United Methodist Local Church Committee and Officer Structures and Guidelines
Every congregation must make provision for including these functions according to The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, ¶244.
Positions may be combined except for the financial functions. "The positions of treasurer and financial secretary should not be combined and held by one person, and the persons holding these positions should not be immediate family members (¶258.4)
All Structure References are from The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 2016
The Qualifications and Job descriptions are referenced from the Book of discipline.
Every congregation must make provision for including these functions according to The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, ¶244.
Positions may be combined except for the financial functions. "The positions of treasurer and financial secretary should not be combined and held by one person, and the persons holding these positions should not be immediate family members (¶258.4)
All Structure References are from The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 2016
The Qualifications and Job descriptions are referenced from the Book of discipline.
Chair of Church Leadership Team Administrative Council
Structure
The Church Council is the administrative agency of the charge conference to envision, plan, implement, and annually evaluate the ministry of the congregation. Members of the church council shall be involved in the mission and ministry of the church: nurture, outreach, and witness. All persons with vote shall be members of the local church (BOD , ¶244.3) The charge conference will determine the size of the church council. The membership of the council may consist of as few as eleven persons or as many as the charge conference deems appropriate. The council shall include persons who represent the program ministries of the church. (The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 2016, ¶252) The chair of this group is elected annually by the charge conference (¶251.3).
Who is qualified for the job?
Spiritual gifts leadership, administration, servanthood, discernment, and teaching.
Experience, Skills This leader should show evidence of prior effective ministry leadership, evidence of active and growing personal discipleship, ability to collaborate with other ministry leaders, preside over meetings, delegate responsibility and follow up getting the job done.
What does the Chairperson of Leadership Team/Administrative Council do?
• Lead the council in fulfilling its responsibilities as outlined in The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 2016, ¶252.
• Work with the pastor(s), lay leader and others to fulfill the mission of “making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”
• Through the year, this leader prepares and communicates the agenda for meetings, leads the meetings, follows up actions by assigning responsibility for implementation, coordinates the activities of the leadership team, and maintains a healthy and growing spiritual life.
Structure
The Church Council is the administrative agency of the charge conference to envision, plan, implement, and annually evaluate the ministry of the congregation. Members of the church council shall be involved in the mission and ministry of the church: nurture, outreach, and witness. All persons with vote shall be members of the local church (BOD , ¶244.3) The charge conference will determine the size of the church council. The membership of the council may consist of as few as eleven persons or as many as the charge conference deems appropriate. The council shall include persons who represent the program ministries of the church. (The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 2016, ¶252) The chair of this group is elected annually by the charge conference (¶251.3).
Who is qualified for the job?
Spiritual gifts leadership, administration, servanthood, discernment, and teaching.
Experience, Skills This leader should show evidence of prior effective ministry leadership, evidence of active and growing personal discipleship, ability to collaborate with other ministry leaders, preside over meetings, delegate responsibility and follow up getting the job done.
What does the Chairperson of Leadership Team/Administrative Council do?
• Lead the council in fulfilling its responsibilities as outlined in The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 2016, ¶252.
• Work with the pastor(s), lay leader and others to fulfill the mission of “making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”
• Through the year, this leader prepares and communicates the agenda for meetings, leads the meetings, follows up actions by assigning responsibility for implementation, coordinates the activities of the leadership team, and maintains a healthy and growing spiritual life.
Pastor/Staff-Parish Relations Committee
Structure
The committee shall be composed of not fewer than five nor more than nine persons. All must be professing members of the local church. One member shall be a young adult and one member may be a youth. In addition, the lay leader and lay member of annual conference shall be members. No staff member nor immediate family. Member of a staff may serve on the committee. Only one person residing in the same household shall serve on the committee. (The United Methodist Book of Discipline 2016, ¶258.2)
Qualifications for Job:
Spiritual gifts: Exhortation (encouragement), wisdom, discernment, apostleship, administration, shepherding, teaching, leadership.
Experience, Skills: Committee members should be diverse in age, experience, and interests in order to bring all ministry opportunities of the congregation to the attention of the staff. Some experience in human relations, personnel management, and communications is helpful. These individuals must listen well to both staff and people of all ages in the congregation while keeping a focus on the mission of the church. These leaders must be able to maintain confidentiality.
Responsibilities:
• Lead the congregation to encourage, strengthen, nurture, support, and respect the pastor(s) and staff and their families. Help the staff set priorities that strengthen the congregation's total ministry.
• Consult with the lead pastor to recommend staff positions to support the strategy of the church leadership team.
• Recommend staff compensation, travel, housing, and other financial matters to the church council through the finance committee.
• Create and update written policy for hiring, evaluating, promoting, retiring, and dismissing staff members who are not subject to episcopal appointment. (Procedures must comply with local and state laws.)
• Conduct proper screening (including background checks) for lay employees and volunteer staff.
• Meet with the district superintendent and/or the bishop in an advisory capacity related to clergy leadership. Considerations include the age and stage of the congregation, an understanding of feelings and desires within the congregation about the pastor's leadership and appointment, and the culture and needs of the community around the church.
• Enlist, evaluate, and annually recommend to the charge conference candidates for professional ministry.
Structure
The committee shall be composed of not fewer than five nor more than nine persons. All must be professing members of the local church. One member shall be a young adult and one member may be a youth. In addition, the lay leader and lay member of annual conference shall be members. No staff member nor immediate family. Member of a staff may serve on the committee. Only one person residing in the same household shall serve on the committee. (The United Methodist Book of Discipline 2016, ¶258.2)
Qualifications for Job:
Spiritual gifts: Exhortation (encouragement), wisdom, discernment, apostleship, administration, shepherding, teaching, leadership.
Experience, Skills: Committee members should be diverse in age, experience, and interests in order to bring all ministry opportunities of the congregation to the attention of the staff. Some experience in human relations, personnel management, and communications is helpful. These individuals must listen well to both staff and people of all ages in the congregation while keeping a focus on the mission of the church. These leaders must be able to maintain confidentiality.
Responsibilities:
• Lead the congregation to encourage, strengthen, nurture, support, and respect the pastor(s) and staff and their families. Help the staff set priorities that strengthen the congregation's total ministry.
• Consult with the lead pastor to recommend staff positions to support the strategy of the church leadership team.
• Recommend staff compensation, travel, housing, and other financial matters to the church council through the finance committee.
• Create and update written policy for hiring, evaluating, promoting, retiring, and dismissing staff members who are not subject to episcopal appointment. (Procedures must comply with local and state laws.)
• Conduct proper screening (including background checks) for lay employees and volunteer staff.
• Meet with the district superintendent and/or the bishop in an advisory capacity related to clergy leadership. Considerations include the age and stage of the congregation, an understanding of feelings and desires within the congregation about the pastor's leadership and appointment, and the culture and needs of the community around the church.
• Enlist, evaluate, and annually recommend to the charge conference candidates for professional ministry.
Nominations and Leader Development
Structure
The pastor shall be chair of the group, and a layperson shall be vice-chair who may represent the committee at meetings of the church leadership team. There shall not be more than nine people on the committee, and one person shall be a young adult. Only one person from an immediate family residing in the same household shall serve on the committee. (The United Methodist Book of Discipline 2016, ¶ 258.1.c)
Qualifications for Job:
Spiritual gifts: servanthood, exhortation (encouragement), wisdom and discernment
Experience, Skills: Individuals show evidence of a growing Christian spiritual life and willingness to engage with others in biblical and theological reflection about the mission of the church. Individuals with work experience in human resources, job recruitment, and personnel management. Individuals show evidence of nurturing others.
Responsibilities:
• Lead/teach the congregation God's plan for using gifts, skills and experience that already exist in order to accomplish the mission God has for the congregation.
• Develop and track a system for helping individuals discover their spiritual gifts, name their skills, interests, knowledge, and experience.
• Invite people to positions of spiritual leadership, receive their responses, and provide training and support for these individuals.
• Present a nomination list to the charge conference for a church council chair, a committee on pastor (staff) parish relations, a board of trustees, a committee on finance, a lay member to annual conference and a lay leader. Work throughout the year to name other leaders for the ministry that fulfills the mission of the congregation.
Structure
The pastor shall be chair of the group, and a layperson shall be vice-chair who may represent the committee at meetings of the church leadership team. There shall not be more than nine people on the committee, and one person shall be a young adult. Only one person from an immediate family residing in the same household shall serve on the committee. (The United Methodist Book of Discipline 2016, ¶ 258.1.c)
Qualifications for Job:
Spiritual gifts: servanthood, exhortation (encouragement), wisdom and discernment
Experience, Skills: Individuals show evidence of a growing Christian spiritual life and willingness to engage with others in biblical and theological reflection about the mission of the church. Individuals with work experience in human resources, job recruitment, and personnel management. Individuals show evidence of nurturing others.
Responsibilities:
• Lead/teach the congregation God's plan for using gifts, skills and experience that already exist in order to accomplish the mission God has for the congregation.
• Develop and track a system for helping individuals discover their spiritual gifts, name their skills, interests, knowledge, and experience.
• Invite people to positions of spiritual leadership, receive their responses, and provide training and support for these individuals.
• Present a nomination list to the charge conference for a church council chair, a committee on pastor (staff) parish relations, a board of trustees, a committee on finance, a lay member to annual conference and a lay leader. Work throughout the year to name other leaders for the ministry that fulfills the mission of the congregation.
Finance
Structure
The committee is comprised of a chairperson, the pastor, lay member of annual conference, chairperson of the church council, chairperson or representative of the staff-parish committee, a representative of the trustees, the lay leader, the financial secretary, the treasurer and others determined by the charge conference. The positions of church treasurer and financial secretary should not be combined, nor should they be members of the same immediate family (The United Methodist Book of Discipline, 2016, ¶258.4)
Who's qualified for this job?
Spiritual Gifts: giving, faith, wisdom, exhortation (encouragement), teaching, and servanthood.
Experience, Skills: Committee members must have ability to listen to and communicate with people of all ages who have ideas about the mission and ministry of the congregation. These people need skills with financial budgetary matters along with understanding of Biblical stewardship and management of all the resources God provides.
Responsibilities
• Compile a complete annual budget for supporting the mission and vision of the local church and submit the budget to the church leadership team for review and adoption. Through the year, the finance team recommends any changes to the approved annual budget to the church leadership team.
• Develop and carry out plans to raise income to support the approved budget.
• The finance team needs to engage in spiritual practices that build a relationship of attentiveness to God’s will and direction. Financial management and daily administration can shift any leader’s attention away from the purpose of the church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
• Recommend proper depositories for church funds; carry out the church leadership team’s directions about administration and disbursement of funds; and follow procedures for the church treasurer and the financial secretary. Arrange for an annual audit of financial records.
Structure
The committee is comprised of a chairperson, the pastor, lay member of annual conference, chairperson of the church council, chairperson or representative of the staff-parish committee, a representative of the trustees, the lay leader, the financial secretary, the treasurer and others determined by the charge conference. The positions of church treasurer and financial secretary should not be combined, nor should they be members of the same immediate family (The United Methodist Book of Discipline, 2016, ¶258.4)
Who's qualified for this job?
Spiritual Gifts: giving, faith, wisdom, exhortation (encouragement), teaching, and servanthood.
Experience, Skills: Committee members must have ability to listen to and communicate with people of all ages who have ideas about the mission and ministry of the congregation. These people need skills with financial budgetary matters along with understanding of Biblical stewardship and management of all the resources God provides.
Responsibilities
• Compile a complete annual budget for supporting the mission and vision of the local church and submit the budget to the church leadership team for review and adoption. Through the year, the finance team recommends any changes to the approved annual budget to the church leadership team.
• Develop and carry out plans to raise income to support the approved budget.
• The finance team needs to engage in spiritual practices that build a relationship of attentiveness to God’s will and direction. Financial management and daily administration can shift any leader’s attention away from the purpose of the church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
• Recommend proper depositories for church funds; carry out the church leadership team’s directions about administration and disbursement of funds; and follow procedures for the church treasurer and the financial secretary. Arrange for an annual audit of financial records.
Trustees
Structure
The Board of Trustees shall be composed of not fewer than three nor more than nine persons. Trustees shall be of legal age as defined by law, and 2/3 shall be professing members of the United Methodist Church. No pastor is a voting member unless elected as a member. The Board of Trustees will elect their own chair person. Legal requirements for trustees of property are outlined in the United Methodist Book of Discipline 2016, ¶2524 through 2550.
Who is qualified for this job?
Spiritual gifts: servanthood, helping/assistance, administration, giving, and evangelism.
Experience, Skills: Trustees should be people with knowledge and skills for property and asset management, have the ability to listen to and communicate with people of all ages, and work well with other ministry leaders. Trustees should show genuine interest in responding to the hopes and concerns of people in the community and a willingness to partner with community interests. The Trustees chairperson should show evidence of prior effective ministry leadership, especially in the area of stewardship of assets, and show evidence of active and growing discipleship, the ability to preside over meetings, the ability to delegate responsibility and follow up in getting the job done.
Responsibilities:
• Trustees, subject to the direction of the charge conference, have oversight and care of all local church property, buildings, and equipment in order to accomplish the mission of the church. This is done in consultation with the pastor.
• Trustees need to engage in spiritual practices that build a relationship of attentiveness to God's will and direction. Church administration and attentiveness to daily affairs can distract trustees from the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Trustees need to hold one another accountable to the mission and vision of the church.
• Trustees receive and administer all gifts made to the congregation, making certain that trust funds of the congregation are invested properly. Bequests and gifts to endowment projects can, by direction of the charge conference, be directed to a special endowment or legacy committee. This committee will promote, invest, and distribute the proceeds from these gifts. Congregations should seek assistance from their conference or area United Methodist Foundation.
• Trustees ensure that the Articles of Incorporation of the congregation are kept up-to-date.
• Trustees annually review property, liability, and crime insurance coverage on church-owned property, buildings, and equipment. The team also reviews personnel insurance for protection against risk, and consults with the Pastor-Parish team about other personnel insurance.
• Trustees conduct an annual accessibility audit of buildings and grounds to discover and then work toward eliminating barriers that impede full participation of all people.
• The team submits annual budget requests to the committee on finance for property maintenance and improvement, as well as new property purchases.
• Trustees are accountable to the charge conference and the church council. The term "trustees" as used in the United Methodist Book of Discipline, may be construed to be synonymous "director" of corporations when required to comply with law
Structure
The Board of Trustees shall be composed of not fewer than three nor more than nine persons. Trustees shall be of legal age as defined by law, and 2/3 shall be professing members of the United Methodist Church. No pastor is a voting member unless elected as a member. The Board of Trustees will elect their own chair person. Legal requirements for trustees of property are outlined in the United Methodist Book of Discipline 2016, ¶2524 through 2550.
Who is qualified for this job?
Spiritual gifts: servanthood, helping/assistance, administration, giving, and evangelism.
Experience, Skills: Trustees should be people with knowledge and skills for property and asset management, have the ability to listen to and communicate with people of all ages, and work well with other ministry leaders. Trustees should show genuine interest in responding to the hopes and concerns of people in the community and a willingness to partner with community interests. The Trustees chairperson should show evidence of prior effective ministry leadership, especially in the area of stewardship of assets, and show evidence of active and growing discipleship, the ability to preside over meetings, the ability to delegate responsibility and follow up in getting the job done.
Responsibilities:
• Trustees, subject to the direction of the charge conference, have oversight and care of all local church property, buildings, and equipment in order to accomplish the mission of the church. This is done in consultation with the pastor.
• Trustees need to engage in spiritual practices that build a relationship of attentiveness to God's will and direction. Church administration and attentiveness to daily affairs can distract trustees from the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Trustees need to hold one another accountable to the mission and vision of the church.
• Trustees receive and administer all gifts made to the congregation, making certain that trust funds of the congregation are invested properly. Bequests and gifts to endowment projects can, by direction of the charge conference, be directed to a special endowment or legacy committee. This committee will promote, invest, and distribute the proceeds from these gifts. Congregations should seek assistance from their conference or area United Methodist Foundation.
• Trustees ensure that the Articles of Incorporation of the congregation are kept up-to-date.
• Trustees annually review property, liability, and crime insurance coverage on church-owned property, buildings, and equipment. The team also reviews personnel insurance for protection against risk, and consults with the Pastor-Parish team about other personnel insurance.
• Trustees conduct an annual accessibility audit of buildings and grounds to discover and then work toward eliminating barriers that impede full participation of all people.
• The team submits annual budget requests to the committee on finance for property maintenance and improvement, as well as new property purchases.
• Trustees are accountable to the charge conference and the church council. The term "trustees" as used in the United Methodist Book of Discipline, may be construed to be synonymous "director" of corporations when required to comply with law
Lay Leader
Structure
Out of the professing membership of each local church, the Charge Conference shall elect a Lay Leader who shall function as the primary lay representative of the laity in that local church. United Methodist Book of Discipline 2016, ¶251.1.
Who is qualified for this job?
Spiritual gifts: servanthood, faith, compassion, apostleship
Experience, skills: A Lay Leader should be a growing Christian disciple who understands that everyone has spiritual gifts and experience that are vital to the Body of Christ (See 1 Corinthians 12). This person benefits from knowing his or her own spiritual gift(s) and living out those gifts in congregational life. This leader should be a living example of one who "loves God and loves neighbor." It is important for a lay leader to listen well and communicate with people of all ages. This person should show evidence of working well with both clergy and laity, with various teams and task groups. The Lay Leader must have the ability to keep a broad view of the separate parts of the congregation and help align the entire ministry toward the mission of the church. The lay leader should show interest in connecting the congregation with the community and the world in order to participate in the petition of the Lord's Prayer "thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as in heaven."
What does the Lay Leader do?
• This leader represents the lay people in the congregation.
• This leader is a role model of Christian discipleship for the congregation and needs to remember that others will follow this leader’s example in spiritual living.
• This person continuously looks for ways to connect Christian discipleship with daily life, and teaches others to do the same.
• The Lay Leader collaborates with other church leaders to find ways within the community of faith to recognize the ministries of laity in worship, in communication, and in other programs of the congregation.
• The Lay Leader meets regularly with the pastor to discuss the state of the church and the opportunities for ministry.
• In some congregations, the lay leader partners with the pastor in leading worship.
Structure
Out of the professing membership of each local church, the Charge Conference shall elect a Lay Leader who shall function as the primary lay representative of the laity in that local church. United Methodist Book of Discipline 2016, ¶251.1.
Who is qualified for this job?
Spiritual gifts: servanthood, faith, compassion, apostleship
Experience, skills: A Lay Leader should be a growing Christian disciple who understands that everyone has spiritual gifts and experience that are vital to the Body of Christ (See 1 Corinthians 12). This person benefits from knowing his or her own spiritual gift(s) and living out those gifts in congregational life. This leader should be a living example of one who "loves God and loves neighbor." It is important for a lay leader to listen well and communicate with people of all ages. This person should show evidence of working well with both clergy and laity, with various teams and task groups. The Lay Leader must have the ability to keep a broad view of the separate parts of the congregation and help align the entire ministry toward the mission of the church. The lay leader should show interest in connecting the congregation with the community and the world in order to participate in the petition of the Lord's Prayer "thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as in heaven."
What does the Lay Leader do?
• This leader represents the lay people in the congregation.
• This leader is a role model of Christian discipleship for the congregation and needs to remember that others will follow this leader’s example in spiritual living.
• This person continuously looks for ways to connect Christian discipleship with daily life, and teaches others to do the same.
• The Lay Leader collaborates with other church leaders to find ways within the community of faith to recognize the ministries of laity in worship, in communication, and in other programs of the congregation.
• The Lay Leader meets regularly with the pastor to discuss the state of the church and the opportunities for ministry.
• In some congregations, the lay leader partners with the pastor in leading worship.
Lay Delegate to Annual Conference
Structure
The Lay member of annual conference (and alternate, if elected) shall be a professing member of the congregation for at least 2 years and an active participant for at least 4 years preceding their election. This person shall report the actions of the annual conference to the congregation within 3 months of the close of the annual conference session. United Methodist Book of Discipline,2016 ¶ 251.2
Qualifications for Job:
Spiritual gifts: servanthood, teaching, giving, compassion, faith, discernment, apostleship.
Experience, Skills: This leader needs to enjoy learning about issues, programs, and hopes of people in the community and congregation and have an interest in learning about parliamentary procedure and church structure. Other qualifications to consider for this leader are listening and teaching skills, speaking, writing and interpretative skills, aptitude for networking ideas with interests of people in the congregation, and a desire to participate in discussion and decisions affecting ministry in many communities.
Structure
The Lay member of annual conference (and alternate, if elected) shall be a professing member of the congregation for at least 2 years and an active participant for at least 4 years preceding their election. This person shall report the actions of the annual conference to the congregation within 3 months of the close of the annual conference session. United Methodist Book of Discipline,2016 ¶ 251.2
Qualifications for Job:
Spiritual gifts: servanthood, teaching, giving, compassion, faith, discernment, apostleship.
Experience, Skills: This leader needs to enjoy learning about issues, programs, and hopes of people in the community and congregation and have an interest in learning about parliamentary procedure and church structure. Other qualifications to consider for this leader are listening and teaching skills, speaking, writing and interpretative skills, aptitude for networking ideas with interests of people in the congregation, and a desire to participate in discussion and decisions affecting ministry in many communities.