One God One Thought Center for Better Living

Ministry Leader’s Meeting Minutes

September 9, 2017

 

Call to Order: Meeting was called to order at 12:00 PM by Rev. Lameteria Hall

Opening Prayer: Debra Ruffin-Dorsey

Daily Inspiration:  Rev. Jeannette Gatewood-Johnson

 

June 2017 Minutes:  Crystal Kirby motioned to approve the July 2017 Ministry Leaders Meeting minutes with edits, second by Joy Dyson. Motion carried.

Inspirational Leadership – Topic: “Teamwork”

• Lameteria Hall opened the discussion of the Inspirational Leadership lesson with the definition of the topic, Teamwork, which is the combined action of a group of people, especially when it is effective and efficient. After researching a little deeper, Rev. Lameteria stated she stumbled across a lesson entitled “Teamwork Makes the Dream Work”, by a Minister out of Brooklyn, NY, that was done three years ago. The Minister used a book (“The Path to Wealth,” by May McCarthy ) in his research regarding teamwork. Rev. Lameteria noted that May McCarthy will be one of the key note speakers at POT this year and that it was her one-on-one experience of listening to the author explain the seven principles from her book that she engaged us in a brief interaction as it relates to teamwork as individuals and not as a group of people; that individual being ourselves.  We reflected on the question, “How do I align myself with Source (God) and recognize that for my life on my journey, it is about teamwork?”  Rev. Lameteria asked us to begin to look at teamwork by going within ourselves as individuals and asking ourselves, “how do I practice as member of a team?”  She stated the following:

Team is in these words; The Father and I are One, and we are reminded by our Way Shower, Jesus Christ, “Of myself I can’t do anything, it is the Father within that does the work”. If we all can work together with our own spiritual individual team, just imagine how effective and efficient our work as Ministry Leaders will be in this community and the world.

Rev. Lameteria guided Ministry Leaders through the following seven steps:

1. Write down a word or statement as to how “The Father and I are One”, resonates for you.
2. Write down something that you are grateful for right now.
3. Think of something that you truly, truly love, unconditionally, and speak out loud in an affirmation.
4. For that which you spoke out loud, close your eyes again and imagine taking that experience to a deeper level of love.
5. Whatever makes you feel good, expect to experience more of that throughout your day. Follow the leads and hunches.
6. Celebrate the demonstration.
7. Before you go to sleep tonight, open yourself to the power of forgiveness on anything that took place throughout your day. Then close it out with gratitude and being grateful for your entire day.

Rev. Lameteria closed the experience with this statement: The One God One Thought Center for Better Living Ministry is advancing, because each one of you is advancing in consciousness, dedication, and compatibility. You are nurturing your team right now and are willing to practice and put in whatever it takes to keep yourself in alignment with your source. The name that May McCarthy gives her source is CSO (Chief Spiritual Officer).                            

Ministry Updates:

Multi-Media – Joy Dyson –

• Expressed their thanks in having the opportunity of working with the play “For Better or Worse” and we look forward to doing more events. This exposure allowed the Multi-Media members to develop sound and lighting skills.

OGOT Choir – Paulette Lucas

• The choir will be singing two songs at the Light of Truth event on September 29, 2017.
• Since the choir is not doing a concert this year, a suggestion was made that we do a Sunday Morning Concert, during the month that we are the Ministry of the Month. Bernette stated that she needs to have a conversation about the concert.
• The snare drum and the tom tom drums need to be repaired. Donna Gaither stated her husband is a professional drummer and she said she would ask him to see if he could repair them.

Bridges – Rev. Jeannette Gatewood-Johnson

• Bridges is having a member’s only retreat at the Hampton Inn & Suites at National Harbor; during the 6 thru 8 Oct 2012. The Saturday conference is open to the congregation from 10 AM to 2 PM.

JCTS Registration – Debra Ruffin-Dorsey

• Registration has started for the fall classes. We encourage ministry leaders to take a class.
• Bernette stated that ministry leaders should encourage their members to take Basic I and II classes, because it is requirement, especially for leaders. Basic II is a summary of New Thought Theology.

Harmony Book – Crystal Kirby

• The class text books are available for purchase.
• Candy and badge holders are in the bookstore for purchase.

Prosperity Ministry – Deborah Smith

• Prosperity Ministry was Ministry of the Month last month and we would like to thank Debra Ruffin-Dorsey for assisting in decorating the Ministry of the Month table.
• The Prosperity Ministry would like to thank all who contributed to donating five brand new tables to the church and repairing four existing tables. We are looking forward to the donation of additional tables from the Baltimore Hebrew congregation.

Ushers/Host-Hostesses – Elaine Atlee

• Approval was granted of the OGOT Picnic for September 10, 2017. The ministry would like to thank everyone for their love and support in helping us accomplish our goal this year.

Optimal Health – No Updates

OGOT BoD – No Updates

Special Service – Henrietta Coward

• Henrietta Coward would like to thank everyone who pitched in while she was on leave.

Spiritual Arts – Emma Sembly-Brodie and James Michael Brodie

• The “Empowering” Fashion Show proposal was approved and the vendor form will be available September 10, 2017.
• The price of ticket has changed to $25 for one and $40 for two. At the door tickets will be $30. Children 12 and under will be $15.
• Vendors are being asked to contribute and participate in a Holiday Bazaar which will open the holiday season. The total of number of vendors that we are requesting is 10 at $25 a table. Vendors will sell their products between 4:00 and 5:45 PM. A chicken buffet dinner will be served between 5:00 and 5:45 PM. Flyers for vendors are in development.
• Deborah Shepperson Smith is handling the ticket sells, Virginia Wake is the point person for the patron ads and Kathy will be the point person for the vendor ads.
• There will be a media blitz campaign using the radio and perhaps a television ad if a contact can be found. An ad will be submitted for the upcoming Light of Truth Center event for exposure.
• We are in contact with Wide Angle Youth Media, as a way of getting some young people involved in doing some videotaping.
• Bernette suggested that we network with our community partners to sell five are more tickets and ask them to purchase an ad.
• Deborah requested each Ministry of the church do a ten-name patron ad sheet which was distributed. The program book will be a 5×7 in size. Rev. Bernette recommended that program ad book be in a digital format, so that it could be uploaded on the website and APP. Rev. Bernette Jones also recommend that the Ministry ads reflect Adventure in Faith (AIF), as the fashion show is part of the AIF experience.
• Lameteria requested that the patron ads that were omitted from the OGOT Anniversary Program book be added to fashion show program book.

Prayer Ministry – Virginia Wake

• The prayer ministry’s trip to Washington, DC for the Unity World Day of Prayer is scheduled for September 14, 2017. Map directions to the park, train schedules and a list of other activities at Unity of Washington are available for distribution.
• Also requested church members join a Prayer Tree where several persons are to hold the space for peace from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Youth Ministry – No Updates

• Lameteria advised that Youth Sunday is during the month of October. Kimberly Moffat was asked to check in with the school students (Boys Collegiate Academy) with whom she works to see if they would like to do something during that time (maybe dance or music).

 

Old Business:

OGOT Ministry Repository Updates -: No Updates

• Karen Clay will be joining us during the month of October to keep us in alignment with OGOT Ministry Repository.

 

Upcoming Events

• “Empowering Fashion Show – November 18, 2017
• Bernette would like to put on the October meeting agenda a discussion about the November meeting at which we have leadership from a New York church called “In the Light Ministry” coming to OGOT to learn how we do ministry. The date of the visit is November 11, 2017.
• Bernette stated that the Board of Directors has made a commitment that going forward, every ministry and everything we do will be oriented to newcomers. Detailed information will be provided soon.

 

New Business – Adventure in Faith (AIF) Rev. Richard Huge and Rev. Jeannette Gatewood-Johnson

• Richard Huge distributed draft copies of the AIF 2017 Campaign outline, which will kick off on October 8, 2017. The theme for AIF is taken from the book, “The Secret Door to Success” by Florence Scovel Shinn.
• Bernette stated that the focus of the activities is teaching people who are participating to understand the significance of how to apply Principles.
• There will be business cards with our QR code available to hand out to people that will invite them to the church. The QR code on the card will take the person to our OGOT APP to present our message of who we are and what we teach.
• There will be AIF-branded bags available for October 8, 2017, that contain the books “The Secret Door to Success” and “Twelve Steps to your Healing” (by Rev. Sheila R, McKeithen), as well as a secretary notebook for journaling, and a guide book.
• Bernette advised that there is no financial plan accompanying this process because the whole point of this is to generate enough energy interest and involvement that we use currencies other than money. It helps us to see how much we can do and get done just by taking all of the focus off money to help people grow their consciousness. This is based on the Law of Attraction and the Law of Mind Action, which says Like attracts Like. The point of this is to grow your consciousness, use your relationship with other people, and use your professional skills and talents to get things done.

 

Closing Prayer – Meeting was adjourned by Rev. Lameteria with closing Prayer at 2:00 PM.

Attendees:  Van Johnson – (Choir/Board), Rev. Jeannette Gatewood-Johnson – (Bridges), Emma Sembly-Brodie – (Spiritual Arts), Donna R, Gaither-(Bridges), Rev. Bernette L Jones – (Senior Ministry). Linda Keith – (Bridges/Choir), Virginia Wake – (Prayer/Board), John W. Johnson- (Bridges), Joy Dyson- (Multi-Media), Elaine Atlee- (Ushers/Host/Hostess), Deborah Smith- (Prosperity), Crystal Kirby- (Board/Bookstore), Debra Ruffin-Dorsey- (Prayer/JCTS), Rev. Richard Huge- (Staff), Rose Deeley, Henrietta Coward- (Special Service), Paulette Lucas- (Choir) Rev. Lameteria