July 23:Diane's notes from Council Meeting

Diane sent this to the group:

Here is my account of what happened at the Zoom church council meeting yesterday, July 22, 2020.  Ben Coonrod, Bob Miles and I were present as observers.  Council members were, Phil, as moderator, Rev. Karla, Mark, John Waters, Sheryl Mendenhall ,  Gary Cypers, Nancy Keswani, Ron Miller, Ken Whitney and Donna Jones.  Others?

The council meeting was called to collaborate on the search for outside mediation.  The agenda was entirely focused on this.  Working with outside mediation had been agreed on at last month’s meeting.

The discussion: The Mennonite group was no longer viable; too long and too costly.  Several council members were discouraged that the proposed plan for the other mediation groups would address the problem but did not appear to provide any solution.  

Donna Jones expressed her support for going to the root of the issue, the former pastor policy, and not spending time and money on outside mediation.   She made an excellent case for the disruption within the church that this policy has created and how simple it might be to rewrite the policy.  She invited the council to talk to the group that has been looking to do this.

John Waters thought we might work within our congregation (in a metaphorically indirect way; something about a dog and a dog bite and just addressing the bite.)  Gary Cyphers interpreted it as opposite of how John meant it. 

Gary said we have systemic problems within our church, that the policy was a symptom, not the cause. Gary said that our group, our “oppositional movement” has “Pitted ourselves against the church leadership, against Karla.” 

Ron Miller was asked by Phil what he thought.  He was comfortable expressing dissent and firmly supported Donna in agreeing that the root cause of the problem was and is the former pastor policy.  He added that it should never have been put in place without a congregational vote. He said that the church did not have a systemic problem and that it was in good health until the policy.

Ken Whitney was not aware of our dissenting group.  It appeared that few of the council members were informed about our efforts or comfortable expressing dissent.

Nancy Keswani dismissively reminded the group when Donna raised her hand to speak again that they had voted last month to hire outside mediation, that this conversation was not pertinent and not on the agenda.  Phil agreed. 

Even though three people on the council were not in accord with the previously agreed on plan, they dismissed the suggestion and option to work within our church and went on to the possible concerns for mediation that Karla has been researching.

I left the meeting, incredulous.   Here are my insights.

The council had not received the documents, personal letters and invitations to dialog that we had sent to Phil as moderator, to share with church leadership.

There is no continued revelation with our church leadership.  They made a decision; they were going to stay on the agenda.  No matter that1/3 of the fellowship is at odds with it.  No matter that Ron Miller, Jeannie and Milton Stewart, Nancy Irving, Claudia Schopper, Ann Allen and some of the most valued, long time members are in opposition.

Donna had suggested that Ben speak to the policy and the group’s suggestions.  Phil declined.  Not on the agenda.

The meeting was conducted like a business meeting, not like a church meeting.  We have no standing.  We are in the way of their agenda.

Diane Rhoades