Responsibilities and Position Descriptions

From the Open Files of:

Heilig Resource Center, 704/633-4861

Contributed by:

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wilmington, NC
This file is available in Rich Text Format version for editing
ST. PAUL'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

RESPONSIBILITIES AND POSITION DESCRIPTIONS

FOR CONGREGATION COUNCIL

The Congregation Council are trustees who act on behalf of the church membership. The Congregation Council has the principal responsibility for fulfillment of the church's mission and the legal accountability for its operations. This means that as a group, they are in charge of establishing a clear organizational mission, forming the strategic plan to accomplish the mission, overseeing and evaluating the plan's success, calling Pastors and providing adequate supervision and support to that individual, ensuring financial solvency of the organization, interpreting and representing the community to the organization, and instituting a fair system of policies and procedures for human resource management.

Council members have a duty of loyalty to the organization, its staff and other council members. While differences of opinion are sure to arise, council members should seek to keep disagreements impersonal. Practicing discretion and accepting decisions made on a majority basis will promote council unity and confidence.

Council members accomplish their functions through regular meetings and by establishing a committee structure that is appropriate to the size of the organization and the Congregation Council. Ideally, council members arrive at meetings prepared and ready to engage in thoughtful dialogue, and there is a group process, which generates and uses the best thinking of its members.

Councils should be open to self-evaluation and regularly review their own composition to ensure constituent representation, and council expertise and commitment. Councils also are responsible for evaluating and determining compensation for the executive director.

The Congregation Council is responsible for management of the business and affairs of the corporation. In carrying out their responsibilities, the law imposes on Pastors specific fiduciary duties of care, loyalty, and obedience to the law.

CONGREGATION COUNCIL MEMBERS POSITION DESCRIPTIONS

POSITION TITLE: PRESIDENT

The President is the Chairman of the Congregation and of the Congregation Council. The President is responsible for calling and presiding over the regular meeting of the Congregation Council as required by the constitution and shall call and preside over the Congregational Meetings as provided for in the constitution. The constitution performs in accordance with the constitution and by-laws. The President shall be ex-officio on all committees except the Nominating Committee. (B3.01. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

Function:

  • As President, assure that the Congregation Council fulfills its responsibilities for the governance of the Church.
  • Be a partner to the Pastors, helping him/her to achieve the mission of the Church.
  • Optimize the relationship between the Congregation Council and staff.

Responsibilities:

  • Chair meetings of the Congregation Council. See that it functions effectively, interacts with management optimally, and fulfills all of its duties.
  • Develop agendas.
  • With the Pastors, recommends composition of the Congregation Council and committees. Recommend committee chairperson with an eye to future succession.
  • Assist the Pastors in recruiting Council and other talent for whatever volunteer assignments are needed.
  • Reflect any concerns members have with Council or individual Council members. Reflect to the Pastors the concerns of the Congregation Council and members.
  • Present to the Congregation Council an evaluation of the pace, direction, and organizational strength of the Church.
  • Prepare a review of the Pastors and recommend salary for consideration by the appropriate committee.
  • Annually focus the Congregation Council's attention on matters of Church governance that relate to its own structure, role, and relationship to management.
  • Is assured that the Congregation Council is satisfied it has fulfilled all of its responsibilities.
  • Serve as a spokesperson for the Church.
  • Fulfill such other assignments as the President and Pastors agree are appropriate and desirable for the President to perform.
  • The President shall convene regularly scheduled Council meetings, shall preside or arrange for other members of the executive committee to preside at each meeting in the following order: Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.

 

  • The President shall:

    o Have general active management of the business of the corporation;

    o When present, preside at meetings of the Congregation Council and of the members;

    o See that orders and resolutions of the Congregation Council are carried into effect;

    o Sign and deliver in the name of the corporation deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments pertaining to the business of the corporation, except in cases in which the authority to sign and deliver is required by law to be exercised by another person or is expressly delegated by the articles or bylaws or by the Congregation Council to another officer or agent of the corporation;

    o Maintain records of and, when necessary, certify proceedings of the Congregation Council and the members; and,

    o Perform other duties prescribed by the Congregation Council.

The President shall preside over the Executive Committee:

  • The President shall convene regularly scheduled Council meetings, shall preside or arrange for other members of the executive committee to preside at each meeting in the following order: Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
  • The Vice-Chair shall chair committees on special subjects as designated by the Congregation Council.
  • The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping records of Council actions, including overseeing the taking of minutes at all council meetings, sending out meeting announcements, distributing copies of minutes and the agenda to each Council member, and assuring that corporate records are maintained.
  • The Treasurer shall make a report at each Council meeting. Treasurer shall assist in the preparation of the budget, help develop fundraising plans, and make financial information available to Council members and the public.

POSITION TITLE: VICE-PRESIDENT

The Vice-President shall serve as President in the event the President is unable to perform his/her duties and shall preside over the Congregation Council or Congregational Meeting in the absence of the President and shall perform any additional duties as prescribed by the President. (B3.02. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church) The Vice-President shall chair committees on special subjects as designated by the Congregation Council.

POSITION TITLE: SECRETARY

The secretary shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the congregation and of the Congregation Council in a volume provided by the congregation, which shall be made available to the voting members and be preserved permanently in its archives. The Secretary shall be the custodian of the Church Seal and shall issue the call for all special and regular meetings of the congregation. The Secretary shall also perform such additional duties as prescribed by the President. (B3.03. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church) The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping records of Council actions, including overseeing sending out meeting announcements, distributing copies of minutes and the agenda to each Council member, and assuring that corporate records are maintained.

POSITION TITLE: TREASURER

The Treasurer shall keep the books of account of the congregation. He/She shall receive from the Financial Secretary an accounting of all funds received by the congregation and shall disburse the funds on the proper orders of the Congregation Council. The Treasurer shall make written reports to the Congregation Council monthly ad to the congregation annually. An un-audited report of the preceding shall be published in the congregation yearbook. The Treasurer shall also perform such additional duties as prescribed by the President. (B3.04. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

  • The Treasurer shall make a report at each Council meeting.
  • Treasurer shall assist in the preparation of the budget, help develop fundraising plans, and make financial information available to Council members and the public.

Duties

o Keep accurate financial records for the corporation;

o Deposit money, drafts, and checks in the name of and to the credit of the corporation in the banks and depositories designated by the Congregation Council.

o Endorse for deposit notes, checks, and drafts received by the corporation as ordered by the Congregation Council, making proper vouchers for the deposit.

o Disburse corporate funds and issue drafts in the name of the corporation as ordered by the Congregation Council.

o Upon request, provide the president and the Congregation Council an account of transactions by the treasurer and of the financial condition of the corporation.

o Perform other duties prescribed by the Congregation Council of by the president.

POSITION TITLE: MEMBER, CONGREGATION COUNCIL

Provide governance to the organization, represent it to the community, and accept the ultimate legal authority for it.

Duties: Planning

  • Approve the Church's philosophy and review the pastoral team and their performance in achieving it.
  • Annually assess the environment and approve the Church's strategy in relation to it.
  • Annually review and approve the Church's plans for funding its' strategy.
  • Review and approve the Church's five-year financial goals.
  • Annually review and approve the Church's budget.
  • Approve major policies.

Organizations

  • Elect, monitor, appraise, advise, support, reward, and, when necessary, terminate the employment of paid staff.
  • Be assured that organization succession is properly being provided.
  • Be assured that the status of organizational strength and manpower planning is equal to the requirements of the long-range goals.
  • Approve appropriate compensation and benefit policies and practices.
  • Propose a slate of to members and fill vacancies as needed.
  • Annually approve the Performance Review of the Pastors and establish his/her compensation based on recommendations of the Staff Support Committee and President of the Congregation Council.
  • Determine eligibility for and appoint Council Committees in response to recommendations of the Nominating Committee.
  • Annually review the performance of the Congregation Council and take steps to improve its performance.

Operations

  • Review the results achieved by the church staff as compared with the Church's philosophy, annual and long-range goals, and the performance of similar Churches.
  • Be certain that the financial structure of the Church is adequate for its current needs and its long-range strategy.
  • Provide candid and constructive criticism, advice, and comments.
  • Approve major actions of the Church, such as capital expenditures and major program and service changes.

Audit

  • Be assured that the Congregation Council and its committees are adequately and currently informed - through reports and other methods - of the condition of the Church and its operations.
  • Be assured that published reports properly reflect the operating results and financial condition of the Church.
  • Ascertain that the church has established appropriate policies to define and identify conflicts of interest throughout the Church, and is diligently administering and enforcing those policies.
  • Appoint independent auditors subject to approval by members.
  • Review compliance with relevant material laws affecting the Church.

While Council position descriptions can and should be designed to meet the needs of specific organizations, North Carolina law requires that a nonprofit have one or more persons exercising the functions of President and Treasurer. The law states that:

DUTIES OF SPECIAL CONGREGATIONAL COMMITTEES

Taken from the Constitution and By-Laws of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church:

The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the congregation between meetings of the Congregation Council, make recommendations to the Congregation Council and perform such other duties as assigned by the Congregation Council. The Executive Committee shall be subject to the orders of the Congregation Council and none of its acts shall conflict with action taken by the congregation or the Congregation Council. (B5.01. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

The Nominating Committee shall present to the Congregation Council, at least (30) thirty days prior to the Annual Congregational Meeting a list of nominees, with a brief biographical sketch, selected from the voting members of the congregation. There shall be at least (3) three more nominees than positions to be filled. The Nominating Committee shall obtain permission from each nominee to place his/her name in nomination. (B5.02. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

The Audit Committee shall audit the financial accounts of the congregation at the close of the fiscal year and report the results of the audit to the congregation. (B5.03. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

The Staff Support Committee shall provide support and advice to the Pastors and staff employed by the congregation. It shall conduct an annual evaluation of the staff's individual performance and report the results to the Congregation Council. It shall make recommendations regarding compensation to the Pastors and staff to the Finance Committee. It shall receive and consider any concerns or complaints about the Pastors and other staff employed by the congregation and make appropriate recommendations to the Congregation Council. (B5.04. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

An Archives Committee shall be appointed as custodians of the historical records. It shall collect, evaluate, catalog, and properly file all documents, and take proper care of all artifacts that are not in current use. (B5.05. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

The Memorial Garden Committee shall oversee the care, protection, records and maintenance of the St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church Memorial Ash Garden. It shall review and comment on any changes to the rules and regulations promulgated by the Congregation Council for the use of the Garden. (B5.06. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

A Call Committee, when elected, shall in consultation with the Synodical Bishop, seek, evaluate, and make recommendations to the Congregation Council regarding candidates for filling a pastoral vacancy. (B5.07. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

DUTIES OF STANDING COMMITTEES

Committee for Worship and Music shall assist the Pastor and the Congregation Council in seeing that the services of the Church are conducted regularly and in accordance with the liturgy for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; that a subcommittee of ushers are recruited, instructed, and are properly scheduled for duty at all services, funerals, and special events; and that hymnals in the Church and other devotional materials are provided and properly cared for. This committee shall oversee and strive to support the Director of Music and Organist in recruiting and care of the welfare of the choirs of the congregation. It shall arrange for the proper care of paraments, vestments, and musical instruments (organs, pianos, handbells, carillons, and other musical properties of the congregation). It shall approve and assist in the selection and purchase of music supplies appropriate for use in the worship of a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. (B66.01. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

Committee for Finance shall exercise oversight of all financial affairs of the congregation, and shall ensure that they are conducted efficiently, and that all obligations are properly paid. It shall prepare an annual budget for the succeeding year, submitting it to the Congregation Council prior to the Annual Congregational Meeting, and shall conform to the current budget in all expenditures as directed by the Congregation Council. It shall be responsible for the congregation's investment and its total insurance program and approve all unbudgeted expenditures. It shall, through the Audit Committee, assure the annual audit of the Treasurer and Financial Secretaries. (B6.02. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

Committee For Stewardship shall evoke and promote the expression of Christian faith through stewardship in the lives of the members of the congregation so as to lead all members to higher levels of proportionate giving of their time, talents, and tithes for the Lord's work in the congregational, synodical, national and worldwide ministries. (B6.03. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

Committee for Christian Education, with the guidance of the Pastors shall oversee the conduct and promotion of the schools and the activities of all educational organizations within the congregation or sponsored by it. It shall encourage the use of teaching and worship materials published or approved by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and seek to introduce the Church's periodicals and books of family devotion into the homes of the congregation. It shall continually bring the call to the ministry of the Gospel and to other full time church vocations to the attention of qualified youth in the congregation. (B6.04. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

Church Building Committee shall oversee and, in cooperation with the Grounds Committee, instruct and direct the Property Supervisor, (if one is present on staff) in the conduct of his duties and the care, protection, and maintenance of the buildings and related equipment to include the proper cleaning, security, supervised security, and other duties of the Property Supervisor. It shall be responsible for the proper planning and construction of repairs to all buildings, including supervision of all contractual work as well as that done by congregational volunteers. (B6.05. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

Committee For Church Grounds shall see to the proper planning for the planting of the grounds of the Church property. It shall supervise the work of volunteer groups and members in the accomplishment of the planting plan; the trimming, fertilizing, and watering of all plantings; the cutting and adequacy of grassed areas; and all pavements, walkways, and appurtenances thereto. (B6.06. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

Committee for Evangelism, in association with the Pastors shall stimulate and lead all members of the congregation in continuous and concerted endeavors to reawaken the spiritually indifferent and to reach others who are as yet un-won, with the Gospel and to bring them to Christ's Church. Special interest shall be given to visitors and inactive members of the congregation. (B6.07. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

Committee for Service Ministry shall endeavor, with the guidance of the Pastors, to extend Christian compassion and helpfulness to the ill, the aged, the orphaned, the widowed, he underprivileged, the imprisoned, and to all persons of all ages in need of aid in body or soul. It shall strive to enlist in these efforts as many as possible of the individual members of and organizations of the congregation. It shall endeavor to recruit and direct the members of the congregation in all Christian programs when requested by the Pastors or the Congregation Council for such help or service. (B6.08. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

Committee for Youth Ministry shall assist in the organization and oversight of the entire youth program of the Church with the guidance of the Pastors and Christian Education Director, if present. It is to demonstrate care and concern for all students and those away from home at college or others training or studying away from home. It is to encourage participation in the synodical, district, and national Evangelical Lutheran Church in America youth activities. (B6.09 St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

Committee for Fellowship will nurture fellowship among the members of the congregation. The committee shall organize and conduct fellowship gatherings several times a year for the purpose of allowing the members of the congregation, especially the new members, to meet and have personal fellowship with all members of the congregation. These gatherings shall include all ages, and all members of the congregation shall be included and encouraged to attend. Plans and programs for all gatherings shall be presented to the Congregation Council for approval and shall be well advertised in congregational bulletins and newsletters. (B6.10. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
[COUNCIL MEMBERS ] • [ HOME ]

© Copyright 2002 by the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin Resource Center. Please see our usage policy.

NW Synod of Wisconsin Resource Center