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.

Policy Governance is a fundamental redesign of the role of a Board, emphasizing values, vision and the empowerment of both Board and staff through policies, limitations and monitoring reports.

A congregation has to organize to make its big decisions in its best and deepest frame of mind: that’s governance. It needs to organize to focus limited resources on its most important goals: that’s ministry.

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....

Defining the role of the minister is one of the most unique aspects of congregational bylaws. Ministry is a covenantal relationship between called minister and congregation; the details are organic and evolving and are best left to letters of agreement and board policy....

The only committees that need to be articulated in the bylaws are committees that are accountable to the congregation as a whole.

Transparency and communication are essential for board meetings. Determine quorum, voting provisions and how to communicate decisions.

The governing board is the fiduciary agent for the congregation, operating as a single unit in service of the congregation's mission. It may have a different name (e.g. board of directors, board of trustees, board of governors, steering committee, parish committee, etc.) but the basic role of...

How meetings are conducted--quorum, voting percentages, and model of group deliberation--reflects your theology, expectations of membership, and commitment to welcome and inclusion. Quorum The quorum (percentage of membership required to conduct business at a meeting) required at congregational...

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.