Congregational Operating Manual

The 2002 version is posted here for downloading.

This is a zip archive of numerous files, most of which are in WordPerfect.

The Table of Contents appears below.

In creating the 2006 update, please use Tables in your word processor for anything that requires horizonal spacing, rather than tabs and spaces. This will help to avoid the alignment difficulties seen below when the new manual is posted here..

1.  INTRODUCTION...............................................................................page 1.

   1.1.  STATEMENT OF MISSION.......................................................2.

2.     BYLAWS and INCORPORATION........................................................3.

3.    ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.....................................................10.

4.    LEADERSHIP ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:...........................12.

   4.1 Board of Trustees and Officers:   
               Board of Trustees....................................12.
               President..................................................12.  
                                                           Vice-President.........................................12.
                                          Secretary..................................................13.
                                          Treasurer..................................................13.
                                                           Members at Large....................................13.
               Office Liaison..........................................13.
               Past President...........................................14.
   4.2  Standing Committees:

      4.2.1  Nominating Committee......................................................15.

4.2.2  Other standing committees - general guidelines for committees and convenors...........................................................................16.
   
      4.2.3  Worship Committee.............................................................18.

      4.2.4  Finance Committee:.............................................................19.

      4.2.5  Religious Exploration Committee........................................20.

         4.2.5.1  Children and Youth RE Committee.......................20.      
         4.2.5.2  Adult Program Committee.....................................20.

      4.2.6  Social Action Committee......................................................22.

      4.2.7   Denominational Affairs Committee....................................24.

      4.2.8  Communication Committee.................................................25
         4.2.8.1  Newsletter.............................................................26.

      4.2.9   Property Coordinating Committee:.....................................27.
         4.2.9.1  Building Improvement and Design.......................27.
         4.2.9.2  Grounds Design....................................................28.
         4.2.9.3  Property Maintenance and Management..............28.

      4.2.10   Care and Connection Committee......................................30.

See Section 4.4 below for Committee on Ministry and Chaplaincy Committee

   4.3   Council..............................................................................................33.

   4. 4      Ministry and Chaplaincy:.........................................................34.
      4.4.1   Covenant  between Minister and Congregation..................34.
      4.4.2    Committee on Ministry.......................................................38.
      4.4.3   Hiring a new minister..........................................................40.
      4.4.4   Lay Chaplain........................................................................41.
      4.4.5   Chaplaincy Committee........................................................42.

   4.5      Other staff roles and agreements..............................................43         
        4.5.1   Director of Religious Education..........................................43.
      4.5.2   Building Manager................................................................46.
      4.5.3   Childcare coordinator
      4.5.4   Grounds maintenance contractor

   
5.  POLICIES OF THE CONGREGATION
5.1   Membership........................................................................................52.
5.2   Weddings and Unions, Memorial and Funeral Services,  
Naming/Dedication Ceremonies.....................................................................................52.
5.3   Memorial Fund...................................................................................52
5.4   Endowment Fund...............................................................................52.
5.5   Signing Officers.................................................................................53.
5.6   Building Use.......................................................................................53.
5.7   Ad Hoc Committees...........................................................................53.
5.8   Board Meetings..................................................................................53.
5.9   Council Meetings...............................................................................53.
5.10  Welcoming Congregation..................................................................
5.11  Use of Congregational “Brand Identity”............................................
   5.12 Chaperoning of Youth events.............................................................53.


6.       PROCEDURES
(These are “the way we do things”, but can be changed by board or committee decision)

   6.1   Removing names from membership...................................................56.
   6.2  Designation of people as Friends of the Congregation........................56.
           6.3  Greeting...............................................................................................56.
           6.4  Coffee preparation and clean-up..........................................................56.
6.5  Office volunteers/ office hours..............................................................
           6.6  Storage of Records and Archives..........................................................
           6.7  Building management, maintenance and security information.............56.
   6.8  Updating of this manual........................................................................56.

7.     CURRENT INCUMBENTS - officers, board, committee convenors, minister
and staff....................................................................................................................59.