Councils and Committees

Boards

Board of Assessors
One of the most important groups of volunteers within the church is the Board of Assessors, which is the elected governing body of the church. It consists of ten assessors, who serve three-year, rolling terms; a treasurer; and a clerk.

The Board works with the ministers and staff. It is responsible for the business affairs of the church, including praparing and reviewing the annual budget; personnel issues; the annual parish meeting; and defining and implementing First Parish policies and directions, in accordance with the bylaws and wishes of the congregation. The Board meets on the second Thursday of each month.

Board members serve as liaisons to the various committees and councils to assess the overall health of the congregation.

Members of the congregation are invited to contact the chair or another Board member with any questions or concerns about First Parish business matters.

The Councils

Maintenance Council
The Maintenance Council is charged with the cleaning and upkeep of the Parish buildings and grounds. These tasks are accomplished through the use of contracted services and volunteer work of members of the Maintenance Council and the Parish. The Council identifies, coordinates and supervises major maintenance on the campus. Meetings are held on the second Monday of the month. Anyone interested in joining the Council is welcomed.

Church Council
The purpose of the Church Council is to facilitate communication and coordination among councils, committees, and other organizations relating to programs of First Parish. It coordinates activities on the Church calendar as needed and deals with issues affecting many areas within the Church, like volunteerism and membership. It helps to ease pressure on the Board, freeing them to focus on long-range planning, finances and personnel.

Special initiatives in the past have included holding a Committee Fair in September; reviewing some of First Parish’s space-sharing issues; and the storage and upkeep of First Parish’s historical records. Information is exchanged by committee leaders regarding topics such as Social Action and RE programs, upcoming fundraisers, Green Sanctuary and First Parish stewardship, with the aim of finding synergy and shared goals.

Committees and Councils represented: Religious Education, Adult Religious Education, Maintenance, Stewardship, Board of Assessors, Green Sanctuary, Worship and Arts, Women’s Alliance, Social Action Coordinating Council.

Religious Education Council
The Religious Education Council oversees the operation of the church school and youth groups. It works with the Director of Religious Education to establish policies and budget, welcome new families, support the contributions of the volunteer teaching staff and advisors, and to review curricula.

The Council sponsors several annual events, such as intergenerational social gatherings, the UUSC’s Guest at Your Table, the December Intergenerational Service, the Undecorate the Christmas Tree Project, the Intergenerational Holiday Service, and the Eighth Grade Statements of Belief.

The Belonging is a Religious Experience (BRE) subcommittee provides assistance to children with a disability and their families, so that they may fully participate in the life of the church and truly belong.

Social Action Coordinating Council
The Social Action Council is an over-arching council that coordinates and supports varied opportunities for church members of all ages to live their beliefs. The Council works on local needs, such as homelessness prevention, urban ministry, ESL and recycling. It initiates the First Parish response in efforts such as the tsunami relief effort. The Council advances the work of the UU General Assembly and the UU Service Committee on social justice and world issues, such as global warming and nuclear disarmament.


Worship and Arts Council
The Worship and Arts Council consults with the minister and music director in supporting Sunday morning worship services through the year. The Council sponsors Sunday services when the ministerial staff is not in the pulpit. The Council is comprised of the following committees.

Sunday Morning Ushers and Greeters ensure that the Meeting House is ready, greet parishioners and visitors and direct them to their seats, distribute the Order of Service, and close the Meeting House after services.

Christmas Eve Meeting House Decorations Committee decorates the Meeting House for the holiday season.

Sunday Morning Chancel Decorations Committee offers an opportunity for individuals, families, or groups in First Parish to provide Sunday service flowers or other decorations in memory or honor of a loved one, a celebration, or an event. This is noted in the week’s Order of Service. Parishioners are invited to reserve a Sunday during the year.

Summer Sundays are lay-led services on a wide range of topics at 9:30 on Sunday mornings, followed by a social hour.
 

Committees

1. Provide counsel to the minister, in an informal, confidential setting, with respect to any matters he/she might wish to put before the committee.

2. Advise the minister of circumstances or events that might provide opportunities, or pose difficulties, in the conduct of the ministry, and discuss or recommend possible avenues of action.

3. Devise and implement processes to improve the flow of communication among the congregation, the Board of Assessors and the minister.

4. Coordinate periodic assessments of the effectiveness of every facet of the congregation’s ministry.

5. Support to the Board of Assessors in its evaluation of the whole ministry of the congregation and the minister's performance.

Music Committee
The Music Committee meets monthly with the goal of integrating music more completely into the life of First Parish. The committee’s responsibilities include advocating for the Music Director and parishioners, publicizing music activities and the goals of the music program, soliciting opinions from the parishioners, recruiting for the adult and children’s choirs, and working with the Worship and Arts Council in planning services through the year.

Nominating Committee
A five-member elected Nominating Committee meets during the year to identify and recruit nominees to present at the next annual meeting, as required, for the positions of Moderator, Clerk, Treasurer, Collector, Registrar, Historian, Assessors, Trustees, Auditor, Bylaws Committee Chairperson, and members of the Nominating Committee. The committee also fills vacancies that have occurred during the previous year.


Pies on the Common Committee
Pies on the Common is our annual church fair held on Framingham Centre Common on the first Saturday following Columbus Day in October.  Pies on the Common was conceived during a coffee hour in 1991.  A few members were discussing ways to augment the annual church budget.  One of the women suggested using the Common to sell home baked pies.  The idea was to raise some extra money from people other than parishioners, involve First Parish members in a united volunteer effort, and have some fun at the same time.  Each year we sell over 500 home baked pies.

Other popular attractions include Kids’ Corner, with children’s games and crafts; raffle of a quilt made by members of the parish; hot drinks and breads at the Coffee Shop; the Food Court which sells hot dogs, sausages and more for lunch and the Candy Shop offering homemade fudge, novelty candies and treats for every age group.  Renting space to over 50 local crafters is another source of income for the church.

Each year more than a hundred First Parish members and friends volunteer in the effort, making the quilt, baking pies, selling raffle tickets, setting up tents, and working at the fair.  The committee holds early planning meetings once or twice in the spring, but we really swing into gear in September.  All parishioners at every level are invited to join in helping to make this major fundraising event a huge success.  It’s a wonderful way to make friends and deepen your connection to the church community.

 For more information, see the church web site at www.uuframingham.org, read the notices in church bulletins, visit the Committee table at Sunday Coffee Hours beginning in September, call the church office at 508-872-3111, or contact the Pies chairman at pies@uuframingham.org.  We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, October 15, 2011.

Talent and Treasure Auction Committee
The 53rd annual church-sponsored fundraiser, known as the Talent and Treasure Auction, was held in the spring of 2011.

The live and silent auctions feature items donated by parishioners and local businesses. The items offered have been as diverse as weekend getaways, handcrafted items, writing wills, dinners on the town, and homemade biscuits for a dog.

Themed baskets, created by church councils and committees, are raffled during the evening. Each year, a Pay It Forward item is chosen, to benefit a worthy program, and a significant amount is raised from the many contributions, small and large. All this is enjoyed in Scott Hall, with entertainment, wine, dinner, and dessert. For the unfortunate souls who are unable to attend the event, proxy bidding is available.

This significant fundraiser for First Parish rivals only Pies On The Common for monetary success. The committee is growing every year and help is needed in many areas, big and small. It is a fun event to plan and attend.