One God One Thought Center for Better Living
Ministry Leader’s Meeting Minutes
February 9, 2019

Date updated 3/14/2019

Call to Order: Meeting was called to order at 12:01 PM
Opening Prayer: Rev Lameteria Hall
Daily Inspiration:Ministry Leaders read inspiration cards distributed by Rev Lameteria Hall
 

Spiritual Solutions Leadership Focus: As a Leader, how do you spiritualize solutions?

Rev Lameteria Hall stated that the theme for the Ministry Leaders for 2019 is all about “Spiritual Solutions” written by Deepak Chopra.  As a leader how do you spiritualize solutions.  There are four stages of awareness:

1^st Level – Contracted Awareness – this is a level of the problem and therefore it immediately grabs your attention.  (Something has gone wrong, Expectations have turned sour)

2^nd Level – Expanded Awareness – this is a level where solutions begin to appear.  Your vision extends beyond the conflict giving you more clarity.  For most people in this level is immediate available.  Open minded people are embarking into the expanded level of awareness.

3^rd Level – Pure Awareness – this is a level where no problems exist.  Every challenge is a creative opportunity. It is in complete alignment with forces of nature.  Pure awareness is when you are centered in Spirit and there is no problem, only opportunity.

 January 2019 Minutes:  Paulette Lucas motioned to approve the January 2019 Ministry Leaders Meeting minutes with grammatical and there is no problem, only opportunity. errors to be corrected and it was seconded by Debra Ruffins-Dorsey. Motion carried.

Ministry Updates:

Multi-Media – Elladonna Lanier

• Jerome King has started the process of picking people at random and asking everyone for their Elevator Speech of Why you came to OGOT and Why are you still here at OGOT. Be ready, be quick and on point.

Bridges – Rev Jeannette Gatewood-Johnson and Linda Keith

• “Awaken the Inner-Light in You – Experience”, the date and flyer have been finalized for March 3, 2019 during our regular meeting time.

JCTS Registration – Debra Ruffin-Dorsey

• Thirty-nine (39) students have registered for the Winter Session. One student (Paulette Lucas) acknowledged during the meeting she would enroll in a class to increase the registration total to 40. Rev Jeannette Gatewood-Johnson was recognized for facilitating a class on Sunday.

.Harmony Book Store – No new updates

Prosperity Ministry – Inactive Status

Ushers/Hostesses-Host Ministry – Elaine Atlee

• No new updates, except we achieved our goal of $300 in contribution for the 25^th

Optimal Health – Karen Clay

• 2^nd Sunday is our monthly meeting and it will be held after the celebration for about 30 minutes. As Ministry of the Month for February, Optimal Health Blessing Basket will be donated as a gift on the last Sunday in February. Price of the proposed tickets are $1.00 for three and $3.00 for five.  All proceeds will be given to the church.
• Sheila Sembly-Crum’s demonstration of Aromatherapy has been postponed.

Special Service – Henrietta Coward

• No new updates. All is well.

Spiritual Arts – Emma Sembly-Brodie

• We are sponsoring a writer’s workshop, it will be facilitated by Rev Judith Hohkmah, focusing on developing Daily Inspiration’s inspirations. Scheduled for March 17, 2019.

Prayer Ministry – Rev Judith Hohkmah and Debra Ruffin-Dorsey

• A due date of February 22, 2019 to submit affirmations for a Lent Booklet to Rev Bernette Jones.
• Linda Soares is a new member of the Prayer Ministry.
• Proposed Prayer Chaplin training in April 2019 and if anyone is interested please inform Rev Judith Hohkmah or Debra Ruffin-Dorsey.

Youth Ministry – Bessie Haskins

• Fifteen (15) students celebrated “Birthing the Christ Within” birthday for 2019.

Music/Choir – Paulette Lucas

• Yayah Kamus is requesting to provide some updates to the website development. If Yahya has some updates for the website, he should email Rev Bernette and Rev Lameteria with the updates and then he could meet with Board’s Strategic Committee to discuss the website updates. If he is interested in being on that committee, he should acknowledge that in the email.
• Paulette advised that the choir concert is planned for August 10, 2019, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. The sub-committee members are Linda Keith, Inez Wells-Pridget, Stephanie Dines, Debra Wells-Wright, Emma Sembly-Brodie and Irish Thomas.  Tickets will be $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
• Every 2^nd Sunday the Spiritual Band will be doing gossip jazz music.
• Starting on March 24, 2019 and every 4^th Sunday of the month and thereafter, Irish Thomas will lead a Praise Team with members of the church to open the service.

Announcements

• New Board Policies – Campaign/Solicitation: Distribution of the two policies were given out to be read and discussed at the next meeting. There was a request to have someone from the Board to explain the new policies at the next meeting.
• Black History Celebration (Honorees) Wear Afro-centric Attire on Sunday, 2/10/19: We will celebrate Black History month by honoring individuals and serve a Black History brunch on February 10, 2019.
• Board Training Session – Saturday, 2/16/19: The OGOT Board will be offering an OGOT Board training session on February 16, 2019 from 1000 AM to 1200 PM. Board member, Van Johnson encouraged the Ministry Leaders who have not taken the sessions to come out and get awareness of the operation of the Board.  We are planning to change the word training, because the word seems to frighten congregants and members from taking sessions. Exact time of the sessions will be given before the next e-blast is email out.
• Blessings of the Hands – Sunday, 2/17/19: The blessing service will occur right church service at 1130 AM.  Rev Bernette Jones is in pure awareness of listening to Spirit in leading and guiding the blessing service. Assisting Rev Bernette will be Naomi Richardson.  We are asking you to invite people to come out and hold the intention for individual who are working with their hands.  Refer people to the e-blast for the announcement.
• Mardi Gras Line Dancing Festival – Saturday, 3/2/19 (Wear your own special Mask!): Rev Judith Hohkmah came up with the theme idea.  The committee consist of Donna Gaither, Linda Soares and the whole prayer team and anyone else who is willing to bring this party atmosphere to fruition.  It will take place on Saturday, February 2,

2019, before Ash Wednesday, the time is to be determine.  There will be a contest to select the best mask.  Love offerings is suggested and no tickets.

• Annual Meeting – Sunday, 4/28/19: It is scheduled for Sunday, 28 April 2019, right after Sunday service.  Please add to your calendar and as Ministry Leaders it is upmost important that you be there.  It is also an election year.

• 25^th Anniversary Ministry Gifts Updates: The OGOT Choir and the Light of Truth Center were recognized for

submitting their gifts first as a Ministry and a Community Partner, respectively.  Other Ministries that have met their goals are: Special Services, Usher/Hostess Ministry, Youth Ministry (added a little overflow to their gift), Mult-Media/Prayer Ministries (added a little overflow to their gift), Spiritual Arts Ministry, and Bridges Ministry and we lift all the other ministries up in order to achieve their goals by the due date of February 24, 2019.

• 25^th Anniversary Ministry Pictures Dates: Rev Jeannette Gatewood-Johnson, Chair of the 25^th Anniversary, stated it is amazing of kinetic and positive energy, I feel surrounding this whole 25^th  I have two requests: 1. Random Camera Crew – the crew (one or two people) will attend the events that are occurring and take pictures, so that they can be reviewed by Rev Bernette Jones and Rev Lameteria Hall. After the review, the pictures will be forwarded to Karen Clay, so that the pictures can appear everywhere (e-blast, website, Facebook, etc.); Volunteers for the random camera crew are Linda Soares, Constance Mann-Leonard and Karen Clay (only available on the 2^nd and 4^th weekend); 2. Request each Ministry Leader to consider submitting one name of a person that can assist every Sunday in the rear of the sanctuary to collect money, to fill in the order forms for souvenir and patron ads and sell anniversary tickets; Besides the normal size ads we will be offering Memorial ads for $20 ( will determine if pictures could be submitted; due date for accepting ads is March 31, 2019; Ministries that pledge their $300 will automatic get a picture taken of their members in the souvenir book; The following Ministries have committed to purchase a ad for souvenir book: Optimal Health Ministry, OGOT Choir, Prayer Ministry, Multi-Media Ministry, Laughter Yoga, and Youth Ministry (Bessie Haskin stated that the committee will be notified after their meeting if the ministry will purchase an ad;  Dates that the pictures will be taken for the souvenir books are March 10, 17,  and 31; the pictures will be taken after church service at 1130 AM in room 103; anyone late or forgot about the time will not be included in the pictures;  the following Ministries are requesting these dates to take the pictures: Platform Ministry – March 10, Youth Ministry – March 31, OGOT Choir – March 17, Prayer Ministry – March 31; Other ministries may contact Rev Jeannette by email when a date has been decided.
• Karen Clay advised that another way that individuals may register for the e-blast is by texting GIT IT 22828.
• The $300.00 contribution by each ministry is due by February 24, 2019. At the present time, we have reached our goal of having 10 Ministries and 3 Community Partners to pledge $300 towards the 25^th  We are still looking forward for the other ministries to make their pledge even after the due date.
• The OGOT 25^th Anniversary Legacy Campaign will kick off on June 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019. We are asking 100 individuals or group of people under one name listing to commit to contribute $250 or more whereas we will raise $25,000 or greater.

 Closing Prayer – Was given by several Ministry Leaders reading their inspiration cards.  Meeting was adjourned by Rev Lameteria Hall at 2:00 PM.

 Attendees:  Rev Lameteria Hall (Assistant Minister), Karen Clay (Optimal Health), Van Johnson (BoD/Choir), Debra Ruffin-Dorsey (JCTS), Rev Jeannette Gatewood-Johnson (Bridges), Elladonna Lanier (Multi-Media), Elaine Atlee (Hostess/Ushers), Emma Sembly-Brodie (Spiritual Arts), Bessie  Haskins (Youth), Paulette Lucas (OGOT Choir), Linda Keith (Bridges), Donna R. Gaither (Bridges), Henrietta Coward (Special Service/Security), Iris Thomas (Music), Linda Soares, (BoD/Multi-Media), John Johnson (Bridges), Rev Judith Hohkmah (Prayer Ministry)