Committees

Committee Duties Qualities/skills required
Court of Session
  • Oversight of admission to membership, conduct of members, administration of sacraments, religious training, order of worship, care of the poor & sick & outreach.
  • Keep the roll of the Congregation, baptisms, marriages, burials.
  • Support senior adults
  • Interpersonal, teamwork, collaborative skills.
  • Administrative & organizational skills, e.g. managing existing portfolios & developing new ones.
  • Dependable, proactive, creative problem solver.
Stewards
  • Secure & allocate monetary contributions for all church expenses.
  • Manage all aspects of day to day administration/maintenance of property
  • Ability to prepare a budget, read a financial statement, prepare and manage projects.
  • Work collaboratively, problem solve and write reports.
  • Property management & administration experience
Ministry & Personnel
  • Consultation & support to staff, members, adherents.
  • Review working conditions & effectiveness of staff.
  • Oversee the relationship between staff & congregation.
  • Excellent interpersonal & group dynamic skills.
  • Experience in resolving conflicts & creating healthy working environments.
  • Ability to listen & be objective.
Trustees
  • Hold all church real & personal property for use & benefit of congregation
  • Ensures that the building is kept in good repair & used as directed by the Congregation.
  • Legal, financial, building management experience
  • Contract development skills
  • Strategic planning skills
  • Project management skills

Policy and Procedure for “Terms of Office” for the Committees at St. James United Church

Background: At the March 29, 2009 Annual Meeting of the Congregation, the following motion was passed.

“... moved that the Congregation direct the Official Board to ensure that the Committee of Stewards, the Board of Trustees and the Court of Session and the Ministry and Personnel Committee elect a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, also that terms of reference with regard to the length of appointment for all members on all committees, re-election, and any other pertinent details with regard to its membership be established as soon as possible after consideration of the guidelines set down in the United Church Manual.”

Policy Statement: The creation of terms of office comes from the desire to encourage as many different members as possible to become involved in the committees that make decisions on behalf of the Congregation. At the same time, given the complexity of issues to be addressed by these committees, it was also deemed necessary to ensure continuity through the creation of a vice chairperson who would assume the chair in due course.

Procedure:

  1. Each committee (Board of Trustees, Stewards, Session, Ministry and Personnel) will elect a chairperson and vice chairperson at the first meeting after the Annual Meeting who will remain in place for a period of two (2) years. At the end of the two (2) year period, the chairperson will become past chairperson and continue to sit on the committee for one (1) year after which he/she will resign. The vice chairperson will become the chairperson and a new vice chairperson will be elected.
  2. Prior to the Annual Meeting, each committee will identify the number of vacancies they have and will prepare and post the qualifications for membership. For at least two consecutive weeks during the Sunday Service, two months before the annual meeting, there will be a call for nominations to the various committees. The nomination period will end three weeks before the annual meeting. Each nomination must include the signature of a proposer and seconder, the candidates written consent, and a copy of their curriculum vitae or a statement briefly describing their experience and skills relative to the committee for which they are being nominated. The list of nominees will then be forwarded to the Nominations Committee who will present their report to the Official Board for approval before receiving final approval by the Congregation at the Annual Meeting. Given the above process, nominations for committee membership from the floor at the Annual Meeting will not be accepted.
  3. The term of office for members of the Trustees, Stewards, Session and Ministry and Personnel shall be two (2) years not including time served as past chair, chair or vice chair. Members can have their term renewed once. A member wishing to serve again after completing two terms for a total of four (4) years must wait one (1) year before putting his/her name forward again.
  4. Should a seat become vacant during a member's term of office, the chair of said committee will use his/her discretion as to whether it needs to be filled before the Annual Meeting. If it is deemed necessary to replace the member, then the nomination process outlined in Proposition #2 will be followed at the time of the vacancy. The Nominating Committee who receives and reviews the nominations will present their deliberations for final approval to The Official Board.
  5. Should the expertise of a member of any committee be required to deal with an issue of significant importance to the church, he/she can be asked to stay on for a specified period of time subject to the approval of The Official Board.

Approved by the Official Board on June 10, 2009