EXAMINING PARKDALES GOVERNANCE

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EXAMINING PARKDALESGOVERNANCE

• Congregational Meeting
• December 7, 2008

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Purpose of todays meeting

• Overview of existing governance structure
• The need for improvement/restructuring
• Review of progress to date
• Outline of proposed new governance regime
• Implementation issues/timing
• The Congregations views/observations (Is there
  consensus?)
• Next steps

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Parkdales Vision

• To form followers of Jesus
• in such a way as to transform our
• community and our world

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Parkdales Mission

• Uniting in joyful worship as an act of praise and
  gratitude, and for inspiration and guidance
• Providing learning opportunities for the
  Christian way of life, and to enhance Biblical
  literacy
• Supporting one another through pastoral care and
  concern
• Reaching out to people in need
• Promoting justice
• Praying for guidance, wisdom and support

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Parkdales Governance Structure

• The Official Board

Session
Finance Committee (was Stewards)
M P
Ministry Staff M P Rep. Property Trustees
Rep. Presbytery Rep. Reps. of other Committees
Trustees
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Governance Structure

• Official Board 62 members, meets 4-6 times/year
• Official Board Executive 16 members,
• meets prior to full OB or ad hoc as reqd.
• Committees of Session OB meet at various
  intervals
• Session 46 Elders, meets 4-5 times/year

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Governance Structure

• Official Board Committees
• Ministry Personnel
• Stewardship
• Financial Trustees
• Property Trustees

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Governance Structure

• Session Committees
• Pastoral Care
• Mission Outreach
• Christian Enrichment
• Membership Development
• Communion Arrangements
• Worship

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The Need for Review

• Why should our current structure be revised?
• Healthy for any organization to periodically
  review its mandate, structure and functions
• Existing governing structure essentially
  unchanged since 1971
• Excessive bureaucracy (too many meetings, too
  long to make decisions)
• Overlap, duplication, talking - not doing

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The Need for Review

• New initiatives stifled, creative thinking
  inhibited
• Extreme challenge for succession planning
  difficulty recruiting fresh talent for
  leadership, committees
• Lack of flexibility to enable fulfillment of
  Vision Mission
• Unsuccessful attempts at renewal in 1983, 1995,
  1997, 2001
• Every Household Visitation (EHV) initiative in
  2006 urged action

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Steps Taken To Date

• Spring/07 Small group examined governance
  structures of several Ottawa-area churches
  sharing Parkdales characteristics
• Fall/07 Findings reported to Board and Session
  Small group mandated to research further and make
  recommendations
• January/08 Additional consultations with
  congregational leaders, including with Dr. Bailey

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Steps Taken To Date

• May/08 Half-day congregational consultation
  workshop (summary of outcome published in June
  issue of The Messenger)
• June/08 Alternate governance options presented
  to the Official Board
• Summer/08 Additional research, and
  consultations/discussions with key stakeholders

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Steps Taken To Date

• September/08 Official Board agreement-in-principl
  e (unanimous) to seek congregational approval for
  Council structure
• October/08 - Detailed outline of proposal
  published in October issue of The Messenger
• October/08 Further examination of other
  congregations experience with Council model
  (e.g. Southminster United)
• December/08 - Congregational meeting to outline
  proposal and obtain feedback from members of
  Congregation

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Proposed Council Structure
(A council is a suggested governance model
endorsed by UCC)
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Proposed Structure
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Proposed Structure
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Proposed Structure
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Proposed Structure
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Proposed Structure(Cycle of Accountability)
Councils role leadership, strategic
oversight, coordination support, spiritual
development stewardship
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Key Council Features

• Replaces existing Session and Official Board
• Less bureaucracy fewer meetings
• More strategic action-oriented
• Council of 15-18 Ministry staff
• Continuing accountability to Congregation

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Key Council Features

• Accommodates broad participation in delivery of
  Mission and Vision without long-term commitment
  to serve on Council i.e. is project/goal oriented
• Taps into un/underutilized talents and energies
  through empowerment of Working Groups
• Stimulates individual initiative encourages new
  members to become involved

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Implementation Mechanics

• Official Board Session are wound down
• Congregation elects Council members, either as a
  group, or to specific posts - e.g. Chair,
  Secretary. (Option Council itself could select
  Chair, Secretary)
• Members serve 2-year terms eligible for
  re-election
• After initial year of Council operation,
  overlapping of terms to provide continuity
• Council staffs Committees, appoints Chairs
• Finance Committee appoints Treasurer

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Operating Mechanics

• Working Group Coordinating Committee receives and
  evaluates proposals for special
  ministries/projects
• Committee empowered to approve projects within
  specified limits recommends major initiatives to
  Council
• Committee provides Council with periodic progress
  reports on activities/initiatives

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Key Operating Issue

• Impact of abolishing the Session
• - Need to assure ongoing spiritual
  oversight/nurture of the Congregation
• - All Council members are Elders
• - Ongoing contact/communications with
  Congregation will be vital

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Contact/Communications

• Pastoral Care Team highly effective in pastoral
  care to (mostly) senior members
• Current Elders with interest in visiting would
  unlikely need additional PC training
• Twinning or Buddy system to ensure ongoing
  contact
• Publish decisions of Council
• The Messenger is an excellent information medium
  ensure that all members receive it

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Council Advantages/Benefits

• Council emphasizes the responsibility of all
  members of the congregation to be engaged in
  ministry
• All councillors are Elders the Council is the
  Court and acts as a round table
• Principal Council function is strategic
  direction Council leadership is focused on
  planning, priorities, coordination
• Increased autonomy to committees the Council
  defines parameters of permission Commitees
  initiate action
• Can place people where their gifts/talents can be
  used most effectively, rather than selecting
  pegs to fill holes

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Challenge

• gt May require a pro-active communication strategy
  to demonstrate that there is appropriate
  accountability for ministries
• gt Need to dispel any perception of a possible
  concentration of power. Will require effective
  ongoing two-way communication with Congregation
  members

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Next Steps

• If todays meeting signals Congregational
  consensus in favour of a proposed Council,
  Official Board moves forward, selects
  Implementation team, develops transition scenario
  and full/final plan
• Present plan to Congregation for formal vote at a
  special meeting
• Obtain Presbytery approval (as per UCC
  requirements)
• Proceed with implementation

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Tentative Timing

• Special Congregational meeting in spring 2009 to
  vote on final plan
• Submission of plan to Presbytery for formal
  approval (estimated turn-around time -
  approximately one month)
• Ideally, launch new Council in August 2009, to
  coincide with traditional resumption of the
  church program year
• Transition strategy Seek approval at AGM
  (February 15, 2009) to extend terms of existing
  Session and Board members until August no fresh
  appointments during interim

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Governance Review/Proposals

• Conclusion
• Discussion Time
• - Questions
• - Observations
• - Comments