The EUU Coordinating Council (CC) is our management body. It comprises the officers and fellowship representatives as voting members, with committee chairs included as non-voting members. It deals with everything that is needed to keep EUU running. Prior to the pandemic, the custom was to meet four times a year: twice at the two retreats and twice for winter and summer meetings in person at someone’s home. Since the pandemic, all meetings have been virtual, which has made things easier.

Our most recent meeting was March 30. We had up to 15 present. The main agenda item was the imminent retreat. The organizers (Mark and Simon from UU Prague) report that 55 people have registered so far, and volunteers for eight workshops have come forward. All is proceeding smoothly as regards the main sessions. Total contributions are at 1475 euros, so a surplus is guaranteed, but more is welcome. Discussion took place about the disposition of the surplus, and the representatives of the Social Action Committee reported that it recommended the entire surplus go to alleviating the plight of Ukrainians. It suggested MSF/Doctors Without Borders as a good vehicle for our donation. Sharon Marshall (UU Basel) mentioned an alternative: a group in Basel that was buying and outfitting ambulances for use in Ukraine. The feeling at the meeting was that the Social Action Committee could decide among those options at its meeting next week and announce its decision at the retreat itself. Otherwise there was discussion about the flower communion on the Sunday. The organizers wish to have each EUU fellowship provide a representative who will present a flower (virtually) while reading a set text. Fellowship representatives were tasked with finding these people.

Among other matters, Carolyn Burlingame Goff asked that Project 6, a US charity that Linden Goff (Ray’s daughter) works for, not be forgotten about after last year’s failed attempt to donate money to them, and the Social Action representatives assured her that it would be considered for some funding out of the normal 2022 Social Action budget. The topic of the follow-up to the dissolution of the ICUU was also discussed. Eva Kortekaas, EUU’s former ICUU representative, assured the group that she is still monitoring the situation, which she feels is probably still stalled without a clear path forward. This is likely to prove a source of frustration to some EUU members who were particularly attached to its broad goals and ambitions. Peter Jarrett asked the CC’s view about the timing of the circulation of the Pledge Drive letter; it was decided to try to send it out with the Unifier this week. Finally, Shulamit Helleman-Levine inquired about interest in continuing the practice of offering a virtual Pesach (Passover) seder. There was clearly some support, so she will lead it on the first night of the holiday, which is Friday April 15. The next CC meeting will be held in either May or June in order to discuss the fall retreat, which is at present planned for October 28-30 in Mittelwihr, but no speaker has as yet been identified.

Contributed by:
Peter Jarrett
UUFP, Pledge Drive Coordinator and Nominating Committee