Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, Indiana Seeking the Spirit | Building Community | Changing the World
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Our Governance

Chalice Logo, Green, 200x200 Congregational Meetings

Our congregational meetings take place twice a year, in June and December. Congregational meetings are open to all, though only church members are able to vote. On this page you can find information about upcoming meetings, livestreaming and remote participation/voting, and past meeting notes.

Upcoming

Fall 2023 Congregational Meeting

Sunday, December 10 at 1:00 p.m.

Our congregation will hold its fall congregational meeting on Sunday, December 10, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. in our Meeting Room at 2120 N. Fee Lane, Bloomington. All members are encouraged to attend. Childcare will be provided in Room 108.

Between the service and the Congregational Meeting the Board of Directors will be providing a hearty lunch of homemade soups and cookies.

We look forward to seeing you there!

You can also join this meeting via livestream.

Remote Participation and Online Voting

If you are not able to attend a meeting in person, it is possible to participate remotely. Those who join via the livestream can submit questions or comments via chat (which will be monitored and read aloud by a board member). And, for the first time, UUCB members participating remotely are also able to vote online, thanks to a new site made by our Technology Coordinator, Hans Kelson.

Create your account and sign in here (members only):

UUCB Multiplatform Voting - vote.uubloomington.org

Quorum for Meeting

With the revised Bylaws adopted October 22, 2023, quorum for a congregational meeting is now 15% of membership, attending either in person or via the livestream, to be able to make any motions and conduct any votes.

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Chalice Logo, Green, 200x200 Ends Statements

Preamble

In policy governance, the board sets forth Ends Statements which establish our general principles as well as what our congregation aspires to do. These statements expand upon our congregation's vision statement of "Seeking the Spirit, Building Community, and Changing the World" and our congregation’s mission statement (below) to provide spiritual and governance guidance to the ministers, staff, and lay leaders.

UUCB’s mission statement, adopted by the congregation, along with the Vision Statement, at the June 7, 2009 Congregational Meeting:

“In this liberal religious community of inspiration, love and action:

  • we celebrate life
  • we nurture one another
  • we welcome all
  • we care for the earth and
  • we work for the common good.”

The term "Ends" refers to the fact these statements are not policy that dictate "means" or how things are done but are, rather, our expected outcomes. The Ends statements were adopted by the board in September of 2010 during the transition to policy governance and are a living document maintained by the board with input from the congregation. These Ends statements were revised in 2021 following the congregation’s decision to adopt the 8th principle.

By adopting the 8th principle, we have committed ourselves to working to build a multicultural Beloved Community in which people of diverse racial, ethnic, educational, class, gender, sexual orientation backgrounds and identities come together in mutually-respectful, loving, and caring relationships to seek justice within our congregation, the local community, and in the broader world.

Policy I. Ends Statements

Seeking the Spirit

UUCB exists to:

  1. Provide members from a variety of faith traditions with a liberal, universally accepting spiritual home.
  2. Provide compassionate spiritual care to congregants without the burden of restrictive creeds, tenets, covenants or preordained beliefs.
  3. Provide a space where people from diverse backgrounds with different perspectives can freely gather to explore their beliefs.
  4. Provide people of all ages with opportunities to grow together spiritually through liberal religious education and practice, leadership, and community action.
  5. Encourage adherence to the Seven Principles adopted by the UUA and to the 8th Principle adopted by the UUCB.

Building Community

UUCB exists to:

  1. Build a liberal community dedicated to accountably dismantling racism and other oppressions both within itself and in the larger community.
  2. Build an accepting community inclusive of diverse gender orientations.
  3. Build a welcoming community where those from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds feel that their experiences and perspectives are valued.
  4. Build an active community where members share their time, talents and resources for the common good.
  5. Build a thoughtful community where people can explore ideas and perspectives without trepidation or fear of rejection.
  6. Provide members, ministers and staff with an environment where they know that they will be welcomed and valued.

Changing the World

UUCB exists to:

  1. Encourage leadership and participation in efforts to eliminate prejudice, injustice, and oppression within the community and in the world at large.
  2. Provide members with the means to undertake projects fostering social justice and community welfare according to their interests.
  3. Provide members with ways to contribute financially and otherwise to good causes within the community and in the world at large.
  4. Partner with other congregations and organizations in efforts to foster positive social change.
  5. Engage with and encourage the UUA to build a diverse and multicultural beloved faith community.
  6. Encourage leadership and participation in projects that foster ecologically sound, sustainable, and livable communities, both locally and throughout the world.

View this document in PDF Form

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Bylaws and Policies

Bylaws

The official Bylaws of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington were written and adopted by the Congregation, and are amended by formal vote of the membership. Last revised 10-22-2023.

UUCB Bylaws - October 22, 2023

Board Policies

Our Board Policies, adopted by vote of the Board of Directors, augment and clarify day-to-day church operations. Last revised 10-19-2022.

UUCB Board Policies - October 19, 2022