Our Organization
Here is a road map of how our volunteer and employee leadership are organized at FUUSE.
Staff and Administrative Volunteers
| Position | Person | Description | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interim Minister | Rev. Terry Sweetser | Email for an appointment | revterry@exeteruu.org |
| Religious Education Coordinators | Karen Prazar & Cecilia Kiely | Email for an appointment | DRE@exeteruu.org |
| Music Director | Kristina Kulish | Email for an appointment. | music.committee@exeteruu.org |
| Administrator | Nancy Grenier | The office is located in the Parsonage at 10 Elm St., and is open Mon. & Wed. 9am-1pm & Fri. 9am-4pm | office@exeteruu.org |
| Treasurer | Andy Deardorff | treasurer@exeteruu.org | |
| Webmaster | Bill Downall | webmaster@exeteruu.org | |
| Trustees | Alexandra Allen | Chairman of the Board | boardchair@exeteruu.org |
| Pledges | Stewardship Committee | pledges@exeteruu.org |
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is responsible for conducting the legal affairs of the Society. It oversees the activities and performance of the Minister and the work of all other committees responsible for personnel administration. It is responsible for all property and financial resources of the Society, including current operating funds and investment funds. Each year it presents an annual operating budget to the Society for approval and then manages that budget during the year.
| Alexandra Allen | Chair, boardchair@exeteruu.org |
|---|---|
| Andy Deardorff | Treasurer |
| Sue Bielski | Recording Secretary |
| Holley Daschbach | Board Member |
| Gwen Kenney | Board Member |
| Bert Lamb | Board Member |
| Stephanie Marshall | Board Member |
| Dave Michelsen | Board Member |
| Paul O'Neil | Board Member |
| Rev. Terry Sweetser | Ex-officio member |
Board Committees and Task Forces
| Committe/Task force/group | Description | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Property (formerly known as facilities) | This committee takes care of and maintains all the FUUSE facilities. | Chair, Steve Kenney property@exeteruu.org |
| Personnel Committee | This committee handles all the Human Resource functions regarding policy and performance | Stephanie Marshall, Chair |
| Nominating Committee | This committee recruits people to become board members and people to serve on board committees. | Chair |
| Finance Committee | This committee oversees all of the finances, investments, budgets and reviews reports | Jim Breeling, Chair |
| Renovations/Building Task Force | To assess and prioritize the needs of the current facilities. | Dave Michelsen and Deb Merrick |
| Membership Committee | This committee is responsible for all congregant info, gatherings as well as membership. | Karen Patnaude, Gwen Kenney |
| Program Council | This committee develops, designs and supports all programming at FUUSE. | Alex Allen, Chair |
Programs and Service Committees, Groups and Task Forces
| Committee/Group name | Description | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Program Council | The Program Council is a collaborative group that promotes interconnections in the church. The council supports and joins together allowing for synergy among committees. It consists of the chairs of all committees responsible for the various programs in our church. The Program Council facilitates the development and coordination of church programs. The Program Council coordinates the Church calendar, enhances intra-church communication, initiates, advances or modifies programs and activities, provides leadership development and training, and ensures that committee leaders have the information and resources needed to carry out their function. The Program Council supports the inner workings of the church community and assists in achieving the objectives of the Society as directed by the Board of Trustees. | Sarah DeWitt, Chair |
| Religious Education Committee | Supporting our kids and youth. | Alex Allen, Chair |
| Knitting Ministry | The Knitting Ministry has been active since 2006 with a group of enterprising folks who love to knit and crochet. We create shawls for our congregational members and friends to bring warmth, strength, and comfort during difficult times. We also support other charitable organizations such as Afghans for Afghans and we make hats for the homeless and blankets for babies. Novice knitters and those would like to learn will find encouragement along with a sense of connectedness and camaraderie. We meet on the second and fourth Mondays of each month in the Parsonage from 6:30 to 8. Donations of yarn are always gratefully accepted. | Anne Tufts |
| Social Justice | The committee meets the first Sunday of the month in the Parsonage library from 11:15 am – 12:15 pm unless otherwise posted in the eFUUSE. Church members and friends are welcomed to attend the meetings or to suggest issues of interest. The Committee also welcomes ideas for collaborations with Religious Education, a Coffee Hour tabling topic, or the subject for a church service or program. The committee functions using a focus group structure whereby members choose a specific area of interest and then bring forth ways to educate and/or promote action among church members and friends, and community members. | Bob Moore, David Weber, Co-Chairs |
| Outreach Committee | The Outreach Committee reaches beyond the FUUSE walls by providing meaningful ways to connect, support, and enrich others through service, spirit, and financial contributions. We: research the needs of our community, call or personally interview service agencies, invite speakers to discuss their program needs, and conduct surveys to determine FUUSE priorities. The third Sunday of each month has been designated as Give-It-Away Sunday when the general offering will be distributed to groups serving the community. | Gail Nostrom, Chair |
| Welcoming Circle Teams | Welcoming Circle is a team of volunteers who work together to provide a welcoming, safe and comfortable environment for the Sunday Service, Social hour and more. This model was adopted by this church in October 2014. It now has in place eight team leaders with eight teams of between eight and twelve members per team. These teams fill the much needed volunteer roles from September through June. | Gwen Kenney |
| Caring Committee | Also affectionately known as the “Casserole Ministry,” the Caring Committee works with the minister to provide care and support for congregation members in times of need. This includes rides, food, visits, and support at all levels. | Jane Oldfield - Spearman |
| Visiting Committee | This committee visits the home bound of our members and offers them companionship, communication and comfort. | Jane Oldfield-Spearman |
| Music Committee | FUUSE has a rich music program with an adult choir and many musical members who share their talents during services as well as in the community. The choir sings often throughout the year. All are welcome and we welcome experienced singers and novices alike. | Janis Tierney, Chair |
| Worship Committee | Meets as needed | Jennifer Morris Christopher Ellis Victoria Hayes Lisa Bunker Sylvia Foster |
Church Certifications
Green Sanctuary Certified: This helps our church community implement a program supporting the Seventh Principle Project of the UUA. A Green Sanctuary is defined as “a congregation that lives out its commitment to the earth by creating a sustainable lifestyle for its members as individuals and as a faith community.”
Welcoming Congregation: This certification worked to defeat the proposed Constitutional Amendment aimed at excluding same-sex couples from the legal equality represented by civil marriage.