Board and Committees
The Unitarian Congregation of Guelph is governed by a board of directors elected at the Annual General Meeting in May of each year.
UCG Shared Ministry
“We shall be known by the company we keep. by the ones who circle round to tend these fires.”
The Unitarian Congregation of Guelph is a shared Ministry. We acknowledge the contributions and leadership of our staff and members, in this shared cooperative community. Shared ministry lives out the affirmation that all people are called to ministry. As members of a faith community, we are invited to serve together in a spirit of mutuality as partners.
Board of Directors: Responsible for the fiscal, policy, vision and governance of our congregation. Combining big picture thinking with focus on upholding the overall vision for the congregation, the board is a reflection of the congregation, and meets monthly. President: Linda Reith
Radical Inclusion Committee: Radical Inclusion Committee members greet people at the door, track attendance, and help people feel at home at UCG. For more information, please contact Holly at admin@guelph-unitarians.com
2023 Board of Directors
Co-Presidents: Helen Prinold and Margriet van Haren
Secretary: Helen Prinold
Treasurer: Wanda Gordon
Members at large: Carey McDonald and Linda Reith
Left to Right: Carey McDonald (Member at Large), Helen Prinold (Secretary), Wanda Gordon (Treasurer), Forrest Smith (Vice President) and Linda Reith (President)
New Member Classes/Meetings: Interested in becoming a member of UCG?? Interested in learning more about UCG and Unitarian Universalism? New to the congregation and looking to find out what is happening or how to plug in? Reach out to Holly at Admin@guelph-unitarians.com
Potluck Dinners: A rich space for connection over food.
Please email Holly at admin@guelph-unitarians.com for the Zoom link.
Peer to Peer Spiritual Care Team: The function of the Peer to Peer Spiritual Care Team is to grow capacity for community, and to spiritually companion one another through the joys and sorrows of life. This role is specific to holding space, presence, listen and ask powerful questions, that invites and engages congregants to look within and explore their thoughts, feelings and truth, as they journey through life. To receive Peer Spiritual Care please email Rein Jackson and Carey McDonald at: Admin@guelph-unitarians.com
Lay Chaplain/Celebrant Team: Canadian Unitarian Council’s lay chaplaincy program trains and supports carefully chosen lay members of Unitarian Universalist congregations to create and perform rites of passage (weddings, funeral and memorial services, child dedications, and others) for the general public and for Unitarian Universalists in congregations without ministers.
Sunday Services Team: is responsible for making sure meaningful and inspiring services roll out each Sunday at 11:00. We do this by recruiting, training and supporting a talented cadre of volunteers including service leading teams, zoom moderators, video editors, camera technicians and greeters. Each service arises from the creative synergy of these amazing minds and hearts. Carey McDonald and Hannah Schell.
sundayservices@guelph-unitarians.com
Property and Environment Team: maintains and enhances the Unitarian Congregation of Guelph’s building and grounds, making the property an inviting and safe environment with minimal environmental footprint. It also contributes to environmental awareness where possible.
Lead: Helen Prinold
Finance / Stewardship Team: Tending the financial wellness of our congregation, this team is responsible for the yearly pledge drive. This team communicates, implements, operationalizes re contributions/pledging. We work to ensure financial independence and sustainability, solvency.
Dream Auction: Each year this fun’raiser brings community, connection and loads of fun, as we bid on items donated by community members.
Lead: Holly Jones
Many of our community members are involved in Social Justice initiatives, and it is likely that you will see Unitarian Universalists out at marches, rallies and within the community working toward equity and inclusion.
Cultivating Liberating congregational culture: For 2022, we are deepening our commitment as a congregation by looking at our community culture, as it relates to white supremacy/racism and the conscious and unconscious oppression of another. We commit to consciously show up in a way that encourages an environment of inclusion, liberation, equity and welcoming, growing our capacity to celebrate folks of all ethnicities, ages, ability races, economic circumstances, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Bridge to Guelph: A group of UCG members are actively involved in the Bridge to Guelph project, with sponsorship of another family that just arrived March 2021.
If you are interested in getting involved with Bridge to Guelph please visit: Bridge to Guelph | Community & Unitarians Sponsoring Refugees (wordpress.com)
Child Haven: Child Haven is an organization we support through a soup fundraiser and also through organizing attendance at their yearly events.
For more information, please visit: Child Haven International
Welcoming Congregation: The Unitarian Congregation of Guelph is a certified Welcoming congregation. We have worked hard to make sure lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people are celebrated as a part of our diverse community. While this program originated to support the inclusion and celebration of our rainbow community, we also acknowledge the oppression that exists based on race, economic circumstances, age, ability, gender and strive to act in ways that connect and celebrate. Being welcoming means striving for radical inclusion, and creating spaces that honor every part of our identities, backgrounds, and experiences.
To learn more about this initiative, please visit: Welcoming Congregations Program | UUA.org
Click here to download the UCG Bylaws which were approved at the May 28, 2015 Annual General Meeting.
