Congregational Code of Conduct
Be friendly and patient.
Be welcoming.
We strive to be a community that welcomes and supports people of all backgrounds and identities. This includes, but is not limited to members of any race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, color, immigration status, social and economic class, educational level, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, size, family status, political belief, religion, and mental and physical ability.
Be considerate.
Others depend on the work that you do. You in turn will depend on the work of others. Any decision you make will affect co-congregants, and you should take those consequences into account when making decisions.
Be respectful.
Not all of us will agree all the time, but disagreement is no excuse for poor behavior and poor manners. We might all experience some frustration now and then, but we cannot allow that frustration to turn into a personal attack. It’s important to remember that a community where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is not a productive one.We should be respectful when dealing with other members as well as with people outside the community.
Be careful in the words that you choose.
We are a spiritual community, and we conduct ourselves with kindness.
Be kind to others.
Do not insult or put down others. Harassment and other exclusionary behavior are not acceptable. This includes, but is not limited to:
Violent threats or language directed against another person.
Discriminatory jokes and language.
Sharing sexually explicit or violent material.
Sharing (or threatening to share) other people's personally identifying information ("doxing").
Personal insults, especially those using racist or sexist terms.
Unwelcome sexual attention.
Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.
Repeated harassment of others. In general, if someone asks you to stop, then stop.
When we disagree, try to understand why.
Disagreements happen all the time. It is important that we resolve disagreements and differing views constructively. Remember that we’re different. Our strength comes from our diversity. Different people have different perspectives on issues. Being unable to understand why someone holds a viewpoint doesn’t mean that they’re wrong. Don’t forget that it is human to err and blaming each other doesn’t get us anywhere. Instead, focus on helping to resolve issues and learning from mistakes.
Set and respect agendas.
When groups of people gather together, it’s important for them to understand the purpose of the meeting. Agendas help set expectations: when meetings start, when they stop, how people should prepare, what activities will occur, what will be discussed. Time is a precious commodity. In a community of volunteers, agendas help us use that time wisely. Consequently, it is not appropriate to attempt to divert a meeting from its stated agenda. Meeting moderators are responsible for helping a group keep to its agenda.
Use established processes.
The GNUUC Board, over the course of the past 5 years, has built policies that guide the working of the congregation. These policies provide mechanisms for conflict resolution and further improvement of policy. These policies provide a consistent, equitable, and transparent process for the operation of the congregation. It is inappropriate to circumvent the established procedures of the congregation.
Ask the Healthy Congregation Team for Help.
Violations of the code of conduct will be referred to the Healthy Congregation Teams and addressed through the GNUUC Grievance Policy, unless such violations are a threat to the personal safety of a congregant. In that case, those issues will be handled according to the GNUUC Congregational Safety Policy.