Discussion Paper: Governance Restructuring K incardine U nited C hurch February 28, 2010.

Discussion Paper: Governance Restructuring

Kincardine United Church

February 28, 2010

Current Governance Structure

• In 2004, KUC adopted a Council model of governance.

• In 2009, Council initiated a review of the mission statement for KUC.

• While undertaking its visioning and discernment around the mission statement, Council decided to review the governance structure as well.

• Council set up a Task Group to prepare a discussion paper on governance restructuring.



Current Structure (continued)

COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP: Elected Yearly:

President Vice President Secretary 4 Presbytery Representatives Appointed from the elected members of the Committee/Group

1 Representative each from each of 10 Committees 1 Representative from the UCW In addition, the Ministers and the Treasurer are non-voting members

TOTAL POTENTIAL MEMBERSHIP: 21




COMMITTEES (according to the Council Handbook)Christian EducationCommunicationsCongregational Life and FellowshipFinance and Budgeting (Trustees for Gifts and Bequests)Membership and StewardshipMinistry and PersonnelMission and OutreachPastoral Care and Christian NurtureProperty (Property, Trustees Board and Manse Committee)Worship and Music




Most Committees meet regularly, often monthly, so that potentially, including Council, there could be 11 different meetings each month with the average time for each meeting being 2 hours. Many Committee members also spend hours each month carrying out the tasks planned by their Committees.

Committees vary in size from 2 to 9 members. Some members sit on more than one committee and 1 from each Committee sits on Council

The Ministers are required to participate at Council and are ex officio on all other Committees except M&P

Terms are for three years, renewable once.





Church Council

CONGREGATION OF KINCARDINE UNITED CHURCH

Ministry and Personnel

WorshipAnd

Music

ChristianEducation Communi-

cations

Financeand

BudgetProperty

Mission and

Outreach

Member-ship andSteward-

ship

Congrega-tional Life

andFellowship

PastoralCare

Trusteesfor Gifts/Bequests

Trusteesfor Manse/Property

Problems with Current Structure• Very time-consuming, bureaucratic, and hierarchical• Focuses more energy on talking than on doing• Terms not strictly applied; tendency for the same people to

hold office over an extended period of time, causing burnout• Difficult to attract new volunteers to serve on Council or

Committees• Requires Ministry staff time that might better be spent on core

ministerial duties• Expressed desire of many to do specific task-oriented work

rather than traditional committee work• Does not recognize new task groups that have developed such

as the Sacrament Guild, the House System, Bee for Bears, etc.



Purpose of Restructuring Proposal:

To streamline, simplify and empower

• To reduce the number of people on Council & Committees

• To reduce the number of committee meetings and increase the number of activities

• To empower people to use their gifts and talents for the work of the church, recognizing that each of us has gifts to offer



Proposal for a New Structure:

The whole congregation is key to the new structure.

The members of Council and the Committees would continue to be elected from the congregation at a congregational meeting.

Council and the Committees are accountable to the congregation.

The Council and Committees would provide an annual report to the congregation for approval.

The congregation would continue to approve the budget, the financial statements and any hiring of Ministry Personnel.



Proposal for New Structure (continued)

Council:

• President• Secretary• 1 Representative from each of the three Committees (Program, Administration, and Membership/Mission)• Ministers

• One of the Council members would also be a Presbytery representative to meet United Church requirements for a lay Presbytery representative on Council.

Total Membership: 7 people




Committees: 7 members each, including the responsible minister(s). These members are responsible for coordinating the Committee’s areas of work, ensuring Manual requirements are met and nurturing small groups. The individual members of each Committee have a collective responsibility for all of the Committee’s areas of work. Committees will consist of people who enjoy planning, reflecting, and organizing.




PROGRAM COMMITTEE: worship, Christian education, communications, house system

ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE: property, finance, budget, stewardship, ministry , personnel

MEMBERSHIP AND MISSION: mission, outreach, membership, pastoral care, UCW, youth, congregational life and fellowship




United Church Manual Requirements:

• Ministry and Personnel Committee is constituted under the Manual and is responsible to the United Church and Kincardine United Church for fulfilling its Manual obligations. It exists as a small group reporting through the Administration Committee for budget and nomination purposes



Proposal for a New Structure (continued)

• Kincardine United Church Trustees are constituted under the Manual and are responsible to the United Church and Kincardine United Church for fulfilling their Manual obligations. The Trustees exist as a small group will work through the Administration Committee for purposes of budget and nominations.




Term of Office:

President and Secretary • Two year term, staggered to ensure continuity• Possibility of a second, but not a third term• Out of responsibility for a year before assuming office again

Committees• Three year term• Possibility of a second but not a third term• Off a Committee for a year before going on it again




Small Groups:

These are task-oriented groups which could meet regularly or ‘as needed’. These groups are for the ‘doers’ who prefer specific tasks. Participation is unlimited and based on personal interest.

Existing small groups include the Sacrament Guild, the Visitor Team, the Catering Club, the Sunday School Teachers, Bee for Bears and each House in the House System.

Possible new groups might include a Handy Helper or Fix-it Group, a Tech Team (AV, computers, equipment), a Decorating Club or a Dinner Team – the possibilities are endless!




Town Hall Meetings

• 2 or 3 town hall style congregational meetings per year to involve the whole congregation in the process of discernment

and decision-making

• Each person has gifts and talents, whatever the level or nature of her/his contribution to our faith community

• We will empower one another, by listening, to achieve understanding, and, by respecting, to achieve cooperation.

• Many people involved in discussion increases awareness, opportunity and energy.





This is a vision of shared responsibility and shared authority.

Term limits will encourage continuity, energy and new viewpoints

Smaller decision-making groups develop trust, open lines of communication, improve capacity and build community.



HOW WOULD IT ACTUALLY WORK?

Example: The Program Committee

• Responsible for worship, Christian education, communications and the house system

• The existing Committees for these four areas would no longer exist.

• The Program Committee would coordinate and nurture all the small groups performing activities in these areas, would consult with them on budget requirements, would monitor spending, would communicate their concerns to the Council and would communicate to them policy and/or practice decisions made by the Program Committee and Council.



Small Groups Related to the Program Committee:• Worship: The Choir, the Junior Choir, KUCIE, the House of the

month, the Sacrament Guild, the Drama Group, the Dance Group, the Nursery, Baptism Group, Coordinating Team for supply ministers and organists, guest musicians, etc.

• Christian Education: Sunday School Teachers, Confirmation Classes, Library Group, Adult Study Groups, Bible Study Groups, Prayer Groups, Coordinating Team for seasonal children’s activities, drama group, etc.

• Communications: Audio-Visual Services Group (also arranges cable TV), the Cornerstone Group, the Website Group, the Annual Report Team, Technology Team, etc.

• House System: House Coordination/Orientation, monthly House Teams, the Tag Team, etc.



Next Steps:

1. Ask today for congregational approval to continue to explore governance restructuring.

2. Undertake further consultation with Council, Committees, and other concerned groups within KUC.

3. Develop a new mission statement.

4. Develop a formal governance structure proposal based on the new mission statement and the consultations.



Next Steps (continued)

5. Present a revised mission statement and a formal proposal for governance restructuring to a congregational meeting called for that purpose.

6. If the governance proposal is approved by the congregation, seek necessary Presbytery approval.

7. If approved by Presbytery, Council will act as a Nominating Committee and will call an election for Council and Committees at a congregational meeting.



MOTIONS FOR DECISION ARISING OUT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE:

1. That the Congregation of Kincardine United Church empowers the Council to continue its process of revising the Mission Statement and developing a proposal for governance restructuring, both to be presented for approval to a congregational meeting called for that purpose.



MOTIONS (CONTINUED)

2. That the Congregation of Kincardine United Church approves the Behavioural Covenant presented by Council and agrees to its being posted and used in covenanting liturgies.







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Discussion Paper: Governance Restructuring K incardine U nited C hurch February 28, 2010.

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