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TRANSCRIPT
LAY LEADERSHIP ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDE
2014 – 2015
FacilitiesScheduling
Check the Facility Scheduler at http://unitytemple.mhsoftware.com/ for available space in Unity Temple, Unity House, Gale House or our administrative offices. Use the Add Event link at the top of the page. (this link can also be accessed through the UTUUC website using the Leaders link on the left navigation bar. The webpage is http://www.unitytemple.org/news-resources/leader-resources )
Fill out form completely. Be certain to provide a contact person and email address. Use the Description section for any special notes or requests. (ex: needing Sexton help)Once submitted, your reservation will be processed within 2-3 business days.
You will receive an email letting you know whether your event has been approved or denied.
Important Note :: Your reservation is not official until you receive a confirmation email that your event has been approved and your event appears on the calendar. Do not make any plans for a certain date until you receive this email. A time may appear available on the calendar but there could be a pending reservation already in the system. We approve reservations on a first come, first served basis.
Sextons For larger events and activities, it is best to schedule a sexton to assist with opening/closing, set-up/clean-up, and other needs. To schedule a sexton, contact Elizabeth Plummer as soon as possible, but no later than one month prior to your event. We will make every effort to accommodate this request. However, on occasion, none of our sextons are able to work due to other commitments.
Facility Access If you need door access and alarm codes in order to enter our facilities when they are not otherwise open, please contact Elizabeth Plummer or Tina Lewis. If you already have access codes, please do not distribute them to anyone else. To ensure our collective safety, we ask that you refer anyone who needs a code to Elizabeth or Tina.
Unity Temple is open for tours conducted by the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust (FLWT) during the following hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri from 9am – 3pm, Thursday from 9am – 9pm and Saturday from 9am – 1pm. These dates and times are subject to change.
Important Note :: The staff and volunteers of the FLWT will never know all of the members of UTUUC. If you need to conduct business on behalf of the congregation during FLWT tour hours, please first introduce yourself to the staff and volunteers at their front
desk before fully entering the building. This helps to keep lines of communications open and our relationship healthy.
Unity Temple is open for services on Sunday at 9am and 10:45am from September – June and open for one service at 9am from June – August. (dates vary) The building will be open additional hours as scheduled.
Important Note :: The Village of Oak Park charges UTUUC $200.00 for every false alarm at Unity Temple. If you have the door access code, but do not have an alarm code and are not certain the building is unalarmed, then please do not enter the building. If you accidently set off the alarm, do not leave. Stay to speak with the police department when they arrive and explain the situation.
Event Logistics
We highly encourage the use of the recommendations developed by the Green Sanctuary Committee on “How to Host an Eco-Friendly Event at Unity Temple” (attached to this guide). It is full of great suggestions for your Event.
Please clearly label all food stored in the kitchen, refrigerators, and freezer. Labels are provided for your use on the refrigerator door. Disposal of unlabeled food occurs regularly.
Kitchen supplies (silverware, dishes, trays, etc.) and linens are for use at UTUUC events only. If you are taking them off-site (for a UTUUC event only), they must be signed out on the log in the kitchen and promptly returned. Linens, if used, must be washed and returned within 48 hours of your event. Please sign them out when taking them home to wash so that they can be located if necessary. If you use dishes and silverware, you must wash them. The dishwasher is easy to use and instructions for use are provided directly above the dishwasher.
Tables and chairs are not to be removed from our buildings. Return all tables and chairs to their appropriate storage areas after use. Thoroughly clean all tables and chairs before putting away.
Clean and straighten the kitchen. Do not leave food on the counters. Empty the garbage and compost so waste does not sit in the kitchen overnight. You are responsible for leaving the space you use in the manner that you found it or even better than you found it. (we need to reduce any temptations for the 4 and 8 legged creatures who want to take up residence at Unity Temple.)
If you become aware of cleanliness, maintenance or repair needs during your use of our facilities, please notify Elizabeth Plummer as soon as possible.
Because Unity Temple and Unity House is an Architectural & Historical treasure: No decoration can be taped, stapled, tacked, nailed or glued to any surface in the building; Neither beverages nor food are permitted in the Sanctuary or any space other than the kitchen, Unity
House, the foyer and the terraces; Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the building or on the premises, including the terraces and grounds; Candles are permitted, but must be enclosed, with adequate drip protection; Floral arrangements are permitted with adequate drip protection.
Any events where the service of an outside vendor is required, the vendor must provide liability insurance coverage. Certificates of Insurance (COI) must be submitted to Tracy Zurawski or Elizabeth Plummer and must name UTUUC as “Additionally Insured.” At a minimum, COI must include, but is not limited to, general liability (minimum coverage of $1,000,000), automobile liability (owned or hired; minimum coverage of $500,000), workmen's compensation (minimum coverage of $100,000). Insurance documents must be submitted to the UTUUC office at least two (2) weeks prior to your event.
Important Note :: Our rental policy states: If any organization would like to have an event at Unity Temple which will benefit the congregation, build community, and will be sponsored by a current committee then the event can be held at little to no charge. (Sponsored = planning, preparation and promotion, set up/break down, attend and be responsible for the event) However, if an organization would like to have an event at Unity Temple and there is not a committee willing to sponsor the event then the event needs to be overseen by our Rental Manager.
The care and cleanliness of our facilities is a community responsibility.
CommunicationsPublicityUTUUC only publicizes news, events and activities sponsored or supported by an official social action or committee of the congregation. Given limited space, priority is given to news, events and activities of congregation programs and committees.
Important Note :: Our publications policy states: We will publicize another organization’s event if a ministry team is specifically sponsoring the event, that is, we have leaders anchoring the event and our congregation is helping finance the event. In addition our logo should be on the event’s materials, which would need to be reviewed ahead of time.
It is also a UTUUC policy to include in our publications only those events, activities and announcements sponsored by a recognized committee or program of the congregation. We cannot accommodate submissions that are personal in nature or those of external organizations. If you need more information about a sponsor for your event, activity or announcement, please email [email protected].
The monthly Connections newsletter and the weekly eBeacon will include all publication requests for activities and co-sponsored events of UTUUC ministry teams and committees; submissions may be edited for length. The Sunday morning Order of Service will be up to the discretion of the
editor, with priorities going to activities open to the entire congregation. Verbal announcements are made at the discretion of one of the ministers.
Connections NewsletterThis monthly communications piece includes events and activities for the coming month, as well as news, articles and updates from the board, staff and leadership of the Congregation. The Connections newsletter is now distributed electronically on or around the first of the month. The Connections newsletter is currently password protected and it’s 875Lake! (punctuation required)
Submissions must be no longer than 300 words and are due by 9 a.m. on 20th day of each month. Submissions should be sent using the online Publications Submission form found on the Leader Resources page of www.unitytemple.org or directly to Susie O’Brien.
eBeacon Published weekly, the eBeacon includes news, events and activities of the Congregation. The eBeacon is distributed electronically on Friday morning each week. Submissions should be no longer than 200 words.
Submissions are due by 9 a.m. each Wednesday. Submissions should be sent using the online Publications Submission form found on the Leader Resources page of www.unitytemple.org (bottom of left hand navigation under Leaders) or emailed directly to Susie O’Brien.
Important Note :: Special email announcements outside of the weekly eBeacon are reserved for significant programs and activities of the congregation, and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Elizabeth Plummer if you would like more information on sending a special email announcement.
Sunday Order of ServicePublished weekly, the printed Order of Service includes abbreviated versions (1-2 sentences) of the news and events included in the E-bulletin. Due to space constraints, the printed Order of Service includes only the most recent and pertinent items. The online Publications Submission form allows you to provide a condensed notice for the printed Order of Service; otherwise the office will edit as appropriate. This form can be found at http://www.unitytemple.org/news-resources/leader-resources.
Submissions are due by 9 a.m. each Wednesday. Submissions should be sent using the online Publications Submission form found on the Leader Resources page of www.unitytemple.org.
Important Note :: If you would like an insert to be placed in the Order of Service the inserts must be in the office by Friday at 12:00 p.m. Inserts should be no larger than 8.5” x 5.5” (one half of standard letter paper) and 300 copies should be provided. If you need copies made, please contact Susie O’Brien at [email protected]
WebsiteWe are working to make our website, www.unitytemple.org, more current and up-to-date. Items submitted for the eBeacon and/or Connections Newsletter using the online Publications Submission form will automatically be placed on the calendar and/or in the news sections of the website.
Each official committee and program of the congregation has its own page on the website.
Changes to these pages should be submitted directly to [email protected]. Changes will be made within one week. If you are working on a special project or have other needs that may be accommodated through the website (such as a special event page), please contact the office. We will work to meet your requests if possible.
We are always in need of photos for the website. Please send to the office any photos (high resolution preferred) of events or activities so that we can have them on file. Please provide clear descriptions of the photos and the names of all individuals represented so that we can obtain permission to use them.
Important Note :: For all of our publications, the office reserves the right to edit all publication submissions for length, clarity, and appropriateness.
FundraisingMembers, committees, staff and other groups affiliated with UTUUC must receive approval from the Administrative Team for any effort to raise money and/or in-kind donations with a value of $750 or more from or on behalf of the members and friends of UTUUC.
The Administrative Team will base approval decisions on the input of the Development Team and the administrative staff. Priority consideration will be given to those fundraising efforts that support the general operations of the Congregation, particularly the Annual Fund Drive and the Auction.
This policy has been established to ensure the success of all of UTUUC fundraising efforts. This policy is designed to ensure that efforts to raise money and/or in-kind donations from or on behalf of the members and friends of the congregation: Further the mission and goals of the congregation. Are scheduled throughout the year, with conflicting efforts avoided. Are well-planned and well-executed to achieve success. Have the administrative and communications staff and volunteer support and resources
required to achieve success. Individuals and committees understand and adhere to the financial management and gift
acceptance policies of the congregation. Have established proper safeguards for the protection of funds. Comply with all legal requirements of the congregation based on our tax-exempt status.
Members, committees, staff and other programs who wish to initiate a fundraising effort with a value of $750 or more, should email their proposal to the Administrative Team at [email protected]. Once a fundraising effort has been approved, the Director of Administration and Development will contact the leadership of the committee/team to discuss administrative support.
FinancesThe annual operating budget of the congregation contains an account with funds available for committee/team activities. This account is available to all groups who do not otherwise have dedicated accounts or budgets. Certain committees such as Religious Education, Membership and Faith In Action have separate dedicated accounts or are funded through their program budgets.
In order to access funds from the committee/team account, you must receive approval from your staff liaison. This is done to ensure that funds are available and to accommodate, if possible, expenditures exceeding the original budget amount. Expenditures exceeding the budgeted amount must be approved by the Administrative Team.
Check requests and expense reimbursements should be submitted to the bookkeeper using the Check Request/Expense Reimbursement Form (attached to this guide). A receipt or invoice matching the request amount must be attached to the form. Payments will NOT be processed without sufficient documentation of the expense. Once the form is received, payments will be processed and mailed within 3 business days.
Whenever possible, purchases should be made utilizing our sales tax exemption. Most merchants require that you provide them with a copy of the tax exempt certificate (attached to this guide). Tax exempt certificates are ONLY to be used for the purchase of items directly related to the mission and goals of the congregation. Purchases made for personal benefit using our tax exemption will jeopardize our tax exempt status.
UTUUC financial policies do not allow for petty cash. All purchases must be made using an official check or through reimbursement of documented expenses. If you need to make a purchase but are unable to be reimbursed, contact the Director of Administration and Development or your staff liaison to facilitate the purchase through a congregation credit card.
Contact Information
Ministers and Staff
Rev. Alan Taylor Senior Minister [email protected] x101
Rev. Emily GageMinister of Faith Development
[email protected] 708-848-6225 x103
Rev. Scott Talbot Lewis
Sabbatical Minister of Faith Development
[email protected] x103
Elizabeth PlummerDirector of Administration and Development
[email protected] x100
Tina Lewis Membership Director [email protected] x102
Marty Swisher Music Director [email protected] x109
Tracy ZurawskiBookkeeper and Office Assistant
[email protected] x104
Hilary Klein Administrative Assistant
Susie O’Brien Publications Assistant [email protected] x105
Lori RadderFaith in Action Coordinator [email protected]
cell phone:814-602-7207
Meridian Herman Lupu
Rental Manager [email protected] x108
Heather Godbout Youth Coordinator [email protected]
2014 – 2015 UTUUC LeadershipChair(s) /
Representative E-mail Address Staff Liaison
Worship & Music
ChoirAisha Ellis / Ellen Werhle [email protected]
Marty Swisher
Music Ministry Team Teri Schultz [email protected]
Marty Swisher
Pastoral Associates Team John Wood [email protected]
Rev. Alan Taylor
Worship Team Chuck Ruth [email protected]. Alan Taylor
Faith Development
Adult RE Team [email protected]
Rev. Emily Gage / Rev. Scott Talbot Lewis
ExLibrisCatherine Bendowitz / Ed White [email protected] Tina Lewis
High School Youth Team Heather Godbout [email protected]
Rev. Emily Gage / Rev. Scott Talbot Lewis
RE CommitteeRev. Emily Gage / Tina Lewis
[email protected]@unitytemple.org
Rev. Emily Gage / Rev. Scott Talbot Lewis
Congregational LifeAll Ages Retreat Dan Crimmins [email protected] Tina Lewis
Caring Team
Shirley Lundin / Aisha Ellis / Jim Smith [email protected] Tina Lewis
Coffee Hour Helen Harnett [email protected] Tina LewisCongregational Life
Vera Dowell / Juliana Engel [email protected]
Flower Team Jane Coleman [email protected] Tina Lewis
Membership TeamRob Bellmar / Kyrie Bock [email protected] Tina Lewis
Men's Retreat Mark Johansen [email protected] Tina Lewis
Out and AboutVera Dowell / Regina Dryer [email protected] Tina Lewis
Women's Connection Jenny Earlandson [email protected] Tina LewisWomen's Retreat Jenny Earlandson [email protected] Tina LewisYoung Adults Merritt Kanan [email protected] Tina LewisFaith in Action
(Action and Service Teams)CROP Walk Mike Delonay [email protected] Lori RadderFamily Faith in Action Team
Chris and Lauren Murphy [email protected] Lori Radder
Food Rescue / Pantry Barbara Moline [email protected] Lori RadderGreen Sanctuary Team
Krista Mikos / Anne White [email protected] Lori Radder
Move to Amend Terry Grace [email protected] Lori Radder
MyHatBonnie Jordan / Joan Greene [email protected] Lori Radder
PADS Steve Banks [email protected] Lori RadderPeace Team Ed White [email protected] Lori RadderPrevail Eric Reeb [email protected] Lori RadderReproductive Justice Team Duane Dowell [email protected] Lori Radder
UTCANRich Pokorny / Merritt Kanan [email protected] Lori Radder
Development
Annual Fund Drive Jennifer Marling [email protected]
Rev. Alan Taylor / Elizabeth Plummer
Auction Susan Huizinga [email protected]
Rev. Alan Taylor / Elizabeth Plummer
Capital CampaignDuane Dowell /Jules Eckersley [email protected]
Rev. Alan Taylor / Elizabeth Plummer
Administration
Archives Ron Moline [email protected] Plummer
Board of Trustees Steve Kelley [email protected] Plummer
Communications Team Cathy Smillie [email protected]
Elizabeth Plummer
Facilities Team TBDElizabeth Plummer
Finance Team Ed White [email protected] Plummer
Investment Team Rich Whitney [email protected] Plummer
Nominations TeamSteve Allscheid / Steve Bankes [email protected]
Board of Trustees
Personnel Team Josh Ditelberg [email protected]. Alan Taylor
Program Council Carrie Bankes [email protected] Elizabeth
Plummer
