These membership bylaws are meant as examples only. Please amend them to fit your own needs. Article III Membership Active Members: Any person sixteen years of age or older who agrees with the purposes of this church may become an Active Member by signing the Membership Roll in the presence of an...

The following suggestions were taken from a workshop presented at General Assembly 2004 in Long Beach, CA, by Wayne Clark, UUA (Unitarian Universalist Association) director of Congregational Fundraising Services: To be carefully interviewed and appropriately matched to a meaningful role....

When the board of trustees of First Unitarian Universalist (UU) Church of San Diego, CA (656 members), was simultaneously struggling with some complex issues around a transition in ministry plus the renovation of its meetinghouse, the board found it helpful to take time for the same simple ritual...

Q. Do any congregations have a planned “path” for the board president after s/he has completed the term of service? Since that person has such a wealth of information and insight, we would like to institute some sort of position for our immediate past president, but obviously one that would not...

The Committee on Ministry may be the most misunderstood committee that a congregation has. Is it an advocate for the minister—a kind of ministerial cheerleading squad? Or does it represent the congregation’s interests? Beyond that, does it just respond to crises or is it supposed to meet...

When water began leaking onto the last two rows of pews at the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Society of Greater Springfield, MA (225 members), about eight years ago, it was seen as a sign: a sign that it was time to develop a plan for longterm maintenance....

There was a time when visitors to Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden, Colorado, were afraid to take a red visitor’s cup, says Pat Emery, the church’s volunteer coordinator. “I think it was about ten years ago when one of us overheard one visitor tell another, ‘Don’t take the red cup,...

The search committee has done its job. The new minister arrives next month. You're excited, but also a little nervous. You want this new relationship to go well. But how to make that happen? The most important part of a ministerial start-up is a facilitated retreat, says Lynn Thomas, district...

When the board of trustees of the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Church of Annapolis, MD (500 members), completed a strategic plan a few years ago it realized it would also have to revamp the way it did business....

Q. We're thinking about changing how we address absentee and/or proxy voting rights in our bylaws. How do other congregations handle absentee and proxy voting policies? A. Some congregations permit absentee voting, considering it an appropriate way to involve people who may be incapacitated or...

Q. Do any churches have a formal policy on calendar setting? That is, how do you decide when the building may be rented to outside groups and when it should be reserved for the congregation's use?...

When members of All Souls Unitarian Universalist (UU) Church in Kansas City, MO (400 members), began having trouble finding a place to sit on Sunday morning they knew it was time to face the future. There are two solutions to crowded Sundays—expanding the building or adding a service. For All...

There comes a time in the life of many congregations when they feel the need to take a public stand—as a congregation—on a compelling social issue, such as war with Iraq. The way in which a congregation takes such a stand is important. In most congregations there will be a group that may not be...

When people join our congregations, how much do we ask of them? Are we so grateful they've chosen us—and so fearful they might leave—that we ask little? Do we create the impression that our congregation is a place where they will be served without having to do much? That may be true for some...

What is the difference between management and leadership? Rev. Dr....

Q. My congregation had a very difficult time last spring finding anyone to serve on the governing board and an even harder time getting someone to agree to be president. It also seems to be a perennial struggle to keep our committee chairs filled. People just don't seem willing to serve here. Can...

There are times in the life of every congregation when despite the best intentions of everyone there are details that don't get tended to. Well-meaning volunteers forget to do something, or take on more than they can do, or a family crisis intervenes....

When a wedding guest at a Unitarian Universalist church in the Southwest had too much to drink and fell down the basement stairs, he sued the church for many thousands of dollars. The church's insurance company settled the case for $2,000. Said the church administrator, "Had we been actually...

A church in New Hampshire learned a hard lesson last year when an electrical fire heavily damaged its 120-year-old building. The Nottingham Community Universalist Church's insurance coverage fell far short of costs of restoring the building. The renovations are expected to cost around $275,000.