Our Structure

Committee and Leadership Roles and Responsibilities

Chestnut Hill United Church

1. CHURCH COUNCIL – Primary governing body regarding policy and program. Meets monthly, typically on the third Sunday morning of each month. Total membership of 7-20 (mandatory). Quorum is majority or 7 members, whichever is smaller.
2. MINISTRIES - Programs and ministries of the congregation.
   1. Christian Education – Children and Youth educational programming.
   2. Spiritual Life – Responsible for worship and spiritual programming with a focus on designing the worship services with the pastors. Meets 5-7 times/year, including one day-long planning retreat.
   3. Sunday Morning Teams
      1. Communion Steward – Brings bread and prepares the communion table monthly.
      2. Greeter Coordinator – Responsible for scheduling greeters for each Sunday.
      3. Greeters – Welcome people at the door, help with orientation. Meet at 10:30 for “huddle” with pastors and AV volunteer for worship prep, as well as being in place at 10:50 to welcome people into worship. Office Manager will send weekly reminder email to those scheduled to greet.
      4. A/V Team – Responsible for running the sound/projection system, as well as helping to do last-minute, Sunday morning worship preparation. Functions as “stage crew” for worship.  Meets at 10:30 for pre-worship “huddle” with  pastors and greeters.
      5. Money Counters/Ushers – Serve as usher on the morning one is scheduled to count, counts and records money following worship, makes bank deposit, and returns bank receipt to the office. Approx. 4-5 times/year.  Fourteen members plus Coordinator is optimal.
   4. Outreach – Chooses the social/environmental advocacy projects/partnerships for the whole church and connects the church to these partnerships through advocacy and volunteering. Coordinates Outreach Month each year, during which money is raised to support the partnerships. Each committee member serves as a liaison to one of the partnerships, providing information and opportunities to the congregation. Meets approximately 6 times/year.  Chair + 5 members (recommended).
   5. Antiracism – Plans educational programs and opportunities for congregational reflection, education, and action on combatting racism in our lives, the church, and the world.
   6. Community Life– Internal fellowship and care, providing opportunities to help us get to know one another.
   7. Arts & Culture Endowment Board – Supports artistic expression in the life of the church. Governed by separate by-laws.  Chair + 6 members with all new terms have a two-year limit (mandatory).  Suspended through June 2017
   8. Environmental Justice Center – Congregation-sponsored, inter-religious coalition addressing environmental issues.  2 representatives (cannot include director).
   9. Church Historian
3. STEWARDSHIP - The utilization and development of church resources, including people, property and financial assets.
   1. Staff-Parish Relations – Primary governing body of the church with regard to staff. Liaison between congregation and pastor/s. Negotiates with the bishop and district superintendent about United Methodist pastor’s employment; relates to Pastoral Search Committee during United Church of Christ pastoral searches; hires, fires and evaluates all staff, recommends compensation and salaries. Meets 4-8 times per year. Chair + 3 to 9 members (mandatory).
   2. Pastor Selection Committee – Needed in times of search for United Church of Christ candidates for pastor. Named by Church Council in consultation with Staff-Parish Relations.
   3. Stewardship – Responsible for stewardship education and annual pledge campaign. Chair + 5 members (recommended).
   4. Nominations – Invites our congregation into leadership roles. (As per our bylaws, this is the only committee chaired by the senior pastor or a co- pastor.)
   5. Growth – Responsible for advertising and community outreach, increasing visibility of the church and developing membership. (3-6 recommended)
   6. Trustees – Responsible for managing property. Normally meets monthly. 9 members: chair + Treasurer + 7 members (mandatory).
   7. Denominational Representatives – UCC and UMC – Represent the church at denominational meetings, have voting rights.
   8. Finance – Responsible for overseeing finances, financial procedures and integrity of financial systems.
   9. Auction – Plans and runs the annual auction.