to Reatha from don Redding 8/29/2014
On 8/14/2014 11:27 AM, Reatha Andrew wrote:
Dear Ownbey Family, Last night at our final Summer Supper of the season, Don H announced that our lesson on Sep 7th will be "What is the Future of the Ownbey Class?" We'll have open discussion about "all things Ownbey" -- membership, class officers, lessons, teachers, socials, missions...
In preparation for that, would you please take a few moments to respond to the following questions? Thanks.
[i will compile the results so we can have some data to present on the 7th]
1. How long have you been a member of the Ownbey Class? Since 1967
a. If you remember the exact (or approx) year you began coming, list that: 1967
b. If you are no longer a member, list the years -- again, exact or approx -- you were in membership:
2. What drew you to the class? do not remember
3. What keeps/kept you coming back? Friends, habit, loyalty, some lessons
4. If you no longer attend, please share why -- health issues, family obligations, now live out of town...I really look forward to this answer. I just hope folks who do not come at least 75% of the time will tell why they miss so much. I do not understand why some "regular" members miss so often, including teachers. I think the lack of interest by James in Sunday Schools is partly to blame as well as all the conflicts, extra programs, choir needs, emphasis on younger people/new classes, and extra services for the Sunday School Hour. I think I shared with you his assessment that Sunday Schools were Banal Click Here. Further I told him when he first came we were doing a book of his on class, and he said he would try to come by; he never has.
5. What future do YOU envision for our class? I worry Ownbey will lose attendance/become smaller as members continue to age out, move, are unable to come, feel no obligation/loyalty to come, find excuses for not coming, attend the worship services etc at same time as ss, and lose interest. There is nothing wrong with becoming smaller perhaps. The way Sunday Schools are devised it is inevitable we see smaller classes and or mergers as time passes.
6. Other comments/questions:
Several times I responded to similar questionnaires and shared copies with the then officers and chairs (and had available on the blog for others). Last time was around 2012. I have not revised it much but all along I have added some notes. Glance over it if you want . . . The link to that posting is Click Here.
Good Luck!
Take as much space as you want/need -- i kept the spacing short for ease in sending this :-)
Thanks again!
Reatha - Th - 11:15am
>From James:
(This is updated 2/2/2012 although not all revised) Not Current at link
Sent (good portion of this) to President. Officers, and Committee Chairs
on 2/2/2011 but never discussed as a whole; additions since then through about early 2012 in Blue and some not noted
(Here are ideas I have. Implementation would require class approval of many of these suggestions)
- Methods of feedback including class meeting
- A Suggestion Box
- In 2011,
- asking for suggestions is a great start, thanks,
- as is the Officers and Committee Chair Meeting 2/3/2011 to review what folks are doing , etc.
- Meeting of old and new officers and chairs at start of each year to review Handbook, Job Descriptions, make plans, etc. Invite whole class.
- Class meetings, scheduled during Sunday School hour or other times.
- Surveys with results shared with class, not just a summary.
- President Talks before classes a/k James Howell did when he came
- Questions - Ask what people want out of class or to make it better -
- friends and fellowship
- service efforts or not,
- fellowship or not, socials,
- Bible Study,
- Methodist beliefs,
- teachers,
- subjects.
- Change of format with more or less time for lessons
- Should we start or end earlier or later
- Feedback during year by folks on Church Wide Committees so we understand what is going on at MPUMC. such as:
- Strategic Plan,
- Administration Board actions,
- Finance Committee decisions,
- the current Sunday School program,
- the Wednesday night program
- Get the Clipboard around to all each Sunday
- Weekly report to members - email, written or what, but also to non email members.
- Training
- Periodically Barbara has Sunday School Training session; determine if done now
- and make sure class knows about them and that officers, chairs, and members are encouraged to attend.
- Share results of any such meeting with class.
- Share the Handouts or Training Manuals.
- Class officers and chairs periodically review their Job Descriptions on line/in Handbook. Recommend revisions as needed.
- Curriculum
- Good all members invited to meetings
- Give us chance for feedback other ways - thanks for the 4/24/2011 survey.
- Advise Class of Church wide efforts especially in lessons
- Let class discuss/decide, based on recommendation of the Curriculum Committee, if we want to be a part of the periodic Church wide efforts.
- Have periodic mention and a summary prepared of the Background of the Teachers; after all these years, I still do not know some basic info on our member teachers.
- Periodic or Quarterly outside speakers
- Have James Howell lead a class - he promised in 2003 he would drop in when I told him we were studying one of his books, but he has not..
- Other names of interest would be Loy Witherspoon, Mark Edwards, Melvin McIntosh, Danny Watts, etc
- Invite to teach us the children of members such who are minister/speaker as the Thompsons, Hatfields. (Done some )
- Also invite people who have been to war zones and mission trips.
(Done some ) - Folks from South Tryon Church
- Offer the class members chance to present 7 minute lessons on various subjects of interest to them and call it "member Talks" or something similar; stick to time limit.(done similar in 2014)
- Can we figure out how to get class to read books before lessons; at least encourage it. Be sure class knows Lesson Subject reasonably early
- Teachers use handouts of outline or main points of lesson.
- Summarize Class Lessons for communication to folks not present
- Teacher prepare a book review (they are brief, according to practice here and the guidelines) on book taught for the Library Web Site. With all the teachers' hours of preparation already, perhaps it would take only a few minutes to do.
- One of the benefits of this class is the exposure to so many books and thoughts over the years, and we should emphasize that in discussing with others and church publications, publicity and in flyers about the class.
- Prepare a list of the books we have studied as basis for communication about what we do.
- Teachers present often as possible when others teaching, especially if the same Book
- Encourage families of members to come to class when in town. The Reatha and Thompsons are great at this.
- All Teachers and speakers during a class session should use the mikes as the switching back and forth does not work well.
- Teachers use some books on the Reading list for the Methodist Women
- Plan and distribute Lesson Schedule in advance of Quarter, such as by middle of previous quarter as done for many years. (at least a couple of weeks usually)
- Following items new to this list prompted by the 4/24/2011 Survey:
- Continue single session topics AND multiple sessions topics.
- Multi part session of up to 3 to 5 classes unless is a larger planned church wide program.
- Plan in sequence by weeks instead of skipping to other subject the next week In multiple session topic, especially if a book,
- Teachers later to participate in Multi session topic present for previous lessons
- Use Adult Bible Series more periodically for a multi part session
- Recognize Teachers by a special dinner.
- Get a picture of all teachers annually.
- Publicize our classes in various church publications as others do. Let Church know we have Summer Classes!
- Add Audio Visuals (TV, DVD/VHS Player) and curtains to room to make it easier to use media. (Yeh, finally done in 2011 !!)
- Handouts by teachers such as outline and notes often would be helpful
- Class on other denominations such as Baptist, Episcopalians, Mormons,etc., and even a class on Masons. Enough already on Muslims . . .
- A joint lesson with Youth, invite to our class, let them present a class to us.
- Class Subjects to include the Social Principles of the Methodist Church
- Class Subjects to include John Wesley 24 rules
- Class Subjects to include Organization of the United Methodist Church including History
- Class Subjects to include stand on controversial subjects - pick your own but a few are gays, divorce, alcohol; OMG, tobacco, Sunday Work, white lies, women clergy, drugs legal and otherwise
- Membership
- Find out why some class members have quit coming. Use a specific survey or other means including one on one, assign members to check, survey written or telephone. Is it parking, teachers, conflicting services, lack of interest, room location, subjects, organization.
- Find out why folks want to stay on list if not going to come to class or functions much. Cull the list - why are Baxters on and deceased not removed from church directory online. Secretary should be responsible.
- Keep the possiblity of a merger with other classes a possiblity, periodiacally study this possibility.
- Have a Membership Chairman, perhaps the Class VP or Secretary if not enough volunteers for all jobs. Present Job Descriptions say Secretary to do this.
- New members are important, though we have a lot of class members who do not come. Concentrate on making sure they know we need them.
- Formal followup on people missing.
- Have a buddy system to stay in touch with other class members, or
- Use the old Telephone Committee system we once had which spreads the work load and involves more class members in the effort.
- Study folks who have hard time getting here and have system set up similar to ones we had for Betty and William.
- Email is effective for many people though some members do not use. Provide info to members not coming and who do not have emails or unable or unwilling to use.
- Encourage use of Blog and Web Page for info and recordings of class.
- Maintain Blog and Web Pages on a current basis.
- Use Name tags by Members, helps visitors to class know us a little better.
- Formal followup with visitors - who is writing them letters and saying glad they came , etc. Job Description says Secretary is to do correspondence. Secretary is to provides name tags.
- Encourage name tag use; hand print ones for visitors as soon as they appear
- Have a welcoming member each Sunday
- Attention to attendance report and roll to notice quickly folks missing .
- Attend new member meetings, decide how to use that as a way to meet potential members
- Have more formal various goodies on Sundays
- Figure out some way we can learn more about class members. I try but I have no idea the background of a lot of our members. Where born, career, interesting facts, children/grandchildren, etc
- When Class Members move away, have the "Going Away" Service.
- We are supposed to dedicate a hymnal and make a contribution as a memorial upon the death of a member. We have forgotten to do this in the last few years. Keep this in mind going forward. The procedure in the past was to transfer funds from the regular account to the Project Account, now the Helping Hands fund.
- Communication about Ownbey
- Include info about (some of) our lessons in Church Bulletins and MPUMC Web Page as other classes do, especially the young and new classes
- Blog and Web Site up to date with Lessons, Socials as a minimum.
- Or Ownbey newsletter to reach all including non email folks, or
- Be sure the Calling Committee is in effect. or . .
- Buddy system to match folks with emails to those without to keep them informed (see #4,4 above)
- Decide if we want to re activate and update the "Extended Family" list we once had. We stayed in touch with birthday cards, etc
- Family of class Members
- Encourage info on Bulletin Boards about Family , friends, grandchildren.
- Prepare Family sheets
- On class, and a $buck or so for our Treasury for bragging rights each time.
- Encourage family visitor attendance at class, especially if from out of town
- Birthdays (we are doing this now in 2014)
- Mention on Class (We do regularly now in 2013)
- Continue to Send Birthday Cards . . .
- Anniversaries
- Recognize
- Happiness Bragging Opportunities such as birth of grandchildren,
- On class, and say a $buck for our Treasury for bragging rights each time
- Anniversaries
- Blog or Web
- Relationship with Other SS Classes
- Meet with other classes at times for lessons and meals - and to evaluate possibility of merger as out attendance goes down.
- meet with next door (Genesis) classes at times as we once did
- Invite members of Genesis to visit us when they call off their classes
- Invite members of Other Classes to visit us when they call off their classes
- Use publications to tell we are meeting when other classes are not
- Involve as many class members as possible in Sunday School Training Sessions, at least all chairs and officers to meet and exchange ideas.
- Info from Church - have someone responsible for communication about some of these areas
- feedback to Class about such things as the Administrative Board actions and decisions, especially if members are on committees or Boards
- What is Adults Plus doing
- Retreats for Women
- Methodist Men and the New Mens' Group
- Budget. etc
- Disciple Classes and other Classes
- What are the Methodist Women and the Circles doing
- Mission Trips
- Habitat, which we do (did) well
- Room in the Inn, which we do (did) well
- Class Actions
- Maintain records of Class decisions
- Make some organized use of the Library
- Book Club
- Encourage members to present up to 7 minutes Book Reviews of books on religion or class lessons. (doing form of this in 2014)
- Update Roster and Handbook. and pictures of members
- Consider Guidelines when there is a funeral for Class Members
- Notification to members,
- email and phone,
- Where do we sit,
- food,contacts,
- Ushers,
- help how?
- Keep in mind our 60th Anniversary is coming up in 2013; we missed the 55th. Ha! keep in mind the 65th ! in 2018.
- Just for variety, rearrange class room every now and then (we do some now)
- Add at least the Christian Flag to our room, several years ago I offered to pay for it and a U.S. Flag. I was pushing for this a recent summer until the our leader asked me not to discuss the US Flag and Christian Flag on class as was "too dicey" so I dropped it. Someone even objected to the Christian flag but that I can't understand. I wouldn't mind a Methodist (flame) flag either.
- Be sure Markers work, Keep Room neat
- Use Maps more
- Work on class room ambiance - inviting and worshipful .
- Not sure what to do but someone is a better interior designer than I could figure it out
- add Draperies to our Class Room,
- figure cost, get estimates, get (anonymous perhaps) contributions, do it - much like we did the Audio System.
- This would help the ambiance as well as make use of overheads and videos clearer
- Yeh, Blinds in 2011 !
- Install permanent DVD player (including TV monitor) so can easily use Videos - some classes have them (Yeh, done in 2011 )
- Many classes have them, why do we not?
- add Draperies to our Class Room for a more inviting atmosphere and to darken room to make use of DVD's and slides and overheads easier
- Support Disciple Classes, etc. Not many class members take . .
- Encourage class participation in Church Wide efforts and Committees, with feedback to the class
- Work on some continuity plan for officers and chairs.
- Review the Handbook especially Job Descriptions regularly
- use Officer jobs to train and make sure of continuity of our goals
- Secretary could be the Chair of the Membership Committee
- VP , the Social Chairman and next President.
- Retiring President, the Nominating Committee Chair
- As Handbook suggests, have Officer elections early in November
- Appoint Nominating Committee when other chairs are selected by president and officers AT FIRST of YEAR.
- Nominating committee is responsible for the officers but the committee chairs are the responsibility of the president, see handbook
- Music
- Get Cokesbury ($10) and use occasionally.
- consider the new addition to the Methodist Hymnal
- Confirm Music leaders prior to class if that is still an issue.
- Catch up on the dedication of class Hymnals. When a member passes away, we are supposed to dedicate one of our hymnals in their honor. We might run out!
- Social/Fun
- Great start this year, thanks to Durward (2/22/2011)
- Be sure ministers are invited
- Encourage more folks to bring family members, Grand kids, guests, Friends, not just members.
- Lake Junaluska Retreat?, US Water Park?, other destinations as the Wesley Class does and or do with them.
- Parties! Bring back the Christmas Party/4th of July one, etc
- Decide alternative for the Christmas Breakfast, in case needed! (Did in 2011 at Thompsons' new home)
- Eat together after Church at Queens, MP Country Club, and other places. Durward's idea is a good one, having meal in Jubilee Hall after Church. Years ago we met each Tuesday night informally at Belks in Southpark, the cafeteria is long gone.
- Combine with Adults Plus! for outings
- Encourage Adults Plus attendance
- Encourage attendance at Hot Wednesdays as a way to get to know other MPUMC people.
- At times, eat together as Ownbey Class at Hot Wednesdays. Have Class meeting after.
- Memorials
- Thanks to Carol D and Tom, we made a great start this year in encouraging people to give through Helping Hands (2/22/2011)
- Only a few people gave in last couple of years, and again we have made a good start emphasizing that more might give
- Publicity in Church Communications occasionally
- Catch up on the dedication of class Hymnals. When a member passes away, we are supposed to dedicate one of our hymnals in their honor.
- Do we want to create an Endowment as other classes do.
- Helping Hands All new as not on original list
- We have a good program and these ideas are some thinking to continue and build on that tradition.
- Ask the Class for suggestions such as these.
- See what other SS Classes do and if they have guidelines
- We should highlight what we have done already by updating the Web Site. I guess few folks go to the Web Site but talking about 2010 is a little out of date without any 2011,.
- I imagine if Reatha received an email she would gladly cut and paste it there quickly, perhaps add pictures if someone has them.
- Carol Douglas was following up on this.
- Emphasize the need to give to Helping Hands. We have money because of some matching done a year or so ago, but giving to HH should be more regular and class wide.
- Consider simplification of process while retaining accountability. Use email and electronic means to speed up.
- Emphasize ways to give to HH. Stocks of course and Matching funds perhaps if the purpose can be determined not to be religious. Would have to work with Church Office for this determination and they are not too inclined to help with this. Mention putting in wills.
- Make it clear(er) how to make check when contributing. It is amazing the church cannot or does not want to handle checks made to MPUMC and an account for us on their books which means it gets on the church reporting system. Make it clear whether checks are to be made to MPUMC or to Ownbey S.... Reminds me of the time one of the church employees complained about matching funds as they "wished matching funds had never started."
- Have Forms easily available in Class Rooms and on on the Ownbey Official Web Site, on table but the table organization is destroyed each week.
- We should emphasize can get forms on line, though I find
that is hard for Ownbey people to use the web to get. I have a lot of information on the Blog about the mechanics of Helping Hands and the standards plus the
forms and procedures but again few folks use the Blog. - I do not have info on what we have done overall - other than copies of most of the applications but no summary - as I do not have easy access to the details but we need to summarize in text form for use in Web and other publications.
- Good we have the info on the Bulletin Board as Carol Douglas suggested and would be even better if we had the names of people we have honored by contributions and in memorials.
- Bragging (called fleecing the flock: in some SS's) about "So and so graduated phi beta Kappa from Podunk U" should "cost" the proud ancestor $$$ for Helping Hands. No $$$ Minimum.
- Our Guidelines suggest "The Committee will present a financial and status report to the class twice a year." I think it should be more often, at least quarterly. in a basic income and outgo format with some details.
- Prepare a brochure with info about Helping Hands with its purpose, type of distributions, income and photos. Maybe a form or at least links to web pages.
- In various places on the Blog I have mentioned the people being "honored"
for the Southminster computer classes, the go to the Blog and earn money offer ,
or the the Say the books of the Bible efforts but they are not summarized
anywhere together. - Info in the various publication Cornerstone, and MPUMC Web site. Include in writeup of the class for Barbara (where does that stand by the way)
- Committee Identify areas we want to give to such as the Library, Mission Trips, South Tryon
- Redo the Guidelines to make it clearer what purposes our gifts are to address; I felt fortunate in what we have now as it was hard to get anything written down in 2003 when we started the program. See what other classes have and what the MPUMC Guidelines are. My personal guideline has been that some Ownbey member should be active in whatever cause we are helping and maybe that is not the best standard.
- I have no problem with the forms we use, but let's at least consider how to simplify; I have no suggestion but then I have used them often and am familiar with them. They are designed based on a form at the church. (We do need a spot for telephone numbers for the giver and receiver)
- Designate at least one day a year for Helping Hands, maybe half the class along with some other similar subject
- Use a new "Ownbey Matching Funds " concept, When we give funds, we ask the class members to match the gift.
- Develop a "Project" to raise money for Helping Hands. That would have the benefit of generating publicity and in turn more requests and money income and would be a reason to be mentioned in Church publications.
- We are supposed to dedicate a hymnal and make a contribution as a memorial upon the death of a member. We have forgotten to do this in the last few years. Keep this in mind going forward. The procedure in the past was to transfer funds from the regular account to the Project Account, now the Helping Hands fund.
- We need to check with the church to be sure there are not auditing issues with what we do. I have asked Joanne already about this. (Recommendations were made to us and I understand we ignored them.)
- The Guidelines say the purpose of the activity is "to identify and or investigate service opportunities that could warrant financial or time and talent participation of the class. Notice "time and talent" not just $$$$. Is that something we need to pursue?
- Service -
- See if class wants to take on new service activities
- What can we do about race relations as a class
- Continue/emphasize Helping hands Habitat Room in the Inn South Tryon Mission Trips . .
- A project to raise money for Helping Hands and or other causes
- Actively support the Youth and have more contact with them.
- Library
- With the Library so close by, is there a way we can have a bigger part in it
- I say this knowing many class members are active - Carol D, Linda, Nancy S, Wilma, others -
- support them and the Library.
- Ownbey Teachers-prepare a formal (they are very brief, according to practice here and the guidelines) book review for the Library Web Site on books used in Ownbey Lessons.
- Investigate an Endowment Program
to Reatha from don Redding 8/29/2014
On 8/14/2014 11:27 AM, Reatha Andrew wrote:Dear Ownbey Family, Last night at our final Summer Supper of the season, Don H announced that our lesson on Sep 7th will be "What is the Future of the Ownbey Class?" We'll have open discussion about "all things Ownbey" -- membership, class officers, lessons, teachers, socials, missions... In preparation for that, would you please take a few moments to respond to the following questions? Thanks. [i will compile the results so we can have some data to present on the 7th] 1. How long have you been a member of the Ownbey Class? Since 1967 a. If you remember the exact (or approx) year you began coming, list that: 1967 b. If you are no longer a member, list the years -- again, exact or approx -- you were in membership: 2. What drew you to the class? do not remember 3. What keeps/kept you coming back? Friends, habit, loyalty, some lessons 4. If you no longer attend, please share why -- health issues, family obligations, now live out of town...I realluy look forward to this answer. I just hope folks who do not come at least 75% of the time will tell why they miss so much. I do not understand why some "regular" members miss so often, including teachers. I think the lack of interest by James in Sunday Schools is partly to blame as well as all the conflicts, extra programs, choir needs, emphasis on younger people/new classes, and extra services for the Sunday School Hour. I think I shared with you his assessment that Sunday Scxhools were Banal Click Here. Further I told him when he first came we were doing a book of his on class, and he said he would try to come by; he never has. 5. What future do YOU envision for our class? I worry Ownbey will lose attendance/become smaller as members continue to age out, move, are unable to come, feel no obligation/loyalty to come, find excuses for not coming, attend the worship services etc at same time as SS, and lose interest. There is nothing wrong with becoming smaller perhaps. The way Sunday Schools are devised it is inevitable we see smaller classes and or mergers as time passes. 6. Other comments/questions: Several times I responded to similar questionnaires and shared copies with the then officers and chairs (and had available on the blog for others). Last time was around 2012. I have not revised it much but all along I have added some notes. Glance over it if you want . . . The link to that posting is Click Here. Good Luck! Take as much space as you want/need -- i kept the spacing short for ease in sending this :-) Thanks again! Reatha - Th - 11:15am >From James:
