From the Consistory….
Throughout the past decade, our congregation and its leadership have been meeting to discuss ways in which to function more efficiently and effectively within Salem’s structure of governance. Over the past two years, leadership teams have met more often focusing on how we may better accomplish the goals of our church’s missions and ministries. A consensus has been reached among those participating that portions of Salem’s Constitution and By-Laws may no longer be a good fit to serve our current needs and direction for the future.
We are seeking, in the name of Jesus Christ, to:
1. be more effective and responsive to the needs of the communities and people we serve;
2. support, rather than burn out, our volunteers;
3. make better the use of people’s time and resources, allowing them to spend more time doing ministry rather than meeting about doing ministry
Salem’s Consistory proposes that a motion be considered, at our annual meeting on January 26, 2020, to suspend, for one year, portions of Salem’s Constitution and By-Laws as they relate to the structure of our church’s Consistory, Officers of the Congregation and Committees.
This action will allow us time to reorganize the way we manage the church and accomplish tasks in a simpler manner that we hope better fits our available people and resources.
We will continue to offer opportunities for worship, communion, fellowship, mission, Christian education and congregational activities. There will be a management body (board or consistory) and interest groups (teams) that organize and carry out activities. However, their number, size and the ways they function may change.
We plan to present the proposed motion and process in greater detail during our January 11 and 12, 2020 worship services. This should allow time for reflection and any additional questions prior to our annual meeting, on January 26, 2020.
Thank you for your prayerful consideration of this proposal and participation in the process of making these changes possible.
Salem UCC Consistory