Congregational Administration
Administration models our values in a systemic way. Unitarian Universalism is founded on congregational polity- each individual community determines its own leadership and systems of organization. A Minister, and especially an Interim Minister, should know the processes of a congregation well and be able to assist or lead in church administration.
Clear, open, and transparent systems of leadership matter in congregational polity for it is the congregation who is responsible for all major decisions and the system overall. This means the congregation is responsible for fundraising, grounds, holding leadership accountable. A minister’s job is to support the congregation in maintaining that accountability and following through on responsibilities where directed. An Interim Minister’s job is to offer feedback as to the effectiveness of the administration overall including what works well and where improvements could be made, if needed.
Efficient church administration lies on a foundation of strong and informed lay and professional leaders. At the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Montgomery we focused on policies and Bylaws that made sense and made it easier for the congregation to make decisions, coordinate programs, and utilize volunteers efficiently. When the leaders were clear then the congregation felt more in tune with the work of the community and the leadership.
Clear, open, and transparent systems of leadership matter in congregational polity for it is the congregation who is responsible for all major decisions and the system overall. This means the congregation is responsible for fundraising, grounds, holding leadership accountable. A minister’s job is to support the congregation in maintaining that accountability and following through on responsibilities where directed. An Interim Minister’s job is to offer feedback as to the effectiveness of the administration overall including what works well and where improvements could be made, if needed.
Efficient church administration lies on a foundation of strong and informed lay and professional leaders. At the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Montgomery we focused on policies and Bylaws that made sense and made it easier for the congregation to make decisions, coordinate programs, and utilize volunteers efficiently. When the leaders were clear then the congregation felt more in tune with the work of the community and the leadership.
