CTA New Mexico!!!

Newsletter October 1999

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Contents

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Future meetings will be either face-to-face gathering at location determined by the board, or meeting will be held through a phone conference arrangement.

All board meetings are opened to all member, and place and time will be published.

 Minutes of 6/12/99

The Twelve:
Mark Sutton, Patricia Duttle, Mary Phillips, John Wheeler
Genevieve Chavez, Sharon Pikula, Jacqueline Sailor, Rachel Sutton
Middle:  Marge Werner, Pat Bonneau-White
Front:  Faye Gibson, Catherine Stewart-Roache

Extensive pre-meeting planning and local arrangements were made by John Wheeler. Sharon organized and mailed out several pages of pre-meeting material to engage the participants in a better knowledge of each other, through printed biographies and topics to be discussed.

Participants got to meet one another over coffee and sweet rolls. Sister Jacqueline began the meeting with a Pentecost reading from Acts, and a reflection. Attendees then concisely shared three of their greatest passions, three events that shaped their lives, and three issues and three fears they had about CTA-NM. This portion of the meeting infused everyone with a diverse, but hared Spirit. [Webmaster's note: "hared" must be a typo and I have not the faintest idea what word belongs there.]

During lunch, which was served in the dining room overlooking the reservoir, Genevieve led the group through a goal-setting session. This part of the meeting was aimed at agreeing on goals for the next year. Many and varied ideas were shared and written on a flip chart for further discussion. Next step, back in our conference room, we pared down the goals to each person's most important five, and ultimately the five most important to the entire group. After some discussion and debate, consensus was reached that our CTA should affiliate formally with the national organization, and that we should incorporate as a tax-exempt group for anticipated fundraising in the future. Genevieve offered to pay the incorporation filing fee. All members present plan to sign the legal incorporation document.

The most difficult discussion centered around how to make decisions in our organization. Much concern was voiced that we not follow any regular voting or hierarchical procedures. Genevieve suggested that we use the Quaker model of consensus: for a proposal to pass, all present members need to agree on the course of action or proposal. Individual members may choose to stand aside. However, if one member strongly disagrees, then the group does not go along with the proposal.

Four other goals were decided upon as well:

• Having a newsletter 3 or 4 times a year (Rachel Sutton volunteered to type up the next newsletter).
• Continue the practice of Listening Sessions with interested parties.
• Celebrating St. Mary Magdalene's Day with a liturgy in Albuquerque and Las Cruces. Respectively, Sharon and Genevieve are responsible for the liturgies.
• Sharon will begin getting a delegation of CTA-NM members to attend the annual CTA conference in Milwaukee in November '99 and in 2000. We will continue working on a New Mexico CTA Conference for some time in the future. Sharon has already done some of the groundwork. (Further discussion was tabled until the next meeting.)
• Prayer vigils are to be scheduled for CTA Goals.

It was an incredible meeting. Great fervor was shared, new hope for a Church faithful to Vatican II was kindled, the Spirit of Sophia was reborn in each of us. We left ready to share that Spirit with everyone.

• CTA New Mexico is in the process of filing non-profit status with the IRS, and CTA national affiliation.
• Committees developed to oversee upcoming and ongoing events. Do not hesitate to let us know if you would like to help on a committee or event. The committees are: Conference Committee; Bylaws Committee; Finance Committee; and Communications Committee.
• Stay tuned for the Last Supper Project. There will be more information out to you in the mail around the latter part of October.
• The First CTA New Mexico Conference is set for June 10, 2000 in Albuquerque. Key speakers will be Fr. Michael Crosby and Sr. Chris Schenk. We will appreciate any input you may have for the first state conference. Pease do not hesitate to contact anyone of the members listed below. There will be more conference details forthcoming.

Moving Ahead

First State-Wide Board of Directors Meeting in T or C

Telephone Conference September 19, 1999

CTA National Conference

Next Board Meeting October 10, 1999

Communication/Newsletter
 E-mail Addresses

Next CTA Albuquerque meeting

CTA-NM Home Page