2012 keynote top 10

8/20/2019 2012 Keynote Top 10

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V est r y Sch o o l 2 0 12The Diocese of Eau Claire | The Diocese of Fond du Lac

Keynote Address

Top 10 Things Every Vestry Member Should KnowMr. Matthew Peterson, St. Thomas, Menasha Miss Rachel Mills, St. Anne’s, De Pere

A gathering of bills of various denominations were chatting about all the places they had recently been. The

1,000 Dollar bill said that he had been traveling all over the world: Rio, Spain, France, and back to the USA.The 100 Dollar bill said she had been gambling in Vegas, Atlantic City, Reno and even Green Bay! The 1

Dollar bill said it had been travelling a lot lately too…from one church to another church!

#10. It’s Not About Money

Of course money is an important part of serving on the Vestry because how you deal with money reflects on

what it’s really about. So let’s wonder together:

• How much time in Vestry meetings is spent talking about money? 25%? 50%? 100%?

• Does the Vestry leave teaching about money to the priest?

• When it doesn’t seem like there’s “enough” money, does the Vestry mope around or rejoice in what God

has provided?

Serving on a Vestry or some other leadership capacity is not really about money, but money must be included.

#9. It’s not about the Rules

Of course rules are important part of serving on the Vestry because how you

follow rules reflects on what it’s really about. So let’s wonder together:

• Do your meetings follow a structure, or are they just a free for all?

• Do you make clear decisions about things or leave meetings wondering what

you decided?

• Do you look at the Constitution, Canons, Bylaws, or whatever to help guideyou or only when a problem arises that needs to be “fixed”?

• Do we act like a board of directors for a business or trustees for a not-for-

profit or as elected leaders in God’s church?

Serving on a Vestry or some other leadership capacity is not really about the rules, but the rules must be

included.

#8. It’s Not About Leadership Of course leadership is an important part of serving on the Vestry because how

you lead reflects on what it’s really about. So let’s wonder together:

• Do you take time to get to know each other better?

• Do you intentionally communicate with the congregation on issues? As

often as possible?

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• Do you show respect when someone share opinions? Especially if they are different than yours?

• Do you tithe or increasing your pledge each year?

• Are you at worship regularly? In a Bible study or at least be reading scripture every day?

• Do you seek common ground, centered on the spiritual life of individuals and of the vestry as a group?

• Do you try to mold people to pre-determined ministries

• Do Vestry members’ “energy” get diverted to survival and maintenance issues

• Do we have a strong, broad-based leadership?

•

Do we develop lay leaders? Do we give them opportunities to lead?

Serving on a Vestry or some other leadership capacity is not really about leadership, but leadership must beincluded.

7. It’s Not About Stewardship

Of course stewardship is an important part of serving on the Vestry because

how you take care of what God provides reflects on what it’s really about. So

let’s wonder together:

• Have vestry members committed to a standard for giving?

• Does anyone talk about pledging in specific and concrete terms?

• Have you talked to folks from other congregations about what they do for

stewardship?

• Ever done an energy audit, usually free through your utility company?

• Do you have a policy to recycle, and do people know it?

• Have you communicated with members to “Remember the Church” in theirWill”

• Do you remind the congregation about God’s desire to want us to give? Not

just once a year, but year round?

•

Do you make sure new members (not newcomers or visitors) are asked to pledge to the congregation.

A preacher announced from the pulpit," I have good news and bad news. The good news is we have enough

money to retire the mortgage on the church.“ A sigh of relief went through the congregation. The preacher

continued: “…the bad news is, the money is still in your pockets."

Serving on a Vestry or some other leadership capacity is not really about stewardship, but stewardship must be

included.

#6. It’s Not About Outreach and Service

Of course outreach and service is an important part of serving on the Vestry because how we extend a helpinghand reflects on what it’s really about. So let’s wonder together:

• Does the vestry look for ways to reach out to the community?

• Do you encourage members to get involved in charitable causes?

• Do you encourage giving to the cleric’s discretionary fund?

• Do you have mission trips?

• Do we connect the congregation’s gifts with the community’s needs?

• Do we care for the sick, hurt, elderly, shut-ins?

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• Do we access resources needed to do mission and ministry, whether from our congregation or from outside

resources such as the diocese and national church?

• Are we adapting in appropriate ways to change our Christian community to respond to the needs of our local

community?

Serving on a Vestry or some other leadership capacity is not really about outreach and service, but outreach and

service must be included.

#5. It’s Not About Welcoming and EvangelismOf course welcoming and evangelism is an important part of serving on the

Vestry because how we invite others reflects on what it’s really about. So let’swonder together:

• Are we intentional about conducting some type of evangelism?

• Do we identify ‘Apostles’ for Evangelism? Conduct ‘spiritual gifts’ workshops?

• Are we welcoming new members? Do we provide what they need to incorporate with our Christiancommunity?

• Do the members of our Christian community reflect the demographics of our local community?

• Do we know how to speak to others about the basics of our Christian faith?

Serving on a Vestry or some other leadership capacity is not really about welcoming and evangelism, but

welcoming and evangelism must be included.

#4. It’s Not About Clergy

Of course supporting clergy is an important part of serving on the Vestry

because how we support clergy reflects on what it’s really about. So let’swonder together:

• Do we hold clergy accountable for time away from their “job”?

•

Do we include opportunities for continuing education support? Sabbatical support?• Do we provide appreciation to our clergy?

• Do we compensate our clergy at appropriate levels?

Serving on a Vestry or some other leadership capacity is not really about clergy, but clergy must be included.

#3. It’s Not About You

Of course you are an important part of serving on the Vestry because how you

handle yourself reflects on what it’s really about. So let’s wonder together:

Do you put the health of the parish first and leave individual differences at thedoor?

Do you resolve conflict by discerning God’s will, not your desires, and embraceothers in love.

Are decisions made to appease, pacify or placate an individual or to benefit the

mission and ministry of the church?Do we deal with conflict in ways that moves the Christian community towards its purpose?

Serving on a Vestry or some other leadership capacity is not really about you, but you must be included.

So if its not about #10 through #3, what is it about, Well

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#2. It’s About Mission & MinistryWho we are and what we do in the name of God is almost what it’s really about.

• Do we pray for the mission and ministry of the congregation regularly or take it for granted?

• Are we baptizing (the basis of membership in the church)?

• Are we confirming (the basis of mature commitment in the church)?

• Are we gathering together regularly for worship, prayer, education and fellowship?

• Are we intentional about conducting some type of outreach?

•

Do we have a strong, clear sense of purpose?

• Do we offer strong spiritual development / Christian education for all ages?

• Do we offer corporate worship that is prepared and strives for excellence in all aspects?

• Do we offer opportunities for healing?

#1. It’s About God!

God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit: Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier IS what it’s really about. God is what brings us

together and God is what sets us apart. When a Vestry forgets that God is what it’s really about, it can become

just the board of another not-for-profit service organization.

Do you recognize the goal Christians are trying to achieve is the same for all…spreading the Gospel?

Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has

received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with

the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong

the glory and the power forever and ever. 1Peter 4:10-11

We really should have started with #1 It’s About God. If we start there, when we start there, everything elsefalls into place. When we start elsewhere, we go nowhere.

2012 keynote top 10

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