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Higher Education/Campus Ministry Work Area Minutes
Minutes, April 18, 2006.
Present: J. J. Burchman, Monty Engelmann, John Gore, Jessica Holen,
Don Meaders, Martha Meaders, Toni Vincent, Ian Weibel.
1. Devotion.
Monty read a Merit Award applicant's statement on the influence his
Christian Journey has directed his academic goals.
2. Merit Scholarships, (Monty & J.J.)
Four applications were received. Each applicant's materials were
evaluated by the group. The applicants were compared as a group. It was
concluded that all were worthy of a $500 scholarship for each one had
exceeded the minimal standards required. Two of the scholarships will
come from the annual budgeted scholarship funds and the remainder will
come from the Special Accounts Scholarship Funds. This year's
Merit/Christian Service Scholars are: Bradley Kim Kern, Emily Bell
Forrest, Alexander James Plum, and Kathryn Lynn Scott. Their awards will
be presented on Methodist Student Sunday, April 30, 2006 at the 10:30
a.m. service.
3. Student Recognition Sunday, April 30 (Don & Ian)
All the final arrangements are in place. Posters are ready, Merit awards
will be given and goody bags will be ready..
4. Reports from program areas (if any) and discussion.
A. Africa U. Support (Don)
Don had to give his regrets to the Tabers. He can't see how the take
advantage of an unplanned immediate opportunity when there is little
flexibility in the Sunday schedule. We will try to do more advance
planning, perhaps for next year's Student Sunday.
B. Budget - Peer Minister Support winter payment to Wesley- Done (Monty)
C. College/University Student-UUMC Roster (Jessica & Christi)
So far, we have had only three responses from the congregation with
their college student's addresses. Jessica will get Wendy's gift
certificates and send them to the students for whom we have information.
D. Goody Bag Sunday April 30th (Martha & Toni)
Martha reports that we are only half way to our goal of 70 goody bags.
She believes that we will make up the difference this Sunday.
E. Have-A-Heart Brunch- Done (Monty)
F. Host Family/Friend project (John)
John has written out a rough draft of Host Family plan which lays out a
comprehensive approach and raises some basic questions about the
program. See the draft copy at the end of the minutes.
G. Methodist Universities and College information. (Don & Ian)
Ready to go for Student Sunday.
H. Seminary Student Support Project. (Rick) On hold.
I. Student e-mails. ( J.J.)
A few have been sent in the last weeks.
J. Van Project.- (Monty)
Have to put in our request to do the parking again next Fall and start
the second round of fund raising for another van.
K. Web Page, Kiosk (Ian)
Has been updated.
6. Member comments or concerns.
Jon Stahl has requested that each work area " the best way for the new
pastors to learn about the goals, purpose, mission, activities,
problems, and any relevant issues related to your work area."
1. Make up our yearly reports this summer.
2. Give them:
a copy of this year's narrative budget,
a copy of our Five year plan,
a copy of our mission statement.
3. Have the Ministers attend a meeting which allows them to discuss
their ideas and goals with the work area members.
7. Next Meeting May 16
John's Proposal:
Host Family/Friend Project
Overall Goal: The ultimate goal of this project is to create social
interaction, outside of the church setting, between collegiate students
attending UUMC while in school and members of the congregation. Through
this interaction we intend 1. that students would feel more at home in
the Lansing area and 2. that members of the congregation and the Wesley
foundation would come together to forge more personal contacts.
Means of Accomplishing Goal: To accomplish this, two 'pools' (one from
either group) need to be formed. Firstly, a list of UUMC families
willing to volunteer their time to provide a meal or other socially
engaging activity (bowling, etc ) in order to create a setting within
which they can interact with a given student. Secondly, a pool of
interested student participants which a coordinating party will match
with the volunteer families.
Initiation
The Family Pool:
At some point well in advance of the fall semester, the 'Host
Family/Friend Project' should be added to the Sunday Service
announcements. The announcement should include a description of the
project and information relevant to signing up. This announcement should
direct interested families to fliers posted and to the volunteer forms
(a possible template is attached to this document). The form will gather
crucial contact information as well as provide a brief profile of the
volunteer family.
Recommendation: The announcement should be made six times--- once the
first week of July, each Sunday in August and once more the second week
of September to pick up last minute volunteers.
The Student Pool:
A student pool can be accumulated in a number of ways from within the
Wesley foundation:
1. The inclusion of 'Host Family' project details in weekly e-mailings
starting this fall.
2. The use of alternate means of internet communication such as the
'Wesley Foundation' facebook group and LiveJournal community ('The
Lounge' as it is called).
3. Announcements made by Wesley peer ministers (or a coordinating party)
at meetings*, especially in September and January. These announcements
should be accompanied by the (practically) standard** 'sign-up sheet'.
4. Information pertaining to the Host Family/Friend Project could
possibly be included in outgoing e-mail to incoming students following
orientation.
* Prior to the end of spring semester, a summery of the project in total
(perhaps a revision of this proposal) should be sent to the peer
ministry team and to reverend Tuthill in order to give them an awareness
of the program and detail their possible responsibilities. The extent to
which the peer ministry team will be involved is still unknown, but it
can be assumed they will need a basic knowledge of what the program is-
and possibly even utilize it.
Recommendation: A 'dry run' should be coordinated as soon as possible.
Either a member of the peer ministry team or another interested,
existing student should have dinner with a host family. This should be
no problem (students are already interested).
Coordination
>Completed 'Volunteer Family Forms' should be gathered and inserted into
a three ring binder, alphabetized. A 'quick reference' sheet should be
compiled--- this sheet should have the last name of each family and
their phone number (and e-mail if available). This binder will form the
volunteer directory.
>Every student from the 'sign-up' sheet should be contacted via MSU
e-mail and asked to confirm their interest (included in this e-mail may
be some questions about what kind of family they would like to be put in
touch with).
** In spite of the additional organization it would require, it might be
best for students to go in pairs, if they so desire. Some students may
be reluctant to enter a strange family's home on their own. The given
sign up sheet may be designed to accommodate two names, or the
coordinator may indicate to the family that they should contact two
students. This question may warrant more discussion.
Execution
>When the coordinating party receives a reply e-mail from the interested
under-grad(s), the process of establishing contact will take place.
>The coordinator is responsible simply for facilitating communication
and should not have to function as a permanent mediator for the student
and family.
>The coordinator will take into account the students' e-mail response
when matching them to a potential family (or families). Recommendation:
It would be optimal if the host family were to call the student(s), but
both parties should be given contact details.
>Over the next few weeks, the coordinator should follow up with the
student to gauge the effectiveness of the process and program.
>Suggestion Possibly, an evaluation form of some sort could be
implemented for the first several meetings between students and
congregation members in order to monitor the process in its infancy.
>>>Recommendation: The possibility of a new title for the program could
be explored. The program could be renamed in a different way to make it
easier to remember or say. It would be my personal preference if we
re-title the program shorter, or title it in such a way that an acronym
can be created. 'Open Homes Program' (OPI) or some variation might be
effective.
Host Family and Friend Project
Volunteer Family Form
Names:_________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________
________________________________________________
Phone #:(____)_______ E-mail(s) if possible ________________
Kids? How many and how old are they?_____________
_______________________________________________
Tell us a little about your family and why you might like to invite a
college undergraduate into your home:
______________________________________________________________
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