Our fellowship is governed by members and lead by our Board of Trustees. Berrien UU has approximately 30 members.
Member Definition
From our bylaws:
Eligibility for Membership and Voting. Two types of membership exist: voting member and member. Only voting members will be included in the population count of the Fellowship.
Voting Member. An individual at least eighteen years of age becomes a voting member thirty days after signing the membership book by signing the Affirmation and Pledge form annually to affirm the purpose of the Fellowship and to pledge financial support in dollars or in kind for the current fiscal year.
Member. An individual at least fourteen years of age becomes a member by signing the Membership Book. Members are encouraged to sign the Affirmation and Pledge Form annually to affirm the purpose of the Fellowship. All members are encouraged to pledge financial support in dollars or in kind for the current fiscal year.
Become a Member: Sign the Membership Book
If you have visited our church and feel it’s right for you, we invite you to become a member. Membership is open to any person 14 years of age or older who is in general sympathy with the spirit and purposes of the Unitarian Universalist Association and signs the membership book.
Become a Voting Member: Make a Recorded Pledge of Support
An important privilege of membership is the right to vote in congregational meetings. In open congregational meetings, voting members use parliamentary procedure to elect officers, approve the annual budget, and make other major decisions. An Annual congregational meeting is held the first Sunday of June.
To be eligible to vote, a person must have been a member for at least 30 days. He or she must also have made a recorded pledge–financial or in-kind–in the current church year (July 1 – Jun 30). The financial requirement may be waived in cases of hardship.
Voting members are eligible to sit on the Board of Trustees. Details are spelled out in our Bylaws.
Friends Status
Those who do not choose to sign the membership book, but regularly participate in church services and activities and make a financial contribution, are referred to as friends of the church. Friends are welcome to participate in almost all church activities. However, since only members can vote and hold office, friends cannot fully participate in our democratic process.
Our Board
The business, property, and affairs of the fellowship are managed by the board of trustees. To be elected and to serve as a trustee a person must be a voting member. The board has five trustees elected by members at the Annual Meeting and holding office for two years. The board sets long-term policies and makes sure the fellowship is on a path to fulfill its mission. Board meetings are held monthly (see the calendar for dates). Fellowship members and friends are welcome to attend the meetings and encouraged to read the [board meeting minutes].
Patrice Grant
Treasurer (2022-2023)
Patrice became a member of BUUF in 2022 and was invited to join the BUUF Board.
Lia McCoskey
Board Secretary (2022-2024)
Dennis Higdon
Board Trustee (2022-2023)
Dennis has been a member of BUUF since 2012. He has served as Board President, on the Endowment Committee and on the Sunday Services team. He and his wife, Ellen, split their time between Michigan and Florida. Dennis enjoys helping at the Benton Harbor Soup Kitchen when he can.
Vicki Thomas
Board Trustee (2021-2023)
Joan Guilfoyle
Board President and Chair (2022-2024)
Joan has been a UU for many years but this is her first time on such a board. With 50 years of family ancestry in the State of Michigan, Joan also hails from Illinois, Minnesota and Washington DC. She retired from federal civil service in 2016, having worked for the large land and resource management agencies such as National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Major projects included the reintroduction of migrating whooping cranes into the eastern U.S. (and other endangered species), seeking to manage the over-population of free-roaming horses and burros on western rangelands, de-listing the American Bald Eagle and diving for WWII barrels in Lake Superior! She led movement, breath and spiritual-practice workshops and retreats through her Gorgeous Spirit NGO for ten years; and spends her free time kayaking, hiking, reading, many dance traditions and political activism.
Bylaws
Our fellowship is a non-profit corporation. Our bylaws define our basic governing procedures, such as how one becomes a member or voting member and when elections are held.
Elected Committees
Nominating Committee
Nominating Committee members are elected at the Annual Meeting and the committee shall consist of at least three members serving two-year terms. One member shall be elected in some years and two members shall be elected in other years as needed to maintain the minimum membership. The committee is responsible for soliciting and nominating members for the Board of Trustees, Endowment Committee and Nominating Committee for the election held during the Annual Meeting.
Gloria Weberg
Leadership and Nominations Committee (2022-2023)
Gloria has been a member of BUUF for more than 30 years. She achieved centenarian status March 2, 2022. Gloria has served BUUF in many capacities over the years and remains a very active member of the congregation.
Liz Goodwin
Leadership and Nominations Committee (2022-2024)
Liz is a long time UU and became a member of BUUF in 2021. She lives in St. Joseph with her husband Mike. Together they were active in the Evanston, IL, UU congregation for many years.
Joanne Krettek
Leadership and Nominations Committee (2022-2023), Endowment Committee (2022-2025)
Joanne has been a devoted member of BUUF since 2001. She has served as a volunteer Religious Education teacher, Interim Director of Religious Education, and worked as BUUF's Office Administrator from 2016-2022.
Endowment Committee
Endowment Committee members are elected at the Annual Meeting and the committee shall consist of at least three members serving three-year terms. One member shall be elected annually to maintain the minimum membership. The committee is responsible for managing the fellowship’s endowment funds. The Endowment Committee is completely independent of the board. Therefore, members of the Endowment Committee may not concurrently serve on the Board of Trustees. Participation is limited to two terms.
Joanne Krettek
Leadership and Nominations Committee (2022-2023), Endowment Committee (2022-2025)
Joanne has been a devoted member of BUUF since 2001. She has served as a volunteer Religious Education teacher, Interim Director of Religious Education, and worked as BUUF's Office Administrator from 2016-2022.
Beth La Fleur
Music Director, Tech Manager, Endowment Committee (2021-2024, 1st term)
Julie Williams
Endowment Committee (2020-2023, 2nd term)
Julie has been a member of BUUF since 2004. She has served as a Board Trustee, and on Membership and Sunday Services teams.
UU Resources
Unitarian Universalist Association
Berrien Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), the central organization for the Unitarian Universalist (UU) religious movement in the United States. The UUA’s 1000+ member congregations are committed to Seven Principles that include the worth of each person, the need for justice and compassion, and the right to choose one’s own beliefs. UU congregations and faith communities promote these principles through regular worship, learning and personal growth, shared connection and care, social justice action and service, celebration of life’s transitions, and much more.
Mid America Region of the Unitarian Universalist Association
Berrien Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is a member of the MidAmerica Region of the Unitarian Universalist Association which includes nearly 200 UU congregations in parts or all of these states: Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska.
The MidAmerica Region seeks to covenant with each other to find new ways of partnering and standing together on the side of love for the flourishing of our world, our communities, our congregations and our members.
