How the congregation organizes itself

One way a congregation fulfills its mission is to organize itself to carry out that mission.

Governance

Session and the Board of Managers

As a Presbyterian church, the Session is the ruling body at the local level. Session has elected members who are ordained as ruling elders. It is convened by the Minister, the teaching elder, and its duties and terms are set out by the Book of Forms of The Presbyterian Church in Canada. Session has oversight of everything that happens in the church, except for the budget, which is voted on at an annual meeting of the congregation.

The Board of Managers is a committee of the congregation, with new members elected each year at the annual meeting. Its primary duties are the maintenance of the church building and the surrounding property, and the administration of the congregational budget. The Board's duties are also elucidated in the Book of Forms.

How committees work

Session selects convenors of the various committees that do its work on behalf of the congregation. Committees meet regularly, keep written minutes, report and make recommendations to Session, and file final copies of their minutes at the church for the archive.

All committees work cooperatively with one another and announce opportunities to take part in the newsletter and the Sunday bulletin. Budget proposals go to Session in October and are then reviewed by the Board of Managers for the annual budget. Each committee prepares a written summary of its work, and the congregation reviews the budget and the reports at the annual meeting.

The committees

Six committees, and where each one works

Open a committee to read its mandate. To join one, contact the church office.

The Nurture Committee Develops and sustains members in the formation and expression of their faith and spirituality through Christian worship and education.

Worship

Support worship leaders — the Minister and organists — and help plan special services for Lent, Easter, Christmas and other seasons.
Help the congregation develop a greater awareness of the place of worship in Christian life.
Take responsibility for sanctuary aesthetics and arrange decorations at special seasons.
Find, train and schedule lay readers and ushers.
Find and train greeters, so that everyone is welcomed before the service, introduced where helpful, and supported in joining the life of the congregation.
Take part in studies of worship, such as the sacraments, and recommend changes that may benefit the congregation.

Music

Oversee the music ministry of the congregation.
Advise the Personnel Committee on job descriptions, salaries and the annual review of the organist positions.
With the organists, prepare job descriptions and review the Section Lead and Organ Scholar positions.
Oversee the care and maintenance of the church's musical instruments and sound equipment.
Oversee copyright policy and the music library on the website.

History (subcommittee)

Preserve the church's archive collection, and preserve current records that document its history, liaising with all committees so their historical records are collected.
Provide guidance on the interpretation of the church's historical and archival holdings.
Educate church youth, the congregation and the wider community about the accomplishments and contributions of the church.
Provide an annual report of new items added, a summary of the inventory, and total volunteer hours.
Produce a column — for example, Echoes of the Past.
Present history sessions at annual meetings, history week and other church events, and prepare short historical facts for the Communications Committee to give the media.

Halls (subcommittee)

Set the fees for funerals, weddings and rental of the building.
Negotiate rental contracts for ongoing rentals.

Christian Education Committee Oversees the church's education programs and the people who lead them.

Mandate

Oversee Christian education programs — church school, youth and young adult ministry, adult Bible study and education, and confirmation or new member classes — and adherence to Leading with Care, the national policy for the protection of vulnerable persons.
Find, train and select people for the positions required, and review their performance: Sunday school superintendents, teachers, youth leaders, the nursery coordinator and the Christian education director.
Provide nursery care or a nursery program.
Oversee the congregational library.
Coordinate with the Minister for children and youth to take part in worship on special occasions.

The Care Committee Encourages members to show Christian love and concern toward the congregation, and to reach out to the community and the world.

Pastoral care

Convene a team of visitors so that members who need more frequent visits receive them — those in hospital and care facilities, and those with limited mobility.
Assist the Minister with home communions, and assist elders with pastoral care as requested.
Maintain a list of members who could use a ride to church, and of those who can provide one.
Assist with crisis support: driving, meals, visiting.
Send get-well and sympathy cards.
Seek out and sponsor activities that provide pastoral care or teach it — workshops on parenting, care of the dying, stress reduction, marriage.

Mission

Liaise with and support the Women's Missionary Society, the Ladies' Aid, and Presbyterian World Service and Development.
Increase congregational awareness of mission possibilities at home and abroad, and encourage short- and long-term mission work.
Ensure the Food Bank has a coordinator, and support it.
Select a task force, when needed, to review refugee applications, make recommendations, and coordinate arrival and settlement.
Select and promote local and global mission projects, helping the congregation set achievable goals.
With the Minister, develop and review relevant policies, including the benevolent fund.
Increase awareness of the programs of The Presbyterian Church in Canada and how to take part.

Fellowship

Arrange fellowship events through the year: suppers, lunches, new members' gatherings, elder district gatherings, the annual picnic, activity and games nights.
Find a coordinator for the annual Burns activities.

Refugee (subcommittee)

Take requests to sponsor refugees, prioritize them, and recommend families to Session.
Make an appropriate plan, including finances.
Complete the paperwork for applications.

The Personnel Committee Works with the convenors of all committees on personnel management, helping staff and supervisors meet goals consistent with the mission of Session and the congregation.

Mandate

Deal with all human-resources matters, ensuring equitable and fair treatment: hiring and contracting, terms of employment, job descriptions, grievances, reviews, raises, conflict management and termination.
Facilitate regular staff meetings.
Work with supervisors to clarify roles and set goals.
Develop and implement a comprehensive system of conflict resolution.
Ensure employment contracts are dated within the fiscal year and meet budget guidelines.
Facilitate annual performance reviews, and ensure every job description is reviewed against the work actually performed.
Coordinate an annual review of the compensation package with the Board of Managers.

Policy and Planning Committee Encourages and supports other committees in fulfilling their mandates, achieving their goals and celebrating their successes.

Mandate

Develop and maintain a policy manual for the church.
Collect information about operations, flexibility and planning accuracy, and whether congregational needs are being met.
Work with Session, the committees and the Board of Managers to set plans and goals.
Review and update policy on logos, letterhead and identifiers for First Church.
Review and update standing regulations and policies on gifts, memorials and endowments, and on how they are recognized.

Communications

The newsletter, FWTN, three or four times a year.
Website updates, upkeep and maintenance.
Community publicity: mailers, cards, store posters, community newsletters, radio and television.
Creation and production of information packages about the church.
Event messages on outdoor signage and social media.
Bulletin boards, fixed and mobile, for events at the church and in the community.
The congregational pictorial directory, every five years, and the upkeep of the membership directory.

Stewardship Committee Coordinates the management of the church's designated funds, and educates and promotes stewardship.

Funds managed

The Mary Giesbrecht Music Fund.
The Olive Moore Education Fund.
The Canada Youth Conference Fund.
The Memorial Fund.
The Lloyd Fourney Refugee Fund.
The Community Dinner Fund.

Mandate

Receive requests for expenditure from the funds and make recommendations to Session.
Suggest ways of raising money for these funds and for the Capital Fund.
Educate the congregation about stewardship and promote it.

Composition

The Treasurer.
Two Session representatives.
Two Board representatives.
Three congregational representatives.
The Minister, ex officio.

Take part

Every committee announces its openings

Opportunities to take part appear in the newsletter and in the Sunday bulletin. If something here matches what you would like to do, say so and we will connect you with the convenor.

Ministries and volunteering Email the office