In this feature we seek out answers to questions of broad interest, drawing on experts in congregations, the UUA, and elsewhere. If you would like to submit a question, please write to InterConnections at 25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA, 02108, or e-mail dskinner@uua.org.

Q. I would be interested to know how other UU congregations handle their nominating committees in terms of open governance. Do the committees publicize the fact that they are soliciting nominations, or do they operate more or less in secret and approach only people they think are qualified?

A. “Our nominating committee is open about publicizing its search and inviting nominations and self-nominations,” says Tiffany Urness, president of the UU Society of Sacramento, Calif. (460 members). “This rarely yields any candidates but is important to the process. Meanwhile, they seek out people they think are qualified, guided by the detailed job descriptions we developed for board and officer positions several years ago.

“We are currently discussing expanding the functions of the nominating committee so that they would operate year round and also help identify candidates for committee and task force chairs when requested,” she says. “During their talent search, they are in such a great position to talk to members who might be interested and qualified for other spots besides the board.”

The following questions and answers have been adapted from previous issues of InterConnections:

Q. Our church bought enough copies of Singing the Living Tradition so each person attending can use the hymnal. Do we have automatic permission to excerpt readings, hymns, etc., to print as inspirational messages in our newsletter?

A. Unfortunately, purchase of the hymnal does not in and of itself confer permission to reprint texts, says Mary Benard, editor at Skinner House Books. Permission must be requested from Skinner House to reprint a reading or hymn. Send a request at least a week in advance to www.uua.org/skinner. Click on the Permissions link. There may be a fee.

In some cases, the request must be redirected to the copyright holder, says Benard. The UUA does not hold the copyright to everything in the hymnal. The request should specify the hymn or reading in question and whether permission is being sought for words or music or both (in the case of hymns) as the copyright may be different for each. The request should also indicate whether the reprinted text will be distributed at no charge or for a fee.

Q. We are planning to put our newsletter on our Web site. Should we remove phone numbers, articles on minors, and such?

A. Most newsletters have a column about the congregation’s “family.” Deborah Weiner, the UUA’s electronic communications director, recommends eliminating it on the Web version. At least, eliminate phone numbers and addresses as well as any references to people being away from home. Weiner suggests getting permission to leave in phone numbers for key members of the leadership team. If possible assign e-mail “aliases” (ask your computer specialist) to specific church functions so that if a different person takes over the circle suppers all of the e-mail continues to go to suppers@firstchurch.net, for example, rather than to individual addresses.

Read the newsletter as an outsider would, says Weiner. The most important rules have to do with being sensitive to peoples’ personal lives and situations.