St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Vestry Minutes

Job Descriptions

The Vestry consists of officers and a number of at-large positions formed from parish members. Typically, the at-large positions have focus areas, ministries or operational aspects of the parish that require attention. Each are describe in the links below.

The Vestry officer positions:

Sr. Warden | Jr. Warden | Treasurer | Asst. Treasurer | Clerk

And the focus areas include:

	Spirituality	Communications
	Outreach	Fundraising
	Hospitality	Stewardship
	Property Maintenance	Sexton
	Sunday School Coordinator	Webmaster
	Epistle Editor	Safe Church Coordinator

Spirituality Focus Description

Qualifications and Gifts:

Have a love of God and demonstrate a commitment to following the way of Christ
Have the ability to work with people of all types
Have an enthusiasm and vitality for this vocation

Time Commitment:

Vestry meetings
Vestry retreat (if applicable)
Annual Meeting

Responsibilities:

Regular attendance at Sunday worship services
Periodic, regularly scheduled and spontaneous (as needed) discussions with parish priest regarding parish spiritual concerns
Coordination with other vestry members as needed to address inter-relationship of spiritual concerns with physical, social and psychological concerns to improve the quality of parish life
Communication with organist/worship leaders
Attend prayer group and/or communicate with prayer group leaders
Prepare a brief report of the past month's activities and any spirituality issues for the monthly vestry meeting as needed

Accountability: Vestry member whose focus is spirituality should review their duties and any issues with the rector and vestry annually

Communications Focus Description

Qualifications and Gifts:

Have a love of God and demonstrate a commitment to following the way of Christ
Have the ability to work with people of all types
Have an enthusiasm and vitality for this vocation

Time Commitment:

Vestry meetings
Vestry retreat (if applicable)
Annual Meeting
Occasional public relations work and publication development
Regular coordination with the Epistle Editor
Regular coordination with the Webmaster

Responsibilities:

Coordinate occasional parish advertising and press releases with the local media
Coordinate miscellaneous church communications work such as developing parish leaflets for events, maintaining visitor welcome packages, any media related publications and periodic email announcements to the parish
Maintain parish email distribution list
Vestry liaison with the Epistle Editor
Vestry liaison with the Webmaster
Prepare a brief report of the past month's activities and any communications issues for the monthly vestry meeting

Optional Additional Responsibilities:

Epistle Editor (see separate description)
Webmaster (see separate description)

Accountability: Vestry member whose focus is communications should review their duties and any issues with the rector and vestry annually

Outreach Focus Description

Qualifications and Gifts:

Have a love of God and demonstrate a commitment to following the way of Christ
Have the ability and desire to work with people of all types
Have an enthusiasm and vitality for helping people

Time Commitment:

Vestry meetings
Vestry retreat (if applicable)
Annual Meeting
Occasional meetings with community outreach contacts

Responsibilities:

Maintain regular communication with outreach contacts to assess their needs
Communicate outreach needs to the vestry and parish as required
Prepare a brief report of the past month's activities and any outreach issues for the monthly vestry meeting
Assist in or arrange for delivery of donated goods to outreach contacts

Accountability: Vestry member whose focus is outreach should review their duties and any issues with the rector and vestry annually

Fundraisers Focus Description

Qualifications and Gifts:

Have a love of God and demonstrate a commitment to following the way of Christ
Have the ability and desire to work with people of all types
Have an enthusiasm and vitality for helping people

Time Commitment:

Vestry meetings
Vestry retreat (if applicable)
Annual Meeting
Occasional fundraiser coordination and possible meetings with parish volunteers

Responsibilities:

Coordinate fundraising activities (Rummage sale, Polyarts, Holiday basket sale, etc.)
Organize volunteers for fundraising activities
Prepare a brief report of the past month's activities and any fundraiser issues for the monthly vestry meeting

Accountability: Vestry member whose focus is fundraisers should review their duties and any issues with the rector and vestry annually

Hospitality Focus Description

Qualifications and Gifts:

Have a love of God and demonstrate a commitment to following the way of Christ
Have the ability to work with people of all types
Have an enthusiasm and vitality for this vocation

Time Commitment:

Vestry meetings
Vestry retreat (if applicable)
Annual Meeting
Coffee hour
Periodic parish events

Responsibilities:

Coordination of refreshments and hospitality for church functions such as post-service coffee hours, the parish annual meeting, special occasions such as the Bishop's Visitation and occasional parish events throughout the year
Coordination of supply, food and beverage purchases and stocking for the events outlined above
Prepare a brief report of the past month's events, upcoming scheduled events and any hospitality issues for the monthly vestry meeting

Accountability: Vestry member whose focus is hospitality should review their duties and any issues with the rector and vestry annually

Stewardship Focus Description

Qualifications and Gifts:

Have a love of God and demonstrate a commitment to following the way of Christ
Have the ability to work with people of all types
Have an enthusiasm and vitality for this vocation

Time Commitment:

Vestry meetings
Vestry retreat (if applicable)
Annual Meeting
Annual Stewardship Drive
Budget Committee Meeting(s)

Responsibilities:

Conduct annual stewardship campaign to raise pledge income of money and time
Maintain records of parishioner's annual pledges of money and time
Prepare the stewardship section of the annual report
Give a brief report of the past month's activities and any stewardship issues for the monthly vestry meeting
Prepare a report of the past year's stewardship activities and campaign results for the annual parish meeting
Follow up, as necessary, with parishioners during the year with respect to lagging pledge collections (mainly occurs during the last 3 months of the year)

Accountability: Vestry member whose focus is stewardship should review their duties and any issues with the rector and vestry annually. This vestry position receives confidential financial information and the integrity of that information must be properly maintained

Property Maintenance Focus Description

Qualifications and Gifts:

Have a love of God and demonstrate a commitment to following the way of Christ
Have the ability to work with people of all types

Time Commitment:

Vestry meetings (as necessary)
Annual Meeting
Available for building inspections as required
Available for coordination of building repairs

Responsibilities:

Maintenance of church facilities as required
Coordination of building and system repairs and maintenance as required
Coordination with Sexton(s) of church facility upkeep
Prepare the property section of the annual report
Maintain property maintenance logbook
Prepare a brief report of the past month's activities and property issues for the monthly vestry meeting
Act as liaison between St. Paul's and it's long term tenants and short term renters

Accountability: Vestry member or parishioner whose focus is property maintenance should review their duties and any issues with the rector and vestry annually

Sexton Description

Qualifications and Gifts:

Have a love of God and demonstrate a commitment to following the way of Christ
Have the ability to work with people of all types

Time Commitment:

Weekly upkeep/housekeeping of church facilities and grounds
Occasional meeting with Rector, Wardens and/or Property Maintenance leader
Ordering and receiving of maintenance and housekeeping supplies and equipment

Responsibilities:

Routine cleaning of church building(s), other facilities and grounds as required for scheduled use and special occasions
Routine maintenance and minor repair tasks as needed (changing light bulbs, refilling paper towels and bathroom tissue dispensers, repairing sanctuary worship items, etc.)
Coordination of any contract maintenance and cleaning services (trash removal, lawn services, snow removal, pest control, etc.)
Coordination of any parish volunteer maintenance and cleaning tasks (spring and fall cleanups, painting, minor facility repairs or improvement projects, holiday decorating and post holiday cleanup, etc.)
Maintain sufficient supply of facility maintenance items (light bulbs, cleaning supplies, maintenance equipment, etc.)
Coordination with Property Maintenance leader of church facility upkeep and repairs
Report any mechanical, electrical, plumbing or building problems to the Property Maintenance leader for repair

Accountability: Parishioner whose focus is Sexton should review their salary (this is a paid position), duties and any issues with the rector and vestry annually

Webmaster Description

Qualifications and Gifts:

Have a love of God and demonstrate a commitment to following the way of Christ
Have an enthusiasm and vitality for this vocation
Have general knowledge of computer software necessary to maintain church website

Time Commitment:

Monthly coordination with rector and vestry liaison
Periodic maintenance and updating of the church website

Responsibilities:

Coordinate collection of information changes, revisions and updates
Perform website maintenance and problem debugging as needed
Regularly update published information and website features
Work with vestry liaison to update website as needed
Periodically review web-hosting capacity and domain registration

Accountability: Parishioner whose focus is Webmaster should review their duties and any issues with the rector and/or vestry liaison annually

Epistle Editor Description

Qualifications and Gifts:

Have a love of God and demonstrate a commitment to following the way of Christ
Have an enthusiasm and vitality for this vocation
Have general knowledge of computer software necessary to publish newsletter

Time Commitment:

Monthly coordination with rector, vestry liaison and lay leaders
Monthly publication of the church newsletter

Responsibilities:

Coordinate collection of articles, information, and regular features for the monthly newsletter
Edit articles and information, assemble and layout newsletter
Coordinate distribution of monthly newsletter to the parish and other community members

Accountability: Parishioner whose focus is Epistle Editor should review their duties and any issues with the rector and/or vestry liaison annually

Sunday School Coordinator Description

Qualifications and Gifts:

Have a love of God and demonstrate a commitment to following the way of Christ
Have the ability to work with people of all types
Have an enthusiasm and vitality for this vocation

Time Commitment:

Weekly coordination of classes and instructors
Occasional meetings with instructors and parents of students
Annual Meeting
Organization of classrooms, ordering of supplies and educational materials for the beginning of the Sunday School session and as required during the current session

Responsibilities:

Perform ongoing coordination of classes and instructors to meet parish youth Christian education needs
Maintain records of student enrollment and contact information
Work with Safe Church Administrator to ensure safe church standards are maintained
Prepare a brief report of the past month's activities and any Sunday School issues for the monthly vestry meeting
Prepare a report of the past year's Sunday School for the annual parish meeting

Accountability: Parish member whose focus is Sunday School Coordinator should review their duties and any issues with the rector and vestry annually

Safe Church Administrator Description

Qualifications and Gifts:

Have a love of God and demonstrate a commitment to following the way of Christ
Have the ability to work with people of all types
Have an enthusiasm and vitality for this vocation

Time Commitment:

Consistent coordination, oversight and assessment of safe church standards
Occasional meetings with rector, vestry and Safe Church Committee as needed
Annual Meeting

Responsibilities:

Perform ongoing oversight, assessment and coordinate implementation of safe church standards for youth education classes, events and all parish activities
Responsible for coordination of safe church training for instructors, volunteers and any other parishioners to meet diocese safe church requirements
Maintain confidential records of background checks
Work with rector and vestry to ensure safe church standards are maintained
Prepare a brief report of the past month's activities and any safe church issues for the monthly vestry meeting
Prepare a report of the past year's activities regarding safe church standards for the annual parish meeting

Accountability: Parish member whose focus is Safe Church Administrator should review their duties and any issues with the rector and vestry annually. This position may receive confidential information and the integrity of that information must be properly maintained

Last Updated: 9-Aug-2008