Leadership and Decision Making Concerns

The Transition Team’s current task is to review leadership and decision-making concerns. The goal is to help the church to develop a structure and system that will enable more people to get involved in leadership and that the church can operate more effectively as it attempts to transition from the present operational model toward one that enables the church structure to function better as the congregation grows.

Therefore, the team is making the following three recommendations to the church conference on April 20^th. All three of the following recommendations, if approved, will take effect with the elections of the LBA for the 2009-2010 conference year. Each recommendation will be voted on individually. The recommendations are:

a) Individuals will serve a maximum of three successive one year terms on the LBA. After a one year sabbatical individuals will be eligible to again be elected to the LBA.

Rationale: Term limits insure that there will be greater opportunity for more individuals to serve on the LBA without having the concern that once someone is elected they are “elected for life”.

b) The Sunday School Superintendent no longer be an ex-officio member of the LBA.

Rationale: This position is no more important than many other ministry director positions of the church that are not on the board. In the past some qualified candidates for the position have declined to serve because of the requirement to also serve on the LBA. The Sunday School Superintendent will continue to report and be accountable to the LBA.

c) The LBA appoint a Business Manager that reports to the LBA and supervised by the Finance Committee rather the conference elect a Treasurer that serves on the board.

Rationale: It is often difficult to find multiple qualified candidates to place on the annual election ballot. Having a Business Manager rather than a Treasurer would provide for continuity in the financial administration if recommendation A is approved.

These 3 recommendations are only part of the work the Transition Team is doing on the current task. They have also been divided into 3 committees to work on writing or reviewing various job descriptions for positions of leadership in the church. These positions include paid staff as well as volunteers. Some of our church committees have job descriptions from the denominational Discipline but there are several that function within the local church that are not referenced in the Discipline. These job descriptions will probably be a significant project for the team but very much needed to help clarify expectations and communication within the local congregation.