Splinters from the Board

We have organized ourselves as a self-governing group of people free to worship together and engage in

the activities needed to fulfill our mission. In order to be recognized by the state of Oregon as a 501c3

non-profit organization we created our own “Articles of Incorporation” and “Bylaws.” These documents

are vital and valid for our operation, but the document we use most frequently to guide our work together

is our Policy and Procedures Manual. It is formed from an ordered collection of individual documents

that together provide all of us with a sort of “Owner’s Manual.” The lay leadership of our congregation

changes and this is the document that contains our collective shared learning and best-known methods for

maintaining and growing this wonderful group. Simply stated it is used by the Board of Trustees, our staff

and membership at large to operate our church. Our Policy and Procedures Manual consists of 12 Sections

and an Appendix covering things such as administration, budgeting, Committee organization, and Board

and staff conduct. The policies and procedures contained in the manual are static and version-controlled

but are also dynamic in that they can be altered by changes proposed by members, Committees, and the

Board. Changes are approved by the Board of Trustees, incorporated into the whole and made available.

These policies and procedures are important to the way we operate and interact together, as described in

this excerpt from the Introduction:

“Essential to the smooth function of any church is a clear and consistent application of policy by the

Board of Trustees. When lines of responsibility and authority are clearly marked, and when policies for

operating in both ordinary and extraordinary circumstances are well understood, the participants can

occupy themselves with the work that needs to be done rather than the procedures that structure the work.

When unusual or sensitive situations arise, the Board can rely on established policies to guide the group

and is not burdened with generating fair policy in the face of an emotionally charged atmosphere.”

Your Board of Trustees is responsible for the maintenance of the Policy and Procedures Manual and at the

first meeting in June of each new church year one of the members of the Board is designated the honor of

maintaining and updating the official policy manual. He/she also has responsibility for:

• • identifying situations that arise for which the Board needs to define policy
•  
• • researching and drafting policy for such a situation and submitting to the Board for approval
•  
• • being alert to situations for which there is existing policy and bringing it to the attention of Board members
•  
• • keeping the policy manual synchronized with actual Board policy by updating and rewriting policy
•  
• • accepting and presenting proposed policy changes from congregational members
•  
• • educating the congregation and committees about its existence and use.
•  

For church year 2007-2008 I am that designated Board Member. Currently our Policy and Procedures

Manual is at version 1.4 but a new version containing several changes made during the past and current

church year is ‘in the works’ and is expected to be available at the spring Council of Committees meeting.

A current copy is always available in the Parish House for anyone in the congregation to review and consult.

An electronic version is also available.

Your Board encourages you to familiarize yourself with this important document, our “shared wisdom”

on our “shared ministry.”

January 2008 - Warren Wylie

The Board would like members of UUCCWC to consider attending the 2008 Annual General Meeting of the Pacific North West District (PNWD) being held at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma, Washington, during the weekend of February 29 – March 2, 2008. The PNWD is one of twenty Districts of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in North America. The mission of the UUA Districts is to serve as a resource for local congregations and to help extend Unitarian Universalist influence in the larger community.

Each district has its own executive director and board of directors. Our own Allan Warrior is a member of the PNWD board.

Blessing the World is the theme of the meeting, which is taken from the Reverend Rebecca Parker’s book Blessing the World: What Can Save Us Now. Reverend Parker is the president of the Starr King School of Ministry. Her book is a collection of essays on a wide variety of subjects, including violence, redemption, process theology, and religious education. Her most recent focus is on non-violent resistance to oppression, injustice, and war.

The agenda for the three-day gathering is a mixture of business meetings (only delegates need attend, but all are welcome) and 26 workshops on a wide variety of topics, including those on congregational leadership, fundraising, what it takes to maintain a healthy congregation, creation of a just and compassionate society, and living one’s own bliss.

A Saturday and Sunday breakfast buffet, a Saturday luncheon buffet, and Saturday banquet with a rousing after-dinner program will be provided. The meeting will conclude with a Sunday morning worship service.

The Hotel Murano is centrally located in revitalized downtown Tacoma with many shops and restaurants nearby, as well as the Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and the Washington State History Museum.

For more information, and to register, please go to www.pnwd.org or contact Warren Wylie at (503)848-9545 or wbwylie@aol.com.