Full-Ministry Status

New ministries are affiliated with the Ministry Expansion Office of the Association of Unity Churches. Churches affiliated under the Ministry Expansion Office are listed in the Association directory and have access to all Association services. However, they are not considered full members of the Association, and therefore, do not have voting privileges on the Conference floor. The ministry obtains voting privileges when it has been approved for full-ministry status by the Board of Trustees of the Association of Unity Churches.

As a ministry evolves and becomes larger and more stable, it can apply for full-ministry status with the Association of Unity Churches. This is a rather lengthy process. Consequently, it is advisable to be aware of the necessary steps for obtaining full- ministry status early on and to include these steps in your long-term planning.

The first step in this process is incorporation within your state. To begin this process, you will want to contact the state and find out what the requirements for incorporation are. You can then use the Association's Recommended Articles of Incorporation as a guideline for drawing up your own articles which will then be submitted to the state for approval. It is wise to employ the services of an attorney at some point during this process. However, since attorney's fees are costly, you can save a great deal of money by simply having an attorney review the articles you create prior to sending them to the state office. When your articles are approved by the state, an official state seal will be attached. A copy of this finalized document with the state seal must be sent to the Association as part of your application for full- ministry status. Your articles should contain a dissolution clause stating the Association will receive any remaining funds should the ministry dissolve. (Please see Recommended Articles of Incorporation for suggested wording of this clause.)

Once incorporated, you can begin to officially receive members into your church. (Prior to this point membership is in spirit only.) The first members taken into a ministry after incorporation are considered charter members. Typically these are the founding members of the ministry. A special Sunday service which celebrates this important event in the ministry's history is recommended. A ceremonial signing of the ministry charter may be included as part of this service. Such a service informs the congregation of the growth and development that is taking place within the ministry and enlists their support for further growth.

Once you are incorporated and have official membership, it is time to select a Board of Trustees which will serve with the minister as the governing body of this new corporation. Prior to this point, a Steering Committee has been serving this function. However, because incorporation has not yet taken place, the Steering Committee does not truly have legal responsibility for the ministry. It is suggested that the minister and two active members of the church who do not wish to serve on the board form a Nominating Committee to select candidates for the board. The Nominating Committee can then present a slate of candidates to the new membership. Nominations from the floor should also be considered. A confidential ballot can then be used to select the Board of Trustees. Six people, in addition to the minister, is the suggested number of people for a board. More than this can make handling the business of the board unwieldy. Less doesn't provide broad enough representation and overburdens the members of the board.

The first order of business for the Board of Trustees will be to select officers (President/Chair, Vice-President/First Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer). A major responsibility of the new board will be to see that a set of bylaws is created for the purpose of providing a legal framework for conducting the business of the ministry. (The Association's recommended bylaws are included in this book.) Typically this is done via a Bylaws Committee made up of board members and congregants who are interested in and have expertise in this area. Once bylaws have been drawn up, they should be presented to the membership for approval. The approved set of bylaws must be sent to the Association with your application for membership. Your bylaws should reflect the needs of your ministry and need not follow the Association's recommended bylaws in every detail. However, there are items which are required. These are:

1. A Dissolution Clause listing the Association as the recipient of any remaining funds should the ministry dissolve. (Please see Association's recommended bylaws
2. A clause which protects against conflict of interest and undue influence. (Please see Association's recommended bylaws)
3. Unity ministries are organizations which honor the voice of the minister, the board, and the congregation. Bylaws must give voice to all three aspects of the ministry and allow for cross checks and balances among the three.

If you are moving towards full- ministry status, you will also want to inform your membership of this process and have them vote to join the Association of Unity Churches. This vote is to be recorded in the membership meeting minutes, and a copy of these minutes is to be submitted with the application for full- ministry status.

Requirements for Full-Ministry Status

In applying for full membership status, the following items are required (newly updated 5/24/11):

1. A member ministry must have in their employ a full-time Unity minister ordained or licensed by Unity Worldwide Ministries or a Licensed Unity Teacher that has been accepted into the Field Licensing Program.
2. A member ministry must hold weekly services and offer regular programs, as well as be supported by a Board of Trustees.
3. A completed membership application.
4. A copy of the most recent complete full year's financial report of the ministry.
5. A copy of the Membership Meeting Minutes voting for full- ministry status.
6. A copy of the State certified Articles of Incorporation as a nonprofit organization, including State seal (where applicable).
7. A copy of the ministry bylaws must be submitted and approved by Unity Worldwide Ministries..
8. A letter of recommendation from the Regional Representative.
9. The ministry must demonstrate prosperity consciousness in the following ways-
   • By submitting a balanced working budget that has been utilized during the previous 12 months.
   • By submitting a signed letter stating that the board and the minister/licensed Unity teacher have come to agreement regarding salary and that the ministry intends to support the minister/licensed Unity teacher with a living wage based on a review of demographics of their area.
   • By committing to the practice of tithing (10%) in alignment with our principles and be able to show documentation of this in the previous year's financial statements.
10. At least 50 signatures of ministry members whoe have gone through a membership pathway that included the teaching of basic Unity Principles, as well as the relationship and function of our supporting organizations, Unity School and Unity Worldwide Ministries.
11. Copies of last 12 months Board of Trustees meeting minutes.
12. A written history of the ministry.
13. A signed copy of the Code of Ethics for a Minister and a Ministry.

These items are to be reviewed by the Ministry Expansion Office when complete. Provided all requirements have been met, the application will be placed on the Executive Board agenda with the recommendation of the Ministry Expansion Office.

Full-Ministry Membership Application

Please provide the following information:

• Name of Ministry
• Federal ID number
• Date of Application
• Mailing and Meeting Address
• Telephone
• Email Address
• Website
• Names and Addresses of all Board Members
• Description of Facility
• Information on Facility – Owned or Rented/Indebtedness
• Recent Photograph of the Church
• Average Attendance
  • Weekly Service
  • Youth Education

Include with application:

• A copy of your bylaws
  • How are Board members are elected and what is their rotation?
  • Dissolution clause
  • Minister's tenure
• Latest annual financial reports
• Articles of Incorporation as a nonprofit organization including State Seal
• Membership meeting minutes in which congregation voted to join the Association
• A list of the current activities and the approximate attendance
• Code of Ethics for a Ministry signed by your board president
• Number of paid staff and their capacities
• Any other information that would be helpful in evaluating your application

Membership applications will be reviewed and recommended to the Association's Board of Trustees. Applications will then be placed on the agenda of the Board's next available meeting.