NPM Cleveland Chapter – Officer’s Meeting
September 13, 2009 at 4:30 p.m.
Present: Jason Lewis, Susanne Sande, Charlene McElwee, Ruth Novak.
Absent: Joe Metzinger, Bob Soeder.
Supper Meeting was held at the home of Jason Lewis. Dan Bergen (Newsletter editor and webmaster) and Christina Ronzio (Office of Worship) were invited to the meeting but could not attend.
Jason shared with the group some thoughts/information given by Christina Ronzio.
- Greg Heislman has the role of being consultant for pastoral musicians in dealing with the loss of jobs due to mergers/closures. At this point, that is primarily a passing on of information regarding available job openings.
- Bishop Lennon is to be contacted directly for permission to contact speakers for Diocesan events – thus chapter events involving the invitation for concert performers or speakers.
- After Christmas and New Year, the Bishop plans to have a convocation to meet with pastoral musicians in the Diocese.
Comments: As to planning events for the chapter, it is advisable to move forward slowly and cautiously. We can definitely do musical enrichment events.
Chapter Business-
Agenda item 1) Annual Dues/Chapter Membership Fee and rebates from National Office: After discussion, it was decided to keep the Chapter Dues at $10 for Individual members and $25 for Parish memberships with 3 or more names. Suggestion for addition to membership form is to add line for NPM national membership type (individual or parish) to aid in the calculations for the rebate form sent to national office. Susanne reported that after April 15th, the zip code range of diocese is required to be sent to NPM. Ruth said NPM National is now requesting members to put their diocese on the forms they send in for National membership, so they will have a more accurate list, since some zip codes in the range are not actually in our Diocese. Susanne also reported that June 1st is the deadline for sending the rebate form to National. She has put calendar reminders on Yahoo for this.
Agenda item 2) Bank Accounts and Financial Accountability: Due to change in officers, it was suggested that the chapter bank account be changed to eliminate former signers to the account and establish account with current signatures only. Ruth Novak explained that we have had two accounts, the original one set up when Melissa Gali-Bird was treasurer, and one set up two years ago for the purpose of collecting and sending convention registration fees. Ruth has been a signer on both account as Chapter Director. Susanne Sande was a signer on the second account. It was decided to close the first account and transfer the funds to the second account, so that Ruth and Susanne would already be signers, and Jason could be added.
Agenda item 3) Relationship with Akron chapter branch: Ruth explained that the chapter closed up 2 or so years ago. Kate Naglak could not get anyone else to take over the chapter leadership, so she notified the national office that they were folding.
Agenda item 4) Relationships with other chapters from Ohio: Ruth explained that chapter directors are assigned partner chapters through the national organization, and that’s how she became more in touch with the Columbus chapter. Jason said he would pursue contact with the other chapters to share information. Ruth said she would forward previous emails from Jackie Schnittgrund to Jason and Susanne regarding NPM chapters nationally.
Agenda item 5) Future meetings: Jason suggested that the chapter officers should meet monthly, at least for awhile to get things moving in the chapter. Suggestions for a quarterly chapter event included an Advent Evening Prayer and social, Lenten Taize Prayer and Soup Supper, chew and chat events monthly or seasonally (midday for music directors)
Agenda item 6) Direction of Chapter: Do we need to wait for Bishop’s direction?
Events and Activities-
Agenda item 7) Events coming up in the diocese: reminder of Diane Bish organ concert, and Cathedral Concert Series. Meg Matuska and Joe Metzinger also have regular concert series to be publicized by the chapter.
Agenda item 8) Working on supporting parish musicians who are going through closures and mergers: Jason has expressed some interest in putting together a small program based on his grief presentations/workshops he does for the diocese.
Agenda item 9) Continuing Education Workshops for Pastoral Musicians in the diocese: Ruth expressed desire for mentoring to be available, i.e. for those wanting to get certifications for AGO/NPM . It was suggested we could put out a request for those who are qualified and willing to be mentors. We also have within our Diocese persons qualified to lead a cantor workshop, or other music enrichment sessions.
Agenda item 10) Assisting Detroit Chapter with 2010 Convention: Jason said he would be sending an email to Louis Canter, Convention Chair, to see how our chapter could assist them.
Other items of note-
Ruth said that she has a contact with someone who would be glad to translate our newsletter into Spanish to make it easier to connect with the Hispanic musicians within our Diocese.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Ruth Novak, Secretary/Treasurer
Addendum:
Since the chapter officer meeting, the bank accounts have been combined to one, with Ruth and Susanne currently both on as signers to the account. In order for Jason to be added, all 3 must be at the bank together.
Also, Ruth wishes to pursue having a master flautist have a session at St. Wendelin for her amateur flautists before church closes, and wonders if it can be opened up to others within the chapter, with fees reduced for chapter members.