2020-21 Annual Meeting and Report

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2020-21 UUAA Annual Meeting

The 2020-21 Annual Meeting was held June 6, 2021 at 11:30 via Zoom.

 

MEETING MATERIALS

Adopted agenda

Adopted Rules of Procedure

Minutes of the 2020 Annual Congregational Meeting

The slate of Board/ LDT members proposed by the Leadership Development Team was elected.

The proposed bylaw changes were adopted by a 78% in favor vote:

Proposed bylaw changes

Rationale for the changes

FAQ sheet

 

 

Elected Board of Trustees and Leadership Development Team Members

 

LauraJohnstonePresident: Laura Johnstone

I’ve been a UUAA member for more than three years, most recently serving as Vice President of the Board of Trustees.   After coming “off the road” in my professional life, I am grateful that my wife of 40+ years (Cynthia Dunitz) and I have found our home in this community. My involvement thus far includes the Friday Fun Night team, the Auction Committee, the Unity Group, Forum Ministries, New Member Welcome team, the Vision 20/50 Leadership teams, and Chalice Circle Topics Writing team as well as active ongoing support with the Alpha House group.  Professionally I’ve served as the Communications Director for two large companies, but found my true activist calling with the Service Employees International Union as communicator for many campaigns and then as International Representative serving in a variety of capacities throughout the Midwest, including Legislative Liaison for campaigns, Interim Chief of Staff, and Deputy Trustee, with Nursing Home Workers, Nurses, Janitors, Public School Employees and others.  Our Principles and Covenant resonate powerfully with me. I’m committed to strengthening our beloved community, and to creating actions that move our principles from self, to community, to the greater world around us. I’m also committed to helping our community carry out our service through the framework of our Vision 20/50. 

 

GreggPetersonAppointment (filling Laura Johnstone's term) Vice President: Gregg Peterson

I’ve participated widely in the life of this congregation since moving from Chicago to Ann Arbor with my wife and daughter, over 12 years ago.  We left many dear friends and family members in Chicago, including our UU friends at Second Unitarian Church, the congregation where we first discovered this amazing faith tradition 19 years ago. I was a trustee on the board at “2U” just before being recruited for a new job here in Michigan.

Since joining UUAA, my family and I have been nourished by all that this congregation has to offer—warm friendships, inspiring services, an amazing community of musicians, small-group ministries (I’m a member of the 7th Men’s Circle), many opportunities for spiritual growth and development, and the opportunity to serve this congregation. I have been an SGD teacher, a member of the SGD Council, a coming-of-age mentor, a planner and leader in the activities of the Men’s Fellowship, including two years as the Chair of the Men’s Council, a member of LOV (Living Our Values) team, and a proud member of the bass section in the Chalice Singers choir. Finally, for the last year, I've been a Trustee at Large on the UUAA Board.

In my professional life, I’m an Associate Director in the Survey Research Operations unit at Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. When I’m not working or in community with you, I love to make photographs and hand-crafted books, and have recently begun writing and telling my own stories. 

 

 

VanessaCampbell Treasurer: Vanessa Campbell

Vanessa Campbell became a member of UUAA in 2009. She has been involved in Chalice Circles, the Chalice Singers (Choir), Welcome Ministries (usher), a financial reporting review, and the auction. With more than nine years as an entrepreneur of Sage Accounting, she works with small businesses and seniors, and formerly she worked with a telecommunications corporation during the early development of the Internet. She has extensive experience in process development, analysis, and project management. Vanessa has served as Treasurer on the UUAA BOT for the last two years. Vanessa looks forward to serving another term on the UUAA Board of Trustees.

 

 

 

 

 

DavidKohnTrustee-at-Large: David Kohn

I have lived in Ann Arbor for over 30 years and my family (Lisa, Sam and Tim) and I have been members of UUAA since 2004.  I am currently a member and treasurer of the Social Justice Council, and have previously served as a coming of age mentor and helped teach in the SGD program.  I have also volunteered at Alpha House and served on the newcomer’s welcome committee.  We started coming to UUAA when our children were young and relished the SGD program that they grew up with.  As an empty nester now, I am able to dedicate more time to UUAA, which has provided a beautiful home for us.  I value the free-thinking and discourse provided by the Congregation and the environment that enables us to live our values.  The most important element of my membership in UUAA has been the relationships that have been built.  I have served on Boards and as President of professional (scientific) societies, so I have experience in activities, governance and financial aspects of non-profits and volunteer work.  I am honored to have been nominated as a candidate for the Board and look forward to the opportunity to serve our Congregation.

 

 

 

ErinKrajcikTrustee-at-Large: Erin Krajcik

It is an honor to be selected for reelection to an At-Large position on the UUAA Board of Trustees. Thank you. I grew up with Unitarian Universalist values as a part of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Savannah. Since joining UUAA in 2014, it has been a privilege to serve during the Newcomer’s Welcome and Involvement Table and as a member of Friends of Restorative Justice. It is such a delight during the Newcomer’s Welcome to meet and engage with new people interested in the Congregation and Unitarian Universalism, and I get to talk about all of the amazing things this congregation does! I also have found such meaning through my involvement with Friends of Restorative Justice. With this group, we are able to put “faith into action” on so many levels by promoting a restorative approach criminal justice. I am proud to be a member of UUAA while engaging with these groups.

As a Clinical Social Worker, my professional values, experience, and training have been very helpful for my involvement with these groups. This skill set has also proven useful for continuing to engage with the congregation in the role of Board Member-At-Large. One of my favorite things on Sunday is not only seeing so many people I know but seeing how many people I have yet to meet. For me, this is the wonder of our Congregation. We are vast, and deep. We do so much and with such meaning. For that, I appreciate the UUAA Congregation, and the opportunity to serve as a Board Member-At-Large.

 

HenrikeFlorusboschAppointment (filling Gregg Peterson's term): Trustee-at-Large: Henrike Florusbosch

I am excited about the opportunity to serve this congregation that has been so important to me. My husband and I signed the membership book in 2007, when our oldest daughter was in preschool (and the other children weren’t yet born). Moving along with our oldest daughter,

I have taught SGD classes from Kindergarten to 5th grade, when I started “commuting” to the Netherlands for a few years to teach at the University of Leiden; during that time & afterwards, I intermittently taught SGD classes alongside our second daughter, before joining the SGD committee in 2018.

The Vision 2050 process made me realize the many ways in which the congregation, and its covenantal approach to bringing about the beloved community together, had become a core part of my life. I thought the care everyone took in engaging others in the visioning process and our commitment to begin again in love, again and again as needed, were exemplary, and I’ve tried to bring some of these practices to home & work. Conversely, I now hope to bring some of my professional experience (I manage the African Studies Center at the University of Michigan) and my passion for creating community and transformative change to the board.

 

 

JanetCalloway Leadership Development Team: Janet Callaway

I’ve lived in Ann Arbor since 1958. My formal education includes degrees in Music, Special Education, and, finally a Ph.D. Education Administration.   I also participated in a year-long internship in planned change/organizational development.

Professionally, I spent a decade as a cellist, two decades in public education—one as an elementary teacher, language arts consultant, and one as a building administrator. Finally, I worked with corporate America for fifteen years, particularly in team development and process improvement.

Since retirement I’ve provided pro bono consultation with non-profit groups. I’ve also held leadership roles in several community groups, including Huron Services for Youth, Arbor Hospice, and UMS.

My first experience in our congregation began in the mid-1970s when I signed the membership book and was eventually Director of Religious Education. Then having been absent for a number of years, when Lou and I were married in 1994 we explored congregations and in that exploration began attending here regularly, re-signing the book in February, 2019.

Recently I’ve been a greeter, helped with our last auction and been part of the Wednesday Morning Readers. I was on the Leadership Team for the first phase of the “Vision 20/50” process, working on the sub-group that developed the data gathering process and supported the superb volunteer members who facilitated the sessions.

Why the Leadership Development Team?   I intend to work with others to deepen our congregational understanding of the unique leadership and followership required to move closer to actualizing our Vision. In that way we will be able to develop future slates of Board and LDT candidates whose leadership continues to exemplify those understandings.

 

 

KimKlugstonAppointed Position: Leadership Development Team: Kim Clugston

I signed the UUAA membership book on May 9, 2004. I served as the Treasurer of the Board of Trustees from 2009-2013. I also have served as a member of the Memorial Garden group, off and on, since 2009 to the present. 

Rev. Gail Geisenhainer married  my fellow gardener, Peter Russell, and me in our Dexter back yard on a beautiful September afternoon in 2013. I retired from the Bank of Ann Arbor last July and am happily adjusting to life without an alarm clock. Peter and I live in our home with my father, Bill, who is 94.

This congregation is important to me as it is a major part of my spiritual home, informing and supporting my personal political, ethical, and social relationships with the greater world. Our church home is a sanctuary of peace and beauty built on our past contributions and aspirations for the future. I appreciate the opportunity to serve on the Leadership Development Team as part of my contribution.

 

 

 

 

 

The 2020-21 Annual Report

First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor

 Banner for Annual Report 2021

 In the 2020-21 program year, creativity abounded as we figured out how to gather virtually, keep up connections and remain a strong community during a pandemic. We added Zoom pastoral care, Zoom kids activities, outdoor Community Walks and found many other ways to stay connected. We kept our social justice programs going and kept working on Vision 20/50 priorities, including taking the first steps on a Green Sanctuary re-certification journey.

 

During our Sunday Service May 23, 2021, Rev. Cassandra Hartley gathered highlights of the many ways we managed to stay in community throughout this difficult pandemic year. Please watch this inspiring summary of UUAA's 2020-2021... perhaps our first video Annual Report.

 

 

Each of the links below display one UUAA Group 2020-21 Annual Report (PDF formatted).

 

-- Or read/download all of the reports gathered into one PDF document using this link.

 

 

In Memoriam 2020-21

UUAA Staff and Leadership

Spiritual Life

Social Justice and Environmental Action

Community

Stewardship

Culture

Support Teams