These role descriptions are taken from the June 2005 document entitled Callings: Servant Roles in the Bath UCC Faith Community; the guidelines for each team are abstracted from the bylaws (2005). The Bath UCC of Bath, ME web site is presently not on the web. This is a copy of what was cached on the internet.
Index:
Below are the role descriptions of the Stability Triangle management teams. Some positions are already filled by gifted and called volunteers. Other positions need an individual to be transformed and called to serve the faith community in that capacity.
The framework proposed by the Scouts (a small group of people who met during Spring 2003 to consider faith community guidelines) consists of the elders and a set of three teams, collectively termed the stability triangle. The elders, a group of 3-5 representatives of the faith community, meets two times each year to review how effectively the congregation is bringing our DNA to bear on the needs and interests of the community beyond the doors of the church. The three teams -- the administrative team, the gifts and callings team, and the equipping team -- are comprised of paid and/or volunteer staff from the faith community.
The members of the teams and commission are considered servant leaders, and as such they are expected to adhere to community guidelines for leaders:
Guidelines for All Faith Community Leaders
Guidelines for the Administrative Team
The mission of the Administrative Team is to use the financial and property resources of the church to communicate and deploy ministries small and large, within the boundaries of our DNA. The Administrative Team includes those individuals called to manage the business of the faith community by administering the budget and managing resources so that ministries are effectively deployed within and beyond the church.
The Building Ministry Leader works with a team of people to keep the church facility and surrounding grounds clean, safe, beautiful, and welcoming for all of God's people.
The Building Ministry Leader strives to protect the sacredness of creation and honor the holiness of all beings in all that s/he does to maintain the building, keep all of its various systems (heating, electrical, plumbing, sound, etc.) in good working order, and care for its grounds.
The Building Ministry Leader practices a daily spiritual discipline and strives to have a servant's heart, an openness to God's leading, and a spirit of love, compassion, and forgiveness.
Time Requirement: Varies somewhat according to the need and desire of the faith community, and changes of the season. Averages 12 hours per week.
The Office Administrator provides administrative support to members of the Admin team as well as the Equipping and Gifts & Callings teams, life circle leaders, worship team leaders, and all faith community participants.
The Office Administrator assists paid and volunteer staff with carrying out their respective functions, always keeping in mind the DNA of the faith community.
The Office Administrator practices a daily spiritual discipline and strives to have a servant's heart, an openness to God's leading, and a spirit of love, compassion, and forgiveness.
Time Requirement: Varies somewhat according to the need and desire of the faith community. Averages 12-15 hours/week. Though much of the work may be done from home using a well-equipped computer, some regular in-office hours may be needed.
The Financial Secretary is responsible for accepting, recording and depositing income on behalf of the faith community. The majority of the funds that s/he handles are offerings and collections from the congregation.
The Financial Secretary keeps records of donations and makes regular and timely bank deposits of gifts.
On an annual basis, the Financial Secretary records pledges and mails giving statements to donors.
The Financial Secretary practices a daily spiritual discipline and strives to have a servant's heart, an openness to God's leading, and a spirit of love, compassion, and forgiveness.
Time Requirement: Averages 3 hours per week, more at the end of the fiscal year to reconcile accounts and roll over to new fiscal year.
The Treasurer maintains oversight of the faith community's finances and accounting activities:
Time Requirement: Varies greatly according to the needs and desires of the faith community. Averages 5-7 hours per week, more at the end of the fiscal year to help prepare budget.
Trustees derive joy and satisfaction from administering the investment accounts of the Bath UCC faith community.
Trustees create a sense of trust and openness about the endowment spending for the faith community.
Trustees work closely with the Treasurers to determine when funds should be released from the endowment funds.
As stewards of the faith community's financial assets, the Trustees cannot invest faith community endowment funds in a manner that is inconsistent with our DNA.
The PPCL derives joy and satisfaction from using strong writing and editing skills to communicate God's love, the teachings of Jesus, and the good works of the Bath UCC faith community to the world.
The PPCL is supported by the Holy Spirit when working independently and under deadline to produce publications to keep the faith community in communication with each other and with those in the wider community.
The PPCL creates a sense of community and shared mission among the team of writers and other contributors who help produce the publications, including staff, worship team leaders, life circle guardians, and other faith community participants.
The PPCL produces bulletins for worship services and publishes a newsletter as needed; helps to keep the website current; advertises faith community activities in local media; corresponds with faith community participants; ensures timely communication between the stability triangle teams and the wider faith community; submits articles to external periodicals, such as those of the Maine Council of Churches & the Maine UCC Conference.
Time commitment: Average of 7 hours per week, occasionally more, particularly around holidays and periods surrounding special events within the faith community calendar.
The Web-Tender is responsible for the timely maintenance of the faith community website and will create content and develop design for the website both independently and in collaboration with others. The Web-Tender understands the purpose and the intended audience(s) of the website and focuses priorities, content, design, and style towards both, keeping in mind the DNA.
The Web-Tender practices a daily spiritual discipline and strives to have a servant's heart, an openness to God's leading, and a spirit of love, compassion, and forgiveness.
Desirable Skills/Traits
Time Requirement: Varies greatly according to the need and desire of the faith community. Averages 10-15 hours per week. Maintenance of website can be performed entirely from home with proper tools installed.
Guidelines for the Gifts & Callings Team
The mission of the Gifts & Callings Team is to grow disciples in any creative way they wish, within the bounds of the DNA. The Gifts & Callings Team includes those individuals called to work with individuals in personal and spiritual growth, options for counseling, training, education, and building healthy and safe relationships.
The G&C Leader derives joy and spiritual fulfillment by helping others find and follow the path that will bring them joy and spiritual fulfillment.
The G&C Leader implements the gifts inventory process, making sure that the support leaders are trained/equipped in administering the inventory.
The G&C Leader communicates with the equipping team to ensure relevance and applicability of continuing education opportunities to the needs and interests of apprentices, life circle leaders, mission team leaders, and worship team leaders.
The G&C Leader recommends those leaders for ministry training who are engaged in a continuing spiritual discipline of learning and growth.
The G&C Leader practices a daily spiritual discipline, strives to have a servant's heart, an openness to God's leading, and a spirit of love, compassion, and forgiveness.
Time Commitment: 20 hours per week, including some evenings and/or weekend days.
The G&C Issue Resolution Person is responsible for implementing the Issue Resolution Procedure.
The G&C Issue Resolution Person practices a daily spiritual discipline, strives to have a servant's heart, an openness to God's leading, and a spirit of love, compassion, and forgiveness.
Time Requirement: Varies according to the need and desire of the faith community.
Administrator (usually the G&C Leader) arranges meeting with interested parties, asking Are you willing to talk this through with a mediator (G&C Issue Resolution person)?
At the very first meeting with the mediator, the parties are asked whether they feel comfortable working with this mediator -- if one of the parties feels that the mediator is partial to the other party, then it won't work. They both have to perceive that the mediator is neutral.
Mediator leads through these steps:
Before a mediation, all parties are encouraged to read Matthew 18:15-20.
Guidelines for the Equipping Team
The mission of the Equipping Team is to equip ministers. The Equipping Team includes those individuals called to coach individuals in the discernment of call, skills development, and networking.
The Pastor derives joy and spiritual fulfillment from motivating, coaching, and training Christians to grow in faith and live in mission.
The Pastor ensures that life circles function with a trained, coached leader and an intern partner, and provides continual coaching to lay ministers and life circle leaders. The Pastor also equips those who feel called to use and develop their spiritual gifts.
The Pastor communicates with the Gifts & Callings Team to ensure the continuing education needs and interests of life circle leaders and stability triangle team members are met.
Time commitment: Although coaching is literally a 24/7 commitment for the Pastor, this position is full-time for the church (at least 40 hours/week.)
The Pastoral Care Leader (PCL) derives joy and spiritual fulfillment from training, guiding, and supporting individuals called to provide pastoral care in the community. The PCL enjoys equipping and coaching life circle guardians concerning relational flow and group process.
The PCL makes available learning resources that adhere to our DNA for lay ministers and life circle guardians.
The PCL equips those who feel called to use and develop their spiritual gifts.
The PCL communicates with the Human Resources Leader and the HR team to ensure the continuing education needs and interests of pastoral caregivers are met.
The PCL offers support and guidance to the equipping team and seeks support and guidance in return.
The PCL practices a daily spiritual discipline.
Time commitment: Although coaching is literally a 24/7 commitment for the Pastoral Care Leader, this position is part-time for the church (20 hours/week.)
The Sacred Arts Leader (SAL) derives joy and spiritual fulfillment from engaging with gifted, called individuals to create a diversity of worship experiences.
The SAL cannot limit the creativity or diversity of worship experiences so long as the planning process includes a specific conversation about DNA alignment.
The SAL employs clear processes to monitor and improve quality of all worship services.
Time commitment: Up to 40 hours/week, year-round.
The Worship Team gathers as a Life Circle with a mission to offer worship experiences that connect people with God. In its Prayer, Activity, Learning, and Sharing, the team seeks to express the faith of the community described in our Core Values, Bedrock Beliefs, Motivating Vision, and Key Mission.
Guidelines for the Elders
The mission of the Bath UCC Elders consists of four key elements: (1) focusing the reason for continued organizational existence, (2) defining anticipated results in personal change, (3) defining anticipated results in social change, and (4) counting the cost of the core process/discipleship. The Elders consists of no more than five individuals from the faith community who have discerned their spiritual gifts and heard a calling to serve the faith community as Elders. The faith community affirms the call of visionary, spiritual leaders from among those called to serve. The Elders meet a minimum of two times a year to review how effectively the congregation is bringing our DNA to bear on the needs and interests of the community beyond the doors of the church.