Volunteer
There are many ways to become involved at UUMAN – social, educational, service, and volunteering with any of the numerous committees, teams, or ministries that do the work of the community.
Membership on a few of the committees or teams is by appointment of the board of trustees – the Leadership Development, the Committee on Shared Ministry, the Healthy Congregation Team, and Long Range Planning.
But, for most, joining simply involves asking. Find a place that interests you and dive in!
Adult Enrichment includes all of UUMAN’s adult programs (classes and groups, primarily), each of which, in its own way, fosters a sense of community, brings members closer together, nurtures growth – intellectual, spiritual, and social – and promotes the search for truth and justice which we hold dear.
This committee considers projects that may alter interior and/or exterior changes to our campus. We follow a written policy that solicits member feedback, produces recommendations and is submitted to the Board for approval.
The UUMAN Brew Crew is mission is to provide a warm, welcoming atmosphere for coffee hour after Sunday service. Members also may occasionally be asked to provide refreshments for other small events or to help clean up for small events.
This group helps maintain Crabapple Road close to our campus. We collect trash and debris six times a year. We provide vests and trash bags. You must be 16 years or older to participate.
The purpose of the Committee on Shared Ministry is to assist the Minister, Staff, Board of Trustees, and other lay leaders and members in promoting the well-being of the congregation’s total ministry. Ministry is everything a congregation does to fulfill its mission.
The COSM is involved in monitoring, educating, evaluating, advising, and protecting the congregation’s ministry. It embodies shared ministry, in concert with the Minister and the Board. It is one of the primary structures within the church for demonstrating the empowerment of mutual trust and for modeling health and wholeness in congregational life.
The mission of the Communications team is to ensure that the right information gets to the right people, to develop processes to ensure the optimal communication delivery systems, and to enforce their proper use.
Further, the mission of the group is to help develop processes for clear and effective communication about the activities of the church so as to facilitate strong relationships between members, between members and the institution, and between the institution and the larger society.
The newsletter, the website, and social networking are the responsibility of this team.
This team provides a liaison between the congregation and both the Unitarian Universalist Association and the region.
The UUMANTimes is UUMAN’s monthly newsletter and provides news of what is happening at and around UUMAN, including committee news, church projects, announcements of events, and thought-provoking and informative articles.
Around the 2nd week of each month, an email is sent out to the congregation requesting information for the upcoming month’s newsletter.
The newsletter is posted by the first Sunday of the month and is available from the UUMAN website.
The Earth Ministry works to implement UUMAN’s Sustainability Policy, a detailed list of steps the congregation has committed to that will continue lowering its impact on the environment and reducing its carbon footprint. Activities target UUMAN’s facilities and its grounds, and we welcome new team members with a variety of interests and skills.
The purpose of the Finance Committee is to ensure the financial health of the congregation by setting fiscal goals, strategies, and plans – and by monitoring and overseeing the execution of those plans. Fundraising, the Life Events Gifting Program, and Stewardship are among the responsibilities of the Finance Committee.
This team is appointed by and managed by the Board, and it’s comprised of three to five full members. Its purpose is to develop and implement a program of conflict management that helps the congregation manage conflict in a healthy manner.
The purpose of this ministry is to support the fellowship activities of the congregation (all or parts of them) – common meals, parties, receptions, and the like – by providing a well-stocked and well-organized kitchen and a well-organized cadre of volunteers.
This committee is appointed by and reports directly to the Board. It works to develop short- and long-term goals and objectives to achieve the mission of the congregation. It works with the Board and the Program Council to gather input from all committees and members of the congregation as it carries out its responsibilities.
Membership tries to ensure that all visitors feel warmly greeted. We strive to educate visitors as to who we are at UUMAN and what we do. We seek to help interested persons grow deeper connections to UUMAN and its members, and we facilitate their progression from visitors to members. Finally, we aim to integrate new members into the activities and the life of the church.
We have a long-standing relationship with the North Fulton Community Charities. We volunteer at their campus frequently and have an annual Backpack campaign just in time for kids to return to school. NFCC helps provide financial and educational resources to our neighbors in North Fulton, as well as a thrift store.
This team provides assistance to families who are transitioning out of homelessness through a partnership with Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb. We host several families during the summer. We provide hosting, financial, and hospitality support during their stay at our campus.
Religious Exploration (RE) Teams meet in groups on Sunday mornings where they share experiences designed to build community while offering support for their relationships and faith development. We're always looking for volunteers of all ages to enhance our children's views of the world.
We gather to meditate, quiet our busy lives and explore contemplative practices in a relaxed and serene environment. No previous knowledge of meditation is required to join.
Every month on the third Saturday we set up the Sanctuary to have live local music. We need help moving chairs around in the Sanctuary, setting up tables and putting up the backdrop for the show. It takes an hour or less if we have four or more volunteers helping.
We start at 5 pm and are finished by 6 pm. You don’t have to help every month. We send out a Volunteer google doc sign-up sheet each month and you can just sign up if you can help.
Greeters welcome first-time and returning visitors in the UUMAN foyer before Sunday service. They assist visitors with information and name tags, answer questions, and introduce them to appropriate people. For instance, families with children are taken to the MCY(Ministry with Children & Youth) table in Fellowship Hall to get more information.
Music Ministry strives to promote the importance of music within our congregation, coordinates with and supports our Music Director and staff, seeks feedback from the congregation, augments our religious services and spiritual lives with music, and provides opportunities for musical growth and participation at all levels.
The Leadership Development is a standing committee of UUMAN Board. It consists of at least three members (one Board trustee and two or more full members) appointed by the Board on or before August 30th of each calendar year.
It prepares slates for election to fill open Board Trustee slots and Committee on Shared Ministry positions that will be voted on by the congregation, and a slate of chairs and vice-chairs of committees of the congregation for approval by the Board. See UUMAN Bylaws for more details.
The Operations group is responsible for the care and maintenance of the buildings and grounds. It is a collaborative effort with many people in the congregation stepping in to help when there are specific projects that need to be done.
Specific responsibilities include Outdoor Operations – Mike Liebergesell, who handles small jobs around the buildings and maintenance of the grounds, and provides helpful advice and Repairs – Don Groce, who handles small jobs around the buildings, sometimes meets with inspectors and professional contractors, and provides helpful advice.
Many UU churches have formed partnerships with Unitarian churches in Transylvania, India, and the Phillipines. The Partner Church committee includes members that are interested in cultivating a relationship with our partner church in Northeast India.
Our partner is in the rural village of Mawsynjri, and most of their members are farmers. This church is special because they have developed schools, and a home to care for children.
The Personnel Committee is a standing committee established by the Board. Its responsibilities include: Overseeing and conducting hiring searches for paid positions; establishing all employment contracts with such contracts to be executed by the Vice President; establishing, implementing, and monitoring a review process for all employees; researching, evaluating and recommending compensation and benefits for all employees; and any other duties prescribed by the Board.
The Program Council helps shape the content of the various programs within UUMAN to ensure that the programs further the overall mission of the church. It furthers the business of the church that doesn’t require the direct oversight or approval of the Board of Trustees, and it helps identify, discuss, and address issues that may result in recommendations to the Board about how to handle those issues.
This council serves as a forum for representatives of the committees and programs to come together and develop synergies to foster better communication between parts of the congregation, and bring ideas that are working from one committee to another, as well as help committees to gain advice and information from others.
It’s comprised of representatives of each of the committees and ministries within our community. It meets on a monthly basis.
It is the committee’s responsibility to draft policy and address issues regarding safety and security as it pertains to UUMAN grounds, buildings, adults and children.
The Social Justice Committee responds to the national Unitarian Universalist charge to inspire faith through effective action.
Our goal is to carry out activities in conjunction with the UU matrix of Service, Education, Witnessing, Advocacy/Lobbying, and Community Organizing that have local, state, national and world impacts.
One of our primary activities is a monthly 50/50 collection scheduled for the third Sunday of each month in which we submit half of the plate offering to a nonprofit organization suggested by a congregation member or our committee.
The UUMAN Gardening Group meets regularly mid-March through mid-November, to work on the gardens surrounding the church. The work involves planting, weeding, pruning, mulching, and general maintenance of the gardens. No experience is necessary, just a love of playing in the dirt.
The Worship Committee works with the minister to plan and conduct worship services. Trained Worship Associates share the leading of Sunday services with the minister. These functions are also in the purview of the committee:
- Flower Power: These can be from your yard, nursery, or potted. Memorial, birthday, or anniversary will be noted on the order of service or if desired, no mention of your name. Flower donation should be taken home after the service. To volunteer, go to https://goo.gl/cbfVkD , insert your name next to the date you would like to reserve, and fill out the dedication column with the statement you would like us to print on that date’s Order of Worship.
- Joys and Sorrows: This job includes scribing and emailing the weekly Joys, Concerns and Sorrows that are expressed during services. The position was started so that others, who did not attend the services, would know what was said.
- Ushers: Ushers arrive early on Sunday mornings to fold the Orders of Worship and to hand them to service attendees as they enter the Sanctuary. During the service offering, ushers pass the collection baskets. At the end of service, they count the offering in the congregation’s office in Fellowship Hall and place it in the office safe. Ushering is a great way to meet your fellow UUMAN beings!
This annual fundraiser is an important part of congregational life. Not just because it is a major source of income but also because it brings members together to enjoy a night of fun and laughter, promotes creative offerings and solidifies the sense of community among members and guests alike.