1) Be polite.

If you disagree with another participant’s views, you may engage in respectful discussion/debate on issues. However, this is not a forum for profanity or personal attacks on individuals and/or groups.

2) Be respectful of other participants’ time.

a)     Email messages posted to the list-serve should be for the benefit of the entire group, rather than one specific participant. Personal, or "me too", email messages should be addressed to individual participants, not posted to the list-serve.

b)     When sharing material written by someone else (e.g. a news article, especially if it is long) simply post the URL where the original material can be found on the Internet, as opposed to copying the whole text in your message. In other words, do not send large space-consuming texts when the "original" is only a click away.

3) Avoid clutter.

When replying to another participant’s message on the list-serve, quote as little of the previous message as possible, and delete all the extra text so readers do not have to wade through previous replies. Remember, all other participants on the list-serve have already seen the message(s) that you are replying to.

4) Make messages of a personal, rather than commercial, nature.

Be cautious when promoting events and items that have
monetary costs. Posting notices of events and items that
are clearly of general interest to list-serve participants
is encouraged, even if monetary costs are associated.
However, general advertising for commercial purposes is
prohibited

GUIDELINES:

1) Be clear.

a)     Use a subject line that clearly describes the content of the message you are posting.

b)     Humour, especially sarcasm, can easily be misunderstood. Put thought and care into the messages you send. It is easy to hit the "send" button too quickly and give offence, even when none is intended.

2) Be identifiable.

Anonymous messages are discouraged because they are not in keeping with the spirit of community. Please sign all of your messages.

SPECIFIC LISTS

Announcements Only List

The Announcements List is for use by the ministers, the Director of Lifespan Religious Education, the congregation administrator, the board president and the convenors.   These people, as well as the list moderator, may post announcements of general interest and importance to the entire congregation.   This is a one-way list; those who receive the announcements are unable to reply.

The list will go out automatically to all church members and friends who have given their email addresses to the church. People may automatically unsubscribe to the list by sending an email to: 1stunitariantoronto_announcements-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com.

The Announcements List will be reserved for announcements of importance to the entire congregation.   It is not to be used for information which concerns a more limited constituency in the congregation. This list is intended to supplement (and perhaps one day replace) the phone tree. It gives the leaders of the congregation a more flexible and immediate way to communicate other events as well.  

Appropriate uses include announcements of:

• the death of the church member and the time of funeral or memorial.

• the Annual General Meeting.

• any congregation-wide meeting called by ministers, staff, board or convenor.

• proclamations made by the Board of Trustees.

 For more info, or to read the message archive, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/1stunitariantoronto_announcements

Or contact:

T'Hayla Ferguson, List Serve Manager

 General List

  The General List is available to all members and friends of First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto.

 To subscribe, the user simply sends an email to:

1stunitariantoronto_general-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

The General List is an open forum for discussion and posting announcements of events of interest to some particular groups or activities within the Congregation. It also serves as a community bulletin board.   Subscribers may both initiate and reply to the email messages.

 There are only a few rules of conduct for the General List:

• Users may not solicit money for any person or organization.

• Users may not send messages that contain personal attacks on individuals and/or groups.

 For more info, or to read the message archive, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/1stunitariantoronto_general

 Or contact:

T'Hayla Ferguson , List Serve Manager

Web Weaver: Webmaster@firstunitariantoronto.org