Unitarian Universalist congregations follow a governance form called congregational
polity. Congregational polity puts all power into the hands of each individual
congregation, each of which is completely self-governing and fully autonomous.
Polity's roots date back more than 350 years, to the Puritans of early Massachusetts Bay, who developed the model to organize their churches. (Click here to see a history of UUism prepared by the Ottawa congregation. http://www.uuottawa.com/history.htm) The model has been followed and adapted by our congregations ever since.
USG has an elected nine-member Board of Trustees, who are ultimately responsible for governance of our church community. They delegate certain responsibilities to three appointed councils, the Program Council, Strategic Planning Council and Administrative Council. The Council structure is intended to free the Board to focus on big picture, long term issues.
Significant questions are voted upon by the entire congregation. (Click here to learn more about membership in USG.) For example, when seeking a new minister, we establish a search committee, which ultimately brings a recommendation to the congregation. The entire membership then votes, and if the vote is not overwhelmingly positive, the candidate is not 'called' to the church. (Of course, with good search committees, a negative vote is a pretty rare occurrence.)
USG also has a strong minister and excellent staff, including a Director of Religious Education, Music Director and Administrator. And we have an extensive network of committees, some of which work on worship, social action, religious education and adult spiritual enrichment, while others are responsible for various management and administrative functions, such as overseeing our endowment fund and taking care of the church grounds. The volunteers and staff work together collegially.
Many committees are open to anyone interested. Some, generally on the administrative side, are appointed.
All elements of the governance structure should be transparent to the entire congregation. We work hard to ensure that this happens.
Polity's roots date back more than 350 years, to the Puritans of early Massachusetts Bay, who developed the model to organize their churches. (Click here to see a history of UUism prepared by the Ottawa congregation. http://www.uuottawa.com/history.htm) The model has been followed and adapted by our congregations ever since.
USG has an elected nine-member Board of Trustees, who are ultimately responsible for governance of our church community. They delegate certain responsibilities to three appointed councils, the Program Council, Strategic Planning Council and Administrative Council. The Council structure is intended to free the Board to focus on big picture, long term issues.
Significant questions are voted upon by the entire congregation. (Click here to learn more about membership in USG.) For example, when seeking a new minister, we establish a search committee, which ultimately brings a recommendation to the congregation. The entire membership then votes, and if the vote is not overwhelmingly positive, the candidate is not 'called' to the church. (Of course, with good search committees, a negative vote is a pretty rare occurrence.)
USG also has a strong minister and excellent staff, including a Director of Religious Education, Music Director and Administrator. And we have an extensive network of committees, some of which work on worship, social action, religious education and adult spiritual enrichment, while others are responsible for various management and administrative functions, such as overseeing our endowment fund and taking care of the church grounds. The volunteers and staff work together collegially.
Many committees are open to anyone interested. Some, generally on the administrative side, are appointed.
All elements of the governance structure should be transparent to the entire congregation. We work hard to ensure that this happens.
