Leadership Team

How is the Leadership Team made up?

The Leadership Team comprises:

• our two ministers – Revd Alistair Jones and Revd Colin Bourne;
  
•  two St Peter’s Churchwardens – Julie Houghton and Andrew Pearson
  
•  two Methodist Stewards or representatives nominated by them.  Currently Heather Rolfe is acting as a nominated representative.
  
• Four elected members -  Gill Dann, Keith Murray  and Gill Stone elected in 2017 and Lynne Pearson elected in 2018.

The church elects four people to join the Leadership Team and, under our new Constitution, they are now elected by a ballot of the all the members of Toton Churches, instead of at the Annual Meeting (see above).   Elected members serve for a maximum of four years before taking a break. To ensure continuity on the team, arrangements are in place to create rolling terms of office so that each year there will normally be one vacancy to fill.   

Why hold an election?
The drawing of lots and elections are both biblical and enshrined in the arrangements within Methodism and the Church of England.  Sometimes, churches fight shy of elections, fearing that people may be upset if not elected or resentful if not selected.  However, we believe that members of Toton Churches should welcome the opportunity to stand in and hold elections.  A good number of nominees shows that a range of people are sensing a call to some form of leadership role in the church, and win or lose, we would hope to ensure all those who step out to be nominated find a way to express leadership in our churches both now and in the future. 

What is the Leadership Team for?
The TCC has recently restated the core principles underpinning the Leadership Team and how it should operate: 

• The Leadership Team should serve the church and model collaborative leadership between minister and members.
  
• It sets time aside to listen to God and ensures mutual trust and honesty among its members.
  
• It develops and leads the churches’ purpose and vision in relation to Jesus Christ.
  
• Members need to hold shared values and to demonstrate a commitment to the faith and to Toton Churches.
  
• Discussions should keep to big picture issues (rather than dabbling in too much detail).
  
• Everyone should ensure leadership is regarded as a spiritual ministry which is gift from God. 
  
• The Leadership Team therefore takes the lead, under the direction of the TCC.  
  

  What does the Leadership Team do?
Leadership Team usually meets around three times a month currently on Tuesday evenings.  It spends its time:

•        Seeking Direction - towards the churches’ vision, forward planning and discerning  priorities; 
  
•        Praying - seeking guidance and discernment, developing discipleship;
  
•        Discerning gifts and opportunities, empowering members, developing leaders
  
•        Coordinating – the churches’ overall programme and life at a strategic level 
  
•         Managing – major pastoral or other issues
  
•        Deciding– items referred from TCC and new initiatives being proposed to the TCC
  
•        Liaising – with and supporting Coordinators and other key leaders
  
•        Communicating - devising and maintaining a comprehensive Communication Strategy
  
•        Leading – suggesting, initiating, responding and acting between meetings of the TCC

The Team does not lead everything or do everything!   Its work is to hold together all that God is doing in Toton Churches, seek His Will for what to do, or stop doing, in the future, and support all members in their various ministries.  

Who is the Leadership Team responsible to?

The leadership team is responsible to Toton Churches Council (TCC). It reports to the Council and it implements decisions made by the Council.  Our revised Constitution is very clear that the TCC is the governing body of the churches and sets out clearly the responsibilities of the Stewards’ Group, the Warden’s Group and all other groups and teams, all of which are responsible to the TCC.  All members of the leadership team (except our Ministers) are subject to periodic election so are accountable to the membership as a whole.

Leadership Team Election Results June 2018

Lynne Pearson has been elected to fill the vacant elected place on the Leadership Team, for a 4  year term: 2018/22.

No ballot will be necessary this year as Lynne’s was the only nomination received. We are grateful to Lynne for standing, and we assure her of our payers as she begins this further term as an elected member of the Leadership Team.