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We welcome you to Lexington United Methodist Church's restructure plan. In 1997 the Administrative Board set a goal to look into the possibility of changing our church leadership structure as allowed by the 1996 Book of Discipline. In April 1998 the plan was approved by the District Superintendent, Ted Walter, and on April 25, 1998 the Administrative Board of Lexington United Methodist Church unanimously adopted the restructure plan presented by the Restructure Task Committee. The complete text of the report of the committee is given below.

• Title Page
• Background
• The Mission of Lexington United Methodist church
• Theological Basis
• Book of Discipline Basis
• Task Group Findings
• Graphical Representation of the Proposed Organizational Structure for Lexington United Methodist Church
• The Church Council Part I - The NOW Ministries Team
• The Church Council Part II - The Appropriations Management Team
• The Church Council Part III - The Administrative Team
• Time Line
• Implementation
• Issues

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Title Page

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Background

In the past many local United Methodist churches pointed out to their conference centers that the organizational structure outlined in The Book of Discipline did not meet the needs of their local ministry. In fact the prescribed organization acted as a hurdle by requiring work areas and committees that were not needed while leaving out ministries that the local church did need. The "one size fits all" approach to local ministry simple did not work. As a result, the 1996 General Conference implemented guidelines that allow much more flexibility in the way that local churches structure for their mission needs.

Based on the rationale and urging from the General Church, the South Carolina Annual Conference has issued several guidelines and proposals to aid the local church in planning and designing its individual structure. Examples are included in the APPENDIX.

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The Mission of Lexington United Methodist Church

Following Christ's example, we strive to become a vital congregation whose goal is to be faithful disciples in our church, community and world.

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Theological Basis

The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ by proclaiming the good news of God’s grace and thus seeking the fulfillment of God’s reign and realm in the world. The fulfillment of God’s reign and realm in the world is the vision that Scripture holds before us.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:19-20 provides the Church with our mission: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you."

This mission is our grace-filled response to the Reign of God in the world announced by Jesus. God’s grace is active everywhere, at all times, carrying out his purpose and revealed in the Bible. It is expressed in God’s covenant with Abraham and Sarah, in the Exodus of Israel from Egypt, and in the ministry of the prophets. It is fully embodied in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is experienced in the ongoing creation of a new people by the Holy Spirit.

John Wesley, Phillip Otterbein, Jacob Albright, and our other spiritual forebears understood this mission in this way. Whenever United Methodism has had a clear sense of mission, God has used our Church to save persons, heal relationships, transform social structures, and spread spiritual holiness, thereby changing the world. In order to be truly alive, we embrace Jesus’ mandate to make disciples of all peoples.

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Book of Discipline Basis

204: Each local church shall have a definite evangelistic, nurture, and witness responsibility for its members and the surrounding area and a missional outreach responsibility to the local and global community. It shall be responsible for ministering to all its members, wherever they live, and for persons who choose it as their church.

245: The local church shall be organized so that it can pursue its primary task and mission in the context of its own community - reaching out and receiving with joy all who will respond; encountering people in their relationship with God and inviting them to commit to God’s love in Jesus Christ; providing opportunities for them to seek strengthening and growth in spiritual formation, and supporting them to live lovingly and justly in the power of the Holy Spirit as faithful disciples.

In carrying out its primary task, it shall be organized so that adequate provision is made for these basic responsibilities: (1) planning and implementing a program of nurture, outreach and witness for persons and families within and without the congregation; (2) providing for effective pastoral and lay leadership; (3) providing for financial support, physical facilities, and the legal obligations of the church; (4) utilizing the appropriate relationships and resources of the district and annual conference; (5) providing for the proper creation, maintenance, and disposition of documentary record material of the local church; and (6) seeking inclusiveness in all aspects of its life without regard to race, gender, age, national origin, or disabilities.

246: The basic organizational plan for the local church shall include provision for the following units: a charge conference (248-251) for duties and required officers) a church council (254, includes required members), a committee on pastor-parish relations (262.2), a board of trustees (262.3, 2524 and following), a committee on finance (262.4), a committee on nominations and personnel (262.1), and such other elected leaders, commissions, councils, committees, and tasks forces a the charge conference may determine. Every local church shall develop a plan for organizing its administrative and programmatic responsibilities. Each local congregation shall provide a comprehensive program of nurture, outreach, and witness, and with leadership training, and the planning and administration of the congregation’s organizational and temporal life, in accordance with the mission of The United Methodist Church (See 101-120)

1. The church council and all other administrative and programmatic structures of the local church shall be amenable to the charge conference (See 248). The church council shall function as the executive agency of the charge conference.

2. Alternative plans may be developed in accordance with the provisions of 249.2. Such alternatives include: nurture, outreach, and witness ministries; administrative council; or administrative board/council on ministries.

249.2 The charge conference, the district superintendent, and the pastor shall organize and administer the pastoral charge and churches according to the policies and plans herein set forth. When the member size, program scope, mission resources, or other circumstances so require, the charge conference may, in consultation with and upon the approval of the district superintendent, modify the organizational plans; provided that the provisions of 245 are observed.

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Task Group Findings

One goal set by LUMC in 1996 was to review its structure and make changes, if necessary, to improve its ministry. In the fall of 1997 the Administrative Board appointed a task group to carry out this review. Findings of the task group are summarized below.

· The ministry of LUMC is very much lay driven and this will continue to be so in the future.

· Structure vs. Function - The current structure shown above requires the Committee on Nominations to seek volunteers to fill a fixed number of positions each year. A shortcoming of this structure is that, at any given point in time, the missional needs of LUMC frequently does not track with those positions. When that happens we attempt to overcome the deficiency in structure by assigning tasks to any committee or work area that is willing to assume the responsibility.

· A new, more flexible structure has the potential to involve more lay people in our ministry than the current fixed structure.

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Graphical Representation of the Proposed Organizational Structure for Lexington United Methodist Church

The new structure for LUMC can be thought of as a triangle sitting on its point. The supporting legs are the new Church Council Team and the "Appropriations Management Team." The latter team is composed of the committees that are required by the Book of Discipline. These committees are the Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, Nominations Committee, the Pastor Parish Committee, and the Communications Committee. Also included in the Appropriations Management Team for LUMC are the Long Range Planning Committee and the Child Development Board.

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The Church Council Part 1 - The NOW Ministries team

Purpose: To provide for the planning and implementing of a program of nurture, outreach and witness at LUMC.

NURTURE: Purpose Statement: The Nurture ministries team shall give attention to liturgical, educational, worship and stewardship ministries within the church family. CHAIR OF NURTURE CHAIR-ELECT STEWARDSHIP Time and Talents Coordination Finance Campaign Assistance WORSHIP Music Ministry Ushers Acolytes Lay Scripture Readers Communion Stewards Alter Guild (paraments, flowers, candles) Weddings (directors, policies) CHRISTIAN EDUCATION SS SUPERINTENDENT SS Secretary/Administration Curriculum Coordination Media Center Coordination CHILDREN’S COORDINATION Age Level Council Coordination Nursery – Sixth Grade Children’s Programs SS Teachers YOUTH COORDINATION United Methodist Youth Programs 7th – 12th Grade Youth Council Youth Choir Youth Orchestra SS Teachers ADULT COORDINATION Higher Ed/Campus Ministry Singles, Family, Young Adults, Middle Adults, Senior Adults Intergenerational UMW & UMM

OUTREACH: Purpose Statement: The Outreach ministries team shall give attention to missions and advocacy ministries, beyond the church family, in the local and larger community. CHAIR OF OUTREACH CHAIR-ELECT MISSIONS Church Community Conference National Global ADVOCACY Health & Welfare Church & Society Religion & Race (Inclusiveness) Status & Role of Women Fostering Families Weigh Down Workshop AA Scouting

WITNESS: Purpose Statement: The Witness ministries team shall give attention to evangelistic outreach, membership care, spiritual growth and faith sharing ministries. CHAIR OF WITNESS CHAIR-ELECT SPIRITUAL GROWTH Disciples Bible Studies Basic Christianity Course Spiritual Renewal Services Lay Speakers Bible Studies MEMBERSHIP CARE Shepherding Groups Prayer Chain Shut In Visitation Caring Committee Wednesday Night Dinners EVANGELISM Greeters Visitors’ Welcome Center New Member Coordination Visitation Program Witnessing

NOW Ministries Team Positions Nominated: 18
Total NOW Ministries Team Positions: UNLIMITED


Training of chairpersons & other key positions is available through district & church resources.

Communications & team training is part of each chair's responsibilities.

It is vital that the NOW Ministries Team work together throughout the year in program planning and facilitating.

The Work Area leaders should seek out persons to work with them, forming a team to create and implement ministries of our church.

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The Church Council Part II - Appropriations Management Team

Purpose: To provide resources to assist in the programs of The Church Council and to assist in the maintenance of these resources.

COMMITTEE ON PASTOR-PARISH
This committee shall continue to function under the guidelines heretofore in place.

COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS AND PERSONNEL
This committee shall continue to function under the guidelines heretofore in place.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
This committee shall continue to function under the guidelines heretofore in place. In addition, civic group coordination to be provided by trustees.

COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
This committee shall continue to function under the guidelines heretofore in place. In addition, the financial campaign will be led by finance committee with the stewardship team leader to assist on finance committee.

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
This committee shall continue to function under the guidelines heretofore in place.

LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE
This committee shall continue to function under the guidelines heretofore in place.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT BOARD
This committee shall continue to function under the guidelines heretofore in place.

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The Church Council Part III - The Administrative Team

Purpose: To provide for the administration of LUMC organizational and temporal life and to function as the executive agency of the charge conference.

Required Positions Chairperson Pastor 2 Lay delegates to Annual Conference 2 Reserve delegates to Annual Conference Lay Leader Financial Secretary Church Treasurer Communications Coordinator Chair of CDB Chair of Long Range Planning Committee 3 Members at large** Required Administrative Groups Chairperson, Committee on Pastor-Parish Secretary, Committee on Nominations & Personnel Chairperson, Board of Trustees Chairperson, Committee on Finance Recording Secretary - Charge Conference & Church Council Required Representatives of Program Groups Chairperson of Nurture Ministries Chairperson of Outreach Ministries Chairperson of Witness Ministries President od UMM President of UMW President of UMYC

Ex Officio Positions Pastors Director of Christian Education Director of Youth Ministries Implementation Team Leader

Total administrative positions: 30


Must have a Membership Secretary - Not to sit on the Council, but required by the Book of Discipline.

Church Historian - Not to sit on the Council, but important to have.

**Current members at large are to serve out their terms through the year 2000. Beginning in 2001, we will then have three (3) members at large. One will serve one year, one will serve two years, and one will serve three years, as their respective terms end. The newly elected members at large shall each serve a term of three years, thus establishing a yearly class rotation.

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Time Line

9/1/1997 - The task force gathers information and begins its study on the restructuring process.
The task force reaches the decision to proceed forward with restructuring .
The task force formulates a proposed restructuring plan for the Church Council.

2/19/1998 - The new structure, the Church Council, was presented to the Council on Ministries for review and input.

3/19/1998 - Input received from the Council on Ministries and modifications were made to the restructuring plan as proposed by the Council on Ministries

3/29/1998 - Proposed restructuring plan for the LUMC Church Council presented to the administrative board for review.

4/1/1998 - Proposes restructuring plan for the LUMC Church Council submitted to the district superintendent for review.

5/17/1998 - The LUMC Church Council structure presented to the congregation in a called charge conference.

The Charge Conference will appoint an implementation team to plan for and facilitate the implementation of the new LUMC Church Council structure. This team will function until the year 2000, at which time it will be dissolved. Recommendations for members of the Implementation Team will be provided by the Restructuring Task Group.

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Implementation

After the restructure plan is approved by the LUMC Administrative Board and the District Superintendent, the Implementation Team will begin their work. It is expected that the Implementation Team will be active until the year 2000. At that time the LUMC Church Council should be firmly in place and the team will be dissolved. The functions of the Implementation Team will include, but is not limited to the items listed below:

1. Training - This includes leadership training for all leaders and team training for all members of the NOW teams.

2. Meeting schedules - Develop meeting schedules for the Church Council and NOW teams. The separate groups will refine the meeting schedules as the full impact of the new structure takes effect.

3. Communications - The Implementation Team will develop means of communications to ensure that all members of the administrative and mission teams are kept informed of the progress of the implementation effort.

4. Budget - The Implementation team is responsible for developing new procedures for developing annual budgets that are in line with the new structure. This includes changes to the chart of accounts in the computer system.

5. Position descriptions - Position descriptions need to be revised to fit the new structure.

6. Measuring the progress - An action plan needs to be developed early with deadlines for accomplishing each phase of the implementation process. Progress on this plan needs to be reported regularly to the staff, leadership, and congregation.

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Issues

1. Involvement - The new Church Council will permit LUMC to create and dismantle committees and work areas quickly and easily as the missional needs of the church change. Not only will there be opportunity for more people to become actively involved, but resources can be allocated more equitably to the areas they are needed.

2. Disenfranchisement - The previous Administrative Board/Council on Ministries structure required a number of committees and work areas that were not in line with the needs of our congregation or surrounding community. The new Church Council structure is a team approach that allows LUMC to set up only those work areas that are needed by our church. Even though certain existing work areas will no longer have an appointed chairperson under the new structure, the function of the work area may continue to exist. In those cases the functions will be carried out as part of a larger team. People will be appointed to serve on the team as needed to carry out all of the necessary functions.

3. Budgeting Realignment - The budgeting process of LUMC will need to be altered to accommodate the new structure. The chart of accounts in the computer will also need to be updated.

4. Communications - The leadership of LUMC will need to actively communicate the new structure to the congregation. This can be done through special communications meetings, Household of Faith articles, flyers, brochures, and other media.

5. Training - An extensive training program will need to be undertaken as the new structure is implemented. The Implementation Team will be charged with the responsibility of coordinating the training program.

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