Board Policy

• 1. Ends
• 1.1 Our Mission
• 1.2 Our Guiding Values
• 1.3 Our Bold Vision
• 1.4 Our Sources of Accountability and Authority
• 1.5 Fundamental Expression of the UU Values of Foothills Unitarian Church
• 2. Executive Direction and Limitations
• 2.1 Role of the Senior Minister
• 2.2 Global Delegation to Senior Minister
• 2.2.1 Legal and Ethical Integrity
• 2.2.2 Interpretation of Membership Identity
• 2.2.3 Information Retention and Distribution
• 2.3 Care for People
• 2.3.1 Staff and Volunteer Treatment
• 2.3.2 Congregational Care
• 2.3.3 Grievance and Complaint Resolution
• 2.3.4 Congregational Healing
• 2.4 Care for Material Resources
• 2.4.1 Financial Accountability of the Senior Minister
• 2.4.2 Budget Creation and Oversight
• 2.4.3 Spending and Reserve Limits
• 2.4.4 Contracts, Debt and Investments
• 2.4.5 Fundraising
• 2.4.6 Asset Protection and Insurance
• 2.4.7 Fiscal Agency and Outside Fundraising
• 2.4.8 Financial Transparency and Reporting
• 3.1 Board-Executive Leadership Linkage
• 3.1.1 Board–Senior Minister Relationship
• 3.1.2 Senior Minister Compensation
• 3.2 Board Governance Process
• 3.2.1 Oversight and Accountability
• 3.2.2 Monitoring
• 3.2.3 Evaluation
• 3.2.4 Policy and Bylaws Review and Retention
• 3.2.5 Board Officers
• 3.2.6 Board Committees
• 3.2.7 Board Ethics and Conflict of Interest
• APPENDIX A Foothills Unitarian Church Fundamental Expression of UU Religious Values
• Core Theological Foundation
• Theological Articulation of Essential Religious Practices
• Religious Authority and Constitutional Protection
• APPENDIX B COMMITTEE CHARTERS
• APPENDIX C BOARD LINKS
• APPENDIX D GLOSSARY OF TERMS

1. Ends

1.1 Our Mission

Approved by the Congregation 10-16-2016

Foothills Unitarian Church 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.

1.2 Our Guiding Values

Approved by the Congregation 12-20-2018

• Joyful Resilience

• Collective Courage

• Deepening Belonging

• Transcendent Wonder

1.3 Our Bold Vision

Approved by the Congregation 12-20-2018

We, the members of Foothills Unitarian Church, commit to create and sustain a healthy, vibrant religious community where:

1. Foothills is a vital part of the lives of its people, providing abundant opportunities for relationships across differences that provide joy, care, and belonging for all.

2. We are committed to a path of lifelong spiritual deepening that allows us to live lives of meaning and purpose in a world that needs our Unitarian Universalism.

3. We understand that being a part of Foothills requires us to give abundantly of our time, and this deepening involvement helps us to identify and grow our individual gifts.

4. We each engage in joyful and generous financial giving that fosters a deep ownership of the impactful work we support.

5. We are committed to recognizing and dismantling prejudice and oppression in all their forms, including within ourselves, allowing us to be more effective and trusted partners to marginalized communities in Northern Colorado and beyond.

6. Foothills is a leader in Northern Colorado in developing sustainable, innovative, intersectional approaches to caring for our earth and its people to ensure a greater flourishing of all life.

7. We do the work to make Unitarian Universalism accessible to all in Northern Colorado.

 

1.4 Our Sources of Accountability and Authority

We understand our sources of accountability and authority to include the following categories:

1. Our Congregation

2. Future congregants

3. The Unitarian Universalist faith, including other UU Congregations and the Association

4. People we serve (beyond our Congregation)

5. People we serve with (our community partners)

6. Local community

7. Planet

 

1.5 Fundamental Expression of the UU Values of Foothills Unitarian Church

On behalf of the Foothills Unitarian Church congregation, we proclaim that our principles and values unequivocally commit our faith to comprehensive ministry encompassing human dignity, liberation, and flourishing as divine mandates flowing from our core theological convictions. These practices are not separate from our faith—they ARE our faith in action.

Core Theological Foundation

Our religious practice flows directly from fundamental convictions established through 130 years of faithful witness:

• Sacred Axiom: Every person possesses inviolable worth regardless of any human-constructed category, making radical inclusion, protection of the vulnerable, and resistance to oppression religious imperatives binding on our covenantal community.
• Religious Authority: Our faith draws from sacred sources commanding love of stranger, celebration of diversity, and resistance to unjust authority—including Jewish/Christian teachings, humanist ethics, earth-centered traditions, and progressive revelation through lived experience.
• Covenantal Practice: Through democratic processes spanning decades—Welcoming Congregation (1998), Sanctuary vote (2017), Eighth Principle (2021)—this congregation has formally covenanted to an ongoing practice of our faith within and beyond our walls as a binding religious commitment. 
•  A more specific and detailed theological articulation of Foothills essential religious practices is found in Appendix A of this document.

2. Executive Direction and Limitations

2.1 Role of the Senior Minister

The Senior Minister is the chief executive and spiritual leader of Foothills Unitarian Church, responsible for leading the ministry and managing church operations in alignment with Board-defined Ends and Policies.

Accordingly, the Senior Minister shall:

1. Serve as the head of staff, accountable for staff performance, work environment, and alignment with church values.

2. Lead the ministry team in worship, pastoral care, faith formation, public witness, and programs that embody the Mission and Vision.

3. Act as the public representative of the Congregation to the wider community and denomination.

4. Establish and oversee procedures, operations, and systems to implement Board policy and report regularly to the Board.

5. Ensure ministers and staff act with undivided loyalty to the congregations’s mission.

Confidential pastoral conversations and communications with a minister, held in their professional role, are confidential as a matter of religious discipline. Such communications shall not be disclosed without the informed consent of both minister and the individual who shared the information, in accordance with clergy-penitent privilege.

Ministers are mandatory reporters under Colorado law and will fulfill legal obligations while maintaining pastoral care and discretion to the fullest extent possible.

The Board shall review this definition periodically, upon request, or in conjunction with Bylaws or policy review cycles.

2.2 Global Delegation to Senior Minister

The Board delegates its authority to manage the work and resources of the Church, except as expressly defined by these policies, to the Senior Minister as the Board’s official connection to church operations.

2.2.1 Legal and Ethical Integrity

The Senior Minister shall not cause or allow actions or practices that violate any applicable laws, regulations, or professional codes of conduct, or that compromise the ethical integrity of the church.

Accordingly, the Senior Minister shall not:

1. Fail to ensure compliance with all relevant local, state and federal laws.

2. Fail to adhere to generally accepted accounting and human resources practices.

3. Fail to inform the Board of any civil disobedience undertaken by or on behalf of the Church.

4. Allow professional misconduct by staff, including but not limited to harassment, exploitation, or abuse of power.

2.2.2 Interpretation of Membership Identity

To uphold clarity and consistency in applying the Church ByLaws regarding membership status, the Board delegates authority to the Senior Minister to define the meaning of a “prolonged period of inactivity” as referenced in the ByLaws.

Accordingly:

1. The definition must align with the Church’s mission, reflect reasonable and holistic patterns of congregational life, and avoid surprising reasonable people.

2. The definition must be documented in organizational guidance.

3. The Board shall affirm the definition annually.

 

2.2.3 Information Retention and Distribution

The Senior Minister shall not allow inadequate protection, retention,or access to church records.

Accordingly, the Senior Minister shall not:

1. Fail to preserve essential historical records, nor historical documents related to shared experiences important for congregational health.

2. Restrict member access to relevant documents, except where legally or ethically confidential.

3. Risk loss or misuse of intellectual property, data, or physical records.

4. Lack written procedures for the retention, backup, destruction, and distribution of key records.

5. Interfere with the Board’s authority over its own records or fail to support their stewardship.

2.3 Care for People

2.3.1 Staff and Volunteer Treatment

With respect to staff and volunteers, the Senior Minister shall not allow conditions that are inhumane, unfair, unsafe, or unprofessional, or that fail to uphold principles of anti-racism, anti-oppression, inclusion, or equity.

Accordingly, the Senior Minister shall not:

1. Operate without a clear and accessible grievance process for staff.

2. Allow employment practices that compromise minister–congregant boundaries.

3. Offer employment contracts that circumvent Colorado's at-will standard without Board approval.

4. Set or manage compensation in ways that are misaligned with UUA guidelines.

5. Allow conflicts of interest to go unreported or unresolved.

6. Operate without written and communicated personnel policies that clarify staff expectations and grievance procedures.

7. Operate without documented role descriptions or guidance for volunteers in leadership roles.

8. Fail to provide leadership development opportunities to interested members in a variety of roles appropriate to living out our mission, values and vision.

2.3.2 Congregational Care

With respect to members and guests, the Senior Minister shall not allow environments -- on site or online -- that are unsafe, exclusionary, inaccessible, or lacking in accountability and care, nor fail to consider long-term spiritual development and engagement, prevention of misconduct, and pathways for healing when harm occurs.

Accordingly, the Senior Minister shall not:

1. Neglect emergency preparedness and response procedures, safety protocols, accessibility, or substance use policies.

2. Allow work with children or vulnerable adults without proper screening and training.

3. Withhold clear processes for voicing concerns, including whistleblower protections and appropriate escalation to the Board.

4. Compromise privacy or personal data without consent.

5. Fail to report major safety, misconduct, or care-related concerns to the Board.

6. Fail to maintain accurate membership rolls in alignment with Bylaws and report annual membership to the UUA.

2.3.3 Grievance and Complaint Resolution

The Senior Minister shall not fail to provide systems for resolving grievances and complaints by staff or members, in a fair, timely, and transparent manner, nor fail to uphold accountability through proper escalation.

Accordingly, the Senior Minister shall not:

1. Obstruct members or staff from escalating complaints to the Board when:
   a. grievances involve Board policy violations or inadequacy, or
   b. misconduct involves the Senior Minister or a Board member.

2. Fail to inform the Board of significant grievances or misconduct concerns.

3. Fail to support the Board in fulfilling its responsibility to:
   a. review submitted grievances,
   b. investigate misconduct escalations, and
   c. respond appropriately and transparently to those who raise concerns.

2.3.4 Congregational Healing

In the wake of any ministerial, staff, or lay leader misconduct, the Senior Minister tends to the health of the Congregation as a whole through pastoral work informed by principles of restorative justice, honesty, transparency, compassion, respect, and personal responsibility. If the misconduct involves the Senior Minister, the Board can enlist outside support.

2.4 Care for Material Resources

2.4.1 Financial Accountability of the Senior Minister

The Senior Minister is accountable for the organization’s financial performance and condition. This includes the planning, budgeting, and prudent management of the Church’s financial and material assets. The Senior Minister shall:

• Ensure that financial practices are fiscally, socially, and environmentally responsible,

• Comply with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP)

• Prevent material deviation* from the Board-approved budget or unauthorized use of designated funds

• Maintain sufficient internal controls to safeguard assets and limit financial risk

• Review monthly financial statements 

• At least once every five years, the Senior Minister engages qualified professionals to review the Church’s financial records and processes.

*Material deviation includes any change big enough to affect the church’s financial health or strategic direction. 

2.4.2 Budget Creation and Oversight

2.4.2.1 Operating Budget

Each fiscal year, the Senior Minister shall propose an operating budget to the Board that is aligned with the church’s Vision Interpretation. The Board affirms the proposed budget before it is presented for a congregational vote.

The budget must:

• Reflect anticipated income and expenses

• Demonstrate sustainable use of resources

• Align with policy and strategic direction

2.4.2.2 Staff Compensation

The Senior Minister holds authority for staff compensation within the total amount allocated in the congregationally approved budget. Any proposed increase to the total staff compensation budget outside of budgeted limits must be approved by the Board. 

2.4.3 Spending and Reserve Limits

2.4.3.1 Spending Authority

The Senior Minister is responsible for all spending and account management. They may delegate authority to staff while retaining overall accountability.

• Deviations from the budget exceeding $50,000 must be reported to the Board. 

• Any deviation from the budget exceeding $100,000 requires prior Board approval.
  
  

2.4.3.2 Operating Reserves & Endowment Fund

The Senior Minister shall maintain unrestricted cash reserves equivalent to a minimum of two months of operating expenses. If reserves fall below this threshold, the Senior Minister will notify the Board and propose a corrective plan.

The Senior Minister is responsible for soliciting, accepting, managing, and disbursing contributions of cash, securities, and other tangible resources to build an Endowment Fund in support of the Mission, Vision, and Values of the Congregation. 

The Endowment Fund is only invested in the UU Common Endowment Fund, with its professional asset management guided by UU socially responsible investment goals. 

The Senior Minister cannot spend the principal (contributions) to the Endowment Fund without Board approval. 

2.4.4 Contracts, Debt and Investments

2.4.4.1 Contracts

• The Senior Minister may delegate authority to staff to sign contracts up to $25,000.

• The Senior Minister may enter into contracts up to $100,000 or up to two years in length.

• Contracts exceeding $100,000 or longer than two years require Board approval.

2.4.4.2 Debt

• Board approval is required for the refinancing of existing debt.

• The congregation must approve any new debt that will be retained beyond a single fiscal year. 

2.4.5 Fundraising

The Senior Minister must ensure fundraising activities occur to secure sufficient financial support from Foothills’ participants and members to fund the budget of the Church.

The Senior Minister may also seek other financial resources such as grants or donations from individuals or organizations outside of the Church that further the Mission, Values and Vision and align with the Church’s non-profit status.

The Board must initiate capital campaigns to finance major needs such as a building project, a major repair project, or to grow the Endowment Fund. The Senior Minister is responsible for executing and managing such campaigns in alignment with strategic goals.

2.4.6 Asset Protection and Insurance

The Senior Minister shall take all reasonable care to protect the church’s assets from loss, damage, or misuse. This includes, but is not limited to: 

• Adequate insurance to protect against property losses, liability for injuries to others, corporate liability, personal liability of Board members and staff. 

2.4.7 Fiscal Agency and Outside Fundraising

The Board must approve any arrangement in which Foothills serves as a fiscal agent or sponsor for another organization or fund.

The Senior Minister shall provide:

• A statement of alignment with mission

• Projected resource impact

• Ongoing oversight and reporting of fund use

2.4.8 Financial Transparency and Reporting

The Senior Minister will ensure that financial records are accurate, timely, and accessible to the Board and congregation, excluding personal details or legally protected data. 

The senior minister will:

• Provide comprehensive, quarterly financial reports as defined by the monitoring schedule.

• Ensure that financial records are accurate, timely, and accessible to the Board and congregation (excluding personnel details or legally protected data). 

• Maintain a record retention and destruction guidance

• Ensure secure systems for all financial data

3.1 Board-Executive Leadership Linkage

3.1.1 Board–Senior Minister Relationship

The Board and Senior Minister shall maintain a collaborative, covenantal partnership grounded in trust, mutual accountability, and shared commitment to the Mission, Values, and Vision of Foothills Unitarian Church.

Accordingly:

1. Only decisions of the Board as a whole are binding on the Senior Minister.

2. The Board and Senior Minister jointly engage the congregation to define Mission, Values, and Vision.

3. The Senior Minister annually presents a Vision Interpretation aligned with the Ends, to be approved by the Board prior to budget adoption.

4. The Senior Minister informs the Board of major shifts in operations, staffing, finances, safety, or public visibility.

5. The Board and Senior Minister partner on content and communications related to Congregational meetings.

6. The senior minister may recommend honorary or special covenantal status (such as Community Minister or Minister Emeritus/Emerita) to the Board for approval. These designations affirm a clear covenantal relationship and support ongoing alignment in any continued involvement with the Church and its mission.

7. The Senior Minister provides timely counsel on relevant developments within the denomination, region, and community.

3.1.2 Senior Minister Compensation

The Board shall ensure that the Senior Minister's compensation is fair, competitive, and aligned with UUA salary guidelines.

Accordingly:

1. The Board reviews and determines the Senior Minister's compensation annually in conjunction with the budget process.

2. Compensation decisions shall account for experience, tenure, cost of living, and internal parity.

3.2 Board Governance Process

3.2.1 Oversight and Accountability

The Board holds a fiduciary role and is legally responsible for the well-being and long-term future of Foothills Unitarian Church. It ensures that the Church's people and property serve its Mission, Values, and Vision.

Accordingly, the Board:

1. Articulates and affirms the Church's Mission, Values, and Vision as the foundation for all ministry.

2. Governs through policy by articulating high-level direction and guardrails to the Senior Minister.

3. Monitors policy compliance and evaluates the Senior Minister's execution of Board-defined Ends.

4. Links to the future by maintaining relationships with the Church's sources of authority and accountability.

5. Makes decisions in exceptional circumstances, including:
   a. Complaints related to Board policy
   b. Grievances or misconduct involving the Senior Minister
   c. Variances from or exceptions to Board policy
   d. Senior Minister compensation decisions
   e. Capital campaign approval
   f. Large purchases or significant budget deviations

6. Convenes Congregational Meetings as required by the Bylaws for elections, business, and special topics.

3.2.2 Monitoring

1. The Board monitors policy compliance through a variety of methods, including regular internal reports from the Senior Minister, per the Board's monitoring calendar.

2. The Board may appoint Ad hoc Committees or external consultants to investigate specific areas of policy compliance or concern.

3. The Senior Minister provides: 
   a. Quarterly financial reports
   b. Annual programmatic updates on the Vision Interpretation
   c. Annual internal financial reviews in years without an external audit
   d. External financial and HR reviews at least every five years

3.2.3 Evaluation

1. The Board and Senior Minister conduct an annual mutual review of their partnership and respective roles.

2. The Board evaluates the Senior Minister's annual performance against the Vision Interpretation.

3. Every three years, the Board initiates a comprehensive Senior Minister review through a mutually agreed Ad hoc Review Committee.

4. The Board conducts an annual self-evaluation of its performance and compliance with its own policies.

5. Committees conduct annual self-evaluations, with Ad hoc Committees completing evaluations at conclusion.

3.2.4 Policy and Bylaws Review and Retention

1. The Board reviews its policies and Church Bylaws at least every five years to ensure alignment with the Church's Mission and ministry.

2. Policy changes typically originate within the Board but may be suggested by members, staff, or committees.

3. The Board partners with the Policy Committee to research, draft, and revise proposed updates.

4. Revised policies are published annually, and the Board communicates changes to affected stakeholders.

5. The Board manages the creation, editing, retention, and distribution of Board documents.

6. The Board maintains and keeps current a Board of Trustees Handbook of procedures and practices to support effective operation as a Board.

3.2.5 Board Officers

The Board Officers are responsible for facilitating effective governance.

These positions are as follows:

1. The Board President:

   • Speaks on behalf of the Board.

   • Prepares agendas and facilitates or delegates facilitation of Board meetings.

   • Ensures Board focus on strategic and fiduciary responsibilities.

   • Collaborates closely with the Senior Minister to support shared leadership.

   • Calls and manages Congregational Meetings.

2. The President-Elect:

   • Serves in years when succession planning is in place.

   • Prepares to assume the President role.

   • Substitutes for the President as needed.

3. The Vice President:

   • Serves when there is no President-Elect.

   • Is selected by the Board for a one-year term.

   • Substitutes for the President as needed.

4. The Treasurer:

   • Supports Board financial oversight in collaboration with the Senior Minister.

   • Ensures timely availability and review of financial reports.

   • Plays no direct role in operational financial management.

5. The Secretary:

   • Ensures accuracy and accessibility of Board records, minutes, and governing documents.

   • Works with staff to maintain transparency and public availability of Board materials.

 

3.2.6 Board Committees

The Board may form committees to support its governance responsibilities. Committees exist to strengthen the Board's work, not to direct operations.

Accordingly:

1. Committees operate under Board-approved charters and may include:

   • Nominating Committee (required by Bylaws)

   • Policy Committee

   • Linkage Committee

   • Ad hoc Committees for specific, time-limited purposes

2. Committee membership:

   • Policy and Linkage members are appointed by the Board.

   • Nominating members include three elected by the Congregation and one Board-appointed member.

3. Committees may not:

   • Act on behalf of the Board unless explicitly authorized.

   • Intervene in Senior Minister or staff operations.

   • Exercise management authority.

4. Each committee:

   • Conducts an annual self-evaluation (Ad hoc Committees evaluate at conclusion).

   • Operates within clearly defined objectives, timeframes, and limitations.

3.2.7 Board Ethics and Conflict of Interest

Board members are expected to act ethically, professionally, and in the best interest of the Congregation.

Accordingly, Board members shall:

1. Disclose any real or perceived personal, financial, or relational conflicts of interest.

2. Refrain from participating in decisions where a conflict exists.

3. Avoid internal conflicts—e.g., familial partners may not serve simultaneously.

4. Address violations of conduct or conflict policies promptly, prioritizing Congregational well-being and individual dignity.

APPENDIX A Foothills Unitarian Church Fundamental Expression of UU Religious Values

Core Theological Foundation

Our religious practice flows directly from fundamental convictions established through 130 years of faithful witness:

Sacred Axiom: Every person possesses inviolable worth regardless of any human-constructed category, making radical inclusion, protection of the vulnerable, and resistance to oppression religious imperatives binding on our covenantal community.

Religious Authority: Our faith draws from sacred sources commanding love of stranger, celebration of diversity, and resistance to unjust authority—including Jewish/Christian teachings, humanist ethics, earth-centered traditions, and progressive revelation through lived experience.

Covenantal Practice: Through democratic processes spanning decades—Welcoming Congregation (1998), Sanctuary vote (2017), Eighth Principle (2021)—this congregation has formally covenanted to an ongoing practice of our faith within and beyond our walls as a binding religious commitment. 

Theological Articulation of Essential Religious Practices

Bodily Autonomy as Sacred Trust

Our theological understanding holds that each person's body is sacred territory. This sacred trust cannot be violated by governmental interference without violating fundamental religious principles:

• Reproductive Justice: We hold as religious doctrine that reproductive decisions—including abortion healthcare—are sacred acts of moral agency exercised in covenant with the divine. Government restriction of reproductive choice violates our religious belief that individuals possess sacred authority over their own spiritual and physical being.

• Gender-Affirming Care: Our theology affirms that authentic gender identity reflects divine creativity and that gender-affirming healthcare constitutes essential care supporting spiritual wholeness. Denying such care violates our religious conviction that suppressing authentic identity damages the sacred self.

• Healthcare Privacy: We believe healthcare decisions constitute sacred dialogue between individual conscience, divine calling, and trusted healers. Government intrusion into this holy space violates the sanctity of personal spiritual discernment.

• Comprehensive Sexuality Education: Our faith requires providing comprehensive, inclusive sexuality education as essential religious practice that honors the sacred nature of human sexuality and relationships. We hold as religious doctrine that young people deserve honest, medically accurate information about their bodies, relationships, and sexuality as part of their spiritual formation and development into whole, healthy individuals. Restricting such education violates our theological commitment to truth-telling and our religious obligation to support youth in understanding their sacred embodiment.

• Parental Religious Authority: Our faith affirms parents' sacred responsibility and religious authority to access healthcare for their children based on theological conviction and spiritual discernment, free from governmental interference in family covenant relationships.

Radical Hospitality as Imperative

Our theology commands unconditional welcome of the stranger as fundamental religious practice rooted in sacred text and progressive revelation:

• Sanctuary Ministry: We hold as religious doctrine that providing sanctuary to those fleeing persecution fulfills our covenant obligation to "love the stranger as yourself." Our sanctuary practice constitutes essential not optional charity.

• Immigration Accompaniment: Our faith requires active resistance to systems that dehumanize immigrants, understanding such accompaniment as fulfillment of our religious calling to protect divine image in every person.

• Civil Disobedience: When immigration enforcement conflicts with our religious obligation to provide sanctuary, our theology invites faithful disobedience as expression of our sacred values. 

Sacred Relationships as Divine Celebration

Our theological understanding affirms that love in all its authentic expressions reflects inherent dignity, divine creativity and demands religious celebration:

• Marriage Equality: We hold as religious doctrine that sacred relationships honor inherent worth and dignity regardless of gender identity, or relationship structures. Our faith compels us to consecrate and recognize all relationship structures that embody mutual love, commitment, and spiritual growth.

• LGBTQ+ Affirmation: Our theology celebrates diverse sexual orientations and gender identities as beautiful manifestations of divine creativity. Suppressing such authenticity violates our religious belief in the sacred nature of authentic self-expression.

• Ceremonial Authority: Our ministerial practice includes religious freedom to perform blessing ceremonies for all couples whose relationships embody love, commitment, and spiritual partnership, exercising our congregational authority to define sacred relationships within our faith community.

Religious Authority and Constitutional Protection

Mission Clarity: Through active community discernment, we articulate our evolving understanding of mission through theologically grounded statements that reflect our ongoing revelation of divine will and calling. Our congregation exists to serve our religious mission of creating beloved community through radical inclusion, protection of the vulnerable, and liberation of the oppressed—a mission that deepens and expands as our theological understanding grows through lived experience, spiritual practice, and prophetic witness. Every space, every activity, every interaction serves this sacred purpose as theological reality revealed through our covenant community's discernment process, not political statement or secular social work.

These theological convictions constitute a partial accounting of the ongoing revelation of our religious practice. They are central to our congregational identity, ministerial authority, and theological integrity. Through our religious authority as a covenant congregation, we declare these practices essential expressions of our faith and protected under constitutional rights to free exercise of our religious values. 

APPENDIX B COMMITTEE CHARTERS

APPENDIX C BOARD LINKS

APPENDIX D GLOSSARY OF TERMS