Chapter 13. Committees

Let's get together and do stuff

About This Chapter

This chapter is all about committees, including ministry teams and task forces.

Top Priority: List all the standing committees of the congregation.

Warning: This chapter is meant to be more descriptive than prescriptive. The details might prescribe what committees are to do, but the Congregation Council should not feel bound by this chapter to maintain a certain committee structure; this chapter is here to serve the needs of the Congregation Council. In addition, many ministry teams listed in this chapter might include little more than a description.

Note: Learn more about committees and other similar groups.

Thoughts and Suggested Provisions

The following is offered merely as suggestions, often based on common provisions in congregational constitutions. It is up to each congregation to determine what is and is not important to include in their own governing documents.

Note: For each suggestion, the congregation must decide whether a provision should be a constitutional provision, a bylaw, or a continuing resolution. Go to the page on types of provisions to understand the differences.

Note: Congregations are free to amend this chapter in any way they see fit. For some congregations, the current organization of this chapter might be cumbersome. Try this suggested reorganization for a potentially better organization of the chapter.

Throughout

List every committee, along with the composition, powers, and duties of each committee.

Note: Feel free to add, remove, or adjust any committee in the Model. Congregations, particularly based on size, will have a wide variety of committees. See the list of example committees for ideas.

Note: Before working on this chapter, take some time to consider when something should be in the constitution, and when it should be a policy instead.

Which committees need constitutional provisions? This chapter is for all standing committees (and some special committees), but because constitutional provisions are meant to be stable and the committee structure is inherently flexible, most committees generally should not be constitutional provisions. Based on C13.06, most committees will be in the continuing resolutions.

When should a committee be listed in a constitutional provision? Committees that serve the congregation as a whole and not the Congregation Council, the pastor, or another group or employee should be listed in the constitutional provisions. The Nominating and Call committees are good examples of this. Also, committees that the Congregation Council should not be free to disband or change. The Executive and Mutual Ministry committees are good examples of this.

Note: Committees should never have their own financial accounts. If a group has its own financial account, it is an organization of the congregation and belongs in Chapter 14.

With rare exceptions, committee finances will be part of the annual budget in the general fund. Exceptions are only for committees organized to manage designated charitable donations, such as a capital fund or a memorial fund.

Warning: If any committee from the Model Constitution are removed, the congregation should consider whether the Congregation Council or another committee will cover their function. Not all the committees listed in the Model are vital, but their functions are.

C13. Name of Committees

The congregation is not required to use the term "committees" and may retitle this chapter to whatever name they desire, such as "teams", "groups", "task forces", "clubs", "panels", "squads".

Warning: If committees go by a different name, a bylaw should be added stating the following: "All references to 'committees' in this constitution are to be understood as referring to '[NAME OF COMMITTEES]'." This is because many required provisions refer to committees.

C13.01. Executive Committee

Who belongs on the Executive Committee? Among other things, this is the emergency committee when an immediate decision is needed. When immediate action is needed, who should be included in the decision? Do all the pastors and deacons belong on this committee? Do all the officers, including those without vote on the Congregation Council, belong on this committee? Do any staff belong on this committee?

C13.02. Nominating Committee

Though often the function of the Congregation Council or the Executive Committee, the Nominating Committee may also be delegated the role of filling vacancies as they arise.

Note: For congregations using Robert's Rules for the congregation meetings, there is no need to add a provision stating that additional nominations are permitted from the floor. Robert's Rules says "after the nominating committee has presented its report and before voting for the different offices takes place, the chair must call for further nominations from the floor" (11th Edition, pg. 435).

C13.03. Audit Committee

Are internal audits acceptable?
How often or when is an external audit required? E.g. resignation of the treasurer, departure of a [senior] pastor, every so many years

C13.04. Mutual Ministry Committee(s)

Many people aren't quite sure what a mutual ministry committee is. Here are some resources to help congregations figure out how this committee works.

Augsburg Fortress has a book titled "Pastor and People: Making Mutual Ministry Work"
Prior to the release of this book, the ELCA former Division for Ministry offered a booklet called Mutual Ministry Committee: A Vision for Building Up the Body of Christ
From an unknown source, there's also a Sample Overview of a Mutual Ministry Committee
SD Synod has a Mutual Ministry Handbook
NEPA Synod also has a Congregational Mutual Ministry Committee Handbook
VA Synod also has some Suggestions for Mutual Ministry

C13.05. Call Committee

Anything under this provision should not contradict the policies and guidelines of the synod.

Warning: Options chosen here should match options chosen in *C9.01. and *C9.21.

C13.06. Other Committees

This is where the list of additional committees should be placed

C13.07. Duties of Committees

The following does not belong under C13.07., but under each respective committee. It is simply listed here because this provision is about duties.

What are the duties / privileges / expectations of all committees?
To whom does each committee report?
Must they submit meeting reports to Congregation Council?
Must they submit annual reports?

C13.09. and beyond

The Model Constitution makes no stipulations on who can be on committees in general. Are non-members allowed to serve on committees? If only members are allowed to serve, can all members serve or are there restrictions based on membership type? Concerns like these may be universal to all committees or specific to certain committees (most of the committees in the Model are limited to voting members).

If representation goals were specified in C4.04., this would be a good place to reference them. Synod Provision S11.11.

If there is any requirements for procedure for running the meetings of the committees, whether they are to use Robert's Rules, particularly the "Procedures in Small Boards" (RONR, 11th edition, pg. 16 and pg. 487-88), or another procedure model such as consensus, that could be specified here.