Annual General Meeting and National Conference Timeline and Planning

This timeline and planning document is offered to you to plan for and promote the CUC’s Annual General Meeting and National Conference with your congregations. These suggested steps and timelines are intended as a guide only; we encourage you to modify them to suit your circumstances such as newsletter publication dates, etc.

General Information

The CUC’s National Conference & Annual General Meeting (AGM) is the national gathering of Unitarians and Unitarian Universalists from across Canada. The event is hosted by one or more of the member congregations of the Canadian Unitarian Council. The conference takes place every other year in May over the Victoria Day weekend. Young Adult Events, the CanUUdle Youth Conference, and programs for Junior Youth and children happen during the conference, with other trainings taking place before the conference. The CUC’s Affiliates and other communities are also offered opportunities to meet and connect.

The Conference has two components:

  1. i) The first part is the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the CUC. This is the business meeting where delegates gather to discuss and decide on resolutions, finances, and other matters that affect the CUC. The AGM is held on the Friday before the start of the Conference, and is preceded by the Resolutions Plenary on Thursday evening. For more information about the Resolutions Process, please refer to the Governance – Resolutions Process section of the CUC website.
  2. ii) The second component is the biennial Conference, which takes place every other year. A variety of learning and development opportunities and workshops are offered by leaders from within and without our movement, providing attendees with opportunities to learn, think and play together. There is a multi-generational day, which provides time for our different generations to build connections.

Because so many of our congregations are geographically isolated, the opportunity to come together is, for many people, a highlight of the congregational year.

Timeline and Planning Guide

This timeline and planning document is offered to you plan for and promote the CUC’s Annual General Meeting and National Conference with your congregations. These suggested announcements and timelines are intended as a guide only; we encourage you to modify them to suit your circumstances such as newsletter publication dates, etc.

(NC denotes National Conference, and AGM denotes Annual General Meeting, to help you differentiate between information pertinent for each event)

  • September:
    • NC: Call issued by Conference Program Committee for Conference Workshop Proposals.

AGM: Begin thinking about submitting motions to the AGM. Read the information on the resolutions process, criteria for proposers, how to propose motions, and action plans.

  • October 31:
    • NC: Deadline for submitting workshop proposals to conference@cuc.ca.
    • AGM: Set aside time in your congregational calendar in February to discuss motions that will be presented to the CUC AGM. Consider selection of your delegates for the AGM
  • December 15:
  • January 15:
    •  AGM: Motions for the Annual General Meeting are distributed to congregations for discussion and feedback.
    • January 31:
      •  NC: Registration for conference opens.
  • February:
    • AGM: Congregations discuss motions and other matters going to the AGM, and agree on feedback to send to proposers of motions.
    • NC: Begin thinking about, and making travel arrangements, especially for long distance attendees who want to purchase affordable flights or make other plans.
    • February 28:
      • AGM: Deadline for CUC Board and proposers of motions to receive comments from congregations concerning motions that were submitted according to process.
  • March:
    •  AGM: Updated motions sent to congregations
    • March 31:
      • NC: Early registration deadline. CanUUdle and Children’s Program registration closes.
  • April:
    • AGM: by 21 days before the AGM, notice of the meeting will be sent to congregations, together with all material pertaining to the meeting, as required by CUC by-laws.
    • April 5:
      • NC: On-line registration closes. On-site registration after this date available at conference site when conference begins.
  • May:
    • AGM: takes place on the Friday of the Victoria Day weekend
    • NC, CanUUdle, youth, young adult & children’s programs: take place over the Victoria Day weekend

Role of Congregational Leaders in Sharing the News:

Your Media: Place an announcement in your church newsletter, send via group email, post in the “events” or “news” section of your website, insert a note in Sunday service bulletin, announce verbally on Sunday, download a poster and print and put up at a visible church location; speak to RE staff or leaders to get the word out about CanUUdle.  Testimonials by members who’ve attended CUC National Conference and AGMs before can be given at Sunday services or written for the newsletter or done in a video—this is a great way to inspire newer members or those who’ve never attended an National Conference  before to finally  plan to go, or to become a delegate (delegates can participate in person, or on-line streaming.)

When the conference registration opens on January 31, place announcements in your newsletters and media. Provide links to the CUC conference site.

Financial Support: Consider congregational support efforts to help someone attend, especially for leadership development (Donation of Air Miles or other travel points; subsidy application, special collection or fundraising.)

Housing: Most CUC Conference attendees will choose to stay on site on the campus or in the hotel in the reserved block of rooms available through the CUC registration (accommodations costs are not included in the conference registration.) Some may prefer to explore and arrange accommodation off site with friends, home-stay, AirBnB, local hotels and motels. Off site conference attendees will have to additionally consider making provisions for transportation to the conference events.

Accommodations for CanUUdle and most of the activities for youth take place at the host congregation’s church, and transportation to and from the Conference site is arranged by CanUUdle staff. The youth are well-supervised by youth advisers and CanUUdle staff.

Sample Announcements

Announcement #1: (use something like this simple announcement as a first round; send in late January or early February 2018 — See Timeline Guide for suggestions

Mark Your Calendar!

[Year] CUC National Conference

“Conference Theme”

May xx-xx, 20xx

Location| City, Province

Hosted by [name of local congregation]

Announcement #2: (use something like this announcement as a second round once the conference program information is available on the CUC site)

(insert CUC Conference Image here)

[Year] CUC National Conference:  “Conference Theme”

May xx-xx, 20xx

Location| City, Province

Hosted by [name of local congregation]

Read about the diverse workshops being presented, this year’s Confluence Lecture, the opportunities for worship and spiritual expression, music, social and networking events, the Knight’s Award Dinner, and more. (insert link to CUC site description of the conference program)

Announcement #3 (similar to #2 above, and add the link to the conference and CanUUdle registration on the CUC site)

(insert CUC Conference Image here)

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

[Year] CUC National Conference:  “Conference Theme”

May xx-xx, 20xx

Location| City, Province

Hosted by [name of local congregation]

Don’t miss this opportunity to attend diverse workshops presentations, the Confluence Lecture, take part in worship and spiritual expression, don’t miss the great moments of music, time for socializing and networking with Unitarians from across Canada, attend the Knight’s Award Dinner, and more.

(insert link to registration on CUC web site)