Annual Meetings
Quick links to sections on this page:
Annual Meetings | Annual Reports | Zoom Tip Sheets | Zoom Tutorial Videos | Staff
Annual Meetings
Congregations hold meetings to receive information and make decisions. There is nothing preventing congregations from meeting in person, online or in a hybrid form, whatever is most comfortable for your community of faith.
The Manual 2024 of The United Church of Canada states:
A.4 Meetings: Councils are responsible for deciding how to hold their meetings.
They have the following options:
- a) in person;
- b) by telephone conference call;
- c) in any other way where participants can communicate with each other at the same time (for example, by instant messaging or webcam simulcast technology); or d) by e-mail, as long as the requirements for e-mail meetings in the Procedures for Holding a Meeting and Decision-Making are met.
The Procedures for Holding a Meeting and Decision-Making are in The Manual 2024, at this link: https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/2024-01/the-manual-2024.pdf, section 3.4.2 of the Appendix.
If you decide to proceed with a meeting, any electronic method is acceptable as long as the participants have the ability to communicate with each other orally or through typed messaging at the same time. As long as most members have and can use the needed technology, it is a reasonable choice to proceed with a meeting. The congregation must be given advance notice of a congregational meeting, read aloud during public worship. As well, if you are meeting online or hybrid, you need to have a plan for voting. See below for some helpful tips for Zoom voting.
Annual Reports
Every year your community of faith presents reports, receives information and makes decisions. The work of your community of faith is captured in an annual report, circulated before your annual meeting. There are no rules or regulations on what must be included in the annual report, however here is a suggested list of what could be included:
Reports from:
- Minister
- Board/Council Chair
- Music Director/Organist/Choir director
- All standing Committees (e.g. M & P, Worship, etc.)
- Trustees
- Regional Council lay rep
- Groups such as UCW units, Affirming, book clubs, etc.
New Members, Baptism, weddings
In Memoriam
Previous annual meeting Minutes
Treasurer’s Report
Year end financial statements
Proposed Budget
These are just guidelines, a basic list that your community of faith can add to as you like. Once your annual report is complete and ready to be circulated, please send it to the Regional Council office as well.
Here is what the Regional Council office needs from your community of faith:
- an electronic copy of your annual report is preferred (PDF or Word format). If you are unable to produce an electronic copy then please send ONLY ONE hard copy by mail.
Your electronic copy of the annual report should be emailed to Susan Whitehead, at SWhitehead@united-church.ca
Or by mail to:
Shining Waters Regional Council,
59 Line 4 North,
Oro-Medonte, Ontario, L0L 2L0
Zoom Tip Sheets
These documents were created by regional staff from Shining Waters and Canadian Shield Regional Council based on our experience of hosting regional meetings. We offer them as our best advice toward planning your own meetings using the Zoom Video Conference platform.
- Zoom Tip Sheet: Voting (Updated January 28, 2021) Outlines the various voting options within Zoom
- Zoom Tip Sheet: Account Settings (Updated January 28, 2021) Recommended meeting settings for your online Zoom account
- Zoom Tip Sheet: Technical Hosting (Updated January 28, 2021) Registration, Preparation, Rehearsing, Orientation and Sample Scripts for orienting participants
- Zoom Tip Sheet: Orienting Participants (Updated January 28, 2021) to Zoom Two Powerpoint Slides to support the script for orienting participants to the meeting features. Can be customized to your meeting. The script is included in the slide notes.
- Zoom Tip Sheet Technical Hosting Roles A one page description of how to share hosting and cohosting roles
- Zoom Tip Sheet: Meeting Security (Updated January 28, 2021) Considerations for security in Zoom meetings including prevention and preparedness
Zoom Links
- General Zoom Support
- Getting Started with Zoom (beginners)
- Zoom Blog How-To Articles
- Online Event Best Practices
- How to update your account – most recent version will allow you to set it to automatically update which we recommend
- Scheduling Meetings
- Non-verbal Feedback and Reactions (raise your hand)
- Using Breakout Rooms
- Zoom Blog All You Need to Know about Breakout Rooms
- Polling for Meetings
- Generating Meeting Reports
- Livestreaming
- Combating Meeting Disruptions
Zoom Tutorials
Meeting Controls Overview
[10:17]
Zoom Changes to Reactions
Menu [3:54]
How to Use Polls in Zoom
[3:58]
How to Host A Congregational Meeting with Zoom [1:34]
Sample Motion and Vote from SWRC: Consent Agenda [4.23]
How to Host a Zoom Meeting CSRC [2:02]
Staff Support
For governance/policy/process questions contact Jody Maltby
JODY MALTBY
Regional Staff Lead; Finance and Property Minister
Phone: 416-231-7680 | 1-800-268-3781
Extension: 6226
Direct Line: 249-489-2002
Email: jmaltby@united-church.ca
Serves in: Shining Waters Regional Council
Location: Teleworks and works from the Guthrie Main Office
Role: Jody coordinates the support to communities of faith, including coordinating the work of regional staff.
Contact Jody about: Conflict Resolution; Community Ministries; Congregational Finance; Covenants; Governance; Grants; Property Renovation or Sale; Transitions – amalgamations, collaboration, closures.
For technical/Zoom questions contact Donna Rutz
DONNA RUTZ
Communications and Administrative Support
Phone: 416-231-7680 | 1-800-268-3781
Extension: 6145
Email: drutz@united-church.ca
Serves in: Shining Waters Regional Council
Location: Teleworks from her home in Toronto
Role: Donna provides administrative support to the region as a whole including communications, record-keeping, event planning, office management, and reception.
Contact Donna about: General Inquiries; Community Events; Communication Oversite; Covenanting Services; General Inquiries; Records Management; Regional Events; Social Media; Updating Contact/Subscription Information; Website.