Policies in Process

As a newly formed ministry, birthed by the merging of Unity Spiritual Renaissance and Unity of Greater Lansing, we are working diligently and thoughtful on creating policies and procedures that will facilitate the healthy operations of this spiritual community.  As we develop various policies, we will post them here.  The color coding is simply to make it easier to distinquish between policies.

POLICY ON EVENTS, WORKSHOP and CLASSES 

Accepted by Board of Trustees Sept. 19, 2016

GENERAL

Scheduling Events:  All events, classes and workshops require the completion of an Event Form submitted to a Sponsoring Ministry Team. 

  1. Event forms should be submitted by the Sponsoring Ministry Team to the Administrative assistant 6 weeks in advance of the event start date. 
  2. From the Event Form, the minister will schedule the event on the ministry master calendar.

Financial Arrangements: Standard split on classes, events and workshops are 50%/50% unless other terms are negotiated to reflect expenses incurred by the presenter for travel, etc. or a fee charged by a presenter whom we request to offer their program at USCL. 

  1. All income from the event/class/workshop is deposited by Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing. 
  2. USCL then issues a check for the presenter’s portion of the income at month end unless other arrangements have been made in advance.

Records: The Sponsoring Ministry Team will maintain a record of attendance for events, classes and workshops.  An excel sheet of events and class attendance will be maintained for yearend review. 

Facilitator Responsibility: Facilitators have the responsibility of completing the Class deposit envelop, including the number of people attending the class. 

  1. Completed envelop should be placed in the safe or in the administrative assistant’s inbox

Product Sales: If a presenter brings product to sell or offers to sell their services (private appointments), it is customary that a 10% love offering of all sales will be donated to USCL.

Building/Equipment Access:  For outside presenters, a member of the Sponsoring Ministry Team will be responsible for locking/unlocking church, use of equipment, etc. required by presenter.

 

POLICY ON AUTHORITY OF Spiritual Growth and Development to negotiate for fees with presenters

Adopted by Board of Trustees, November 21st, 2016

Existing Policy:  SGAD has authority to contract with a presenter for fees up to $200 with approval of board liaison.

Proposed Additional Motion:  The SGAD team has authority to contract for presenters with a split of love offerings varying from 10% Unity/90% Presenter (no expenses) to 50% Unity/50% Presenters with paid expenses not to exceed $200. 

For presenters requesting a set or guaranteed fee, and/or expenses the SGAD team has authority to contract for presenters for fees up to $100.00 and expenses up to a $100.00 per session without additional approval of the board.

 

POLICY ON MARKETING and ADVERTISING AT THE CHURCH - revised

Approved by Board of Trustees October 17, 2016

Promotion and advertisements at USCL will be limited to USCL events and products, with community-interest events promoted as space allows, as long as it does not conflict with USCL events.  No “for-profit” business promotion unless approved by the Board.

1.    SUNDAY ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Sunday Service announcements are limited so that the service is remains focused on the spiritual experience.

  1. BULLETIN BOARD: USCL events, notes from Board of Trustees, Thank you letters, etc. Posting of community events, but not for-profit businesses, on bulletin board with prior approval by Minister, Board or appropriate Ministry Team, as space allows. All posts should be dated and removed following the event or after 30 days.
  2. SUNDAY BULLETIN:  All scheduled activities are listed on the bulletin insert 3-4 weeks prior to event.
  3. WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER: Promotion of Unity product and events only.  No advertising for non-church products or events in the Unity newsletter unless recommended and/or supported by a ministry team. Examples are free City events or events at other Unity churches.
  4. WEBSITE and FACEBOOK: No promotion of non-Unity events.
  5. DIRECTORY OF SERVICES:   A congregant may take on the project of creating a “Unity Services Directory” which is an appropriate venue for advertising by individual congregants and businesses.  The bulletin board on the lower level will be dedicated to congregant business cards and community posters.

  6. The Events Calendar is on our website - UnityLansing.org                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

  SALES and SOLICITATION POLICY

Only USCL sponsored product, services and events tickets may be sold at Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing.  This includes product and services offered by contracted guest presenters and musicians.  (Financial arrangements for product sales with a guest presenter will be made at the time of contracting their services.)

We ask everyone's cooperation in refraining from soliciting donations for other worthwhile causes or selling product to support other organizations.  While the intent is charitable, the church is not the venue for these activities.

 

FINANCIAL POLICY

adopted at Administration Team Meeting August 10th, 2016

I. SIGNATORIES

A minimum of 3 board members should be bank signatories.  After 6 months of employment, a minister or administrative assistant, not currently signatories, may also be added to the bank signatory list.

II. POLICY:  CHECK SIGNING

Check signing:  Two authorized signatures are required on every check. It is preferable that checks be signed by at least one member of the Board of Directors. The second signature can be another board member or an employee.

III. POLICY: AUTHORIZED SPENDING LIMITS

Guideline: The intention of this section is to ensure accountability of those persons authorized to spend funds on behalf of Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing as well as to provide flexibility for the Minister to make appropriate financial commitments on behalf of the Centre.

a.    BOARD MEMBERS: Board members are authorized to approve or spend up to $200 per event on behalf of Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing without prior Board approval for non-budgeted items. Board or authorized approved Team Members submit receipts to the Office for reimbursement.

b.    MINISTER: The Minister is authorized to spend up to $500.00 for any single expenditure on behalf of Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing without prior Board approval for budgeted items or necessary repairs.

c.    CONTRACT RENEWALS: The Board of Directors must approve the renewals of existing contracts, as well as new contracts on behalf of Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing for such things as building maintenance and Insurance.

d.    ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS: On-line Payments from Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing’s Bank Account: The Minister and Administrative Assistant are authorized to make payments on-line from Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing’s bank accounts of regular monthly bills (e.g. utility and maintenance bills, obligations under existing contracts and credit card payments made in accordance with authorized spending).

A board member will initial a copy of each on-line payment as a “post” approval of the transaction.

 

POLICY III.  EMPLOYMENT POLICY DRAFT – covered up to point - still in work

1.    Paid Holidays for Hourly Employees: Paid holidays for employees include New Year’s Day (January 1),  Memorial Day (Last Monday in May), Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (1st Monday in September), Thanksgiving (4th Thursday in November), and Christmas Day (December 25), in accordance with US and Michigan Labor Law. Or at discretion of minister.

2.    Vacation policy: 
Fulltime hourly employees (over 24 hours per week) receive two weeks paid vacation a year after one full year unless otherwise contracted.  After 5 years, employees received 3 weeks paid vacation and after 10 years 4 weeks. 

Salary and Contract Employees: vacation time determined with each contract

3.    Sick Leave : For Discussion
Paid sick leave for hourly employees is at the discretion of the minister, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.  This section is designed to cover minor short term illness.

Paid sick leave for Salary and Contract Employees:  Discussion – perhaps recommend a set time with review by the Board?

4.  Carryover of Personal Time Off:  No more than a week of PTO can be carried over into the next calendar year.

5.    Breaks: It is the responsibility of employee to take their coffee and lunch breaks as provided for under State and Federal Labor Law.

6.    Safe Workplace policy
An employee is not expected to work under unsafe working conditions.  Employees are required to report unsafe situations immediately to the minister or a member of the Board of Directors. Unsafe working conditions are conditions in the workplace that would reasonably and objectively compromise the health and safety of the employee.

7.    Police Check: With the exception of musicians and other contracted employees, all employees will have a background check

8.    Bondable:  Minister and Administrative Assistant must be bondable and will sign an annual declaration stating such.  

Section 9, Duties and Responsibilities of the Board of Trustees, paragraph M. requires the Board to secure a fidelity bond or theft and dishonesty insurance for persons handling church funds.