Ministries/Boards - Trustees

A Trustee is elected by the congregation at the Annual Program Meeting to serve for a period of three years on the nine-member Board of Trustees. (Three members are elected each year in order to provide continuity.) The Trustee responsibilities are awesome and humbling. They are responsible for the management of all real and personal properties of the Church according to the laws of the State and of the North Congregational Church bylaws and/or as directed by the church membership or the Executive Council. The Council may occasionally ask the Trustees to complete special assignments in addition to their normal duties; the bylaws also require approval by Trustees for most non-recurring expenditures.

There is a House and Grounds sub-committee which is responsible for maintaining the outside and the inside of the church property at all times. This includes everything from repairing the parking lot, trimming trees and shrubs, lawn maintenance, snow removal, painting inside and out, maintenance of the heating and air-conditioning units, office equipment and supplies, Sunday School furniture and supplies, to general cleaning, maintenance and repairs.

The second all-important sub-committee is the Investment Committee which is responsible for reviewing and overseeing the investment funds. The Investment Committee meets regularly to discuss current issues and the entire Board of Trustees meets annually with the bank and investment fund managers.

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the proposed Annual Budget after reviewing the independent budgets submitted by all other Boards and Committees. The budget is then sent to Executive Council for review and recommendation, before the Trustees present it to the congregation for their vote.

Yes, it does sound like a lot of work and responsibility, but the Trustees do have fun working together as a team and gain a real sense of satisfaction upon completing their projects. Many Trustees willingly agree to serve multiple terms, while always looking for new faces to share in these responsibilities.

Like all Boards and Committees, the Trustees take their turn at hosting after-church luncheons and Lenten suppers, providing yet another opportunity to work together to serve God, our community, our church and our fellow members.