Systems theory is extremely helpful in understanding how people work in groups and why change is sometimes so difficult.

Hackers are getting more sophisticated every day. The best defense is to encourage your employees, volunteers and congregation members to pause and look for warning signs before responding to any unsolicited email.

Congregational growth is about many things—not just numbers.

What can the congregation do in a crisis to avoid a crash during conflict? The solution mostly falls to the work of the driver of the car or the congregational leaders.

Unity offers deep questions and commitments for governance within a progressive religious, covenantal context: Whose Are We? What Do We Value? What Are Our Commitments?

Covenant is the silk that joins Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations, communities, and individuals together in a web of interconnection. The practice of promising to walk together is the precious core of our creedless faith. “Covenant” is both a noun and a verb. It can be a written...

Small congregations need a governance system that is "right sized" for the unique needs and challenges generated by their size. Boards Much of the decision-making in small congregations happens at the board level. Emerging Best Practices Create and live by a board covenant. Have a clear...

Nurturing the relationship between a congregation and its governing body.

Leadership is an important, yet elusive concept. It takes on different forms in different settings. The intent of Policy Governance® is to give operational definition to "leadership" as it applies in the specific context of a governing Board.

Procedures should have the flexibility to change as the organization changes size, staff, technologies and other situational factors.

If you are proposing bylaws for a new congregation, you may wish to include a provision dealing with their initial adoption.

The Bylaws of the UUA require that to be affiliated with the UUA all congregations must have a dissolution clause in their bylaws.

Congregations should include bylaws provisions that enable the congregation to terminate the covenantal relationship when the trust and confidence in the minister has been compromised or eroded.

Very few things that a congregation does affect it as greatly, or are as important, as the choice of a minister. Wonderful ministerial-congregational matches provide new life and purpose to an institution and help lead both parties well into the future....

A decision by vote in a congregational meeting is the highest expression of the congregation's authority. UU congregations generally reserve only major decisions for the membershipas a whole

Bylaws should include two different provisions for removing people from membership. One is for people who have drifted away. The other is for removing a member for cause.

Some congregations want more flexibility in how they approach membership. For the purpose of the bylaws, it's important to clarify who has voting rights.

The minimum requirements for congregational membership should be included in the bylaws. Specific details about these requirements can be articulated in policies and updated as needed.

Spelling out membership in the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in a congregation's bylaws clearly defines the congregation as a Unitarian Universalist congregation.

The purpose provision of the bylaws distinguishes the congregation from other institutions in the community and sets out the basic parameters for all the activity of the congregation.