Purpose: Support the youth ministry program of our congregation, seeking to meet the fellowship, worship, study and service needs of the youth participants.
Responsibilities:
Actively participate in the selection of the associate minister of the church.
Provide guidance as needed to orient the associate minister to various youth activities which have been conducted in past years at the church.
Evaluate the needs of the youth and to provide direction and philosophy for the church’s youth program, with the guidance of the associate minister.
Suggest and evaluate youth activities (educational, fellowship/recreational services) in conjunction with (the leadership) of the associate minister.
Assist in the evaluation of the performance of the associate minister as directed by the Church Council.
Advise the parish minister and associate minister on the Confirmation program, in conjunction wih the leadership of the parish minister.
Actively recruit Karpenter’s Kids and Junior High “parents of the month” and Senior High Youth advisors each year.
Purpose: Responsible for the educational life of the adults of the congregation
Responsibilities:
Plan and coordinate educational opportunities for the adults of the congregations for Sunday morning education hour. Include a balance of Bible study, contemporary social issues and public affairs, issues of faith and doubt, marriage and family life, community outreach opportunities, etc.
Coordinate the efforts of the Adult Education Committee with the Christian Education Committee in planning for combined educational opportunities for the youth, adults and children of the congregation.
Plan interesting educational program for the adults of the congregation for times other than Sunday morning
Encourage participation in adult educational programs through public announcement and personal invitations
Establish and support a library team
Set long-term goals that are consistent with the goals and needs of the church
Christian Education Committee
Purpose:
Provide leadership in matters concerning education for children and youth
Guide and support the Minister or Director of Christian Education
Responsibilities:
Advocate for Christian Education concerns and issues within the church.
Publicize, through the Direction, mailings and the Internet, and encourages attendance at Christian Education events
Assist Christian Education Minister or Director in planning and implementing the church school program
Review annually Minister or Director of Christian Education job performance and job description.
Recruit, train and support church school teachers and special program volunteers.
Develop and direct yearly events, such as Rally Day, Advent Workshop, Lenten Workshop, Christmas Pageant and meal.
Establish procedures for the church school program.
Review and select curriculum.
Determine age group and classroom assignments annually.
Operate a balanced budget.
Convene at least 10 times during the year, as programs and planning necessitate.
Purpose: Education, promotion and evaluation of our congregation’s overall stewardship program and opportunities
Responsibilities:
See that the annual pledge drive for financial and Time & Talent commitments from our members, prospective members and friend for the following year be done in a timely manner. Target completion is November 30th of each calendar year.
See that the number of financial and Time & Talent pledges received annually is reported to the Church Council, Finance Committee and the Congregation at its Annual Meeting in January.
Perform an evaluation of the annual financial pledge drive and report an analysis of pledge patterns and reasons for change, or lack of change, in pledges and pledging patterns to the Council.
Perform an evaluation of the annual Time & Talent pledge drive and report an analysis of pledge patterns and reasons for change, or lack of change, in pledges and pledging patterns to the Council.
Help educate the congregation on faithful stewardship, using denominational and ecumenical resources, engaging in an ongoing study as a committee, and sharing their insights with the staff, council, boards and committees of the church through announcements, Direction articles, programs, etc.
Solicit financial and Time & Talent commitments form new members as they prepare to join the church.
Responsibility for the spiritual affairs of the church
Consult with the Pastor for his/her work and responsibilities
Responsibilities:
Provide a worship leader in the temporary absence of the Pastors.
Responsible for the administration of the Deacons Fund which is collected from the loose plate offerings, from services on Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, First Sunday in Advent and Christmas Eve.
Provide child care for evening worship services: Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday.
Provide ushers for each Sunday morning service and all other services.
Maintain the currency of the church member picture board.
Provide lay Scripture readers for each Sunday morning service and all other services.
Have contact by phone, letter or personal visitation with inactive members at least twice yearly (e.g., before Christmas and before Palm Sunday). Special attention shall be given to people who have recently become inactive.
Recommend for removal from church membership rolls those members who address has long been unknown or who for a period of two years have not attended the church’s worship or contributed to its support.
Have contact by phone, card or personal visitation with the sick and shut in.
Assist, when invited by the Pastor, in the Sacrament of Baptism and in the welcoming of new members.
Regularly report to the congregation, by publication in the Direction and/or church bulletin, their important concerns and activities.
Purpose: Manage the financial responsibilities of the United Church of Christ in New Brighton (UCCNB) and advise the Council and congregation in accordance with the UCCNB Articles of Incorporation, the UCCNB Constitution, the direction of the UCCNB Church Council and the direction of the Congregation of the UCCNB.
Responsibilities:
Oversee the financial records of the UCCNB, including incomes and expenses, communicate to the relevant persons or groups regarding these items, and recommending action to a Board, Committee or Council; or taking appropriate and timely action when warranted.
Coordinate, prepare and present the next year’s budget proposal to the Council prior to its October meeting. Solicit and obtain timely budget requests and income estimates from each Board and Committee, by September. Propose revisions to the budget if directed by the Council or Congregation. Participate in budget discussions at the appropriate Congregational and and Council meetings.
Develop the appropriate systems necessary to complete the tasks assigned to it.
Periodic review(s) of the records of the Financial Secretary and Treasurer and any other records relating to their areas of responsibility.
Period and timely communication to the Council, Boards, Committees and Congregation regarding budget issues.
Develop, maintain, educate and periodically remind the Congregation about special programs such as, but not limited to, a Planned Giving or Endowment Fund.
Maintain, educate and periodically remind the Congregation about remembering the UCCNB in their wills or other programs, and give assistance in this area.
Human Resources (HR) Committee
Purpose:
Nominate members for Council offices, Boards, Committees and appointed positions
Support growth in membership and member involvement
Help the church plan for its future
Responsibilities:
Board/Committee Support:
- Prepare candidate slates for all appointed and elected positions by each April
- Prepare agenda,, and coordinate gathering and updating of all Board/Committee
Resource Notebooks, for the All Boards and Committees meeting each May
- Provide volunteer recognition support to all Boards and Committees
- Provide support to all Boards and Committees in establishing realistic, achievable
goals and objectives
- Coordinate, with other Boards and Committees, a training session as needed for
leaders and/or volunteers
Time & Talent Services:
- Manage Time & Talent updates each fall
- Coordinate tabulation of Time & Talent sheets and distribution of the pledges, and
indications of interest, to appropriate Boards, Committees and functions
Promote and Support Church Growth:
- Coordinate and mange volunteers for Loafer, New Member Sponsor and Welcomer
programs
- Provide support for church growth with appropriate communications, publicity and
advertising, including maintenance and growth of the church website
Purpose: Support and maintain an open relationship between the ordained ministers and members of the congregation
Responsibilities:
Discuss mutual expectations of the ordained ministerial staff and congregation.
Work for clear communication and understanding between the congregation and ordained ministerial staff.
Listen to individuals or groups in the church regarding the relationship between the ordained ministerial staff and congregation.
Communicate openly and honestly the feelings and reactions of church members to the ordained ministerial staff.
Assist in annual objectives and goal setting with the ordained ministerial staff.
Encourage the ordained ministerial staff to plan time for recreation, exercise, relaxation, family and solitude.
Provide an opportunity for the ordained ministerial staff to reflect in confidence about personal concerns, hopes, ambitions and frustrations.
Help define areas of potential conflict between ordained staff’s ministries and those of the congregation and to assist in developing alternative solutions.
Be alert to the ordained ministerial staff’s concerns between meetings.
Support the ordained ministerial staff’s ministry beyond the local church.
Demonstrate concern and support for the ordained ministerial staff’s families.
Plan celebrations of personal and professional milestones
Purpose: Be responsible for the music needs of the church
Responsibilities:
Be responsible for the music needs of the church.
Promote the recruitment of participation and membership in the Church.
Maintain the Choir(s)’s music and the music files.
Maintain the Senior Choir’s robes and stoles.
Interview and select Organist, Senior Choir Director and Youth Choir(s) Leader(s).
Review the salaries of the Senior Choir Director, Organist and Youth Choir(s) Leader(s).
Recommend the upcoming year’s music budget to the Finance Committee in early September, including the salaries for the Organist, Senior Choir Director and Youth Choir(s) Leader(s), Choirs’ supplies, maintenance and repair of the organ and pianos, and money for any special music events.
Appoint a music committee member to serve as Council Representative.
Provide timely information to our congregation about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) issues/events within our church and the wider GLBT community.
Promote our church to the GLBT community.
Inform the greater Christian community that we are an Open and Affirming Congregation.
Participate in church and GLBT events such as PRIDE, National Coming Out Day, and ONA events/meetings.
Encourage/inform our congregation.
Discuss issues pertaining to the GLBT community.
Identify, in April or before, who will serve on the committee in the coming May-to-May year
Purpose: Planning the missionary education, social justice, and outreach ministry of this church
Responsibilities:
Recommend the annual budget to the Council.
Decide upon and promote special mission offerings.
Respond to special mission project requests received by the congregation.
Promote knowledge about and concern for the work of the United Church of Christ and for church activities beyond the local congregation, through special events, programs and missionary relationships.
Promote missionary interest, systematic giving toward mission, and the ideals of Christian stewardship in all ways possible.
Engage in study – such as previewing mission films and other materials – to better prepare to promote the knowledge about Our Church’s Wider Mission basic support.
Set schedule for offerings.
Decide upon and engage in local missions through various outreach activities.
Bring various volunteer opportunities to the attention of the congregation.
Report on the status of its projects through an annual report.
Report regularly on outreach activities in the Direction, church bulletin, website and/or announcements.
Trustees Board
Purpose: Care and custody of the UCCNB property in accordance with the provisions of the UCCNB Articles of Incorporation, the UCCNB Constitution, the direction of the UCCNB Church Council, the laws of the State of Minnesota and the laws of the United States of America.
Responsibilities:
Meet as necessary to carry out the tasks described in this document and as directed by the Council.
Elect or appoint a Chair and other positions as detailed in the Resource Notebook to carry out the purpose of the Board.
Create and maintain plans for the coming year: objectives, future plans, schedule for tasks, etc. Present them to the Council.
Obtain or develop the appropriate items and/or systems necessary to completing the tasks assigned to them.
Arrange for appropriate insurance coverage as needed or required by law.
Address legal items concerning the property and employees under their directions.
Coordinate the custodial position of the church with the Personnel Committee.
Maintain the grounds, roads, landscaping, building(s) and its contents in good repair and replace discrepant items as appropriate. The use of UCCNB volunteers is encouraged these objectives. We generally have two workdays per year, one in the spring and one in the fall.
Authorize the use of UCCNB property, equipment, building contents, grounds, roads etc. for rental by non-UCCNB programs. The Trustees shall set and communicate the rental rates for these events.
Periodically communicate in timely and appropriate fashion their concerns and activities.
Prepare and submit in a timely fashion to the Finance Committee a proposed budget for the next year in the income and expense categories of the Trustee’s responsibilities.
