Minutes of the Annual Meeting

6

PRAIRIE GROUP

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING

PERE MARQUETTE STATE LODGE

GRAFTON, ILLINOIS

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

Thoroughly kerflumixed by the change in schedule necessitated by holding the 60th Anniversary banquet on the usual evening of the Annual Meeting, members and guests of the Prairie Group took their places around the Hollow Square (as it is affectionately called by the set up folks at Pere Marquette) on Tuesday afternoon, November 8th at 3:15 pm for the 61st meeting in the 60th year of the Prairie Group. As they all looked to one another for direction, President Hallman, with a clear aesthetic of the apocalypse in mind, brought the Beattie Memorial gavel firmly and authoritatively down to begin what just may have been the first sober business meeting of the group in recent memory. Mentioning this momentous moment inspired the cry “Shots all around!” for all those gathered but, alas, none appeared. A collective sigh was heard along with some mumbling about this whole business not being as much fun sober, at which point Ms. Hallman gratefully turned the meeting over to the Scribe.

Amid the usual grumbling and muttering, the Scribe broke the mood by offering Thanks to Mr. VanSandt for his care, schlepping, and set up of the sound system (in response of which there was great applause!). Correspondence was read from Ms. Spencer, Mr. Smith and Mr. Kanter. Updates were offered regarding Ms. Merritt and Mr. Lovely. Mr. Lovely’s sad condition (at that time) inspired Thandeka to offer a prayer for his health and well-being.

The Scribe continued with the report of the non-existent books sometimes laughingly referred to as The Treasury. Cries of “Audit! Audit!” rang through the room. These figures were given for funds collected: dues, $900; travel equalization, $1200; 60 for 60 collection, $1880; student fund, $325; banquet guests, $175. (N.B. These figures did increase slightly afterwards with the influx of a few very tardy payments.) The Scribe then suggested that, due to increased costs at Pere Marquette, an increase in dues to $50 was in order, as well as a scant increase in travel equalization to $50 as well. Still stunned by the anomaly of a sober, afternoon meeting, the proposal was accepted without comment by those gathered.

The minutes of the previous meeting were then read, at the conclusion of which a call went up that quickly escalated from impeaching the Scribe to burning him in the apocalyptic fires, said sentiment passing as uneventfully as an End of the World prediction, and eventually settling into the simple desire to burn the minutes.

Mr. Lavanhar was called upon by Ms. Hallman to give the Nominating Committee’s report. Mr. Carley was proposed for President and (with accompanying and prolonged drum roll) Mr. Johnson-Doyle was proposed for the Program Committee. Instead of burning the Scribe, Mr. Lavanhar declared he be given a far worse punishment, re-election. The group responded with a loud Aye (ā) and Ms. Hallman quickly adjourned the session until the following afternoon.

MINUTES OF THE PRAIRIE GROUP

PART DEUX

NOVEMBER 9, 2011

President Hallman called the second session of the business meeting of the Prairie Group to order at 3 p.m. even as most members remained too stunned by the change in schedule to muster up any heckling. She called on Mr. Holt to offer a membership proposal. Mr. Holt placed the name of Thomas Perchlik, new minister at the First Unitarian Church of St. Louis, before the body. Mr. O’Connell then proposed Mark Christian of Oklahoma City for membership. Cries of “Thin the herd!” echoed about the room as Ms. Hallman called for a vote. Mr. Perchlik placed apples over his eyes as the Aye’s (ā) bounced from voice to voice around the table. The Scribe then proposed Ms. Hallman for Emerita status, which somehow slipped by affirmatively. Mr. Eller-Isaacs noted that hearing difficulties often keep retired folks from completely participating at the table and all eyes turned toward Mr. Robinson who had definitely heard the remark and so did not qualify. Mr. Taylor noted that Mr. Haney was moving to Bellingham WA following the completion of his interim and proposed Emeritus status be conferred upon him, which was affirmed by the spelling of A-Y-E by those gathered.

Mr. Taylor was then called upon for the Membership report. He tried to articulate the Ad Hoc committee’s discussion but, even though (or perhaps because) he was stone cold sober, he failed to do so in any manner the Scribe was able to ascertain, thus eliciting many random comments from around the table. Trying to regain the floor, Mr. Taylor said that they had discussed how to handle “guests of the club,” which led to even more random remarks and eventually caused Mr. Taylor to articulately and passionately exclaim, “Aw shit!” and quickly glanced over to see if the Scribe had heard that, noting that said Scribe was already gleefully recording the moment.

It was noted that currently:

1) a member is to inform the Scribe of their intent to bring a guest, and

2) students are encouraged to attend, someone making the comment that we “hardly” (instead of ‘heartily’) support interns.

It was suggested that the policy be changed to encouraging us to bring interns in their final year of seminary and that they may attend once and once only.

Mr. Holt tried to clarify, as did Mr. Eller-Isaacs and Ms. Gibbons. Whatever they said, Mr. Lavanhar agreed, suggesting once again that clarity might be reached if the Scribe was ritually sacrificed.

The pertinent part of the Purposes and Procedures of the Prairie Group were then read, which part, under ‘Membership,’ states:

“[The group] has also extended a permanent invitation to attend its meetings to seminary students in the Prairie Group area who are in their senior year and who are seeking UU fellowship. Exceptions to this Article may be granted in individual cases by majority vote of the membership at any annual meeting.”

Mr. Holt noted that this discussion seems to crop up every two years with some regularity. A proposal to rewrite the Purposes and Procedures was lifted up but lost in the fray while Thandeka attempted, unsuccessfully, to clarify it all. President Hallman reviewed the history of these discussions with astonishing aplumb, noting that as to the group itself, she is “less concerned about size.” Mr. Carley mumbled something about the number in the original group and noted the pulpits that were traditionally represented in Prairie Group and that others have been invited in the past. There was another recitation of the pertinent part of the Purposes and Procedures, i.e. the article on Membership, followed by an actual, recognizable motion by Mr. Lavanhar, “Interns of members of Prairie Group will be welcome as guests.” Ms. Hallman took over as only she can do, and called for a vote on the motion, which was noted to be unanimous.

Ms. Hallman then made a plug for our wonderful web site, being maintained by Ms. Rolenz, before turning the meeting over to the Program Committee, who together got the ball rolling down the hill toward our topic a year hence.

The suggested topics were: Pre-Socratic Philosophers (7)(4); Pentacostalism (8)(15)(16); Population Growth (1); Andalusia (9)(14)(9) [the vote swelled when a field trip was suggested]; JLA (5); Revelation Is Never Sealed (3); James Hillman (5); Process Theology (3); Flannery O’Connor (8)(6); UU Identity (0), Midwest UU Identity, esp. the Western Conference (3); Gene Roddenberry, His Humanism and Star Trek (1); Conversion Experiences (5); Onward and Upward Forever (5); the Emerging Landscape of the American Family (11)(9); Theology of Economics (4).

Speeches were made and the three votes taken are as noted above, with the topic, Pentacostalism, left standing as the other topics were taken up in the Rapture.

The meeting adjourned, with a standing ovation for President Hallman, Sine Die, Mirabile Dictu.

Respectfully submitted,

Daniel Budd, Scribe

Present: Earl Holt, Daniel Budd, Gary James, Burton Carley, John Robinson, Alan Taylor, Marlin Lavanhar, Rob Eller-Issaces, Janne Eller-Isaacs, Justin Schroeder, Jim Eller, Thandeka, Sydney Morris, Bill Haney, Kendyl Gibbons, Bill Neely, Josh Snyder, Jacqueline Ziegler, Matthew Johnson-Doyle, Martin Woulfe, Berkley Moore, Khleber Van Zandt, Jennifer Owen-O’Quill, Laurel Hallman, Mary Moore, Daniel O’Connell

Absent: Brent Smith, Roger Bertschausen, Wayne Arnason, Kathleen Rolenz, Bonnie Viegard, Nicole Kirk;

Guests: Mark Christian, David Keyes, Thomas Perchlik, Kent McKusick ; Students: Ralph Krog, Diggitt McLaughlin, Lynnda White, Seth Carrier, Luke Stevens-Royer.

(N.B. sine die: indefinately; mirabile dictu: wonderful to relate)