The Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica

How Do I...

. . . put an announcement in the Order of Service?

The firm deadline for submitting announcements is 9 a.m. on Thursday of each week.

Send the announcement by e-mail (office@uusm.org), by fax - (310) 998-9181 - or place it in the "Order of Service" folder on the administrative and finance assistant's desk. Be sure you include the date, time, place, all other pertinent information, and the dates you want the announcement to appear. Don't assume it will automatically be repeated. Announcements are limited to four to five lines (75 words or less) and may be edited. You must include your name, phone number, and name of the committee/activity/group involved.

Give at least a week's notice if you want a separate flyer inserted in the order of service. Whether to use it is at the discretion of the church administrator. The church administrator will help you with graphic design, if necessary.

The announcements distributed each Thursday to email subscribers are the same ones published on Sunday, plus the ones excluded from the order of service because of space limitations and other restrictions. Do not send your announcements to the person who distributes them by email.

. . . request staff assistance, including sexton assistance and reporting areas needing attention?

Call the church administrator at (310) 829-5436, ext. 100, or e-mail office@uusm.org to discuss committee projects that require staff (including sexton) assistance and to report areas (burned out light bulbs, leaky faucets, etc.) that need attention. Please do not make direct requests of the sexton as the office staff makes decisions regarding the use of his time.

. . . submit articles to the newsletter?

The firm deadline for submitting articles is noon the 15th of each month.

E-mailed submissions are preferred. Send them to newsletter@uusm.org. Written articles are acceptable if typewritten or clearly printed on 8 1/2 X 11 paper. Place these in the newsletter mailbox in the office or fax them to (310) 998-9181. All submissions must include your name, phone number, and the name of the committee/activity/group.

. . . post an item on the bulletin board?

Give postings to the church administrator. Do not post anything yourself unless bulletin board space has been allocated to your committee. In that case, you are responsible for keeping the board neat and attractive.

. . . request reimbursement for a budgeted item?

Have the preparer obtain prior approval from the committee chairperson, the treasurer, or the Board (depending on budget from which the reimbursement will be made and the amount) before spending money. Otherwise, there is no guarantee of reimbursement. Keep all receipts. Use a "Request for Check" form which is on the administrative and finance assistant's desk.

Have the preparer sign the form and have an authorized person (usually the committee chair) sign in the approver's space. Place it, with the receipts attached, in the "Request for Check" folder on the finance assistant's desk. Expect reimbursement within two weeks.

. . . request money for an unbudgeted item?

Expenditures that go beyond the committee's budget may not be reimbursed. If you have an unanticipated expense, contact the board treasurer as soon as you learn about it. Draft a written explanation of the need and the costs for the treasurer to approve (if $1000.00 or less) or present to the finance committee.

The finance committee may approve requests of not more than $2,500.00. If you need more than $2,500.00, the finance committee must refer the request to the board with its recommendation. The finance committee meets the fourth Sunday and the board on the second Tuesday, so leave adequate time for this process. If the request is an urgent one that cannot wait, the treasurer will help you or explain your options.

. . . request a new item be placed in next year's budget?

The chair of the finance committee will ask you each year in November to submit a budget request by the end of January. Have your committee carefully consider what their needs will be for the coming year. Explain any items that are not routine.

. . . schedule a meeting and reserve space?

All meetings must be coordinated with the church administrator. Call the office at (310) 829-5436, ext. 100, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or send an e-mail (office@uusm.org) or fax (310) 998-9181, stating your name, the name of the committee/activity/group, how many people the room must accommodate, the date, and the beginning and ending time. Alternatively, you may stop by the office and complete a "Request for Use of Church Facilities" form. They are in a red folder on the visitors' desk.

If you want a specific room, please say which one. You will be asked to pick up a key and given information on what is expected in regard to cleaning up the room and securing the building after the meeting.

Your committee is responsible for setting up and cleaning your room. This includes cleaning and properly storing tables and chairs, and cleaning up the kitchen if you used it.