Members
A resource page for our members for easy access to Realm, and the important information you may be looking for.
MEMBERS & FRIENDS OF UUS
Resources for UUS Members
Here you will find information for members, group leaders, and access to Realm.
Quick Links
OUR BOARD & GOVERNANCE
Leadership At UUS
Our board of trustees are elected by the congregation to oversee the budget and activity of UUS.
Mission
We are a welcoming, spiritually diverse home. We act on our values:
- Honor the Earth;
- Advocate for racial and social justice;
- Nurture deep connections;
- Embrace the ongoing quest for meaning.
Adopted by the UUS Congregation on January 5, 2020
Vision
We aspire to be a more inclusive, loving, diverse congregation that welcomes all people. We will defend and celebrate the Earth, confront racial and social injustice, and nurture deep connections.
2024-2025
- President: Jeff Walberg (president@uusic.org)
- Vice President: Sarah Ross
- Secretary: Lucy Gamon
- Treasurer: Michael Honey-Arcement (treasurer@uusic.org)
- Trustee: Ian Cawley
- Trustee: Ernie Cox
- Trustee: Monique DiCarlo
Bylaws and Policies
- UUS Shared Ministry: Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures (updated 07/2024, PDF)
- Personnel Policy Manual (updated 09/2024)
- Covenant of Right Relations (updated 5/2020, PDF)
- UUS Organizational Chart (updated 6/2020, PDF)
2024
- 2024-11-19 Agenda | Minutes
- 2024-10-16 Agenda | Minutes
- 2024-09-18 Agenda | Minutes
- 2024-08-21 Agenda | Minutes
- 2024-07-17 Agenda | Minutes
- 2024-06-19 Agenda | Minutes
- 2024-05-15 Agenda | Minutes
- 2024-04-17 Agenda | Minutes
- 2024-03-20 Agenda | Minutes
- 2024-02-28 Agenda | Minutes
- 2024-01-17 Agenda | Minutes
2023
- 2023-12-20 Agenda | Minutes
- 2023-11-15 Agenda | Minutes
- 2023-10-18 Agenda | Minutes
- 2023-09-20 Agenda | Minutes
- 2023-08-16 Agenda | Minutes
- 2023-07-19 Agenda | Minutes
- 2023-06-21 Agenda | Minutes
- 2023-05-17 Agenda | Minutes
- 2023-04-19 Agenda | Minutes
- 2023-03-15 Agenda | Minutes
- 2023-02-15 Agenda | Minutes
- 2023-01-18 Agenda | Minutes
2022
- 2022-12-21 Agenda | Minutes
- 2022-12-18 Congregational Meeting Packet & Agenda | Minutes
- 2022-11-28 Special Board Meeting Minutes
- 2022-11-16 Agenda | Minutes
- 2022-10-19 Agenda | Minutes
- 2022-09-21 Agenda | Minutes
- 2022-08-17 Agenda | Minutes
- 2022-07-17 Agenda | Minutes
- 2022-06-15 Agenda | Minutes
- 2022-05-22 Congregational Meeting Packet | Minutes
- 2022-05-18 Agenda | Minutes
- 2022-04-20 Agenda | Minutes
- 2022-03-16 Agenda | Minutes
- 2022-02-16 Agenda | Minutes
- 2022-01-19 Agenda | Minutes
2021
- 2021-12-19 Congregational Meeting Agenda | Minutes
- 2021-12-15 Board Agenda | Minutes
- 2021-11-17 Board Agenda | Minutes
- 2021-10-20 Board Agenda | Minutes
- 2021-09-15 Board Agenda | Minutes
- 2021-08-18 Board Agenda | Minutes
- 2021-07-21 Board Agenda | Minutes
- 2021-06-16 Board Agenda | Minutes
- 2021-05-23 Congregational Meeting Agenda | Minutes
- 2021-05-19 Board Agenda | Minutes
- 2021-04-21 Board Agenda | Minutes
- 2021-03-17 Board Agenda | Minutes
- 2021-02-25 Special Meeting Board Agenda | Minutes
- 2021-02-17 Board Agenda | Minutes
- 2021-01-20 Board Agenda| Minutes
Congregational polity
“Congregational polity” is the Unitarian Universalist technical term for the way in which churches, fellowships and societies of this denomination are governed. In plain English, we govern ourselves. We select our own ministers, raise and spend our own money for salaries, building upkeep, supplies, and community outreach, as established in budgets we set for ourselves. We exist without any need for such hierarchical figures or structures as bishops, archbishops, presbyteries, dioceses, stakes or synods.
Unitarian Universalist Association
Which is not to say that we have no structure at all. The Unitarian Universalist Society (UUS) is a member of the national Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), which serves our own and other congregations in a variety of ways, including providing consultants for fund-raising, for instance; and helping churches “match up” with ministers who meet and understand our interests and needs. Our congregation is a member of the UUA MidAmerica Region, an organization of twelve Midwestern states whose members and delegates meet annually to share program ideas.
Elections
In May, at the end of each church year, the congregation elects new leadership. The person chosen as vice president serves one year in that role before automatically becoming president the following year and then serving one additional term as past president. All other roles, including secretary, treasurer, finance trustee and two at-large trustees, serve terms of three years each.
The following UUS annual reports are available in PDF format. Records of older Annual Reports can be found at the UUS office.
Submissions to the newsletter must be submitted by the 20th of the preceding month. For example, to be included in the December newsletter you should submit your article or announcement by November 20th.
Our weekly email is an opportunity to make quick announcements to the congregation. To be included in the weekly email, which is sent out every Wednesday, you must submit your announcement by 10:00 AM on Wednesday. Email your Weekly Email content to communications@uusic.org.
Newsletter Archive:
- December 2024 Newsletter
- November 2024 Newsletter
- October 2024 Newsletter
- September 2024 Newsletter
- August 2024 Newsletter
- July 2024 Newsletter
- June 2024 Newsletter
- May 2024 Newsletter
- April 2024 Newsletter
- March 2024 Newsletter
- February 2024 Newsletter
- January 2024 Newsletter
- December 2023 Newsletter
- November 2023 Newsletter
- October 2023 Newsletter
- September 2023 Newsletter
- August 2023 Newsletter
- July 2023 Newsletter
- June 2023 Newsletter
- May 2023 Newsletter
- April 2023 Newsletter
- March 2023 Newsletter
- February 2023 Newsletter
- January 2023 Newsletter
- December 2022 Newsletter
- November 2022 Newsletter
- October 2022 Newsletter
- September 2022 Newsletter
- August 2022 Newsletter
- July 2022 Newsletter
- June 2022 Newsletter
- May 2022 Newsletter
- April 2022 Newsletter
- March 2022 Newsletter
- February 2022 Newsletter
- January 2022 Newsletter
- December 2021 Newsletter
- November 2021 Newsletter
- October 2021 Newsletter
- September 2021 Newsletter
- August 2021 Newsletter
- July 2021 Newsletter
- June 2021 Newsletter
- May 2021 Newsletter
- April 2021 Newsletter
- March 2021 Newsletter
- February 2021 Newsletter
- January 2021 Newsletter
- December 2020 Newsletter
- November 2020 Newsletter
- October 2020 Newsletter
- September 2020 Newsletter
- August 2020 Newsletter
- July 2020 Newsletter
- June 2020 Newsletter
- May 2020 Newsletter
- April 2020 Newsletter
- March 2020 Newsletter
- February 2020 Newsletter
- January 2020 Newsletter
- December 2019 Newsletter
- November 2019 Newsletter
- October 2019 Newsletter
- September 2019 Newsletter
- August 2019 Newsletter
- July 2019 Newsletter
- June 2019 Newsletter
- May 2019 Newsletter
- April 2019 Newsletter
- March 2019 Newsletter
- February 2019 Newsletter
- January 2019 Newsletter
- December 2018 Newsletter
- November 2018 Newsletter
- October 2018 Newsletter
- September 2018 Newsletter
- August 2018 Newsletter
- July 2018 Newsletter
- June 2018 Newsletter
- May 2018 Newsletter
- April 2018 Newsletter
- March 2018 Newsletter
- February 2018 Newsletter
- January 2018 Newsletter
- December 2017 Newsletter
- November 2017 Newsletter
- October 2017 Newsletter
- September 2017 Newsletter
- August 2017 Newsletter
- July 2017 Newsletter
- June 2017 Newsletter
- April 2017 Newsletter
Weekly Email Archive:
Click here to access past weekly emails.
Annual Report Archive:
- 2023/24 Annual Report
- 2022/23 Annual Report
- 2021/22 Annual Report
- 2020/21 Annual Report
- 2019/20 Annual Report
- 2018/19 Annual Report
- 2017/18 Annual Report
- 2016/17 Annual Report
- 2015/16 Annual Report
- 2014/15 Annual Report
- 2013/14 Annual Report
- 2012/13 Annual Report
- 2011/12 Annual Report
- 2010/11 Annual Report
- 2009/10 Annual Report
Realm
Realm is an online church management application that allows you to update your personal information, manage your gifts to UUS, and connect with groups.
User guides & support
We’ve provided quick start guides for members and group leaders, but feel free to explore Realm’s support center if you have any questions. You can also find the Powerpoint on Realm Groups (as presented at the 2016 Program Council) here.
If you would like more personal assistance using Realm, please contact our Administrative Assistant with specific questions or to schedule a one-on-one tutorial.
- Phone: 319.337.3443
- Email: admin.assistant@uusic.org
Our Administrator is also happy to answer questions if the assistant is unavailable.
Managing financial giving
Realm offers an accurate, secure, and efficient way for you to manage your financial gifts to UUS. Realm partners with Vanco (a secure online payment processing service) to provide secure online giving.
Privacy settings
You should be aware of the privacy settings available in Realm. All contact or personal information you add can be individually set to different levels of security: Public (to all UUSIC Realm users), Group Leaders and Staff only, or Staff only. The default security setting is Group Leaders and Staff only. Please review your security settings (especially if you have children) to ensure your information is set to your preferred levels of accessibility.
Security
Realm has been vetted by security firms and has been found to be more protected than many banking institutions, so rest assured your information (both giving and personal) is in safe hands.
Process for Creating a New Event
If you or a group is creating a new event, the first step is to submit a new event form to our Congregational Administrator. You can fill out this form by clicking the “Submit New Event” under the quick links above, or under the “Forms, Policies, and Requests” tab. From there, you will be led through the next steps for any approvals that may be needed and to get on the congregational events calendar.
Submitting to the Newsletter or Weekly Email
In an effort to streamline our processes, we ask that you please utilize our submission forms for inclusion in our newsletters and weekly emails. You can fill out these forms on the “Newsletter & Weekly Emails” tab on this page.
Reserving UUS for Events
UUS facilities are able to be reserved for memorial services, weddings, social gatherings, and other purposes to UUS members and the public. Please follow the link to the inquiry form above in the “Quick Links” section or in the “Forms, Policies, and Requests” tab to the left.
Board Information
Annual Reports, Meeting minutes and more can be found here.
Policies
- Relevant Event Policies (Alcohol, Childcare, Fundraising, Keys/Building Access, Publicity)
- Shared Ministry Policies and Procedures (2024)
Useful Forms
Please note these forms are digitized above with our submission buttons. Please utilize the submission buttons above as this helps us to streamline our processes for staff and users. These forms are here for your reference.
- Facilities Setup Request Form
- Facilities Coordinator Cleanup Form
- Fundraising Request Form
- Social Justice Action Fund (SJAF) Request for Funding
Reimbursement Requests
In order to be reimbursed for personal expenses you have made on behalf of UUS, you need to do the following:
- Get written approval for the reimbursement from the committee or budget item chairperson
- Submit the following information along with proof of approval to the UUS office (admin@uusic.org).
- Person/company to be paid (and address)
- Amount to be paid
- Budget account the payment should be allocated from
- Purpose of the expenditure
- A scan, PDF, or physical copy of the receipt/invoice
Feel free to contact the office (admin@uusic.org or 337-3443) with any questions or concerns.
Do you need help promoting your event or group? The Publicity Team can help!
Publicity Team
The Publicity Team works to promote UUS’s events, activities, and milestones to the wider community.
We invite neighbors and friends to visit for concerts, workshops, community meals, or Sunday services. We also share what makes UUS unique with local media outlets and national Unitarian Universalist organizations, such as the opening of our new, green building.
Led by the Communications Coordinator, our members manage the website and social media accounts, coordinate and design UUS advertising and branding, and communicate with local, regional, and national press.
Working with the committee
Based on our responsibility of promoting UUS to those who may not be familiar with us, we prioritize community-wide activities when allocating committee resources. Special events, such as film screenings or guest speakers, are great opportunities for partnering with other community organizations and sparking someone’s interest in our other activities. The Publicity Team is especially interested in supporting events that appeal to the broader Iowa City community. Regularly occurring events, or those whose primary audience are other UUS members, may be given other suggestions for publicity and promotion.
All Publicity Team support is dependent upon the availability of resources, including staff and volunteer time. If you would like help promoting an upcoming event, please contact the Communications Coordinator as early as possible, but at least 8 weeks in advance. Below is a list of ways the Publicity Team may be able to help your group or committee.
Publicity services
- Event promotion (website, Facebook, community calendars)
- Graphic design (posters, social media posts, brochures)
- Advertising strategy, placement (online, local print, Iowa Public Radio)
- Written content for articles and press releases
Requesting a Memorial Service or Reception
Please fill out the submission form below to get in touch with our Director of Congregational and Community Engagement. They will assist you in reserving the facilities, and preparations that may be needed.
Memorial Garden Interment
Ashes interred in the UUS Memorial Garden may be those of any current or previous member or friend*, or an acknowledged spouse, partner, or minor child of a member or friend.
*A friend is defined as one who attends, contributes financially, and volunteers to further the work of the UUS mission and vision.
A family or individual wishing to place ashes in the Memorial Garden should contact the UUS office using the submission form below. Applications must be approved the Minister or Board President of UUS before interment can proceed.
Committee Leader Resources
Publicity and Administrative Support
We want your photos!
When you take photos of your group and events and share that with us, we are better able to promote our congregation. We need your photos for our social media and web presence. Please encourage your committee and teams to take pictures at your events! You can then easily upload to a shared Google Drive folder by clicking the button below.
Some things to keep in mind when sharing photos:
- Be mindful of children in photos. Make sure their parents allow us to use their photos online. We keep record of photo permissions, but a quick check-in is helpful.
- If photographing community aid events, please do not include the faces of people who may be receiving services or donations.
- Group photos are wonderful, and we also love to see candids of our members interacting with each other and their projects.
Pastoral Care & Personal Assistance
Our UU principles call on us to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and to practice compassion in human relations. One way we do this is through our Pastoral Care Team and UniCare. Team members collaborate with families and friends to support and supplement their caring presence. The goal of the Pastoral Care Team is to provide a ministry of caring, connection, and hope, so that no one who is part of our congregation feels isolated or alone.
Service on Sundays at 10; Office Open Mon-Thurs 9-4 By Appointment