Top Ten Things
Every Vestry
Member Should
Know
Our Goal:
To raise awareness
To raise questions
To leave you with something to wonder about
#10 It’s Not About Money
How much time in vestry meetings is
spent talking about money?
Does the Vestry leave teaching about money to
the priest?
When it doesn’t seem like there’s “enough” money,
does the Vestry mope around or rejoice in what
God has provided?
#9 It’s Not About Rules
Do your meetings follow a structure, or are they just a
free for all?
Do you make clear decisions about things or leave
meetings wondering what you decided?
Do you look at the Constitutions, Canons, Bylaws
to help guide you or only when a problem arises
that needs to be “fixed”?
Do we act like a board of directors for a business or
trustees for a not-for-profit or as elected leaders in
God’s church?
#8 It’s Not About Leadership
Do you take time to get to know each other
better?
Do you intentionally communicate with the
congregation on issues? As often as
possible?
Do you show respect when someone
shares opinions? Especially if they are
different than yours?
#8 It’s Not About Leadership
Do you tithe or increase your pledge
each year?
Are you at worship regularly? In a Bible study or
at least be reading scripture every day?
Do you seek common ground, centered on
the spiritual life of individuals and of the
vestry as a group?
#8 It’s Not About Leadership
Do we have a strong, broad-based
leadership?
Do we develop lay leaders? Do we give
them opportunities to lead?
#7 It’s Not about Stewardship
Have vestry members committed to a
standard for giving?
Does anyone talk about pledging in
specific and concrete terms?
#7 It’s Not about Stewardship
Have you talked to folks from other
congregations about what they do for
stewardship?
Ever done an energy audit, usually free
through your utility company?
Do you have a policy to recycle, and do
people know it?
#7 It’s Not about Stewardship
Have you communicated with members to
“Remember the Church” in their Will?
Do you remind the congregation about
God’s desire to want us to give? Not just
once a year, but year round?
Do you make sure new members (not
newcomers or visitors) are asked to pledge to
the congregation.
#6 It’s Not About Outreach
and Service
Does the vestry look for ways to reach
out to the community?
Do you encourage members to get
involved in charitable causes?
Do you encourage giving to the cleric’s
discretionary fund?
#6 It’s Not About Outreach
and Service
Do you have mission trips?
Do we connect the congregation’s
gifts with the community’s needs?
Do we care for the sick, hurt,
elderly, shut-ins?
#6 It’s Not About Outreach
and Service
Do we access resources needed to do
mission and ministry, whether from our
congregation or from outside resources
such as the diocese and national church?
Are we adapting in appropriate ways to
change our Christian community to
respond to the needs of our local
community?
#5 It’s Not About Welcoming and
Evangelism
Are we intentional about conducting
some type of evangelism?
Do we identify ‘Apostles’ for Evangelism?
Conduct ‘spiritual gifts’ workshops?
Are we welcoming new members? Do we
provide what they need to incorporate
with our Christian community?
#5 It’s Not About Welcoming and
Evangelism
Do the members of our Christian
community reflect the demographics of
our local community?
Do we know how to speak to others
about the basics of our Christian
faith?
#4 It’s Not About Clergy
Do we hold clergy accountable
for time away from their “job”?
Do we include opportunities for continuing
education support? Sabbatical support?
Do we provide appreciation to our clergy?
Do we compensate our clergy at
appropriate levels?
#3 It’s Not About You
Do you put the health of the parish
first and leave individual differences at
the door?
Do you resolve conflict by discerning
God’s will, not your desires, and
embrace others in love.
#3 It’s Not About You
Are decisions made to appease, pacify
or placate an individual or to benefit the
mission and ministry of the church?
Do we deal with conflict in ways that
moves the Christian community
towards its purpose?
#2 It’s About Mission and
Ministry
Do we pray for the mission and ministry of
the congregation regularly or take it for
granted?
Are we baptizing (the basis of membership
in the church)?
Are we confirming (the basis of mature
commitment in the church)?
#2 It’s About Mission and
Ministry
Do we offer strong spiritual development /
Christian education for all ages?
Are we gathering together regularly for
worship, prayer, education and fellowship?
Are we intentional about conducting some
type of outreach?
#2 It’s About Mission and
Ministry
Do we have a strong, clear sense of
purpose?
Do we offer opportunities for healing?
Do we offer corporate worship that is
prepared and strives for excellence in
all aspects?
#1 It’s About God!
God: Father, Son and Holy
Spirit: Creator, Redeemer,
Sanctifier IS what it’s really
about.
When a Vestry forgets that God is what it’s
really about, it can become just another notfor-profit service organization
#1 It’s About God!
Like good stewards of the manifold
grace of God, serve one another with
whatever gift each of you has received.
Whoever speaks must do so as one
speaking the very words of God;
whoever serves must do so with the
strength that God supplies, so that God
may be glorified in all things through
Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory
and the power forever and ever. 1Peter
4:10-11