Delaware Council of Faith-Based Partnerships (DCFBP)
Minutes
Delaware Council of Faith-Based Partnerships (DCFBP)
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
2–4 pm
Islamic Society of Central Delaware
Community Center
7953 S. DuPont Highway
Felton, DE-19943
Attendees: Raina Harper Allen, Michael Scott Beals, Jeanne Frances Cashman, Kenneth L. Foster, Douglas D.Gerdts (Chair), Flora McConkie, Usman Z. Sandhu, Kimberly Mark Tephabock, Max Joseph Wolf, Anastacio A. Matamoros, John Moore.
Visitors: Hebe “Abby” Berger of UnitedHealthcare, and members of the Islamic Society of Central Delaware, including Sobia Choudhri, Mubashar Anwar, Muhammad Iqbal, Iftikhar Khan, Aisha Choudhri, and Adeel Jafari.
Mingling and refreshments, 2-2:30 pm. Meeting called to order by Doug at approx. 2:30 pm.
Introductions: Doug invited Council members and visitors to briefly introduce themselves.
Approval of last month’s minutes.
By-laws and Structure: Discussion regarding. Much already in place through executive order. Items to consider include duties of each officer (chair, vice-chair and secretary), how often to meet, policy on meeting location, quorum requirement, basic use of Robert’s Rules of Order, handling multiple unexplained/unexcused absences, reporting to Governor, amending by-laws, formation of task forces, conflict of interest statement. Vice-chair given responsibility to report to the Governor on significant decisions and initiatives. Jeanne to prepare draft of by-laws for review at next meeting. Decision to meet monthly for first year. Decision to vary meeting location (to visit various houses of worship). Decision to require half a quorum to meet, and two thirds of a quorum for taking action. Two missed meetings (unexplained/unexcused) by Council member will indicate lack of interest and Chair will contact Governor regarding need for a new appointee. Meetings to be held the first Tuesday of each month, 2-4 pm.
Public Health Emergency Preparedness Survey: Extensive discussion regarding initiative, concluding with decision to invite Dr. Deborah A. Auger (Associate Professor, School of Public Policy & Administration, University of Delaware) to present further details (for approx. 15 minutes) at the next meeting. Raina assigned to invite Dr. Auger. Decision made to endorse the survey project and to distribute email and survey link to other faith leaders. Email endorsement:
The Governor's Council of Faith-Based Partnerships is cooperating with the University of Delaware 's Center for Community Research and Service (CCRS) on a project that CCRS is conducting for the state Division of Public Health. The project seeks to better connect Delaware 's nonprofits and faith institutions with the state's public health emergency preparedness efforts. If you are the leader of a nonprofit or faith institution in Delaware , we urge you to read the note below and participate in this important survey effort.
Sincerely,
The Rev. Dr. Douglas D. Gerdts, Chair, Governor's Council of Faith-Based Partnerships
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Members of the Nonprofit and Faith Communities of Delaware,
This message is directed to executive directors of Delaware nonprofits, and to pastors/leaders of Delaware ’s many faith institutions. We are requesting your help with an important outreach survey we are conducting on behalf of the State of Delaware Division of Public Health, Office of Preparedness. Within state government, the Office of Preparedness plays a lead role in helping to prevent, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies, such as pandemic flu and other disease outbreaks.
This outreach survey is part of a larger “Engaging Nonprofit and Faith Institutions Project.” The survey has two key aims: 1) to assess community awareness of valuable resources and services provided by the Public Health Office of Preparedness; and 2) to seek advice on how the Office of Preparedness can better connect with nonprofit and faith institutions—their members, congregations, and staffs—on vital public health emergency preparedness efforts. This project is especially important in light of recent concerns about possible global resurgence of diseases with pandemic potential, such as avian flu.
The survey should take only 10 minutes to complete. All nonprofit organizations and faith institutions in Delaware are invited to participate. We ask that the survey be completed by the head of the organization (e.g. executive director, pastor, volunteer leader, etc.), or by his or her designated representative, and that it be completed within one week of the time you opened this email.
Please click on this LINK to participate in this survey. If you have questions, or prefer to receive the survey in MS Word format, please email me, Dr. Deborah Auger , at .
We thank you in advance for your participation, which will help strengthen our state’s capabilities for effective public health emergency preparedness and response!
Sincerely,
Deborah A. Auger, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Center for Community Research and Service
University of Delaware
P.S. If you have trouble following the above link to the survey, please paste the following URL into your web browser:
https://delaware.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_bqjdUINUMJtiwZe
Foster Care Initiative: Raina provided an update on Lt. Governor Matt Denn’s Faith, Family and Foster Care initiative. Recent New Castle County workshop included 50 attendees; another workshop will probably be held in the fall, in Dover. Council members encouraged to continue sharing website and video with other faith leaders: http://ltgov.delaware.gov/information/fffc.shtml. Council members encouraged to provide Raina with email addresses of those contacted. Raina has DVDs of video available.
Violence in Communities: Discussion postponed due to time constraints. Brief comments on mentoring youth as a preventative and of need for understanding root causes of violence.
Vision/Mission Statement: Comment on need for development of vision and mission statement.
Commitment Restraints: Comment urging caution in our commitments. Need for choosing carefully what, how and why we promote particular efforts.
Meeting adjourned at approx. 4 pm.
Action:
Continue to share Faith, Family and Foster Care initiative with our faith communities.
Share email addresses of other faith/community leaders with Raina for database.
Share public health survey with other faith leaders and encourage participation.
Next meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 4, 2012, 2-4 pm, All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 18 Olive Avenue, Rehoboth, Delaware 19971. (Due to scheduling issues with several Council members, no meeting will be held in August.)
Future meetings:
Tuesday, October 2, 2012, Congregation Beth Shalom, Wilmington.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012, United Way, Dover.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012, Grace Church, Dover.
Submitted by Flora McConkie, DCFBP Secretary, July 6, 2012. List of Council members attached.
Delaware Council of Faith-Based Partnerships:
The Reverend Dr. Douglas D. Gerdts, First & Central Presbyterian Church, Wilmington, Chair
Rabbi Michael Scott Beals, Congregation Beth Shalom, Wilmington, Vice-Chair
Flora McConkie, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Delaware, Secretary
Raina Harper Allen, Office of Lt. Governor, Wilmington
Sister Jeanne Frances Cashman OSU, Ursuline Convent, Wilmington
Kenneth L. Foster, Grace Church (PCA), Dover
The Reverend Dr. Anastacio A. Matamoros, Church of God of Prophecy, Greenwood
Reverend John G. Moore Sr., United Way of Delaware
Usman Z. Sandhu, Islamic Society of Central Delaware, Dover
Kimberly Mark Tephabock, Dagsboro Church of God, Dagsboro
The Reverend Max Joseph Wolf, All Saints’ Episcopal Church & St. George’s Chapel, Rehoboth Beach