Transition Team Report

Transition Team Report

In 2008, two tasks remained for the Transition Team: Evaluation of the cluster structure and drafting of changes to the bylaws. Our evaluation of the cluster structure appears below and the Bylaws Revision Task Force Report follows.

Report on Evaluation of Cluster Structure
October 2008

Since January, 2008, the church has been operating under a structure of clusters.  Part of the work of the Transition Team was to review how the clusters are working and to make recommendations based on that evaluation. To carry out our task, we distributed questionnaires to the Congregation, reviewed cluster meeting minutes, and met in person with representatives from each of the clusters and with the nominating committee. Each of us was available for one-on-one comments by anyone who wished to discuss the subject in person.

Working Well:

• Greater coordination; brings us together in a productive way; good communication among clusters; allocation of funds from total church pocketbook seems better coordinated
• More attention to big issues; re-examination of what we do
• Revitalized Church Council
• People can volunteer or be recruited for short-term jobs
• Fewer meetings
• Clusters reaching out to other church members; leadership roles more widely distributed
• More congregational involvement with fewer committees

Problems:

Most respondents did not want to abandon the new cluster system; rather, they wanted to work to make it more effective.

• Not enough people to do the work; a few people tend to do too much; cluster leaders may assume they have to do the work
• Clusters may not reach out to involve other people, and may not know how to extend invitations. Role of the survey/interest questionnaire is not yet fully realized.
• Clusters may not utilize their full power to set their budgets and involve new people
• Congregation does not fully understand the cluster system and how it was intended to work
• Cluster depends upon the leader. If the leader is not strong, the whole cluster suffers
• In cluster meetings, too many people listen to details of others’ work.
• Lack of focus in cluster meetings: decisions are made on the basis of too little discussion.
• Clusters contribute a level of coordination and common goals, but the church really needs a long-range plan. Sometimes the clusters seem to act as the Church Council.
• Deacons have indicated that additional help is needed and that their role needs clarification.

Issues of ROLES, BOUNDARIES, and COMMUNICATION seemed crucial to many of the problems mentioned.  The church and its clusters need to work out the roles of the various bodies, the boundaries of who is responsible for what, and the pathways for coordination and planning.

Our Recommendations:

1.      Help educate the congregation, through newsletter, discussion, and other means, to understand the nature and intent of the cluster system and how it is intended to function.

2.      Offer training and support for cluster leaders and members to help the cluster leaders assume their appropriate power, develop budgets, attract new people, and delegate their work effectively

3.      Make the survey work as it was intended to, i.e. to recruit individuals for tasks related to their interests and skills

4.      Work toward a long-range plan for the church

Members of the Transition Team: Carolyn Behr, Robert Behr, Judy Blackmer, Susan Clarke, Deborah Currie, Julia Goren, Abbie Hatton, Lauren Stevens, Sally Sussman, Curtis Tong, Barbara Walvoord, and Wayne Wilkins