Quorum
Generally, congregational meetings are not on everyone's top-ten list of ways to exercise their religious convictions, and many congregations struggle to entice members to attend and enact the business of the congregation. Sometimes this concern prompts the setting of a low quorum requirement. A low quorum, however, might make it easy for the congregation to approve decisions and enact programs that are not accepted by a significant proportion of the congregation. The congregation must choose the percentages carefully and, once again, check the statutes and regulations governing churches in its jurisdiction for restrictions or qualifications that must be met concerning the setting of the quorum for a meeting.Sample Provisions
Example 1: Twenty (20) percent of the membership shall constitute a quorum.
Example 2: A quorum of the Congregation for the purposes of voting shall be constituted of thirty percent (30%) of the Members eligible to vote in person or by absentee ballot.
Example 3: A Committee of the Whole quorum shall consist of at least thirty-five (35) percent of the membership. Members present at a duly called and held meeting at which a quorum is initially present may continue to do business notwithstanding the loss of a quorum at the meeting provided that any action taken after the loss of a quorum is approved by at least a majority of the members required to constitute said quorum.
Additional examples of quorum provisionsFor more information contact growthresources @ uua.org.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
