First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, Texas 2017 Annual Meeting

First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston, Texas 2017 Annual Meeting

Meeting Formalities Establish Quorum Appointment of Roles Meeting Rules Agenda Approve minutes from last year congregational vote Election of Nominating Committee and Board of Trustees congregational vote State of the Church Presentation Budget presentation

Establish Quorum Church constitution states minimum church member attendees must be no less than 15% of the total church membership Current church membership is at 466 Quorum minimum is 70 members

Meeting Roles Museum Campus: BOT President Michael Morrison Thoreau/Stafford Campus: BOT Jan Elias Copperfield Campus: BOT Allan Perkins Process Observer Jennifer Sorrells Timekeeper Bob Miller Parliamentarian Jeff Skarda

Meeting Rules Roberts Rules of Order Members speak for 2 minutes Members may speak a second time after all others have had opportunity to speak After 10 minutes, there will be automatic vote to cease or continue discussion Speak to the chairperson or camera The other campuses would like to see your face Tell us: Your name Are you FOR or AGAINST the issue? Make your statement

Approve Last Year s Meeting Minutes Minutes are in the Annual Report Board and Nominating Committee candidates also in Annual Report

Candidates for Office Candidates Selected by the Nominating Committee (Board Supported)

Board of Trustees Leona Harrison (Museum) Betty Johnson (Thoreau) Carolyn Leap (Museum)

Nominating Committee Sara Brown (Museum) Johanna DeYoung (Thoreau) Joe Zuchlewski (Museum)

State of the Church

Mission Statement A spiritual community for all: advancing justice and embracing diversity with love and acceptance. End Statements P - Promote love and acceptance E - Extend Unitarian Universalism C - Create Community A - Advance Justice N - Nourish Spirituality Sr. Minister/staff have creative license for program design/development to achieve goals (End Statements) Board monitors/receives input from congregation as to church success in meeting goals (End Statements) Board is in process of developing additional context for End Statements to improve develop monitoring

Constitution First Church Birth Certificate Official name and statement of purpose Membership qualifications Leadership organizations Meeting/amendment rules Senior minister role Endowment fund Bylaws Governs the day to day needs of our church and addresses Election/roles of officers Committees and Teams Endowment Team Nominating Committee Affiliations (UUA) Directs First Church to use Governance Model

Our Governance Policies Provides framework for governance Recognizes distinction between visionary and executive leadership Visionary leadership is the Board of Trustees Executive leadership is the Senior Minister Governance characteristics Board focuses on goals of the church (End Statements) Sr. Minister develops programs and processes as means to meet goals

Policy Governance Some or all of good governance elements lacking at First Church in the past Board in 2010 decided Policy Governance best path forward Developed search team to find a Policy Governance experienced minister Clearly articulates First Church s mission and goals As church grows and gets more complex, Policy Governance becomes even more important

Board of Trustees Key Activities 2016/2017 Responded to Social Justice budget petition Internal financial audit (task force completed) Conducted church wide survey relative to two End Statements Annual Board retreat and mid-year Board retreat Updated Bylaws Improved Governance Policies document Regularly monitored Sr. Administrator via Policy Governance Volunteered time/resources/donations for: Inspiration Sunday Services Auction dinner Sunday lunches Stewardship annual campaign

Our Church Creative Team FUU 2016-17 Creative Team Rev. Daniel O Connell Senior Minister Rev. Bonnie Vegiard Campus Minister - Thoreau Rev. Angela Henderson Assist. Minister Museum District Ralph Krog Student Min./Campus Min. - Copperfield Carol Burrus Religious Educator Mark Vogel Music Director What does this mean and why is it important? Meets weekly Group develops the sermon themes and provides a coordinated program across worship, religious education and music Sharing of ideas, not just the thinking of one person Builds a stronger and more integrated multi-location church

First Church Initiatives 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 Nourish Spirituality MD 2 services Core Ministry focus Growth Groups Copperfield Faithwalking Advance Justice Short Term SJ projects MD Signature Project Shared Offerings Women's March in Austin Extend Unitarian Universalism Copperfield joins Thoreau joins First Explore multi-site First UU UU MD Capital Campaign Northwoods Thoreau property ministerial assistance purchase Create Community Membership Healthy Communications Team Care team MD Lay Pastoral Merger Celebration growth/retention team Promote Love and Acceptance Joined UUV4J Social media outreach Fort Bend Loves Event

Social Justice (Volunteerism) Healthy Parenting Medical Bridges Voter Registration Drive Emergency Aid Coalition Montrose Grace Place Freedmen s Town animeals on Wheels Pride Parade Gulf Coast Regional blood drive Rebuilding Together Houston The Lighthouse of Houston UUV4J Monthly Outreach Collections Plant It Forward Farms Street Lords and Ladies Motorcycle Club Child Advocates Santa s Wish List Willow Waterhole Greenspace Conservancy American-Nepali Students & Women s Educational Relief Project Row Houses Galveston Bay Foundation

Social Justice (Funding from Offerings/Donations) Urban Harvest UUSC Water Project Montrose Center Center for Healing of Racism Tynring Arcos Church ANSWER Child Advocates Thoreau Scholarship Fund Rebuilding Together Houston Emergency Aid Coalition Plant It Forward Planned Parenthood East Fort Bend CPS of Fort Bend Fort Bent Family Promise Fort Bend Women s Center East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry Thoreau Scholarship Fund** Shared offering church wide: $26,395 ** $19,264

Extending Unitarian Universalism New location for Thoreau Own vs. rent, budget relief Better location for growth potential Sr. Minister assisted Northwoods UU Fellowship Sr. Minister assisting Lake Chapala, MX UU Fellowship Membership retention team

New Thoreau-Richmond Campus 5 acre lot w/ mature trees 3500 sq ft house Purchase price $400k Fort Bend County unrestricted zoning 10 minutes from Hwy99 5 Master Planned Communities within 15 minutes 25 minutes from current Stafford site

Closed May 11th Capital improvements ~$130k Timeline May & June engineering & permitting July & Aug remodeling & site development Sept & Oct Preview events Nov Establish campus Loan payments will be less than ½ of current rent in Stafford

Our UU Neighborhood 48 UU Churches/Fellowships in Texas 7 have membership >200 3 rd largest UU church in TX FU Dallas 1050 FUU Austin 606 FUU Houston 466 First UU San Antonio 408 Emerson UU Houston 369 Texas UU Churches From UUA Southern Region Staff 2017

How do we grow? Thinking Ahead Religious affiliation of all faiths in decline First UU Church has remained relatively flat Cultural and political climate creates opportunity Retaining members How can we make the church goals more measurable? End Statements (goals) are broad declarations Positive: Executive leadership has flexibility Negative: Monitoring success of meeting End Statements challenging

Budget

2017/2018 Consolidated Budget

Financial Highlights Copperfield Balanced budget Pledge income down due to member moving to Thoreau Reduced UUA dues to balance budget Thoreau Balanced budget Draw down of reserve is a fraction vs. last year (property purchase) Intern minister reduces personnel expense Museum District Balanced budget Drawing $8000 from endowment (same as last year) Success of last year s services auction; large line item increase Expecting outlay for SJ to increase $4000 savings in insurance on facility $8000 increase for personnel (raises) Reserve fund is depleted

2017/2018 Budget Allocation Welcome Worship Music RE Etc. Programs $63,893 Facilities 25% $196,828 Financial $43,076 8% 5% Bank Fees UUA Dues MD Endowment Transfer We Personnel 62% $497,387 Total Budget $801,184 Personnel Facilities Programs Financial Utilities Insurance Office Maintenance Rent Staff FT PT 3 Ministers 1 2 2 Religious Ed 1 1 4 Office staff 1 3 1 Music Director 0 1 3 Accompanists 0 3 7 Child care 0 7 3 Sextons 0 3 1 AV Tech 0 1

Three Year Running Comparison

Thanks to your time, talent and treasure! Invited to share your comments (suggestions for improvement, compliments, et al) Healthy Communications Team Board of Trustees Ministers