Leadership Dynamics

PARISH MEETING MARCH 19, 2006

Leadership Dynamics

Minutes

Meeting Leaders: Katie Roach (Senior Warden), Thomas Berardino, Patrick Donovan, Breeze Hobbs

A meeting of the congregation to discuss “Leadership Dynamics,” one of the subjects of  St. Mark’s Roadmap To Parish Transformation And Transition, was held on March 19, 2006 in  Morrill Hall.  The meeting was called to order at approximately 11:30 a.m. by Katie Roach, Senior Warden.  Approximately 80 members of the congregation attended.  A copy of the Power Point outline discussed at the meeting was distributed to the meeting’s attendees (and is now available on the St. Mark’s website).   

After an opening prayer, Ms. Roach presented an overview of the day’s topic, emphasizing that the subject requires consideration of the type of leader that will be best for St. Mark’s, as well as the congregation’s expectations for its leader, and how the congregation will support its leader.  The topic cannot be fully explored in one meeting, and future meetings will be held to continue the discussion. 

Citing various published works on the subject of church management, Patrick Donovan discussed the ways in which a congregation’s size affects the requisite management style and skills of its rector.  Churches fall into four categories, commonly referred to as “family” (50 active members), “pastoral” (50-150 active members), “program” (150-350 active members), and “corporate” (350-500 active members).  Mr. Donovan noted that it is apparently not uncommon for problems and tensions to arise when a large congregation, such as ours, expects that its leader will not only manage a complex organization, but will also have sufficient time to provide parishioners with individual attention.  After briefly summarizing the characteristics of St. Mark’s and similarly sized congregations, Mr. Donovan turned the floor over to Ms. Roach, who opened the discussion to questions and comments.  

The following is a summary of the comments received from the meeting’s attendees:

·  A request was made that more information about vestry candidates be provided prior to elections.

·  St. Mark’s is a “program” church, if not a “corporate” church.  We need to have expectations of a rector that are consistent with our parish size.

·  Even though we are “corporate” in size, can’t we retain some elements of a “pastoral” church?  We need to have a cohesive culture. 

·  In reality, don’t we, as a congregation, have expectations of our rector that are, to some extent, common to all four church models (family, pastoral, program, corporate)?  How can we reconcile these differing expectations?  (Fr. Rider noted that, in his view, St. Mark’s is a “program” church with the cost structure and physical plant of a “corporate” church and the expectations of a “pastoral” church, which creates conflict.)

·  Are we in denial about what kind of church we are?

·  Have any analyses been done of congregations based on the age of their members?