Work and leadership of congregation councils February 16, 2019

agenda Welcome and Introductions Review submitted questions and topics Overview of council roles in model constitution Review governance structures of congregations Small Group Discussions Large Group feedback, discussion, and summary

Introductions Leaders: Joyce Caldwell, Synod Vice President Matthew Brockmeier, Synod Secretary Who is in the room: Urban, Suburban, Small City/Town, Rural Congregation Size: Small (under 50 at worship); Mid-size (50- 150 at worship); Large (over 150 at worship) Council size 5 or under; 6-9; 10 or over Clarity of Congregation Constitution: reviewed within 5 years; needs work Clarity of Congregation Vision & Mission: reviewed within 5 years; needs work

Categories of topics Congregation Council Constitutions and role of Council members Structure of council, including small congregations Running effective council meetings Strategies, best practices, commitments to get most out of council members Best practices for effective leadership; engaging and interactive meetings Defining congregation vision and mission and engaging members Recruiting and training members to serve on council and/or ministry teams

Congregation constitution and Bylaws How do you review Constitution, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions with Congregation Council and how much time do you spend on it? Is it a priority? How do you orient new Council members? How do you balance administrative/financial responsibilities with focus on congregational vision and mission? What is the role of the Executive Committee? What is the role of Council on staff evaluations and hiring new support staff?

Duties of Congregation Council (as noted in model constitution) Lead in stating mission, long-range planning, setting goals and priorities Involve members in worship, learning, witness, service, support Oversee and provide for administration Responsible for financial and property matters Maintain supportive relationships and annually evaluate minister(s) and staff Arrange for pastoral service in absence of pastor

Duties of Congregation Council (as noted in model constitution) Emphasize partnership w/GMS and ELCA, including use of program resources Annual review of membership roster Submit comprehensive review at congregation annual meeting Ensure provisions of Constitution are carried out Promote climate of peace and goodwill, modeling life of baptized persons

Ministry/committee Structures Sizes of Congregation Councils Structures for Oversight of Ministries Committees of the Council (e.g. Personnel, Finance, Staff Support) Role and Function of Executive Committee

Helpful hints Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing Use of Consent Agenda Use of Guidelines for Discussion (for example) Eric Law’s “Respectful Communication Guidelines” R – take Responsibility for what you say and feel without blaming others E – use Empathetic listening S – be Sensitive to differences in communication styles P – Ponder what you hear and feel before you speak E – Examine your own assumptions and perceptions C – keep Confidentiality T – Trust ambiguity because we are not here to debate who is right or wrong Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing

Small group discussions Share an example of When your council was especially effective; what made it so? When your council got stuck or bogged down and was not effective; what made it so? What are best practices you use for running effective council meetings? How do you navigate through challenging issues and circumstances? How does your council give life and leadership to congregation’s vision, mission, and ministry? How do you engage with people you recruit into leadership roles?