BYLAWS
Unitarian Universalist Community Church
enacted October 30, 2005

Article I Name

The Name of this organization is the Unitarian Universalist Community Church.

Article II Purpose

The purpose of this organization is to encourage and strengthen each other in the free, responsible search for truth and meaning. It is further the purpose of this congregation to encourage and maintain freedom of religious thought and expression, and to advance the purposes of liberal religion through education, social service, community outreach, and worship.

Article III Legal Status

The “General Not for Profit Corporation Act” of the state of Illinois grants powers to the organization.

Article IV Affiliation

1. The Church is in active relationship with the Unitarian Universalist Association through membership in the Central Midwest District.
2. The Church will provide a membership census to the Central Midwest District and the Unitarian Universalist Association when requested.

Article V Membership

1. Membership is open to all without regard for race, color, gender, gender expression, socioeconomic class, ability, sexual orientation, previous religious background, or ethnicity.
2. It is hoped that the members will have an understanding of the principles and history of Unitarian Universalism. It is an expectation that members will actively support the operations of the church through participation in congregational life, service, and financial contribution.
3. Anyone who is 14 years of age or older and who subscribes to the principles and purposes of Unitarian Universalism may become a member by signing the membership book.
4. The right to vote on congregational matters or to hold office is extended to those individuals who have become members at least 30 days prior to casting a vote or holding office.
5. An individual may become a Lifetime Member by nomination of the Board of Trustee and vote of the congregation. This designation is meant for members who have become inactive due to health or geographic considerations, and is without duties, rights, or responsibilities.
6. A member may be taken off the rolls of the congregation under the following circumstances:
a. Death of the member
b. Written notice of resignation from the member to the church office
c. Vote of the Board of Trustees after 30 days with no response to a letter sent to the last known address of the member

Article VI Meetings of the Congregation

1. The Annual Business Meeting will be held in May on a day designated by the Board. At this meeting members of the Board and of the nominating Committee will be elected and a budget will be approved for the following fiscal year. Other business may be transacted provided members have been properly notified of the agenda as outlined in Article VI, Section 3 of these bylaws.
2. Other meetings of the congregation may be called by the Board or by at least 10% of the membership. A notice must be given to all members specifying business to be transacted at the meeting. Only business identified in the notice may be transacted at congregational meetings.
3. Notices must be delivered by mail between 10 and 30 days before the meeting. Mailed Notices are considered delivered when they are mailed with adequate postage and with the members’ address as it appears on church records.
4. A quorum for a congregational meeting will consist of 25% of the membership. If a quorum is not present, a majority of the members present may adjourn the meeting.
5. Members must be present to vote at a congregational meeting. No votes may be made by proxy.
Article VII Board of Trustees

1. Affairs of the church will be managed by a Board of Trustees.
2. The Board of Trustees will consist of seven members, elected or appointed as provided in these bylaws from the members of the congregation. The President, Vice President, and one Trustee will be elected in even numbered years. Three other Trustees will be elected in odd numbered years. The Treasurer will be elected annually.
3. Each Trustee, except for the Treasurer, will serve for two years. No Trustee, except the Treasurer, may serve more than three consecutive terms. The Treasurer will serve for one year and may serve an unlimited number of terms. For purposes of determining eligibility for election, a Trustee serving 12 consecutive months or more will be considered to have served a full term.
4. When a vacancy occurs on the Board, the President will consult with the chairperson of the Nominating Committee concerning an appointment to fill the vacancy until the next Annual Business Meeting. Following this consultation, the President will appoint an eligible member of the church to the unexpired term.
5. Any person appointed to fill an unexpired term must be formally elected to serve out the remainder of the term, if any, at the next Annual Business Meeting.
6. Any Trustee, including Officers, may be removed from the Board for good cause after a full and fair hearing and upon the affirmative vote of 2/3 of the members present and voting at a congregational meeting, provided the members of the congregation are legally notified of the purpose of the meeting as described in Article VI, Section 3.
7. The responsibilities of the Board are:
a. The Board, subject to the prime authority of the congregation, is the principal policy forming and administrative body of the church. The Board has full authority and responsibility, except as limited by these bylaws, to act on the business and programs of the church.
b. To assure that complete and accurate records are maintained of the church’s accounts, receipts, transactions, pledges, and contributions as required by law or for at least three years following each transaction.
c. To assure that the minutes of proceedings of all congregational and board meetings are maintained.
d. To provide facilitation and liaison services as needed to committees and councils.
e. To administer the hiring and firing of staff
8. The President or any three Trustees may call a special meeting of the Board to consider any old or new business.
9. Five members of the Board will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at a Board meeting. If a quorum is not reached, a majority of the Trustees present may adjourn the meeting.
10. All actions of the Board will require an affirmative vote of four Trustees.
11. Unless otherwise specified, meetings of the Board are open to all members of the congregation.
12. The Board may go into executive session as necessary to deal with issues requiring confidentiality. No actions may be taken by the board during executive session.

Article VIlI Officers

1. The congregation shall elect the officers of the Board of Trustees from among the members of the congregation. No one may hold more than one office concurrently. The Board is required to include, but is not limited to, the following officers:
a. A President
b. A Vice President
c. A Treasurer.
2. No one may serve more than two consecutive terms as President or as Vice President.
3. The President’s responsibilities are:
a. To be the presiding officer of the congregation and Board of Trustees
b. To coordinate the administrative functions of the church
c. To represent the church on all appropriate functions.
4. The Vice President’s responsibilities are:
a. To act on the absence or at the request of the President, at which time he/she shall have all of the powers and functions applicable to the President
b. To facilitate meetings of councils of the church
c. To perform other duties and functions as designated by the Board.
5. The Treasurer’s responsibilities are:
a. To keep custody of all monies belonging to the church
b. To keep careful and accurate records of the income, receipts, and expenditures of the church
c. To ensure that all bills and charges accumulated by the church are paid as outlined in the approved budget or as approved by the Board
d. To report to the Board monthly and to the congregation at least annually
e. To consult and coordinate with the committee appointed by the Board of Trustees as described in Article XII, Section 1
f. To perform such other functions as assigned by the Board.

Article lX Minister

1. The Minister shall be responsible for the conduct of worship within the congregation and the congregation’s spiritual interest and affairs. The minister will represent church’s interests within the denomination and the larger world.
2. The Minister shall be an ex officio member of the Board and such committees as the Board will designate.
3. The Minister shall be called upon the recommendation of a Ministerial Search Committee by at least a 4/5 majority of the members of the congregation present at a congregational meeting legally called for this purpose as described in Article VI, Section 3. The quorum required for such a meeting shall be 40% of the voting membership rather than the 25% required for other meetings of the congregation as outlined in Article VI, Section 4.
4. The Minister must be in fellowship with the Unitarian Universalist Association, as determined by the Ministerial Fellowship Committee of the same organization, or its successor organization.
5. The Minister’s service and contract may be terminated by a 2/3 vote of the members of the congregation present at a congregational meeting legally called for this purpose as described in Article VI, Section 3. The quorum required for such a meeting shall be 40% of the voting membership, rather than the 25% required for other meetings of the congregation as described in Article VI, Section 4.

Article X Committee on Ministry

1. There will be a continuing Committee on Ministry whose purpose is to strengthen the quality of ministry within the congregation. The committee shall explore the various concerns and challenges of the Minister/Congregation relationship and the congregation’s own role and agreed upon responsibilities for shared ministry.
2. The committee will consist of five members serving staggered two year terms.
3. No member of the committee may serve more than two consecutive terms.
4. The Board shall appoint members to the committee from a slate submitted by the minister that has at least two more names than vacancies, with the right to request a wholly new slate.
5. No members of the Board of Trustees may serve on this committee.
6. Upon the arrival of a newly called minister, the Board shall include upon the committee at least two members of the Ministerial Search Committee that was responsible for the recommendation of the minister.
7. The committee shall meet at least quarterly.
8. The committee shall assist and support the minister in his/her plans for professional development.
9. The committee shall report to the Board regarding their activities at least quarterly.
10. The committee shall be responsible for a yearly evaluation of the Minister to be communicated to the Board.
11. The committee shall negotiate the Minister’s conditions of employment in consultation with the Board of Trustees and shall jointly, with the Board, propose the Minister’s Total Compensation Package.

Article XI Nominating Committee
1. The Nominating Committee shall consist of five members of the congregation. These members shall be elected at the Annual Business Meeting of the congregation.
2. Election of members of the Nominating Committee shall take place annually, with three members being elected in odd numbered years and two being elected in even numbered years.
3. The term of service for the Nominating Committee shall be two years, with no member serving more than two consecutive terms.
4. The responsibilities of the Nominating Committee are
a. To prepare a slate of candidates for vacant positions to be elected at the Annual Business Meeting
b. To assist the Board in filling other vacancies in leadership positions throughout the church year as the need arises

Article XII Finance
1. The Board will appoint a committee to:
a. Recommend financial policy to the Board
b. Monitor investment accounts, capital funds and compliance with the annual budget.
c. Solicit a yearly budget request from other committees and members of the congregation and prepare a preliminary budget to be presented to the Board
2. The Board will designate a committee to arrange for solicitation of pledges and contributions from the congregation and to encourage pledge fulfillment.
3. The Board shall annually appoint an audit committee, comprised of one member of the Board other than the Treasurer, one member of the committee established under Article XII, Section 1, and one member from the congregation’s membership at large, for the purpose of conducting a sampling review of the books for the most recently completed fiscal year to determine their accuracy and congruence with bank statements, investment statements, and the approved congregational budget. The committee shall issue a report to the congregation within 90 days of the close of the fiscal year or their appointment, whichever comes later.
4. An annual budget shall be approved by the congregation at the Annual Business Meeting. An annual budget must be approved by a simple majority of the members present and voting at the Annual Business Meeting legally called for this purpose as described in Article VI, Sec. II.
5. The Board may spend money or incur obligations to spend money in amounts specified in the approved budget without further authorization if the money is available. The Board may transfer funds among budget categories without prior approval of the congregation provided the transfers do not exceed 10% of the total budget.
6. The Board may accept gifts on behalf of the church. Any gift having a value greater than $1000 that is conditionally presented, or by the acceptance of which the church shall incur an obligation, may be accepted only upon an affirmative vote of the majority of members present at a meeting of the congregation legally called for this purpose as described in Article VI, Section 3.
7. The Board may transfer funds from the principle of any investment/capital funds to the operating fund of the church only by a 3/5 majority of members present and voting at a meeting of the congregation legally cabled for this purpose as described in Article VI, Section 3, except as allowed by a legally approved budget.

Article XIII Use of Church Building

1. The church building and its facilities shall be available upon request of the Board, subject to Board discretion and the following limitation. It must be clearly acknowledged that the Board’s granting use of the building or facilities does not constitute endorsement of the organization to which permission was granted or sharing of its goals or views.
2. The Board may deny use of the building to a requesting organization if that organization is not open to all persons as described in Article V. Section 1.
3. The Board will adopt a rental policy and schedule of fees to be paid for the use of the church building and facilities.

Article XIV Robert’s Rules

All meetings of the congregation and of the Board will be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order.

Article XV Dissolution

Upon dissolution of the church, its assets and any outstanding liabilities shall be transferred to the Unitarian Universalist Association or its successor organization.

Article XVI Amendments

These bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 majority vote of the members present and voting at a congregational meeting legally called for this purpose as described in Article VI, Section 3. Full text of the proposed amendments must be included with the meeting notification.