|
CHRIST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH UN1TED CHURCH OF CHRIST SELF-STUDY 1996-97 PART II: ASPIRATIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
Christ Congregational Church Bill Arnold, Sheila Linden, Merlene Bagley, Neville Platt, Jim Conklin Dave Ackerman and Mary Stone, Co-chairs Ministers: The Reverend Jim Todhunter, The Reverend Joey Noble Jim Walters, Moderator, ex officio
Aspiration # 1. We want Christ Congregational Church to be a church that nourishes and helps us grow in our spiritual life. Findings. Our church life as presently structured is a source of spiritual support and growth for our individual members and for the church community as a body of faith. Providing guidance and direction for our personal and communal spiritual life is a primary responsibility of our ministerial staff. Two-thirds of CCC members come from non-UCC backgrounds and thus we bring a varied experience of worship and spirir.ual understanding to our church life. We as a congregation have a very high level of formal education -- more than half of us have some post-graduate education. There is an interest in studying and reflecting on spiritual and theological matters. We are less consistent in worship attendance than was the case formerly. In the past four fifths of us attended worship three or more times a month. Now that has dropped to two thirds. And the percentage that attend only twice a month has doubled from seven percent to fifteen percent. We are a very participatory congregation, actively engaging in other experiences besides worship. We like the broad variety of activities that CCC offers. The responses to the survey indicated that we would welcome alternative forms of worship occasionally. In all of our church life, the Self Study Committee and staff recognize the need to bridge the artificial duality between spiritual life and our concerns and activities in the world. The inward journey and the outward journey should be inextricably joined and, when joined, give us strength. Recommendations. A. The Self-Study Committee recommends that the Ministers in cooperation with the Board of Deacons, while respecting the need for consistency and stability in our worship experience, expand opportunities to participate in various forms of worship. Variations in worship order or style or alternative times should be designed to nurture the congregation in exploring and understanding a wide range of themes in Christian spiritual experience. B. The Committee recommends that the Ministers and Board of Deacons, find ways to expand opportunities for members to hear each other's spiritual journeys through retreats (at the Retreat House and elsewhere), small group sessions, and other formats. The Committee recommends that there be some retreats open to all members of the church and not limited by gender or age or other restriction. C. The Committee recommends that the Ministers and Board of Deacons further strengthen our spiritual life by providing expanded opportunities to study the Bible, theology, and the history of the UCC as a denomination of diversity and risk-taking. D. The Committee recommends that the Ministers in cooperation with the Board of Deacons further enhance our understanding of and ability to engage in spiritual disciplines, including meditation. E. The Committee recommends that the church boards and the new Executive Council (see Aspiration #7) themselves take the opportunity for retreats designed to integrate spiritual concerns into their responsibilities and activities. Aspiration # 2. We want Christ Congregational Church to be a church that bears witness in the world. Findings. CCC has through the years carried out a significant social witness. Since the last self-study in 1982 important social action initiatives have included the Bridges for Peace program, the Honduras Mission Project, our adoption of resolutions designating CCC to be a just Peace Church and an Open and Affirming Church, and strong support in both energy and finances for the creation of Silver Spring Community Vision and Progress Place. CCC has also maintained a significant level of mission involvement. We are one of the largest contributors to Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM helps support the Central Atlantic Conference and the larger denomination) in the Central Atlantic Conference. Our support for OCWM has increased from $31,202 in 1982 to $50,000 in 1996. In addition, the amount we give in discretionary grants through our Board for Missions & Service increased from $12,000 in 1982 to $23,000 in 1995, although it then declined to $21,221 in 1996. Both increases match or exceed the rate of inflation during that time. CCC has since 1982 also provided significant support for the Silver Spring Child Care Center and has had ongoing involvement in such helping enterprises as Shepherd's Table, HELP of Silver Spring, Springvale Terrace, the Montgomery County Hunger Relief Drive, ASSISST, Shaw Community Ministry, Montgomery County Community Ministry, MUSSD (consolidated mission for Silver Spring), and Extended Hand, Moreover, through both the New Futures Campaign and the Jubilee Campaign, we have contributed significant resources to social action and mission initiatives. Out of the $166,475 given during the New Futures Campaign, we contributed $30,000 to the Honduras Mission Project, $5000 to Extended Hand, and $3600 to Springvale Terrace. At the end of 1996, out of the $157,434 given to the Jubilee Fund, we have contributed $25,000 to Silver Spring Community Vision, $4,000 to affordable housing initiatives, and $4,000 to a ministry to seniors. However, the amount of our operating budget that we devote to the work of the Board of Social Action has declined since 1982, from an already meager $250 to $200 in 1996 (although it should be noted that the Board each year receives some funds from the Just Peace offering). Our members continue to believe that the church should play a significant role in social action. Responses to the survey question on the matter indicate strong support for active involvement by CCC both in the education of our members on social justice concerns and in efforts to affect public policy. The survey also elicited comments about the work of the Boards of Social Action and of Missions and Service. While generally positive, several respondents queried whether the church's mission objectives might be better served by fewer and larger grants, by a stronger focus on local projects, and by a greater level of personal involvement with projects to accompany our financial contributions. Of the church's social action initiatives, approximately equal numbers of respondents thought the church should be doing more and should be doing less. Several respondents asked for better communication and information about the work of both boards (a comment made about all of the boards and the Council). A number of respondents suggested that a merger of the two boards might be desirable. The Committee also found that other churches organize their social action and mission activities differently than we do. Some other churches combine these functions in a single board or committee. Examples: "Board of Community Action," "Church in Society," and the "Commission on Living the Word." Finally, the Committee notes that our members appear to be exceptionally busy people and that volunteers for social action and mission initiatives can be hard to come by. While this may or may not be different from the past, it suggests that volunteers might be more readily found for "bite-sized~ activities and commitments. Recommendations A. The Committee recommends that CCC continue its long-standing involvement in social action and mission initiatives. The Christian life and journey inevitably combine faith and works. The Committee strongly believes that we should be a church that brings our theology into our witness in the world by speaking out on social justice issues, by being involved in a proactive manner, by providing financial support where needs are identified, and by working with others at all levels to further the truth of God's love for all peoples in the world. B. The Committee recommends the creation of a new Board of Social Witness, to replace the current Boards of Social Action and Missions & Service. This new board is necessarily experimental in nature, but the committee believes that the synergy created by this change can foster creative dialogue and exciting initiatives. The Committee recommends that the new Board, in cooperation with the Ministers, design a ministry of intense, sustained support of social justice and human service programs with a clear focus. C. The Committee recommends that the new Executive Council, which will be able to approve action groups or task groups outside the structure of boards (see Aspiration #7), give particular attention to action groups with a social witness focus. Aspiration # 3. We want Christ Congregational Church to be a church that builds and sustains a caring community. Findings. The Committee has taken seriously both parts of this aspiration -- "building" and "sustaining" a caring community. This might be stated as inviting, involving, and nurturing. Under "building," the survey results tell us that most people find our church to be friendly and welcoming. In recent years, most new members joining CCC were introduced to the church by friends who were already attending. This informal evangelism as well as efforts by the Ministers and Board of Outreach have been sufficiently effective to limit our membership loss at a time when many mainline churches have experienced significant net losses in membership. Nevertheless, our membership and attendance are on a plateau -- perhaps a slowly declining one -- following a very substantial decline from earlier years. In 1982 our formal membership was 1,212; at the beginning of 1997 it is 677 -- a 44 percent decline. Further, average worship attendance has declined (in 1982 it was 240, in 1985 it was 290, and in 1996 it was 198). Pledge units have also declined from 357 in 1984 to 269 for 1997 (as of January 7), yet the average pledge has fortunately increased from $613 in 1984 to $1,436 for 1997. The total amount pledged has increased from $210,207 in 1982 to $386,393 for 1997 -- an increase that exceeds the rate of inflation. Still we face continuing financial pressures to fund the staff and program we want, Added to these issues, our church school attendance is growing. Building and sustaining a caring community is central to Christian life and is a primary responsibility of our Ministers and of every member. The Committee notes that the Biblical imperative is to ~go into all the world and make disciples." We also believe that people in this part of the county need our message and programs. Further, if our CCC programs are to be successful and rest on the resources we need, then we need support (both personal involvement and financial support) from a larger membership base. Church growth experts recommend committing at least five percent of a church's budget to evangelism and membership growth. Under "sustain," we found that our church life is vital and varied to most of the congregation. We have a significant number of committees, small groups, and study groups that provide much satisfaction to those participating. We want to preserve this joy and friendship, and share it more widely. There are some who do not know about opportunities to participate or feel invited to do so. There is a hunger for a more nurturing community where our knowledge of one another grows, and also a sense that all-church activities, such as fellowship meals and other times when we all come together as a congregation, have lagged. The Committee also notes that information about church activities and decisions can be hard to come by. All members do not routinely receive the Annual Report, the annual budget, a roster of board and committee members, or information about board and Council decisions. Recommendations. A. The Self-Study Committee recommends the church adopt an objective of increasing its membership. B. The Committee recommends the creation of a new Board of Outreach and Engagement to assume the membership functions of the present Boards of Outreach and of Deacons (except for the CovenaDt Class). The Committee further recommends that the church allocate to this new board an increased level of funding for church membership growth. C. The Committee recommends that, at the earliest opportunity, each board engage in a dialogue with the Board of Outreach and Engagement to determine the most effective means of giving priority to membership growth within its program area. D. The Committee recommends that the new Board of Outreach and Engagement, in cooperation with the Ministers, study the recommendations of church growth experts on how to increase membership and implement those that seem promising. E. While sustaining and nurturing our caring community is a responsibility of all members and leaders of our church, the responsibility needs a focal point. The Committee recommends the creation of a new Board for Church Life to foster and coordinate all-church events. The Committee believes such opportunities are very important in the building and sustaining of a caring community, and recommends the number of such events be increased from their present level. F. The Committee also recommends that the Ministers and the Board of Deacons begin a program of "nurture" groups of 8-10 people, to focus on spirituality, Bible study, personal nurture and support. Small groups are critical for Christian sharing and personal interaction. G. Consistent with Aspiration # 6, relating to physical facilities, the Committee stresses the importance to our caring community (both to building it and to sustaining i0 of having clear signs, inviting approaches to our building, and adequate parking, as well as continuing to assist the elderly and others unable to drive to church on their own, and of making general physical improvements to facilitate access and movement within the building. H. The Committee believes communication between and among staff and members needs to be enhanced. To that end, the Committee recommends the election of a lay Communications Officer to develop and oversee plans for improved communications (see Aspiration #7) and the allocation of more resources for communications purposes. To foster a greater awareness and sense of community, the Committee recommends that at a minimum all members be sent each year the Annual Report, the annual budget, and a roster of the church officers and the Council, board, and committee members. The Committee also believes that current software programs, including desk-top publishing, can give Newsnotes and other communications a more contemporary appearance, and that the church could make good use of a World Wide Web site. Aspiration # 4. We want Christ Congregational Church to be a church that cherishes, educates, and supports our children and youth. Findings. CCC is experiencing a "baby boom" or, perhaps, a "boomlet." The number of children and youth enrolled in our CE program has increased from 140 in 1991 to 240-260 this year. High quality and effective programming for these young people is an essential goal for a growing and thriving church. Such programming is important not only for the spiritual and social growth of our children and youth but is also important to parents in reaching decisions about whether or not to make CCC their church home. Our congregational responsibility is to equip our children and youth to live as Christians in a rapidly changing world. This responsibility is not new, but the nature of society's present change is wrenching in new ways for our children and youth and different from the changes that affected preceding generations. Single-parent families, blended families, families in which both parents work outside the home, the easy availability of drugs and alcohol, violence in schools and elsewhere, information overload, the absence of close-knit neighborhood communities -- the changes and challenges are profound and often disturbing. In light of these challenges, the Committee believes that it is necessary to adapt our program so that we can continue to ensure that our children and youth feel loved and understood and in touch with God. The congregational surveys may indicate a decline in how we value our program for children and youth. The Christian Education program was the second highest factor in members' decisions to join CCC in 1982 (when about 155 children attended regularly) but was ranked only fifth in 1996 (when about 100 attended regularly). Similarly, in 1982 children and youth programs ranked seventh in why members continued their affiliation with CCC but declined to ninth in 1996. Fourteen of the 130 respondents mentioned the Christian Education programs in response to the open-ended survey question about factors that might discourage members from joining CCC. About one-third of the respondents said that some improvement needs to be made in our programs for children and youth. Comments by some members indicated that "burn-out" is a risk for church school teachers and other youth leaders and that they sometimes do not feel fully appreciated and supported for the time and energy they give to our children and youth. Other members expressed a sense of conflict between their desire to volunteer and other demands on their time and energy. Concern was also expressed that there is a need for more resources and support for programs for children and youth. In addition, our physical facilities are becoming less adequate for our children and youth programs. Classrooms are in need of refurbishing; and there is often not enough space, as some classrooms have been allocated to other uses such as offices and the Pathways School. Nonetheless, the survey responses also indicated strong support for the Christian Education Board and for staff. Some suggestions for improvement included a better defined focus, more continuity of program, increased involvement of volunteers, and better planning and delegation by board and staff. Finally, a member of the congregation wrote a letter to the Committee expressing the concern that we as a society and, perhaps, as a church "are serving our children less and less well." The author asserted that "we need awakening and transformation on this issue, ... a fundamental spiritual wake-up call." The Committee concurs. Recommendations. The Self-Study Committee has only one recommendation to make concerning this aspiration for children and youth, but it is potentially a far-reaching one: The Committee recommends that CCC authorize the Moderator and church Council to create a task force to re-vision the mission of our church for children and youth and how we carry out that mission. This task force should begin work early on 1997 and report its recommendations to the congregation for approval within one year. The matters addressed by this task force should include the following items, among others:
Note: The Committee's recommendation in Aspiration # 4 was approved by the congregation at the Annual Meeting, January 26, 1996. Aspiration # 5. We want Christ Congregational Church to be a church that has adequate funding to support our staff, programs, and properties. Findings. CCC has an awkward sized congregation. According to church-growth experts, we are too big to be staffed by one minister, yet are not quite big enough to easily support a multi-staff church. Stated another way, we are a mid-sized church staffed in the way that many large, multi-staff churches are. Also like a large church, we conduct an impressive array of programs and activities. Funding for our staff, programs, and properties is a critical issue. The number of pledging units has declined to 272 for 1997 (as of January 18, 1997) from 369 in 1982. Since 1982 our pledging and overall financing have increased at a rate greater than the rate of inflation. But since 1990 our stewardship pledging has increased only 13.5 percent, less than the 21.3 percent rate of inflation during that period. Our staff size has grown. In the 1960s and 1970s, we were staffed with a senior minister and an associate minister who had significant responsibilities for the children and youth program, and had the part-time assistance as well of the Rev. Marian Tate. In 1981, we began a transition as our associate minister became part-time in preparation for a new career and we added a half-time assistant minister (Shirley Coll), who then became a full-time associate minister in 1982. Also in 1982, we added a part-time coordinator for children and youth. In 1984, after the retirement of our then-senior minister, we recruited the Rev. Jim Todhunter to be senior minister In 1987 we had another transition in the associate minister position, as Shirley Coll accepted a call to pastor a neighboring church and the Rev. Joey Noble came as associate minister. In 1987 we increased the position of Director of Ministries to Children and Youth from half-time to full-time; and in 1989 we added a part-time Property Administrator. Moreover, we made a multi-year effort in the latter 1980s to bring our ministerial staff salaries closer to denominational guidelines. During the period covered by the previous self study (1971-82), the increase in staff costs consumed 57 percent of the increases in pledged income. In the current period under review (1982-1996), staff costs have increased by 97.8 percent of the increases in pledged income, i.e., by $164,500 while pledges increased by $168,200. Further analysis of these figures shows that from 1982-1987, pledged income increased by $54,200 while staff costs increased by $43,400 or approximately 80 percent of the increased pledge income. For the years 1988-1996, pledged income increased by $114,000 while staff costs increased by $121,100, or nearly 106 percent of the increased pledged income. This occurred despite the fact that the 1993 staff cost increase was only $500 and in 1994 staff costs were reduced $4,100. Stewardship giving since 1982 has increased overall at a rate in excess of inflation. But our budgets have been under increasing strain. Ten of the 15 years under review resulted in deficit budgets, a net aggregate deficit of $21,100. The years 1971-1981 benefited from eight surplus budgets and there was a net aggregate surplus over budget of $30,100. In the early 1980s, we had a period of increasing our allocations for mission at a rate in excess of inflation, but the increase during the last six years has been less than the rate of inflation. We have had only minimal increases in program expenses for activities conducted by boards and committees. And we have struggled to deal with property maintenance and improvement. Nonetheless, the survey data indicated the potential for increased giving by CCC members:
The church's current stewardship, budget, and annual meeting cycle contain some awkward elements: stewardship and budget efforts have to compete with Thanksgiving and Christmas; and the annual meeting does not occur until almost a month after the formal beginning of our church budget year. lf CCC is to be able to continue to support is current programs and staff size, increased giving by the congregation is essential. Recommendations. A. The Committee strongly recommends increased giving to our church by is members. B. The Committee recommends that we continue to use a Unified Budget, supported by the stewardship campaign, to support staff, programs, and normal property expenses and maintenance. This budget provides a core of support for our needs and without it we would not be able to plan systematically. C. The Committee also recommends that special-purpose fundraising be permitted to be undertaken with the approval of the Executive Council (see Aspiration # 7) or the congregation. D. The Committee recommends that the Executive Council develop and implement a process for seeking external funding for special programs. E. The Committee recommends that the Special Gifs Committee assume responsibility for memorial funds (previously the responsibility of the Past Moderators Committee). The Committee also recommends that the Moderator and Council, with the Special Gifs Committee, explain more fully to the congregation what is done and can be done with memorial funds, planned giving funds, and bequests. F. The Committee recommends that the Trustees and the Personnel Committee initiate a process to ensure review, on an ongoing basis, of the configuration of staff responsibilities and their job descriptions in order to make them consistent with (a) these Aspirations and Recommendations and (b) the funding available. G. The Committee recommends changing the church fiscal year to July I through June 30th. This would eliminate some of the awkwardness of our present stewardship and budget cycle and, according to church growth experts, could lead to improved stewardship results. (See Aspiration #7 for further information.) H. The Committee recommends that the Ministers, Board of Stewardship, and Board of Trustees consider a number of approaches for explaining to the congregation why we need increased pledging. The Board of Stewardship has emphasized proportional giving and the spiritual basis of giving. The Committee endorses that approach, but believes that even more education of the congregation about these matters is needed. The Committee thinks that reporting on our financial status during the year and letting people know what their pledges support is an important step to educating the congregation. Letting budget priorities be known at the time of stewardship pledging might help make the pledging process more concrete for some. Aspiration # 6. We want Christ Congregational Church to be a church that has well designed and maintained properties adequate and appropriate for our needs. Findings. Our sanctuary and educational wing were built in the late 1940s and early 1950s. At that time CCC was essentially a neighborhood church, Colesville Road was a bucolic suburban street, air conditioning was not widely available, the needs of the elderly and disabled were not at the forefront of our consciousness, and spouses generally did not work outside the home. None of this is true anymore. Our society has become highly mobile, and our members no longer come primarily from the neighborhood surrounding the church. More than two-thirds of us now live more than three miles from the church (indeed, one-third live more than five miles away), and virtually all of us now drive to church (96 percent according to the survey). But we have only 48 off-street parking spaces available in our lot at 9601 Colesville Road and on both sides of the church, with another 18 planned for the Indian Springs lot. As a result, we and the outside groups that meet in our facilities make heavy use of neighborhood streets for parking both on the weekends and throughout the week, and that is incurring a growing level of resentment and resistance from some of our neighbors. Colesville Road has now become a major north-south six-lane highway with heavy traffic that generally exceeds the posted speed limit of 40 mph, and it is under continuing pressure to handle even greater usage. As a consequence, we can no longer park on Colesville Road on Sunday. Access to and from the church, particularly at Brewster Avenue, is at times hazardous. Pedestrians are at serious risk when trying to cross the road. And our activities inside the church are sometimes impacted by the noise from the road. (NOTE: Our church was built before any zoning regulations regarding parking for current structures were in effect, and as a result our present structure is not subject to any specific requirements. But if we were covered, we would not meet the requirements. Current zoning regulations require one off-street parking space for every four persons in the seating capacity of the sanctuary. On the basis of a seating capacity of 258, that means about 65 spaces - more than the 48 we have now but about what we will have in total if the new lot between the sanctuary and 310 Indian Springs is built. However, the County Council is now considering and seems likely to adopt new zoning regulations that will require one parking space for every three persons in the sanctuary—about 86 spaces. Major renovation or new construction on our present site could trigger the revised regulations. ) Air conditioning is now the norm in the Washington area, not the exception. We have installed air conditioning in the Social Hall and in some of the individual rooms in the office and educational wing of the church. But our sanctuary remains without air conditioning and can be very uncomfortable at times during the summer. Our church building was designed without much attention to the needs of the elderly and disabled. In part due to the nature of the site, the building has steps here and there throughout, and we have no elevator. We have taken several measures to facilitate access by persons with disabilities -- handrails, ramps, a glide chair to the lower level, etc. But none of these have eliminated problems of access. Indeed, because of the stairs throughout the facility, even an elevator would not fully cure problems of access. In addition, the Committee notes two problems with the structure of our sanctuary. First, it lacks the flexibility to accommodate different forms and styles of worship. The pews are not easily moved, and the shape of the sanctuary virtually commands a traditional style of worship. Secondly, lighting and acoustical difficulties exist in parts of the sanctuary. The design of the chancel, for instance, limits the projection of the sound of the choir into the sanctuary, and certain parts of the choir are unable to hear clearly what is said from the lectern and pulpit. Moreover, heavy use of our facilities raises a question about how we determine priorities for use. A significant aspect of the ministry of CCC has been to covenant or agree with a variety of groups that serve the broader community, such as a pastoral counseling practice, the Pathways School, the administrative offices of the Boys and Girls Homes of Montgomery County, Inc., various music groups, and some classes sponsored by the YMCA. These are all worthwhile uses, but it is not always clear to the church membership how we enter into such arrangements and how we set priorities among competing uses. A final point is that, despite a burgeoning church school, we have no children's playground, and our classroom facilities are increasingly inadequate. Moreover, a number of class rooms appear to have allergy-triggering- mold or other air particulates. All of these problems and limitations of our site and property have led the Committee to conclude that we have three options. We can (1) do nothing; (2) make a serious effort to upgrade our present site and buildings and make them more adequate for a growing congregation; or (3) attempt to sell our present property and move to a different location. Recommendations. A. The Self-Study Committee believes that the church must do something with our site and properties. The option of doing nothing, the Committee believes, will seriously constrain our future ministry. B. The Committee believes that if we are to be a growing congregation at our present site, we will have to make substantial capital investments in our facilities. The list of desirable changes is lengthy -- an expansion of our parking, air conditioning our sanctuary, establishing a playground, perhaps building a new accessible fellowship hall with Up to date kitchen facilities, refurbishing our educational wing, improving air quality in some rooms, making our sanctuary more flexible and improving its acoustics and lighting, creating a better meeting place for our youth, etc. The committee believes a major capital campaign would be necessary to make these improvements possible. But before the church decides to engage in such a campaign, we need more information about the cost and feasibility of such improvements, including the legal requirements that would have to be met. Thus, the committee's primary recommendations at this time with respect to our property are: C. The Self-Study Committee believes that the church must do something with our site and properties. The option of doing nothing, the Committee believes, will seriously constrain our future ministry. The Committee recommends, therefore, that the following actions be authorized at the January 1997 Annual Meeting:
D. The Committee believes that moving from our present site would be a drastic action with uncertain consequences, but one which cannot be dismissed. If our present site cannot be made more inviting and accessible for a growing congregation, the committee recommends that we seriously consider moving. Note: The five recommendations in "C" above were approved by the congregation at the Annual Meeting, January 26. 1997. In addition, the congregation added an amendment that provides that the task force also review the current market values of our present properties and the costs of moving. Aspiration # 7. We want Christ Congregational Church to be a church that has church governance and an organizational structure that facilitate what we want to do. Findings. CCC's membership is now smaller in number than in the church's peak years in the 1960s. As a result, fewer volunteers are available for the various boards and committees and other lay activities in the church. The congregational survey shows also that we are a "busier" people, with many demands on people's time. In addition, members are not all residents of our immediate church neighborhood. Travel time and convenience can affect willingness to participate in church governance. More than sixty percent of our members live more than three miles away and more than 35 percent live more than five miles away. The survey shows that our members come from a variety of denominations and many governance traditions. It shows also that many church members are unaware of what boards do or even what the governing structure of the church is. Many do not know what the Church Council is, or that there is such a council. There also is a need for improved coordination and communication among all participating in boards, committees, and task forces, as well as members of the congregation, so that all feel part of our larger community. The Committee's examination of the organization and structure of other area churches shows that there are, indeed, many ways of organizing to do God's work. The Committee noted some dissatisfaction with the way the present Church Council functions, which is seen as focused more on receiving reports than taking a proactive role with respect to church-wide issues. The Committee believes that our governance and organizational structure need some streamlining and changes in order to meet the needs and challenges of the future. We also hold up that the church is a living organism, the body of Christ, and our structure, whatever else it does, should be designed to further that role. A more flexible structure would free and focus energy for innovation, yet provide strength and a basic framework within which our activities could flourish. Recommendations. A. The congregation should continue to be the ultimate decision-making body of CCC, as it is now. We are a congregational church. B. The Self-Study Committee recommends that the congregation make some changes in church governance structures. The decision-making structure needs to be workable and delegation of responsibilities needs to be clear. The Committee recommends these changes:
C. The committee recommends changing the church year:
This change should be implemented in 1998, in order to give the Council, the Boards of Trustees and Stewardship, and others time to plan the transition. In that year we would have one six-month transitional "year~ through June 30 to accommodate the change until we begin our new church and fiscal year on July 1. D. The Committee recommends that all the boards, in cooperation with the Moderator and Executive Council and Ministers, review board size during 1998 to determine and put in place the optimum size. The specification of board size should be shifted from the Constitution to the Bylaws, to make changes easier to accomplish. E. The Committee recommends the Executive Council organize an annual leadership retreat for lay leaders of boards and other key positions. F. The Committee recommends that the Ministers, Moderator, and Church Council/Executive Council be responsible for overseeing the implementation of recommendations of this Self-Study, as approved by the congregation. G. The many committees and small groups in our church are an important component of the way we relate to one another as Christians. The Committee recommends that, to the extent feasible, the Council ensure that committees and small groups are attached to and report to the newly structured boards. At the same time, the Committee urges that this not become bureaucratic and emphasizes the importance of vitality over process. H. The Committee recommends that each Board review its activities, determine whether any could be handled by specific task forces or action groups of short duration, and invite other members of the congregation to participate in such activities. Many members are willing to take on a limited-duration assignment. This frees members to follow enthusiasms and inspiration. I. To ensure continuity and institutional memory, the Committee recommends that each board and each standing committee keep a "policies and procedures" book, to record operating procedures and major policies and decisions of that board or committee. |