This provocative question is one that Plymouth’s Congregational Council regularly deals with. Council life during late May and early June may have served to illustrate this.

Do the members own a Congregation?

In this model, members elect a Council to represent their interests in the church. Church life is essentially a republic, with the occasional opportunity for direct democracy as well. Council decisions are subject to the influence of private lobbying by members or groups and at designated public meetings. Members of the congregation also vote directly on issues at congregational meetings.

Perhaps this was the model in use at the recent forum on the present and future use of alcohol at off campus Plymouth events. Using gracious space as a format for the meeting, individuals expressed a variety of opinions on alcohol and its appropriate place in Plymouth life. Participants made it clear that they wish to be consulted, included and heard on this issue in the future. Maybe our New England forbears would have approved of this Plymouth “town meeting.”

Democracy was also in action in late May when Chairs from the Plymouth Adult Education, Children & Youth, Community Services & Social Action, Fellowship and Recreation, New Member, Parish Care, and Worship Boards met with the Council to communicate their respective goals and discuss ways in which the Council could support Boards toward achieving these goals.

Does the Council own the Congregation?

In this model, as a duly elected body, the Council is empowered to make the “tough calls” with regard to budget, program and personnel decisions. Perhaps this is a good way to characterize the Council generated executive decision recently made on an interim alcohol use policy for the All Church Retreat and upcoming N-Sid-Sen family camps. And maybe budget season is also a time when it feels as if the Council owns things as various constituencies advocate for their respective pieces of the budget pie, ultimately to see their wishes significantly modified by the Budget Committee and the Council.

Is a Church Any Different?

The description above describes the reality one might find at many civic clubs and organizations. What makes Plymouth any different? Your council is considering tackling this question in the near future. Instead of defining ownership in terms of church power centers and distribution models, might a church be different than a civic club? If so, how? Could Plymouth’s mission be the true owner of the congregation? Could Plymouth’s Congregational Council focus energy on creating a vision of ministry that would guide the accomplishment of its mission? Could future Council decisions be informed by that vision of ministry, with the hope that God’s work has a greater chance of getting done here? Now these are provocative questions indeed!

--David Guthrie, Vice Moderator