UCC Disabilities Ministries

A Body of the United Church of Christ with Voice and Vote

• Article I. Name
• The name of this organization shall be the UCC Disabilities Ministries (hereinafter called the UCC DM).

• Article II: Goal, Affirmation, and Objectives
  1. The goal of the UCC DM is that all members of the United Church of Christ (hereinafter called the UCC) shall affirm the Biblical and theological assumption of the wholeness of all people, and fully support persons with disabilities as they contribute to and participate in the ministry and life of the Church.
  2. The UCC DM affirms and claims as its own the commitment of the UCC to be a multiracial, multicultural, open and affirming Church, which is accessible to all.
  3. Objectives
     1. To encourage local churches to be open, inclusive, affirming, and accessible in all aspects of their lives, including their buildings, worship, education, fellowship, and service, and thereby enabled to proclaim God’s word with and to all persons, including people with disabilities.
     2. To advocate with and for persons with disabilities, especially people who have been marginalized and alienated.
     3. To advocate for and collaborate with care giving ministries with and for persons with disabilities.
     4. To develop and support the leadership of laity and clergy with disabilities within the entire UCC.
     5. To encourage all settings of the UCC to consciously use language inclusive of and sensitive to accessibility and disabilities issues.

• Article III: Membership
  1. Membership in the UCC DM shall be open to all persons who support its goal, affirmation, and objectives.
  2. Members are encouraged to contribute to the objectives of the UCC DM through offerings of prayer, time, talent, and treasure, and by advocacy within their local churches, associations, and/or conferences.

• Article IV: The Board and its Duties
  1. There shall be a Board consisting of at least seven members drawn from the diversity of the UCC, the majority of whom shall be persons with disabilities, members of families of persons with disabilities, or experts on disabilities. There shall be a representative of the Mental Illness Network (MIN) on the Board.
  2. The Board shall conduct the business of the UCC DM. Meetings may be conducted face to face or by telephone.
  3. Minutes of all business conducted by the Board shall be kept in the UCC DM’s national staff person’s office and forwarded to all Board members within two weeks following each Board meeting. Minutes shall be approved at the next meeting of the Board.
  4. Board members shall represent the U C C DM on the UCC Executive Council, the Local Church, Wider Church, and Justice and Witness Ministries Boards, and on the General Synod Nominating Committee. Each of these representatives shall advocate achieving the goal and
  5. Staff person(s) and consultant(s) of the UCC DM are ex-officio member(s) of the Board, with voice but no vote

• Article V: Officers and their Duties
  1. There shall be four Officers of the UCC DM: Chair, Vice Chair (or Co-Chairs), Secretary, and Treasurer.
     1. Chair: The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the UCC DM. The Chair shall appoint other members to specific tasks as required with the prior approval of the other Officers.
     2. Vice Chair: The Vice Chair shall fulfill the duties of the Chair in his or her absence.
     3. If there are Co-Chairs, they shall share the duties of Chair and Vice hair.
     4. Secretary: The Secretary shall (a) keep minutes of all Board and Officers meetings and (b) provide a copy to be kept at the U C C DM’s national staff person’s office.
     5. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall (a) maintain records, open to the Board, of all finances pertinent to the UCC DM, including, but not limited to, expenditures from the UCC DM budget, and all other expenditures, and receipts and income from U C C DM invested funds and other contributions and (b) provide a written financial report to the Board at least once per year, with a copy to be kept at the UCC DM’s national staff person’s office.
  2. Representatives to National UCC Bodies
     1. The Officers shall nominate representatives (and alternates in case of illness or disability issues preventing attendance) from the Board for single terms of six years only to the UCC Executive Council, the Local Church, Wider Church, and Justice and Witness Ministries Boards, and the General Synod Nominating Committee. The Officers shall fill vacancies in these positions from the Board membership.
     2. Members whose terms on these UCC Boards or Committees extend beyond their terms as UCC DM Board Members shall continue membership on the UCC boards, as representatives of the UCC DM, at the discretion of the UCC DM Officers. They shall be ex-officio members of the Board, with voice but no vote.
     3. The Officers shall have responsibility for acting on behalf of the UCC DM Board between meetings. Meetings of the Officers may be called by the Chair upon request of any Officer, as needed. Meetings may be conducted face to face or by telephone.
     4. Minutes of all business conducted by the Officers shall be kept in the UCC DM’s national staff person’s office and forwarded to all Board members within two weeks following each Officers’ meeting. Minutes shall be approved at the next meeting of the Board.
     5. Staff person(s) and consultant(s) of the UCC DM are ex-officio member(s) of the Officers, with voice by no vote.

• Article VI: Meetings
  1. The Board will meet biennially in conjunction with General Synod. Business shall include presentations of reports and planning for the ensuing years. The Board may have additional meetings. Board meetings will be held in different parts of the country, and may be held in association with other UCC or UCC DM activities. Board members who are unable to be physically present may attend by telephone.
  2. Members and other persons who support the UCC DM’s goal, affirmation, and objectives are encouraged to attend Board meetings.
  3. Accommodations for the special needs of Board members will be provided. Two weeks notice of those needs to the Chair is necessary.
  4. Notice of meetings shall be given no less than three months before the meeting is to be held.

• Article VII: Elections
  1. Election to the Board and Officers of the UCC DM shall be from a slate proposed by a Nominating Committee comprised of the current Chair, or one of the Co-Chairs, and two additional members of the UCC DM Board. The MIN shall nominate its representative. Staff and consultant(s) of the UCC DM are ex-officio member(s) of the Nominating Committee with voice but no vote.
  2. The Board and Officers shall be elected at the biennial meeting.
  3. Board members shall be elected for staggered six-year terms and may serve a single term only. They are eligible for re-election after a period of two years.
  4. Officers shall be elected for terms of two years, and may be re-elected for a total of three consecutive terms.
  5. Vacancies
     1. Board members who are unable to complete their terms shall be replaced by persons nominated by a nominating committee, as provided for in Article VII A above, from the membership, and elected by mail ballot sent to all Board members. The replacement person shall be considered elected for a term if the vacancy is for more than two years. If the vacancy is for less than two years, the replacement members shall retain eligibility for election to a complete six-year term. Members who miss two consecutive meetings without compelling reasons shall be considered to have resigned and shall be replaced in this way.
     2. Officers who are unable to complete their terms shall be replaced by persons nominated by a nominating committee from the Board membership, and elected by mail ballot sent to all Board members. Officers who miss two consecutive meetings without compelling reasons shall be considered to have resigned and shall be replaced in this way.

• Article VIII: Amendment of Bylaws
  1. These Bylaws may at any time be amended or repealed, in whole or in part, by vote of two-thirds of the Board meeting face to face, provided that the substance of any proposed change is provided to Board members in accessible format no less than two weeks before the meeting.

• Article IX: Adoption of Bylaws
  1. These bylaws shall be in full force and effect immediately upon their adoption by the vote of two-thirds of the Board.

• Article X: Conduct of Business
  1. All meetings of the UCC DM shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order (Revised).
  2. Exception: Meetings can move to a consensus model of decision-making by majority vote. If the Chair or Co-Chairs deem it necessary, Robert’s Rule can be re-instituted.

Revised March 1997 and October 2002.