least 21 days in advance of the Annual Congregational Business Meeting along with a signed statement from each prospective nominee of willingness to serve if elected. The deadline this year is May 19, 2024. No additional nominations will be received after the stated period.
Questions about the election process may be directed to the current members of the 2023-24 Nominating Committee: Beth Wilson, Amanda Strombom, Elaine Cox, Mike Stunes and Jennifer Foster.
Please join us in thanking all our candidates and current Board and Committee members for their dedication to our church!
In June 2024, ESUC members will be electing a new slate of Board members and Nominating Committee members. These members are charged with guiding our congregation to fulfill our mission as we live our UU and ESUC values. The Nominating Committee is asking you, the members of ESUC, to nominate people you feel have the qualities, skills, and commitment to lead us – and this includes nominating yourself if you have any interest!
We are seeing a renewed energy in our community as we enjoy the stability of a new settled minister and the warmth and joy that Rev. Maria Cristina brings to our congregation. As we continue to grow into our values, involvement in leadership and governance is more important than ever, as well as more rewarding.
We are also interested in hearing from you about ways you’d like to become involved in teams other than governance. We can help to channel your interests towards involvement in many teams, not just governance related. There is no better way to become connected to the ESUC community than to become involved.
For more information, please look over the Board job descriptions in the link below. These descriptions will give you an idea of the positions and time commitments. We have also included a link to our nominating forms below. Or, if you’d prefer, please complete the Nominating Committee Survey regarding leadership development at ESUC. We look forward to hearing from you!
The Bylaws Task Force, a sub-group of Policy & Governance Committee, has been developing proposals for changes to our bylaws for members to vote on at congregational meetings. We were created in spring of 2020 and include Grace Colton (P&G member), Marcy Langrock, a rotating SLT member, Ryam Hill , Mary Anderson (P&G member), and David Langrock (Board Liaison). We were empowered by the Policy and Governance Committee to look at ALL of East Shore’s Bylaws to ensure that they are up-to-date, comply with Washington State Law, conform to UUA standards, minimize oppression, and are useful and easy to understand.
What does the last phase include?
The Task Force plans to conclude this project by East Shore’s June 9, 2024 Congregational Business meeting. This is an aggressive schedule that includes review of the bylaw sections that cover committees and ministry teams, ministers, congregational meetings, public witness activities, elections, Officers & Trustees, and the appendix. A review of each bylaw includes input from various stakeholders from throughout the congregation and includes the Board, Staff Leadership Team, and Reverend Maria Cristina as the primary stakeholders of these sections. This last, and final phase began at the conclusion of East Shore’s Congregational Business meeting in December 2023.
What is the timeline?
Following stakeholder input, the congregation will be invited to comment and react to revisions and updates. The Bylaws Task Force has begun talking with the Board and lay leadership about possible changes. In March 2024 we will offer several discussion forums for congregation wide input. The Board will approve a final revised version of the bylaws at their May Board meeting. Also, the Bylaws Task Force will offer several Information Forums in early June before the June 9 congregational meeting. At the June 9 meeting, the congregation will vote on the revised bylaw document.
In today’s diverse and dynamic world, creating welcoming and inclusive ministry teams is crucial for fostering a sense of belonging and unity within the church community. This year, the Board and the Budget Committee asked teams to change how they think of finances in an effort to keep within our budget. As Board President, I understand the importance of inclusivity, and I believe it can be achieved without straining the budget. Here are some examples of how ministry teams can work on creating a rich and vibrant church community without spending a dime.
Emphasize Inclusivity in Leadership: To promote inclusivity within ministry teams, it’s essential to start from the top. Encourage your leaders to embody inclusivity through their actions and decisions. Provide training on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to help them understand the value of diverse perspectives and the importance of making everyone feel heard and valued. The Nominating Committee used this to help guide them in finding individuals for the current Board. Keep in mind, many employers offer this kind of training, so you may have the skills in your group already and don’t know it!
Leverage Existing Talent and Skills: As a stay-at-home mother with a passion for gardening, skiing, painting, and dancing, I’ve learned that harnessing existing skills and interests can be a powerful way to foster inclusivity. Encourage members of your ministry teams to share their talents and interests with others. These activities create opportunities for meaningful connections within the church community without added expenses. For example, I have seen my children thrilled to go to classes taught by Tom Ball, sharing his knowledge and skills of tech with our children. And Wenda Collins shares her skills in art to create logos helping the Outreach Team and children’s stories for the RE program.
Foster Cross-Team Collaboration: Effective collaboration between ministry teams can significantly enhance inclusivity. Encourage teams to share resources and ideas, collaborate on events, and support each other’s initiatives. This cross-pollination of ideas can lead to innovative approaches without requiring additional funding. For example, Porchlight creates opportunities to bring in Ministry Teams to provide dinners, giving the teams an opportunity to do a fun, social justice activity together, while also supporting another ministry in the church. Also, the Earth and Climate Action Ministry (CAM)Team has worked with outside groups to host events here, like the 250 trees they helped pass out during the pandemic! (link: https://esuc.org/300-trees-give-away/)
Create Inclusive Communication Channels: Effective communication is key to inclusivity. Establish a variety of open and inclusive communication channels where members can voice their opinions and concerns. This can be done through regular town hall meetings, suggestion boxes, or online forums. Ensure that all voices, including those on the margins, are heard and respected. By actively listening to diverse perspectives, your ministry teams can better address the needs of the entire congregation.
As we work towards a more welcoming and inclusive church community, let us remember that the greatest resources we have are the passion and dedication of our members. By harnessing these resources wisely, we can create an environment where everyone feels valued and included.
East Shore is very fortunate to have a substantial endowment to assure the long term success of the congregation. The endowment was established in 1983 and has received donations ever since. Legally, it is a “quasi-endowment.” There have been many donors and in accordance with the charter and policies, the principal can be used in accordance with the Charter.
The Endowment Committee Charter allows for an annual distribution to the operating fund of 3.5% of the 3 year average market value as of December 31, providing it will not drop the balance below $900,000. Additional withdrawals up to $100,000 above the annual distribution can be approved by the Board of Trustees. Above that amount requires a congregational vote with a quorum of 25%.
As of the end of October, the balance in the endowment is about $980,000. Funds are deposited with Charles Schwab in Socially Responsible investments. East Shore has an assigned fund manager who provides a detailed report quarterly to Financial Stewardship and the Endowment Committee. He is also available for consultation at any time.
The Charter anticipates that the endowment would grow sufficiently to meet all of the Capital need for the future. That has not happened and to assist in the funding of East Shore’s capital needs the 2024 budget allows for the creation of a separate Building Reserve Fund to handle scheduled major repairs over time while maintaining at least the minimum balances in the Endowment fund.
Donations to East Shore are always welcome. It is hoped that many folks will include East Shore in their wills or trusts. Special donations can and should be designated to go to Operating, Endowment or now the Building Reserve. Undesignated funds will remain in the Operating Fund.
