First Unitarian Universalist Society of Middleborough, Massachusetts
Special Congregational Meeting
Sunday, November 5, 2023
A Special Congregation Meeting was held in the FUUSM Sanctuary on November 5, 2023. Twenty-six (26) voting members attended the meeting. The Congregation was notified of the meeting through FUUSM’s UU Updates, the website, and through announcements during Sunday services prior to the meeting. Notice in the UU Updates included a link to a copy of the Warrant. The Warrant was also posted at each of the church’s entrances.
President Jim Bonnar called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m.
Rev. Peter Connolly shared a reading with the Congregation.
Members in attendance then voted on the following articles.
ARTICLE 1: To approve an increase in the minister’s compensation in the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
Discussion: Jim Bonnar provided details on Article 1. The Parish Committee (PC) is overseeing the process of searching for a contract minister, and key to securing a minister will be fair compensation. Current total compensation package for our minister is $89,000 of which $67,500 includes the minister’s salary/housing. The remaining $21,500 covers health and life insurance, professional expenses, and employer costs (workers compensation, taxes, etc.). The PC recommends that the salary package offered to a selected candidate be increased by $5,000, which would bring the total compensation package to $94,000. The $5,000 increase would be distributed as follows: $4,000 toward the minister’s salary/housing (bringing the minister salary/housing total to $71,500), and $1,000 to compensate for increases in insurance and employer costs.
Congregation members expressed several concerns:
- Will we be able to collect sufficient funds to pay for the increase?
- We will need to increase pledges or draw on investments if congregation approves the increase.
- Would there be a financial difference between a settled minister vs. a contract minister? Response was no, as the UUA has requirements around compensation regardless of settled or contract.
- Several members emphasized that increased compensation is key to securing a minister during these times. Our congregation has a history of “rising to the occasion.” It may stretch our budget but well worth it if we secure a highly qualified candidate who can help grow our congregation.
Motion to approve Article 1 made, seconded, and passed.
ARTICLE 2: To amend Article I of the FUUSM Bylaws which reads: “The name of the Society shall be the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Middleborough, Massachusetts.”
Discussion: Holly Begley provided the language proposed to be added as an amendment to Article I of the Bylaws. The following sentence would be added:
“The informal name of the church is UU Middleboro. The official logo is the helping hands logo.”
The Parish Committee recommends adoption of this language. Rev. Peter Connolly provided information on the importance of this Article, which would NOT change the current legal name of “First Unitarian Universalist Society of Middleborough” but which would add an amendment to Article I of our Bylaws that would allow us to use the more user-friendly name of “UU Middleboro” as the Public Relations Committee moves forward to modify signage on the lawn and to publicize events and activities. Currently “UU Middleboro” is used in our email address and as our web address.
Concern was expressed that we should not take for granted that everyone knows what “UU” stands for, and it was suggested that a tagline such as “A Church that puts love at the center” be added.
Some members commented that it would be helpful to provide a history of the logo, who created the logo, what the logo looks like and represents. This could be posted on the FUUSM web site. The logo was created by Jean Bacon.
Motion to approve Article 2 made, seconded, and passed. One person voted against.
Article 3: To update the church’s Mission Statement.
Discussion: Jeff Giddings, coordinator of a sub-committee appointed by the Parish Committee (PC) to draft a new Mission Statement for FUUSM, provided an overview of the process used by the sub-committee to draft the proposed Mission Statement, which the PC has reviewed and approved.
Our current Mission Statement was written 20 years ago and is several paragraphs long. A mission statement should be short and clearly communicate a church’s purpose and mission, preferably in 30 words or less. To better understand what the congregation sees as our purpose and mission, the sub-committee gathered information from the following sources: FUUSM’s current Mission Statement; other UU churches’ Mission Statements; responses from a recent congregation survey; and comments from recent cottage meetings attended by many congregation members. Three main elements were consistently mentioned in this information: community, inspiration, and service. The sub-committee drafted a Mission Statement based on these elements. A draft of the proposed Mission Statement was then distributed in the UU Updates for comment by the congregation. One comment was received.
The proposed Mission Statement to be voted on is as follows:
“Our mission: To create and sustain a welcoming and caring community that embodies our UU principles, inspires spiritual growth without dogma or creed, and promotes and serves racial and social justice.”
Comments from congregation members included:
- Is it necessary to include “racial” when mentioning social justice. Seems redundant. Response that there is no justice without racial justice.
- No mention of growth.
- Do people understand what “UU principles” are. (They are on the FUUSM website.)
Motion to approve Article 3 made, seconded, and passed.
Article 4: To address any other actions necessary for the business of the Society.
FUUSM has not formally adopted a Covenant Statement, but language in our 2002 Mission Statement, especially in the second paragraph, reflects the intent of covenant. The UUA defines a Covenant as follows: “Our covenant binds us together as a community; it expresses our promises to one another and the way in which we will interact and uphold one another’s beliefs.”
Rev. Peter Connolly has worked with a covenant-formation team to draft the proposed Covenant Statement to be voted on by the congregation today. The following draft Statement has been reviewed and approved by the Parish Committee; distributed to the congregation through the UU Updates; and placed in the order of service and read with the congregation after the Music Offering:
“Creating a caring community is the promise of our church. To listen deeply, show compassion, build trust, and honor our differences: these things we covenant together.”
Motion made to approve Article 4 and the draft Covenant Statement.
Discussion: Congregation members expressed concern that the process to review the draft statement was not vetted sufficiently with the congregation. The Covenant Statement is something we must all commit to follow, but little time allowed for review and discussion. Need further time to review.
Motion made to postpone voting on Article 4 and address at a later date. Motion passed.
Meeting adjourned at 2:05 p.m.
