ARTICLE I - NAME

This Corporation shall be called the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill.

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE

In search for truth, we unite for worship, for fellowship and for the service of humanity.

ARTICLE III - AFFILIATION

This Corporation shall be affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Joseph Priestley District or their successors by whatever names they shall hereafter be known.

ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Any person is eligible to become a member of this Corporation who is eighteen years of age or older who is in sympathy with the purposes of this Corporation as stated in ARTICLE II.

Section 2: Membership is achieved by meeting with the Minister (or in the absence of the Minister or, when the Church has no minister, a person designated by the Board), signature of the Membership Book, signature of a pledge card and a welcoming vote of the Board of Trustees. A new member shall be entitled to vote at meetings of the Corporation which he or she attends sixty days after signing the Membership Book.

Section 3: Any member may resign by written notice to the Corporation.

Section 4: This church is supported primarily by the generous pledges of its members and a pledge is considered as an expression of commitment.

The Board of Trustees ("Board," see Article VI) may terminate the membership in this church of any member who makes no pledge or for the period of one year contributes to the church less than an amount in identifiable funds which will be set at least triennially by the Board of Trustees. Prior to taking such action the Board shall make a reasonable effort to locate the member to determine intent with respect to continued membership in the church and shall make allowance for hardship.

Section 5: Youth who have completed the eighth grade are eligible to become Associate Members of the Church. Associate Membership is achieved upon recommendation of an appropriate committee, meeting with the Minister or, in the absence of the Minister or when the Church has no minister, a person designated by the Board, signature in the Membership Book, and a welcoming vote of the Board of Trustees. Associate Members shall have all the rights of membership except the right to vote at corporation meetings and to be members of the Board of Trustees. They shall not be counted as members in determining a quorum, though they have the right of voice at meetings. Associate Membership may continue until completion of college, but no later than age twenty-three. Associate Members may opt to become voting members anytime after their eighteenth birthday. The Membership Committee will offer the opportunity to become voting members each year between the Associate Member's eighteenth and twenty-third birthdays, and finally after age twenty-three and/or the completion of college.

ARTICLE V - CONGREGATIONAL MEETINGS

Section 1: The Annual Meeting of the Corporation shall be held during the final quarter of the fiscal year at such time and place as shall be fixed by the Board of Trustees.

Section 2: A special meeting of this Corporation may be called at any time by the Board, subject to Section 4 of this ARTICLE V and ARTICLE XIII, Section 2. The Board shall be required to call a special meeting within thirty days after receipt of a written request of ten or more voting members to call such a meeting, except that a request for a special meeting to consider dismissal of the Minister or any officer or to amend the bylaws must be signed by at least ten percent of the voting members of the Corporation. The request shall state the purpose for which the meeting is called.

Section 3: If no duly elected presiding officer is present to moderate a legal meeting of the Corporation, any Trustee may serve as President pro tem.

Section 4: It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary to provide written or printed notice stating the place, day and hour of any meeting of the members which shall be delivered to each member not less than fifteen days before the date of such meeting. The notice of a meeting shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail with first class postage addressed to the member at his or her address as it appears on the records of the Corporation with postage thereon prepaid. In case of a special meeting other than the Annual meeting or when required by statute or by these bylaws, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called shall be stated in the notice and shall be confined solely to the contents in said notice.

Notice of the Annual Meeting shall include agenda, a financial statement for the current year, and the budget proposed for the next fiscal year.

Section 5: Unless otherwise provided by the bylaws or statute, all meetings shall be transacted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order.

Section 6: Ten percent of the voting members of this Corporation shall constitute a quorum at any legal meeting of the Corporation except that twenty-five percent of the voting members shall constitute a quorum at a special meeting called to consider dismissal of the Minister or any officer.

ARTICLE VI - BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Section 1: The management of the corporation shall be vested in a Board of Trustees. The Board shall consist of nine voting members, none of whom shall be employees of the Corporation. Voting members of the Board shall be elected by the Corporation. The minister shall serve as a non-voting member as provided in Article XII, Section 1.

Section 2: Four Trustees shall be elected every two years for two- year terms and five trustees shall be elected on the alternate years for two-year terms. A Trustee may serve two consecutive terms plus a partial term by Board appointment to fill a Board vacancy, and shall be eligible for re-election to the Board after a period of one year.

Section 3: Any voting member of the Corporation shall be eligible to serve, except as provided in Article VI, Section 1. At least one member of the Board must be a resident of the State of New Jersey.

Section 4: The nine elected Trustees shall meet not later than two weeks following the Annual Meeting and shall elect one of the elected Trustees as President, one as First Vice President, and one as Second Vice President.

The outgoing Board shall serve until the new Board has chosen its officers.

Vacancies that occur on the Board shall be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the Board from a list of candidates provided by the Nominating Committee. Members appointed by the Board shall serve until the next Annual Congregational Meeting.

Section 5: Meetings of the Board shall be held at least quarterly and may be called by the President or by any four members of the Board upon reasonable notice.

Section 6: All votes of the Board shall be taken in open meetings.

Section 7: The Board shall keep accurate minutes of all business transacted at meetings, shall maintain a complete file of minutes, and shall make minutes available to all members of the Corporation.

Section 8: Five members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

ARTICLE VII - DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Section 1: The Board shall have full responsibility and authority in all matters relating to the management of the Corporation
between meetings of the Corporation, including providing of Church services and the operation of a School of Religious Education, limited only by law, the provisions of the bylaws and resolutions adopted by the Corporation.

Section 2: The Board shall have no power to buy, sell, encumber or transfer any real property of the Corporation, to incur indebtedness or to authorize spending in excess of the budget
approved by the Corporation.

Section 3: The Board shall hire and discharge all employees of the Corporation except the Minister.

Section 4: All funds of the Corporation shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Corporation in such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as the Board may approve.

Section 5: The Board may accept on behalf of the Corporation any contribution, gift, bequest, or devise.

Section 6: The Board shall appoint an Employee Relations Committee to assist, at the request of the Board or the responsible committee, in hiring, orienting and monitoring the performance of all employees of the Church except the Minister. The committee shall arrange for annual performance reviews and make salary recommendations to the Board.

Section 7: The Board shall appoint a Committee on Ministry which is to meet regularly with the Minister. The purpose of the Committee on Ministry shall be to help make the ministry effective and responsive to the congregation. The committee shall inform the Board and congregation of matters concerning the ministry, and submit a report to the Annual Meeting.

The Minister and the Board shall concur on the members appointed to the committee. If the church has no Minister the Board shall appoint the members of the committee.

Section 8: During the first month of the new fiscal year the Board shall arrange for an audit of the books and other financial records of the church and auxiliary organizations for the fiscal year just ended. The audit shall be placed in the permanent records of the corporation.

Section 9: The Board shall appoint Trustees of the Gift and Endowment Fund of the Church as required by resolution of a Congregational Meeting establishing the Gift and Endowment Trust Fund adopted on November 13, 1988 by the Corporation.

Section 10: The Board shall appoint a Long-Range Planning Committee to conduct on-going, long-range planning.

Section 11: The Board may recognize and establish committees, task forces and other groups. The Board may withhold approval of any committee, task force or other group which it deems contrary to church policies and resolutions adopted by the Corporation.

Definitions:

A. A Committee appointed or recognized by the Board conducts ongoing church business or program on behalf of the Board as described in the Committee's assignment. A committee may form sub-committees.

B. A task force appointed or recognized by the Board performs a specific short-time assignment and is dissolved upon completion of its assignment.

C. A general interest group consists of persons participating in a long or short-term program, or activity of interest to the members of the group. All general interest groups shall be assigned to appropriate committees by the Board.

ARTICLE VIII - OFFICERS

Section 1: The officers of the Corporation shall be a President, a First Vice-President, a Second Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer per requirements of the State of New Jersey. Other officers may be elected or appointed in accordance with the provisions of this Article and shall be members of the congregation. The President, First-Vice President, Second-Vice President, and Minister constitute the Executive Committee of the Board which shall have such duties as the Board may determine.

The Board may appoint such other officers, as it shall deem desirable, to serve at the discretion of the Board. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person, except the offices of President and Secretary. All officers shall be voting members of the Corporation.

Section 2: The Secretary and Treasurer shall be appointed by the Board and shall not be members of said Board.

Section 3: The Board may remove any officer appointed by the Board and may abolish any committee, task force and general interest group except those committees required by the By-Laws whenever in its judgment the best interests of the Corporation would be served thereby.

Section 4: A vacancy in any office may be filled by the Board for the unexpired portion of the term; but Board vacancies must be filled from nominations pursuant to ARTICLE IX, Section 3.

Section 5: The President shall preside at all meetings of the Corporation and of the Board. He or she may sign, with the Secretary or any other proper officer of the Corporation authorized by the Board, any deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts, or other instruments that the Board has authorized to be executed, except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board or by these bylaws or by statute to some other officer or agent of the Corporation, and, in general he or she shall perform all duties as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time.

Section 6: In the absence of the President or in the event of his or her incapacity, the First Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions of the President. If a quorum is present without a President or Vice-President, then the quorum will elect a President pro tem from among the Trustees present for that meeting.

Any Vice-President shall perform such duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the President or by the Board. (See also Article V, Section 3 and Article VI, Section 8.)

Section 7: The Treasurer shall have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds and securities of the Corporation except those funds entrusted to the Endowment Trustees.

Section 8: The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Corporation and of the Board in one or more books provided for that purpose and extract and maintain from the aforesaid minutes a separate compilation of policies; see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws or as required by law; be custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the Corporation and see that the seal of the Corporation is affixed to all documents, the execution of which on behalf of the Corporation under its seal is duly authorized in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws; keep a register of the post office address of each member, which shall be furnished to the Secretary by such member; and, in general, perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the President of the Board.

ARTICLE IX - NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Section 1: The Nominating Committee shall consist of ten voting members, five of whom shall be elected at each Annual Meeting of the Corporation for two years. Members who serve two consecutive terms may be re-elected after the elapse of a year.

Section 2: The Nominating Committee shall present to the members of the Corporation at least twenty days before the Annual Meeting a list of at least one candidate for each member of the Board whose term will expire at the Annual Meeting and for each member of the Board who was appointed in accordance with ARTICLE VIII, Section 4 since the preceding Annual Meeting. Nominations may be made from the floor by voting members of the Corporation. (See also ARTICLE VI, Section 1 and ARTICLE IX, Section 2.)

Section 3: At the request of the Board of Trustees the Nominating Committee shall present to the Board a list of candidates for elective offices that become vacant between Annual Meetings. The Board shall fill positions from these lists of candidates.

Section 4: At least five members of the Nominating Committee shall participate in the selection of candidates.

Section 5: Members of the Nominating Committee shall tabulate votes and perform other duties at any Corporation meeting as directed by the Chairperson.

ARTICLE X - ORGANIZATIONS

Section 1: Auxiliary organizations designed to further the interest of the Corporation and its members may be formed with the consent and aid of the Board. They may use the facilities of the Corporation and shall be regarded as integral parts of the Corporation. All such organizations shall be under the general supervision of the Board and shall present annual reports in writing to the Board.

Section 2: Autonomous organizations which may be formed by members of the Corporation and which are not subject to the supervision of the Board shall not be regarded as integral parts of the Corporation and shall have no claim on the use of the facilities of the Corporation.

ARTICLE XI - MINISTER

Section 1: In order to qualify for election to the ministry of this Corporation, a candidate shall be recommended by a Pulpit Search Committee which has been elected by a majority of the members in attendance at a legal meeting of the Congregation. All members of the Pulpit Search Committee shall be members of the church. The Pulpit Search Committee shall carry out its duties according to the recommended procedures of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Section 2: The candidate shall be elected by a three-fourths vote by secret ballot of the members in attendance at a legal meeting of the Corporation, called for that purpose.

Section 3: The terms of the written agreement with any Minister called by the Church shall be determined within the limits of this ARTICLE XII. The financial support for the work of the ministry shall be recommended by the Board for the approval of the congregation before calling the Minister.

Section 4: There shall be a written agreement with the Minister which specifies the Minister's duties and terms of employment. The terms of the agreement shall be recommended by the Pulpit Search Committee to the Board for its approval. The agreement shall be open ended and may be revised as necessary by a consensus of the Board and Minister.

Section 5: The agreement between the Church and its Minister may be terminated by either party by giving written notice to the other party. The agreement shall specify how far in advance the notice of such termination shall be given. (See also ARTICLE V, Sections 2 and 6.)

ARTICLE XII - DUTIES OF THE MINISTER

Section 1: The Minister shall be charged to lead the congregation in worship, to preach the truth as he or she sees it, and to endeavor to help the members in all ways to fulfill the purpose of the Church. Other responsibilities of the Minister shall be specified in the written agreement between the Minister and the Board. The Minister shall adhere to the policies of the Board and Corporation. The Minister shall work closely with the Board and with each officer. The Minister shall be a non-voting member of the Board of Trustees and of all committees and organizations, except the Nominating Committee and a Search Committee for his or her successor.

Section 2: The Minister shall, within thirty days after the event, provide the Secretary of the Corporation with a written record of each dedication, wedding, funeral, memorial or other service which the Minister has performed on behalf of the Corporation.

Section 3: In keeping with the traditions of a free pulpit, the Minister may fully express his/her thoughts and teachings in the pulpit or in any other channel of communication both within and outside the Corporation.

ARTICLE XIII - MISCELLANEOUS

Section 1: Whenever any notice is required to be given under the provisions of the New Jersey Corporations and Associations Not for Profit Act or under the provisions of the articles of incorporation or the bylaws of the Corporation, a waiver thereof in writing signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice.

Section 2: The bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote at any legal meeting of this Corporation provided that the proposed amendment shall have been stated in its entirety in the notice of the meeting sent to members of the Corporation. The Board of Trustees shall be required to introduce an amendment to the bylaws upon written request of ten or more voting members of the Corporation.

Section 3: Should the Corporation cease to function and the membership vote to disband, any assets of the Corporation will be transferred to the Unitarian Universalist Association for its general purposes. This transfer to be made in full compliance with all applicable laws.

ARTICLE XIV - CORPORATION RESOLUTIONS

Section 1: Corporation Resolutions shall be resolutions adopted at meetings of the Corporation. Resolutions may be adopted, amended or rescinded by a two-thirds majority vote at any legal meeting of this Corporation provided that the proposed resolution, or amendment or rescission of a resolution shall have been stated in its entirety in the notice of the meeting sent to members of the Corporation. The Board of Trustees shall be required to introduce a resolution, or amendment or rescission of a resolution upon written request of ten or more voting members of the Corporation. Adopted resolutions shall be attached to every printing of the By-Laws as long as the resolutions remain in effect.

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RESOLUTION

Regarding CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS
(Adopted November 16, 1969)

We the members of the Unitarian Church of Southern New Jersey meeting in special session on Nov. 16, 1969 believe that the changed guidelines established by the courts and recent Selective Service directives will make the process of determining which applicants qualify for conscientious objector status even more difficult now than in the past. We further believe that every group in any way concerned should do all that it can to help the local Board members in their effort to justly administer the Selective Service law.

With this motivation before us we do hereby adopt the following resolution:

Whereas the religious training of this Church emphasizes individual liberty of belief for each person, and the Sunday School program teaches that each person has the right and duty to shape conscientiously his ethical and religious beliefs in the light of our tradition which emphasizes belief in the universal brotherhood of all men regardless of differences in creeds, color, or national origin; and

Whereas our practice is one of peaceful reconciliation among differing viewpoints and of recognizing the supreme worth of every human, and

Whereas, while this religious training in some young people results in willingness to participate in military service, in other young people of our congregation it results in sincere conscientious objection to war as a policy for settling controversies between nations and to participation in war or preparation for war in any form; and

Whereas the Constitution of the Unitarian Universalist Association, our continental organization, states as three of its purposes the following:

To cherish and spread the universal truths taught by the great prophets and teachers of humanity in every age and tradition, immemorially summarized in the Judeo-Christian heritage as love to God and love to man;

To affirm, defend and promote the supreme worth of every human personality, the dignity of man, and the use of the democratic method in human relationships;

To encourage cooperation with men of good will in every land; and in accord therewith the U.U.A. has adopted resolutions supporting the right and duty of each citizen to obey the will of conscience if this leads to refusal to participate in war; and

Whereas the Society wishes to inform draft boards of these facts, in view of the Military Selective Service Act of 1967 (50 U.S.C. App. Sect. 456 /j/) which recognizes "religious training and belief" as lawful grounds for classification as a conscientious objector "opposed to participation in war in any form"

Now, therefore, on Nov. 16, 1969 the Unitarian Church of Southern New Jersey of Cherry Hill at its Special Meeting resolves that:
1) The Unitarian Church of Southern New Jersey of Cherry Hill, N.J. shall notify every draft board in this area that conscientious objection to war as a policy for settling controversies between nations and opposition to participation in war or preparation for war in any form is a belief fully consistent with the religious training of our young people.

2) The Unitarian Church of Southern New Jersey of Cherry Hill extends its full respect and support to its young men who cannot, as a matter of conscience in view of their religious training and belief agree to serve in the armed services or to bear arms in military service, and do equally full respect and support to its young men who willingly do so.

And Further Be It Resolved That:

3) The Unitarian Church of Southern New Jersey of Cherry Hill urges each local draft board to accord full respect to the conscientious objections of young men when their objections grow out of their religious training and belief and to accord to such young men their full rights under the procedures of the Military Selective Service Act to claim conscientious objector classification; and

4) Copies of this resolution shall be sent to every draft board where members of the Society reside, to the New Jersey and Pennsylvania State Director of Selective Service and to the National Director of Selective Service.

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RESOLUTION
To Declare the Unitarian Church in Cherry Hill
a NUCLEAR WEAPONS FREE ZONE
(Adopted July 27, 1986)

WHEREAS the United States and the Soviet Union and a number of other nations in the world are engaged in an ever accelerating arms race such that we are spending more than a million dollars a minute to design and build weapons. The current number of nuclear weapons poses an unacceptable threat to the continued existence of life. The continuing expenditure of resources for purposes of war preparation deprives much of the world of the quality of life which could be available to it.

The nuclear states have applied traditional doctrines of war in a world where new weapons have made these doctrines obsolete. The applications of these doctrines presents humanity with an ever increasing threat of nuclear holocaust.

The use or threatened use of nuclear weapons is in direct conflict with the values of our members and with their continued mental, emotional and physical health and safety.

This declaration is intended both as a moral statement and a public witness.

THEREFORE be it known that the Unitarian Church in Cherry Hill, 401 N. Kings Highway, Cherry Hill, New Jersey

(a) is a NUCLEAR WEAPONS FREE ZONE, within which no nuclear weapon or any component thereof shall be designed, manufactured, tested, stored, modernized, disposed of, or permitted in any fashion; (b) renounces the right to be defended by the use or threatened use of nuclear weapons and demands to be removed from nuclear target lists of all governments; (c) calls on other churches and synagogues in Cherry Hill to take similar action by sending this resolution and a letter to the clergy; (d) to give our declaration maximum effect, requests our Board to post a symbol of this action on our property, to convey this declaration to appropriate governments and representatives and to commend it for publication; (e) proclaims our church a home for the discussion and organization of peace oriented activity.

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RESOLUTION
For WELCOMING CONGREGATION
(Adopted June 4, 1995)

We, the members of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, declare ourselves a Welcoming Congregation for gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals. We accept the charge to continue addressing issues regarding diversity and inclusion within this church.

As a Welcoming Congregation, we affirm and promote full participation of interested persons in all our activities in accordance with church by-laws, regardless of sexual or affectional orientation.

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RESOLUTION
to establish the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill
as a TEACHING CONGREGATION
(adopted June 30, 1996)

The Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill believes it to be in the interests of both the Church and our denomination to provide ongoing support to interns preparing for the ministry. Development of capable and competent ministers is essential to the leadership of our religious communities, the vitality of our congregations, and the spiritual growth and development of each of us. Accordingly, the Board recommends to the congregation that we become a teaching congregation.
Doing so requires commitment from us as a congregation, from our minister, from our professional staff, and from the Board.