Unitarian Universalism is governed by congregational polity. That means that the highest authority in our tradition are individual congregations. And since we practice the democratic process, that means our members, not the minister, not a pope, bishop or cardinal - our members are the highest authority.
Our congregations elect a nominating team, which in turn nominates a slate of board candidates for approval by the congregation. The board then makes policies and manages finances which are restrained by by-laws that are also voted on by the congregation. Procedure and policies are a joint effort of minister, staff, teams, and the board.
We are guided by the covenant and mission created by this community along with the values held to within our larger tradition to create by-laws, policies, and procedures which ensure a governance system in which things get done well, safely, and with love at the center.
The Bylaw Task Force has been working on updates to the ASUUC Bylaws that will be proposed for approval at the June 1st Congregational Meeting. Links to a recorded overview of the proposed changes and a link to the latest updates document are below. Links to the Bylaw Updates Document and the current version of the Bylaws last amended June 2, 2024 is at the bottom of this page.