Subud Greater Seattle General Meeting

Minutes:  Friday November 14, 2014 Eastside. Minutes taken by Hadiyah Carlyle.

Present:  Anne and Evan Padilla, Hanafi Libman, Oswald Norton, Paul Nelson, Ida and Rachman Cantrell, Insiah Caspers, Kathleen Gillette, Elijah Gullixson, Hadiyah Carlyle. Elisha chaired the meeting.

Financial:

Paul gave report as Sherwin was not available.  Our member donations are down and Air B&B has slowed down for winter, but we’ve exceeded our 2014 projection of $20,000 with $45,000 in revenues by October 31. It is a clear Subud pattern that donations go down as revenues from enterprises go up, so we have to be vigilant in asking members to donate.

Helper Report:

Both men and women have been testing for harmony and …. after latihan.  Helpers seemed to be pleased with this. Elisha suggested that if he were to move to Seattle and be part of this group, he’d think it was a healthy and vibrant group and it was consensus we should recognize that.

Spring Street Center:

The good news is that we received the MSF grant of $10,000 for the handicap ramp that we would like to install.  There is more work to be done and hope the new committee will take us forward on this. Another $5,000 will need to be raised for the chapel crash bar doors. As regional vice-president Oswald said there will be training for the new chair and we will be working now as a region with common problems.  We hope to think of ourselves as a bio-region and have more activities with other centers in the area.

We are planning an Open House, Saturday, February 7, 2015 at the Subud House and plan to put posters around the neighborhood to invite folks to know more about their 40 year neighbor.

SICA:

Paul reported on recent trips to British Columbia and the effort to use the Cascadia Poetry Festival, which he founded through his non-profit organization Seattle Poetics LAB, and SICA as an outreach effort for the Subud cultural wing. The fest will happen in Nanaimo, BC in 2015 and there will be a significant Subud presence there and perhaps a renewal of the Subud community that had been active there. Paul is also doing outreach to Portland, in the hopes of landing the 2017 festival there at the Subud House and Portland State University and hopes to have the 2018 fest in Canada, either Vancouver or Victoria, including Subud communities as a large part of the organizing committee for each fest.

Menucha

Oswald spoke about building community and the mission of Menucha. It will happen again the second weekend of 2015 and the notion of making the event open to anyone who wants to attend while still  making the finances balance out is the quest now.

Upcoming Events:

(Photo by Rachman Cantrell)

Tomorrow (Nov 15) there will be a memorial at 2PM for Phillip Quackenbush. His ex-wife Francesca Cameron and daughter Oriana are staying at the Subud House.

National Dewan and Committee will be meeting in Seattle weekend of Nov 21-23.  They will do latihan with members on Sunday.  We need volunteers for meals and transportation.  Please contact Sebastian if you can lend your much needed services.

Jan 25, 2015 we will be testing for a new committee.  Please come and pre-test if you might want to serve.

The annual birdwalk for the Skagit Valley  group led by Paul Woodcock will take place Feb 14, 2015.  Annie told us what a wonderful day it is, seeing hundreds of eagles.

Evan reported that the  National Susila Dharma Board will be meeting at Seattle in February on the 21st & 22nd.

Subud Dewan Meeting Minutes 11/2/14 (Taken by Hadiyah Carlyle)

Attending:  David Lynch, Sherwin O”Bar, Paul Nelson, Hadiyah Carlyle, Jim O’Halloran

Review of Last Months Minutes

Approved

Financial Report – Sherwin O’Bar

Inflows, or revenue,  thru October are $59 thousand, of which $14 thousand is member contributions and $45 thousand is from rentals, primarily Airbnb.  Member contributions are on track to come in at about $2 thousand less than the $18.5 thousand 2014 budgeted amount.  Year end rental income is projected to come in at about $51 thousand compared to the 2014 budget of $20 thousand

Outflows, or expenses, thru October are $52 thousand, of which $22 thousand is rental expense and $19 thousand is occupancy cost.

Net inflows, or income, thru October are $7 thousand.

At the October meeting the committee decided to set aside up to 10% of inflows into a SGS Housing Fund.

Spring Street Center – Paul Nelson

We talked about getting involved with the local community.  It was brought up that people in the neighborhood don’t know what Subud is and wonder about the building.  Paul will attend the Squire Community Council meetings.  David suggested we have an annual open house and open our doors to the community.  We decided our first open house will be Feb 7, Saturday from 2-5.  We will have entertainment and buy food at the co-op and have snacks.

Paul gave a report and said revenues from air B&B are down now but expect to increase again when spring comes.  He will make plans for the winter to encourage Subud members from out of the area to come to Seattle. Revenues through October are over $45,000 and our target for all of 2014 was $20,000, so this year has been a huge success. Cultural outreach through events like the Sam Hamill/Christopher Yohmei Blasdel reading continue. We’ve also had two memorials for beloved local poets contributing the Reception Hall to huge gratitude from friends and family of the departed.

Helper Report – Jim O’Hallorhan

Jim said that both women and men are doing latihan for harmony and healing in the group after Sunday latihan.  The women have also tested for helper development. Hanafi Libman is now active helper on the eastside.  Elijah Gullixson is the new regional helper. 

The men started on an extensive house cleansing.  So far, they have done the upstairs including closets, bathrooms, etc.  They will continue this process and then will have periodic cleansings.

SICA – Paul Nelson

Paul reported that he went to the annual Errington, BC, Subud gathering with Bhakti Watts, Chair of Subud Portland, and Lucas Hille, new Chair of SICA – Canada. Response to the notion of SICA using Paul’s Cascadia Poetry Festival as outreach were positive, especially the men’s testing on it. He was awarded a SICA grant to pay for his expenses and posted a report on his trip here: https://www.subudgreaterseattle.com/sica-outreach-to-bc/ Paul will also go to Victoria on Nov 5 to follow up with Dave Hitchcock, the organizer of the Errington event.

Upcoming Dates

Next General Meeting – Friday Nov 14 after latihan on the eastside

Memorial for Phillip Quackenbush at Seattle Subud house on Sat Nov 15 at 2:00

Next Dewan Meeting – Sunday Dec 7 at 9:00 am

Holiday Party – Dec 14 after latihan

Subud Dewan Meeting Minutes.  Sunday 10/12/14 9-11 am

Attending: David Lynch, Maryka Ford, Sherwin O’Bar, Oswald Norton, Paul Nelson, Hadiyah Carlyle, Daniel Stralberg.

Review of Last Months Minutes 9/7/14.

Approved

Financial

From Sherwin O’Bar: Finance Report 10-12-14:

Revenue/Inflows thru Sept are $53,423  (Member Contributions $12,660; Rentals $40,763)

Expenses/outflows thru Sept are $44,557

Net of Revenue over Expense is $8,866

Member Contributions are projected to end the year several thousand less than the $18,500 budgeted; rental revenue are projected to end the year about $35,000 greater than the $20,000 budgeted.

Total expenses are expected to end the year about $18,000 greater than budgeted, and are able to be supported by the above noted increase in revenue.

Oswald brought up that it is time to take enterprise to the next level.  It’s now a running business.

Helper Report

In the last general meeting it was voted to let go of the house guidelines.  However, there is still work to be done so the helpers are offering after Sunday latihan to do a special latihan for group harmony.

Paul suggested that helpers have a clearing ceremony and cleansing for the house in a traditional Subud manner. He’ll bring it up next time he attends the Helper Meeting.

Spring Street Center

The Spring Street Center beat the projections for the year for income by two times. The Spring Street Center is part of our outreach, as cultural events are happening almost once a month, with a Memorial for poet Bill Shively on Oct 25 and a reading by legendary NW poet Sam Hamill with his shakuhachi flute collaborator Christopher Yohmei Blasdel on November 1. Already calls are coming in about that event and should be a perfect event, with a zen feel, to showcase the house.

Ramp Grant Proposal for MSF

We don’t need to put in minutes until it is time to review in 4 months.

SICA Events

Poems for Peace – Paul reported the event was very successful and it is great outreach. Faiza Sultan, a Kurdish woman and Gulf War refugee was among the poets who read.

Upcoming events through 2014:

Paul will receive a SICA grant to do an outreach trip to Errington, BC (Oct 19) to help connect Subud people on Vancouver Island with poets who are organizing the next iteration of the Cascadia Poetry Festival in Nanaimo in Spring 2015. There is some interest in SICA and Subud Houses in the bioregion to use the event as a way to create awareness of SICA and Subud in general and Paul is in discussions with the Chair of Subud Portland, Bhakti Watts, and a faculty member at Portland State University to have the fest happen there in 2017. Lucas Hille, Chair of SICA Canada and Bhakti Watts will join Paul on the trip to Errington, BC.

Other Topics

Money request policy. 

There was discussion if we need a policy to govern requests for funds.  It was decided to put it in the budget for 2015.

We voted to contribute $250 toward Rachman’s successful bid for the banner from Australia.  We are officially a Cultural Capital for the next 4 years. What resources we can expect from SICA are not yet known, but Seattle is “twinned” with Portland and it is likely they will contribute some of the funds we are committed to sending SICA for the status.

National

Daniel spoke that the national committee will be meeting in Seattle Nov 21-23. We will have a potluck that Sunday.

Other Events

40^th Subud House anniversary event after latihan.

Oct 25 – Memorial for Poet Bill Shively

Nov 1 – Sam Hamill (Poetry) and Christoper Yohmei Blasdel (Shakuhachi flute).

Meeting Dates

Next Dewan Meeting – Nov 2

General Meeting on the Eastside – Nov 14 Friday night

Testing for new Committee – Jan 25, 2015

Subud Greater Seattle General Meeting 

Minutes:  Sunday October 5, 2014 (taken by Hadiyah Carlyle)

Present:  Sherwin and Hadijah O’ Bar, Halimah Bellows, Lorraine and Sebastian Tedrow, Maryka Ford and David Lynch, Ida and Halstein Stralberg, Paul Nelson, Insiah Caspers, Ray Brown, Elijah Gullixson, Evan and Ann Padilla, Hanifi Libman, Kathleen Gillette, and Hadiyah Carlyle.

Financial Report:  Sherwin reported that our revenues are going up, but so are operating costs while at the same time donations are going down. We should consider increasing our payments to the Regional Housing fund and dues to the National organization, which is in need of more operating expenses.

Helper Report:  The main focus of the meeting was to discuss the guidelines that had been put together several years ago.  Both the men and women reported that the testing indicated that they were not useful at this time.  The vote was unanimous to eliminate the guidelines.  We had a lively discussion concerning the issues that precipitated the guidelines.  Many felt that we still had a problem. Both the women and men now are doing a latihan after regular latihan for group harmony every Sunday.  There will be more again on the issue of harmony.

There is now a daytime women’s latihan starting  at 12:30 pm quiet time on Thursdays.  We hope women will attend this latihan during the day.

The national dewan will be meeting in Seattle on November 22/23.  They will be available for latihan and testing with members on Sunday Nov 23.

Menucha:  Regiatration ends Fri Oct. 10. 

Regional Congress:  Alexandra van Horst is Chair

        Oswald Norton – Vice –Chair

        Sherwin O’Bar – remaining as Treasurer

        Elijah Gullixon – Regional helper

The regional committee now is spring to spring having been changed from the fall.

Paul is doing outreach to Canada and will attend the Errington, BC, gathering on October 19 as a SICA outreach initiative to connect Subud communities in the bioregion with the Cascadia Poetry Fest which he founded and which happened at the Subud House and Seattle U back in May. The 2015 fest happens in Nanaimo, BC, an hour south of Errington.

Main event decided during this meeting:
Announcing the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Seattle Subud House.  Sunday, October 12th.

This month’s minutes also include:

• Financial Report – Sherwin O’Bar
• Men and Women Helper Report – state of the dewan.
  In Seattle, Eastside and the Olympia area.
• Spring Street Center Report– Paul and Marston
• Sica Event:  In Celebration of International Peace Day, on Saturday September 20th at 7 pm there will be a Poems for Peace Celebration at the Spring Street Center.
• PNW Regional Meeting and Selection of new Regional Chair 9/27 in Portland
• PNW Regional Kedjiwan Retreat: At Menucha Conference Center: November 6-9
  For the complete Minutes, please click here.

From the Dewan meeting of September 7:

Men and Women Helper Report – state of the dewan. 

At our Next General Meeting October 5^th we will discus the purpose and use of the Subud Greater Seattle House Guidelines and Our House Prayer.  In preparation for this discussion, both members who requested that these guidelines and prayers be created and posted and those who have been not agreed to their being posted will have a chance to do some testing on Sunday 9/21 with the helpers, after the Sunday latihan.

The general meeting will happen after Latihan and will be a potluck.

House Guidelines (excerpt)

Dewan Meeting, July 7, 2014 9:24A

Attending: Hadiyah Carlyle, Sherwin O’Bar, Oswald Norton, Marston Gregory, Hadijah O’Bar, Elisha Gullixson, Paul Nelson, Jim O’Halloran and David Lynch and Maryka Ford

Regarding minutes of the last meeting, Oswald will post them on the website and they were approved by the Dewan.

Financial report: Sherwin says $28,189 for total inflows, $8,700 in donations and $19,000 rent income. Outflows $23,000, not including some rental expenses. June rental $7,700, but about $4,000 in costs due to June activities that have not yet been reported. They will appear in July. Overall net $4,953, but rental costs and security deposits are factored in. The new dryer, housekeeping costs, maintenance and other costs will lead us to a projected year-end net at $4,000. This is if Airbnb rental income continues.  Sherwin suggests we wait in increasing our loan payments to Subud USA and the Regional Housing fund. Treasurer’s report was approved. Elisha made the motion, Hadiyah seconded.

Spring Street Center: Marston reports Airbnb has exploded, as evidenced by the June revenues. Marston suggested we break out Airbnb revenues from other revenues. The old dryer broke and we’ve purchased a commercial-level dryer with a five year service agreement. Paul Truitt is going to fix the deck upstairs. We also have a new toilet upstairs and it is dual flush, so that should reduce water costs. Five people are getting some revenue from the Centerprise. Paul suggested we go easy on raising rates, perhaps buy a nice bed and fix up room 2 and raise the rates there. As to rates, Paul suggests we raise rates in Room 2 $20 once we get new beds and raise rates in Room 3 and 4 by $10 also. Marston talked about bed costs being $110 a month for all 5 new beds from Sleep Country at 24 months with no interest. The rate increase and bed purchase was proposed by Paul and seconded by Hadiyah and passed the committee.

Regarding taxes, Paul went to City Hall and found out our liability for municipal taxes kicks in at $100,000 in revenue and then is taxed at .00215. He will go to the State to determine any liabilities. In addition, our shift to a tax status as Religion may also lower tax liabilities. We will need a Seattle Business License.

Insurance report: Sherwin talked to Becky Porter and asked about increasing the value of the house from $450,000 to $750,000 would raise the annual premium to $403 and an additional $852 if the value of the house is $1,000,000. Whether this is full-replacement cost is unknown. Our current insurance is $1,200 annually. The discussion centered on whether we should have the building appraised. Hadiyah moved that we raise our insurance coverage to reflect a value $750,000. Oswald seconded the motion. The motion passed.

David Lynch will endeavor to get an appraisal for the house.

Paul reminded the Dewan that we need to replace the doors leading out from the Chapel.

Backup during the World Congress: Rachel Hug will handle rentals. Jim O’Halloran is an emergency contact during that time.

Rent Proposal: Robina Page’s July 5 email expressed concerns about the Handicap Ramp proposal, most notably that no fees or permits were included. Sherwin pointed out that fees and permit costs were not included in the RampArts bid. Sherwin suggests we only accept any potential grant from the Muhammed Subud Foundation be accepted if we have three bids. Oswald Norton will procure a 3rd bid for the project. David will also add the additional costs of the door construction and the 3rd bid will also include those costs. Paul moved that we approve the grant application for the ramp once we get the new bid from David and from Sherwin’s contact. Hadiyah seconded and the motion passed.

Celebration of World Congress. On August 24 after latihan, we will share our World Congress experience and will honor the new Subud USA Chair, local member Daniel Stralberg and the Dewan will not meet in August.

Women’s helper report: Lucy Brown is recovering from an accident will not be active as a local helper until she recovers. Anne Padilla, Hadijah Obar and Lorraine Tedrow are current local Women Helpers. Lorraine Tedrow will attend Thursday nights to help increase attendance on that night. 

The relevance of the House Rules are being reconsidered by the Dewan and the local men and women helpers and a proposal to the membership is forthcoming based in part on testing by local helpers.

Men’s Helper report: Halstein reported that Jim, Abadeen, Paul and himself are the Men helpers in Seattle. Halstein noticed that the instances that resulted in the adoption of the House Guidelines were affecting the atmosphere here when he arrived and that we need to learn to be more accepting in general. Oswald noticed that there is a shift in the energy of this issue on a spiritual level and an increasing harmony.

Included in these minutes:

• Financial Report
• National Congress Report
• We offer Daniel Stralberg the new Subud USA National Chair a big congratulations and would like to offer him our support.
• RESULTS OF NATIONAL CONGRESS, 2014
• CONGRESS RESOLUTIONS:
• Endowment Fund Policies:
• Custodial Fund:
• Revision of Membership Classification:
• Subud National Enterprise:
• Helper Report
• Spring Street Center Report
• Puebla Congress Update

For the complete minutes go here.

Note: We did not have a Dewan meeting in May

Topics discussed with the membership included these topics:

Financial Report
National Agenda
Spring Street Center

For more information, please go here.