COMMITTEES

Sections below describe the standing committees that hold regular meetings, generally once a month. As well as the committees described, there are additional groups that meet as required to carry out specific business. The standing committees are: Anti-Racism Action; Canvass; Child Care; Committee on the Ministry; Denominational Affairs; Finance; Goals and Evaluation; Lay Ministry; Membership; Music; Nominating; Personnel; Programs and Adult Religious Education; Property; Public Relations and Publicity; Religious Education; Social Action; Trust Fund; and Worship. Contact the minister, a Board member, or committee chair for more information about a committee.

Serving on a committee not only helps in the operation of this Society, but provides opportunity to get to know other members with similar concerns and interests and to do something about them. Most committees have room for new members and would welcome your participation.

Anti-Racism Action:

Our purpose is to promote diversity within the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, rid the congregation of racism, and support anti-racism work in our community.

Canvass:

Our Society's annual budget is approximately $600,000. Each year well over half of this amount must be raised from individual contributions by members and friends. This year long process, called the Annual Canvass, is organized and carried out by this committee. It is the largest single undertaking of the church each year and incorporates nearly half the membership as volunteers before it wraps up in April. Much of the activity of this committee does not require personal approaches to the membership asking members to pledge sums of money. Other activities include program planning, budget making, publicity, computer work and organizing. Moreover, volunteers need not be tied down for the entire year. Many jobs can be completed in a month or so at various seasons of the year. Joining this process will bring you decisively into contact with all aspects of our community. Please ask the minister or members of the Membership Committee about how to join the Canvass Committee.

Committee On the Ministry:

This committee assists both the Board of Trustees and the minister in fulfilling the task of the ministry in the following ways: suggests areas of concern that need specific attention; mediates in specific areas of misunderstanding that may arise; listens to any problems or criticisms members or the minister may bring to the committee; and recommends to the Board and minister solutions to difficulties that arise. The four members of this committee are named jointly by the minister and the Board of Trustees.

Accessibility Commitee:

The Accessibility Committee meets monthly to plan activities which will promote inclusion in our congregation. Contact Jonathan Sands (Jonathan.Sands@uvm.edu or 802-656-4339) for further information.

Denominational Affairs:

This committee keeps us informed about various programs, policies and goals of the Society, the New Hampshire/Vermont District of UU Societies, and the Unitarian Universalist Association. It cooperates with the Board of Trustees and the Finance Committee in soliciting funds for denominational support. The committee retains a relationship with a church in Romania under the UU Partner Church program. Other programs of particular interest are Guest at Your Table and the sale of holiday cards for the UU Service Committee.

Finance:

The Finance Committee comprises the Treasurer, who is Chair, and others who have specific duties assigned by the bylaws. It informs the members regarding the finances of the Society, administers the pledge program and proposes the budget.

Goals and Evaluation:

The G&E Committee assists the Board of Trustees in developing and evaluating short and long term goals of the Society.

Care Network Ministry:

This comittee develops activities and programs that minister to the spiritual needs of the Society, in coordination with the minister. It responds to the needs of the sick, the homebound and others with heightened needs for spiritual comfort.

Membership:

This committee cultivates interest among potential Unitarian Universalists in this area, welcomes and encourages new members and friends, and is responsible for hospitality and other membership oriented functions. It also provides ushers, greeters and refreshment hosts for the Sunday services and maintains the member list.

Music:

The Music Committee conducts and oversees the music programs of the Society, and acts as liaison among the Board of Trustees, the Choir Director and the Organist.

Nominating:

The Nominating Committee presents nominations for vacancies among officers, trustees-at-large, chairs of administrative and activity committees, and members of the Nominating Committee. Two of its six members are elected each year at the Annual Meeting.

Property and Capital Planning

: The Property and Capital Planning Committee concerns itself primarily with the needs of our property such as the grounds, the church building, rental properties, parking lots and the sexton's house. It develops and recommends ideas and plans for energy conservation and for additions and improvements to the buildings and land.

Publicity and Public Relations:

The committee exists to help the Society and its components, the Board of Trustees, the Council and the various committees, organize and promote activities and programs to internal and wider audiences and to specific interest groups and individuals. It provides assistance in such areas as publications and printing, news releases, advertising and other forms of information dissemination.

Religious Education:

REC and the Director of Religious Education (DRE) work in collaboration to plan and implement the religious education program for the children of our congregation. The REC determines policies and formulates objectives to provide our children with appropriate curricula that help them understand Unitarian Universalism. We work to create an environment that helps foster children's development of their own sense of self and spirituality. The REC and DRE operate within a partnership situation among parents, volunteer teachers and the children. Further information is available in the Church School brochure available in the pamphlet racks.

Social Action:

This committee is responsible for informing and educating the members and friends of this Society in the many diverse issues of social concern. It is also responsible for developing and implementing programs which address these issues. For more infromation visit the Social Action Committee page.

Trust Fund:

The Trust Fund Committee is responsible for the investment, management and supervision of the trust funds for the Society. There are five people on the committee who all have staggered terms from 1-5 years.

Worship:

As the name suggests, the Worship Committee is involved in all aspects of Sunday worship services, as well as special services such as Christmas Eve. When the minister is on a pulpit exchange, and on other regular occasions, this committee also helps welcome visiting ministers and organizes lay services.

The Worship Committee's primary responsibility is to plan and implement the services during the year when the minister is not at the pulpit.