Transcript Briefing to the Congregation of Bridge Street United

A Governance and Ministry
Model of Congregational
Organization
Information Session for the Congregation of
Bridge Street United Church
with the
Governance Review Committee
3 October 2012
Our Information Session
The Governance Review Committee wishes
to begin its presentation with its affirmation
of the time, energy, commitment and
faithfulness continually evident within and
amongst the members of Bridge Street
Church, in the congregation, on the Board,
on Divisions and committees, in the delivery
of services and programs of BSUC. The
members of the Committee recognize,
respect and highly value these
characteristics within their church family
members.
Agenda for Congregational Information
Session on Governance & Ministry
1. Introduction
1. Background
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
2. Process by Gov’ce Review Cttee
Central Role of Our Mission
Governance & Ministry
Ministry and its Ministry Teams
Board Policy Manual and the Governance Board
Proposed Process and Schedule for the
Governance Board – Ministry Team
Congregational Model at Bridge Street Church
Two reports to the congregation of
Bridge Street in 2011 recommended
attention to the governance structure
of the church
1. Bridge Street United Church Visioning and
Implementation Committee Final Report to
the Congregation, 10 April 2011
2. Report of the Pastoral Oversight Visit with
Bridge Street Church, Belleville Presbytery
Visitation Team, 18 May 2011
The governance review process
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Scan of BSUC “environment”
Scan of relevant resources
Concept Formation
Ongoing communications with Official Board and
Congregation
Board Approval: proposed governance-ministry model
Board Approval: draft Board policies on governance,
management, oversight
Board Approval: trial of proposed model & policies
Congregational Awareness/Affirmation/Involvement:
trial of proposed model
2-year Trial, to include concurrent evaluations against
pre-established standards
Reports to the Bridge Street Congregation, 2011
UCC “Denominational Wisdom”
References for Congregational Governance
References on Governance
for Non-Profit Organizations
References on Policy Development for Governance
All the references are available for your review
What is the Purpose of a
Governance Model?
• The question we ask as a congregation is
directly related to the mission of our church:
“Whose lives do we as a congregation, with
God’s Help, intend to change and in what
way?”
• The governance model is intended to make
possible the accomplishment of the Mission
of the congregation.
Mission-Centred
• The mission statement of Bridge Street Church states that
“Bridge Street Church, a congregation rich in
history and tradition, is a Christian family that
actively commits to welcoming all persons, to
living the good news of Jesus Christ through
worship, music, education, outreach, and
stewardship, and to demonstrating the love of
God, the Creator, within the congregation, the
community, and the world, as the Spirit leads us.”
• Thus there is a task focus to the model of governanceministry, its task being the purposeful attainment of the
Mission
Governance & Ministry
Mutually Supportive
When I care for others,
God says to me “You’re OK.”
My friend cried today
and I didn’t know why.
So I put my arms around my friend
and said, “I’m sorry
that you’re so sad.”
My friend cried for a little while
and then stopped.
Mission-Centred
• Another way to think about the Mission of
Bridge Street Church as it relates to the
Governance Model is to consider:
• a. the intended effects to be produced
• b. the intended recipients of those effects
• c. the intended worth/cost benefit/priority of
the effects.
Some uncertainty?
Mutually Supportive SpheresGovernance & Ministry
Board Policy Manual 1.1.2. The philosophy
of governance of BSUC identifies governance
and ministry as the two mutually supportive
spheres of leadership in the congregation.
“The congregation of BSUC elects a
Governance Board to function as its
governing body and selects a Lead Minister
to act as its spiritual, programmatic, and
administrative leader.”
How the Model Works
The Structure
i. a unified structure for making governance
decisions, the Governance Board;
ii. a unified structure for making ministry decisions,
the Lead Minister and Ministry Teams;
iii. a firm and well-demarcated boundary between
governance and ministry established by written
Governance Board policy;
iv. accountability of Ministry to the Governance
Board
Governance – the Governance Board
Governance
• “Deciding what is to
happen and making sure
that it happens”
• Holding the whole
institution and its work
“in trust”, voicing its
intentions, making its
biggest decisions, and
taking responsibility for
its performance
How the Model Works
Interaction of Governance and Ministry
i. The work of governance and ministry is
distributed over 4 areas: oversight,
management, discernment & strategic
planning.
ii. The congregation plays a role in all 4 areas
as individuals and as a whole.
Board, Staff and Congregation
Ministry - Ministry Teams
Ministry
• Ministry begins with
written clarity from the
Governance Board about
what is to be done, so
Ministry is “deciding how
it is to happen & doing
it”,
• Includes anyone who is
part of the chain of
practical activities that
constitute the
congregation’s work
Possible Ministry Teams
Ministry Team Annual Goal Setting
Ministry Team Planning Cycle
Given: the BSUC vision & mission;
The BSUC strategic plan;
The BSUC annual vision of ministry; and
BSUC Lead Minister & senior staff goals:
Item of Planning Cycle
Year 1
1. Ministry Team Purpose
2. Ministry Team Priority Goals
(suggested number being 1-3; reviewed annually)
Year 2
Year 3
3. Ministry Team Landmarks (for each Goal)
(performance objectives each demonstrating movement toward a specified Goal)
4. Ministry Team Signposts (for each Landmark)
(enabling objectives each demonstrating movement toward a specified Landmark)
5. Estimated Resource Requirements for and Revenue from each Landmark
- Expenses to include personnel hours, operating costs (exclusive of salary) including
supplies & equipment, capital costs (if any)
-Revenue projected from each Landmark (if any, but “zero returns” required for planning
purposes)
6. Evaluation Plan -States the frequency of Ministry Team self-evaluation and criteria to be
utilized in self-evaluation of Ministry Team signpost, landmark and goal outcomes. Evaluation
is not for the purpose of itemizing activities, but rather for measuring outcomes.
Draft Board Policy Manual
• The draft Governance Board Policy Manual
presents a background summary of the
Governance-Ministry Model and a set of
draft Governance Board policies.
• This is intended as a guide to the new
Governance Board to assist them in
understanding their role and in writing
policies.
• The new Governance Board will produce its
own policy manual as part of the trial period.
Draft Policy Manual (cont.)
The Governance Board Draft Policy Manual
contains:
• Background and philosophy of the
governance-ministry model including:
•
•
•
•
Board job description and responsibilities
Ministry responsibilities and planning cycle
Interaction of governance and ministry
Discernment, strategic planning and annual
vision of ministry
Draft Board Policy Manual (cont.)
• Draft Board policies on:
•
•
•
•
•
Administration [of the policies and manual]
Governance
Board-Lead Minister/Staff Delegation
Executive Parameters
Oversight (including organizational and lead
minister performance evaluation against preestablished criteria)
• Appendix 1: Board member skills and
attributes
More detail on the structure, the
function, and the accountability
processes of the proposed model is
available
Where To From Here?
Official Board approval has been received (25
September 2012) for:
• Proposed Governance Board-Ministry Team Model
• Governance Board Draft Policy Manual
• Time-limited (2 year) trial period for GovernanceMinistry Model
[during which the Official Board remains intact,
delegates authority and responsibility to the
“Governance Board”, and receives regular prescheduled reports]
Congregation affirmation/involvement/approval
requested for:
• Time-limited trial of proposed Governance Board Ministry Team model of congregational organization
Proposed Schedule
• August 28: Official Board affirmation of the progress
to date, including affirmation of the proposed model
and approval of the draft Governance Board Policy
Manual
• September 25: Official Board approval of Governance
Board Ministry Team model and approval of 2 year
trial starting with the Annual General Meeting
January 2013
• October: congregational information session on new
Governance Board -Ministry Team model
• October-December: recruitment of members for new
model, for both Governance Board & Ministry Teams
• November-January: orientation of Governance Board
and Ministry Team members
• AGM January 2013: commencement of trial period
following election of participants at AGM
Questions?
Board-Centred Congregation
Committee-Centred Congregation Grows
Ultimate Committee-Centred Congregation
Compared with Staff-Centred Congregation
Ultimate Committee-Centred Congregation
Compared with Staff-Centred Congregation
A balance of efficiency and clarity with
democracy, participative decision-making and
group discernment