Council Job Description: Executive Elder CLT
Nominated and selected by Council Nominations Committee to serve on the Council Leadership Team for three years. [In a year in which a VP-President elect is not nominated, one of the executive elders may be asked to fulfill the duties of Vice President of Council]

The Executive Elders are responsible for collaborating with the other members of the Council Leadership Team to support the mission of AACRC and lead Council. This includes listening to the congregation and ministries, hearing from the Finance Team, Church Executive, and Facility & Grounds Coordinator for facilities, finance and personnel, and setting the agenda for Council to promote a thriving community of faith that lives out our mission.

Charge to Elders:
I charge you, elders, as shepherds of the flock, to “hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that [you] can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus 1:9). Be a friend and Christlike example to children. Give clear and cheerful guidance to young people. By word and example, bear up God’s people in their pain and weakness, and celebrate their joys with them. Hold in trust all sensitive matters confided to you. Encourage the aged to persevere in God’s promises. Be wise counselors who support and strengthen the pastor. Be compassionate, yet firm and consistent in rebuke and discipline. Know the Scriptures, which are “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). Pray continually for the church. Remember at all times that if you would truly give spiritual leadership in the household of faith, you must be completely mastered by your Lord (1 Tim. 3:2-7).

Responsibilities (to be split up & assigned)
1. Attend monthly CLT meetings, and Council meetings (approx 4 times per year).
2. Review reports provided by pastors, Shepherding Elders, Deacons and other ministries of the church.
3. Participate in regular sermon and service evaluations.
4. Function as CLT liaison to church ministries (Connect Team, Gray Matters).
5. Function as CLT liaison to associate pastors.
6. Assist the President and Vice President with their work on finance, facility and logistical issues as necessary.
7. Participate in quarterly goal-setting meetings with Pastors, along with other members of CLT.
8. Assist in review and preparation of annual budget.
9. Review all financial activities of the Council to be familiar with the revenue and expenses of the congregation. Take the lead in fund-raising by making personal contributions and encouraging Council members to do the same as God enables.

Qualities
1. Demonstrates love for the Lord and others
2. Prays for the church and for discernment in his/her role as Executive Elder
3. Demonstrated community leadership and active volunteering
4. Respected by Council members, pastors, and key stakeholders
5. Ability to communicate, listen, and seek input from others
6. Strong group dynamic skills

Shepherding Elder Job Description
*Term of 3 years, renewable for additional 2-3 years. (per Nominating Committee approval)

Charge to Elders:
I charge you, elders, as shepherds of the flock, to “hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that [you] can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus 1:9). Be a friend and Christlike example to children. Give clear and cheerful guidance to young people. By word and example, bear up God’s people in their pain and weakness, and celebrate their joys with them. Hold in trust all sensitive matters confided to you. Encourage the aged to persevere in God’s promises. Be wise counselors who support and strengthen the pastor. Be compassionate, yet firm and consistent in rebuke and discipline. Know the Scriptures, which are “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). Pray continually for the church. Remember at all times that if you would truly give spiritual leadership in the household of faith, you must be completely mastered by your Lord (1 Tim. 3:2-7).

Primary Responsibilities:
1. Pray for each family and member and ask about specific prayer requests.
2. Establish a regular connection with all members of assigned districts, seeking opportunities to meet each member and family, in home visits, phone or email conversations, and at church.
3. Demonstrate interest and support in each member’s faith formation.
4. Share visits and connections within the regularly scheduled Shepherding Elder meetings and pray together.
5. Help maintain connection within the congregation, including making referrals to the Parish Nurse, Meals that Heal, Listening caregivers, etc.
6. Work closely with the Clerk to keep an up-to-date membership record, including new members, and review of lapsed statuses. This also includes conducting member exit interviews.

Collaborative Elder Responsibilities:
1. Share Sunday AM elder responsibilities: communion prep, serving and clean-up, post-service greeting, and locking up church.
2. Participate in the regular sermon evaluation process.
3. Monitor and assess the conduct of worship services, preaching and the administration of the sacraments (including baptism), and offer comments, advice and counsel, and/or correction as appropriate.

Meeting Responsibilities:
1. Attend a monthly Shepherding Elder meeting.
2. Attend a regular Congregation Care Team meeting.
3. Attend Council Meetings, Approx. 4x/year.
4. Attend occasional special meetings as determined by the Council or by the Shepherding Elders.
5. Attend one Classis Lake Erie meeting per full elder term.

Qualifications
An individual who has been called to the position of Shepherding Elder will demonstrate the following behaviors and skills:
1. Demonstrates love for the Lord and others.
2. Prays for the church and for discernment in his/her role as Shepherding Elder.
3. Shows interest in meeting and forming attachments to people of the congregation.
4. Respects individual privacy and maintains confidentiality.

Deacon Job Description
*Term of 3 years, renewable for additional 2-3 years. (per Nominating Committee approval)

Charge to the Deacons:
I charge you deacons, to inspire faithful ministries of service to one another, to the larger community, and to the world. Remind us that the Lord requires us “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with [our] God” (Mic. 6:8). Teach us to be merciful and to seize new opportunities to worship God with offerings of wealth, time, and ability. Realize that benevolence is a quality of our life in Christ and not merely a matter of financial assistance. Therefore, minister to rich and poor alike, both within and outside the church. Weigh our opportunities for giving and service and use the church’s resources discerningly. Be compassionate to those in need and treat them with dignity and respect; hold in trust all sensitive matters confided to you. Encourage with words that create hope in hearts and with deeds that bring joy into lives. Be prophetic critics of the waste, injustice, and selfishness in our society, and be sensitive counselors to the victims of such evils. Let your lives be above reproach; live as examples of Christ Jesus; look to the interests of others. And in all your ministries help us participate in the renewing of all things even as we anticipate its completion when God’s kingdom comes.

Deacon Responsibilities:
1. In collaboration with the Pastor of Mission & Discipleship and Council set a missional vision for the church, in line with our current Oikos vision.
2. Be active participants in the work of mission, including facilitating learning and service opportunities and leading the congregation by example.
3. Be collaborative in working with the Mission Action Team and the Social Justice Team to bring all the missional work of the church into alignment with the church’s vision. This will be revisited periodically (at least annually) to ensure that the missional work of the church remains aligned with the church’s vision and budget.
4. Use your God-given prophetic voices to point the community toward need and justice opportunities in our community, and in the greater world.
5. Spend time in prayer for our mission partners and missionaries as well as staying up-to-date on their work by reading their newsletters and other updates. This includes clearly communicating needs and providing advocacy for our agencies and missionary partners.
6. Be responsive to the financial and physical needs of the church community. This includes receiving & prospecting benevolence requests and organizing support for those in a time of need.
7. Be responsible for organizing the church’s giving. This includes making a deacon-in-charge schedule, special offerings, and that contributions are stewarded wisely.
8. The deacons-in-charge will open the church before worship services prior to the arrival of the congregation, doing the following as necessary:
• Unlock the doors to the church.
• Shovel and/or salt the steps at each entrance to the church if they have become icy or significant snow has accumulated.
• Make collection plates ready as appropriate for the service (including special offerings, etc.).
• Arrange for people to cover the outside aisles during collection, including extra people for special collections, if necessary.
• Place bulletins in the holders at the doors to the Sanctuary, if greeters have not already done so.
• Place a fresh glass of water for the pastor’s use during the service, as desired by the pastor.
• Make sure there is water in the pitcher ready to pour into the Baptismal fount.
9. Organize received offerings after the service, placing them in a labeled envelope and placing the envelope in the office safe, or other location as instructed.

Meeting Responsibilities:
1. Attend a monthly deacon meeting.
2. Attend a regular Mission Action Team Meeting (could be combined with Deacon meeting.)
3. Attend Council Meetings, (approx 4x/year)
4. Attend occasional special meetings as determined by the Council or by the Deacons.
5. Attend one Classis Lake Erie meeting per full deacon term.