Committees

• Executive Board
• Executive Committee
• Choir Adult
• Choir Youth
• Christian Education
• Communications
• Fellowship
• Finance
• Special Events
• Membership & Pastoral Care
• Ministry & Personnel
• Nominations
• Outreach
• Planning/Evaluation/Transition Team
• Presbytery
• Property
• Trustees
• UCW
• Worship
• Youth Group
• Link to ANNUAL REPORT (July 2007 - June 2008)

Click here to check our newsletter, The Messenger, for committee highlights.

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Establishing priorities and defining policy consistent with the Mission Statement, the will of the congregation and in accord with the manual of the United Church of Canada, recommending to the congregation when practical and substantial.
• Directing the life and programme of the congregation, to implement the Mission Statement and keeping the congregation informed.
• Ensuring representation at Presbytery.
• To receive, amend and forward to the congregational meeting the proposed annual budget.
• To report annually including finances to the congregation.
• The Board shall recommend to the congregation the size, structure, and constitution and responsibilities of committees, which shall initiate, develop and administer programmes of the congregation.
• The Board on recommendation of the nominating committee shall have the power to appoint a member to fill any vacancy on the Board until the next Annual Congregational meeting.
• The Board shall have power to appoint temporary committees for special projects that do not fall under the direct responsibility of one of the standing committees.

> top

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for overall administration of office, and setting of agenda for the Board, to meet as necessary, and keep minutes.

Note: Executive Committee shall be made up of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Past Chairperson of the Board, Minister, and Church Administrator and may include one other layperson.

> top

ADULT CHOIR

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Choir provides worship service music from September through to June. Summer service music leadership is provided by the Music Director but may or may not involve members of the choir.

> top

YOUTH CHOIR

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Youth Choir performs at special worship events. Their leadership comes from a layperson in the congregation and the Music Director provides accompanying organ or piano music.

> top

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversee and outline Christian education program throughout the church.
• Make Christian education information and materials available.
• Secure teachers, superintendents and officers for church school.
• Arrange for training of teachers and leaders.
• Ensure that Confirmation classes are organized.
• Operate the church library. Select materials for library additions. Advise congregation of publications available.
• General Superintendent of the church school to be automatically a member of this committee.
• In co-operation with the Outreach Committee promote a better understanding of the mission work of the church amongst the children of the church school.
• Towards the end of the year prepare a budget for the next year's financial requirements and present it to the Finance Committee for inclusion in the overall church budget.
• Assign a member to oversee Adult Nurture:
  • To promote adult education, including bible study.
  • To promote groups such as Good Grief, Prayer, Marriage Prep, Baptismal Prep, Membership Prep
  • Nurturing programs

If you are interested in being a part of the Christian Education Committee please contact Denise Reid or Janis Timbrell through our church office.

> top

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Communicate the life and work of the church to the congregation and community.
• Communicate decisions and pertinent information from the Board to the congregation in cooperation with the Chairperson.
• Administer newsletter editing, distribution and publication.
• Communicate to the community via radio, television and press.
• Encourage existing groups in the church to report on activities.
• Submit a budget annually.
• Maintain photo album, Minute Book and paintings for Friendship Room, banners, etc.
• Provide visual communication to the congregation by display material, historical record books and posters.
• Evaluate how communication works in the church and how people communicate with each other.
• Develop and provide material for the website.

If you are interested in being a part of the Communication Committee please contact Jack McBride or Brenda Wareham through our church office. Other recognized committee members are Paul Reid, Janis Timbrell, Dorothy Gilbert, Beatrice Volino and Bev Davis.

> top

FELLOWSHIP COMMITTEE

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Create opportunities within the church for the purpose of the development of Christian fellowship within the congregation.
• Assist adult groups in planning and developing their program with a view to realizing the stated intent of the congregation.
• Act as a liaison between various adult groups and the Board, and consider and recommend for approval by the Board, any significant changes in policy and practice.
• Act as a liaison with other committees in promoting and arranging groups for study, action, fellowship or service.
  

If you are interested in being a part of the Fellowship Committee please Genie Gilchrist or Betty Young through our church office. Other recognized committee members are Cathy Brewer, Lorraine McBride and Brenda Walker

> top

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Duties and Responsibilities:

• To Record all contributions, approve and record all disbursements of the general funds of the church and prepare current financial statements on a regular basis.
• Publicize and promote stewardship in the church, including the use of PAR.
• To raise funds for the work of the church. This will include:
  1. Empowering a specially formed Visitation Committee to conduct an all Member Visitation periodically in co-operation with the standing Membership and Pastoral Care committee.
  2. Determining the number of special appeals advisable within any year and the provision of envelopes for such appeals.
• Monitor the overall financial position of the Church at all times and report regularly to the Board at its monthly meetings, and to the congregation. This will include bringing to the attention of the Board any matters of concern as well as presenting financial statements.
• Prepare the Annual budget in consultation with other committees for presentation to the congregation at a duly constituted congregational meeting as early in the year as possible.
• Appoint and recommend to the Board no fewer than three persons and no more than 4 persons, to sign cheques on the Church's General Fund bank account, and otherwise deal with the Church's General bankers. This will include borrowing funds, subject to approval of the amount and term by the Board. Any cheque must have signatures from 2 of the eligible signing officers. Paid staff of the church are not eligible for cheque signing authority.
• The Treasurer is also the Envelope Secretary to arrange for distribution of envelopes, maintain contribution records and issue annual receipts suitable for income tax purposes. o Appoint counting teams.
• Emergency expenditures for the church, such as emergency repairs to a roof or furnace etc. may be authorized by the Finance and Stewardship convenor and the Church Board Chairperson or in either of their absence, the Past Chair Person of the Board or the Vice Chair. In any event, the Board should be advised and/or consulted as soon as practicable. The treasurer shall be a member of this committee and shall manage and record all receipts, disbursements and payables.

If you are interested in being a part of the Finance Committee please contact Bonnie Atkins or Larry Tod through our church office.

> top

SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Committee convenor to attend monthly Board Meetings as full board member.
• To explore ways of reaching out into the broader community to raise funds for the church as well as running events within St. Andrew's itself.
• To invent, plan and implement such fund raising events, calling upon other committees of the Board and the congregation as a whole for help and support as needed.
• This committee shall define its duties for the board in such a way as to not interfere with the efforts of other committees.
• Co-ordinate plans through the Finance Committee as to avoid conflicts on programs.

If you are interested in being a part of the Special Event Committee please contact Matthew Moore through our church office.

> top

MEMBERSHIP AND PASTORAL CARE COMMITTEE

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Encourage all members and adherents of the congregation to share in the life and work of the church.
• Keep informed of new people in the community and develop programs for welcoming these people.
• Seeing to the well being of church members & adherents and visitation of those in crisis, shut-ins, newcomers and others as possible.
• Arrange for lay visitation training.
• Periodically review the requirements for church membership.
• Ensure the maintenance of Membership Roll, Record of Transfers, Baptism, Marriage and Death & congregational mailing list.
• Submit a budget annually.

If you are interested in being a part of the Membership and Pastoral Care Committee please contact Mimi O'Leary and Vivienne Tod through our church office. Other recognized committee members are  Mary McLean, Dorothy Middleton, Lorraine McBride and Nancy Rowe.

> top

MINISTRY AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide a consultative and supportive agency for all staff of the Pastoral Charge and for members and Adherents of the Congregation.
• Review working conditions, benefits, and remuneration for the staff of the Pastoral Charge (members of the order of ministry, secretary(s), caretaker(s), organist(s), and other paid employees), and make appropriate recommendations to the Official Board.
• Oversee the relationship of the staff of the Pastoral Charge (members of the order of ministry, secretary(s), caretaker(s), organist(s), and other paid employees) to members of the congregation and others.
• Oversee the relationship between and among different members of the staff of the Pastoral Charge (members of the order of ministry, secretary(s), caretaker(s), organist(s), and other paid employees) with respect to their responsibilities and authority.
• Consult with all members of the staff of the Pastoral Charge about their plans for continuing education and ensure that those eligible avail themselves of the provision for continuing education and that money and time are made available.
• Review and evaluate annually the effectiveness of the staff of the Pastoral charge as those persons and positions relate to the mission of the Pastoral Charge (members of the order of ministry, secretary(s), caretaker(s), organist(s), and other paid employees) as defined by the Official Board. This will include congregational input relating to all ministerial and other staff.
• Maintenance of close liaison with the Pastoral Relations Committee.
• Review regularly the responsibilities of all staff of the Pastoral Charge (in consultation with those committees that have assigned staff responsibilities) and revise position descriptions when required or requested.
• Receive from each Ministry Personnel settled in or called to the Pastoral Charge, a current police records check, at the expense of the Ministry Personnel, no later than the completion of each three-year period of the pastoral relationship. o All staff is accountable to the board or its committees for the performance of their duties, in consultation with the M&P committee.

If you are interested in being a part of the Ministry and Personnel Committee please contact Carol Wildgoose through our church office. Other recognized members are Bob Majowicz, John Roberts and John Storr.

> top

NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the preparation of official slate of officers to be elected or appointed (as previously defined in Congregational Meetings) to office for the coming term.
• Liaise with Board on candidates and proposed candidates for positions of chairpersons.
• Liaise with committee chairpersons and ministerial staff to prepare and approach members and adherents to participate in committee activities.
• Attendance at Board Meetings.
• The Nominating Committee shall consist of the Past Chairperson who shall chair the committee and four other members who are elected from the congregation by the congregation. These four members should have two-year terms with two being elected each year.
• This Committee shall determine which positions are to become vacant and must publish a list of these vacancies in a newsletter at least five weeks prior to the annual congregational meeting, to invite further nominations from the congregation.
• This Committee shall announce a full slate of nominees for these positions in a newsletter at least two weeks prior to the election. Nominations will be allowed from the floor on the day of the congregational meeting, only for positions, which do not have a nominee.

> top

OUTREACH COMMITTEE

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Keep informed about political and social issues in the community and the world.
• Encourage study and discussion of such issues within the congregation.
• Provide channels for assistance and responsible action by members of our congregation.
• Provide liaison with other churches and agencies that serve in the community, e.g. Unionvilla, Family Life Centre.
• Study to make recommendations to the Property Committee and Board, ways in which our facilities may be used to meet the needs of the community.
• Be responsible for educating the congregation in the total mission of the church at home and abroad, by sharing information, arranging events of a mission nature, and generally making the congregation more aware of the needs on local, national and international levels.
• Submit an annual budget to the Finance Committee, establishing priorities for disbursements and overseeing the Outreach funds.
• Investigate needs within the community that the church might meet.
• Encourage the support of the M&S fund, and name an M&S enthusiast.

If you are interested in being a part of the Outreach Committee please contact Mary Webster or Judy Bell through our church office. Other recognized members are Mary McLean, Marilyn Webster, Andrea Crockford, Albert and Mauva Massey, Mary Belle Graber, and Genie Gilchrist.

> top

PLANNING/EVALUATION/TRANSITION TEAM

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Meet at least quarterly for the express purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of any section of the church life and work, as well as the church vitality in comparison to the community and other churches.
• To analyse annual growth/decline of community churches, and assess such trends on a rolling three-year basis.
• Report to the Board on areas of possible improvement.
• Assess the effectiveness of any long-range plans, which have been submitted to the Board by any committee, group or individual.
• Plan, in general terms, the path, which the church should pursue on a one or two year basis and also on a five to ten year basis.
• Bring forward suggested programs, which the Board might follow, in achieving its objectives. This goal setting would be on a longer-term basis than that of some committees.
• To cause the mission statement to be updated and made relevant.

If you are interested in being a part of this Committee please contact Frank Del Vecchio through our church office.

> top

PRESBYTERY COMMITTEE

Duties and Responsibilities

• Attend monthly Presbytery meetings, and act on designated Presbytery Committee.
• Report to Board on all pertinent Presbytery business, and to congregation when practical.
• Prepare report for St. Andrew's Annual meeting.

If you are interested in being a part of the Presbytery Committee please contact Beth Langhorst and Dorothy Gilbert through our church office.

> top

PROPERTY COMMITTEE

Duties and Responsibilities:

• To be responsible for the supervision, maintenance and improvement of all church properties, including land, buildings and contents. This should include a monthly inspection of all church properties, and a yearly and 5 year plan.
• Submit annual budget requirements to the Finance Committee for property maintenance and improvements as recommendations regarding expenditures.
• To regulate working conditions of the caretaker and any other contracted services. Caretaker contract to be administered in consultation with M&P.
• To supervise the work of the caretaker.
• To allocate the use of rooms with the exception of the Sanctuary.
• To fix fees and be responsible for collecting it for rentals of these rooms in co-operation with the Finance Committee.
• To maintain an inventory of the property and equipment.
• To arrange for adequate insurance on the church properties, in consultation with the Board of Trustees, and to equip the church in such a way as to meet all insurance and municipal requirements.

If you are interested in being a part of the Property Committee please contact Ken Harris or Jack McBride through our church office. Other recognized members are Jim White, Frank DelVecchio and Ross Gilbert.

> top

TRUSTEES

Duties and Responsibilities:

• To hold real and personal property belonging to the congregation, and will administer, supervise, and otherwise operate the cemeteries known as St. Andrew's and Elmwood.
• To follow the lawful orders and directions of the Board, Presbytery, Conference and General Council 259.
• To ensure that the congregation maintains adequate insurance.
• To keep books of account and minute books.
• To manage cemetery investments for the use of the cemetery.
• To manage Church investments held in the name of the Trustees, the revenue to be used by the congregation or as the Church Board directs.
• To manage any bequests received by the Church.
• To acquire, sell, mortgage, exchange, or lease the real or personal property of the congregation or to effect major renovations only with the prior consent of Presbytery.
• To file an annual report to the Annual Congregational Meeting.

The Board of Trustees include James Wicks, Brenda Walker, Ron Wilson, Stuart Young, Don Middleton, Catherine Allison, Isabelle Bruce, John Webster and Rev. John Niles.

> top

UNITED CHURCH WOMEN (UCW)

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Act as a liaison between the U.C.W. and the Board. (Duties of U.C.W. are laid down in its' constitution.)

If you are interested in being a part of the UCW Committee please contact Peggy Garach or Yvonne Weston through our church office.

> top

WORSHIP COMMITTEE

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversee, in co-operation with the ministers, the following phases of public worship:
• Order of service;
• Choirs - arrange with Property committee for repairs and maintenance, adding to musical equipment; encourage the continuance and participation of all choirs.
• Arrange lay assistance for services:
  • Ushering
  • Greeting
  • Communion
  • Baptism
  • Scripture readers
• Arrange for different types of services in order to enhance the worship experience for the people of St. Andrew's.
• Oversee sacraments of Baptism and Lord' s Supper and communion for shut-ins.
• Arrange discussion and study groups relating to worship services.
• Arrange special services i.e. anniversary.
• Arrange for pulpit supply, pulpit exchange and special speakers; also summer coverage of Ministerial staff.
• Oversee use and decoration of sanctuary. Towards end of each year prepare a budget of the next year's financial requirements so that it may be presented to the finance committee for inclusion in the overall church budget.
• Propose policy and practice for weddings, baptism, reception of new members, use and rental of sanctuary etc.

If you are interested in being a part of the Worship Committee please contact our church office. Recognized member of this committee are Rev. John Niles, Ron Chambers, Larry Tod and Mary McClean.

> top

YOUTH GROUP

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Act as a liaison between Youth Group, Senior Sunday school and Executive Board. (Duties of the Youth Group are laid down in its' constitution.)

If you are interested in being a part of the Youth Group Committee please contact Denise Reid or Janis Timbrell through our church office.

> top