Ventura County Interfaith Community – Core Committee Meeting

October 20, 2005

 

·        Susan opened with a devotional

·        We thanked Soka Gakkai for hosting our visit

·        Tim and Teri mentioned that they enjoyed their visits to Temple Ner Ami for Slichot and the Bab’s birthday feast with the Bahá’í community.

·        We discussed upcoming visits

o       We are still on for the November 6th visit to the Hindu Temple

§         Tim will prepare bulletin inserts by Saturday

§         Location:  Temple Ner Ami – 4098 Calle Tesoro, Suite D, Camarillo

§         Introduction at 3:30

§         Puja at 4:00

§         Tim will ask how long the Puja is

o       The group noted a conflict between the Quaker visit and the award ceremony for Ferial.  Tim will contact Percy and find out if they want to postpone the Quaker visit.

o       The group agreed it would be best to skip a January worship visit in preference to the upcoming forum

o       We will try to do the Jainism presentation on February 15, 16, 22, or 23.  Tim will arrange with St. Columbas

o       Future visit for a Bahá’í meeting on Monday, March 20 – Renée will verify that the meeting place will allow for extra people

·        Outreach

o       Kim Hawkins contacted a Muslim but has not received a reply.  She will try again.

o       Susan contacted the LA Interfaith group

§         The Episcopal representative is Janet Kawamoto, Director of Communications for the Diocese. She is enthusiastic about our forum and will advertise it in Episcopalian communications

§         Bishop Bruno will try to attend the forum

§         There is nothing for us to visit in the LA Interfaith group, but Susan thought we might invite Janet Kawamoto to talk to us about what we’re doing right and what we could do better after we get past the January forum

o       Tim reported that he had met with Fellowship of Reconciliation and that they were planning a workshop for listening to the viewpoint of others.  The group was enthusiastic about participating in this workshop.

·        Volunteerism

o       Tim reported that he had been invited to lunch with the CLU chaplains to discuss the possibility of collaboration

o       Susan is still working on meditation classes.

o       Death and Dying training for health care professionals:

§         Renée reported that she had pursued the possibility of presentations to health-care providers and determined that CHW just put a program in place.  They would have loved our help two months ago!

§         Teri contacted Ventura County Hospital and they may be interested in the future. 

§         Susan will contact CMH and see if they are interested.

§         Renée suggested contacting the Behavioral Health ??, but after discussion, the idea was tabled until after the forum.

o       Teri will try again to contact VYCF and find out what is involved in sponsoring a “living unit.”

·        Forum

o       Speakers

§         Susan Storch will moderate

§         Rabbi Lotker will represent Judaism

§         Scott Jaenicke will represent Bahai

§         Julie Morris will represent Christians

§         Ferial Masry will represent Islam

§         Kim and Rosalyn will coordinate with Debbie Bavaro to insure that both branches of Buddhism are represented

§         Tim encouraged each representative to encourage their speakers to think creatively about ways to incorporate different viewpoints from their tradition.  We will fudge the time by one or two minutes if a speaker represents more than one viewpoint.

o       Literature

§         Shirley Sussman will arrange literature from Temple Ner Ami as well as explore obtaining Orthodox literature

§         Renée will arrange for Bahai literature

§         Susan will arrange for Episcopalian, Methodist, and Lutheran literature

§         Tim will solicit Catholic literature from Linda Lowe

§         Teri will ask Ferial for literature

o       Publicity

§         Susan will handle the newspaper, radio, etc. and will coordinate with Debbie Bavaro.  She will also see that the Library gets copies of the brochure

§         Renée will do a brochure for the forum using Tim’s email and Teri’s cell phone (805-312-1631) for contact information

§         Tim will contact Janet Kawamoto (news@ladiocese.org) once we have a brochure

§         Tim will do a general brochure for VCIC.

o       Agenda

§         Tim will introduce moderator

§         Moderator will speak for a few minutes

§         Each panelist will have 10-12 minutes to present

§         Audience Q and A for ½ hour

§         Moderator will sum up

§         Tim will close program

·        Next meetings

o       November 17, 7:00 PM – Teri will bring the devotional

o       December 15, 6:30 PM Potluch

§         Shirley will bring devotional

§         Representatives for forum to be invited