Congregational Meeting

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Date/Time
Date(s) - Dec/10/2017
11:45 am - 12:15 pm

Location
Sanctuary

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A brief Congregational Meeting will allow the congregation to approve a few updates to our by-laws.  Please plan to attend.  The items for voting are detailed below.  Thank you for your participation.

 

 

DISCUSSION OF BYLAW CHANGES:  ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP

*Sections without changes are not addressed.

Section 2. – The Board proposes to amend subparagraph (c), “making an annual financial pledge” to “making an annual financial contribution.”

The purpose of this change is to make it clear that merely pledging is easy, but even if it is only $1.00, actually contributing financially is an important commitment and reflects that we are a people who believe that actions, not promises, matter most.

Section 3. – The Board proposes to amend subparagraph (a) “The Board of Directors” will be responsible for maintaining a current, accurate list of Members” to “The Minister will be responsible for maintaining a current, accurate list of Members.”

The purpose of this change is to make it clear that the Minister is the executive officer who has the responsibility to ensure that the list of persons who have enrolled, have participated meaningfully, and have indicated their desire to remain connected to our community is kept current.  This is actually the practice now, and it is information from the Minister that the Board has long relied upon in updating the membership rolls.

 

Section 4.- The Board proposes to amend this as follows:  “A member may be removed from membership in the following ways:

“upon one’s own request, directed to the Board of Directors;  to DELETE “directed to the Board of Directors.”

The purpose of this change is to be consistent with the fact that the Minister will have responsibility for processing this request.  Additionally, it is a practical issue that any written request received by the Church to dis-enroll a person will be honored, whether or not it was directed to the Board.

Section 5. –This currently reads, in part:  A Member in financial hardship is requested to notify the Board of Directors of their financial hardship and by doing so may become exempt from the requirement of an annual pledge.

The Board proposes this to become, “A Member in financial hardship is requested to notify the Minister of their financial hardship and by doing so may receive a waiver from the requirement of an annual contribution of record.  Waiver requests must be made each year that a Member is unable to pledge.  Members who neither make a pledge nor request a waiver may be dropped from the Membership list.  The Minister will notify Members electronically or by U.S. mail that they are no longer included in the Membership list.”

The purpose of this change is to be consistent with the reality of policy-style governance that the Minister will maintain the membership roster, and no Member is exempt from a financial contribution.  A waiver is a temporary situation that reflects circumstances, where an exemption is a status-based position.  This also reflects reality in that the Minister usually is more aware of difficulties facing congregants, and is a person with whom members are more willing to share difficult circumstances.  It is easier to share with one person than with six Board members, some of whom the member may not even know.

 

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