United Methodist Committee on DisAbility Ministries

Bylaws

Adopted August 10, 2012

The Committee will follow the UM Book of Discipline for intent and clarification of the following:

I. Membership

A.Jurisdictional representatives- 2 members per jurisdiction:

  1. Nominated persons must show evidence of current work on the local or conference level, and have a passion for disability ministry.
  2. They will be expected to complete a Resource Person form.
  3. Members should include persons with disabilities, family members of persons with disabilities, and professionals with experience working with persons with disabilities.
  4. The committee should be inclusive with regard to clergy/ lay status, gender, age, race, ethnicity, and culture.
  5. Jurisdictional members should represent different Annual Conferences.

B. Terms

  1. Members are eligible for two consecutive 4-year terms of service, aligned with the UM quadrennia.
  2. A person serving an unexpired term of two years or less is eligible for two more terms.
  3. A person serving an unexpired term of more than two years is eligible to serve for one more term.
  4. After a break of one quadrennium a person may be eligible to serve additional terms.

C. Global representation: as soon as possible, the committee will add representation from the Central Conferences.

D. Liaisons: may include the chair, consultant, or designated representative of the following:

  1. United Methodist Association of Ministers with Disabilities
  2. UM Committee on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Ministries
  3. Southeastern United Methodist Agency for Rehabilitation (SEMAR) or other related UM agencies
  4. General Board of Church and Society

Liaison members have a vote and can serve on committees.

Unless other arrangements are made, the sending agency will fund the travel and expenses for the liaison.

E. Self-advocate:

  1. One person representing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities will be a voting member of the Committee.
  2. Meetings organizers will plan active roles and responsibilities for the self-advocate.
  3. Local self-advocates should be invited to join in appropriate parts of the annual meeting. They may contribute but will not have a vote.

F. Disability Consultant (from GBGM or sponsoring agency), with vote.

G.Communications Specialist (formerly known as webmaster), with vote.

H.Support persons who accompany members with disabilities may participate verbally but will not have a vote.

II. Accountability

  1. A group covenant establishes expectations for the work of the Committee.
  2. Members who are unable to consistently fulfill the covenant will be counseled by the executive committee and, if necessary, agree to resign.
  3. The Committee, with the advice and counsel of the Disability Consultant, is accountable:
  1. To the executive committee, and ultimately to the sponsoring agency (currently UMCOR/Health Division of the General Board of Global Ministries) through the assigned GBGM staff liaison
  2. For accomplishment of stated goals and objectives.

III.Officers

  1. Term of office: 4 years per term, subject to re-election for one additional term, aligned with the UM quadrennia.
  2. Vacancies will be filled by the executive committee, with the new person to begin immediately after the next Committee meeting.
  3. The Executive Committee that makes decisions as needed between meetings includes the chair, vice-chair, secretary, financial secretary, and the staff liaison.
  4. Offices include:
  1. Chair- calls and chairs the meetings, sets the agenda, participates in committee meetings, recruits potential members to fill vacancies, tracks all projects, plans the annual meeting, chairs the executive committee.
  2. Vice chair- assumes duties of chair in his/ her absence, helps plan program and agenda for annual meeting.
  3. Financial Secretary- prepares an annual report, including a budget of all Committee expenses.
  4. Secretary- writes minutes, thank you letters, and any other needed official correspondence from the Committee, maintains roster and communication with members between meetings.
  5. Historian- maintains and makes available documentation of Committee meetings and activities.
  6. Chair, Communication team.
  7. Chair, Capacity-building team.
  8. Chair, Long-range planning team.

IV. Meetings

  1. Frequency and dates:
  2. Annual meeting once a year, traditionally in the summer.
  3. Quarterly full Committee meetings by telecommunications.
  4. Team meetings to be held between full Committee meetings by phone or using Internet meeting options as needed to conduct team business.
  5. Location of annual meeting - selection criteria:
  6. Geographic rotation among jurisdictions.
  7. Meeting site and housing are accessible for all disabilities.
  8. Within reasonable range (50 miles) of an airport- preferably a major airport- to keep airfare costs reasonable.
  9. Local site host (Committee member from host annual conference) is available for making arrangements, or local disability committee is willing to host the committee.
  10. Meetings should provide interface with local disability ministries, districts, conferences, seminaries, and/or other groups.
  11. Length of annual meeting:
  12. 2 ½ to 3 days that are convenient for the greatest number of participants, with Committee work incorporated into each day for reasonable stewardship of time.

V. Expense Reimbursement

  1. Documentation:
  1. Expenses are to be submitted on a sponsoring agency reimbursement form.
  2. Receipts or odometer readings need to be provided for reimbursement.
  1. Airfare:
  2. Committee members should use sponsoring agency travel agent to book flights.
  3. Mileage:
  1. Roundtrip mileage is reimbursed up to the cost of airfare and mileage from member’s home.
  2. Mileage to airport and airport parking is reimbursed if needed.
  3. Mileage will be paid at IRS standards.
  1. Hosting:
  2. Reasonable expenses including mileage and parking for required errands in setting things up, picking up out of town members, etc.
  3. Lodging en route:
  4. Case by case with prior approval.
  5. Meals:
  6. En route meals as reasonable (generally up to two unless the person is driving to save air fare costs).
  7. On site meals at a reasonable rate to be determined per meeting.
  8. Dependent care:
  9. Costs as needed and reasonable to enable caregiver to attend may be approved on a case by case basis
  10. Office and other supplies at cost, with prior approval:
  11. Copies
  12. Postage
  13. Other expenses.

VI.Relationships with other organizations

  1. The Committee may help send one official representative from the Committee, typically the chair or consultant, budget permitting, to meetings such as
  1. National Camp and Retreat Leaders Meeting
  2. National Council of Churches Committee on Disabilities
  3. U.M. Committee on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Ministries
  4. The representative is encouraged to provide training, i.e. present papers/ workshops, at the meeting attended.
  5. The representative is encouraged to solicit other sources of funding to help offset the costs of attending.
  1. The Committee may offer scholarships to attend other meetings, provided:
  1. The person is invited to participate as a speaker and/ or to have a staffed ongoing display about the Committee work at an interfaith disability-related or national/ regional UM conference.
  2. The person makes a specific request for a scholarship to the Committee, stating total costs, reason for attending, and how it will benefit the work of the Committee.
  3. The person works to get wide sponsorship of her or his attendance, e.g. some funding from own church or annual conference, some concession (noregistration fee or a reduction in fees) or honorarium from the inviting organization, and some personal investment in addition to the Committee scholarship.
  4. The Executive committee approves the expense, subject to fund availability.
  5. The person makes a written report to the Committee within 30 days of attending, and a brief summary report at the annual meeting.
  6. The person agrees to follow up with contacts made and explore possibilities for future joint work.

The Committee will fund up to a specific amount, in the range of $250 to $500.

Appendix to Bylaws: