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A Summary of Policy Governance at All Souls Church
All Souls Church, Unitarian is a self-governing congregation. As part of that tradition, All Souls has a long history of shared ministry. While the concept is embraced throughout the Unitarian Universalist movement, All Souls takes great pride in its unique legacy of shared ministry. To further promote this important part of our culture, the Board of Trustees, including Senior Minister Rob Hardies, has adopted a new management framework. Often referred to as policy governance, this structure will better position the church to meet its long-term goals. [See frequently asked questions on policy governance.]
Policy governance looks different at every organization. But at its core one thing remains the same: Guided by clear goals and policies, everyone has an important part to play. It starts with the congregation agreeing on a mission and set of long-term goals. The board acts as steward and monitor of those goals. It focuses on broad policy issues. Staff and committees are responsible for the day-to-day management of the organization and for implementing the goals and policies.
An executive team -- made up of the senior minister, associate minister and administrator -- is in charge of coordinating implementation of the congregation's goals. In other words, it determines how to make things happen. To that end, the executive team will work closely with committees, the vast majority of which report directly to the executive team rather than the board. The exceptions are those committees that perform an oversight and monitoring function, such as the Audit Committee, and a few special exceptions such as the Beckner Committee, mandated by the donor's will.
Executive team members report directly to the senior minister who acts as a chief of staff. The senior minister, in turn, reports to the Board of Trustees. Governing policies delineate clear lines of responsibility and communication. They also establish a guide for the executive team to follow. These so-called "limitations" establish the boundaries for what may not be done, such as deviate from the UU seven principles or violate standard personnel procedures. Outside of what is listed in these limitations, the executive team is empowered to do anything it deems necessary to meet the mission and goals of All Souls Church.
This is a work in progress. The board, the executive team and committees will be fine-tuning the process throughout the year. As we do, there will be a constant dialogue with the congregation.
The board and Rev. Hardies are confident that policy governance will go a long way towards helping the church achieve its goals and fulfill its mission. For more information, we encourage you to read our responses to frequently asked questions about policy governance.
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Church members socialize after the
service each week in Pierce Hall
Rev. Rob Hardies telling a story
during a sermon
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