GOVERNANCE AT PUC THE SYSTEM BY WHICH PUCS CONGREGATION EXERCISES - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

GOVERNANCE AT PUC

THE SYSTEM BY WHICH PUC’S CONGREGATION EXERCISES ITS AUTHORITY

9 NOVEMBER 2014

Governance Task Force Carolyn Waters Judith Shaffer Randy Ripley

GOVERNANCE TASK FORCE

CHARGED TO:

• REVITALIZE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF

GOVERNANCE AND IDENTIFY ANY POTENTIAL CHANGES

• PROVIDE OVERVIEW TO CONGREGATION
• SOLICIT FEEDBACK FROM CONGREGATION

The TF built a short document to describe Governance at PUC; this presentation provides background and a brief overview of that document

GOVERNANCE

• GOVERNANCE IS THE SYSTEM BY WHICH A

CONGREGATION EXERCISES ITS AUTHORITY

• MANY DIFFERENT MODELS FOR

GOVERNANCE

• EACH IS DESIGNED TO WORK BEST IN

DIFFERENT SITUATIONS

HEALTHY GOVERNANCE – WHY DO WE CARE?

LEADS TO:

• THE BOARD’S ATTENTION FOCUSED MORE CLEARLY ON

“BIG PICTURE” MATTERS THAN MINUTIA

• REDUCTION IN THE TENDENCY OF SOME BOARD’S TO

REPEATEDLY MICRO-MANAGE THE STAFF’S AND COMMITTEES’ WORK.

• LESS EFFORT TO GOVERN, FREEING MEMBERS FOR

MINISTRY—WHICH IS WHY WE’RE REALLY HERE

• REDUCTION IN ROLE CONFUSION
• STRONG ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

WHAT WE FOUND: SIZE MATTERS

“CHURCH SIZE WILL PREDICT WHICH METHODS

AND PRACTICES OF GOVERNANCE ARE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR A GIVEN CONGREGATION”

GOVERNANCE FOR UU CONGREGATIONS, UUA, 2005

50 50-150 150-350 350+

Family Pastoral Program Corporate Attendance

SIZE VS GOVERNANCE MODEL

50 50-150 150-350 350+

Family Pastoral Program Campus Attendance

Administrative Working Policy Centered

Size Model

WHAT IS POLICY-CENTERED GOVERNANCE?

• CONGREGATIONAL AUTHORITY IS DELEGATED

AND MEMBERS ARE EMPOWERED THROUGH POLICY THAT:

• ESTABLISHES ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
• DETERMINES OR LIMIT DECISIONS
• TYPES OF POLICY
• BYLAWS
• COMMITTEE CHARTERS
• MINISTER’S LETTER OF AGREEMENT
• OTHER

Policy Governance experts we referenced: Carver, Hotchkiss and Jonasson

FOUR TYPES OF GOVERNANCE DECISIONS (ACCORDING TO HOTCHKISS)

Type Responsibility Oversight (fiduciary, policy) Board Strategic decisions (big decisions, vision, the “ends”) Shared Board/Minister Discernment (mission (ministry)/vision) Shared work with congregation Management (how to accomplish mission, the “means”) Staff and lay leaders

Less decisions should be made by the Board when Policy Governance is fully implemented

PUC’S GOVERNANCE POLICY

• PUC’S POLICY IMPLEMENTS A TAILORED VERSION

OF POLICY GOVERNANCE

• PUC BYLAWS ESTABLISH:
• THE CONGREGATION AS THE FINAL AUTHORITY IN

MATTERS OF CHURCH FINANCES, POLICY AND PROCEDURE

• BOARD OF TRUSTEES & ITS DELEGATED ROLES
• CONGREGATIONALLY ELECTED COMMITTEES

(LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, AUDIT, AND MINISTERIAL SEARCH)

• COMMITTEES APPOINTED BY THE BOARD (ENDOWMENT)
• ROLES OF THE LEAD MINISTER (LEADS SPIRITUAL

INTERESTS, ACTS AS COO)

Rather than splitting functions; at PUC the Board and Minister work cooperatively

PUC ORGANIZATION

Congregation Elected Committees Board of Trustees Administrative Committees Minister (COO) Staff & Lay Leaders Ministry Committees

IT LOOKS HIERARCHICAL?

• PUC IS ORGANIZED AS A HIERARCHY, BUT NOT ONE

WHERE THE “HIGHER” LEVEL TELLS EVERYONE “LOWER” HOW TO DO THEIR JOBS! PEOPLE ARE EMPOWERED TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCE, SKILL, TRAINING OR CAPABILITY, RATHER THAN LEVEL.

• WHAT---NO RULES? THERE ARE RULES . . THEY PLACE

LIMITATIONS OR PROHIBITIONS. PUC POLICY PROHIBITS ANY PUC LEADER OR MEMBER FROM TAKING ACTION THAT IS ILLEGAL, UNETHICAL, IN VIOLATION OF PUC OR UU PRINCIPLES OR IS “IMPRUDENT”.

• COMMITTEE CHARTERS DESCRIBE THE WORK TO BE

DONE AND INCLUDE THESE LIMITATIONS.

COMMITTEES AND COORDINATION

• ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEES – SUPPORT BOARD

FUNCTIONS

• PROVIDE EXPERT ADVISE AND CONTINUED

MONITORING (FINANCE, ENDOWMENT, ETC.)

• CHARTERED BY & REPORT TO THE BOARD OF

TRUSTEES

• MINISTRY COMMITTEES – ACCOMPLISH MINISTRY
• PROGRAMS TO ACCOMPLISH VISION
• GUIDED BY LEAD MINISTER, STAFF AND LAY

LEADERS.

• CHARTERED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
• COORDINATED THROUGH BOARD AND MINISTRY

COUNCIL

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Congregation Elected Committees Board of Trustees Administrative Committees Minister (COO) Staff & Lay Leaders Ministry Committees

Board Functions “Lead congregation

towards its vision; Conduct affairs of the church” Finance, Facilities, Endowment, Personnel, Strategic Planning Task Forces Audit, Leadership Development

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Congregation Elected Committees Board of Trustees Administrative Committees Minister (COO) Staff & Lay Leaders Ministry Committees

Ministry Council

Worship, Music, RE, New Members, Pastoral Care, Social Action, Green Sanctuary, Harmonious Relations, Stewardship, Office Volunteers Covenant Groups

GOVERNANCE DOCUMENT HIGHLIGHTS

• EXPLAINS THE ROLES OF:
• THE BOARD
• THE MINISTER AND STAFF
• THE COMMITTEES, TASK FORCES AND COVENANT GROUPS
• PROVIDES ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

(FAQ)

• WHERE TO FIND POLICIES
• HOW ACCOUNTABILITY IS PROVIDED
• WHO HAS FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY
• WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN OR ISSUE
• WHO APPOINTS COMMITTEE MEMBERS
• HOW TO GET INVOLVED
• A SEPARATE DOCUMENT LISTS ALL OF THE EXISTING

COMMITTEES

WHAT DO I DO? -- GET INVOLVED!

• POLICY GOVERNANCE REQUIRES MEMBER

INVOLVEMENT OR THERE IS NO ONE TO DELEGATE TO AND MAKE DECISIONS!

• GET INVOLVED THROUGH COMMITTEES, TASK FORCES

OR COVENANT GROUPS WITHIN A STRUCTURE THAT DELEGATES AND REQUIRES ACCOUNTABILITY

• SEE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO CHANGE…JOIN THE

APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE AND BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE

PUC needs you!

POLICY-CENTERED GOVERNANCE SUMMARY

• THE BOARD IS FOCUSED MORE CLEARLY ON VISION

AND POLICY TO FACILITATE MINISTRY

• COMMITTEES AND INDIVIDUALS ARE EMPOWERED

TO MAKE DECISIONS AND ARE ACCOUNTABLE

• DECISION ARE MADE BY THOSE WHO ARE

RESPONSIBLE FOR CARRYING THEM OUT

• IDEALLY DECISIONS ARE BASED ON EXPERIENCE,

SKILL, TRAINING OR CAPABILITY, RATHER THAN ON LEVEL

Administrative Committees (Policy-Centered Governance based)

Congregationally Elected Leadership Development Audit Committee Ministerial Search Endowment Committee Endowment Fund Pooled Income Fund Executive Committee Facilities Finance Committee Budget Sub Com Long Range Financial Plan Growth and Reinvestment Personnel Strategic Planning Task forces (ad hoc & short term) By-Laws (ad hoc) Preschool Little Rocks Reducing Expenses Temple Emet Contract

Ministry Committees (Guided by Lead Minister and Staff)

Pastoral Care Committee: Lead Minister Lay Pastoral Committee

Congregational Advancement: Director

Assistant Chief of Staff Attraction and Assimilation of members New Member Committee Create Meaning Center Adult Education Fundraising Advisor Facility Use Schedule /Church Calendar Assist with Worship Webmaster & Social Media

Education: Director of Religious Education

Family Religious Ed Committee Coming of Age Our Whole Lives YRUU Childcare Staff

Music: Music Director

Choir Accompanist Guest Musicians Children’s Choir

Stewardship: DCA

Pledge Campaign Special Events Fundraising Approvals Wedding Coordinator (Lead Minister & DCA) Facilities rental Management Custodians (Lead Minister)

Ministry Committees (continued) (Guided by Lead Minister and Staff)

Committee on Shared Ministry (COSM) Denominational Representative Membership Committee Dinners with UUs Buddy Program Publicity Committee Radical Hospitality Hospitality BrUUnch Small Group/Covenants (there are more) Art Wall Books in our Lives French Conversation PowWow to Know How Reading Sermons Women’s Empowerment Writers Group Social Justice (Lead Minister) “Boots on the Ground” Advocacy Split Plate Educational Programs Forums Documentaries UUSC Green Sanctuary Garden and Orchard Fair Trade Campaign Standing on the Side of Love Committee

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?