In 2018, BVUMC moved to the Accountable Leadership Board model. This streamlined model of ministry allows the ALB, along with the pastor and staff, to give oversight and direction to the programs and ministries of Bay View United Methodist Church.

Mission Statement

The mission of Bay View United Methodist Church is to be a warm and caring community, open to and welcoming everyone. The church is centered in a relationship with God in Jesus Christ that empowers us to be involved in God’s missions in our community and throughout the world.

Core Values

Fellowship
Compassion
Inclusion
Service
Spiritual Growth

Purpose

The Accountable Leadership Board (ALB) of Bay View United Methodist Church (BVUMC) is “accountable” to the mission, vision, discipleship system and strategic goals of the local church and The United Methodist Church. It is “leadership” in that its members take a special servant role. It is a “board,” taking on the privilege and responsibility of leading Christ’s church.

The ALB is responsible for the administrative functions (including finance, staffing and facilities) of the church, as well as time for prayer or reflection. ALB focuses on big picture governance—not micro-managing—all ministries, delegating responsibility and authority within boundaries to administrative and ministry teams, individuals, or staff.

The ALB and the pastor are mutually responsible for leading the congregation in making progress towards the mission, vision, discipleship system and results-based strategic goals of the local church and The United Methodist Church.

The ALB structure has four main goals:

1. Stewardship – Ensuring facilities are well maintained and insured; oversight of finances and budget, and legal entities.
2. Strategic – Setting goals and regular check in with those goals; monitoring fruits of ministry.
3. Generative – future focused work that helps us stay relevant in our communities; generating work to do.
4. Accountability – Claiming authority and taking responsibility to ensure the church is living into its purpose.

Membership

All people who are active members of BVUMC are eligible to serve on ALB. Between 7 and 13 people can serve on ALB, representing the diversity of people, missions, needs and skills of the congregation.

Representatives

  1. Core Required Members
    • a. Chairperson
    • b. Vice Chairperson
    • c. Secretary
    • d. Finance Specialist
    • e. Staff/Parish Relations Specialist
    • f. Trustee
    • g. Lay Leader
    • h. Lay Member(s) to Annual Conference
    • i. Pastor, ex officio
  2. Optional ALB Members
    • a. At-large Members
      • i. Persons who may represent key strategic areas such as children, youth, evangelism, missions, outreach, etc. which are growth areas that demand the continued, monthly full attention of the ALB

Board Responsibilities

ALB members are responsible for conducting themselves in a Christian manner, as well as professionally, collegially, ethically.

When discussing or voting, the entire ALB will act as the Church Council, Finance Committee, Trustees and SPRC with the ALB chairperson leading the discussion and voting.

Once a year, ALB members must complete a Year-End Self Evaluation Survey (at the end of this document1) and discuss and reflect on its results.

The ALB functions as a team, working together to further the ministry of Christ’s church. It works together with integrity, trust and confidentiality. It shares a commitment to pray, serve and lead the church forward. In building this servant team, ALB members sign a Leadership Board Covenant, an agreement to one another and to God. The Covenant is reviewed and affirmed annually:

Leadership Covenant

Having been called by God to serve and having been equipped by the Holy Spirit to minister, I make the following covenant to the Leadership Board and the membership of the church:

  1. I will protect the unity of my church by refusing to gossip and adhering to the process and final decisions of the Leadership Board.
  2. I will share the responsibility for the outreach of the church by praying for its growth, inviting the unchurched to attend and by welcoming those who visit.
  3. I will serve the ministry of my church by using my spiritual gifts; by faithful attendance at worship and telling the pastor when I cannot attend as well as my attendance and involvement with mission and outreach programs and projects; and with my proportionate giving with the goal of tithing.
  4. I will commit to the spiritual disciplines of prayer, worship, and Bible study.
  5. If concerns arise about the church, its mission, ministries, or traditions, I will share my concerns with the Lead Pastor in a private setting.
  6. I will support the pastor and staff, mission, strategic goals and ministries of the church.
  7. I will protect the church by calling the pastor to accountability to the mission and vision of the church, by being called myself to accountability to the mission and vision of the church and by actively prepare for and participate in ALB meetings.
  8. I will attend future growth opportunities, as I am able, to best participate in ALB.
  9. I will maintain the contents of ALB discussion in total confidence, communicating only that information that the ALB has agreed upon.

Documentation

If you’d like to know more, you can view the entire BVUMC Guiding Principles for ALB here.

ALB Contact email

Contact_ALB@bayviewumc.org

  1. Year-end Accountable Leadership Board Self Evaluation
    Questionnaire is introduced at the beginning of the year. At the end of the year, each member fills out the
    questionnaire, results are anonymously tabulated and are shared for ALB discussion.
    Rate each statement from 1 to 5: 1 – strongly agree, 5 – strongly disagree.
    1. ________Each ALB member participates fully, respectively, and constructively in meetings.
    2. ________ALB meetings include needed time for spiritual growth, prayer and learning about ministry
    in today’s churches.
    3. ________ALB members receive meeting agendas and supporting materials that are helpful and timely.
    4. ________ALB does strategic planning reflecting on the mission, vision core values, discipleship
    system and strategic results-based goals.
    1. ________ALB actively engages in discussion around significant issues facing the church.
    2. ________ALB adequately oversees financial needs of the church.
    3. ________ALB adequately oversees Trustee and building needs.
    4. ________ALB adequately oversees Staff-Parish Relations issues.
    5. ________ALB adequately oversees program ministry needs.
    6. ________ALB adequately oversees leadership development and volunteer invitations.
    7. ________ALB adequately communicates with the congregation, listening and explaining actions.
    8. ________ALB thinks outside the box and brings forward creative ideas that move the church forward
    in the mission and strategic plan.
    9. ________ALB regularly focuses on reaching new people for Jesus Christ.
    10. ________ALB meetings are of sufficient length to ensure effective governance.
    11. ________ALB is of sufficient size to govern effectively.
    12. ________Pastor and staff provide the information and support necessary for the Board’s work.
    13. ________ALB strongly supports the pastor while calling the pastor and the ALB to accountability for
    making progress on achieving strategic goals.
    14. Add your comments and suggestions about the Board’s strengths and weaknesses, role, and
    effectiveness. ↩︎