Oklahoma chapter of Americans United needs people

An email from Jim Huff, executive secretary of the Oklahoma chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Chapter "members" and/or "interested individuals",

The Oklahoma Chapter has never been in a better financial status and had better numbers of supporters of the "separation" principle in Oklahoma. What we are lacking are individuals to take specific areas of Chapter Leadership responsibilities. The needs will become even more critical in 2009 as Oklahoma's House of Representatives and state Senate come under the leadership of the religious right. We need to have our Chapter organizational structure in place as soon as possible.

I hope you will mark your calendars for TWO IMPORTANT SATURDAYS.

Saturday, November 29th and Saturday, December 6th.
10:00am until noon each Saturday
Belle Isle Library – Northwest Highway and Villa

Each Saturday, there will be two 45 minute sessions:
The first session will be an orientation to Chapter Structure and leadership positions,
The second session will be training on key Separation of Church & State issues in Oklahoma.

OUR NEEDS are for 10 to 15 individuals to accept and carry out essential leadership roles in the Chapter: elected officers, committee chairs and members, specific Chapter project leaders.

As of our Annual Meeting in September 2009, the role of Executive Secretary will be dissolved. The office of Secretary will take on the traditional role as defined in the Chapter by-laws.

To hold leadership roles, the persons must be members of the Chapter. In order to give individuals time to evaluate their interests, their talents and their available time commitments, THE TWO SATURDAYS OF LOCAL CHAPTER ORIENTATION AND TRAINING ARE BEING OFFERED. To attend and participate, membership is not a requirement. But, deep concern for protecting the HISTORIC principle of separation of church and state is essential. No one attending is committing themselves to a specific leadership role.

The National American United (Beth Corbin) will conduct specific training for the Chapters in Oklahoma early in 2009. At that time, more specific commitment to specific leadership roles will be determined. The Oklahoma Chapter will elect new officers for two year terms and appoint committee chairs at our Annual Meeting in September of 2009.

There is no substitute for active leadership. I do not feel comfortable asking individuals to take on leadership roles unless they have an informed understanding of the role. Without the full structure of leadership roles being filled, we are reduced in our effectiveness.

PLEASE, "reply" and let me know (RSVP) if you can attend one or both of the Saturdays. I also solicit your questions and interests that should be included in the two days of preparation. September 2009 will be here much quicker than we would like.

I hope to hear from a good number of you by Wednesday, November 26th. Materials and refreshment decisions need to be made well before Saturday, November 29th. (Our meeting will be over long before the OU-OSU football game.)

Jim Huff

Interested persons can RSVP to Jim by emailing him at this address.