Last Saturday, the Transition Team met with Sarah Jane Semrad at the La Reunion offices. She described the organizational structure of the non-profits in which she is involved. We then did some exercises to discover our needs and imagine a possible structure. This was a first stab to get us to think about issues. We will be presenting some ideas to the community in the coming weeks and soliciting feedback. These are the notes from that Saturday.
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Church in the Cliff Transition Team Meeting with LaReunion, TX
4-25-2009
Attendees: Courtney Pinkerton Rob Shearer Jen Maulden Lara Arp Sarah Jane Semrad Tiana Lightfoot Abby Lowe Kristin Schutz
Introduction CP and SJ and LA: Books: Good to Great for the Social Sector Thin Book of Naming Elephants Others
CP: Three questions for discussion: What leadership structure, who fills it and church’s blessing of structure and people.
Non-Profit 101 SJ: Difference between non-profit and for-profit Bottom line: Stake holders and numbers V. mission statement Governing board Function: Govern the org, keep the org IRS compliant hire and fire the executive director, long-term strategic planning, ambassadors of the organization – face of org, donate money/financially contribute Give/get policy to be on board Bylaws
Executive/Staff Lead by ED (Pastor)
Day-to-day
Execute mission of org
Exec works very closely with the board and boardchair/president
Exec does not hold board accountable – that is boad pres/chair’s job
Committees
Who is served Representation needs to be on the board as well
Case Studies: LRTX & Art con
SJ’s Binder
Board roster
Board bios
Calendar of events for fiscal year
Bylaws, updated and constantly available
Refer to bylaws to resolve conflict and questions
Strategic Plan
Agendas – Time Driven
Minutes (required by IRS and often for grants)
Directors report at each board meeting
Outlines all meetings in the community so that board knowsher community presence, possibly make more connections, help, etc.
Working budget
Committee meeting agendas and notes
Action plans at the end of every meeting
Strategic planning committee meets 1-2 times a year
How to get board members to come to the table, keep them invested
Figure out why they would join, deliver that
Binders of information that offer any information a board membermight need.
All non-profits file 990
Governance Brainstorm Who do we serve/want to serve? LGBT Theologans Artists, musicians University Students Spiritually curious Wounded Philosophers Seminarians Kids Oak Cliff people Global community Social activists Politically inactive Voiceless Ethnically diverse DFW area Emergent church Spiritually diverse Socioeconomically diverse Multi-generational Disabilities Homeless Holy Spirit Professionals Regular people Married, single, divorced Families Sinners Environmentalists Spanish speakers Athiests
Board must be representative of the people the org serves.
Professional Needs:
Attorney/legal
Accounting/financial
Oak Cliff interface
Theological
Therapist/psychological
Ethicist
Arts
Education professional
Development – fundraising
Organizational management
Real Estate
Childcare
Hospitality
Music
Pastoral
Mediator
Action Items: CitC/City Gallery – get non-profit status Jen Mauldin – Mother is accountant for small churches. Going to ask about filing status. Who will be nominating committee for board?
Discussion of transition team members as candidates for the board: Can transition team members be nominated without appearing exclusive? Should TT members exlude themselves from discussions about structure and nominating if they want to be board members? Abby: Start process ASAP – helps people see stability in church and encourages inclusiveness. SJ: Have open nominating process to the community, everyone throws in names, nominating committee approaches those people about commitments and obligations. Have it within a very set time-frame (10 days) Board members sign conflict of interest policy Board members sign board commitment form Responsibilities, committees, financial contributions
Discussion on bylaws and voting-in of board:
SJ: Transition team as nominating committee for board Include outside member
SJ: Odd number of board members is best for voting, depending on voting system (majority, 2/3, etc.)
JM: Mother’s advice: Board members develop bylaws, and then put to the community for a vote. Nominating committee can nominate themselves, put before community to be voted on.
SJ: Cautions putting voting in of board to the community, because it would become popularity contest rather than based on professional needs of a board.
SS: Bylaws are not up to TT to determine
SJ: Transition team takes first round of bylaw edits, then put them up for community.
CP: Keep board and rules lean at first
Executive team brainstorm: Define major areas of work: Sunday worship Wednesday night Pastoral care Childcare City Gallery Community service Music Outreach Community involvement Bulletin Weekly e-mail Website Blog Breakfast Hospitality Social Justice Education Spiritual formation Set up and take down on Sunday Stewardship Creative outlets in and outside of Sunday worship Liturgy planning Accounting, checkbook, depositing money
Potential committees brainstorm:
Keep number of committees small, committee scope can be broad
Place work areas into a committee
Worship – at least 1 time a week, Mondays at 6-7:30
Sunday
Wednesday
Music
Children
Education
Community Relations – 2x/month
Gallery
Website
Communications
Social Justice
Community service
Food
Community involvement
Pastoral care
Finance (Treasurer who sits on board, Exec, and others) 1x/month
Accounting
Checkbook
Action items:
Investigate legal status of CitC and CityGallery - Jen or Teri
Board Commitment Form - SJ via Abby
Conflict of Interest Policy - SJ via Abby
By-laws - SS
Determine size of board - 5 was suggested to keep it lean as we start out.
Timeline for developing leadership plan - Rob
We also discussed the need to form a nominating committee. For an outsider, Danielle Shroyer and SJ's dad were suggested.
---------------------------------------------
Church in the Cliff Transition Team Meeting with LaReunion, TX
4-25-2009
Attendees: Courtney Pinkerton Rob Shearer Jen Maulden Lara Arp Sarah Jane Semrad Tiana Lightfoot Abby Lowe Kristin Schutz
Introduction CP and SJ and LA: Books: Good to Great for the Social Sector Thin Book of Naming Elephants Others
CP: Three questions for discussion: What leadership structure, who fills it and church’s blessing of structure and people.
Non-Profit 101 SJ: Difference between non-profit and for-profit Bottom line: Stake holders and numbers V. mission statement Governing board Function: Govern the org, keep the org IRS compliant hire and fire the executive director, long-term strategic planning, ambassadors of the organization – face of org, donate money/financially contribute Give/get policy to be on board Bylaws
Executive/Staff Lead by ED (Pastor)
Day-to-day
Execute mission of org
Exec works very closely with the board and boardchair/president
Exec does not hold board accountable – that is boad pres/chair’s job
Committees
Who is served Representation needs to be on the board as well
Case Studies: LRTX & Art con
SJ’s Binder
Board roster
Board bios
Calendar of events for fiscal year
Bylaws, updated and constantly available
Refer to bylaws to resolve conflict and questions
Strategic Plan
Agendas – Time Driven
Minutes (required by IRS and often for grants)
Directors report at each board meeting
Outlines all meetings in the community so that board knowsher community presence, possibly make more connections, help, etc.
Working budget
Committee meeting agendas and notes
Action plans at the end of every meeting
Strategic planning committee meets 1-2 times a year
How to get board members to come to the table, keep them invested
Figure out why they would join, deliver that
Binders of information that offer any information a board membermight need.
All non-profits file 990
Governance Brainstorm Who do we serve/want to serve? LGBT Theologans Artists, musicians University Students Spiritually curious Wounded Philosophers Seminarians Kids Oak Cliff people Global community Social activists Politically inactive Voiceless Ethnically diverse DFW area Emergent church Spiritually diverse Socioeconomically diverse Multi-generational Disabilities Homeless Holy Spirit Professionals Regular people Married, single, divorced Families Sinners Environmentalists Spanish speakers Athiests
Board must be representative of the people the org serves.
Professional Needs:
Attorney/legal
Accounting/financial
Oak Cliff interface
Theological
Therapist/psychological
Ethicist
Arts
Education professional
Development – fundraising
Organizational management
Real Estate
Childcare
Hospitality
Music
Pastoral
Mediator
Action Items: CitC/City Gallery – get non-profit status Jen Mauldin – Mother is accountant for small churches. Going to ask about filing status. Who will be nominating committee for board?
Discussion of transition team members as candidates for the board: Can transition team members be nominated without appearing exclusive? Should TT members exlude themselves from discussions about structure and nominating if they want to be board members? Abby: Start process ASAP – helps people see stability in church and encourages inclusiveness. SJ: Have open nominating process to the community, everyone throws in names, nominating committee approaches those people about commitments and obligations. Have it within a very set time-frame (10 days) Board members sign conflict of interest policy Board members sign board commitment form Responsibilities, committees, financial contributions
Discussion on bylaws and voting-in of board:
SJ: Transition team as nominating committee for board Include outside member
SJ: Odd number of board members is best for voting, depending on voting system (majority, 2/3, etc.)
JM: Mother’s advice: Board members develop bylaws, and then put to the community for a vote. Nominating committee can nominate themselves, put before community to be voted on.
SJ: Cautions putting voting in of board to the community, because it would become popularity contest rather than based on professional needs of a board.
SS: Bylaws are not up to TT to determine
SJ: Transition team takes first round of bylaw edits, then put them up for community.
CP: Keep board and rules lean at first
Executive team brainstorm: Define major areas of work: Sunday worship Wednesday night Pastoral care Childcare City Gallery Community service Music Outreach Community involvement Bulletin Weekly e-mail Website Blog Breakfast Hospitality Social Justice Education Spiritual formation Set up and take down on Sunday Stewardship Creative outlets in and outside of Sunday worship Liturgy planning Accounting, checkbook, depositing money
Potential committees brainstorm:
Keep number of committees small, committee scope can be broad
Place work areas into a committee
Worship – at least 1 time a week, Mondays at 6-7:30
Sunday
Wednesday
Music
Children
Education
Community Relations – 2x/month
Gallery
Website
Communications
Social Justice
Community service
Food
Community involvement
Pastoral care
Finance (Treasurer who sits on board, Exec, and others) 1x/month
Accounting
Checkbook
Action items:
Investigate legal status of CitC and CityGallery - Jen or Teri
Board Commitment Form - SJ via Abby
Conflict of Interest Policy - SJ via Abby
By-laws - SS
Determine size of board - 5 was suggested to keep it lean as we start out.
Timeline for developing leadership plan - Rob
We also discussed the need to form a nominating committee. For an outsider, Danielle Shroyer and SJ's dad were suggested.
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