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Abstention - voluntarily refraining from voting on a motion, often due to conflict of interest

Ad Hoc Committee - a temporary committee or task force that assists the Board with data gathering that supports and informs Board discussions and decisions

Affirmation - a majority Board vote (minimum 4 votes) that then moves to a congregational vote - frequently involves the budget, a by-law revision or Board member nomination

Approval - internal Board majority vote that does not require further congregational vote

Articulation - the Board’s responsibility to communicate and give voice to the values, mission and vision of the church in all they do

Beneficiary - someone receiving services or benefits from the church and congregation

Board Committee - a standing committee of church members who are selected by and report to the Board to help them govern by gathering information, drafting policy and other ways of reporting back prior to Board decisions - these include: Policy, Linkage and Nominating

Board Member - a democratically-elected volunteer leader responsible for the governance, fiduciary oversight and strategic vision of the church

Board Retreat - a dedicated, off-site gathering of the Board of Trustees held at the beginning of the church year to: build covenantal relationship, affirm goals, ground spiritually and establish establish norms for the upcoming Board year through socializing, work sessions, learning and discussion

Board of Trustees - elected church members working in covenant and mutually supportive partnership with each other and with the Senior Minister in their role as ex-officio board member and chief executive of the church

By-Laws - the legal, internal governing documents that define how a congregation operates, outlining its organizational structure, membership requirements, democratic procedures and adherence to the covenantal principles of the UUA

Covenant - annually updated set of mutual agreements that Board members commit to in service to the church mission and congregation, and to one another as they engage in Board work and collaboration - a collection of promises our congregation makes with one another

Delegation of Authority - the Board’s authorization per policy in empowering Senior Minister with all day to day operations and resources (“Means”) per Board policy - also called global delegation

Discernment - decision-making done in the best interest of our religious faith, church values, mission and ends - involves deep thoughtfulness and seeking wisdom from others

Duty of Care - the commitment a Board member makes to allow adequate time, energy and attention to understand the congregation’s affairs and act responsibly - the commitment to prepare for Board meetings, regular attendance and active participation

Duty of Loyalty - a Board member’s consideration in putting the mission of the church as paramount

Duty of Obedience - a Board member’s compliance with the church’s foundational documents - By-Laws and Policy

Ends - vision of future ways the church and congregation will fulfill the church mission

Executive Limitations - governance policies created by the Board of Trustees to define the ethical, legal and operational boundaries of authority within which the Senior Minister must operate

Executive Session - a confidential, closed-door meeting between Board members and Senior Minister used to discuss sensitive matters such as personnel, legal issues or strategic plans

Ex-officio - non-voting member (Senior Minister is an ex-officio member of the Board )

Fiduciary - a person or group responsible for taking care of something that has been entrusted to them - Board members protect the assets and uphold the mission of the congregation

Governance - the role of providing overall direction and control of a church on behalf of its mission and moral owners and ensuring such direction and control is maintained

Global Authority - Board authorization of all day to day operations and resources to the Senior Minister (“Means”) per Board policy - also referred to as delegation of authority

Linkage - effective connections with the church and the congregation’s sources of authority and accountability

Means - Ministry’s responsibility to fulfill the church mission through its day to day decisions and operations that include building community, managing resources and transforming lives

Ministry - the leaders and staff that work under the direction of the Senior Minister to accomplish the mission of the church

Mission - who we are as a church and why we exist - the true owner of our church and congregation and what the Board of Trustees is accountable to - Foothills Unitarian unleashes courageous love in Northern Colorado and beyond by embracing our diversity, growing our faith, and awakening our spirits to the unfolding meaning of this life

Monitoring - Board ensures that the congregation is in compliance with laws, by-laws and Board policies by receiving regular reports from the Senior Minister throughout the church year - reporting will also reflect progress being made on minister's vision interpretation - Board is responsible for assuring all policies are addressed annually

Nested Bowls - author Laura Park’s analogy of how the values, mission and ends (vision) fit together to ground the work of a church and its congregation in shared meaning and purpose

Nominating Committee - elected church members who work closely with the Board to ensure that Board vacancies are effectively filled

Oversight - the Board’s authority to hold the Senior Minister and staff accountable

Policy Book - framework of statements of direction, intention and limitations, developed by the Board, as guidance for the Senior Minister and the operation of the Board in its responsibilities to govern the work of the Church

Policy Governance - our model of governance leadership (based on the work of John Carver, Dan Hotchkiss and Laura Park) that is designed to streamline authority, accountability and mission fulfillment - it distinguishes between “Ends” ( strategic mission goals) and “Means” (operations, staffing and budget) thus empowering the Board of Trustees to focus on vision while trusting Ministry with its implementation

Quorum - the minimum number of members that must be present for official business to be carried out (ex. Board and Congregational voting)

Reasonable Interpretation - a logical, justifiable understanding of a statement or policy that aligns with how a typical person would understand it, avoiding extreme or unlikely views (ex. Senior Minister will make reasonable interpretations of Board policies)

Self-Monitoring - systematic process by which the Board of Trustees evaluates its own performance, compliance and adherence to its established policies in acting as a responsible steward of the congregation and church mission

(UU) Shared Values (adopted June 2024)

Love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values. The values we share include all the following, which we hold as inseparable and deeply interconnected:

Interdependence: We honor the interdependent web of all existence and acknowledge our place in it.
Pluralism: We are all sacred beings, diverse in culture, experience, and theology.
Justice: We work to be diverse multicultural Beloved Communities where all feel welcome and can thrive.
Transformation: We adapt to the changing world.
Generosity: We cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope.
Equity: We declare that every person is inherently worthy and has the right to flourish with dignity, love, and compassion.

Sources of Authority and Accountability - those to whom the board governs on behalf of - these include:

The congregation
Future congregants
The people we serve
The people we serve with (community partners)
Local community
UU faith community and the UUA
The planet

Stakeholder - an individual who has an interest in a decision or activity of the church

Team - groups formed, reporting to and authorized by Ministry

Term - limited period of time someone serves in elected office (Board trustee term is 3 years)

Town Hall - gathering of the congregation to hear about and discuss topics of importance

Trustee - elected church member who is entrusted and responsible for the legal, fiduciary and policy governance of the congregation to ensure the church mission is accomplished

Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) - the central organization for the Unitarian Universalist (UU) religious movement in the United States.

We Are Unitarian Universalists

Values - the transcendent, timeless qualities of our faith, church and congregation that we aspire to embody in all we do

Vision - specific, future-focused decisions and actions that advance our mission to transform lives - the dream and vow our church makes with the universe - church Ends