​

​

Board, Committees, Teams, Staff, Leaders

Onboarding

2025/26 �

Leadership Overview

We’re glad you’re here!

​

Today

Church-year review for leaders

General what’s-behind-the-curtain for all

​

Later (but not too much later)

Committee/Team-specific topics

at scheduled monthly meetings

Welcome

Overview

• Congregation’s size- and needs-driven structure
• Congregation’s Vision-driven purpose
• Elected, appointed, volunteer - leading the work of the church
• Foundation built for collaboration, continuity, accountability
• Congregation, lay leaders, staff: shared ministry
• Tools: documentation and resources

Doing the work of the church, better

Pastoral-to-Program transition … done!

• Sunday service attendance has been between 150-200 for decades
• Membership has hovered around 300
• In the world of church-speak, we’re a Program-size church
• Struggled with governance: operating in Pastoral-size mode
• Staff issues - their roles, their collaboration, and integration
• Governing issues - role of Board, committees, teams; silos
• Community emphasis on personal relationships more than programs, growth
• Finance strains (or perceived strains); risk averse, scarcity mentality
• Fits and starts followed by intentional resolve to move forward
• Where we’ve been. Where we are. rev.mandi’s remarks, June 2025

Now: Governance that works for us

Does the way we work matter? Oh, yes!

​

• Fully operating in Program-size for four years
• How did we know what was right for us?
• Our own experiences and learning
• Governance and Ministry - foundational guidance
• UUA resources, including our interim ministers
• Various UU church experiences
• Key: minister who understands size dynamics and us!

What makes it work?

​

Pivot, tweak, grow

​

• Clear staff and lay leadership roles and responsibilities
• The right people in the right places
• Intentionality, accountability, continuity
• … and flexibility
• to grow from theory into practice
• to keep up with ever-changing needs
• Shared planning and focus around Mission and Vision

​

Here’s how it works ...

Living, evolving

… based on a common foundation

​

Continuity and clarity through documentation and annual process

• Charters
• Policy and Procedures
• Board and Minister assessments
• Volunteer rotation: fresh ideas, succession planning
• Onboarding
• Intentional collaboration among lay leaders, staff

Here’s how it works … for us

Why we’re here, and keep coming back!

​

Our mission: We gather as an inclusive community to grow in character, mind and spirit and to transform the world toward fairness, love and compassion.

Our vision: We strive to boldly enact our values toward a just world as we nurture our growth to become a more inclusive and deeply connected intergenerational community.

Our Shared Values

Here’s how it works … for us

Congregation’s vision drives activity

​

• Board’s role is strategic, big-picture
• Mission and Vision; Board relies on Vision - defined by the congregation! - to plan annually and long-term
• Annual Congregational conversations provide data, direction
• Minister supports, guides leaders - lay and staff. Teamwork!
• Staff manages and introduces programs; supports lay leaders
• Engagement via outreach, member-led interests
• Small groups, affinity groups, education, enrichment

Organization and Structure

What it looks like at DuPage UU

​

• Congregation
• Committees of the congregation
• Governance: Board
• Advisory Committees report to the Board
• Ministry / Programs: Staff
• Teams implementing programming and administrative functions
• Shared Ministry

dupageuuchurch.org/governance/structure

Roles: Governing

Board and Advisory Committees

​

• Elected Board acts as a fiduciary: in best interests of, for the benefit of the congregation
• Listening, communicating, building trust
• Long-term strategic planning: Mission, Vision, values
• Annual prioritization and focus/re-focus
• Advisory committees: cross-communicating, escalating
• Board liaisons to committees provide connection
• Advisory Council fosters collaboration, diminishes silos

Board’s Strategic Planning

New format for planning and priorities

​

• Vision leads the way
• Multi-year strategy > rolling priorities
• Board’s focus for the year
• Annually confirming in August; Committees and Teams set goals/priorities in fall
• Assessing, evaluating progress as the year rolls on
• Congregational conversations, in various forms
• Details coming October 19 - Adult Learning hour

Supporting the Board and Process

Governance Advisory

Provides advice and guidance on process and responsibility, accountability, collaboration.

​

Finance Advisory

Monitors long-term financial planning to maintain the operational health of the church.

​

Stewardship Advisory

Works to inspire a culture of generosity to support the congregation’s Mission and Vision.

​

Personnel Advisory

Develops/reviews policies related to employment, retention, performance, and delegation to the Head of Staff.

​

Property Advisory (future - TBD)

Assesses the viability of our sacred spaces to meet our needs to implement our Vision.

Roles: Ministry and Programs

​

Staff, Programming, Administration

​

• Minister as Head of Staff and Program Ministries
• Training, advising, supporting lay leaders and staff
• Focus follows Board’s high-level annual priorities
• Staff employs expertise and creativity to implement programs and operations
• Engaging interests and passions in shared ministry
• Ensuring the lights are on

Supporting Ministry and Programs

Professionals with expertise,

experience, connections

​

• Minister, Head of Staff - rev. mandi huizenga
• Director of Religious Education - Steve Cooper
• Director of Membership and Engagement - Tina Lewis
• Director of Music and Worship Arts - Carl Kennedy
• Administrator - Sheri Regalado
• Accompanist - Vera Pelin
• Childcare - Annabelle deBolt

Supporting Ministry and Programs

Teams and Operations

​

• Education and Spiritual Growth
• Worship and Inspiration
• Caring and Fellowship
• Justice and Advocacy
• Administrative operations
• Contracts and financial transactions
• Communications
• Facilities monitoring and maintenance

Supporting the Congregation

Nominating Committee

​

• Annual slate for elected positions (Board, Nominating)
• Leadership Development
• Pipeline for healthy rotation of appointed, assigned leader positions
• You can help! Areas of interest in Realm directory

​

Supporting, well, Everyone

Committee on Shared Ministry (COSM)

​

• Assists the Minister(s), Staff, Board of Trustees, lay leaders, and members in promoting the well-being of the congregation’s ministry to fulfill its Mission and Vision.
• Helps monitor, educate, evaluate, advise, protect the congregation’s ministries.
• Demonstrates and encourages empowerment of mutual trust and, as necessary or requested, models action for reconciliation and healing.

​

Shared Ministry

A collaborative, interconnected, less hierarchical practice—helps us live into our faith’s highest values.

​

Our roles help us carry out Shared Ministry, so we all can live into our Mission and fulfill our Vision.

​

Documentation and Resources

Organizing helps us flourish

​

​

• Bylaws: The legal definition of who we are as a community
• Policy: What we do and Why
• Policy guides decision making, aligns broadly with Bylaws
• Procedure: How and When tasks get done by individuals or committees and teams to align with Policy
• Procedure identifies the individual or group responsible for making decisions or completing tasks

​

Effectively and efficiently living our values, Vision, Mission

Covenanting with each other

Your role in promoting right relations and well-being of this place that is ours

​

• Create or review Committee or Team covenant in August/September
• Review Quarterly and when new members join

​

And we all are responsible for our actions as members of this church: DuPage UU Covenant of Right Relations

​

New FY and Calendars

Continuity, Accountability (and so we don’t forget!)

​

• Monthly lineup of tasks by FY
• General monthly meeting planning tasks
• Periodic review of progress on FY focus or goals; re-asses as needed
• Rotating review of assigned procedures
• Awareness of and participation in Congregational conversations, in whatever shape it takes this FY
• Flexibility to change timing - we have and continue to do!

Expectations, responsibilities

Be Prepared, Responsive, Curious

​

• Know where to find our foundational documents and reference materials
• Bylaws, Policy, Procedures manuals on website; Committee and Team folders in DuPage UU Church’s Google repository.
• Support the separation of duties and roles, tasks, and decision-making while engaging in Shared Ministry
• RACI task force in 2025/26
• Be responsive. Check email, respond in timely manner
• Be curious about the big picture and where your role sits in context
• Org structure is a reference point

​

Know Your Stuff

Lay leadership best practices

​

• Be knowledgeable of your committee charter
• Learn and understand the connections across our structure
• Create and follow a calendar of FY tasks, expectations
• Delegate within as necessary to cover absences, internal-group roles
• Review agendas; be respectful of requests and deadlines, come to meetings prepared to participate
• Be responsive. Check email, respond in timely manner
• Ask questions!

Tools: Repository

• DuPage UU Church Repository on Google Drive
• Primary tool for documenting, communicating, creating, editing, comments, linking
• Be aware of rendering on various devices
• Sharing within your team; sharing with broader audience
• Need a little training and context? Governance can help.

​

Ask if you have questions!

Tools: Public Website

dupageuuchurch.org

​

• Content
• Purpose
• Content updates: office@dupageuuchurch.org
• Contact Us

Tools: Church-wide communication

Staff owns the processes for:

• Newsletter/Weeklies
• Youth RE updates
• Facebook sites
• Main DuPage UU site
• DUUC Coffee Hour
• Joys and Concerns
• Realm

Lay Leadership’s Part in our Progress

Together we can “do the work we love, better.”

Together we are helping DuPage UU flourish!

​

Leadership Handbook

Glossary of Terms and Acronyms

​

What else do you wish to know?

Bring it!

​

And keep bringing it.

Questions, suggestions?

Want to get involved?

Find* and ask the people who can help!

​

*Start with the org structure chart