Business meetings

I have no idea about our church's business meetings, really. We have them quarterly, but I'm with the youth. I'm sure they are long and boring.

 

Monthly and special called when needed, Moderated by Pastor held on Sunday evening. Sometimes they are short sometimes long.

Local Association meetings are held annually on the last Saturday in March, Moderator is elected and must be an ordained Deacon or Minister, I was elected vice moderator, and would have been moderator after next years meeting, but the moderator was voted out of his church last week making me the moderator.

General Association meeting is held annually in July, on the second day of the Missions and Ministry Summit, this year that is a Tuesday. The Moderator is elected.

Council of Associations meeting is held semi-annually on a Monday (at least the meeting TODAY is on a Monday). The moderator is elected. I had to drive almost 400 miles for this meeting.

Bill

 

If you are a member of the church you attend, I think it is a great pity that you have no idea about its business meetings. You say you are "with the youth" as if that were a reason not to attend the church's business meetings. What if the subject of youth outreach, or some other item relating to young people, is on the agenda? As someone who is "with the youth" (not sure if that means that you yourself are young, or that you are involved with Christian youth work), would you not have something to contribute?

And whose business is (or should be) under consideration at a church business meeting? Surely the Lord's!

However I would just remind you that I am in the U.K., and perhaps the phrase "church business meeting" means something different in the U.S.

 

We have a short one every quarter basically for any budget questions and occassionally to empower a committee to do a specific job. After 10 years, there has been only 1 even minimally painful business mtg. The rest have been very positive because we make clear that the real business of the church takes place in every worship service or Bible study.

 

Unfortunately, our's was like wearing a copper suit in a power plant, playing frisbee with saw blades and being an alley cat who accidentally went in a dog pound for directions all rolled in to a one hour meeting... :BangHead:


J/K...

We have quarterly meetings.

Call to order
Scripture and Prayer
Minutes from Last meeting
Old Business
New Business
Closing prayer...

All new business has to be submitted in advanced and reviewed/approved by the Deacons and Myself before it's presented at a meeting. This sure helped to keep our meetings orderly...

 

I am the youth minister. I don't attend the business meetings because I am teaching a youth Bible study during that time.

If I need to address an issue, I go to the appropriate committee beforehand. I would also be aware if anything youth related were on the agenda because of our staff meetings that precede the business meeting. Generally, if an issue is important, the other staff members will speak on it on my behalf. If it were so important that I were required to be there, I'd go. Otherwise, I would rather spend time teaching the youth.

When I say I don't really have any idea what goes on in the business meetings doesn't mean that I don't know what topics are going to be addressed; it just means that I don't see the meetings to see how they operate.

There are other ways to get things done. For instance, at the last business meeting, they adopted a change in the policies and procedure manual about a financial issue important to the youth. They did so because I spoke with the staff and then made a proposal to the finance committee. The finance committee then made recommendation to the church, and it was adopted.

 

Sorry Stefan. I seem to have taken your previous post too literally in one way, and not literally enough in another. When I read your words, "I have no idea about our church's business meetings," I really took that as meaning that you knew nothing about them (apart from the fact that they are held quarterly). Too literal - sorry! And when you said, "I'm with the youth," I took you as meaning something like, "I am young (or young at heart), so I am not interested in boring things like business meetings!" :laugh: This time, not literal enough, so sorry again!

It does seem strange to me that your church should arrange all its business meetings at a time when you are teaching a youth bible study. I know that whatever date and time is chosen, some church members would be unable to attend, but if the business meetings are always on the same day at the same time, it is going to mean that some people (in this case, you and any of the young people attending the bible study who are church members) will never be able to attend one. (I am not being judgmental about your church - there might be good reasons why they always have the meetings at the same time as the youth bible study).

 

When I was youth pastor, our business meetings were also on Wed. evenings, the same time as youth group...

Of course, most of our business meetings were about 10 minutes in length, and nothing to see...

But on certain months when I knew something of importance was being discussed, our youth made a "field trip" to the sanctuary to set in on the business meeting...

The church I am pastor of now holds ours quarterly, usually on a Tuesday or Thursday, and they last about an hour....

 

You are wise beyond your years. Unforunately as Pastor/moderator I have to go. Wish I could spend the time with the youth!

 

sore subject with me here...how come so many baptist churches have monthly business meetings but only have the Lord's Supper on a quarterly basis!?!?! Personally i think that is why so many of our churches are in such disarray...too much time majoring on the minor and not enough time around the Lord's table.
Now with that being said, the church i serve has a monthly meeting that comes following a fellowship meal. People seem to be more agreeable with a full belly. I'm working on getting this changed to quarterly though.

 

2nd Wednesday every month with the pastor (me) as the moderator. Really we just approve the minutes from last month and approve the Treasurer's report (pending annual audit of course) and then go home. Usually last about 15 minutes and we're gone.

 

When I was in college, I was the only minister in a small congregation. I had to moderate the MONTHLY business meetings, which on occasion ran 1 1/2 hours. I've had my fill for a long time.

 

Business Meeting

Quarterly; Wednesday night @ 6 PM before other activities; out of 150 who attend on Wednesday nights, a dozen or so will attend the quarterly business meeting.

After over 12 years, we have never had an argument, even when voting to build.

Secretary reads minutes; financial report is distributed prior to meeting; never any old business or new business.

Our church is led by pastor and staff. No need for most matters to come before the church for a vote.

We are SBC.

 

I remember the business meeting in the first church I pastored. They were exciting and fun. People rejoiced and laughed. It was a great time of seeing God's hand and movement.

The second church I pastored was too close to hell in its attitude. There were control freaks. During that time I told the deacons that I was responsible for managing a business that handled their entire yearly budget of the church in less than three days at the business and could not understand their squabbles over such little things. I suggested that they handle their money differently. They did not listen and about six weeks later they lost all of the church's money except what was in a local bank.

 

We meet monthly unless a special business meeting is called. The meeting is led by a moderator, not the pastor.

 

Things must be different in "Razorback Land" (wherever that might be )and for fans of tigers (though I'm unsure why a liking for stripy big cats should affect the frequency of gathering around the Lord's Table, or of church business meetings!) Here, I have never come across a baptist church that holds business meetings more frequently than they have the Lord's Supper. That used to be true of the Church of Scotland (Prebyterian) who used to have the LS once a year - I don't think that applies these days.

My own church has the Lord's Supper monthly, and business meetings twice or three times a year.

 

I moderate the monthly meeting-----lasts about 30 minutes----but there's not much there to moderate

"OH--KEE---DOUGH---KEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! Lets hear the financial report!!!!"

"Any old business unfinished from last month??? None???"

"Any new business???"

"Monthly reports----lets start with Sunday School this time!!!"

"Follow the little bouncein' ball, folks!!!!!"

Somethin' along those lines!!!!!!:thumbs: