] Z ONE PEOPLE \ Y [
CHICO AREA INTERFAITH COUNCIL
www.chicointerfaith.org
President: Jim Henson Vice President & web-keeper:
Faith Lutheran Church Craig Wilcox
667 E. 1st Ave, Chico, CA 95926 Feather River Grove
Treasurer: Keren Carter Secretary: Janet Leslie
Congregation Beth Israel Chico Friends Meeting (Quakers)
1336 Hemlock Street, Chico CA 95928 1601 Hemlock St, Chico, CA 95928
Meeting June 11, 2014--Minutes (draft)
Opening Focus: Rev. Jim Peck, New Vision United Church of Christ, shared that last Sunday was the last time for his congregation to gather in their 1st Avenue location, and reflected on the experience of moving to a new place. He noted that all the traditions represented at this table have journeys in our stories, and that journey is both a metaphor for spiritual development as also literal movement. When we move, physically or spiritually, discover what we have, uncovering pieces of our stories and reflecting on their meaning.
We shared a moment of silent prayer
Approval of April Minutes: Craig Wilcox, Alternate Secretary
It was moved and seconded that we accept the May minutes, and we approved.
Treasurer’s Report: In Treasurer Keren Carter's absence, President Jim Henson read the report and we approved accepting it.
Introductions, Announcements & Reports:
· Greater Chico Homeless Task Force: Ted Sandberg distributed a press release from "Clean and Safe Chico" about the Police Staffing Strategy to be considered at the Chico City Council's all-day budget meeting on June 17. The public can view the plan online at http://goo.gl/T5fH4N with a time-specific opportunity for public input at 3:30 pm. Jim Peck added that public safety is not the only or even most important matter and strongly encourages us to bring our voices to City Council meetings. To know more, contact Ted Sandberg () or Jim Peck (.
· Chico Housing Action Team is working on the idea of "tiny houses", and also planning for emergency shelters next winter, possibly rotating among congregations with CHAT volunteer help. CHQT is holding a fund-raiser picnic 11 am-3 pm on June 15 at 20th St Park. A question was raised of how the emergency shelter plan interfaces with the Torres Shelter trying to move people into housing and it was suggested that it would be useful to get CHAT, Torres Shelter and others involved in shelter and housing together to talk. (Leslie Johnson, and Cynthia Gailey, )
· Torres Community Shelter: Grand re-opening celebration 12-3 pm on Wednesday June 18 with tours, speakers, refreshments. (Dawn Himelright, )
· Ramadan begins around June 29. (Ali Sarsour, )
· New Vision United Church of Christ has moved to 1600 Mangrove Avenue, Suite 180. Chico Community Church is moving into New Vision's old site on E. 1st Avenue. (Jim Peck)
· Stonewall Chico Pride Festival 2014 is August 22-24: Groups are invited to have booths, and volunteers and sponsors are needed. For information, talk with Tom Kelem (tk@tksvc .com) or go to www.stonewallchicopride.com. An event celebrating the first anniversary of marriage equality will be held at 6 pm on June 26 in front of the Chico City Council Chambers.
· Faith Lutheran Church: New interim pastor will give first sermon on July 7 Jim Henson)
· Sky Creek Dharma Center has different groups meeting there. To know the weekly meditation schedule, talk with Lakshmi Ariaratnam or go to skycreekdharmacenter.org.
CAIC business:
· Website: Craig Wilcox, serving as webkeeper, asked that member congregations and organizations send a brief self-description to be posted along with their name on the list.
· Annual dinner update: Craig Wilcox reported on the dinner, which is scheduled for October 23, 2014. There has been some discussion of possibly changing our pattern in 2015 to have a Thanksgiving meal in the fall and our annual dinner in the Spring, and this may be explored further next year.
· Butte County Public Health Policy Council: CAIC was asked to participate in a planning process for updating the County's public health plan, and President Jim Henson appointed Rev. Jim Peck, who reported on his experience of the first meeting. A working group, the Butte County Public Health Policy Panel, is also meeting, and Tom Kelem is participating in this group. Discussion followed, with questions and concerns being voiced about this process. For more information, contact Jim Peck () and Tom Kelem ()
· Nominations for Treasurer and Secretary: Names brought forward last month were heard again: Kim Felix for Treasurer, and Lakshmi Ariaratnam for Secretary. It was moved and seconded that we approve these nominations, and we approved.
· Fiscal year in review: Jim Henson , President, reviewed some of the work of the past year, including an annual dinner that was appreciated for the variety of speakers, new policies and elected officials roles, work on budget and membership, attention to local issues of homelessness and donation made to the emergency shelter effort, many different speakers (Brad Montgomery of the Torres Community Shelter; Toni Zimmer of Mountain Circle Family Services; Robert Speer of Sky Creek Dharma Center, on Buddhism; James Coles of North Valley Housing Trust; Jackie Lesser and Kristina Carter on Baha'i Faith; Raquel Cuyzen and Melissa Rehrig of CSUC's Religious Diversity Association), and an experiment with Interactive diversity Dialogues among ourselves.
· Proposal to donate to local organizations: Jim Henson reviewed a proposal brought to our Executive Committee (elected officers) meeting by Treasurer Keren Carter, who noted that we had accumulated some $900 as a result of contributions for our annual dinner and membership. Keren recalled that in the past we had raised money through CROP Walk for local organizations providing food, and suggested that this year we give $300 to each of three organizations providing housing: Torres Shelter, Catalyst and Esplanade House. Discussion followed. It was moved and seconded that we donate $300 to each of these organizations, and we approved.
Opening Focus contribution for next meeting: Debbie Bartel, Faith Lutheran Church.
Next Meeting: September 10, 2014 at 11:45 am at First Baptist Church, Chico.
Please note that we do not meet in July and August. Please contact Jim Henson, president, for items to be put on the September agenda.