The Heritage UU Church Finance Committee finalized a recommended Investment Policy on December 10, 2020, and the Board of Trustees approved the policy on December 14, 2020.

Investment Policy Statement in PDF format

Background

Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church (HUUC or “the church”) General Fund uses a simple bank checking account for day-to-day operations and routine transactions. Pledge donations, general donations, rent receipts, fund-raising proceeds, and other miscellaneous receipts are deposited into the account. Salaries, utilities, routine maintenance expenses, and other operating expenses are paid from this account, as well as distributions for the “minor” funds, such as the music fund, garden fund, outdoor chapel fund, and others.

Cash balances tend to ebb and flow, with cyclical needs. Occasionally, when bank interest rates are worth the trouble, some funds are set aside in FDIC insured bank savings accounts, fixed maturity certificates of deposit, or a money market account for anticipated budgeted expenses.

The finance committee recommends that a certain level of cash be kept in liquid accounts, and any excess be invested. At its September 14, 2020 meeting, the HUUC Board of Trustees approved the following policy statement for management of our cash-on-hand balance.

Policy statement

Liquid cash retention is calculated on an annual basis upon adoption of the HUUC Annual Budget. A liquid cash target of 15% (+/-3%) of the annual expense budget should be retained in cash reserves, allowing the rest to be invested.

Rationale for policy based on research and historical financial data:

• The Unitarian Universalist Association recommends that a congregation have cash reserves of 6%, so our recommendation is conservative for ease of operations.
• Projected total year pledges at historical 95% realization rate is reliable.
• Anticipated rent and other income are not assumed as necessary revenue streams.
• No adjustment is made for distributions from the “minor” funds, which are typically unplanned expenses.

Posted 9/21/2020.

Once again, election season is upon us. During this time (and in fact, all the time), it is important to remember that Heritage Church is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization – which means that we are not permitted to engage in partisan political activity. Let’s take a look at what that phrase means:

• Neither the church, nor anyone who is representing or speaking on behalf of the church, may endorse, or advocate for or against, any candidate for public office.
• Neither the church, nor anyone who is representing or speaking on behalf of the church, may advocate for or against any political party.
• Neither the church, nor anyone who is representing or speaking on behalf of the church, may distribute campaign material such as partisan literature, candidate bumper stickers or signs, brochures, etc.
• The church cannot fundraise on behalf of candidates, or donate meeting space to candidates, their organizations, or their political parties.

Misconceptions abound, however, according to the Unitarian Universalist Association publication “The Real Rules” (https://www.uua.org/justice-programs/realrules). For example, it is not “illegal,” nor is the church’s tax-exempt status put in jeopardy, when anyone in the church – or even the congregation as a whole – speaks out or takes a position on public policy issues. Religious communities have long advocated for and against the many different issues of their day, and that is perfectly acceptable. Faith communities also have a long tradition of “speaking truth to power,” which sometimes includes holding public officials (i.e., current office-holders, as opposed to candidates for public office) accountable for their actions.

It is also perfectly acceptable for individual church members (even staff members, ministers, Board members, etc.) to be politically active and even partisan – as private citizens. They simply aren’t allowed to do so when they are representing the church. Similarly, it is perfectly acceptable for individuals, as private citizens, to distribute campaign material.

But here are a few reminders:

• We ask that you do not bring campaign signs or literature into the church building (yes, you may wear your T-shirts and buttons to church, provided you are not a staff or Board member, but remember to be respectful of the differing views and opinions of others).
• If you wish to share information or materials with others, please do so outside the church building. Even then, we ask that you remain respectful and consider appearances. Be aware that any activity happening at or near the church can be construed as being endorsed by the church, even if it is not.
• We do not invite candidates for public office to speak at Heritage Church.
• Remember that several years ago, the Board voted to have Heritage stop being a polling place in the community because of the highly charged, divisive, even toxic political atmosphere it brought into our sacred space. Let’s keep our building and our property free from the acrimony that abounds in so many other areas of our lives today.

October 14, 2018.

The content of the church’s Safety and Security Policies and Procedures manual is contained in various posts in the Policies and Procedures section of the website. The website also has the full manual in PDF form.

Handguns and other firearms are not permitted in the Heritage Church building or anywhere on Heritage property, except in a locked car parked in the parking lot for a lawful reason. The only exception to this policy is a peace officer on the property pursuant to their official duties. Ohio law states that a concealed-carry permit holder is not authorized to carry a concealed firearm into “Any church, synagogue, mosque, or other place of worship, unless the church, synagogue, mosque, or other place of worship posts or permits otherwise.” Ohio Revised Code 2923.126(B)(6). There is no need for this policy to be posted to be enforced. The Board of Trustees may decide it should be posted, and where, in its discretion.

~ Approved by the Board of Trustees on January 11, 2016.

Policy,
Rules for Pictures,
Content of Articles,
Timing,
Submittal Method,
Miscellaneous

Policy

All material provided must meet the requirements of the Website Content Policy.

Rules for Pictures

Pictures should be sharp and clear, and should be large in size, that is, have high resolutions.

If you take pictures of people, get permission from all people in the picture to have their picture appear on the Internet and in the Heirloom. Inform the webmaster or Heirloom editor that permissions have been granted.

If you find a picture on the Internet that you want to use, make sure it does not have copyright or usage restrictions. Provide the picture as well as a link to where you found it on the Internet.

Please use photographs as opposed to clip art or images with text. However, if a suitable photograph cannot be found, clip art is acceptable.

Content of Articles

Include the following pieces of information:

• A title for the article.
• Who to contact for more information, with an email link or phone number.

If it is an event, also include the following:

• Date and time of the event.
• Location of the event, if it is not Heritage Church.
• Description of the event.
• Who the event is open to (examples: women of the church, church members and friends, adults and high school teens, the public).
• Whether childcare will be provided, or is available upon request, or is not available.

Provide any links needed (for example, to an external webpage or to an email address).

Try to follow the Website Style Guidelines as much as possible.

Timing

Submit material at the time you want it to appear on the website, and/or prior to the submittal due date for the Heirloom.

If you submit an article for an event that will happen several months in the future, the Heirloom editor will repeat the article unchanged in succeeding months of the Heirloom, and you do not need to resubmit it.

If you want an article to be repeated in succeeding months but with changes (such as changes of date), you will need to arrange for this with the Heirloom editor.

Submittal Method

Type (or copy and paste) the text into the body of an email message, or attach it to an email message as a Microsoft Word document. Send any pictures as attachments to emails.

Send the email to the address below:

Miscellaneous

The webmaster and/or Heirloom editor make the final decision regarding what text and pictures to use, and also reserve the right to edit the text and pictures submitted.

If you have questions, contact the webmaster at the email address below.

When a Board member opens and closes the building for an outside group, he or she can print out and use the Checklists for Building Opener and Closer in PDF form.

On March 9 and March 24, 2015, the Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church Board of Trustees approved changes in the Safety and Security Policies and Procedures manual. The following sections have been updated to reflect these changes.

• Building Closing Policy
• Building Closing Procedure
• Provision of Child Care for Routine Church Events
• Provision of Child Care for Other Events
• Checklist Before Leaving the Church Building

You can also obtain the full manual in PDF format.