Committee on Ministry -- An Overview
• Who are we?
The Committee on Ministry (COM) is comprised of six Fellowship members, with rotating three-year memberships. We are elected at the annual congregational meeting. COM members make a commitment to take a holistic view of the congregation and not be biased by friendships or any individual or group interests.
• What do we do?
The COM works to encourage direct and constructive communication among MUF members and friends, the minister, and the staff. We believe that this helps our congregation to fulfill its mission effectively and
enhance its ministries. COM strives to offer guidance towards redemptive resolution of concerns and conflicts among MUF congregants
• When do we do this?
The COM meets on most months with the minister to discuss the health and wellbeing of the congregation and its ministries. Any congregant may contact any COM member for assistance in addressing a concern.
• Where do we do this?
To ensure privacy and confidentiality, the COM meets at a COM member’s home. Congregants can talk with COM members at the Fellowship before and after Fellowship activities, or they can call COM members at home.
• Why do we do this?
Unitarian Universalists are a group of individuals from a range of backgrounds and experiences. Sometimes we have differences in what we believe and how we act on our beliefs. Misunderstandings and grievances are inevitable in human interactions. However, we must continue to work together to accomplish our mission and ministries.
• How do we do this?
COM members visit MUF committees, board meetings, and network meetings as neutral observers to listen and see them in action. We celebrate their strengths in interactions and may make recommendations to support more effective relationships.
We meet and talk with the minister, staff and lay leadership. We may arrange meetings between individual congregants or committees who are in
conflict and assist in opening dialogue between them.
We may organize “town meetings” to provide a format for all members to discuss a particular issue that concerns a group of congregants and provide the opportunity to listen respectfully to differing
viewpoints.
To ensure privacy, all COM meetings and discussions are confidential. Our goal is not to solve problems, but to establish an atmosphere of “right relations” in which everyone can resolve conflicts in a respectful and productive manner.