EASTSIDE INTERFAITH SOCIAL CONCERNSS COUNCIL MINUTES
P.O. BOX 662, Bellevue, WA 98009-0662
October 11, 2016
The meeting was held in Bristol Hall of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church beginning at 12:00 noon.
WELCOME: The meeting was called to order and conducted by EISCC President Tony Copes.
OPENING PRAYER: Khizer Sheriff provided the opening prayer, Prayer of Renewal.
SELF-INTRODUCTIONS were made by 24 representatives and guests.
MINUTES of the September 13, 2016, meeting were approved as submitted.
ELECTION: The slate offered by the Nominating Committee was approved. Rev. Karen Studders was elected as Secretary, and Warren Marquardson was elected as Treasurer. Dick Jacke and Rev. J.C. Mitchell were elected as board members at large. Other board members remain the same.
The new officers will be
President: Tony Copes, finishing the second and final year of his term
Vice President: Linda Hillesheim
Secretary: Karen Studders
Treasurer: Warren Marquardson
PROGRAM: Access Opportunity Workshop
Marnie Maraldo from the Eastside Human Services Forum (EHSF) put on this workshop, with the assistance of Karen Studders. These workshops are being offered to groups on the Eastside to explore ways in which our complex social problems (poverty, hunger, homelessness, etc.) might be addressed. To do this, they look for ‘wicked questions’ that cannot be resolved with known, traditional, analytical, linear approaches because there is incomplete or conflicting information, a variety of people and/or opinions involved, there is a large economic burden, and problems are interconnected. With the collaboration of stakeholders, they hope to develop a shared understanding of the problems and shared commitments for solutions. With imagination and innovation, this could include pilot programs, prototypes, and ‘good enough’ solutions.
We went through several exercises which listed a number of possible wicked questions and then selected those issues/questions that were of most interest to our group. The results of the workshop exercises can be found in the attached file (along with results from other, similar workshops. EHSF is interested in putting on similar workshops for other community groups on the Eastside. If your group would be interested, please contact Marnie atmarnie@eastsideforum.org or 425-220-3389.
The five wicked questions that we identified were:
| 1. How is it that our local economy is so strong at a time when economic inequality & homelessness is on the rise?
2. How is it that we are working to help those who are homeless/low-income with many programs and we are having a difficult time finding a common connection to know what each other are doing to stop duplication or to work together more quickly? 3. How do we acknowledge that we have homelessness on the Eastside and our funding is not from the Eastside and our values may be different from Seattle/King County/United Way? 4. How do we allow members of our community that are sleeping in parks to find a temporary “home base” that works for them while assuring that our parks remain good wildlife habitats and welcoming to all members of our community? 5. How can we allow the mentally ill to have the least restrictive and simultaneously we are not able to provide help when a person is in obvious distress? |
REFRESHMENT COORDINATOR: Nadine Bentsen, Tony Copes, Farida Hakim, Sandy Lewis, and Betty Spohn provided the food for today’s meeting.
REPORTS:
Legislative Coordinator: Jean Harris reported that a Faith Action Network Candidates Forum was to be held on Sunday, October 16, from 3 to 5 pm at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church. The event will be held in the sanctuary rather than the social hall where we meet. Jean also noted that you can find FAN’s initiative recommendations at their website http://fanwa.org/2016-ballot-initiative-guide/ .
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Karen Studders reported that there will be a Soul Care for the City’s Older People luncheon for professionals featuring Thomas Moore on his forthcoming book Aging with Soul at Trinity Parish, 609 8th Ave, Seattle, on Thursday, October 27, 2016, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Q and A will follow the presentation. Lunch will be catered by FareStart.
Tiane Reid reported that MAPS will be hosting a Poverty Immersion Workshop on Saturday, November 12, from 10 am to 2 pm. For more information, visit the MAPS website at http://mcrcseattle.org/?event=poverty-immersion-workshop.
Eliabeth Maupin provided information on the new Preston Food Bank, Tent City IV at High Point, and other items. See attachments.
On Saturday, October 29, 2016, from 9 am to 4 pm, there will be a program on Islam in the Public Square held in Seattle at Town Hall, 1119 8th Ave. Tickets are $15 and include lunch. Tickets are available atwww.brownpapertickets.com or at the door. The event is sponsored by the Bishop’s Committee of the Diocese of Olympia and leading local Muslim and non-Muslim faith communities. For more information, visit their website atwww.bishopscommittee.org.
Kelly Kinney reported that Tent City IV had a terrific stay at Temple B’nai Torah, in large part due to the support of other congregations – may of which are active with EISCC. Tent City IV moved on to High Point in Issaquah on September 25, where it will remain until another congregation will host. To find out more about what hosting entails, people can call the camp at 206-618-3901. If you are interested in providing dinner one night or are interested in other ways that you can help, see the attached flyer.
THE NEXT EISCC MEETING will take place on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, 12:00 – 1:30 pm
PROGRAM: Muslim Community Resource Center
LOCATION: BRISTOL HALL, ST. MARGARET’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 4228 FACTORIA BOULEVARD SE, BELLEVUE (ACROSS FROM NEWPORT HIGH SCHOOL)
Dick Jacke, EISCC Secretary