VOTING
Each Community of Christ location is governed by its own members. While day-to-day operations and finances are handled by the elected congregational officers, important decisions about congregational budgets, major expenditures and mission programming are decided in business meetings run by parliamentary procedure by members of the organization.
Officers of the group are also elected by members on an annual basis unless otherwise stated. This includes the pastor or pastorate team, the financial officer, the secretary and various other roles as defined by the group’s needs and traditions.
Members are eligible to vote, while friends of the group are not. We are open to feedback from all those who are a part of our group.
GOVERNANCE
Community of Christ bylaws define the requirements for a group. Once a group is formed, the members must elect a pastor or pastorate team, a congregational financial officer and a secretary. These roles fulfill the requirements set out by Community of Christ and to be registered as a non-profit under Canadian Law.
The pastor or pastorate team functions as both the spiritual and temporal leader of the group. The pastor has primary responsibility for attending to the spiritual needs of members and friends of the congregation and generally manages day-to-day operations, other than those duties performed by the financial officer. Due to the wide range of responsibilities incumbent on volunteer pastors, some groups divide the role(s) among co-pastors or pastorate teams.
Congregational financial officers have responsibility for the local budget, collecting contributions, paying for expenses, filing the annual tax return with the Canada revenue Agency and coordinator with the Mission Centre Financial Officer and the Bishop of Canada to maintain the financial health of the group, the mission centre and the Community of Christ in Canada.
Outside of these designated roles, many members and friends of each group feel called to provide leadership in a wide variety of areas, such as leading mission programs or connection groups, providing ministry to members in need, organizing fellowship events or helping maintain church property. Local groups provide an arena where all can apply their energies and particular talents toughest to promote mission.
FINANCES
Each Community of Christ group in Canada manages its own local finances, including holding bank accounts and making and approving annual budgets.
Each group is organized as a distinct non-profit entity under the Canada Revenue Agency, while retaining a legal relationships with the Canadian Church Corporation. As such, each group files its own annual tax return. The congregational financial officer provides an annual report to the membership in a business meeting, which votes to approve budgets and special expenses.
Each financial officer operates under the supervision of the Bishop of Canada who provides uniform church financial policy for all Canadian groups. Specialist staff at Community of Christ Canadian Headquarters in Guelph, Ontario, Canada offer financial officers assistance with many aspects of their role.
To learn more, speak to our Chief Financial Officer.