Unitarian Universalist Church of the
South Hills (Sunnyhill)
BYLAWS
Approved by the congregation on December 18, 2005
Contents
Article III.
Welcoming Congregation Statement
ARTICLE IV. Membership
and Affiliation
Section
3. Withdrawal of Membership
Section
4. Termination of Membership or Affiliation
ARTICLE V. The
Board of Trustees
Section
2. Board Responsibilities
Section
3. Members of the Board of Trustees
Section
4. Board of Trustees Meetings
Article VI.
Officers of UUCSH and the Board.
Section
1. President of UUCSH and Chair of the
Board
Section
2. Vice President of UUCSH and Vice
Chair of the Board
Section
3. Secretary of UUCSH and the Board
Section
5. Other Officers, Agents, Committees
Section
2. Staff Accountability
Section
2. Committee on Ministry (COM)
ARTICLE IX. Congregational Meetings
Section
1. Schedule of Meetings
Section
6. Procedure for Conducting Meetings
Section
7. Annual Meeting, Order of Business
Section
8. Major and Minor Questions
Section
3. Nominating Committee
Section
4. Procedure for Selecting Candidates.
Section
5. Election Procedures
ARTICLE XI. Special Provisions
Section
2. Dissolution of UUCSH
ARTICLE XII. Regular Review of the Bylaws
ARTICLE XIII. Amendments to Bylaws
Unitarian Universalist Church of the South Hills (Sunnyhill)
BYLAWS
The name of this religious Society shall be the Unitarian
Universalist Church of the South Hills (herein referred to as "UUCSH"
or “Sunnyhill”).
The mission of UUCSH is to foster intellectual and spiritual
growth by upholding a free search for truth within a liberal religious
setting. In a warm, intimate, and
diverse environment, we support one another on our lifelong journeys and
through the transitions in our lives.
Committed to Unitarian Universalist principles, we seek to build a just
and compassionate community, both within and beyond Sunnyhill.
This religious community
intentionally welcomes individuals of various life situations, abilities and
viewpoints. We consist of young and old, male and female, gay and straight; we
are of varied races, gender orientations, and religious backgrounds. We
celebrate human diversity in all its wonderful forms. We affirm and respect
each other, rejoicing in each individual’s unique gifts. This affirmation is
relevant to all dimensions of congregational life, including membership, hiring
practices, leadership, and worship.
A. Definition. Any person eighteen (18)
years of age or older who sympathizes with the mission
of UUCSH and who desires to participate in its activities may
become a Member by completing a membership orientation
program and signing the official membership book.
B. Rights. Members shall have the right to vote, to
constitute a quorum, to
initiate petitions to the Board of Trustees, and to otherwise participate fully
in the activities of UUCSH.
C. Responsibilities.
All Members have a responsibility for the vitality of UUCSH and the
greater Unitarian Universalist community.
Therefore, all Members are expected to cooperate with the annual
pledge campaign, to make a financial
commitment to UUCSH appropriate to their means by making an annual pledge, and
to participate in the activities of UUCSH and the Unitarian Universalist
denomination. The Minister or Chair of
the Board may exempt any Member from any of these expectations if s/he feels
that fulfilling such an expectation may cause the Member undue hardship.
A. Definition. Any person who desires to be affiliated with
UUCSH but who does not choose to establish membership shall be considered a
Friend of UUCSH by signing the “Friends” section of the Membership Book.
B. Rights. Friends of UUCSH shall have the right to
participate in the activities of UUCSH, but shall not be eligible to vote, to
make up a quorum, or to serve on the Board of Trustees.
C. Responsibilities.
Friends have a responsibility for the vitality of UUCSH and the greater
Unitarian Universalist community.
Therefore, all Friends are encouraged to make a financial commitment to
UUCSH by means of an annual pledge.
Individuals may withdraw their membership in UUCSH by sending
a signed request for membership withdrawal to the Board of Trustees.
A. Members. The Board of Trustees shall review annually the
list of Members, and shall cause written inquiry to be mailed to
non-participating Members regarding their desire to maintain membership. If no
reply is received within thirty (30) days after such mailing, the Board of
Trustees may remove the names of such Members from the Membership list.
B. Friends. The Board of Trustees shall review annually the
list of Friends, and shall cause written inquiry to be mailed to
non-participating Friends regarding their desire to maintain affiliation. If no
reply is received within thirty (30) days after such mailing, the Board of
Trustees may remove the names of such Friends from the Friends list.
The Board of Trustees shall be composed of nine (9) Members
(Article IV, Section 1), four (4) of whom shall be the Officers of UUCSH, and
five (5) of whom shall have the title of Trustee. Membership on the Board shall
be determined according to the election procedures in Article X.
A. Ordinary Business.
The Board of Trustees shall manage the ordinary business of UUCSH. Ordinary business includes, but is not
limited to, the determination of what persons or organizations within and
outside of UUCSH may use the name, property, and facilities of UUCSH, as well
as the specifications of the purpose and conditions of such use.
B. Religious Services. The Board of Trustees shall have
oversight of religious services at UUCSH.
C. Collection of Funds.
The Board of Trustees is authorized to collect all funds due UUCSH and
to put the same into the hands of the Treasurer.
D. Borrowing Money.
The Board of Trustees is authorized to borrow sums of money without
consent first being obtained from the Members, provided that the total of all
funds borrowed without the Members' consent and still outstanding shall not
exceed five percent (5%) of the annual operating budget.
E. Property Management.
The Board of Trustees shall maintain the sole control and management of
all property of UUCSH, of whatever kind and wherever situated. Acquisition of property or the sale,
disposal, or mortgaging of same shall be considered Major Questions as defined
in Article IX, Section 8.
F. Allocation of Money.
The Board of Trustees is authorized to reallocate the total amount of
the annual operating budget approved by the Members at the Annual Meeting.
Expenditures exceeding the annual operating budget must be approved in advance
by the Members at either an annual or Special Meeting. Money raised from any
capital fund may be spent only with the approval of the Members as a Major
Question as per Article IX, Section 8.
A. Terms of Office.
Three (3) of the five (5) non-officer Trustees shall be elected each odd
year for a two (2) year term of office, and the remaining two (2) shall be
elected each even year for a two (2) year term of office. Trustees may serve two (2) consecutive terms
as members of the Board of Trustees, for a maximum of four (4) years, and then
shall not be eligible for re-election to the Board of Trustees for at least one
(1) intervening year.
B. Duties and Responsibilities. Duties of
Trustees shall include participating in Board of Trustees meetings and assuming
individual responsibility of liaison with one or more major committees or
overseeing one or more activities of UUCSH, as assigned by the Chair in
consultation with the individual Trustees. Duties shall also include actively
participating in the canvass process and other duties as may be assigned by the
Chair, the latter with the individual Trustee’s consent.
C. Vacancies. The Board of Trustees shall fill any vacancy
of a non-officer Board Member’s position that occurs between Annual Meetings by
appointing a Member of UUCSH for the balance of the unexpired term. In making such appointment, the Board may,
but is not required to, give preference to candidates who appeared on the
immediately preceding ballot, and who gained the most votes of those candidates
who did not win through regular balloting.
A. Frequency. The Board of Trustees shall hold no less than
eight (8) meetings annually at such time and place as the Board of Trustees
itself may determine. Meetings may be postponed by the Chair or Vice Chair.
Special Meetings of the Board of Trustees may be held at any time and place at
the call of the Chair, or, in the Chair's absence, by the Vice Chair or by any
two (2) Trustees by giving sufficient notice of the time and place of such
meeting to each Trustee. Any and all
business may be transacted at any Special Meeting of the Board of Trustees,
regardless of the purpose for which the meeting was called.
B. Executive Sessions. All meetings of the Board of Trustees
shall be open except when, by majority vote of the Board of Trustees members
present, the Board of Trustees shall elect to go into executive session.
C. Quorum. A majority of the
Trustees then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business at any
regular or Special Meeting of the Board of Trustees. Motions shall be carried
by a majority of Trustees present and voting, but in no case less than four (4) votes. The Secretary shall enter in
the minutes of each meeting the names of all Trustees present.
D. Ex-Officio Member. The
Minister and the immediately past Chairperson of the Board of Trustees shall be
ex-officio members of the Board of Trustees, but shall not constitute any part of a
quorum or have any vote on questions presented to the Board of Trustees. Ex-officio members may attend all
meetings of the Board of Trustees, but the Board of Trustees may ask him/her to
be absent when matters pertinent to him/her are under discussion.
E. Order of Business. The order of business at all regular
meetings of the Board of Trustees
shall be as follows.
1. Review of the
minutes of the previous meeting
2. Reports of Officers and Staff
3. Treasurer’s Report
4. Reports of Committees
5. Old business
6. New
business
The chair person of any Special Meeting of the Board of
Trustees shall determine the order of business at such meetings.
The officers of UUCSH shall be a President, Vice President,
Secretary and Treasurer, all of whom shall also be members of the Board of
Trustees as defined in Article V, shall be Members of UUCSH, and shall be
elected as specified in Articles VI and X.
As Board members, the President shall serve as Chair; the Vice President
shall serve as Vice Chair.
A. Term of
Office. The Chair shall serve for a two
(2) year term and may be re-elected for a consecutive term. Recognizing the value of experience, the Chair
shall be required to have previously served as a member or an Officer of the
Board of Trustees. If, however, upon
her/his election as President of UUCSH, he/she is currently serving on the
Board of Trustees, her/his total combined consecutive terms as member and
President shall not exceed six (6) years.
After a hiatus of at least two (2) years following the end of her/his
term as President, a former President may again stand for re-election to any
office. There is no limit to the number
of times a person may stand for election to this office.
B. Duties and
Responsibilities. The President of UUCSH
shall be Chair of the Board of Trustees, presiding at all meetings except as
provided in Article IX, Section 3;
exercising all of the powers and performing all of the duties
normally pertaining to the office of President of a Corporation. The President
shall appoint chairpersons of committees as needed.
C. Vacancies. A vacancy occurring in the office of President
shall be filled by the Vice President.
A. Term of Office. The
Vice President of UUCSH shall serve for a two (2) year term and may stand for
two (2) consecutive terms. Recognizing
the value of experience, the Vice President shall be required to have
previously served as a member or an Officer of the Board of Trustees. If, however, upon her/his election as Vice
President, he/she is currently serving on the Board of Trustees, her/his total
combined consecutive terms as Board Member and Vice President shall not exceed
six (6) years. After a hiatus of at
least two (2) years following the end of his/her term as Vice President, a
former Vice President may again stand for re-election to any office. There is no limit to the number of times a
person may stand for election to this office.
B. Duties and
Responsibilities. The Vice President
shall be Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, performing the duties and
exercising the powers of the Chair/President in her/his absence. The Vice President shall convene and preside
over the annual Council of Chairs meeting, and perform other duties as may be
assigned by the President with the concurrence of the Board of Trustees.
C. Vacancies. The
Board of Trustees shall fill any vacancy of the Vice President’s position that
occurs between Annual Meetings by appointment from the Members of UUCSH for the
balance of the unexpired term. In making
such appointment, the Board may, but is not required to, give preference to
candidates who appeared on the immediately preceding ballot and who gained the
most votes of those candidates for the position who did not win through regular
balloting.
A. Term of Office. The
Secretary shall be elected every two (2) years for a two (2) year term, but
limited to a maximum of four (4) consecutive years. The Secretary does not need
to have previously served on the Board of Trustees.
B. Duties and Responsibilities. The Secretary shall be Secretary of both
UUCSH and the Board of Trustees, and shall exercise all of the powers and
perform all of the duties normally pertaining to the office of Secretary of a
Corporation. These shall include, but
are not limited to, giving notice of all meetings, keeping and attesting as
true the official records of the meetings, and preserving and passing on to
their immediate successor all such official records, and maintaining the
official membership book. The Secretary may be assisted in some of the responsibilities
of the office by the Church Administrator in accordance with the job
description of the Church Administrator and/or the direction of the Board of
Trustees.
C. Vacancies. The
Board of Trustees shall fill any vacancy of the Secretary’s position that
occurs between Annual Meetings by appointment from the Members of UUCSH for the
balance of the unexpired term. In making
such appointment, the Board may, but is not required to, give preference to
candidates for the position who were on the immediately preceding ballot and
who gained the most votes of those candidates for the position who did not win
through regular balloting.
A. Term of Office. The
Treasurer shall be elected every two (2) years for a two (2) year term, limited
to a maximum of four (4) consecutive years.
The Treasurer does not need to have previously served on the Board of
Trustees.
B. Duties and Responsibilities. The Treasurer of UUCSH shall, subject to the
direction of the Board of Trustees, exercise all the powers and perform all the
duties normally pertaining to the offices of Treasurer and Controller of a
Corporation. The Treasurer shall be
bonded for faithful performance in such amount as may be specified by the Board
of Trustees. Duties of the Treasurer
include, but are not limited to, the safekeeping of funds of UUCSH, issuing
checks in payment of debts when so authorized by the Board of Trustees,
maintaining accurately all necessary financial records of UUCSH, and keeping
the Board of Trustees informed as to the financial condition of UUCSH at each
meeting of the Board. Said financial
records shall be subject to audit annually and at the discretion of the Board
of Trustees. The Treasurer may request
that the Board of Trustees appoint one or more Assistants, with appropriate
title, to perform special services, such as accounting, bookkeeping, collecting
and depositing contributions. The
Assistant(s) shall be bonded for faithful performance in such amount as may be
specified by the Board of Trustees.
The Treasurer shall also serve as the Chair of the Finance
Committee to which the Board of Trustees will appoint members.
C. Vacancies. The Board of Trustees shall fill any vacancy
of the Treasurer’s position that occurs between Annual Meetings by appointment
from the Members of the UUCSH for the balance of the unexpired term. In making such appointment, the Board may,
but is not required to, give preference to candidates for the position who
appeared on the immediately preceding ballot and who gained the most votes of
those candidates for the position who did not win through regular balloting.
Other officers, agents, committees may be authorized or
appointed by the Board of Trustees at its discretion for the attainment of the
mission of UUCSH.
The staff of UUCSH is made up of paid professionals and includes those
persons responsible for
religious and pastoral care, personal counseling, rites of passage, religious education
of adults and children, music, and administrative affairs. These persons may
include a Director of Religious Education (DRE), Administrator, and Director of
Music. The positions of Minister and
Associate Minister are considered separately in Article VIII below.
The employment of the
Administrator and the Director of Music shall be directed by the Minister and
approved by the Board. The Administrator
and Director of Music shall report directly to the Minister, who shall have
oversight of these staff members. The
employment of the DRE shall be directed by the Board of Trustees, who shall
have oversight of this staff member and to whom the DRE shall directly report. Oversight in this Section includes the annual
evaluation of the staff members in accordance with the policies and procedures
of UUCSH.
In the event UUCSH wishes to engage the services of a Minister,
the following procedures will apply.
A. Decision to Call. The decision to call a Minister or Associate
Minister shall be
decided as a Major Question under Article IX, Section 8.
B. Search Committee. Following the
decision to call, a Ministerial Search Committee shall be formed consisting of seven (7) Members, of
whom five (5) shall be elected by the congregation and two (2) shall be
appointed by the Board of Trustees. However, none shall be members of the Board
of Trustees. The Board of Trustees shall have authority to appoint replacements
for any members of the Committee who resign or become unable to serve.
C. Employment
Contract. The Board is responsible for creating and enforcing the Employment
Contract of the Minister, including compensation. Compensation must then be
approved by the congregation in the regular budgeting process.
D. Evaluation. The
Board is responsible for an annual evaluation of the Minister’s
performance. This evaluation must be
submitted to the Minister in writing.
When the office of Minister or Associate Minister is filled, a COM consisting of three (3)
Members shall be established by the Board.
A. Term of Office. Members of the
COM shall be appointed
for a three (3) year term, such that one new member is appointed every year to
replace an outgoing member.
B. Appointment. All vacancies on the COM due to the expiration of a three (3) year
term or from any other cause shall be filled within sixty (60) days by Board of
Trustees' appointment using the following procedure. The Minister, with advice
from the Associate Minister if any, and the Board of Trustees shall each
prepare a list of potential COM Members.
A recruiter, selected by the Board of Trustees, shall then meet with the
Minister and together they shall combine these two lists in priority order.
Then the recruiter shall solicit each person on the combined list, in turn and
in priority order, until a volunteer or volunteers is/are obtained to fill the
said vacancy or vacancies.
C.
Purpose. The purpose of the COM shall be
to provide insight and feedback to the minister at least quarterly. The COM’s
key functions are to:
·
Advise,
consult, and act as a sounding board for the minister regarding opportunities
and issues facing the church, the congregation, and the minister.
·
Assist
the minister in his/her overall ministry to the church, acting as an initial
contact point for people and groups wishing to express either satisfactions or
concerns regarding the professional ministry and the overall ministry of the
Church.
·
Keep
the minister advised about conditions within the congregation as they affect
relations between him/her and the members, and to assist in resolving
conflicts.
·
Provide
oversight of Lay Leaders (Article XI, Section 1).
Business meetings of the Members
shall consist of an
Annual Meeting and Special Meetings.
The Annual Meeting shall be held during the month of April of
each year at a time and place fixed by the Board of Trustees. Special Meetings
may be called at any time by the President of UUCSH, or by vote of the Board of
Trustees. Special Meetings must be called by the Board of Trustees on receipt
of a petition signed by ten (10) or more Members for the purpose of considering
those questions stated on the petition.
Written
notice of every Annual Meeting and Special Meeting shall be sent, at the
direction of the Board of Trustees, to each Member. Annual Meetings require at
least sixteen (16) days notice and Special Meetings at least eight (8) days
notice, which time shall include the two (2) Sundays immediately preceding the
date of the meeting. The notice of a Special Meeting shall contain a brief
statement of the purpose of the meeting, and the business transacted at said
meeting shall be confined to the purpose stated in the notice. Proposed
Amendments to the Bylaws shall be sent in writing to every Member along with
the announcement as required above of the meeting at which they are to be
considered.
The Board of Trustees may, prior to any meeting of UUCSH,
designate any Member to preside as moderator for any part or all of such
meeting.
Only Members of UUCSH who have signed the membership book at
least thirty (30) days before the date of any Annual or Special Meeting shall
be entitled to vote at said meeting.
Before any business is conducted, a quorum shall be present
as defined by Article X, Section 5A. The Secretary of UUCSH shall make a list
of all Members present and shall file said list among the documents of UUCSH.
Said list must show that a quorum was present.
All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's
Rules of Order. In case of any conflict between these Rules and the bylaws of
UUCSH, the latter shall govern. A parliamentarian shall be present at every
Annual Meeting.
A
quorum being present, the order of business at the Annual Meeting shall be as
follows, or as otherwise set up by the Board of Trustees:
1.
Reading of a summary of the minutes of the last Annual Meeting and of all intervening
Special Meetings
2.
Treasurer's Report
3.
President's Report
4.
Minister’s Report
5.
Reports of the various organizations of UUCSH
6.
Reports of standing and special committees
7.
Presentation, discussion, and approval of the budget
for the next fiscal year
8.
Election of a Board of Trustees and Commissioned
Lay Leaders
9.
Old business
10.
New business
The
agenda must include items 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, and 10 except that 7 may be omitted if
the budget has been approved at a prior Special Meeting or is scheduled for
approval at a subsequent meeting.
A. Major
Question. A Major Question is a motion
which requires for adoption a favorable vote of two-thirds of the Members
present (including absentee ballots) at any Annual or Special Meeting called to
consider such a question. The following
questions are hereby designated specifically as Major Questions:
1. Bylaws
· An amendment to the bylaws
· An addition to or deletion from the
bylaws.
2. Finances
·
A
motion to undertake debt in excess of that permitted the Board of Trustees
3. Leadership of UUCSH
·
A motion to call
or dismiss the Minister, Associate Minister, or DRE
·
A
motion to remove one or more Officers or Trustees from office.
The Board of Trustees may designate other questions as Major
Questions at its discretion, but before the Members vote on the question, a
simple majority of the Members must first concur with such designation.
Similarly, any Member may at an Annual or Special Meeting move to have a
particular motion designated as a Major Question at any time after the motion
has been seconded and before it has been voted upon. A simple majority of the
Members present is required to carry the designating motion.
B. Minor Question. A Minor Question is a motion which
requires for adoption a simple majority in favor. All questions shall be treated as Minor
Questions unless specifically designated as Major Questions.
Absentee
ballots shall be available to Members who cannot attend a given meeting. Such
ballots may apply to either Major or Minor questions as defined in Article IX,
Section 8. The specific procedure for
voting in elections using absentee ballots shall be defined by the Board. However, such votes will not contribute to a
quorum as defined by Article X, Section 5A.
Elections shall be held during the Annual Meeting
in the month
of April each year.
Officers and Trustees shall be elected from a list submitted by the
Nominating Committee.
The
Nominating Committee shall consist of five (5) Members of the congregation
elected from a slate of candidates proposed by the Nominating Committee or from
the floor at the Annual Meeting. No nominee shall be proposed without his or
her consent. Any member of the
Nominating Committee wishing to resign from said Committee may do so in writing
addressed to the committee chair and the Board of Trustees, and shall be
replaced by another member appointed by the Board of Trustees. The
Nominating Committee shall elect a Chair from its members to
serve a one-year term.
The
Nominating Committee shall post a call for nominations for UUCSH officers and
to the Board of Trustees not later than sixty (60) days before the Annual
Meeting. The list of candidates shall be composed of names chosen by the
Nominating Committee from its own recommendations and from those submitted in
response to its call. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor at the
Annual Meeting. No individual shall be nominated without his or her consent.
All Members shall be notified of the full list of candidates submitted by the
Nominating Committee at least sixteen (16) days before the Annual Meeting.
A.
Quorum. Thirty (30) percent of the
Members shall be a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of
the congregation of UUCSH. The Secretary of UUCSH shall make a list of all
Members present at each meeting and shall file said list among the documents of
UUCSH. Said list must show that a quorum was present. If a quorum
is not present, no official church business may be conducted.
B.
Declaration of Election. For each
office, the nominee receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared
elected. Nominees for Trustee receiving the highest number of votes shall be
declared elected. A tie vote shall be resolved by another ballot confined to
resolution of the tie. Rulings on all other questions on election procedures
shall be made by the Board of Trustees.
C. Assumption of Office. The new Officers and
Trustees and any appointed full three (3) year term Committee on Ministry
members shall assume office on the first day of June in the year in which they
were elected or appointed.
D.
Notification of Election. After the
election, the Secretary shall notify all new Trustees of their election, and
shall request their attendance at the next Board of Trustees meeting.
A. Appointment. In the
event that UUCSH wishes to appoint one or more Lay Leaders (hereafter referred
to as “LLs”), such appointment shall be jointly recommended to the congregation
by the Board of Trustees and the settled Minister(s) and shall be approved by a vote of the
congregation. Such LLs shall be Members of UUCSH, well-qualified by training
and experience for one or more of the following functions: personal counseling;
spiritual counseling; leading celebration and worship; conducting ceremonies
such as dedication of children, weddings, funerals; and representing UUCSH in
the community. LLs shall serve for one
year and may be reappointed for an indefinite number of terms. Such LLs shall
serve without compensation, except for appropriate expenses as approved by the
Board of Trustees. LLs shall not serve
as ex officio Members of the Board of
Trustees.
B. Suspension. Should
extraordinary circumstances compel it, the Committee on Ministry may recommend
to the Board, and the Board may approve, the suspension of the term of the LLs
until the next annual approval by the congregation. At that time, the Committee on Ministry and
the Board may make the case to the congregation that the LLs not be
reappointed. The congregation will then decide by its vote whether to
reappoint.
C. Scope. In
accordance with the statutes of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and with the
rules and customs of UUCSH, LLs, with the consent of the settled minister, may
join in marriage only couples in which at least one partner is a Member.
In the event UUCSH is dissolved, all of its property, real
and personal, after paying claims, shall be conveyed to and vested in the Ohio
Meadville District of the Unitarian Universalist Association or its legal
successor, for the sole purpose of furthering Unitarian Universalism in the
greater Pittsburgh area.
The Board of Trustees shall appoint a committee every five
(5) years beginning in the year 2011 to review the bylaws currently in effect
and to recommend updates and changes in accordance with the procedures
contained herein.
The bylaws
may be amended only by a vote of the Members of the congregation at a Special
or Annual Meeting as described in Article IX, Section 8.
These bylaws to be reviewed November 16, 2010.