Unitarian Universalist Churchof Cheyenne

Annual MeetingSunday, May 19, 2019

Noon

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Unitarian Universalist Church of Cheyenne

Annual Meeting AgendaMay 19, 2019

Call to Order: Board Vice-President, Caroljean Bongo

Chalice Lighting and an Annual Meeting Blessing: Reverend Hannah Villnave

Quorum count: Secretary, Natalie Vernon

Approval of last year’s annual business meeting minutes from May 20, 2018

Approval of Special congregational meeting minutes from March 24, 2019

Opening remarks (President’s Report): Caroljean Bongo

Budget presentation: Garth Shanklin

Living Generously Update: Abby Kercher, chair

Financial Policy update: Gene Heater

Thanks to the current Board: Presentation of members – Rhonda, Chuck, Ken

Presentation of the new slate of elected leadership – Rhonda, Chuck, Ken.

Presentation of members of Committee on Shared Ministry - Rhonda, Chuck, Ken.

Presentation of the Investment Team members – Rhonda, Chuck, Ken.

Changes at church: 2-hour church - Rev Hannah

No Hate in Our Town Proposal and Vote: Caroljean Bongo and Mike Kercher

Closing words, extinguishing chalice: Rev Hannah.

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Annual Meeting Minutes: May 20, 2018

Board President Camellia El-Antably called the meeting to order at 12:10 pm in the Sanctuary, after the Church Service and Social Hour.

Reverend Hannah Villnave conducted a Chalice Lighting and an Annual Meeting Blessing.

QUORUM COUNT: Since this Business Meeting has numerous items the Congregation needed to vote on, the first order of business was to count voting members present to assure a Quorum. A quorum for the purposes of this meeting was a minimum of 33 members in attendance.

All members were signed in at the doors of the Sanctuary with Board Members Natalie Vernon and Lynne Weidel. Each person in attendance had to be on the Master Membership List to be issued a red voting card. The count of voting members present was 58, well past the Quorum required, per Parliamentarian, Garth Shanklin.

VOTE: MEETING AGENDA: Camellia El-Antably issued a welcome to all and presented an overview of the Agenda. Patti Ridley made a Motion to approve the Agenda as presented. This Motion was seconded by Lynne Weidel and passed unanimously.

VOTE: 2017 ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES AND JULY 9th SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES:

Beth Howard moved to accept the Minutes from last year’s Annual Business Meeting, May 21, 2017. The Motion also covered the minutes from the Special Meeting July 9th to vote on becoming a Sanctuary Church. This was seconded by Gordon Johns. No discussion ensued, and the Motion passed unanimously.

REFLECTIONS FROM REVEREND HANNAH: As there was a shortage of hard copies of the Meeting Packets, Reverend Hannah suggested that if people could follow along electronically, that would help streamline the process. Others could share the hard copies.

Rev. Hannah reflected over her first year in Ministry with UUCC, and she is most impressed with how our congregation “shows up” in many ways; help around the building, fundraising, donations and pledges. How our congregation ”shows up and shows out” in terms of resources, time, and money. One learning edge for us is to have better discernment in how to better ask one another to show up in this way. We can improve on communicating what showing up to work means. Rev. Hannah is looking forward to improving communications, and jointly making decisions for our presence within the Church walls and out in the community. She thanked the staff and the Congregation for their work and contributions and encouraged us to come to her with issues big and small. She reinforced that she is there to support us. She asked that we please reach out especially in emergencies.

THANKS TO CURRENT ELECTED OFFICIALS: Camellia presented the current Board of Directors, and the Leadership Development team, and gave thanks for their service on behalf of the Congregation. Rhonda Woodard of LDT presented the slate of candidates for Church Year 2018-2019.

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VOTE: 2018-2019 ELECTED OFFICERS SLATE:BOARD CANDIDATES:The slate was as follows:

● President: Hailey Ellingham

● Vice President: Caroljean Bongo

● Treasurer: Garth Shanklin

● Secretary: Natalie Vernon

● At Large: Gene Heater (2-year term), Mike Kercher (2-year term) Phil Stump (1-year term

finishing for Garth Shanklin).

● Past President: Camellia El-Antably

Patti Ridley moved to accept the Slate as presented. Jim Gaulke seconded this motion. After discussion, the vote was taken, and all were in favor. The Motion passes unanimously.

VOTE: COMMITTEE ON SHARED MINISTRY: 2-6 YEAR TERM/NEW MEMBERS

● Carol Bowles (2-year term).

● Kesslee Velasco (2-year term).

● Bertha Bikulcs (Finishing Elaine Hayes’ 2-year term)

Beth Howard moved to accept the Slate for new members of COSM as presented. This was seconded by Camellia El-Antably and voted on unanimously to accept the Slate as presented.

VOTE: INVESTMENT TEAM: The Investment Team slate is as follows:

● Emily Smith (2-year term)

● Steve Furtney (2-year term)

● Randy Bruns (finishing 1 year for Bitsey Heckert)

Patti Russell moved that we accept the Investment Team slate as presented. This was seconded by Sleeter Dover, and following a request for discussion, was carried unanimously.

LIVING GENEROUSLY UPDATE: Member Tim Thorson gave the update for the Living Generously team. He thanked fellow team members Abby Kercher, Arlene Shanklin, and Elizabeth Thorson. Tim reported a successful pledge drive where member pledges were up from last year and even succeeded targets for this year, at least so far. He attributed this success to the hard work of the team, the generosity of the Congregation, and the awareness that we cannot continue to rely on Major Gifts. The Congregation donated to the Roof Replacement Project and gave increased

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pledges. New members joined, and pledges, and the education on what church services cost and obligations of members all contributed to a higher than anticipated pledge drive.

BOARD TREASURER PAUL HOWARD PRESENTED THE 2018-2019 UUCC BUDGET:Paul thanked the Finance Committee (Steve Furtney, Mike Shonsey, Marci Linde and Joey Van Schaik), and Mike Shonsey, Steve Furtney, Emily Smith and Phil Stump on Investment. He also thanked the Board for leadership in making financial decisions. Paul explained and answered questions the Budget provided in the Annual Meeting Packet available to all members.

● The dynamic of Church Finances is changing for the better. Church had been running at a

deficit and has been using money from Reserves and Major gifts to operate. This year’s budget reflects greater independence from these reserves.

● Current budget reflects raises to staff to bring them in line with UUA Guidelines.

● Great success of Service Auction, and other major fundraising efforts.

● Efforts are underway to establish and fund an Advertising Committee

John Sandford moves to accept the 2018-2019 Budget as presented by Paul Howard. Tim Thorson seconds this Motion, and the Budget is unanimously accepted.

ROOF REPLACEMENT TEAM (The Hole in the Roof Gang): This team consisted of Gene Heater, Sharon Kelsey, Randy Bruns.

Gene Heater went over the process used to obtain the winning bid which went to Precision Roofing, which came in much lower than the original bid with no difference in the elements of the bid. It matched the first higher bid in terms of construction methods, materials and warranties but at a much more favorable cost. The Congregation rose to meet this need by pledging more than required for the full roof replacement. Gene Heater moved that we accept the second bid from Precision Roofing, and the extra $5500.00 be placed in the Building Fund for future use. Sleeter Dover seconded this motion, and the Motion was carried unanimously.

WYOSAYNO CAMPAIGN: Rev Hannah presented an opportunity for UUCC with WYOSAYNO, which is a joint effort with Juntos, ACLU of Wyoming, and the Immigration Justice Coalition to oppose building a for-profit Immigration Detention Center in Evanston. Business and faith communities are signing in support of defeating this. Rev. Hannah mentioned that she as an individual is interested in signing, as is the UUCC Board as an entity. She suggested we divide up into small groups and discuss this amongst ourselves, with deep listening and open hearts.

After small group and plenary discussion, Sleeter Dover made a Motion that the Congregation authorizes Reverend Hannah to sign the document as our representative, meaning that (this body), UUCC, endorses the statement. The question was called by Ken Vernon, and the motion carried by unanimous vote.

The meeting was called to conclusion at 1:37, by Camellia El-Antably.

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Respectfully submitted, Natalie Vernon, Board Secretary.

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Special Congregational Meeting Minutes: March 24, 2019

UUCC Board President Hailey Ellingham called the meeting to order immediately after the Sunday Service at 11:38.

Hailey explained this Special Meeting was for approval on a Board budget issue.

It was explained that in order to take a valid vote, we need to have a Quorum of our full membership present. Members present were asked to stand and count off as they sat down. We needed 30 people for the Quorum, and the count was 48. Thus, we could proceed with the vote after discussion.

Hailey referred to the letter written to the Congregation to explain the reason for this meeting, written by Mike Kercher. Mike came up and read the letter in its entirety. (Please see attached).

After the letter was read and following discussion, member Kathy Selden made a motion to increase the allowable budget for the Board by $5000 for the remainder of Church Year 2018-2019. This Motion was seconded by Patti Ridley and put up for further discussion. The Motion carried unanimously, and the meeting was adjourned at 12:05.

Respectfully submitted, Natalie Vernon, Board Secretary.

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Minister’s Annual ReportBy Rev. Hannah Roberts Villnave

In the past 12 months, we have shared in many vital forms of ministry. From giving away half of our offering every Sunday to offering comprehensive sexuality education to our youth through the Our Whole Lives program, the UU Church of Cheyenne continues to build a better world through community connection.

This past year also included an unanticipated opportunity for UUCC and our leaders to grow through facing difficult circumstances with integrity, compassion, and fortitude. Early in the church year, we discovered and disclosed financial misconduct by our former administrator. The Board of Trustees and other leaders guided us steadily through the complex process of responding to the many dimensions of this break in trust. The work of a full financial policy and procedure overhaul is ongoing, and I am grateful for the faithful team that is undertaking that work.

UUCC had another opportunity to grow during the 6 weeks that I spent on leave after my wife and I welcomed our first child in early February. I want to offer a special thanks to Beth Howard, Camellia El-Antably, Sandi Gaulke, and Lea Grubbs, who all provided leadership in different ministry areas while I was away. Their work, and the work of our many MANY dedicated volunteers, allowed me to truly be present with my family during my leave.

This past fall, I also had the joy of teaching a class called The Shared Pulpit, which eventually had five graduates! The class is an in-depth course in preaching for lay people, and y’all have had the joy of hearing from these lay preachers throughout the winter and spring. Worship is the work of the people, and these awesome folks have diversified the voices in our pulpit. These preachers were also an important part of providing coverage during my parental leave.

We have also had some staffing shifts in the past year. Early in the fall, we welcomed Tyler Cessor as our Music Director and Tori Mizell as our Interim Administrator. We also split out the bookkeeping duties from the Administrator position and contracted with an independent bookkeeper for those services. In addition to those mid-year changes, we are planning further shifts in the coming church year, including searching for a permanent Administrator.

As the Board and Finance Committee prepared to create the budget you’ll vote on at the annual meeting, there were many hard decisions to be made about our staff and staffing structure. The reality is that we cannot continue to fund our existing staffing level and structure at our current income projections. In order to try to balance our commitment to UUCC’s mission and our financial reality, we are proposing small cutbacks in hours to many positions, including music, administrative, and facilities staff. These decisions were not made lightly, and they are part of a longer-term commitment to building a staff structure that best serves this congregation.

As we look to the year ahead, I am excited by the prospect of growing together in our ministry. As I’ll be discussing at the annual meeting, I am THRILLED to be piloting a shift in our Sunday morning structure that will enliven worship and create opportunities for adult faith development. This congregation has a life-giving spirit to offer to members, friends, and visitors, and I look forward to another year connecting and sharing that spirit, within and beyond our four walls.

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Throughout this year of tribulation and joy, including through feelings of hurt, betrayal, and anxiety, this community has remained committed to one another and to our mission. It is an honor to serve such a people.

Faith Development Report

Our congregation holds the faith development of our youth as a very high priority. The Faith Development Program has had another great year, thanks in part to our wonderful volunteers and the amazing support from the congregation. Included below are some examples of how our program has made an impact in our community this last year.

The Faith Development Committee consists of  

Sara Kelley - Chair, SecretarySara Serelson - Senior High YouthLaura Kelley - Preschool and Nursery age population Mark Vinich - Member At-LargeCynthia Williford - Middle School YouthGayle Roberts - Elementary YouthMcKenzie Weber - Youth Representative Mary Scherden - Director of Faith Development.

This year our Faith Development committee grew by several members to help include as many different demographics from our church and community as possible. As a team, we met for a planning retreat in mid-December to outline our purpose and short-term goals. At this time, we decided to assign members specific portfolios or area of concentration for representation to be sure we are listening to as many groups within our community as possible.

FUNDRAISING Programs Hosted by the Faith Development Committee

1. Cake auction2. Mac and Cheese Palooza3. Garage sale4. 2.5 K Race5. Spaghetti Dinner6. Bake Sale7. Can Collections8. OWL9. Summer Camp

 Our Faith Development program has grown over the past year in attendance, participation and volunteers. We currently have a great group of 14 active teachers and leaders. These volunteers’ staff 4 classrooms on Sunday morning and lead our OWL programing for youth. They also lead the Middle School and High School Youth Groups and volunteer time setting up, organizing and running programs, chaperoning youth trips and hosting visiting congregations during youth cons. Each of these activities benefits the whole congregation, but specifically the Faith Development

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Program.  Additional leaders and volunteers are always appreciated. Adding valuable leaders to our program would give all our volunteers’ time to attend services to nourish their own spirituality.

Our current Faith Development program looks something like this…

Nursery - Preschool: Offered from 10:25 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. for babies and toddlers/preschoolers 6 months - 5 years. Nursery care is also offered during most special events hosted by UUCC. We have a minimum of two trained adult staff in the nursery on Sunday mornings to make the morning welcoming, safe, and nurturing for our youngest children. Parents/guardians are always welcome to stay with their child until both are comfortable in this new setting! We currently have 8 - 10 children sporadically attending our program in this age group.

Coming soon - Spirit Play In the following month’s we hope to have several trained Spirit Play teachers and open our very own Spirit Play classroom’s this fall (2019). Spirit Play classrooms will serve children ages preschool - 2nd grade on Sunday mornings, during regular Faith Development hours. Our preschool population has the highest number of new and visiting members coming to UUCC this last year. This program addition will increase our need for volunteers by 3-4 each week.

In Spirit Play classes, our specially trained facilitators will use a Montessori approach to invite children to enter stories to find meanings for themselves. The program uses stories to create a special, sacred space for our children. Each Sunday the class is infused with ritual and worshipfulness. We will focus on basic values: kindness, respect and justice. Participating as a Spirit Play instructor can be a great way to connect more deeply with your UU faith as well as be a great way to serve in our community. Time commitment will be one Sunday, about 2 hours per month (when enough volunteers are recruited) and the training is provided at no cost.  For more information about Spirit Play and/or to get more information about volunteering in our Spirit Play program contact Mary Scherden, DFD at the church office.

We are always looking for additional childcare/nursery workers. If you know of someone who’s wonderful with children, please have them call our Director of Faith Development at the church to arrange an interview.

Sunday Morning Faith Development Classes for Children: We currently offer religious education 3-4 Sunday mornings a month, for youth ages Kindergarten through 6th grade.  On those mornings, children and youth begin the worship hour in the service with their parents. They are sung out to class by the congregation and are led by the Faith Development teachers to their classrooms for classes. Our lessons are chosen to complement the monthly theme used in the worship service and the Soul Matters curriculum. We focus on developing Unitarian Universalist identity through teaching our principles, theology and history with a strong emphasis on social justice. To do this, we draw from all six of our sources: children's natural sense of wonder and awe, Christian and Jewish heritage, world religions, prophetic men and women, science and reason, and Earth-based religions. We currently have 28 students on roster in these age groups.

Kinder - 6th GRADE: Our elementary group is curious, busy, questioning, and social. The teachers at this level plan lots of drama, creative activities, stories, and games to help the children actively engage with their learning. Currently we are using the Soul Matters curriculum for RE that accompanies the worship Soul Matters program.

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5th - 8th GRADE: Middle School Youth Group - Middle school is the age where we really put our values into practice - speaking up against bullying, tackling thorny questions of right and wrong, working on social justice projects. It is also the age where relationships are all-important, so we include opportunities for discussion, games and bonding, too! Our Middle School Youth Group meets 2 Sundays a month and is led by two of our seasoned volunteers. By accompanying interactive meetings along with a consistent meeting schedule, we have increased our youth’s participation enormously over the last year. Great job Middle School group!

9th - 12th GRADE: Our youth are active participants in their learning and their faith community. Our Senior High Youth Group meets 2 Sunday’s per month. Our Senior High Youth group has been active planning and implementing monthly fundraising events, food drives, clothing drives and other outreach events. Our group also plans other outside activities such as going to a local attraction, visiting another church for their youth group, or attending a district-wide event! This year, every one of our youth volunteered during our week-long summer camp and hosted/assisted with the overall programming and running of our very successful and well attended, Summer Camp. Kudos to our dedicated Senior High peeps!

Our Whole Lives: The childhood/youth/teen years are critical in developing healthy relationships with yourself, your peers, and the wider church community. This last spring, we were proud to offer two special classes for our growing youth. Our Whole Lives at the elementary and middle school level was a 3-month program focusing on relationships, values, and sex education in a moral context. This year, Our Whole Lives was offered in the spring (2019), during the regular Faith Development hours plus a few additional meetings over the 3-month period. We also included 2 overnight retreats in our schedule to accommodate the middle school curriculums heavier/additional content requirements. A total of 18 youth registered for the 2019 OWL programming with 16 youth completing the program.  

Multi-generational services: Each month, typically the 3rd Sunday, we have multi-generational services during which the whole congregation engages in worship together. On these days, children and youth remain in the service with their parents through the entire service. Preschoolers can join their parents in the service or go to the nursery. These services are interactive and planned to include elements that appeal to all ages, such as stories, rituals, drama, music, and movement. The Faith Development team often host/help with this Multi-gen service with the Director of Faith Development leading worship during for 4 Sunday’s over the last year.  

Special Programming - Summer:

Last year, our summer curriculum began with a variation, adapted by Ms. Mary, of Backyard to the Universe: Dr. Seuss and UU’s developed by Rev. Helen Zidowecki. We called our adventure A Summer of Seuss. Each Sunday we devoted our attention to a different Dr. Seuss book focusing on each of the 7 Principles and UU theology.  While each of these stories were fun and engaging, they also are based on real life situations and experiences and give us a way to reflect, and to talk about REAL things that are part of our lives. While our summer program was well received by the youth and families, we did learn that our time together on Sunday morning quickly ran out and our curriculum needed to be tweaked a bit to meet our time constraints. We again requested additional volunteers to help lead the summer Faith Development program so that all our year-round volunteers have time for a much-deserved summer break. Except for a few Sunday’s we filled our roster easily and were able to accommodate our teacher’s needs.

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The summer concluded with our annual Summer Camp in August. This year we brought back the magic of Harry Potter.  We also included in our Summer Camp schedule with a very successful “semi-formal” night that concluded our Summer Camp festivities - The Yule Ball! The Yule Ball was a huge success with the camp families and volunteers but wasn’t as attended by church members as the committee had hoped. We plan to again reach out to our church members in hopes of teaming up this coming year and offering a “final” Yule Ball closing celebration to help us usher out Harry Potter and make way for a new tradition/program. Overall, Harry Potter Camp was considered a huge success with over 30 volunteers and 48 camp participants in 2018.

      Thank you to all the volunteers, staff, parents and children of UUCC’s Faith Development Program. It’s your amazing dedication, creativity, and willingness to share your hearts that make it all possible.

In love and gratitude,Mary ScherdenDirector of Faith DevelopmentUnitarian Universalist Church of Cheyenne

Music Director Report

The choir has gone through a series of transitions in search of a more inclusive, equitable, and holistic approach to expression through music as a medium. Through this journey we hope that the music and creative expression shared is more closely aligned with the values and interests of the congregation, church, and leadership. In general, this has meant a shift from a choir of a few “traditionally able” singers to an approach to music-making that meets folks where they are at and prioritizes meaningful and welcoming participation regardless of relationship or knowledge of choir traditions. To inform this journey we regularly discuss the values and interests of those who attend music rehearsal as well as strategies for seeking broader input and participation from the congregation.

The first effort was to address the incongruence between our stated interest in a ‘musically/creatively expressive congregation’ and a choir of a select few who could participate at an ‘expected level’ during hymns. Having the choir sit on stage during hymns was identified as a barrier to greater participation and learning for the congregation. Imbedding the choir back into the congregation has allowed for more pertinent and timely coaching moments. The congregation has come so far in its ability to sing expressively and creatively. They are increasingly responsive to tempo, style, tone/attitude, changes that allow for more relevant and ‘of the moment’ interpretations of hymns. This change would not have been possible had the congregation not began to see themselves as the ‘choir’ itself.

To carry this deeper, we have recently shifted away from holding ‘choir rehearsals’ to holding creative workshops. These workshops welcome any and all from the congregation to share their ‘works-in-progress.’ Whether a newly written song, a duet, collaboration between a reading and soloist, or a painting, poem, or other form of creative expression, we hope these spaces affirm to

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all that their creative interests and projects are welcome and valued. We also hope that this workshop space will serve as place to share with a few before sharing with all of the congregation. Group/collective singing at the end of these workshops will now be introduced as an activity that connects us all together in mind, body, and spirit.

At the moment the best way to support this work is to routinely and intensely communicate to every member of the congregation that they have the capacity to create and we are here to support their creative pursuits no matter where they are on their journey.

Respectfully Submitted,Tyler Cessor

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Nominations for the Board, Committee on Shared Ministry

and Investment Committee

A. Board Members with New Termsa. President Caroljean Bongob. Vice President Mike Kercherc. Treasurer Camellia El-Antablyd. Secretary Phil Stumpe. At Large Garth Shanklin (1-year term)f. At Large Robert Weinland (2-year term)

B. Committee on Shared Ministry: two-year terma. Birgitt Paul (2-year term)b. Lauren Danley (2-year term)c. John Sanford (2-year term)

C. Investment Teama. Randy Bruns (3-year term)

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Candidates for UUCC Elected Positions

Caroljean Bongo for Board President:After being part of a Chalice Circle for the past 10 years, Caroljean found her spiritual home here at the UUCC in November 2016, and she became a member in May 2017. She is a hardworking and compassionate person who is dedicated to a life of service balanced with self-care and self-compassion. She has been grateful to serve

as the board Vice President for the past year and is pleased to accept the President's position and she looks forward to representing you.

Mike Kercher for Board Vice President: Mike is a master electrician who works as the plant manager at the NCAR/Wyoming Supercomputing Center. He and his family connected to the UUCC in 2010, and became regular attendees in 2015, and became members in 2016. He enjoys the outdoors and helping others. The UUCC has allowed Mike and his family to find a strong outlet for social outreach and has given them a strong

community in which to raise their family.

Camellia El-Antably for Board Treasurer:Camellia El-Antably is a visual artist, writer and arts administrator. In 2009, Camellia co-founded Clay Paper Scissors Gallery & Studio in Cheyenne, a contemporary art gallery and studio space. In response to artist requests, she started the Studio Wyoming Review in 2016 to advance the visual arts in Wyoming through critical writing. She is currently past president of the UUCC

board and serves on the Wyoming Mental Health Professions Licensing Board as a public member. She served the arts community through the Wyoming Arts Council for 14 years in a variety of capacities, including arts education, visual arts, and deputy manager. She holds a MA in Book Arts from Camberwell College of Arts in London and a BA from Mills College in Oakland, California

Phil Stump for Board Secretary:Phil and his wife Ellen have been members of UUCC for 10 years. He has served on the Investment Committee. Phil feels blessed to find a religion that is so accepting of others and the world community. He is looking forward to joining the Board and would be honored to serve the Church in this new role.

Garth Shanklin for Board At Large (1-year term):Garth has been an active UUCC member since moving to Cheyenne in 2013. He was addicted to the hokey pokey, but he turned himself around. He has served as UUCC Treasurer this past year. He is not smart; he just wears glasses. His passions include Unitarian Universalism, public service, and the people and programs of the UUCC community. He is not indecisive, unless you want him to be. Garth and

Arlene have entertaining children away at college. He is an aspiring grownup and coffee helps.

Robert Weinland for Board At Large (2-year term):

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Bob moved to Cheyenne in 1989 to be near his daughter and return to school and earn his degree to become a Nurse Practitioner. He has worked all over the state of Wyoming and is currently employed at the VA Hospital. Bob joined UUCC in 1999 and has been involved with multiple building projects. He helped install the handicap ramp, lay down new carpeting, build the sound booth and countless other projects that keep the church up and running.

Birgitt Paul for Committee on Shared Ministry (2-year term):Born and raised in Cheyenne, Birgitt Paul spread her wings on the island of Kaua’i Hawai’i and returned to nest in her hometown. Birgitt has earned a living as a paper girl, babysitter, pizza maker, flower planter, playground painter, science teacher and currently as a nurse for the VA. She has a retired husband, Steve, who cooks, grocery shops, grows an amazing garden and coaches his daughters in life

and athletics. She is the dedicated mother to 2 budding human beings, Meredith and Adelaide, and has proudly served in UUCC leadership for more than 5 years and volunteers her time and energy to the UUCC mission.

Lauren Danley for Committee on Shared Ministry (2-year term):Lauren is a retired person, who first started coming to UUCC in 2003. She became a member in 2004 and has been actively involved except the two years she lived in Loveland Colorado (2012-2014). Most of Lauren’s volunteer activities have centered on the Membership/Warm and Welcoming Team and Faith Development Team. She was part of the Worship Team for a short time..

Randy Bruns for Investment Committee (2-year term):Randy Bruns is CEO of Cheyenne LEADS, the economic development entity for Cheyenne and Laramie County. Bruns started with Cheyenne LEADS in May 1999 and was named CEO in 2002. Prior to joining Cheyenne LEADS, Bruns worked for Unicover World Trade Corporation for 11 years where he traveled extensively on

international business. Bruns has lived and worked in Lincoln, NE; Puerto Rico; Germany and Chappell, NE before coming to Cheyenne in 1987. Bruns served as Vice Chair of the Nebraska Board of Educational Lands and Funds, is a Past Chairman of the Board of the Wyoming Economic Development Association; has served as the Vice Chair of the Rocky Mountain District Export Council based in Denver; served on the Laramie County Comprehensive Land Use Plan Steering Committee; is a graduate of Leadership Cheyenne, Leadership Wyoming, is past Treasurer and Board member of the UU Church of Cheyenne and is Past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra. Bruns hobbies include writing, hunting, fishing and flying.

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No Hate In Our Town Information

No Hate In Our Town (NHIOT) is a community movement that started in Billings, MT when neo-Nazi groups tried to make a presence locally in 1993. This same template was also used in Laramie, WY when the Nazi flag was raised on the UW campus in 2018. NHIOT hopes to make an inclusive Cheyenne Community that is free of hate and intolerance. The movement values differences within all individuals and tries to educate individuals and organizations about issues relating to inclusion, diversity, and justice. This is done by building a community focused on acceptance, respect, and love. The NHIOT campaign goals are very closely aligned with our UU values and principles. This is an opportunity for the UUCC to help rebrand Cheyenne as a No Hate town and send the message that Cheyenne is inhospitable to Hate and that we embrace and welcome a full diversity of people. The UUCC would act as a catalyst for this movement by providing assistance as detailed below. UUCC members and friends will help provide guidance and support to help work with community and business leaders to roll out a successful campaign. Plan:The No Hate In Our Town can be a powerful tool to combat inequality and bigotry. The minimum campaign would have the following activities:

● Step 1 - Fundraising event where NHIOT Cheyenne merchandise would be sold like bags and buttons.

● Step 2 - NHIOT day will be held where business partners offer discounts or other incentives to shoppers who have the NHIOT Cheyenne merchandise with them.

UUCC Engagement and Assistance with NIHOT:All listed activities will be performed/overseen by volunteers within the UUCC who are members of the Church.

● Formation of a NHIOT steering committee. This committee will have members from other groups across the local community who also share our values. These groups will hopefully span the many different groups that make up Cheyenne.

● Assist in the handling of monies that will be donated directly to No Hate In Our Town. This will be directed through a NHIOT special projects fund (like the roof repairs) for all donations and expenses.

● Use of UUCC’s facilities and equipment as approved by the Board● No UUCC operational funds or paid staff hours would be used for the NHIOT campaign

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Possible Partners: ● NAACP● Zonta● Wyoming Equality● FE Warren Air Force Base● LCSD#1 GSA Clubs● Allen Chapel (AME)● Juntos● Interfaith Council

Billings No Hate In Our Town Link: https://www.niotbillings.org/

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Living Generously Report

The Living Generously Team is responsible for coordinating the church's annual pledge campaign, aka the stewardship campaign, pledge campaign or canvass. The Living Generously Team began this year's campaign with planning meetings in January of 2019. Abbey Kercher chaired the committee with Mike Lammers, Gordon Johns, Sharron Kelsey and Arlene Shanklin as committee members. The Finance Committee set the pledge target was set at $175,000 to reduce the amount of special gifts spent on annual operations as has been necessary for several years. As in the past, the team was gratified by how warmly their campaign was received by the congregation. New ideas for this year's canvass included “be the light” theme, a quilt recognizing pledging households in the sanctuary, and using recommended pledges of $10 dollars per month for new members and those who do not contribute. The team coordinated two services - one by the minister and one by the team and congregation at the beginning (March 3rd) and end of the campaign (March 17th). The team overspent its $400 budget, with the deficit made up by committee members donating materials. Based on this and past experience, a budget of $600 instead of $400 would more accurately reflect the costs of the canvass. Also, the team will need three or four new members for next year as the Living Generously Committee has decided to operate all year and have monthly spotlights on how the donations to the church are used across the organization. As of the end of April, we have received 70 pledges totaling $151,077. The committee hopes to receive additional pledges throughout FY19/20 in the amount of $23,000 to hit the target of $175,000.

Respectfully Submitted,Abbey Kercher

Proposed Budget for 2019/20

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President’s Report

Thankful, we have so much and so many to be thankful for here at our UU church. Nelson Mandela said it best, “I never lose. I either learn or win” I would change that to ‘We never lose.’ This church and you who make up our congregation are winners and learners.

The very month that I took up the reins of president it was discovered that we had been embezzled. Our church had been betrayed. It was a difficult time those first few months. It required holding steady and holding lots of meetings. As the board worked through the decision-making process of whether to press charges or to act through our interpretation of the covenant; we spoke with lawyers, insurance companies, ministers of other Unitarian churches and our Unitarian Universalist Association. We also held many mini-meetings and gathered input from you. We heard you when some of you indicated that the board was making a wrong choice. Thank you for your trust and for standing with us, the board. We decided not to involve the criminal justice system. The makeup of this board is such that, ‘Love is the spirit of this church’ predominated. You believed in us. We have learned, and we have won. Nothing we do will be perfect, but we can live with our consciences.

People stepped in to sort things out. Hundreds of volunteer hours were given. Many thanks to Joey VanSchaik, Andrea Heater, Gene Heater and Garth Shanklin for combing through the tangled books. Individuals from our finance committee and from the board have dedicated more hours to writing and then implementing policies, practices, and checks and balances. These practices will help to safeguard our finances. I know there may be others too who offered time and support. Thank you all.

The former administrator’s position has been divided into two positions. Ann Seagrave is a professionally insured and bonded bookkeeper. Tori Mizell is our highly capable administrator. Welcome to them both.

We have a new roof over our heads! Gene Heater, Carol Bowles, Sharon Kelsey, and Randy Bruns, our very own ‘Hole in the roof gang’ spearheaded this fund-raising project. You all sang your way into our hearts and into our pocketbooks. They raised all the money necessary to complete this much needed project. Mike Kercher, thank you for overseeing the project and assuring that the church has warranties on workmanship and materials. Thank you, congregants, for your generosity.

And then along came another unexpected expense. The waterline in front of the church broke! It was a big expense. Thank you, Mike Shonsey, Mike Kercher, Bob Twyford, Phil Stump and everyone who worked on and oversaw that project to completion. We are nearly new in many ways.

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Our dynamic Committee on Shared Ministry (CoSM) has resurged with new ideas and strong guidance. Thank you to Carol Bowles, Brigitt Paul, Bertha Bikulcs, Jack Runnels, Kesslee Velasco, and Rev. Hannah for your dedication and time to this very important branch of our ministry. You have taken on several responsibilities and lightened the board’s load in a myriad of ways. CoSM initiated an active Share the Plate program in January. It has widened our presence in the Cheyenne community and brought in generous contributions. I would encourage anyone who is interested in adding their energy to this church to ask about joining CoSM.

Perhaps one of the most entailed and vitally essential elements to maintaining our church is the pledge. Each year a few dedicated, and very hard-working people organize and solicit your pledge. Without them, we would not be here. Please acknowledge these folks in a heartful way: Abbey Kercher, Gordon Johns, Arlene Shanklin, Sharon Kelsey and Mike Lammers. The treasurer's report will indicate the pledges made. We hope that everyone will follow through as we depend on this money to stay healthy.

Our local fire marshal paid us a call. After several recommended updates, we passed with a clean bill! There is a land line downstairs should we need a secure connection when cell phones don’t work. There are fire extinguishers and smoke alarms. We will soon hold a fire drill. Thank you, Mike Shonsey, Mike Kercher, and Bob Twyford for getting us up to code.

Once again, our largest fundraiser, the UU service auction was a tremendous success. Not only did we raise $22,299. It was also a lot of fun. Thank you, Joe Corrigan, with assistance from Marci Lindi, and many others for organizing and orchestrating this fantastic February event. By the way, if you have not yet paid for the items you bought please see our administrator and bring your account up to date.

Mary Scherden continues to lead the youth as our Director of Faith Development. Our Whole Lives (OWL) recently graduated the youth who had completed weeks of dedicated attendance. The Faith Development volunteers work hard to teach our youth the values of Unitarian Universalism and practical life skills. The teens have been busy. Thanks to their energy and willingness we enjoyed a few delicious fund raisers, competitions, and auctions recently. The youth keep us moving and please stay tuned for more youth-fun-fundraisers.

Gene Heater, John Sanford and Garth Shanklin patiently created a policy for submitting a policy to the church board. It’s a work of art. Should you have an idea for adding innovative change or additions to the church structure, please ask the administrator.

Our staff work hard to keep the church clean, safe and running smoothly. Thank you to our music director Tyler Cessor, Sharon Kelley, housekeeping, Priscilla Golden, accompanist, and all the nursery workers. Thomas Redding and all you who keep the kitchen running and the coffee pots

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full, thank you! Your contributions to the life and vitality of this church are very appreciated. Thank you to the many committees who donate their time and expertise to the body of UUCC: Finance, Budget, Compensation and Benefits, Leadership Development, Membership, Fun and Fellowship and CoSM. And you, the Board, it has been my pleasure and privilege to work with such fine people. I will miss our gatherings. We have shared many a thoughtful time. Many. I know there are no coincidences in life. Einstein said, “God does not play dice”. We were brought together for a purpose and we have nearly fulfilled that purpose. Well done to you all.

“And the first shall be last and the last shall be first,” In closing, I want to say thank you especially to Reverend Hannah Villnave. Her youth, intelligence, experience, leadership and optimism have continued to enliven the church in all areas. She has a wealth of UU education, and she shares it willingly. She has conducted several educational programs that are open to one and all. Ask her about ‘learning to give a service’ class or getting to know the Unitarian Universalist church in more depth. And, to top it off, she and Catherine had a baby in February! She planned it well, parental leave-time was smoothly handled by the people set in place to pick up various duties; thanks to, Sandi Gaulke and Lea Grubbs for pastoral care needs, Camellia El’Antably for administrative questions, and Beth Howard for worship questions.

It has been a privilege to serve you.Most sincerely, your Board President

Hailey T. Ellingham

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Treasurer’s & Finance Committee Report

While this has been an adventurous year to serve as UUCC Treasurer, due to the dedication and generosity of volunteers and the congregation, UUCC is in a comparatively healthy financial state.

The Finance Committee members include Paul Howard (chair), Garth Shanklin (church treasurer), Joey VanSchaik, John Sanford, Mike Shonsey, Marci Linde, and Steve Furtney. Through March, income overall was more than it was last year, primarily due to pledge income and another successful fundraising year through the service auction and other events. Admin expenses were lower for a variety of factors and this led to a smaller than anticipated draw on our reserves. Several unbudgeted expenses including a new social hall sound system, share the plate, and a new water main were board approved expenditures within the 6% limit of the total annual budget. We also have a new flat roof funded as a special project outside of the normal budget While there still is a gap in ongoing expenses and revenues, the proposed budget for next year calls for 95% of all funding to come through pledges, fundraising and other income. The draw on reserves will be higher than it was this year, yet less than most years this decade. The budget also calls for increases to Ministerial compensation. Staff compensation is slightly reduced and within guidelines adopted by the UUA. Program funding remains fairly even. This is only possible through the efforts of many people. Assistant Treasurer Joey VanSchaik as Assistant Treasurer donated several hundreds of hours of forensic accounting following the embezzlement by the previous church administrator. Also, I thank Andrea Heater and Joey for volunteering months of administrative and bookkeeping repair as well as our IT coordinator Gene Heater for many hours of IT support. Kudos to Marci Linde for pulling double duty on Finance as well as Fundraising with Joe Corrigan. Thanks to Terry Kreuzer for another successful holiday arts and crafts festival and to Abby Kercher for spearheading the Living Generously Campaign. Also, appreciation to Sharon Wisroth, Gene Heater, Garth Shanklin and John Sanford for their continued participation on the ad hoc Financial Policy and Procedure review group. The Board recommended budget for 2019-2020 is included for your review and approval. Garth Shanklin, Treasurer

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UUCC Financials

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Committee on Shared Ministry Report

This year, CoSM members are Bertha Bikulcs, Birgitt Paul, Carol Bowles, Jack Runnels, Kesslee Velasco, and Rev. Hannah Vilnave.

UUCC by-laws instruct the CoSM to Assess, Communicate, Support and Nurture, and Recommend in order to strengthen the various ministries of the UUCC.

This year has been focused on outreach ministries and our connection with the broader community. After input from the congregation on which organizations they are involved in that fit our principles and mission, we came up with a list to renew our “Share the Plate” ministry. The organizations and funds for 2019 are: Ministerial Discretionary Fund, Climb Wyoming, Wyoming Legal Aid, Juntos, STRIDE, Wyoming Equality, Wyoming Outdoor Council, Needs, Inc, Family Promise, COMEA, Meals on Wheels, and the Unaccompanied Student Initiative. Collection is taken each Sunday of the month, and that which is not designated as a pledge is divided in half with the community organization for that month. Besides providing funds, our goal is to learn more about each organization and have a deeper connection with them; providing a connection for the congregation to support them with other volunteer needs. We would like the Share the Plate program to continue next year under congregational leadership and will support those who are interested in taking this on.

Our other focus has been to complete the UUCC Guide for Ministry Groups and distribute the form and discussion questions to the various ministries of the UUCC. The purpose is to 1) allow for periodic assessment of how the group supports the ministry and mission of the UUCC, 2) keep track of who the leaders and members are 2) support the group 3) encourage the health of the groups and help them sustain their existence, if that is appropriate. We hope to get these forms back before the end of this fiscal year and begin the reviews. This guide is also useful when considering starting a new ministry. If your group has not yet received the packet, please contact a CoSM member.

CoSM is encouraging adult religious education and supportive of the upcoming new format, in whatever form it will take. As we begin the change-over of members for 2019-2020, this will be a new focus of support.

Respectfully submitted,Carol Bowles

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Warm and Welcoming Team Report

Members: Brett Avila, Norman Bretz, Camille Furtney (chair), Karen Gonzales, Elaine Hayes, Mike Lammers, Lori Miller, Karl Musgrave, Kathleen Petersen, (Matthew Waterman), and Rhonda Woodard. (All Membership members are part of Fun & Fellowship.)Fun and Fellowship Members: Kayla Lyday, Thomas Redding, Lilie Klein, Audriana Mata The Membership/Outreach Committee has three main goals: 1) warmly greeting everyone on Sunday mornings and helping newcomers feel welcomed; 2) providing meaningful opportunities for prospective members to explore Unitarian Universalism and the path to membership; and 3) providing ways for new members to connect with and integrate into the congregation. To help meet our first goal, greeters were scheduled for each Sunday of the year. We provided periodic training for our greeting efforts and continued to fine-tune our Sunday morning visitor check-in system, along with follow-up phone calls. To meet our second goal, we assist Rev. Hannah in providing New to UU/Membership classes. Classes are offered most months after Sunday service on the first Sunday of the month. Rev. Hannah gives an introduction to Unitarian Universalism, and Membership team members give a brief history of UUCC. We also discuss church polity, and responsibilities of membership, and ways to plug in to the UUCC community. Periodically, those who have attended a class and have decided to join the church may do so in a book-signing ceremony held before service. They are then introduced and welcomed during the service. The Membership Team continued to offer membership classes during the times Rev. Hannah was gone due to being on parental leave. The Membership Committee helped with the annual membership count and inventory process. The Membership Committee continued to partner with the Fun and Fellowship Committee to better meet our overlapping goals of facilitating opportunities for building community within UUCC. We helped with several fellowship opportunities throughout the year.Respectfully submitted,

Camille Furtney, Chair

Compensation & Benefits Committee Report

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Members: Joey VanSchaik, Birgitt Paul, Rhonda Woodard, Camellia El-Antably, Reverend Hannah Villnave

The committee is traditionally chaired by the past board president, who is added to the committee after completion of the term as president.

Some of the committee’s activities this year included:● Developing new job descriptions for the administrator and bookkeeper positions● Helping direct the hiring process, including providing input on appropriate salary ranges● Developing new contracts as needed for new staffing● Reviewed and updated employment policies● Researched Workers Compensation rules● Developing an internal-use checklist for hiring to streamline the process and provide

guidance in the event of new people involved in hiring● Developed salary and benefit recommendations for 2019/20 fiscal year for the budget

committee, finance committee and board● Annual review of compensation for all staff members, including an analysis of

relationship of compensation levels to UUA guidelines.● Annual review of employment contracts and preparation of recommended changes and/or

new contracts for board review and approval.● Annual review of UUCC benefits, including a review of the relationship of UUCC benefits to

UUA recommendations

Building and Grounds Report

Bob Twyford continued his extraordinary service to the church. He completed or championed many projects and kept the church running, including mowing and watering the grass, cleaning up the leaves in the fall, a majority of the snow shoveling of the sidewalks, and fixing all kinds of various things. The boiler requires adding chemical every two weeks, a job done by Ron Labrecque. The special steam boiler chemicals are donated by a firm in Denver that provides the chemical free to churches. Bob replaced a small glass tube on the boiler that allows us the keep track of the boiler’s water level. The BIG items this year was replacing the broken WATER LINE from the street into the building. (We lost one crabtree when the City had to replace the water shut off valve.) Hopefully the water line will last another 50+ years. And, the new flat membrane ROOF. A big and costly project that should last for 30+ years. Both projects were not in the budget and required either additional fundraising or dipping into reserves. Thank you to Mike Kercher, Phil Stump and Randy Bruns for their guidance on these big projects. Other smaller projects include a new outside motion light on the east side, LED light bulbs for most of the places that are hard to reach or had require frequent changes, new emergency phone in the basement, removal of the dying spruce tree at the northeast corner of the parking lot and covering the area with new sod, removing sod and soil to make room for a concrete pad for a new bike rack on the west side, and a couple additional fire extinguishers that were required by the fire inspector. I hope next year we can document some the jobs routinely done around the church and make a list of items that often need service or repair. Capture the institutional memory of the folks like Bob, Sharon Kelley, and myself. Oh, yes, is anyone still reading? Next year we hope to make this more

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of a committee effort, have real committee meetings and make committee decisions, rather that two guys just doing things and smiling and shrugging their shoulders when asked about what they did. Let me know if you would like to be on THE COMMITTEE. We are cool. Mike Shonsey

COMEA House Dinners Report

For the fiscal year 2018/2019 the UUCC COMEA House Committee has prepared and served Dinner to the residents and staff of the COMEA House a total of 4 meals on a quarterly rotation with other civic organizations of Cheyenne. 3 of the meals consisted of either baked chicken, rice pilaf and a vegetable and of course dessert. Our fourth meal is our annual Christmas Dinner – consisting of prime rib, au gratin potatoes, green bean casserole, green salad and of course a special dessert. At any given meal we would have served on average of 70 - 80 guests. For the Christmas dinner those numbers have reached to 100 plus. In this fiscal year with our budget of $1000.00, we have not spent nearly what we have in the past, because we have gone from serving dinner every month to a quarterly schedule. But this expected to go up this next fiscal year and into the future due to the loss of a very generous donor. The members of our committee consist of 6 – 10 people – with ages ranging from 10 to 70 years old, who give their time on the 3rd Saturday of the month. The dinners that we provide to the folks at COMEA House give the opportunity for members and friends of UUCC to reaffirm the inherent worth and dignity of all people by giving to those in need. Thank YouThomas S. Redding

Family Promise Program Report

Significant support is given by Norman Bretz, Mac Marino and Thomas Redding. We are looking for someone experienced with the program to share the Coordinator position. There are a number of ways to divide up the leadership tasks to make this job easy for 2-3 committed leaders and allow for travel plans for leaders during the rotation week. Please contact Carol Bowles at 221-6445 or cbowleswy@gmail.com for details.

Family Promise of UUCC is a long-standing (18 years) ministry of UUCC, and a participating church of Cheyenne the Family Promise. This organization provides support for local homeless families with children.  These families receive overnight shelter, warm evening and weekend meals, a safe place to stay, day center access, case management, referrals, education and loving and encouragement from participating churches in Cheyenne.

We hosted families quarterly during the last year. There were 6 families with a total of 15 children. The next rotation starts on July 6th. Provision of meals has become simpler and with less waste with families using their WIC and SNAP benefits for breakfast and lunch. We have a budget

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for purchase of air mattresses and bedding as needed, supplies, special needs, and reimbursement for some meals.

At UUCC, we have approximately 60 experienced volunteers on our emailing list. About 18-25 volunteers participate at any given rotation week, and many of these make up our usual quarterly volunteer roster. There are 19 2 to 3-hour shifts, and 7 overnight shifts. Help is also needed for set-up, tear down, and laundry. Families are at the UUCC from 5pm to 7am on weekdays, and all day on the weekends. They spend the daytime hours at school, work, taking care of business, looking for jobs, or meeting with the social workers at the day center.

We have seen families find employment, find apartments, have babies, join community churches, and blossom into confident parents and community members, participating in Family Promise of Cheyenne long after they are no longer being actively housed in our community churches.  It is truly a ministry to the families we host and is part of how we carry out the mission of UUCC and our UU values.

Respectfully,

Carol Bowles, Coordinator

Social Justice Council Updates

● Immigration Justice work included supporting folks in the community with DACA renewals and other paperwork and efforts to oppose a private prison for detainees in Uinta County.

● At Christmas we had a Giving Tree in the lobby for contributions of items for those in need. ● We also adopted a Family Promise family, and the congregation generously filled their wish

list. ● There was continued work for equality and racial justice. ● In May the church had a collection of items for Day of Giving.

Investment Committee Report

The Investment Committee Members included Emily Smith (Chair), Randy Bruns, and Steve Furtney.  Garth Shanklin attended as the UUCC Treasurer and Paul Howard attended as the investment advisor from RBC Wealth Management.

During FY2019, the committee met in August and December of 2018 and April of 2019.  The goals:

● WNOV (Wake Now Our Vision) gifts from Shelter Rock Congregation

● Oversight of Investments

WNOV Gifts: UUCC will receive $80,000.00 in match funding from the Wake Now Our Vision campaign and the Shelter Rock Congregation.  Matching funds requested after August of 2018 were not funded, as the funds had been depleted. The committee believes that the funds will begin being distributed in the fall of 2019 although we do not have any specific information in this regard.  At the time of distribution, the committee will make a decision on investing the additional funds. The committee has a meeting set for July 2019 where there will be more discussion in this regard.

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Oversight of Investments:

Per Paul Howard at RBC Wealth Management:

A year ago, the UUCC had $ 168,592.90 in long term reserves.  Funds were returned that had been earmarked for operations but not needed, and we received gifts.  This amount came to a total of $43,391.74.  UUCC also had investment gains of $ 11,184.17. At the end of April, we have a total of $223,634.59.

The attached report covers 5/1/2018 through 4/30/2019.  It indicates a current balance, return figures and asset allocation.  Please note the beginning and ending value.

Respectfully Submitted,

Emily Smith

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