Motions for AGM

Motions for 2018 Annual General Meeting

The following three motions were moved by the Canadian Unitarian Council Board of Trustees in January 2018. After feedback was received from congregations, the CUC Board has amended motions #2 and #3, shown in underlined bold italics. Download the motions within the AGM information package, or view in this page below.

If you have new delegates, presidents or folks in your congregations who would like to participate on-line (ie not in person in Hamilton), please have them:

· Attend an on-line orientation session in April – dates and registration for orientations are here

· Sign up for the delegates email group, if they are not already a member, by emailing info@cuc.ca with a request to join

Questions about the AGM? Please email executivedirector@cuc.ca.

Download the AGM agenda here.

Download the complete AGM information package here.

MOTION 1: TO AFFIRM NELSON UNITARIAN SPIRITUAL CENTRE, BC AS A NEW MEMBER CONGREGATION OF THE CANADIAN UNITARIAN COUNCIL.

BACKGROUND

1. According to CUC By-law #2: Membership:

2.1.1. A congregation may become a member of the Council with the right to vote upon approval by the Board of a written application. The application shall state that the congregation subscribes to the objects of the Council as set out in its Articles and will abide by its by-laws. It shall include:

2.1.2. A copy of the congregation’s charter or constitution and by-laws including a dissolution clause naming the Council as a beneficiary;

2.1.3. An initial financial contribution to the Council, the amount to be determined by the Board;

2.1.4. A statement of the geographic area to be served;

2.1.5. The mailing address of the congregation;

2.1.6. A list of officers with their mailing addresses.

In addition,

2.1.7. A member shall maintain its standing with the Council through:

2.1.8. Conducting regular open services or meetings;

2.1.9. Maintaining a regularly constituted organization with adequate records of membership, electing officers, and providing for an annual meeting of its members;

2.1.10. Financially supporting the Council with an Annual Program Contribution;

2.1.11. Furnishing the Council with reports and statistics as and when they may be reasonably required by the Council.

2.1.12. A member congregation in good standing shall have the right through delegates to vote at meetings of the Council.

2.1.13. If a member congregation fails to comply with any of these requirements and fails to rectify the default within 30 days after written notice upon calling it to do so, the Board may suspend its right to vote at the meetings of the Council, and such suspension shall continue until the non-compliance is rectified to the satisfaction of the Board.

3. CUC staff Joan Carolyn and Vyda Ng, with minister Rev. Debra Thorne, have been working with NUSC since 2015 on becoming a part of the national Unitarian Universalist community. This work was aided in part by a grant from the Pacific Northwest UU Growth Foundation.

4. The Nelson Unitarian Spiritual Centre having met all requirements to become a member congregation, and having been duly approved by the CUC Board of Trustees,

THE MEMBER CONGREGATIONS OF THE CANADIAN UNITARIAN COUNCIL AFFIRMS THE DECISION OF THE CUC BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO RECOGNIZE NELSON UNITARIAN SPIRITUAL CENTRE AS A FULL MEMBER CONGREGATION OF THE CANADIAN UNITARIAN COUNCIL.

MOTION 2: ANNUAL PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION RATE FOR 2019

BACKGROUND

A. Under its Bylaws the CUC is required to seek delegate approval at each Annual General Meeting (AGM) for a budget including the Annual Program Contribution (APC) to be paid by member congregations to support the work of the CUC.

B. The current method of calculating the APC is a fixed amount per member of each member congregation. Other methods of calculating the APC have been studied in recent years, but an acceptable alternative has not yet been found and further study of alternatives is being planned.

C. At the 2017 AGM, the APC for 2018 was increased for the first time since 2013, from $93 per member to $100 per member. This was approximately equal to an adjustment for inflation over the five years during which no increases were made.

D. The Canadian Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a commonly used index for adjusting budgets for inflation. The CPI varies from province to province. Because the CUC is a national organization, the board is recommending that we use the average Canadian Consumer Price Index for 2017 which is reported by Statistics Canada to be 1.6%.

E. One of the fundamental reasons for increasing the APC in 2018 was to ensure that the CUC was able to provide appropriate compensation for all of its staff. Salary increases to achieve this goal are now being implemented. The recommended increase in APC for 2019 will help ensure that the CUC has sufficient funds to continue appropriate staff compensation and fund programs.

F. Member congregations and individual members of congregations who wish to make additional generous donations to support the work of the CUC are encouraged to do so by contributing to the Friends of the CUC Fund or other CUC funds of their choice.

BE IT RESOLVED THAT

The CUC Annual Program Contribution for 2019 be raised in accordance with the 2017 Canadian Consumer Price Index from Statistics Canada by 1.6% from $100 per member to $101.60 per member.

MOTION 3: APPROVAL OF CUC GOALS AND STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR 2018 - 2019

BACKGROUND

A. Under Bylaw 3.5.3.4 the CUC is required to seek approval at each Annual General Meeting (AGM) for strategic priorities for the coming year.

B. The goals and strategic priorities listed below were developed board and staff in joint face to face meetings in the fall of 2016, approved by delegates at the May 2017 AGM and reviewed and reaffirmed by board and staff at face to face meetings in the fall of 2017.

C. Board and Staff agreed that the goals and strategic priorities should be recommended for approval at the May 2018 AGM to guide: a) the 12 months of staff work, 1 Jan to 31 Dec 2018; and b) the 12 months of board work, 1 Jun 2018 to 31 May 2019.

BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The work of the CUC be guided in 2018-19 by the following goals and strategic priorities:

Goals:

The CUC ensures that it has resources to maintain its own sustainability in order to advance the cost-effective achievement of the following four primary goals:

1. Enhance religious exploration and spiritual growth grounded in the vision, principles, sources, and aspirations of the Canadian Unitarian Universalist (UU) movement;

2. Advance socially responsible actions to live out our vision of interdependence, love, and justice to bring benefit to Canadian and global communities;

3. Build community resilience so our congregations and communities are connected to each other, and thrive organizationally, economically, and socially in a diverse, multi-generational context;

4. Strengthen local, regional, national, and global networks of collaborative and interdependent UU congregations and communities.

Strategic Priorities:

Within these goals, the Board recommends the following strategic priorities for 2018-2019:

A. Ensure sustainable revenue generation to continue the work of building vital Unitarian communities;

B. Optimize communications capabilities so that they are flexible, robust, and effective, with an early focus on the CUC website to make it a useful and appealing communications tool for both members and visitors;

C. Advance social justice initiatives, including truth, healing, and reconciliation amongst indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians;

D. Encourage innovation and sustainability in the growth and development of UU communities, including youth and young adults as they strive to foster a just and sustainable world and to enrich the spiritual lives of their members.