Hi Sky Emmaus Community Newsletter
March, 2009
Board Meeting Minutes Summary

Monthly Board of Directors Meeting – January 20, 2009

The Hi-Sky Emmaus Community Board of Directors met at 5:30 P.M. at Permian Basin Board of Realtors, 1001 W. Wall Street, Midland, Texas 79701, on Tuesday, January 6, 2009.
The Hi-Sky Emmaus Community Board of Directors met at 5:30 P.M. at Permian Basin Board of Realtors, 1001 W. Wall Street, Midland, Texas 79701, on Tuesday, January 20, 2009.

Walk Reports

• Men’s Walk #183 – February 5-8, 2009
  Dusty Roach reported his team was “good to go” and his walk now has 20 pilgrims registered.
  
  
• Women’s Walk #184 – March 5-8, 2009
  Heidi Anderson advised she still needs an assistant spiritual director for her walk. At this point, the walk has 8 pilgrims registered, although some have dropped. Heidi asked for board members to do the team training for her first team meeting and members did volunteer and this need was fulfilled.

Board Minutes: The minutes of the December 4, 2008 meeting were submitted by Carol Hopkins for approval. Motion was made and seconded, and the minutes were approved unanimously. The minutes of the January 6, 2009 meeting were then submitted for approval. A correction had been made after the members received the minutes via email. Motion was made and seconded, and these minutes were also approved unanimously.

Community Spiritual Director Report: Sandra Fussell read 1 Timothy:3 – ‘If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.’ We have accepted our positions on the board. ‘Therefore an overseer must be above reproach’, which we are striving to be. Our positions and works are not to be grumbled about. We are a God-chosen board, leading with integrity. We need to get a feel for what the Community wants – to be listening; careful with our words. There should be no side bar conversations, but all things brought to the full board. Psalms 133:1 says ‘Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!

Community Lay Director: Dusty Roach remarked that we need to communicate, to bring established members back into involvement in the community. Let them know we “miss ‘em and want ‘em”. When there are controversial topics, we need to be careful not to deliver those topics controversially, but express our hearts.

Dusty asked how scholarship requests are submitted and whether this is a line on the registration form, which there is. Peg Geer, Registrar reported she had one scholarship request for $50, for which motion was made and seconded, and the scholarship was approved unanimously.

Registrar: Peg Geer was present to be introduced as the new Registrar. The transition has been made and Peg is comfortable with the job.

[At this point, the meeting broke temporarily to watch former President Bush return to the airport following his visit to downtown Midland on this inauguration day.]

On return to the meeting, Dusty gave to Tim Harris, the 2008 past Community Lay Director, a framed cross with the beginning of the Prayer to the Holy Spirit.

Treasurer’s Report: Ken Arnold had submitted the Treasurer’s Report for January to December 2008 and also for January 1-20, 2009. Ken was present at this meeting to explain the reports. The matter of offering a donation to the host church for our community meetings was raised. The 2009 facility, Wilshire Park, is remodeling, and it was suggested that Hi Sky contribute toward that for our use of the facility.

Following Ken’s explanation of the treasurer reports, motion was made and seconded, and the financial reports were approved unanimously.
Larry Carroll has agreed to serve as treasurer for 2009.

Committee Reports

• Gatherings – Carolyn Arnold reported she is working on lining up walk crosses for the January meeting.
  
  
• Trailer/Supplies – Jerry Knous indicated he needs to get together with Dusty to learn the layout of the storage facility and the responsibilities entailed.
  
  
• Chrysalis – Barbara Willis indicated she needs Chrysalis guidelines. She discussed using Chrysalis girls to serve the candlelight dinners for walks to get them involved in the community.
  
  
• Team Selection – Dusty asked Iris Hall-Sanders if Team Selection could meet soon for Chrysalis team selection. Iris first asked if the current committee would be the same for 2009. The bylaws state that the Community Lay Director is to chair the meeting with the Walk Lay Director and Community Spiritual Director, Assistant Community Spiritual Director and three board members, along with non-board committee members, with members to be on a one-year term. Discussion then was held on whether a team could be approved by the Team Selection Committee rather than waiting to be approved by the board and, since there are several board members on the committee, it was decided to do that to avoid the delay between Team Selection and board approval so that the Walk Lay Director could immediately begin making calls to his potential team members.
  
  
• Music/Entertainment – Bill Thomas advised that a music team was lined up for the January Community meeting.
  
  
• Nominating – Larry Carroll reported the names of other nominees for the 2009 Women’s Walks; however, since the date for Women’s Walk #186 was being moved from August to July, Iris Hall-Sanders, the already approved alternate, agreed to be the Lay Director for that walk.
  
  
• Administrative – Carol Hopkins reported the January Newsletter has not yet been published, pending articles from various board members; but would hopefully be on the website shortly.
  
  
• Agape – Carol Hopkins advised she has the wall agape letters ready for Men’s Walk #183 and following walks.
  
  
• Training – Heidi Anderson will do community training at the January Community meeting.

New Business

• By-Laws Revision Discussion – The board members were asked to review Articles 4, 5 and 6 of the current bylaws for any policies in that regard for clarification concerning the board, officers, meetings (to be discussed at the February meeting). All agreed it is easier to revise policies, rather than the bylaws, which should be kept broad based.
  
  
• Assistant Community Lay Director(s) – Dusty Roach suggested having two ACLDs – one male and one female. Article 5.1 of the bylaws implies one (“the”). Martha Manulik then suggested that we could have the one ACLD but have an “assistant” to the ACLD. It was reiterated, in full disclosure, that being the ACLD does not necessarily mean that person will become the Community Lay Director the following year. Nomination of Martha Manulik was made for 2009 ACLD; the nomination was seconded, and the nomination was approved unanimously.
  
  
• Iris Hall-Sanders mentioned that she noticed Sandra Fussell had sent letter after walks to churches represented on the walks, which Iris thought was a good policy. Sandra advised she does that only for walks that she works, as such a letter is in the Spiritual Director’s Manual. Sandra did indicate she would write those letters this year as the Community Spiritual Director for all walks.

Old Business

• Candles/new policy at Circle 6: Martha Manulik had emailed all board members that she had determined from Circle 6 that candles will still be allowed, but always need to be in containers. This does away with the need for our search for digital candles. Tea candles are not allowed unless in a container.
  
  
• Spiritual Team: Sandra has not yet been able to look at the clergy survey, but advised she does have Spiritual Directors arranged for all 2009 walks, although we do need some Assistant Spiritual Directors. Once again, several names were suggested, and Sandra remarked that she sends to pastors the walk schedule to look over and decide if they can work as Spiritual Directors.
  
  
• Lay Director Training – Heidi Anderson will set up the next training session for Chrysalis LDs and the remaining Walk LDs and send email to those persons.

There being no further business on the agenda and no further business raised, motion was made and seconded to adjourn, and Dusty Roach adjourned the meeting at 7:41 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,
Carol Hopkins, Secretary