Purpose of the Program Council

The Program Council
Statement of Purpose
February 25, 2010, rev. 5/19/11

UUSS by-laws state that: “The purpose of the Program Council is to care for day-to-day and
month-to-month congregational life and member program implementation.”

The OBJECTIVE of the Program Council is to support the life and vitality of the congregation through support, coordination and development of programs.

MEMBERS of the Program Council are seven UUSS members elected by the congregation for staggered two-year terms, plus two people appointed by the Board of Trustees from among their membership. Traditionally members of the Council may succeed themselves for one additional term.

DUTIES OF MEMBERS of the Program Council: The council meets monthly and traditionally attends an annual multi-day retreat. Individual members also act as liaisons to one or more committees so that each committee is represented by a member of the Program Council.

RESPONSIBILITIES of the Program Council: Legal, fiscal, physical and administrative issues remain the responsibility of the Board of Trustees; the program Council has the following specific responsibilities:

1. Oversee and coordinate all church based committees and activity groups which report to it
2. Review and approve or reject requests from outside co-sponsored groups (Note: this responsibility might need to be shared with the Board or given to the Board entirely if it has budget or legal implications.)
3. Develop programs: Nurture the development of new programs, identify needs, recruit chairs, help with charters, monitor and evaluate programs that fall within its province
4. Sanction new committees and dissolve ones that are not needed or inactive and fall within its province
5. Approve charters for committees that fall within its province
6. Maintain accurate list of committee chairs and update relevant brochures
7. Solve problems: Look into problems of overlapping committee functions and ineffective or inactive committees and conflict management for committees that fall within its province
8. Facilitate involvement of members
9. Determine how program budgets will be allocated among committees
10. Maintain church morale: this could include recognizing service, celebrations, community fairs, and so forth
11. Recommend policy to Board of Trustees
12. Train leaders and cultivate leadership