How the Board of Management Works - “managing facilities and finances”
FAQ’s and how the Board leads to serve you.
12 October 2022 | Article by Russ Grinter
Every year, around this time of year, our Session (the Elders) conducts the election of managers for the Board. It’s at this time of year that we have an opportunity to explain the why and how, as well as the who, of the BoM.
Why a Board of Management?
Our denomination (the Presbyterian Church of Victoria) has in it’s Code Book of rules and regulations that congregations like ours have Elders who shepherd the flock of God they are among (1 Peter 5:1-5) and Deacons who serve in ministries of mercy (Acts 6:1-7), and Managers who are like Deacons but particularly serve by managing the facilities and finances of the congregation.
How does the Board serve?
The Managers of the Board are the elected Members of the congregation, who serve by leading in this trellis ministry. If a church is like a trellis and vine, then the Elders ultimately lead on the vine work as they equip the saints for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:16) and they are enabled to do so because the trellis of the church in all her structures and administration is cared for by the Board Managers.
Who are the Board Managers?
You can see who are our current Managers here, and on the back of the service sheet each Sunday. These are the people the congregation have elected to lead in this ministry of the trellis, in managing the congregation’s facilities and finances.
What does this mean for our elections and ministry as a church?
Having a Board of Management that meets monthly for ordinary meetings means that the congregation are led by people who dedicate their time, talents, treasure and all that goes with that into such a ministry of management. The Board thinking deeply about how our facilities and finances care best for everyone in the congregation of Reforming Church.
As the Managers serve in this way, they also are shepherded by the Elders, and the Elders lead in the pastoral ministry of the church - so that the Board considers how the church is first and foremost the flock of God and that we need facilities and finances to be managed in a Christ-like way, and Christ-focused way. The church is primarily a discipleship community, a learning community as we learn Christ together - and so all we do is working towards that end.
How does the Board work on a weekly basis?
With diligence and godliness. The Board love our church and one another, they know they have received grace - and every meeting they ask the Lord in prayer for grace and wisdom for their meetings and leadership.
The Board are Team Leaders of our church cleaning roster - they do what Jesus tells us to do in going low to serve. The Board lead our church working bees, and give direction on how we serve with safety on the day.
In the Presbyterian Church, the Board meeting is chaired by the Pastor who himself is not a Board Manager and also submits to the Board and their decisions.
Decisions are made at the Board (after asking the Lord for grace and wisdom) by moving motions, questions, discussion, debate and voting - and all this is done with gentleness and Christlikeness. It’s a beautiful thing to be part of.
This all means that all our care for facilities and finances as a church is rightly and lovingly undertaken through the ministry of the Board of Management. We don’t manage the trellis of our church’s ministry outside of the Board, because the facilities and finances don’t belong to one or two people - but to the church. Therefore it is good and right for all that the facilities and finances are managed by the elected managers of the church.
What does this mean for our November Board elections?
Now is your opportunity to nominate and elect Board Managers for this ministry. We pray that the Lord would raise up workers for this ministry who are Christlike, caring for everyone in our church, and who care for correct processes in how we serve everyone for the sake of the gospel. So let’s pray to the Lord, who gives good gifts to His people.
