First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa

Unitarian Universalism is a diverse and living faith. In concrete terms, that means we often disagree with each other about the nuts and bolts of our faith, and that we are constantly changing as individuals and as a religious tradition. Before we explore the path that got us here, it's best we define "here" more clearly, so let's begin...at the end, with the way Unitarianism and Universalism are today.

Let’s start with polity. The nontechnical definition is: who holds what kind of power and how things get done.

we have to get some basic information:

What is the denominational structure?

What is the congregational structure?

What role do different leaders play?

We have congregational polity, meaning that the congregations are the seat of power. Congregations choose representatives to go to assemblies where major decisions are made by democratic vote. Usually there’s a regional organisation and a national or international one. In the CUC the regions are called regions, and the national assembly is called the Annual Meeting. In the UUA the regions are called districts and the national assembly is called General Assembly or GA.

resource: the Canadian Unitarian Council website

resource: the Unitarian Universalist Association website

resource: the UUA General Assembly homepage

resource: UUA bylaws

CUC and UUA member congregations are formed in one of several ways:

a group of people forms and meets regularly, eventually meeting an national organisation’s requirements for member congregation status. resource: Affiliating Your Congregation booklet from the UUA website (pdf)
a congregation is “planted” by the national organisation, with initial financial support provided by that organisation resource: Pathways Unitarian Universalist congregation in Southlake, Texas is one such congregation.
a congregation is started by a minister in a likely location, in collaboration with the national organisation but without financial backing

Once formed, congregations use the democratic process (or occasionally consensus) to make decisions. A congregation will hold meetings according to the local laws regarding nonprofit organisations and its own needs. It will have a Board of Directors or a Board of Trustees (occasionally known as the Standing Committee) whose mandate will vary depending on the congregation, but they make decisions related to the workings of the congregation, including signing contracts on behalf of the organisation. This board is generally elected by and from the congregation’s membership. The congregation’s methods are generally found in its bylaws, which are again constructed according to the needs and legal requirements of the congregaiton. Most congregations also have committees, generally comprised of volunteers. These committees often do a vast amount of the work of the congregation, as well as providing a structure by which people can choose their arena of involvement and pass on the knowledge they have. Common committees include Social Responsibility or Social Action, Buildings and Grounds, Religious Exploration, Worship, Music, and the Youth-Adult Committee. These committees work with Board and staff to maintain the life and work of the congregation.

The minister (or ministers) of a congregation is generally called by the congregation. Ministers may decline a call, and congregations choose their ministers. The call process takes about a year, beginning with the congregation deciding that they need to call a minister and forming a search committee. That committee then guides the congregation through the remainder of the process including compiling a congregational record, soliciting interest, winnowing the list of interested people, and finally choosing a candidate for consideration by the entire congregation.

activity: If you have a minister, find someone in your congregation who was involved in the search process the last time your congregation called a minister. Interview them about the process. Find out what it was like.

activity: Find a minister or a seminarian who has completed at least two years of school. Find out how someone becomes a minister. Find out what it’s like. Bonus: find out what the MFC is. Find out how members get chosen.

Other staff of the congregation are generally hired; the contract will be with the board, and the decisions about hiring and firing are made differently in different congregations. Common staff positions include administrator, Director of Religious Exploration, music director, and sexton.

In most congregations, making a change to congregational structure or functioning begins with talking to the person most directly involved. If you want to add a Religious Exploration class, talk to the director or minister of Religious Exploration (usually one or the other will be present, but not both). If you want to change the way worship is conducted, talk to the worship committee or to the minister. If the person you ask can’t make the changes you need, ze will probably know who else you need to find. If the change is very big, you might need to take it to the board. Generally the way to do that is to call the board chairperson or president (often also the president of the congregation) and ask for time on the board’s agenda. Generally congregational boards meet monthly, generally in the evening, and generally for two hours. If you come to make a presentation you will probably not be expected to stay for the entire meeting, but unless otherwise marked (as in camera or closed) board meetings are generally open, and anyone may observe.

activity: attend a board meeting at your local congregation.

activity: interview the president or vice-president of your congregation about zir role, joys, and frustrations.

activity: attend meetings of three of the following, including one you might not think you’re interested in:

· finance committee

· Religious Exploration committee

· worship/services committee

· youth-adult committee

· music committee

· buildings and grounds/ property committee

activity: take your congregation’s administrator or another office staff person to lunch, if you have one. If you don’t have one, find out who answers the phone, who makes photocopies, and who handles congregational finances. Have tea with one of these people and ask zir about zir role in the congregation.

activity: have dinner with your sexton. Find out about the work that ze does for your congregation.

opportunity: join a committee about whose work you are passionate.

Of course, to do any of this, a congregation needs money. While grants are available from the denomination for specific projects, most money for congregational operations comes from the congregation itself. Most congregations have an annual pledge drive or stewardship campaign to raise money from the membership for the coming year’s budget. In addition, there may be specific fundraisers for special projects of the congregation. Some congregations have volunteer or paid grand writers who write grants for specific activities, and many congregations are recognising the importance of endowments for long-term financial stability. Much endowment money comes in the form of bequests and memorial gifts, and may be restricted-use. A congregation with a strong investment portfolio may have a committee of people dedicated to managing it, although “arm’s length” management is generally required because of the legal responsibilities inherent in managing the resources of an organisation.

activity: Get a copy of your congregation’s budget and an appointment with the treasurer or chair of the finance committee. Find out where the money comes from and where it goes. Ask questions. Bonus: if you can’t get all your questions answered in this meeting, do follow-up interviews with other people involved in the finances of the congregation.

making change: Do a little research. Find out what kinds of percentages of income are given in other congregations in your area, especially non-UU ones. If you don’t know, find out what a tithe is and find out which congregations in your area tithe. Interview someone in those congregations about money, how they raise it and how they feel about it. Brainstorm about better ways for both congregations to do things. Bonus (opportunity): bring what you’ve learned back to your congregation. Talk to the minister to make a strategy about how to integrate your learnings.

activity: Find out how your congregation’s annual fundraising campaign is organised. Interview someone who worked on it last year.

opportunity: volunteer to serve your congregation as a canvasser/steward for next year’s stewardship campaign.

note to self: opportunities are mostly for third trimester. activities are for first trimester. making change is second trimester.

lead me onward lead me backward take me home

Confused by the alphabet soup? Try the glossary.

A Quirky Intro to Unitarianism and Unitarian Universalism by Leela Sinha
Uni-What? Beginning with who we are today	If you like things in order . . . Introduction to the guided tour: . . . . .. lead me onward If your mind loves a search . . . Menu by Subject general information about Unitarianism and Unitarian Universalism history polity general theology personal theology Religious Exploration political/social action involvement at First Unitarian, Ottawa, Ontario CANADA
Unitarian Universalism is a diverse and living faith. In concrete terms, that means we often disagree with each other about the nuts and bolts of our faith, and that we are constantly changing as individuals and as a religious tradition. Before we explore the path that got us here, it's best we define "here" more clearly, so let's begin...at the end, with the way Unitarianism and Universalism are today. Let’s start with polity. The nontechnical definition is: who holds what kind of power and how things get done. we have to get some basic information: What is the denominational structure? What is the congregational structure? What role do different leaders play? We have congregational polity, meaning that the congregations are the seat of power. Congregations choose representatives to go to assemblies where major decisions are made by democratic vote. Usually there’s a regional organisation and a national or international one. In the CUC the regions are called regions, and the national assembly is called the Annual Meeting. In the UUA the regions are called districts and the national assembly is called General Assembly or GA. resource: the Canadian Unitarian Council website resource: the Unitarian Universalist Association website resource: the UUA General Assembly homepage resource: UUA bylaws CUC and UUA member congregations are formed in one of several ways: a group of people forms and meets regularly, eventually meeting an national organisation’s requirements for member congregation status. resource: Affiliating Your Congregation booklet from the UUA website (pdf) a congregation is “planted” by the national organisation, with initial financial support provided by that organisation resource: Pathways Unitarian Universalist congregation in Southlake, Texas is one such congregation. a congregation is started by a minister in a likely location, in collaboration with the national organisation but without financial backing Once formed, congregations use the democratic process (or occasionally consensus) to make decisions. A congregation will hold meetings according to the local laws regarding nonprofit organisations and its own needs. It will have a Board of Directors or a Board of Trustees (occasionally known as the Standing Committee) whose mandate will vary depending on the congregation, but they make decisions related to the workings of the congregation, including signing contracts on behalf of the organisation. This board is generally elected by and from the congregation’s membership. The congregation’s methods are generally found in its bylaws, which are again constructed according to the needs and legal requirements of the congregaiton. Most congregations also have committees, generally comprised of volunteers. These committees often do a vast amount of the work of the congregation, as well as providing a structure by which people can choose their arena of involvement and pass on the knowledge they have. Common committees include Social Responsibility or Social Action, Buildings and Grounds, Religious Exploration, Worship, Music, and the Youth-Adult Committee. These committees work with Board and staff to maintain the life and work of the congregation. The minister (or ministers) of a congregation is generally called by the congregation. Ministers may decline a call, and congregations choose their ministers. The call process takes about a year, beginning with the congregation deciding that they need to call a minister and forming a search committee. That committee then guides the congregation through the remainder of the process including compiling a congregational record, soliciting interest, winnowing the list of interested people, and finally choosing a candidate for consideration by the entire congregation. activity: If you have a minister, find someone in your congregation who was involved in the search process the last time your congregation called a minister. Interview them about the process. Find out what it was like. activity: Find a minister or a seminarian who has completed at least two years of school. Find out how someone becomes a minister. Find out what it’s like. Bonus: find out what the MFC is. Find out how members get chosen. Other staff of the congregation are generally hired; the contract will be with the board, and the decisions about hiring and firing are made differently in different congregations. Common staff positions include administrator, Director of Religious Exploration, music director, and sexton. In most congregations, making a change to congregational structure or functioning begins with talking to the person most directly involved. If you want to add a Religious Exploration class, talk to the director or minister of Religious Exploration (usually one or the other will be present, but not both). If you want to change the way worship is conducted, talk to the worship committee or to the minister. If the person you ask can’t make the changes you need, ze will probably know who else you need to find. If the change is very big, you might need to take it to the board. Generally the way to do that is to call the board chairperson or president (often also the president of the congregation) and ask for time on the board’s agenda. Generally congregational boards meet monthly, generally in the evening, and generally for two hours. If you come to make a presentation you will probably not be expected to stay for the entire meeting, but unless otherwise marked (as in camera or closed) board meetings are generally open, and anyone may observe. activity: attend a board meeting at your local congregation. activity: interview the president or vice-president of your congregation about zir role, joys, and frustrations. activity: attend meetings of three of the following, including one you might not think you’re interested in: · finance committee · Religious Exploration committee · worship/services committee · youth-adult committee · music committee · buildings and grounds/ property committee activity: take your congregation’s administrator or another office staff person to lunch, if you have one. If you don’t have one, find out who answers the phone, who makes photocopies, and who handles congregational finances. Have tea with one of these people and ask zir about zir role in the congregation. activity: have dinner with your sexton. Find out about the work that ze does for your congregation. opportunity: join a committee about whose work you are passionate. Of course, to do any of this, a congregation needs money. While grants are available from the denomination for specific projects, most money for congregational operations comes from the congregation itself. Most congregations have an annual pledge drive or stewardship campaign to raise money from the membership for the coming year’s budget. In addition, there may be specific fundraisers for special projects of the congregation. Some congregations have volunteer or paid grand writers who write grants for specific activities, and many congregations are recognising the importance of endowments for long-term financial stability. Much endowment money comes in the form of bequests and memorial gifts, and may be restricted-use. A congregation with a strong investment portfolio may have a committee of people dedicated to managing it, although “arm’s length” management is generally required because of the legal responsibilities inherent in managing the resources of an organisation. activity: Get a copy of your congregation’s budget and an appointment with the treasurer or chair of the finance committee. Find out where the money comes from and where it goes. Ask questions. Bonus: if you can’t get all your questions answered in this meeting, do follow-up interviews with other people involved in the finances of the congregation. making change: Do a little research. Find out what kinds of percentages of income are given in other congregations in your area, especially non-UU ones. If you don’t know, find out what a tithe is and find out which congregations in your area tithe. Interview someone in those congregations about money, how they raise it and how they feel about it. Brainstorm about better ways for both congregations to do things. Bonus (opportunity): bring what you’ve learned back to your congregation. Talk to the minister to make a strategy about how to integrate your learnings. activity: Find out how your congregation’s annual fundraising campaign is organised. Interview someone who worked on it last year. *opportunity:* volunteer to serve your congregation as a canvasser/steward for next year’s stewardship campaign. note to self: opportunities are mostly for third trimester. activities are for first trimester. making change is second trimester. lead me onward lead me backward take me home Confused by the alphabet soup? Try the glossary.
Directions What to expect in RE on a Sunday What to expect at Worship on Sunday Newspaper