Hello my people!

I’m sitting on our deck as I write this and see the garden is out in full force at the Cook-Sonoras home. We’re planting veggies and flowers, picking bouquets, clearing out old plants and shrubs that don’t work anymore and anticipating what’s to come next. It’s a lot of work but creating something beautiful in which we can take pride makes it worth it.

Not a bad analogy for UUFOM, right?

On Sunday, June 2, 2019, 60 members (including proxies) gathered to discuss two pieces of business: Amending the By-Laws in Section 1 Composition and Election brought by the Board of Directors and Adopting a Statement of Advocacy brought by the L.O.V.E. Team. Below are final By-Laws addition and Statement of Advocacy.

Additions to ARTICLE VI. BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Section1. Composition and Election

Two or more members of the same household may not serve on the Board of Directors at the same time. Two or more members of the same immediate family may not serve on the Board of Directors at the same time.

Term Limits: No member may serve more than two consecutive two-year terms on the Board. A two-year interval must elapse before a person is eligible to be elected again after serving on the Board. Appointment or election to fill a partial term will not count toward the maximum of two consecutive two-year terms.

Vacancies: A vacancy on the Board of Directors occurring between Annual Meetings of the Congregation will be filled by majority vote of the remaining Board members. A Board member so-appointed will serve until the end of the fiscal year. If a full year still remains at the time of the next Annual Meeting, the Nominating Committee will recommend a candidate to be elected by the Congregation to serve the remaining partial (one-year) term.

Statement of Advocacy
We, the members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Midland, hereby endorse the following Congregational Statement of Advocacy:

We affirm the full inclusion and participation of people of all genders in our religious community and in society at large.

In witness to this Statement of Advocacy, a “Progress Pride” flag will be hung on a flagpole on the Fellowship grounds.

Thank you to everyone for your thoughtful participation in the Business Meeting.

Now it’s time for me to get back to summer. But before I bend my back to pick another weed or prune another bush, I’ll take a moment to listen to the wind rustling through the foliage and enjoy the fruits of our labor. May you have a moment to do the same.

In grateful service and with love,

Shannon Sonoras
Board President