Board of Directors

The role of the Board of Directors is to govern the Mass Bay District. But the power inherent in that job doesn't belong to us, the members of the Board. That power belongs to the owners of the MBD.

And who are the owners? They are the district's 55 member congregations, as represented by the head of each congregation's governing board. Ministers, though key stakeholders, are not owners. Matters addressed at the district's annual meeting are voted on by delegates elected from the individual congregations, specifically three delegates per congregation. That means the owners probably include you. While you may not be a leader in your congregation, your congregation's leaders represent you and your fellow parishioners.

It is of utmost importance to us that our work be transparent and easily accessible to you. On our website, you'll find a list of Board members and their contact information; a schedule of meetings, including approved minutes of the previous meetings and other helpful resources; links and other features to ensure that you know all about what we're doing and why.

We want you to be able to understand our work, comment on it, or question it whenever you need to. We strongly encourage you to contact us with any concerns or questions you have about governance.

Please note that the Board does not manage MBD operations. Operations are the responsibility of the District Executive, sphillips [at] uua [dot] org (Rev. Sue Phillips), so such questions should be directed to her.

How to Become a Board Member

Being a Board member is quite rewarding, but like any rewarding undertaking, it’s also an important responsibility. If you’re contemplating becoming a Board member, we request that you read our Board Governance Policies, which describe the nature of our work and our behavioral covenants, as well as our Director Affidavit, which explains the nature of the workload of a Board member.

If, after reading these, you feel you can honor the required commitment and still want to pursue it, please contact the MBD Nominating Committee. The NomCom is responsible for providing a slate of nominees for director and officer to the MBD congregations at the Annual Meeting. The MBD member congregations elect all directors and officers based on qualifications researched and presented to them by the NomCom.

If this page hasn’t answered all your questions or concerns about the Board of Directors, feel free to contact jlaurenson [at] rcn [dot] com (John Laurenson), District President.