Kawashaway Community Circle Notes

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Circle Date

Nov 13 , 2005 – Snake's abode, Minneapolis

Next Circle

Present

Kiva, White Ash, Rocky*, Snake, Vi, Scooter*, Miracle, Ehsea*, Braeburn Blue*, Two Bears*, E!ureka*
(6/12 Stews = quorum)

* indicates Steward

Agenda

• Bylaws

The committee met in April to discuss proposed bylaw changes. Some of those changes include using a genderless pronoun (hir instead of him/her), Steward commitments and annual meeting. Regarding stewardship changes, some Stewards may not have the financial means to commit but are willing to work the land. The commitment form was not consistent with the bylaws concerning how many meetings a year a steward is required to attend. We are going to ask Friends to fill out a commitment form annually also. The question was asked what the difference between Friends and Stewards are. In the past, the major differences included a financial commitment by the Stewards and the fact that they can block consensus. We need to make sure there is a statement under both Stewards/Friends reminding them that the need for money is always present to pay the bills for the upkeep of the land (insurance, taxes, etc). The plan is to bring the financial commitment topic up at the annual meeting.

Some of the other changes were to the names of the officers. The title “Keeper of the Big Nothing” is to become the “Keeper of the Fabric”. Some of the duties would include: making sure there is an agenda for the circle meetings, that the next circle has an address and location, makes sure the notes are posted in a decent amount of time. The name incorporates weaving, pattern and the fabric of our community. The Keeper of the Fabric would make a presentation at the annual meeting of what has happened over the past year.

Bi-laws are the minimum necessary ~ we can do more than what is in the bi-laws. Perhaps there could be an RSVP from folks for various Circles ~ tracked by the Keeper of the Fabric ~ to ensure both types of communications are being effective [note for the Communications Revamp group].

For binding decisions, we consensed to change from min 2 Stews to 3 Stews.

The Bi-laws were consensed with many varied methods, including legs raised in the air.

• Treasurer’s Report

Ehsea didn’t come fully prepared to the Circle so there wasn’t much of a report to offer.

There was a discussion about book fees for Klick for the books we never thought we were invoiced for. It turns out the money was taken out of royalties from Klick. We discussed making a payment to her for that amount, but she won’t take any money. She did suggest possibly being given books instead of money. Miracle is to figure out some kind of payment program.

Approximately $1500 was raised for the hurricane-displaced faeries at Short Mountain.

• Gathering Debrief

E! asked the question: who was the Gathering Committee? We had Call Grrls and pantry people, but no real gathering committee this year. We discussed whether or not to have a gathering committee for this upcoming year. Rocky said he liked the energy of the new Faes, that the energy was really great and we should connect with all of those people who may not realize we kind of go on hiatus during the winter. It seems that a lot of the people who have had a hand in organizing Lammas Gathering in the past have moved onto helping to plan the Spirit Gathering in the Spring. It would help to have more people step up to help plan the Gathering as there was a lack of community effort this year. Not as much intention going into the gathering so there wasn’t much community intention going out.

Some issues that were brought up:

• Lack of community circles. There were a couple of heart circles, but no business circles.
• No generators during heart circles without the express approval of the heart circle itself.
• Develop a community value around communication.
• Kitchen redesigned without letting the community know about it before the work was done.
• Conflict resolution in the community would have helped with some of the issues that came up during this year’s gathering.
• Better planning circle
• Food times – the times fluctuated so much that sometimes brunch/lunch was held at 3pm in the afternoon.
• More intention about the dinner times being earlier in the evenings.

Proposals:

• Have a gathering circle in April. This would give time for the call to get put together, word the gathering planning/visioning circle to go beyond food/call, make sure there is a link between both gatherings’ energy so that it doesn’t feel like there are two different gatherings.
• Pre-gathering meetings to plan the opening and closing ritual so it doesn’t seem like it’s “on the fly”.
• Gathering planning circle could come up with a statement of intention for that year’s gathering.
• Morning circles to take place of the pre-dinner circles for announcements.

Suggested that perhaps at Lammas gathering, someone could talk about “what I did at Spirit Gathering” as a way to tie both gatherings together.

Miracle volunteered to make an annual calendar of dates for deadlines (call mailing, gatherings, etc.). The plan is to have the first meeting in April to discuss the Lammas Gathering. The first meeting to plan the Spirit Gathering is to be held in January.

• Communications Revamp / Phonetree

  Would be inclusive and sensible to implement a concerted effort to pair up a Steward or Friend who declares themself as “non-online” with another reliable “online” Steward or Friend to keep them up-to-date. Scooter will be the point person for this buddy’ing of “non-online” with “online” folks, perhaps incorporating a phone tree. Reasons for not being online might be techno-healing, finances, respect for earth resources, end-of-the-day computer overstim…

Necessary to move on an ad-hoc phonetree, as well as the entire Communications Revamp (especially with new bi-laws in place). Scooter would like to be on the committee with Miracle, White Ash, Two Bears (and in the past Augury).

Scooter will be back to us with date for hosting heart circle to discuss community, communication, consensus, construction (and at times cock-sucking).

• Feb Annual Circle with potluck and … ~ 18 Feb 2006

  • Stews / Friends sign up
  • Consensing on officers
  • Year-end KORB report
  • Monies from Stews / Friends / Gaths ~ what are our financial needs?
  • Ritual
  • Fun

  Annual Circle Prep Circle ~ Miracle, Scooter, Rocky, (possibly E!ureka)

Forward to Next Circle

• Calendar review
• Plan annual meeting in February
• Phone Tree & Communications Revamp
• Lammas (or other?) designation for August Gatherings

Action Items

Respectfully and cordially and politely and lovingly submitted by Missy White Ash & Master Ehsea

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