Church council resources to download
Church Council Sample Agenda November 2020
Church Council Agenda St Samples
Sample Church Council Minutes
St Samples Worship Committee Report
The following resources (PDFs) are recommended for people serving on church councils within the Port Philip East Presbytery, including those who may make themselves available to be elected as church council members or elders.
Constitution-and-Regulations-2018-updated-March-2020
Basis Of Union A4
Manual for Meetings-2015
UCA Statement to the Nation 1977
Covenanting Statement 1994
Covenanting Statement UAICC Response 1994
Multicultural Church Statement 1985
Guide for Church Councils for Implementing Keeping Children Safe Policy December 2017
A Behaviour Covenant for a Church Council
A Behavioural Covenant for Staff
Further Reading and Resources
Mission Stories Resources – videos and study guide
Leaders in God’s Mission – Robert Bos studies for Elders, Church Councils & Others
Craig Mitchell’s Congregational Research Interviews
Bethel Centre
See Port Phillip East Presbytery’s training videos from 2020.
Online Governance Training Videos for Congregations and other Church Leaders
New South Wales and ACT Synod and Sydney Presbytery have launched an online governance training videos for congregations and other church leaders.
Good governance is an important part of overseeing the worship, witness and service of our congregations. In these videos you will be introduced to good governance practices and expectations in the UCA.
The training videos are aimed at members of church councils and other leaders in the church. You can watch them at any time by yourself but are best viewed together with your church council or other committee or leadership group. They will prompt questions and reflection on your work and the important role you play in the life of the church. We hope you find them helpful.
Click here to watch the videos.
Healthy Church Council Training
See our post on the Healthy Church Council training program run in 2020, along with a collection of useful resources for church council chairs, secretaries and members.
During Pandemic Conditions
Over this time of crisis, church councils continue to carry responsibility for the congregation’s wellbeing and function. Online meetings are just as legal as in-the-room meetings. The same principles of our usual meetings apply – ensure that all members of church council are informed about how the meetings will be held, and that decisions made are recorded and communicated appropriately.
There are some ways we can address the need for ongoing decision making when we can’t meet together in the one place.
- Delegate to a smaller executive the responsibility for making week by week decisions.
- Use Zoom or Facebook Groups, or a similar online video conferencing platform, to hold meetings of the Church Council. Both platforms allow for video access on desktop, laptop, tablet and smartphone devices, as well as audio access by phone.
- Make decisions using email.