A Volley from the Canon, Number 105 Vestry Do's

A VOLLEY FROM THE CANON, NUMBER 105: EFFECTIVE VESTRIES, ‘DO’S’ AND ‘DON’TS’

JULY 11, 2011-- FIRST, TEN DO’S

1. Worship is not an option for a Vestry. It expresses who we are. Every Vestry meeting should begin and end with worship, and not just with a hasty collect. The bookends of prayer enfold and permeate the meeting itself. The Vestry will approach its work differently when it is prayerful. The Vestry meeting will be shorter when there is worship as part of it, not longer: worship eliminates some of the extraneous claptrap of a secular meeting.

a. I suggest appointing someone, not the rector, as “chaplain” to the Vestry. This person has specific responsibility for planning and leading the Vestry’s devotions, and may have license to call for a brief silence or prayer before a weighty decision is to be made. The Chaplain might or might not be a Vestry member, but should be someone who has the Vestry’s trust and respect.

b. As wonderful as Compline is, don’t fall back on it all the time. Vary the worship, and use props such as candles, non-objectionable scents, photographs, rocks, branches, flowers, music, art—anything to involve the senses beyond books and spoken words.

c. Include the opportunity for members to pray about their own needs and concerns, and those of the congregation. Make the Vestry truly a spiritual body, and it will behave like one!

2. Make sure the congregation has a concise, memorable, specific, and meaningful statement of its mission and vision, and that all vestry members, and the congregation in general, know them cold. Keep these up-to-date, and USE THEM to guide the Vestry’s planning.

3. Have a small “Executive Committee” to plan the Vestry meeting agenda. The Rector and Vestry officers would be usual members for such a committee. Send the meeting agenda out to all members at least a couple of days prior to the meeting, and always include an “other business” item so that last-minute or additional matters can be brought up if needed, and to ensure that others do not perceive their matters to be excluded.

4. Move the official Treasurer’s Report to the end of the meeting. That keeps nickel-and-diming everyone to death at a minimum. The Treasurer can still be consulted, during discussion of other agenda items, about where the money could come from to fund a particular proposal.

5. Have a budget, assign areas to particular ministry groups or leaders, and let them manage their responsibilities. It is not necessary for the Vestry to approve items that are within the budget and the scope of activity of a particular officer or committee, though they should keep the Vestry fully informed of their actions through their own regular reports. A Vestry might assign a cut-off amount above which specific approval of an expenditure would be required, and it certainly should require approval (and budget amendment) before any spending beyond the budget allocated.
6. Set a time limit for Vestry meetings. Ninety minutes should be sufficient. Require a two-thirds majority vote to extend the meeting beyond the allocated time (but don’t let worship get pushed off the end!) This discipline is only fair to members, who have other responsibilities, and it cuts down on unnecessary chatter. The pressure is on the presider, however, to gavel in pontificators and “compulsive communicators,” gently, but authoritatively.

7. Establish, and review annually, a Vestry Covenant of behavior that is acceptable in meetings. (A sample will be posted soon as a separate Canon Volley.) Don’t forget to include standards for attendance, and some tool for accountability. If a seat is to be declared vacant after a certain number of absences, that policy should be in the Parish By-laws.

8. Learn and practice effective communication to reduce conflicts, particularly how to state and how to receive negative feedback. (A separate Canon Volley on this is coming, too!)

9. Hold a Vestry Retreat annually, for all Vestry members. The content should be for personal and group growth, or for visioning, not for the conduct of regular Vestry business. A weekend away from home and church is great, but if that is not possible, an over-night or even a day-long get-together with a leader from beyond the congregation itself is better than nothing! Contact Congregational Vitality or Ministry Development Offices for ideas and leadership.

10. Conduct a Mutual Ministry Review approximately one year into a new pastorate, about two years after that, and at least every third year after that. Again, the Canon and the Archdeacon are very happy to assist.