
Vision Statement
In response to God’s continuing call to be active and relevant disciples of Jesus Christ in the world, the people of George Street United Church (GSUC) will be a sustainable centre of worship and community outreach. Rooted in downtown St. John’s, we welcome all who seek to be in Right Relationship with us. The vision statement was adopted by the congregation on March 4, 2018.
Mission Statement
George Street United Church is a community of faith in the United Church of Canada. We are children of God who proclaim our belief in a creative and positive God. We celebrate God’s love through divine Worship, and we experience the Beauty of God’s Spirit present in our sacred spaces, our sacred music and in our sacred history. As God’s practitioners of social justice in the world, we accept God’s call to sacred Hospitality, and our covenant to be the hands of Jesus Christ, who offer a loving and accepting embrace to all people. The mission statement was adopted by the congregation on March 4, 2018.
Governance at George Street
George Street United Church is governed by a Modified Mission Team Board Model - one of three models of church governance approved by The United Church of Canada. Our Church Management Team (CMT), which acts as the executive of the board, is comprised of 12 members.
Members of the CMT are elected for a 3-year term. This governing structure affords opportunities for renewal and refreshment for the entire congregation. We need to remind ourselves that we are members of the Body of Christ (the New Testament term for the church) and that we are all ministers in the church; each of us has a special and distinctive gift or ministry to perform in the church. As we try to be obedient to Christ and walk in his ways, God will renew and restore the church through us.
Modified Mission Team Board Members
The modified mission team board is comprised of the church management team and their individual team members.
Church Management Team
Church Management Team (CMT) Lead—Bonnie Fox
CMT Members:
Rev. John Maich (Resource)
Robert McNeily, Recording Secretary
Erika Winsor-Dunn, Spiritual Leadership Lead
Doreen Barbour, Sustainment Team lead
Kathy Winsor, Christian Education Lead
Cheryl Ash-Walsh , Vision and Mission Lead and Bridges to Hope Rep.
Riley Shea, Communications Lead
Robert Rockett, Ministry and Personnel Lead
Ruth Butler, United Church Women (UCW) Rep.
Krista Koerner, JPMOC Rep.
Vacant, Treasurer
Role Description:
The Church Management Team (CMT) works very closely with the Modified Mission Team Board and the Senior Staff to move George Street United Church (GSUC) towards the achievement of its goals and objectives. The CMT is the Executive of the Modified Mission Team Board and is in partnership with it in achieving GSUC’s Mission.
The CMT is responsible for:
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Maintaining communication channels among all teams of the GSUC governance model.
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Encouraging the Modified Mission Team Board to fulfill its mandate
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Reviewing any issues of concern to the Modified Mission Team Board and CMT
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Monitoring financial planning and financial reports
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Orienting new CMT members in their development activities.
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Communicating through regular reports given annually, the performance of GSUC in achieving its mission and other issues of concern.
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Coordinating the development of the annual report submissions received.
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Performing other responsibilities assigned by the Modified Mission Team Board.
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Ensuring effective management of Church records.
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Maintaining the congregation membership list as well as a list of households under the pastoral care team.
Spiritual Leadership Team
Spiritual Leadership Team Lead—Erika Winsor
Team Members:
Rev. John Maich ( Resource)
William Green—Men’s Choir
Worship Lead ( vacant)
Members: Holy Hosts: Kathy Winsor, Bev Dawe, Treva Aberle, Diane Kennedy , Marilyn Letto, Heather Dawe, Katherine O’Brien., Robert McNeily.
Pastoral Care Lead—Melissa Elliott
Members- Roger Angel, Ruth Butler, Ruby Shea, Yvonne and Don Bradbury, Treva Aberle, Kathy Winsor , Robert McNeily,
Fellowship lead—Ruth Butler
Role Description:
The Spiritual Leadership Team leads George Street United Church (GSUC) in matters of worship, hospitality, and healing.
Their responsibilities include:
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Ensuring the maintenance of Spiritual Leadership Team records and membership list in collaboration with the recording secretary of the Church Management Team (CMT).
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Performing functions of worship hospitality and healing.
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Assisting and supporting the minister in specific requests such as weddings, funerals, baptisms, and special services.
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Supporting the supply of clergy
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Supporting and collaborating those persons who coordinate the various lay supply tasks for worship (i.e., Coordinator for Scripture readers, Coordinator for holy Communion, Coordinator for Preparing Holy communion, etc…).
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Supporting the Minister in receipt of new members into the church whether through baptism, confirmation, or transfer of membership.
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Supporting and collaborating in special worship activates
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Ensuring the maintenance of the Worship, Fellowship, and Pastoral Care section on GSUC’s website is kept up to date.
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Supporting and Collaborating with those persons who coordinate the various fellowship tasks (i.e., Coordinators of Coffee time, Church Ushers, Church Greeters, etc…)
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Supporting and Collaborating in special fellowship activities
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Seeking out possible training opportunities for team members as necessary.
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Ensuring the minister is supported in specific pastoral care requests.
Sustainment Team
Sustainment Team Lead—Doreen Barbour
Team Members:
Treasurer (Vacant)
Eric Winsor- Property
George Parsons- Operations Coordinator ( Resource)
Nancy McCarthy, Office Administrator ( Resource)
Rev. John Maich( Resource)
Role description:
The role of the Sustainment team is to look for ways to raise funds to help sustain George Street United Church and its Mission and Vision.
Their responsibilities include:
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Oversees Operations Coordinator, Office Administrator, and the Bookkeeper
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Works closely with the Treasurer to assist with yearly budgets and to ensure awareness of all financial situations.
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Contact for Adult Daycare Program (ADP). Role is to ensure all documentation is completed accurately and submitted in a timely manner.
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Administrator of the United Church Hub
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Complete the annual statistics report with the assistance of all team leads
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Responsible for the oversight of all revenues and expenses of the Church
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Review all invoices and approve for payment.
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Refer any unusual payments to the Church Management Team for approval
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Discuss monthly financial reports
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Prepare and submit the financial information to the Team Lead for the completion of the annual statistics report
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Prepare and present the annual budget to the Church Management Team for approval to present at the annual congregational meeting seeking approval from the Church body.
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Prepare quarterly financial reports to the congregation
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Responsible to oversee the care and maintenance of the church property
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Oversee the work of the custodian
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Work closely with the program coordinator
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Complete and prioritize renovation and maintenance plan, submit to Sustainment Team for recommendation to move forward to Church Management Team for approval
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Attend meetings of the Modified Mission Board and church management team.
Christian Education Team
Christian Education Team Lead—Kathy Winsor
Team Members:
Paula Shea, Sunday School Rep
Noah Williams, Ava Bullen, Young Spirits Reps
Rev. John Maich, ( Resource)
Faith Initiatives lead- Bev Dawe
Role Description:
The Christian Education Team is responsible for matters of religious education, such as Sunday School, Bible Studies, and Youth Groups. They also manage the church’s nursery.
Their responsibilities include:
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Planning and leading activities for Sunday School each Sunday
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Taking responsibility for and coordinating the nursery
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Planning and organizing at least two services per year; White Gift and Family Day.
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Involving participation of young spirits and possibly adult members to provide an intergenerational service.
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Overseeing and organizing the collection of items during Advent for those in need
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Providing aid when and where needed for the Congregational Picnic.
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When possible, taking part in programs or activities geared toward the development of youth (i.e., provided by the United Church of Canada).
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When necessary, ensuring that appropriate Christian education programs are provided for all members of the congregation (i.e., Bible Study, Youth Groups, Book Club, etc.)
Vision and Mission Team
Vision and Mission Lead – Cheryl Ash Walsh
Team Members:
Roger Angel
George Parsons, Operations Coordinator (Resource)
Rev. John Maich (Resource)
Bonnie Fox
Role Description:
The Vision and Mission Team is a component of the Mission Team Board. Its role is to develop and guide the Operational Plan in support of the George St. United Church (GSUC) Vision and Mission, in concert with other teams and in partnership with Community and Business Liaisons.
Their responsibilities include:
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Prepares and Guides Operational Plans for the GSUC Strategic Plan and the Mission Articulation Plan (MAP) in concert with other Church Management teams, as well as business and community partners.
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Develops the GSUC MAP and prepares annual updates for submission to Regional Council.
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Implements the Natural Church Development Program
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Supports other roles/responsibilities as required
Vision and Mission – Outreach:
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Supports and works in concert with United Church Outreach initiatives
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Liaises with Minister in development of outreach initiatives.
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Continues partnership role with Jimmy Pratt Memorial Outreach Centre (JPMOC) and Bridges to Hope.
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Renews memorandum of understating with JPMOC
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Researches and discusses potential outreach initiatives that bring us closer to vision 2023.
Communications Team
Communications team lead: Riley Shea
Team Members: Catherine Angel, Peter Elliott
Role Description:
The Communications Team is responsible for facilitating communications through the church’s website, social media, and printed media.
Their responsibilities include:
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General Maintenance of George Street United Church’s (GSUC) website.
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Populating the GSUC website with content
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Establishing a social media strategy
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Recording Services for Live Streaming, and Video Archiving.
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Developing an internal communications strategy for GSUC to incorporate all present communications activities. (weekly congregational letters, congregation emails, church bulletins, promotional materials for special events, etc.)
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Exploring the development of a quarterly update newsletter.
Ministry and Personnel Team
Ministry and Personnel Team lead: Bob Rockett
Team Members: Katherine O’Brien, Treva Aberle, Judy Mallam
Role description:
The Ministry and Personnel Team manages the pastoral charge staff, which includes ministry personnel and all lay employees.
Their responsibilities include:
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being available, for consultation and support for matters involving the pastoral charge staff.
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overseeing the relationship of the pastoral charge staff to each other and to the people in the congregation.
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the regular review of the working conditions, responsibilities, and compensation of all pastoral charge staff.
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Conducting annual performance reviews with the pastoral charge staff.
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revising position descriptions of pastoral charge staff as required.
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ensuring that pastoral charge staff make use of the opportunities for continuing education that they have been given.
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making decisions on requests from pastoral charge staff for compassionate leave.
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Complete conflict management training for team members
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Complete establishment of individual personnel files
Notes
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Team members are encouraged to check in with pastoral charge staff to enquire how they are doing, if there are any issues affecting them, etc. and hopefully build a rapport between the staff and the M&P team.
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Responsibilities are taken from the Ministry & Personnel Committees: Policy, Procedures, Practices January 2019 document and must be followed.
United ChURch Women
UCW Lead: Pauline Murrin
Members:
Florence Spurrell, Vice President
Lydia Dillon- Recording Secretary
Marilyn Letto- Corresponding Secretary
Treasurer- Margaret Lewis
Social – Ruby Shea
CMT rep- Ruth Butler
Immediate Past President- Mildred Tucker
Trustees
Please refer to the United Church of Canada manual for a detailed role description.
Trustees lead: Rev. John Maich
Members:
Christina McNeily
Sandra Nightingale