First Universalist Parish Of Chester, Inc.
Bylaws
Revised December, 2023
ARTICLE I Name
This organization shall be known as First Universalist Parish of Chester, Inc., a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations and the Vermont Quebec Universalist Unitarian Convention. Whenever the word “Parish” is used in these Bylaws, it shall signify the First Universalist Parish of Chester, Inc.
ARTICLE II Purpose
The purpose of this Parish is to unite persons in a cooperative quest for religious and ethical values; to apply these values to the fulfillment of our objectives, which are: the development of character, the enrichment of the spirit, and the promotion of a spirit of community and service to all humankind, which is similarly expressed in the Parish’s Affirmation. This congregation affirms and promotes the full participation of persons in all our activities and endeavors including membership, programming, hiring practices, and the calling of religious professionals, without regard to race, color, sex, gender or gender identity, physical ability (subject to bona fide occupational qualifications), affectional or sexual orientation, age, or national origin.
Affirmation
“First Universalist Parish of Chester is a spiritual home for religious liberals. We celebrate those human values that inspire growth, creativity, and social responsibility in all people.”
Mission Statement
The mission of the First Universalist Parish of Chester is
To create an open and welcoming home for spiritual seekers;
To travel together on our life-long paths of learning, with the freedom to explore our own beliefs;
To strengthen the Unitarian Universalist global family, and;
To advocate for social justice, serving our communities and the broader world in a spirit of love.
Through worship, religious education, pastoral care, community outreach, and social action we grow as individuals, nurture one another, care for our earth, and live our Unitarian Universalist Principles.
ARTICLE III Membership
Section 1
Any person at least sixteen years of age who wishes to become a Member of the Parish may do so by expressing a desire to become a Member to the President or the Membership Committee chair, and then by signing the Membership Book. Whenever the words “Member” or “Members” are used in these Bylaws, they shall signify such person(s). Membership carries with it the responsibility of financially supporting the Parish to the best of one’s ability, and actively engaging in the life of the congregation, as well as the privilege of voting and of holding office.
Section 2
Membership may be voluntarily resigned or discontinued by writing a letter to the Secretary stating the Member’s wish to resign Membership. The Board of Trustees may remove a Member from Membership after a period of absence and inactivity during which the Member has not responded to efforts to reengage them.
Section 3
The membership of any Member may be terminated or suspended by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees, with or without cause, after an appropriate hearing and opportunity to be heard. Written notice informing the Member of the hearing and of their right to attend and address the Board of Trustees thereat shall be mailed to the Member at least fifteen days prior to the hearing date.
ARTICLE IV Meetings
Section 1
The annual meeting of the Parish shall be held on the first or second Sunday in December. Notice of such meetings shall be given at least ten days in advance, by posting the notice on the bulletin board of the church and by email messages to the membership.
Section 2
At the annual meeting, records of meetings of Members and of the Board of Trustees, and of other committees, shall be available for inspection by the Members present. The Treasurer and the Auditor shall report on the Parish’s finances. The President may request other officers and/or committee chairs to report. Officers shall be elected. Such other business may be transacted as may be deemed lawful and expedient.
Section 3
Special meetings may be called by the President as deemed necessary, or by the Secretary on written application of three Members. The purpose(s) of the meeting shall be stated in the notice of meeting given in the manner provided for annual meetings.
Section 4
Approval of a motion, at any meeting of the Members, shall require a Vote of the Parish. Except where a greater vote is specifically required by law or by these Bylaws, “a Vote of the Parish” shall mean a majority vote of Members, as defined in Section 1, Article III, present and voting at a meeting of the Parish called as provided in Section 1 and/or Section 3 of Article IV at which a quorum is in attendance. The presence of thirty percent of all of the Members shall constitute a quorum. A Member may appoint another Member their proxy to vote or otherwise act for the Member at any meeting of Members, provided that the person appointed may not serve as proxy for more than two Members. The Board of Trustees shall prescribe the form of proxy to be used. A Member represented at a meeting by a proxy shall be deemed present at the meeting for all purposes of this Article.
Section 5
At any meeting of Members, a disagreement regarding procedural matters that is not otherwise resolved by a Vote of the Parish shall be resolved by application of Roberts Rules of Order.
ARTICLE V Governance
Section 1
The word “office” refers to a position on the Board of Trustees as described herein, or a position as committee chair. The Board of Trustees shall consist of five Members and shall include the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and one Member-at-Large, each of whom shall be elected for a three-year term except only as otherwise expressly provided by the following provisions of this Section 1. All terms of office shall be aligned with the fiscal year, which shall be the calendar year. The terms shall be for three years except for the two-year term of the President as provided in Article V Section 5.
Section 2
Any member of the Board of Trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a two-thirds vote of the Parish at a special meeting called for that purpose.
Section 3
Any vacancy on the Board of Trustees shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Board of Trustees. The successor shall serve until the next Annual Meeting.
Section 4
An Election Committee (Nominating Committee), appointed by the Board of Trustees, shall propose a slate of the officers and Member-at-Large for election at the annual meeting of Members. (Nominations may also be made by Members at the meeting.)
Section 5
Any person who is a Member of the Parish, as defined by Section 1, Article III, shall be eligible for election to any office of the Parish, except that: (a) the President shall not hold any other office and shall not serve for more than three consecutive two-year terms without an interim term out of office; (b) the Treasurer shall not serve as an Auditor; and (c) members of committees, other than the Board of Trustees, may not hold more than two offices.
Section 6
The Board of Trustees shall appoint two Members of the Parish as Auditors. They shall review the Treasurer’s books and report to the Membership at the annual meeting. They shall also report to the Board of Trustees and to the President, as either may request, from time to time.
Section 7
At any meeting of the Board of Trustees, a disagreement regarding procedural matters that is not otherwise resolved by a majority vote of the members of the Committee in attendance shall be resolved by application of Roberts Rules of Order.
ARTICLE VI Minister
Section 1
A Pulpit Committee (Search Committee), appointed by the Board of Trustees and approved by the Members at a special meeting called for that purpose, shall, when required, be responsible for a Ministerial search.
Section 2
Election of a Minister shall be by a two-thirds Vote of the Parish, at a meeting called for that purpose.
Section 3
The Minister shall be considered to have indefinite tenure, unless and until terminated by action under Sections 4 or 5 of this Article.
Section 4
The Minister may be dismissed by a two-thirds Vote of the Parish at a meeting called for that purpose; in the event of such action, their salary shall continue for three months after the date of the vote, except in the case of gross misconduct, which may bring the Parish into public disrepute.
Section 5
The Minister shall give three months written notice of termination by submitting their resignation to the President and the Board of Trustees.
ARTICLE VII Dissolution and Disposition of Property
Section 1
As required by Title 27 Vermont Statutes Annotated Section 941, in case of dissolution of the Parish for any reason, all its property, Real and Personal, subject to all just and lawful claims upon it, shall vest in and become the property of the Vermont/Quebec Universalist Unitarian Convention without restriction.
Section 2
The Parish shall be dissolved when, after two consecutive years, no religious worship services are held by the Members.
Section 3
Nothing in this Article shall be construed as prohibiting the disposition of Parish property (valued at $500 or under) or any other disposition of Parish property by authority of the Board of Trustees, provided that any disposition of all or a material part of Parish property shall first be approved by a two-thirds Vote of the Parish at a meeting called for that purpose.
ARTICLE VIII Reserve Funds
Restricted endowment funds may be used only for capital expenditures to acquire durable assets for the use of the congregation and to maintain durable assets. In any fiscal year of the Parish, such expenditures, not exceeding an aggregate of $1,000.00 plus the total amount of income earned on the Endowment funds during the current and immediately preceding fiscal years, may be made with the specific approval of the Board of Trustees. Any such expenditure in excess of such aggregate amount must be authorized by a Vote of the Parish. Unrestricted funds may be used to support the activities of the congregation to an extent determined by a vote of the Parish.
ARTICLE IX Duties of Officers
Section 1
The Board of Trustees shall have immediate charge of the Church building and Parish property, provided its decision to transfer Parish property shall be subject to the provisions of Section 3, Article VII. The Board shall provide for heating and lighting and for insurance on the Parish property, and in general attend to the comfort and convenience of the congregation. It shall decide on granting requests for the use of the church building and other Parish property.
The Board of Trustees shall be responsible for the preservation of all the assets of the Parish including buildings, furnishings, permanent funds and current funds. They may review the records of the Treasurer any time, and may make recommendations to the Treasurer regarding the performance of their duties.
The Board of Trustees shall prepare and submit to the annual Parish meeting a budget of the proposed expenditures for the year following the meeting; shall be responsible for the soliciting of subscriptions in whatever manner it deems advisable; may make contributions to the Unitarian Universalist Association Annual Fund and other gifts, such contributions and gifts not to exceed the amount in the annual budget approved by the Parish except when authorized by a Vote of the Parish.
Section 2
The President shall preside at all meetings of the Members and at all meetings of the Board of Trustees, reserving the right to appoint for any meeting a moderator from amongst the Membership; shall call special meetings as they may deem necessary; and shall appoint all committees unless otherwise specifically ordered by the Parish. In the President’s absence, and without an appointed moderator, the Vice-President shall preside at the meetings of the Members and at meetings of the Board of Trustees. In the absence of both the President and the Vice-President, a moderator pro-tem shall be elected by Vote of the Parish or by the Board of Trustees, as the case may be.
Section 3
The Secretary shall keep correct minutes of all meetings of the Members and of the Board of Trustees, producing draft minutes within seven (7) days of the meeting; shall give notice of all meetings as provided in these Bylaws; shall have custody of all books and papers belonging to the Parish, except where custody is otherwise provided for, and shall deliver such books and papers to their successor. The Secretary shall maintain a roster of Members, adding names of those elected to Membership with the date thereof, and noting those whose Membership has been discontinued, suspended or terminated, with the date and reason for such action. In the Secretary’s absence, either from a meeting of the Members or of the Board of Trustees, a Secretary pro-tem shall be elected by a Vote of the Parish or by the Board of Trustees, as the case may be.
Section 4
The Treasurer shall receive all moneys belonging to the Parish, and shall pay all legitimate bills in a timely manner, and shall report all such expenditures and income figures and the treasury balance to the Board of Trustees at each monthly meeting and at other times, as they shall direct. The Treasurer shall keep faithful accounts of their transactions in the books of the Parish (which shall always be open to the Board of Trustees and the Auditors) and shall make a written report to the annual meeting of the Parish. Upon election of their successor, the Treasurer shall turn over to the successor all the books pertaining to the Treasurer’s office.
Section 5
The auditors shall examine the accounts of the Treasurer, at the request of the Board of Trustees, in order to provide a report to the Membership at the annual meeting, after first having presented it to, and reviewing it with, the Board of Trustees. The Auditors shall also provide the Board of Trustees, at its request, with interim reports on the state of the Parish’s financial affairs.
ARTICLE X Removal of Officers
Any officer of the Parish may be removed, with or without cause, by majority vote of the Board of Trustees (excluding such officer). In case of such removal, or of the death, inability or neglect to perform the duties of office of any officer of the Parish, the vacancy shall be filled by majority vote of the Board of Trustees. The successor shall serve until the next Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE XI Altering or Amending the Bylaws
These Bylaws may be altered or amended by a two-thirds Vote of the Parish at a meeting called for that purpose. The purpose(s) of the proposed change(s) shall be stated in a notice of meeting given, at least ten days prior to the meeting, in the manner provided for annual meetings.