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The First Religious Society has a large number of committees which work together to oversee all aspects of the church community: from the finances to the physical plant to the worship service to religious education. Any member interested in serving on one or more committees is welcomed by the Nominating Committee and a new committee slate is presented each year at the Annual Meeting in May. Activities Committee This year, the committee will celebrate the church’s 250th Anniversary during each of the traditional events by adding commemorative twists such as stories, photos and memorabilia. Buildings and Grounds Committee
Committee on Ministry The mission of this committee is to accept feedback from the congregation on the ministry of The First Religious Society and to support the minister in his/her leadership. Membership on this committee is by invitation from the minister and review of the Parish Committee. Environmental Action Committee Finance Committee The role of the Finance Committee is to advise and support the Parish Committee and congregation in matters as they relate to the financial well-being and operations of the church. They meet regularly to oversee the operating budget, plan for the next year, and consider special funding requests. They are also responsible for requesting funds from the Trustees and presenting a balanced budget for approval at the annual meeting. Hospitality Committee
Membership Committee The role of the Membership Committee is to welcome visitors to The First Religious Society and to formally recognize new members, introduce them to the congregation and assist them in becoming active members of the community. Committee members provide information about the principles of Unitarian Universalism and church programs. Each year, they oversee Neighborhood Sunday, the Circle Dinner Extravaganza (a series of small dinners), and the Newcomers Lunch. In addition, they host a number of potlucks, review advertising, and periodically update the church directory. Music and Worship Committee Nominating Committee The mission of the Nominating Committee is to ensure that the church’s core programs and administrative functions remain strong by supporting the recruitment of members of the congregation to serve on the church’s permanent committees. They encourage members of the congregation to express their interest in a committee. Parish Committee As the senior governing body of The First Religious Society, the Parish Committee ensures that all aspects of the church function effectively for the current membership while also acting as stewards of the church’s long-term interests. They are responsible for hiring and managing the staff. They are expected to organize the annual meeting and make sure the wishes of the meeting are fulfilled. Working closely with the minister, they work to fulfill the mission of the church, ensure that the bylaws are followed, and oversee the work of all committees. They also regularly chair all-council meetings to foster communication between the Pastoral Concerns Committee The Pastoral Concerns Committee provides assistance to those in need of help due to an acute or on-going situation. They offer meals, rides, babysitting, greeting cards or any other service that would be helpful. They also maintain contact with people who are unable to be actively involved in the church, making sure that they receive cards, visits and/or flowers when appropriate. The committee relies on and is grateful to church volunteers who assist them in serving friends in need. Religious Education Committee Trustees The FRS trustees have the fiduciary responsibility to manage FRS trust funds and investments. They are responsible for securing an investments manager and overseeing buying and selling securities, bonds, mutual funds and other financial investments. The goal of the Trustees is to preserve the capital of the trust funds while earning a reasonable rate of return. They regularly distribute proceeds from some of the funds to FRS for the operating budget, as well as special projects and/or capital projects. They provide a detailed accounting to the congregation annually and distributions are approved by the congregation at Annual Meeting.
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The
Activities Committee provides a calendar of events each year that will strengthen
connections with the larger community as well as within the church community.
Some of them also raise funds to support the work of the church and other non-profit
organizations. Annual events include the Memorial Day Luncheon, Strawberry Festival,
Harvest Fair and Greens Sale. The Service Auction is a bi-annual event scheduled
for Spring 2008. The committee is grateful to the many church and community members
who volunteer to make the activities a success. 
Members
of the Buildings and Grounds Committee take pride in maintaining the historic
church building with its 1994 addition, the parsonage next door and the extensive
grounds. The committee is responsible for the budget and management of day-to-day
operations of the physical plant, as well as repairs, landscaping and capital
improvements. In addition to hiring necessary services, members volunteer for
many of the repair and upkeep projects and sponsor Work Days where everyone is
invited to help.
The
seventh UU principle encourages “Respect for the interdependent web of all
existence of which we are a part.” This committee is deeply committed to
reducing global warming, saving energy, reducing pollution, and promoting organic
and locally grown food. Their goal is to educate and motivate others around those
values. They have invited speakers, shown movies, hosted “organic”
potluck suppers, written newspaper articles, done research on renewable energy
at FRS and installed recycling bins at the church, They purchase fair trade coffee,
tea and cocoa as well as compact fluorescent light bulbs for use at the church
and they sell those items at events to encourage their use.
The goal
of this committee is to coordinate the worship service and ensure that it is a
positive, enriching experience for all members. The strong music program serves
as an integral part of each worship service and provides opportunities for people
of all ages to participate. They organize speakers for the Message for All Ages
segment of the service, which is specially designed for children, and work with
the minister on special themes and programs. Once a month, the committee invites
a guest speaker for the service which adds a diversity of voices. They include
programs such as the intergenerational holiday pageant, as well as traditional
Christmas Eve and Easter services so extended families can come together for worship
and celebration. 
The
religious education program provides support for the children's religious and
spiritual development through an exploration of Unitarian Universalism. In addition,
the program provides opportunities for children to become familiar with the world's
great religions and understand the universal truths and ethical values they share
in common. Committee members work with the Director of Religious Education to
provide programs for nursery through high school age youth. There is an effort
to include a number of social action activities, such as making cookies for the
Common Cathedral, raising funds for the Heiffer Project and stuffing Christmas
stockings for the House of Hope. The committee oversees some intergenerational
events, such as the Christmas pageant, Caroling Night and Soup and Games Night.