Minutes of Special Parish Meeting of January 21, 2007

Article 1
Bill Heenehan moved the adoption of the proposed mission statement. The motion was seconded by Linda Tulley. The text of the Mission Statement follows:

Our open doors represent the open minds, open hearts and hopeful religious community that welcome you not matter who you are, where you come from, or what you believe. We provide opportunities for spiritual growth, inspiration through the arts, liberal discourse, and mutual understanding.

Our meetinghouse, a sanctuary to generations, is a symbol of our aspirations. We come together in friendship and sharing, as people of all ages manifesting conscience, character and compassion in our engagement with each other through life's joys and sorrows. We are a community that empowers our youth and integrates them within all aspects of congregational life. The open spirit we share, guided by our Unitarian Universalist Principles, is reflected in our worship, our educational programs, and all our other activities and endeavors. As stewards of our buildings and grounds we guide their development to accommodate the evolving needs of the congregation and community.

Our steeple serves as a beacon to those seeking free expression and spiritual growth through self-determination. As citizens of the world, we raise a strong voice in the quest for reason, compassion and justice, and courageously participate in and foster social service and political action. As stewards of the earth and all living things, we commit to greater environmental engagement.

Our community is sustained by commitment of our time, talent and resources.

Marie Murphy and Cyd Raschke spoke in favor of adopting the Mission Statement without amendment.

There was a brief discussion about the use of the word "liberal" as used in the phrase "liberal discourse" followed by a motion and a second to reconsider this phrasing. The motion failed.

The motion to adopt the proposed Mission Statement then carried.

Article 2
Florence Mercer moved to act upon the recommendation of the Parish Committee to change the name of the Parish Council to Leadership Council. There were several seconds. The motion carried.

Article 3
Judy Shivik, Parish Clerk, summarized the contents of the minutes of the congregational meeting of November 5, 2006. A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes. The motion carried.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:05.

Respectfully submitted,

Judith L. Shivik
Parish Clerk