Disciplines of the Greenfield Group - as of 1999
Text transcribed and edited, introducing numerical sections by Bob Thayer, Scribe. Amendments made in 1999 are underlined.
Greenfield Group is a study group for Unitarian Universalist ministers. We meet twice a year for Convocations, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday following American Thanksgiving and Easter. (Easter Convocations have been changed and will be set each year) G.G. is limited to thirty members (plus “Saints”).
To become a member of Greenfield Group a person must be 1.interestedl 2 recommended by a member 3 invited by vote of the members to attend convocation, 4 committed to the Disciplines, 5 extended an invitation to join, 6 accept the invitation.
There is no waiting list. Recommendation must be submitted anew at each Convocation. Invitees must be posted and sent ahead of time (at least two weeks) to the scribe to be considered. (Spring, 1999.
All founding members of Greenfield Group are “saints” which confer upon them all the privileges but none of the obligations of membership. In addition, the Group may vote to confer the status of Saint upon any member who has been retired from the Group for a least one convocation. Sainthood is meant to reflect our high esteem for the retired member due to service in the Greenfield Group and the longevity of the membership of the retired member.
Attendance is required at all sessions of each Convocation, including chapel services, from the first session on Monday afternoon through lunch on Wednesday. The Scribe should be notified if circumstances require an individual to come late or leave early.
Absences from an entire convocation shall be excused for reasons of personal health, family emergency, sabbatical leave, conducting funerals, or for other reasons excused by the group at the business meeting. It is the member’s responsibility to inform the Scribe of an absence. Grace may be extende4d by vote of the group if the absent member requests it. Two unexcused absences in any continuous three-year period will mean being dropped from the membership unless the group votes otherwise.
Article 4. Financial Obligations of Membership
Annual dues (currently $20.) are to be paid at the Spring Convocation. Room and board costs are set by the Convocation facility.
If the facility were any convocation is held requires firm reservations, any member who has not notified the Scribe that he or she cannot attend, is responsible for the full fee, unless the Scribe has been notified in time (currently 14 days) for the facility’s satisfaction.
Any unexcused or excused absences not given notification to the Scribe two weeks prior to the Convocation will pay the full amount. (Spring- 1999)
Article 5. Facility Arrangements
No specific room at Convocation is reserved in advance, except for consideration of health or other primary requirements. In such cases reservations must be made through the Scribe.
Article 6. Practices (the Eight-Fold Path) Members are expected to accept tasks assigned to them including all the required reading.
1. Silence is to be observed in the dining room before grace and in the chapel before and after all chapel services.
2. Chapel services are to be affirmative and devotional in nature, not the continuation of the Convocation’s theme.
3. All major papers are due to the respondents one month before all Convocations.
4. All major papers book reviews responses, short papers are to be duplicated at the writer’s own expense so that copies (31) are available for members and the Historian.
5. All writers of papers, responses, and reviews, who because of emergency cannot attend, should arrange for their work to be read by a substitute and notify the Program Chair.
6. The Change of Pace is intended to be aesthetic or recreational in theme.
7. Happy Hour is limited to the half hour before supper and the period after evening Chapel. Consumption of alcohol is limited to happy hour and dinner hour.
8. There is no smoking indoors at any Convocation. Smoking is permitted outside during breaks.
Article 7. Changing the Program
All changes in the Convocation program or process are to be cleared with the Program Chair. If a member of the group has a personal issue relating the group, that member may bring that concern to the attention of the Moderator or Vice Moderator. That officer, in consultation with the other officers, will see to the issue being appropriately addressed. This may involve the whole group creating time and space in the program to address the issue.
Article 8. Roles and Duties of Officers.
1. Moderator
The Moderator bears ultimate responsibility for the operation of the group and is especially responsible for the observance of its discipline, traditions and purposes. He or she chairs and conducts all meetings of the group, including general discussion of papers.
The Moderator bears responsibility during all discussion sessions for: (a). keeping the group focused on the Convocation theme; b fostering inclusivity and sensitivity’ and c encouraging wide participation.
The Moderator works with the Program Chair to implement the program.
2. Vice Moderator
The Vice Moderator leads the group in the process of picking future topics. He/she arranges for grace at meals. He/she assists the Moderator in facilitating the process and group dynamics during the meetings. He/she fills in for the Moderator as needed. He/she prepares to take the role of Moderator.
3. Program Planning Chair
At each Spring Convocation the members of the Greenfield Group pick two topics which will be discussed in the next Spring (one year later) and Fall. The program chair and the people, who want to participate on the Program Planning Committee, volunteer at the time the group picks future issues.
The Program Planning Committee is responsible for preparing a topic proposal to present to the members of the Greenfield Group at the fall Convocation.
This task includes (a) reviewing the current literature on the topic and talking with experts in the field: (b) assigning papers, respondents, book reviews, change of pace, anchor person, and chapels; and (c) creating a list of required reading and additional readings.
Every effort should be made to ensure that assignments over time are given to all members of the group and not limited to few people. This may not be possible when a topic calls for certain expertise, interest, gender balance, etc.
4. Program Chair
The Program Chair chairs the Program Planning Committee. He/she works with the Moderator to structure and implement the format of the Convocation. He/she provides the Scribe with complete information and bibliography for the next Convocation within one month following the convocation where the members of the whole group accepted the topic proposal. He/she reminds those with assignment of their responsibility. He/she finds substitutes for those with program responsibilities who are absent.
5. Anchor
The Anchor reviews, summaries and if possible synthesizes and achieves consensus for the Convocation as a whole. He/she presents the anchor report on the last day of the Convocation. He/she gives a typewritten copy of the anchor report to the Historian.
6. Scribe
The Scribe keeps the membership list and sends out all notices. He/she keeps the minutes of the meetings and handles all general correspondence.
The Scribe receives and disburses funds and makes financial reports to the membership. He/she handles all reservations and housing arrangements, including special requests for room assignments.
The Scribe receives all nominations for prospective members.
The Scribe reviews all absences and decides if they are excused or unexcused. He/she reports on absences to the group, records “grace” extended for excused absences ad informs those whom “grace” is not extended that they have been dropped from membership.
The Scribe keeps a current version of the Discipline and sends it regularly to the membership. He/she also keeps a list of assignments from the past five years.
7. Historian
The Historian secures from all essayists, respondents, reviewers and anchors copies of their presentations and deposits them in the group’s depository at Andover/Harvard Library. (To be changed to Meadville Lombard Library in 2003-04). He/she collects extra copies of papers and makes them available to members at later Convocations. He/she acts as an “institutional memory” of the history and traditions of the group.
8. Keeper of the Spirits
The Keeper of the Spirits determines the spirits needed (taste and capacities) of the members and purchases spirits and snacks for each Convocation. He/she arranges with the management at each Convocation for ice supplies. He/she sets up and takes down tables, etc. for the distribution of drinks and snacks at happy hours, securing help from members as needed. He/she sets prices for drinks and snacks. He/she requests extra contributions as necessary and collets moneys to repay self for purchases. He/she reports to each business meeting of the group.
8. Nominating Committee
Each spring the Moderator appoints a Nominating Committee of three persons who recommend a full slate of officers to the group at the Fall Convocation. Officers serve for a year beginning at the Spring Convocation.