Nominations for 2010 Elections & UU of the Year

Unitarian of the Year Award

The Unitarian of the Year award is selected by the Nominating Committee and is given to a member of our Congregation for significant contributions to the community of First Unitarian Church of Omaha. The Unitarian of the Year award will be presented at Annual Congregational Membership Meeting on May 16th.

To suggest individuals for this award, just email nominations@firstuuomaha.org or contact any member of the Nominations Committee: Tim Duggan, Kay Lynn Goldner, Bruce Godfrey, Lana Hammel, and Lynette Ryder.  Marie Sedlacek (convener)

Elected Positions

The Nominating Committee is looking for members who want to share their leadership skills with the Congregation by serving in elected positions. Your gift of time and talent will be a valuable contribution to the future of your Church and Congregation.  In return, you will experience, in a very personal way, the meaning of the Church and its important place in the life of the members and the community at large. You will forge new relationships and develop as a leader.

We are seeking input for elected positions for the Church year that will begin in May 2010 . Our task under the Church by-laws is to present a slate of candidates for all elected positions in the Church. The election will be held at our Annual Congregational Meeting on May 16, 2010.You will find all our our governing documents along with information about our Congregational meetings and a list of the current incumbents on our Board of Trustees page.

In addition, our Church is currently reviewing a change in our governance process and you will find more information about this work on the Governance Task Force page. Because of the work of the GTF, the Minister & Staff and the Board of Trustees; some of our leadership job descriptions are changing.  We think for the better. The position of President-elect / President will become a 2-year term instead of our current 3-year term of President-elect / President / Past-president.  The Board of Trustees will have fewer members and will focus primarily on the long-term vision, mission and well being of our Congregation

Volunteer or Suggest

You can help our Nominating Committee by volunteering or by suggesting individuals that you believe would make good candidates for our elected positions. Membership in First Unitarian Church of Omaha with a history of supporting the Church both financially and as a volunteer is required for any position.

To volunteer for any of the positions below or to suggest qualified candidates, just email nominations@firstuuomaha.org or contact any member of the Nominations Committee: Tim Duggan, Kay Lynn Goldner, Bruce Godfrey, Lana Hammel, and Lynette Ryder.  Marie Sedlacek (convener).

To be Elected May 16

President-Elect - 1 member is elected to serve a 2 year term as President-Elect / President.

This is a very respected position in our Congregation.  Although it requires considerable commitment of time and energy, the rewards are incalculable.  Members appreciate your leadership, you will learn many new skills, and your appreciation of our Church and Congregation will deepen.   You will also have the opportunity to formally represent the Congregation at General Assembly and district events.

The president-elect serves on the Board of Trustees, the Board Executive Committee, and prepares to serve as the president in his / her second year.

Under the anticipated new governance structure, the presidential track will still require commitment of time and energy. You should expect to spend more than the 10-14 hours a month expected of a regular Board member. 

The presidential position compliments and works in cooperation with the minister. Aside from the necessary communication and managerial skills; the president needs the broad perspective to lead the Board as it focuses on the long-term vision and mission of our Congregation. 

The Board of Trustees - 2 members will be elected to serve 3 years terms as a Board Member.

Our Board of Trustees and our Ministry Team work together in partnership to serve the mission of the Church.  Board members will be focusing primarily on the long-term vision, mission, and well being of our Congregation, not on administrative detail.  This is a departure from the work of previous Boards. The day-to-day management of the Church will be the responsibility of the Ministry Team. The Board provides the Ministry Team with the goals that it needs to guide its work and also monitors and evaluates its performance.

Board members should honor and respect confidentiality, work cooperatively, put the interests of the Church’s mission ahead of personal interests or the interests of any constituency, and be willing and able to regularly engage in formal and informal conversations with Congregation members and participate in Church activities.

A normal month will require approximately 10–14 hours of active work.  You will need to prepare for and attend regular monthly board meetings (currently held on the second Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.).  Additionally, you will be required to attend training as a board member (normally ½ weekend day early in each Church year) and to attend the Board’s annual planning retreat (normally 1 ½ weekend days).  From time to time you will also serve on ad hoc Board Committees exploring special topics.

Trustees of the Capital Trust - 1 member will be elected to serve a 3-year term as a Trustee.

The Capital Trust was established to hold and invest certain funds of the Church.  You will monitor investments and make investment decisions within the guidelines established by the trust.  The Trustees provide reports to the Board of Trustees and the Congregation.

The Nominating Committee
     2 members will be elected to serve 3-year terms on the committee.
     1 member will be elected to complete an un-expired term ending in 2012.

As a member of this committee you will become familiar with the members of the Congregation and the leadership goals so that you can effectively recruit officers.  You will interview members of the Congregation as part of the process to select a slate of officers for election at the Annual meeting. You should expect to participate in leadership growth activities and in decision making processes in-person and electronically.

 

Updated Mar 9, 2010 wfr