This page describes how our congregation is organized and operated.

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island (UUCWI) is a self-governing, non-profit religious organization incorporated in the State of Washington. We are affiliated with a thousand other congregations, churches, and fellowships in the United States in the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).

We belong to the UUA’s Pacific Western Region and Pacific Northwest District (PNWD).
Our Board of Trustees operates the institution on behalf of the congregation, assisted by a spectrum of committees, as represented in the figure to the right. The board is concerned primarily with policy, personnel, and finances, while committees carry most operational responsibilities. A Leadership Council coordinates committee activities. Committees operate relatively independently, within budgets approved by the congregation and Board, and with Roles and Responsibilities approved by the Board. See our Committees Page for more details about them.

The congregation’s principal governing document is a set of bylaws. We also have a covenant of right relations stating how we intend to treat one another, as well as board policies and procedures for many of the things we do repetitively or that we want done a certain way. Our documents that are public can be accessed on the documents page. For others, contact the appropriate committee chairperson or our church administrator. Our Who’s Who Page and Committees Page identify key personnel.

The accompanying chart indicates the formal relationships between the governance elements of the congregation. Our board, nominating committee, and minister are elected by and serve the congregation directly. The minister serves under contract, administered by the board, and has “freedom of the pulpit”. The board oversees all other functions, termed operations, on behalf of the congregation. For more details, consult our documents page. Questions may be directed to our board president or the church administrator.