Unitarian Congregation in Mississauga

A Brief Introduction to UCM’s Congregational Committees and Task Groups
 
As Unitarian Universalists, we have a vision that we seek to share and to deepen. We grow in numbers and in spirit through the activities and programs we create, and our committees and task groups are a means by which we further these goals.

We are a congregation. While we are affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist movement, we are independent and run our own affairs. The democratic process is our valued means of operating. The congregation's members — you — elect a Board of Directors, and the Board then appoints committees and task groups which see to the day-to-day affairs of the congregation.

There are few specific requirements for serving our religious community. Membership on the Board requires that an individual be a formal member of the congregation, but committees and task groups do not have membership as a prerequisite. This brochure gives you thumbnail sketches of the committees and task groups that promote our congregation's vitality and offer their members an opportunity for growth and service.

We invite your participation. We believe that you will find it most rewarding!

The BOARD OF DIRECTORS meets monthly and has 9 members elected by the congregation to a three-year term. The Board serves on behalf of the congregation between the meetings of the congregation. It sets the direction and long-range planning of the congregation and guides the regular operations of the congregation.

The ADMINISTRATIVE CLUSTER coordinates committee and task group programs that primarily involve the ongoing administrative functions that make our congregation operate efficiently and smoothly. It includes: Bequest and Gift Committee, Canvass Committee, Finance Committee, Property Committee, Librarians, Newsletter Editors, and Publicists.

• The BEQUEST AND GIFT COMMITTEE meets occasionally and has 5 members. It seeks, receives, maintains, and administers funds and property and applies them, from time to time, for the advancement and growth of the Unitarian Universalism and this local congregation through loans or gifts for religious,> charitable, or educational purposes or for capital and development projects.
• The CANVASS COMMITTEE meets 3-4 times per year and has 5-7 members. It plans and implements an annual canvass of members and friends of the congregation for a pledge of their fiscal contribution to the operating budget.
• The FINANCE COMMITTEE meets monthly and has 3-5 members. It oversees the finances of the congregation.
• The PROPERTY COMMITTEE meets bimonthly and has 3-5 members. It oversees the upkeep and improvement of our space.
  The LIBRARIANS maintains our library to provide members with resources for growing in our free religious heritage.
• The NEWSLETTER EDITORS produce the congregation's monthly newsletter.
• The PUBLICISTS work with the community media outlets to create a higher visibility for our congregation.

The CONGREGATIONAL LIFE CLUSTER coordinates the committee and task group activities that affect the inner life of the congregation and its members and friends. It includes: Adult Education Committee, Membership Committee, Religious Education Committee, and Worship Committee.

• The ADULT EDUCATION COMMITTEE meets quarterly and has 3-5 members. It plans programs and activities for the adult members and friends of the congregation and offers opportunities for learning about religious and secular issues, for mutual support, and for social and recreational activity.
• The MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE meets bimonthly and has 5-6 members. It has three specific foci. First, it acts as a catalyst in developing and maintaining a caring community: contacting and connecting individual members (Individuals focus). Second, it arranges social opportunities that increase our sense of community (Community Focus). Third, it creates a welcoming environment for newcomers and oversees membership (Welcoming Focus). Overall, it facilitates the process of personal and congregational growth.
• The CARING CIRCLE is a committee of 9 - 11 people, and our main focus is to try to identify members of the congregation who may need a visit, phone call, or a card or letter, due to circumstances in their lives, which may involve illness, stress, life transition, or the care of a sick relative.
• The SPIRITUAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE meets monthly and has 4-6 members. It serves as an educational resource for its members and their children. Programs to foster religious growth and learning are the responsibility of the Spiritual Education Committee and the Director of Spiritual Education.
• The WORSHIP COMMITTEE meets monthly and has 5-7 members. Its prime responsibility is to insure Sunday morning worship services and other worship services remain vital experiences, expressive of Unitarian Universalist values and interests.

The OUTREACH CLUSTER coordinates the mission and communicates the vision and values of the congregation within the communities that the congregation serves and within the wider Unitarian Universalist movement. It includes: Denominational Affairs Committee, Mark DeWoIfe Award Committee, and Social Action Committee.

• The DENOMINATIONAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE meets quarterly and has 3-5 members. It encourages the congregation's participation in Unitarian Universalist activities and concerns beyond the Mississauga environs.
• The MARK DEWOLFE SOCIAL ACTION AWARD COMMITTEE meets annually and has 3-5 members. It annually recognizes an individual member of the congregation whose work and life have made a difference in the life of the larger community.
• The SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE meets monthly and has 3-5 members. It works to have us transform of ourselves, our congregation, and the world around us into a place of greater compassion and justice.

The COMMITTEE ON MINISTRY meets bimonthly and has 3 members. It is responsible for supporting the ministry of the clergy in its relation to the ministry of the entire congregation.

The SERVICE LEADERS work with the minister and the Worship Committee to lead our worship services, helping us to tangibly express the shared ministry which is a hallmark of our free religious tradition.

The LAY CHAPLAINS are appointed annually by vote of the congregation. They provide a Unitarian Universalist presence in the wider community as well as within the congregation through officiating at rites of passage like weddings, memorial services, and child namings.