Table Topics
 
Kristin Brown began the discussion by explaining her own holiday affinity for religious services featuring lights. A frequent attendee at silent Quaker worship services, Kristin visits Lake Street Church on Christmas Eve for its Candle Lighting Ceremony. The Church uses candle lighting to explain and relate to other celebrations of light around the world (Hanukkah, Diwali, Eid, etc.)   What do you celebrate and how do you celebrate it?

 

In response to a member question, Club Service Chair Helen Oloroso updated the club on the follow-up to our last Table Topics session.  As you’ll remember, the most recent discussion focused on club practices (pledge of allegiance, group singing, flags, club banners,  etc.). The Club Service Committee met yesterday to discuss their findings and the Board coincidentally met last night and further discussed them.

 

Here is a brief recap:

 

There was strong consensus that a U.S. flag should remain in our meeting room. The Club Service Committee will also look into getting a Rotary flag to symbolize our international connections.

 

Singing America the Beautiful evokes strong feelings among some people.  Its reference to God presents the possibility that non-believers may be uncomfortable joining in.  The Committee plans to talk with our music/piano folks (Elaine Clemens, Chuck Bartling, Don Gwinn) about expanding our repertoire to include other songs.  America the Beautiful may be saved for uniquely American holidays such as the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, etc.

 

The Thought for the Day is an important and well-liked feature of our meetings, which will continue to start us off each morning.  When it is your turn, please think about it!  It sets the tone for our meeting and gives our visitors something to think about.

 

The Four Way Test is also a valued part of our routine that will conclude each meeting and send us off into the world with the Rotary message.
 
The Sergeant-at-Arms puts a great deal of work into his questions.  A potential source of fun and camaraderie, an effort will be made to give the Sergeant adequate time each week.

 

The digital club banner display (put together by Steve Goranson) is an interesting backdrop during the pre-program portion of our meetings. The large felt banner displays -- to which individual club banners are attached -- are more problematic than you might realize. They are difficult to move and set up and only represent a small portion of the banners in our possession.  The Club Service Committee is considering the purchase of pop-up banners that reflect Rotary’s current branding and graphics.  Like the sign outside our meeting room at the Hilton Garden Inn, new pop-up signs would be easier to use, store, and transport to special events. 

 

Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at our meetings is a polarizing subject.  Rotary is an international organization, rather than an American organization.  Our club, with its prime location in Rotary’s home town, attracts a significant number of international guests.  If reciting our country’s Pledge makes any of those guests feel uncomfortable, then it seems unwise to continue the practice. Analogous to prayer, not saying the Pledge at our meetings doesn’t preclude anyone saying the Pledge (or praying) personally.  Not reciting the Pledge at our meetings doesn’t diminish it in any way.  It just acknowledges that it may not be appropriate for our club as an internationally-focused organization.