August 12th Meeting Summary

 

Welcome, Introductions, and Blessing

• We welcomed several new faces, especially Beth Gutzler, from MCU (Metropolitan Church's United). and blessed our time with the following:
   

Holy One,

Open our hearts and minds to be fully present to those we meet throughout the day.

Allow us to listen to others without passing judgment

or haste to solve what we cannot change.

Give us patience and understanding, and grant us grace in our
own shortcomings.

Be with us when we're just tired of trying and lift me up with the strength to carry your compassionate love to all those I meet.

Amen.

 

A Note On Compassion

What is it really, some might ask? The short answer is that it is emotional intelligence. Or we might say, "It's putting the head into the heart to be able to see, speak, and act our best." To unpack what that means, we could expand by saying, Compassion is recognizing our common humanity and biological nature as human beings, whose happiness depends on self-awareness, our relations with others, and the systems we create.

 

Reports:

Ed Madden: Communications Director: We have 728 partners/allies/endorsers at this time.  Our website is being redesigned by Ed, and he is looking for a communications assistant, someone

who can offer us an agreed-upon number of hours per week, with

an honorarium now and then until we gather a fund from which we

can pay these dear people for the work they are doing for
Compassionate St. Louis.

 

Carla Mae, Convener/Executive Director:

We have been in contact with Jonathan Strong in the mayor's office and with Kevin Bailey, Liaison with the Board of Aldermen, soon to be renamed the City Council, and are waiting for our request for

a meeting.

 

Our new Grant Writer has become ill, and so we are still seeking someone who could give us a few hours a week helping us to seek Grants for financial aid. Our current Treasurer now has added challenges, and so we are seeking someone who could give us 3 to 4 hours a week helping us pay our bills and make deposits. We are grateful to have the possibility of a Development Consultant to help us begin to make Corporate Outreach...stay tuned!

 

Our Foundation has grown to $6700, and our operating expenses are at $2400, thanks to those of you who have sent us just a bit each month. We are most grateful...!

 

Firoozeh Motiei (Fie), Assistant Executive Director:

As a realtor herself, and part of a leadership group completing Leadership Training, Fie has arranged a Pilot Presentation for Compassionate St. Louis with the Realtor Leadership Training Group. Two of us who have completed the certificate for the Compassionate Skill-Set will present these to the Leadership Group as they complete their training. From their feedback we will edit, and then prepare the Skill-Set Presentation to go on the road to any group that wants to learn these skills. More on this later!

 

Steve DiSalvo, Facebook Communications:

Steve reports that we continue to have 500+ visits to our site. Do you know of some young people who are interested in interning in social media...? Steve and Ed would be grateful for their help!

​

Terese Messman, Co-Convener for Outreach:

Recently returning from summer travel, Terese announced a coming 5:00 p.m. Chef's Event, with date and location to be determined. All proceeds will go to Compassionate St. Louis. To save a place, contact Terese at tmmicro@att.net.