Bylaws

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• Whole document as PDF file

• All Articles individually 

• Side-by-side comparison of existing vs. proposed (PDF)

Article deleted:  Lay Ministry Council (LMC) is no longer functioning, but see Article VII

Many changes to improve clarity

Article I: General

Clarify that we are governed by the Article of Incorporation, the Bylaws, and policies established by the Board

Article IV: Board of Trustees

Add the Executive Committee of the Board and specify its role.  This group has already been operating for many years as the "Exec Team"

Article V: Officers

Refer to the Secretary (a legally required office) as the Documentarian, a more inclusive term

Only the Congregation may remove a member of the Board

Article VII:  Committee & Program Groups

Add Section 1 to describe how the congregation operates as a Community of Communities (a metaphor coined by Paula Cole Jones of All Souls Church Unitarian)

Provide for a successor to the Lay Ministry Council (LMC)

Clarify the role of the Committee on Ministry (COM)

Article VIII: Congregational Meetings

Quorum requirement changed from 1/8 to 1/10 of the Members eligible to vote

Replace Robert's Rules of parliamentary procedure by the simpler Democratic Rules of Order

Article IX: Lay Ministry Council (LMC) [deleted]

The current LMC and Board have agreed to discontinue the LMC this year; Article VII describes how its functions will be accomplished

Detailed, side-by-side comparison of existing vs. proposed (PDF file)

• Bruce Baskett

• Steve Eckstrand

• Tim McLaughlin

• John Miles

• Fran Lowe

You can reach them collectively with questions and comments at Bylaws@uucr.org

Article II:  changed the name "Denominational Affairs" to its new name "Denominational Connections"

Article VII, Section 7. Ministerial Committees - Committee on Ministry (COM):

Re-formatted for easier reading.

Changed "The membership, size, and length of service on the COM are at the discretion of the Senior Minister, with the concurrence of the Board of Trustees." to "The membership, size, and length of service on the COM are set by the Senior Minister, with the concurrence of the Board of Trustees." 

Changed "With the concurrence of the Senior Minister, members of the COM may advise members of the Board of Trustees or others about any issue related to ministry" to "Upon Board request, members of the COM may, as appropriate, advise members of the Board of Trustees about issues related to ministry." 

Added item under number 5: 

As appropriate, members of the COM may advise members of Lay Leadership or Congregational Staff about issues relating to the ministry and vitality of the congregation.