Bylaws adopted May 25, 1983, Amended May 29, 1985; May 1990; May2l, 1995; May 31,1998; November 14, 1999; November 7, 2004; May 22, 2005; December 9, 2007; June 3,2012; June 11, 2017; June 23, 2019; June 8, 2022

Article I. Name The name of this religious society shall be "The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Galveston County, Inc.

Article II. Mission We, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Galveston County, affirm the right of people of all ages to develop their own views concerning spirituality. It is our purpose to be a visible, enduring, liberal religious presence in our community. We believe this can be accomplished through creative worship, religious education, intellectual stimulation supportive fellowship and community service. We unite in the spirit of the Unitarian Universalist principles and purposes to welcome and appeal to the full range of human diversity, that is, age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, and ethnicity.

Article III. Membership Any person in sympathy with its purpose may become a member of this Fellowship by attending a New Member Orientation and signing the membership book, through which act they endorse the Fellowship Bylaws and assume a participating share of the responsibility for the Fellowship. The Board of Directors (Board) shall certify the voting membership rosters at the board meeting immediately preceding the Annual Meeting. Continued voting membership depends on a contribution of something of value during the year preceding the Annual Meeting. Those who are not certified Voting Members by the Board may be continued on the Friends list. A member may revoke their membership by submitting a request to the Membership Committee. A member may be removed from the membership roster of this Fellowship upon recommendation by the Membership Committee in accordance with the Fellowship's Membership Policy and a 3/4 majority vote of the entire Board.

Article IV. Affiliation This Fellowship shall be a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association of the Southwestern Unitarian Universalist Conference.

Article V. Calendar The Fellowship and fiscal year shall coincide with the UUA Association. At any time that the UUA dates change, the fellowship shall also automatically change its dates by extending the Fellowship year to the new end date and adjust the budget by a percentage equal to the percent time change. The officers shall have their terms extended to the new closing date of the Fellowship year.

Article VI. Meeting All meetings of the Fellowship, its officers and its committees, where Fellowship business is transacted, shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order. An Annual Meeting of the Fellowship shall be held each year 14 to 45 days before the end of the Fellowship year following a Sunday service. Special Meetings of the Fellowship may be called by the Board for a stated agenda. If at least twenty percent of the members of the Fellowship request a Special Meeting, the meeting must be called within thirty days of the request. Notice of Annual and Special meetings to all members must be made by mail or by electronic means at least ten days prior to such meetings. One-third of the membership shall constitute a quorum, and a majority of votes cast is required, except as otherwise provided. For purposes of voting and establishing a quorum, only those members on the most recently certified roster shall be counted.

Article VII. Officers and Board of Directors The Board shall consist of the elected officers and members-at-large and shall administer the affairs of the Fellowship subject to the direction of Annual and Special Meetings of the Fellowship and within the confines of these Bylaws. Members must have been a Fellowship member for a minimum of two years to be eligible for election to the Board. The Board shall be comprised of the following members: President, President-Elect, Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three Members At Large. The Past-President shall serve on the Board for one year immediately following their presidency. All other Board members serve for two years, with elections held at the Annual Meeting. The Secretary and the Treasurer may serve an additional two-year term, at the discretion of the Board. The Treasurer and one At-Large member are elected on even-numbered years; Secretary and two At-Large members are elected on odd-numbered years. The President-Elect becomes President in the second year of service. The Board shall hold regular meetings which shall be open to any member. Meetings will be held no less than once per month at the day and time agreed to by the Board. In the event an issue arises that is time sensitive, a Board Member may request an additional meeting. Additional meetings may take place by electronic means, as needed, as long as a quorum is present. Unexcused absences from three consecutive regular board meetings constitute automatic resignation from the Board. Vacancies in office or in the Board may be replaced by majority vote of the Board, with the exception of the President or President-Elect, in which case a Special Meeting of the membership shall be called. Four members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of Fellowship business. Through a 2/3 majority vote, members of the Fellowship may in any Annual or Special Meeting remove any officer or director and declare the office vacant.

Article VIII. Minister The Board may appoint a ministerial search committee to initiate the process of calling a full or part-time minister. Hiring or firing a minister requires an Annual or Special Meeting of the Fellowship and a 60% majority of those attending a meeting.

Article IX. Finance and Property The Board shall submit a budget for the coming year at the Annual Meeting for approval of the membership, a copy of which budget shall be supplied to each member at least 10 days prior to the meeting. The Board shall incur no obligation for which provision was not made in the annual budget unless authorized to do so by vote of the membership in regular or Special Meeting. The Board shall review the status of the budget at the board meeting midway through each year and, in the event of financial insecurity, shall be authorized to make adjustments up to 20% of the total budget without a Special Meeting being called. Withdrawals from the savings account must be made by the joint signature of the President and Treasurer with an appropriate voucher. Withdrawals from the checking account must be made by the signature of the Treasurer, the President, or of a member of the Finance Committee authorized by the Board. Withdrawals from the checking account may be made by electronic means, when made by the Treasurer, the President, or a member of the Finance Committee authorized by the Board. The title to all property and all contracts relating thereto shall at all times be taken and held by or made in the name of the Fellowship. No real property owned or held by this Fellowship shall ever be sold, mortgaged or otherwise disposed of unless or until such transaction is authorized and approved by an Annual or Special Meeting by a majority of those persons appearing on the membership roster as certified by the Board. The custodian of all files, records, and deeds shall be the President of the Fellowship. The custodian of checking and savings accounts, cash and the records thereof shall be the Treasurer.

Article X. Committees Standing committees, which handle ongoing, ever-present needs of the congregation, shall be created by the President subject to approval of the Board. A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President not less than six weeks prior to the Annual Meeting to nominate the candidates for each office to be filled. Further nominations from the floor will be received immediately prior to the election provided the assent of such nominee is first obtained. An Auditing Committee shall audit the financial records of the Fellowship within 30 days of the close of the fellowship’s fiscal year. The report shall be presented to the board and the membership by the first board meeting following the completion of the audit. The Treasurer shall not be a member of this committee.

Article XI. Amendment and Repeal These bylaws, so far as allowed by law, may be amended or replaced at any meeting of the congregation by a two-thirds majority of those voting. Notice of any proposed change shall be contained in the notice of the meeting.

Article XII. Dissolution Clause If the congregation is ever dissolved or otherwise ceases to exist, then and in that event all of the real property of the corporation and other assets which comprise the total monetary value of the corporation shall revert to the Unitarian Universalist Association of America, Inc