Mar 13 2014
Annual Meeting 27 March 2014. Reports.
Annual General Meeting
27th March 2014
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Dunedin Sea of Faith,
28th March 2013
The meeting opened at 6.25 p.m.
Present: Marjorie Spittle [Chair] and 12 members.
Apologies: Alan Jackson, Janet Wishart, Geoff Neilson, David Kitchingman.
Minutes of the previous AGM were read and confirmed Marjorie / Robin
Correction to the Minutes: the misspelling of Sheila Clarke’s name.
Chairperson’s report: An addition to the report was the resignation of Peter Wishart from the position of librarian. Peter was thanked for all the work he had done in running the library over several years. The report was adopted Marjorie/ Ian
Financial report: Ruth Morgan presented the financial report which was adopted. Ruth/Ian
Ruth thanked Ian Fleming for the help he gave on financial matters and the preparation of the report.
Webmaster report: Ian Fleming reported that we spend $50 per annum to keep google advertisements out of the web site. This is a supporter’s fee and for it we also get a gigabyte of graphics instead of 500 megabytes. WordPress also has the kismet system that stops rubbish. The report was accepted. Ian/ Margaret
Election of Officers:
Chairperson: Gretchen Kivell
Treasurer: Ruth Morgan
Newsletter editor: Alan Jackson
Webmaster: Ian Fleming
Committee members: Marjorie Spittle [Immediate past Chairperson], Margaret Feist, David Kitchingman, Frances Smithson, Peter Wishart.
As Gretchen is unable to take up the position of Chairperson until after her retirement in June, Marjorie will be acting Chairperson in the meantime.
General Business:
1. The organisation and administration of the library was discussed at some length. Peter pointed out that there was a lot of physical work involved in moving 125 books. Peter suggested reducing the number of books. Marjorie suggested the job could be split up so that one person administer the library and another manage the physical side. Margaret suggested that people could order the books so that all the books would not need to be brought along to a meeting. Frances suggested we investigate having a locked cupboard on castors on the premises that could be rolled out each meeting. Bruce suggested putting a list of the books on the website.
Ian offered to catalogue all the books and put them on the website. We could consider offering people the chance to take outdated books back that they had loaned to the library or ask for their permission to dispose of them. The issues of the library will be discussed at the next Committee meeting. Meanwhile Ian was thanked for his generous offer to list the books on the website.
2. Quiet time. The 2 minute quiet time before the start of the meeting was reviewed. Those present were all in favour of continuing with this. Robin suggested we trial it for a further period of time. Ian was initially opposed to it but is enjoying it. Margaret thought it was a chance to change from the eating and chatting to centring ourselves on the meeting ahead. We will continue the practice in the meantime and ask in the newsletter for others to give their feedback.
The meeting closed at 7 p.m.
Chairperson’s Report
Our Sea of Faith group is amazingly flexible and welcoming of all who show an interest. There is no joining or membership fee, just a small sum to pay for the meal and meeting on occasions when people choose to attend. Our e-mailing list is to over 70 Dunedin citizens; our attendance is 20 or so per meeting, sometimes nearer to 30.
Dunedin Sea of Faith is very fortunate to have access to a rich resource of interesting people to lead our meetings, including national speakers, those from Dunedin and from within our group, and not forgetting our popular annual event where each person is invited to contribute on a chosen theme. Over the past year our sessions have been as follows:
- March AGM and Library News from Ian Fleming
- April No meeting – ANZAC Day
- May The late Roberta Highton’s paper on Euthanasia and discussion led by Margaret Feist
- June ‘The Jesus Seminar’: a paper by Colin Gibson, delivered and with commentary by David Kitchingman
- July Sir Lloyd Geering: ‘How Humans made God’. 60 people attended
- August David Kitchingman ‘What can we learn from traditional societies?’
- September Ian Fleming led a conversation of us all, on the topic of ‘Prayer’
- October ‘Ideas from the 2013 Conference’: report back by members who had attended the national Sea of Faith conference in Hastings
- November Prof Jim Veitch ‘How and why did Jesus of Galilee become God?’
- February Rod Mitchell, reporting on the 3rd Common Dreams Conference in Melbourne
Four members attended the 2013 national Sea of Faith Conference ‘Tell me the old, old story’ in Hastings. I was elected onto the National Steering Committee at the AGM.
Dunedin Sea of Faith has been asked to host the 2014 national Sea of Faith Conference, in Dunedin. We give our thanks to Marjorie Spittle for taking on the role of Conference Convenor, and to all those who are already working with Marjorie to prepare for the conference.
With considerable sadness I record the passing of both Arthur Templeton and Pen Whittaker, both strong contributors at our meetings, and much loved and respected members of our group.
I would like to thank all members of our committee for their willing support throughout the year, and particularly acknowledge those whose terms have expired, Marjorie Spittle, Margaret Feist and Peter Wishart, for their sterling work for Sea of Faith over many years. Particular thanks, too, to those on the committee with significant portfolios: Ian Fleming – webmaster and librarian, Ruth Morgan, Treasurer, Frances Smithson – delivery of the food at each meeting, and Alan and Bruce Spittle for setting up the hall and electronics essential for our meetings and to Alan for the monthly Newsletter.
It is my honour to present this 2014 Annual Report of the Dunedin Sea of Faith.
This time last year, it looked as if the budget was going to increase from $200 to close to $250 with the increase in price of stamps (50c to 70c) and the increase in photocopy costs (now 12c per page + paper cost). However, thanks to many of the regular recipients making the change from paper-in-the-post to e-mail, the list dwindled from 22 posted to 12 and so the budget for the coming year is $130. One of the recipients supplies me with self-addressed stamped envelopes, which is very much appreciated.
I try to get the Newsletter into your hands two weeks before the meeting (and with the annoyingly longer postal times that has made the printing date much earlier). The folk on e-mail do get additional items in between the monthly newsletter, many of which refer to items on the internet.
I am always pleased to have a few lines to include from members and will accept submissions in handwriting, after 40 years in teaching, I can read most scripts. Alan Jackson
Treasurer’s Report
| Dunedin Sea of Faith Group | ||||
| Financial Statement for the calendar year 2013 | ||||
| FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE | ||||
| INCOME | YE 2013 | YE 2012 | ||
| Interest | ||||
| – Achiever Ac | $7.66 | $12.87 | ||
| – Current Ac | $1.94 | $1.56 | ||
| Food Sales | 1 | $397.10 | $510.00 | |
| Meeting Cash | 1 | $371.00 | $444.00 | |
| Sale of surplus library book | $5.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Speaker Reimbursement | 2 | $387.90 | $236.00 | |
| INCOME TOTAL | $1,170.60 | $1,204.43 | ||
| EXPENSES | ||||
| Cheque Book stamp duty | $0.00 | $2.50 | ||
| Catering: Food | 1 | $380.00 | $400.00 | |
| Catering: Transport | $50.00 | $60.00 | ||
| Hall Hire | 3 | $385.00 | $400.00 | |
| Newsletter | $230.00 | $241.79 | ||
| Publicity | $46.80 | $0.00 | ||
| Donations to Outside Speakers | 4 | $716.94 | $100.00 | |
| Tea Duty reimbursement | $45.00 | $30.00 | ||
| Website | $50.00 | $50.00 | ||
| EXPENSES – TOTAL | $1,903.74 | $1,284.29 | ||
| Surplus/deficit for year | -$733.14 | -$79.86 | ||
| EQUITY | ||||
| Accumulated Funds | 31/12/13 | 31/12/12 | ||
| Equity at start of period | $1,942.04 | $2,021.90 | ||
| Add surplus/subtract deficit | -$733.14 | -$79.86 | ||
| Equity at end of period | $1,208.90 | $1,942.04 | ||
| FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT DATE | 31/12/13 | 31/12/12 | ||
| Achiever Savings Account | 5 | $770.15 | $762.49 | |
| Current Account | $438.75 | $1,179.55 | ||
| Petty Cash | $0.00 | $0.00 | ||
| TOTAL | $1,208.90 | $1,942.04 | ||
| 1. One meeting less & some attendances down. | ||||
| 2. Higher figure due to two public meetings’ payments. | ||||
| 3. Lower payment due to one meeting less, offset by sound system hire cost. | ||||
| 4. The $450 entry in YE 2012 wrongly included J Veietch’s uncashed cheque. Now corrected and put into 2013. | ||||
| 5. The Achiever A/c originated from the Spong 2004 meeting surplus. | ||||
Library Report:
In taking over administering our SOF Library, I have experimented with some innovations:
Plastic cubes made for more robust holders than deteriorating cardboard boxes.
I put the books in author alphabetical order, spine up, in six cubes that just fitted in the boot of my sedan.
I also put up two ‘pages’ on the home page of the website.
One page just lists the books in author order, with indication whether they are ‘in’ or ‘out’.
The other page, much more laboriously long, includes summaries of each book’s contents.
Well, it was just an experiment. Afraid you don’t get a selection of the books attractively spread out on the table as previously provided by Peter.
But no one has objected or come up with a better idea, to my knowledge.
A question:
Have not introduced any new books in his past year and some are dating rather, now.
Is a library still relevant, necessary, as it certainly was in the past? There is so much reading available on the internet.
Website report:
Am presently listing all the papers presented since I started the website, in order of date, in an extra page at the top of the home post. Click on any you are interested in, and the paper just comes up.
We pay Blogtown $50.00 p.a. in order to keep out Google advertisements that would otherwise cover the server’s expenses.
Website Administrator.