FRLC Board Meeting Minutes, Wednesday, January 7, 2015

            Check In & Prayer: Five members were present

The Minutes from December were approved as sent.

Treasurer’s report—year end The 2014 year end report was sent by email along with the 2013 for comparison. The income was down,  and compensation up this year. Over $800 in checks came in from the Christmas appeal. When finances were critical a few years ago we sent out a strong appeal and received a big boost. Some large one time gifts came in then. The last stipend may not have included in this report, so we may have a little more. It appears that less issues of the newsletter went out last year, which may be a contributing faction. Options discussed included a Lenten appeal or a newsletter focused on finances. The cruise will have happened by the next issue, so we will have had the annual meeting. There is often new energy & leadership coming out of the retreat.

            Coordinator’s report He commented on the nice Christmas fundraising letter Brian put together. It is producing some gifts. The general trend is fewer gifts in larger amounts. We need to keep putting it out there.

We may have a new benefactor, who is mentoring our Coordinator on how to “build” things, and may give financial support. We reviewed progress on the lay fellowship.  Eight congregations and a treatment center are cosponsoring a once a month lecture series for the next nine months, with break out sessions after lecture on understanding the 12 steps, youth, and the “Conscious Contact”-12 step experience w prayer and meditation. He developed the literature and tested it at one meeting in December, and was pleased at how it sounded and how it was received. The first lecture and breakout sessions happen tomorrow night!

Six couples are confirmed and paid for the cruise. The weekly meetings are still going and are regularly attended. He also attended to emails and phone calls the same as always.

Old Business:

            E-newsletter and quarterly newsletter: suggestion to focus on how the money is used and what we accomplish with it. Our treasurer will think about it and we will discuss it at the next Board meeting.

2015 Cruise plans: It was announced in the brochure that we would work our way through the 12 X 12. Each participant will be assigned two chapters to read and speak on. He will send the assignments out to the participants. The board affirmed this plan. We will discuss how we apply the traditions in this Fellowship. The new chairperson will not be able to attend, so the former chair/current secretary will do a written Board report, bring the two year end Treasurer’s reports, and run the meeting.

New Business:

One of our members asked about inviting participation in the Wittenberg Project through our Fellowship. It seemed that people felt it was ok as a non-FRLC announcement on the Thursday calls for those who wanted to talk about it in the informal time after the meeting closes but there was concern about slippery slope putting it on website and Facebook. It was moved, seconded and tabled on “that we abide by the AA traditions and not be a conduit for advertisement of non FRLC related events”.  Will we function by making a case-by-case decision or following AA tradition? The motion will be discussed at the retreat.

A board member brought up what to do when unknown music and conversation comes on line with Thursday meeting call. Nobody admitted it came from their location although it sounded like a recording of a Lutheran worship service. There were two newcomers to FRLC on the call. It has not happened again. Perhaps the best procedure would be to have everyone hang up and call back in.

We closed us in prayer.

The next meeting will be the  annual meeting on the Cruise. The next board meeting will be Wednesday, March 4, 2015 2:00 pm MDT/2 pm CDT/1:00 pm PDT/3:00 pm EDT 12:00 pm