Board of Trustees Bylaws
The UUCSV Board of Trustees is now meeting on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm at the church.
The Board of Trustees shall have general charge of the property of the congregation and the conduct of all of its business affairs and the control of its administration, including the appointment of such committees as it may deem necessary.
Council of Committee Chairs
The Council is composed of the current chairs of each committee of the congregation. The Council meets meets quarterly usually on each fifth Sunday. Its purpose is to promote communication among committees to prevent duplication of effort and to enhance collaboration.
Congregational Care Committee
The mission of this committee is
Within the context of a shared ministry we assume responsibility to represent the congregation in embracing members and friends of our larger family during times of crisis and special need.
Any member or friend of the congregation who is interested in becoming part of the Congregational Care Committee, please notify Angie Underwood.
Finance Committee
This committee is responsible for reporting to the Board on the financial health of the church and the yearly canvass. Current members are Connie Krochmal, Charlie Chilton, and Lee Redding. Those with experience in accounting or who just like numbers are invited to contact Margaret Bumgarner regarding serving on the finance committee. It is a fun group and important work.
Hospitality Committee
The mission of the Hospitality Committee is to oversee food and beverage service at church functions. We provide beverages after each Sunday service. From April through October a table is set up outside for the placement of finger food snacks, contributed by church attendees, to be shared after the Sunday service.
From November through March church committees are encouraged to sell food after the service as a fundraiser. The committee members host 3 church-wide potlucks annually and assist with set up and clean up at many church activities which involve food. Please contact Carolyn Shorkey or Milt Warden if you are interested in joining our food ministry.
Long-Range Planning Committee
This committee is working on our Five Year Plan
Membership Committee
Our mission is to enhance membership for all of us at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Swannanoa Valley--charter members and newer members alike. Our committee is responsible for having greeters available to welcome everyone who attends Sunday morning services. We provide name tags for members and visitors and distribute orders of service on Sunday. We also encourage visitors to complete an interest card if they wish to receive more information about the church. We keep on hand for distribution informational pamphlets from the Unitarian Universalist Association.
We guide people who are interested in becoming members of UUCSV through the joining process. “Orientation to UU” classes are held periodically for those people who are interested in knowing more about UUism, our congregation, and possible membership.
We welcome members to join the Membership Committee at any time.
Personnel Committee
This committee is responsible for choosing paid staff, other than the Minister, to recommend to the Board for hiring. Currently these positions are the Office Administrator and RE Coordinator. The committee also makes recommendations about the hours of work, days off (including holidays), and the salaries of the employees.
Small Group Ministry
You will find a table on your way out of the church service the next few Sundays with answers to your questions about Small Group Ministry. Talk to one of the Ad Hoc Committee members and become a part of the conversation about the possibility of Small Group Ministry becoming a part of our life together.
The Small Group Ministry Ad Hoc Group, consisting of ten congregational members, was assigned the task of exploring the advisability of instituting a Small Group Ministry structure within our congregation. Such a structure offers the opportunity for members and friends of our congregation to participate on a regular basis in a group of eight to ten people. As many groups would be formed as needed, with a variety of meeting times, in order to give everyone an opportunity to participate. The purpose of such a structure would be to provide a community in which members can come to know and enjoy each other, celebrate their life together, share their stories and be enriched by each other's stories, bring the fundamental issues of life and the world under the scrutiny of earnest study and deliberation, and contemplate appropriate ways to make a difference in the world." You will be hearing more about Small Group Ministry (SGM) over the next several months as our Ad Hoc Group continues its exploration.
Social Action Committee
The committee meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 5:30 pm at the church.
The Mission of this commitee is
to stimulate the active involvement of our congregation in making a positive impact on the community and the world in which we live.
Our Objectives will be accomplished
locally, nationally, and globally, through both social service and social justice. Social service collaborative projects will address emergency relief and other community needs, whereas social justice work will address structural injustice and discrimination.
Actions speak louder than words. If you care about homeless women in our community, do something about it. Start by signing up for the next Room in the Inn. This usually takes place each quarter on a Friday at the Black Mountain Presbyterian Church or the Black Mountain United Methodist Church. We will need drivers, overnight volunteers, and servers as well as folks to prepare three hearty meals. By the way, if you heard the praise the women have for the meals we provide you would blush. Contact Connie Krochmal for details and check our special events and calendar for dates.
In a survey of our congregation, we decided that peace advocacy should be our number one social concern to address. Thus, on August 6, 2005, sixteen members and friends of our congregation journeyed to the gates of the Y–12 plant in Oak Ridge, TN, for the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. We joined over one thousand others from all over the nation to protest the continued enhancement of nuclear weapons. This was the largest such gathering in east Tennessee history.
Green Sanctuary
Currently we are meeting on the 3rd Sunday in the month at 9:30 am.
Our mission will be to contribute to the Swannanoa Valley’s environmental health and stability by:
- Deciding how we can use our Sunday services and other church activities to identify and address environmental matters.
- Living the values of the 7th Principle: Affirming and promoting respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
- Promoting responsible collaboration among community and church groups to improve our environment.
Steps to becoming accredited as a Green Sanctuary by the UUA Ministry for Earth:
- Establish a Green Sanctuary Committee (completed September, 2007)
- Conduct an environmental audit (completed October, 2007)
- Design a comprehensive program and Action Plan
- Apply for candidacy
- Complete 12 projects in Action Plan
- Apply for accreditation
Green Sanctuary Committee
Co-Chairs: Jane J. Carroll and Connie
Krochmal
Welcoming Congregation
Our Welcoming Congregation sub-committee held its first meeting on July 16, 2006.
On Sep 16, 2007 the congregation voted unanimously (57 - 0) to affirm that we are a Welcoming Congregation.
In May 2006, the UUCSV Board instructed the Social Action Committee to embark on the UUA's "Welcoming Congregation" certification process. Over 500 UUs have completed this process including Asheville, Hendersonville, and most recently, the UU Fellowship of Clemson which a delegation from UUCSV visited in May, 2006.
The certification process took about a year and concluded with a congregational vote to be an official "Welcoming Congregation." During the year, there were workshops meeting (usually) on the second Tuesday of each month , films, and other activities designed to educate ourselves and get us more involved in ensuring that gay, lesbian, transgender, and/or bisexual friends, visitors, and members feel fully welcomed and part of our congregation.
Links to current UUA Social Action
- UUA Ministry for Earth
www.uuministryforearth.org - Calendar of social justice events for the
coming year and lots of helpful resources!
www.uua.org/justice
SOLS Women’s Group
This group usually meets on the fourth Sunday of each month at 1:00 pm. We are now called Sisters of Lucy Stone or SOLS. Just ask any of us SOLS about Lucy Stone. We welcome all women of the church to join our group.
We are busy with social activities and with social justice projects, related primarily to the women in our partner church in Medeser, Romania. We are deepening our understanding of the women of our partner church. Moreover, we are strengthening our relationship with them. Although we speak no Hungarian and they speak no English, we are able to find translators who are helping us get to know each other. This exchange of caring and respect is a strong bonding force.
Warblers (Choir)
The Warblers usually meet the third Sunday in each month at 12:30 pm. The UUCSV Warblers were a great success performing as a choir at Way Back When. We have lots of fun and are looking for more of you to join us.
