In churches with fewer than 30 members, keep your policies simple and practical.

Your directory or online membership database is a powerful connection tool for your members and friends. But it also has the potential to be misused or abused.

Safety policies help to prevent interpersonal harm as well as safeguards for your assets such as money and building.

While the requirements for membership are in your bylaws, you also need policies ithat define participation, financial support, etc.

Policies and procedures are a way of telling future boards “this is our best thinking and guidance on this subject.” 

Bylaws guide the congregation’s board in governing by articulating board structure and key fiduciary committees and processes for key decision-making.

Ideally, policies guiding the minister, staff, and ministry teams come out of mutual conversations to create clarity around roles, responsibilities, and accountability. Ministry policies should feel collaborative and serve to guide ongoing programs and future decisions.

Safety policies are especially important to have in place before you need them, so they can be thoughtful without the anxiety of a current safety situation.

Honoring a retired minister or religious educator with emerit/a/us status requires a congregational vote.

The title Minister Emeritus / Emerita is granted to honor a minister's long and meritorious service to a particular congregation.

​​​​​​​Because our UU faith is grounded in values that call us to care about one another, we want to consider the vulnerable among us when making decisions.

Here are some key questions for your congregational leadership as you look at programming that meets the needs of those meeting in person and those meeting on-line.

Congregations need to follow copyright laws and ensure their leaders and staff are aware of these laws. The issues surrounding copyright and worship are complex and often confusing. You will also want to review the resource Copyright Issues Related to Worship. Sample Policy Any use of copyrighted...

The board, as "trustees," have specific responsibilities to the congregation that should be articulated in fiduciary policies. Along with the governance policies that guide the board's work , the board also needs to set policies around safety, finance, capital assets, and personnel.

Governance policies augment the bylaws by giving more detail and guidance. Policies defining board member roles and conduct, meetings for both the board and congregation.

Bylaws changes require approval by the congregation in a meeting of the whole. Like any significant change, changes to bylaws should be communicated as clearly as possible with lots of opportunity for questions and comments.

A congregation's web presence is often its first chance to make a good impression. Design policies that balance accountability,creativity, and engagement.

Congregations and other Unitarian Universalist (UU) organizations should adopt a permissions policy for photos and video. Here is a sample.

Even with the wide sharing of photos and video on social social media, congregations still need policies that enable them to follow copyright law, protect the vulnerable and follow the core value of consent....

In most cases, a communications vehicle that represents a congregation should be owned and operated by the congregation as a whole, and be used to further the mission and values of the congregation. Along those lines, here are some specific areas that might be helpful for congregations to consider...