Based on the churchgoers thread, how is...

[jimmiej]

Based on the churchgoers thread, how is your church governed? Who runs your church? Is it denomination run, pastor/staff led, governed by the congregation, or something else?

I belong to a large Southern Baptist church. In my experience with other SB churches, the congregation voted on pretty much everything. Monthly business meetings could get interesting. In many cases, the pastor was scared of the deacons. The deacons were a governing body & could veto anything the pastor wanted to do.

However, the church I belong to now is staff-led. We have only 1 scheduled business meeting a year (to affirm the budget & new deacons). Our constitution & by-laws outline how members can voice grievances (based on Scripture). Our deacons do not govern; they are merely servants as outlined in Acts.

What about yours?

 

[powellrj]

LOL ask my middle DS. He got in trouble at youth group one night, (think ordering pizza to be delivered during services ) and was shocked to learn his youth minister had a boss. He had no idea that the YM could get in trouble for things the kids did.

Our church has Elders that the ministers answer to.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Ours is run by the Pope.

We belong to a Diocese and the Diocese makes overall decisions with input from the Vatican when appropriate (my layperson's interpretation)...while the priest "manages/runs" the parish.

things like changes to the mass--moving a Holy Day of Obligation to a Sunday mass (like if it was on Monday or something)...somethng the diocese and/or Pope determines.

they also assign us our priests--the deacons in the deacon program (I cannot spell what it is really called)--get assigned based on input from the diocese.

At our parish level--the pastor (priest in charge) calls the shots, but each ministry has a leader and to some extent we can lead the ministry as necessary with any significant changes that do not necessarily differ from the diocese, but differ from how we have done in the past....getting his blessing (or not).

We also have a Parish Council--with laypersons from the church that is separated into separe segments: worship, Family life, et cetera..they are our liaison between the parishioners and the priest....so that the parishioners as a unit are represented in major parish decisions.

The parishioners have no say in who gets hired...the Priest selects his staff, he has input to priests that are assigned to the church (though I'm not sure how much) but the Diocese pretty much assigns who we get.

So despite the church heirarchy, I do feel that my needs as a parishioner do get listened to some extent.

We are about ready to have site preparation for our new building to replace the one we lost. The plans and fundraising for that--was coordinated with the help of volunteer parishioners. The priest has the final say so--but for something that major, he is pretty much good about listening to the needs of his staff, his ministries, and his parishioners.

YMMV depending on the parish and the diocese.

 

[goofygirl]

In my Episcopal Church, the Vestry make the major decisions about the budget and so forth. A Vestry is like a board of directors made up of members of the church. The priest will oversee everything that goes on. They serve 2 year terms, and then other people are given a turn to serve.

The church has a setup like a local, state and national government. It has representatives that go to deanery (a group that makes up local regional Episcopal churches) and state diocese meetings, and the national convention is held every 3 years, where there is a House of Bishops and then a House of Deputies that makes up lay people - it's set up almost like the US House and US Senate. Laws or canons, or resolutions are voted on and passed at teh convention, and these rules get applied to every Episcopal church in the USA. The ECUSA has a President too, a Presiding Bishop. A new one was elected this year, my signature is a quote from her.

 

[aquinas]

The church I attend is SBC and congregation led. We are moving towards an Elder board as outlined in Timothy and Titus.

JJ, is your church following a PDC model?

I agree though, Deacons are not called to lead, they are called to serve. Every Deacon is not qualified to be an Elder.

 

[luv2crash]

I belong to a small Southern Baptist Church. The congregation votes on everything at the monthly meeting. The deacons do not govern but are servants as described in Acts. There is a finance committee, a grounds committee, a kitchen committee, a nominating committee-get where I am going here? You better be at the business meeting or you might end up on a committee.

 

[clarabelle]

Presbyterian
Elder led
Actually the word Presbyterian means Elder
For the most part the only thing the entire congregation votes on is the election of Elders

 

[RealMickeysGirl]

We have a board of directors made up of president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and chairs of committees (religious education committee, programs committee, membership committee, finance committee, etc). Minister is on the board but I don't believe he votes - not sure about that though.

There are a couple of scheduled congregational meetings a year and there can be special called meetings if needed. The by-laws of the congregation state what has to go before the congregation and what can be decided by the board.

This is at a UU Fellowship.

 

[EpiscoDisFan]

In my Episcopal Church, the Vestry make the major decisions about the budget and so forth. A Vestry is like a board of directors made up of members of the church. The priest will oversee everything that goes on. They serve 2 year terms, and then other people are given a turn to serve.

The church has a setup like a local, state and national government. It has representatives that go to deanery (a group that makes up local regional Episcopal churches) and state diocese meetings, and the national convention is held every 3 years, where there is a House of Bishops and then a House of Deputies that makes up lay people - it's set up almost like the US House and US Senate. Laws or canons, or resolutions are voted on and passed at teh convention, and these rules get applied to every Episcopal church in the USA. The ECUSA has a President too, a Presiding Bishop. A new one was elected this year, my signature is a quote from her.

its fun to see another episcopalian on the DIS board!

 

[goofy4tink]

its fun to see another episcopalian on the DIS board!

And yet another!!!! I sit on our church's Vestry. Wish it was just for two years though..our is for three years. Don't know what possessed me to say yes to that nomination committee!!!
goofygirl said it all.....very nice explanation!

 

[golfgal]

Ours is run by the Pope.

We belong to a Diocese and the Diocese makes overall decisions with input from the Vatican when appropriate (my layperson's interpretation)...while the priest "manages/runs" the parish.

things like changes to the mass--moving a Holy Day of Obligation to a Sunday mass (like if it was on Monday or something)...somethng the diocese and/or Pope determines.

they also assign us our priests--the deacons in the deacon program (I cannot spell what it is really called)--get assigned based on input from the diocese.

At our parish level--the pastor (priest in charge) calls the shots, but each ministry has a leader and to some extent we can lead the ministry as necessary with any significant changes that do not necessarily differ from the diocese, but differ from how we have done in the past....getting his blessing (or not).

We also have a Parish Council--with laypersons from the church that is separated into separe segments: worship, Family life, et cetera..they are our liaison between the parishioners and the priest....so that the parishioners as a unit are represented in major parish decisions.

The parishioners have no say in who gets hired...the Priest selects his staff, he has input to priests that are assigned to the church (though I'm not sure how much) but the Diocese pretty much assigns who we get.

So despite the church heirarchy, I do feel that my needs as a parishioner do get listened to some extent.

We are about ready to have site preparation for our new building to replace the one we lost. The plans and fundraising for that--was coordinated with the help of volunteer parishioners. The priest has the final say so--but for something that major, he is pretty much good about listening to the needs of his staff, his ministries, and his parishioners.

YMMV depending on the parish and the diocese.

What she said except in our old church any staff (other then priests/deacons) was hired by a hiring committee, headed by my DH, the one our priest called the "professional interviewer" which he was in a way since he did that for his job all the time.

 

[Pembo]

UCC - Minister, Executive Council and lots of other committees that all try to run things their own way.

 

[letterdavidman]

ABC. Elder-driven...

 

[Talking Hands]

Large So Baptist Church. We are congregationally run through committees. Have about 4 real business meeting per year as well as prayers meetings every 7th week at which church business is dicussed and prayed about. Our deacons are servants. Not all are in leadership positions. Also we have leadership rallies about once a quarter (next one on Nov 10)

 

[jimmiej]

JJ, is your church following a PDC model?

Yes. Several years ago, we went through "The Purpose Driven Life" & then "A Purpose Driven Church". We don't call it that per se, but that's what we teach our new members.

 

[aquinas]

Yes. Several years ago, we went through "The Purpose Driven Life" & then "A Purpose Driven Church". We don't call it that per se, but that's what we teach our new members.

In that case, I would suggest a book for you to read written by Bob DeWaay called Defining Christianity.

 

[jimmiej]

In that case, I would suggest a book for you to read written by Bob DeWaay called Defining Christianity.

We're very careful to not "water down" the Gospel just to get people in. We teach our new/prospective members exactly what we believe before they are allowed to join. Here's a link if you're interested:

http://www.oakwoodbaptist.org/pages/WhatWeBelieve.html

 

[Deb in IA]

And yet another!!!! I sit on our church's Vestry. Wish it was just for two years though..our is for three years. Don't know what possessed me to say yes to that nomination committee!!!
goofygirl said it all.....very nice explanation!

Me too!!!

Somehow I got myself elected to our Vestry last January, and have learned quite a lot about the financial workings of our church!! I'm down for a 3 year term as well. My DH was a Vestry member several years ago, and you'd think I'd know better!

 

[goofygirl]

And yet another!!!! I sit on our church's Vestry. Wish it was just for two years though..our is for three years. Don't know what possessed me to say yes to that nomination committee!!!
goofygirl said it all.....very nice explanation!

Thank you

Nah, I don't envy you, lol, I've never even considered being on the Vestry. I am still new to the church so I don't feel I'm ready for that. Besides, I'm already involved in so many other ways- I am on the Altar Guild, the Coffee Hour crew, parish newsletter staff, and on a community outreach committee. That's enough to take on!