Name

The name of the organization shall be Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville, located at 100 Welsh Park Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850.  The current Registered Agent is the Senior Minister located at 100 Welsh Park Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850.  

Purpose

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville is organized exclusively for religious, educational, and charitable purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville affiliates with the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations.  The Congregation shall:

1. Provide diverse, multi-generational members of our community with an inclusive, welcoming, and nurturing environment and spiritual home for Unitarian Universalist worship and community activities.

2. Conduct religious services, educational programs, social justice activities, and other events that reflect the values and principles of the Unitarian Universalist religious faith.

3. Promote Unitarian Universalist values and principles in accord with those of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations.

4. Own, manage, and maintain real and personal property to support the Congregation's activities and objectives. 

Members and Voting Qualifications

All persons, regardless of race, national origin, or sexual identity, sixteen (16) years of age or over who engage in the worship and work of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville and who have heretofore or shall have hereafter signed the membership roll of the Congregation shall be members of the Congregation. All members of the Congregation who have made such contributions, if any, as the Bylaws shall prescribe to support  the Congregation during the preceding twelve months, subject to such reasonable limitations as to length of membership as the Bylaws may prescribe, shall be entitled to vote in any meeting of the Congregation; provided that only members who are adults as defined by Maryland Law may vote for the election of members of the Nominating Committee or members of the Board of Trustees, or on any proposed amendment of these Articles or the Congregation’s Bylaws.

Board of Trustees

1. The Trustees shall have the duties and powers provided by law and exercise general supervision and direction of the affairs of the Congregation.

2. The composition of the Board of Trustees in terms of Officers and General Trustees and their duties shall be set forth in the Bylaws

3. There shall be a minimum of five (5) and a maximum of nine (9) Trustees, exclusive of the minister.

4. A Trustee may also be an Officer of the Congregation.

5. Officers of the Congregation shall be elected by the members of the Congregation at an Annual Meeting, and shall serve terms of three (3) years. General Trustees, that is the Trustees who are not Officers of the Congregation, shall serve staggered three-year terms. The term of a Trustee begins the first day of the month immediately following the annual meeting at which they were elected.

6. Trustees shall (a) satisfy the statutory requirements for trustees of religious corporations, and (b) be members who are entitled to vote in any meeting of the Congregation.

7. Any vacancy occurring in the position of any Trustee before the expiration of the term for which they were elected shall temporarily be filled by election by the remaining Trustees until the next Congregational meeting. If that term does not then expire, the vacancy shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by election at such annual meeting in the manner in which other Trustees are elected. Trustees so elected shall meet the requirement set forth in (a) and (b) of the preceding paragraph.

8. Trustees may be removed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote by ballot at an annual or other Congregational Meeting upon notice given as provided for the amendment of these Articles.

Annual Meetings

There shall be an annual meeting of the Congregation for the election of Trustees and transaction of other business in May on a date and at an hour and place fixed by the Trustees; provided, however, that notice of the meeting shall have been given in the manner provided in Article Seven, subsection 2 of these Articles. A quorum shall consist of a minimum of one-tenth (1/10) of the total membership entitled to vote, as provided for in the Bylaws.  A proxy shall be recognized as provided in the Bylaws.

Bylaws

Subject to and in furtherance hereof the Congregation by a majority vote of those present may adopt Bylaws providing for the further organization of the Congregation, including: (a) a school of religion and other instrumentalities; (b) the minimum contribution required to qualify a member for voting; (c) the qualifications, selection and duties of a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and any other Officer; (d) the calling, notice and holding of Congregational Meetings other than the Annual Meeting; (e) the giving of special notice of particular business to be transacted at the Annual Meeting; (f) the use of proxy at Congregational Meetings; (g) a corporate seal; and (h) any other appropriate matter that further organizes the Congregation towards its purposes.  The Bylaws may be amended from time to time, as follows:

1. A majority of the Trustees proposing to amend the Bylaws shall (a) adopt a resolution which declares that the amendment is advisable and (b) call a meeting of the adult members of the Congregation to vote on the amendment.

2. Ten days’ written notice of the time, place, purpose of the meeting shall be given to each adult member of the Congregation.  A quorum shall consist of a minimum of one-tenth (1/10) of the total membership entitled to vote, as provided for in the Bylaws.  A proxy shall be recognized as provided in the Bylaws.

3. If the proposed amendment is approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the adult members present at the meeting, amended Bylaws shall be adopted which state the amendment and declare that it was advised by the Trustees and approved by the members of the Congregation. The amended Bylaws shall be verified under oath by the Chairperson and Secretary of the meeting of members and shall be filed with the Congregation’s permanent records.

Amendment of the Articles of Incorporation

This plan of organization may be amended from time to time in the manner provided under those sections of the law pertaining to religious corporations:

1. A majority of the Trustees proposing to amend these Articles shall (a) adopt a resolution which declares that the amendment is advisable and (b) call a meeting of the adult members of the Congregation to vote on the amendment. 

2. Ten days’ written notice of the time, place, and purpose of the meeting shall be given to each adult member of the Congregation.  A quorum shall consist of a minimum of one-tenth (1/10) of the total membership entitled to vote. 

3. If the proposed amendment is approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the adult members present at the meeting, articles of amendment shall be adopted which state the amendment and declare that it was advised by the Trustees and approved by the members of the Congregation. These articles shall be signed by those Trustees who declared the resolution advisable, and the matters and facts contained in the articles shall be verified under oath by the Chairperson and Recorder of the meeting of members. 

4. The Trustees shall file the articles of amendment for record with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation.

Dissolution 

Should this Congregation cease to function and the membership vote to disband, the assets of the Congregation shall be transferred to the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations or any intermediate organization that it deems appropriate. In no event shall any distribution of the assets be made to an individual person.