First Church in Sterling Boards & Committees May 15, 2008

First Church Boards & Committees - Rev 1 2 Overview Boards, committees & officers Board roles and responsibilities Board authority and operations Church Council

First Church Boards & Committees - Rev 1 3 How is our Church government organized? Nine Boards –5 Mission focused boards: Christian Education & Youth Diaconate Fellowship Outreach & Social Responsibility Worship –3 Administrative focused boards: Administration & Human Resources Building & Facilities Finance –1 At Large Church Council Five Committees –Nominating –By-Laws –Pastoral Relations –Memorial Fund Trustees –Invested Funds Five Officers –Moderator –Treasurer –Asst. Treasurer –Auditors –Historian

First Church Boards & Committees - Rev 1 4 What Are the Responsibilities of the Boards? All Board responsibilities, activities, and duties are described in detail in the Board charter statements. A few specific duties are assigned in the By-Laws to specific Boards or committees

First Church Boards & Committees - Rev 1 5 What Is the Role of the Board? Establish policy for their areas of responsibility Carry out duties assigned in By-Laws & Board charter statements - including, for some boards, direction and evaluation of paid staff Initiate new activities & phase out non working activities Communicate with the Church members and friends

First Church Boards & Committees - Rev 1 6 How Should Boards Operate? Boards operate to accomplish their established mission. –Boards are responsible for carrying out their assigned duties –Boards have the authority to carry out their responsibilities –By precedence Boards have added, dropped, or traded non-By-Laws defined responsibilities after discussion with the Church Council –Boards meet as often as needed to meet to carry out their responsibilities –Two or more boards may meet jointly –A member may concurrently serve on multiple boards –Boards may divide into sub-committees…and Board sub-committees may choose to meet with sub-committees of other boards –Boards are encouraged to recruit people to take specific roles….and those people do not have to be members of the Board –Boards choose a governing model that fits how they want to work: e.g. boards may or may not take votes to make decisions

First Church Boards & Committees - Rev 1 7 What Does the Church Council Do? The all-Church forum for administration of Church activities Facilitates communications between boards, denominations, committees, staff, & members Provides guidance for Boards & Denominations Reviews requests and assigns activities to Boards Sponsors activities Reconciles and recommends budget Calls church meetings & elections Participates in calling of Pastor Appoints Nomination & Pastoral Relations committees Initiates By-Laws changes

First Church Boards & Committees - Rev 1 8 Summary Boards & Committees: Establish policy and carry out the Church mission and administrative activities Have the authority to carry out their assigned responsibilities Organize, engage the church community, and decide how to carry out their responsibilities. Can help define their responsibilities Interact with other boards and committees to carry out the Church mission

First Church Boards & Committees - Rev 1 9 Appendix

First Church Boards & Committees - Rev 1 10 Where did all these committees come from? Boards and committees are defined in the Church By-Laws Article V – Boards, Council, By-Laws, Nominating Article VI – Pastoral Relations, Pastoral Search Article VIII – Memorial Fund Trustees and reference to Invested Funds Advisory Committee However……

First Church Boards & Committees - Rev 1 11 How Are Boards, Committees and Officers Selected? Officers –Serve for one year terms –Elected by Church Membership at annual Church meeting Board Membership –Members serve for three year terms –Elected by Church membership at annual Church meeting –Board of Deacons appointed by Denominational societies – terms vary Committees –Serve at pleasure of appointing Board Invested Funds - Finance Pastoral Relations – Church Council, Diaconate Nominating – Church Council By-Laws – Church Council Memorial Fund Trustees – membership per By-Laws