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Governance
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Fullerton (UUCF) is a self-governing community, one of many such fellowships in a larger organization called the Unitarian Universalist Association. The Board of Trustees serves as the legal representative of the UUCF, overseeing all the work of the Congregation in between our Annual Congregational meetings.
Congregants vote on high-impact actions such as bylaws changes, leadership elections, and approving The Covanant of Good Relations, creating a formal, shared agreement on how members will treat one another, communicate, and navigate disagreements. Small groups and committees, as well as the Board of Trustees, also create a covenant for these groups. Rather than strict religious dogma or commandments, UU congregations use these frameworks to intentionally build an inclusive and emotionally safe environment.
The Covenant of Good Relations
A Covenant of Good Relations is a written agreement created by a congregation to define how members promise to treat one another. Covenant is the silk that joins Unitarian Universalist congregations, communities, and individuals together in a web of interdependence. The practice of promising to walk together is the precious core of our creedless faith. By creating shared expectations around the behaviors we want to cultivate, we come closer to creating the beloved community.
The UUCF adopted the following Covenant of Good Relations by a unanimous congregational vote. This statement represents our commitment to building a healthy, safe community:
Each member of the congregation, Board of Trustees, clergy and paid staff will live within this Covenant of Good Relations in the context of their relationship with one another and the community. The well-being, strength, and reputation of our congregation depend on a sense of fellowship which thrives in an atmosphere of trust, respect, and cooperation.
In my interactions with others I will:
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Be receptive, listening with care and compassion.
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Be truthful, speaking with care and compassion.
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Speak directly to any person(s) with whom I have a concern.
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Be respectful of personal boundaries.
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Expect that there will be differences among us and accept and care for one another despite those differences.
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Be committed to the group as a whole, honoring our connection with the Unitarian Universalist tradition.
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Engage with gentleness and respect when times are uncertain and do my part to sustain this covenant.
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is composed of six to eight members that serve staggered 2-year terms. No trustee may serve for more than three full terms in succession. No trustee may serve again as trustee for a period of two years. The board president is elected to a 1-year term with a limit of 2 consecutive terms. For more information, contact UUCFBoard@uufullerton.org or read the Congregation bylaws.
2026-2027 Board of Trustees
2026-2027 Board of Trustees Covanant
Adopted August 16, 2026 As the UUCF Board of Trustees, we will: • Treat ourselves and each other with patience, respect, grace, integrity and open-heartedness, remembering that we have varied experiences. • Listen attentively and silently, allowing each person to express themselves completely uninterrupted. Each person will be given an adequate amount of time to express themselves. • Remind ourselves that we are all worthy and competent individuals and that we can’t do it all. We will communicate when we need help and pitch in to the extent of our abilities. • Work as a team, caring for each other and recognizing our interdependence. We are free to express our boundaries and trust that they will be respected. We agree that conflict is inevitable. We appreciate the varied experiences of the board and will talk about any differences. • Promote accountability by including action items in our board minutes. We will address action items as quickly as possible. • Recognize our imperfections and will take time as needed to debrief, clarify what happened, apologize, learn and make changes to our processes as indicated. We will use positive “I” statements to discuss issues. • Prioritize community building and spiritual care. This is safe and sacred ground where we do the work of our faith. We foster diversity and multicultural growth and are open to dialogue with the congregation throughout the year. • Provide timely, accurate and thorough communication of board decisions with the congregation. We commit to transparency. • Be aware of the needs of the congregation. • Come to each meeting prepared, stick to our set meeting times to the best of our ability, and honor personal, personnel, and congregant confidentiality. Addressing any of these issues will be done in a closed session. • Return to this covenant as a living document and to our values as Unitarian Universalists as we continue to grow and change.