In 2008, the church voted to move to a programmatic governance style. This means that our board has at-large members who engage in mission and vision work, and empower committee decision-making. This structure is based on the leadership style described in Dan Hotchkiss’ Governance and Ministry: Rethinking Board Leadership.

Our Board sees governance as its job; it aspires to act as chief steward of the congregation’s human and material resources to ensure that UUCV serves its mission. Loosely quoting Hotchkiss: By “not doing day-to-day management, the board fills meetings with ‘a rich diet’ of discernment work, community learning and reflecting on ‘open questions’ that sit just past the horizon.”

The most important business is placed early on the agenda. Other than Minutes, other routine items requiring Board action are designated as Consent Items so that the board focus can be on longer-term work, discernment, strategy and oversight.
As is our practice when we serve, whether as committee member, committee chair, coordinator or member of the Board, we follow our Leadership Covenant, wherein:

“We promise to listen and consider all viewpoints with an open mind and to make decisions within accepted democratic processes. Once a decision has been made, we go forward together, because the integrity of the process is more important than any single decision.”