Governance Training

I have just completed a four day workshop on Business [Governance]. The Workshop was via The Australian Institute of Community Practice and Governance [AICPG]. AICPG is the training division of ourcommunity.com.au

ourcommunity.com.au is a wonderful resource for people involved in not-for-profit organisations. Well worth a visit to their website.

The workshop focused on the four areas of Governance, Planning, Communicating and Sustaining.

Great stuff as a refresher and a reminder of all those things yet to do.

Building new facilities

We’re in the process of designing an upgrade to our facilities in Ringwood. We have been on this site for 90 years. Over the years we have made changes, improvements, additions and refurbishments. The last major upgrade was in 1997 when we added a new worship centre seating around 325 people. This facility is now way out of date and too small for ur regular use. We have around 100 children each sunday and providing appropriate space for their activities is really stretching us.

We have embarked on a redesign of the whole site which will provide a new worship centre, a new multi-purpose children’s centre along with new kitchen, meeting rooms and storage. It’s an abitious project for us but one that is really needed.

We have a presentation of the design to our leadership group tomorrow night. I’m looking forward to their reaction.

Our son’s engagement party

This weekend our son and his fiance came home to celebrate their engagement with family and friends. They are now working and living interstate, so it is a wonderful joy to see them again – even if it is only a few short weeks since we last saw them.

A weekend of parties, traveling to see family and then back to the airport – all too short a visit.

I’ll get back to updating the Blog tomorrow.

10 Biblical reasons to teach people to give

Here’s another American article on giving.

10 Biblical and Practical Reasons to Teach People to Give 10% OR MORE of their Income to the Lord’s Work

For many years I have been teaching and counseling with people across the U.S. and in 20 countries on Christian financial, stewardship, debt, and giving issues. Over this time period, I have discovered the following 10 truths concerning WHY all Christians (regardless of their income level, debt problems, or financial circumstances) need to be taught to give 10%

OR MORE to the Lord’s work:

#1 It is a tried and proven pattern of giving done by godly people throughout the ages (regardless of cultures and income levels). Gen 14:17-20, 28:16-22 Lev 27:30 Pr 3:9,10 Mal 3:7-15 Mt 23:23

#2 It will help them reverence God more in their life. Dt. 14:23

#3 It will bring God’s wisdom and order to their finances and will help harness the dragon of materialism in their life. Matt. 6:19-21,24-34 Luke 12:16-21 I Tim 6:6-10,17-19 Ecc 5:10

#4 It will serve as a practical reminder that God is the Owner of everything in their life. I Chron 29:11-18 Ps 24:1,2 Ps 50:10-12 Hag 2:8

#5 It will allow them to experience God’s creative care and provisions in ways they would not otherwise experience. I Kgs 17 Pr 3:9,10 Mal 3:7-15 Hag 1:4-11, 2:15-19 Lu 6:38 Deut 28 Phil 4:15-19 Mk 12:41-44

#6 It will encourage their spiritual growth and trust in God. Deut 14:23 Pr 3:5,6 Mal 3:8-10 Hag 1:4-11, 2:15-19 II Cor 8:5

#7 It will ensure them treasure in heaven. I Tim 6:18,19 Mt 6:19-21 Heb 6:10 III Jn 8 I Sam 30:22

#8 It will strengthen the ministry, outreach, and stability of their local church. Acts 2:42-47, 4:32 II Cor 9:12,13

#9 It will help provide the means to keep their Pastor and missionaries in full-time Christian service. I Cor 9:9-11,14 I Tm 5:17,18 III Jn 5-8 Phil 4:15-19 Gal 6:6 Lu 8:3 II Kg 4:8-10

#10 It will help accomplish needed building projects and renovations. II Ch 24:4-14 Ex 35,36 II Kings 12:2-16 I Ch 29:2-19 Ez 1:4-6

© Author: Brian Kluth Christian Stewardship Association (CSA). Permission is given to CSA MEMBERS* to photo-copy, fax, or reprint for non-commercial purposes. *To request a membership packet, visit our website (www.stewardship.org) or e-mail CSA at csa@stewardship.org

Christian Stewardship Association

770 North High School Road ~ PO Box 531340 ~ Indianapolis, IN 46253

Phone: (317) 244-4272 Fax: (317) 244-4329 csa@stewardship.org

10 Tips on Giving Wisely

We have just had a couple return from the USA where they visited a large church. They brought back some information about the church which showed a weekly offering of over $500,000! Quite a bit larger than ours! I guess that they have just as much concern over giving as we do. I found this article a number of years ago and although American in origin, it still contains some helpful hints.

10 Tips on Giving Wisely (USA based donor system)

1. Budget for giving.
   Plan your philanthropic activities right into your budget just as you would other financial obligations.
2. Be an informed giver.
   Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you’re asked to give, including the specific name of the solicitor and his or her relationship to the organization, how much of your gift will be used for overhead, the specific project the money will go toward, and other important information. Give only when you feel comfortable that your dollars will be going to support an organization you know and believe in. Network for Good provides information on over 850,000 charitable organizations from the GuideStar database, so you can make an informed decision on the organizaiton you decide to help.
3. Keep the right records.
   For gifts of less than $250, a canceled check or credit card statement is sufficient for IRS requirements. For larger gifts, you’ll want to get a properly worded receipt from the charitable organization as a confirmation of your tax—deductible contribution. When you donate through Network for Good, you will receive an e-mail confirmation of your gift. This e-mail meets IRS requirements.
4. Be aware of how much is really tax deductible.
   If you receive a premium in exchange for your gift (such as a book or a dinner), the amount of your tax deduction is reduced by the fair market value of the premium. You can turn down the incentive item if you wish to claim a deduction for the full amount of your gift. Ask the receiving organization for more details.
5. Ask about matching gifts.
   Many employers match gifts made by their employees or make grants to organizations recommended by employees. Be sure to ask your company how it can help your gift go even further.
6. Remember, your gift can be confidential.
   If you prefer to have your gift remain confidential, you should let the organization know. You can expect the charitable organization to honor your request.
7. Consider alternative forms of giving.
   Don’t overlook the benefits to you and your cause received from bequests, charitable gift annuities, gifts in kind, endowments and many other creative forms of giving. Ask your tax advisor or attorney to help you make the best plan for you and your family.
8. Volunteer!
   In addition to financial support, consider giving your time and skills. Not only will you help the organization, but you’ll also make contacts, hone your skills, and learn more about the charitable cause to which you’re committing your time and money.
9. Don’t forget you have the right to say no.
   Give generously when you can, but if you’re unsure or feel uncomfortable—or if an organization simply falls outside your plan for giving—don’t be afraid to say no. Or, ask for more information and take more time to think before making your decision.
10. Be a proactive giver!
    You don’t have to wait to be asked. Plan a giving strategy in advance. Contact the charitable organizations of your choice to discuss how your gifts can be most effectively used and help make a difference in your community.

Church Website

After much discussion, planning and preparation, our new website has been launched.

There are numerous improvements on the new site and we still have to add some functionality of the old one. However, the new site is much cleaner and in keeping with the image we want to project.

The changeover was not without difficulty and it has impressed on me the need to maintain good documentation and ensure we have someone available who knows how to deal with ISPs and web hosts.

There’s no doubt that church websites are very important in the life of the church. Hopefully we will continue to attract the site visitors we had before the upgrade. We are finding that many people are interested in the sermon archives.

You may like to have a look at the site: www.ringwoodchurch.org.au

What makes a good Board Member?

The good Board member is worth their weight in gold! This article is really helpful in forming a ‘new board member’ pack.

Ten tips on being a good nonprofit board member
Vol.6 No. 3, 1/2/2007

1.    Develop a passion for your organisation and share it with others.  Be a proactive advocate for your nonprofit.  Master the art of the one minute sound byte which articulates what your organisation is about
2.    Recognise the difference between oversight and meddling.  Concentrate on real issues of importance not on reports about what committees have already done
3.    Value and honour the expertise of the CEO and staff by supporting them in their roles.  Good board members live and breathe collaboration
4.    Promote a culture that values diverse opinions and explores alternatives before making mission-critical decisions.  Challenge assumptions, question conclusions and help to foster an atmosphere where disagreement is ok.  But make sure you understand the difference between disagreement and being disagreeable
5.    Welcome change
6.    Take your work seriously but not yourself
7.    Do not confuse voluntarism for amateurism in the nonprofit sector
8.    Do not underestimate the complexity of governance in the nonprofit sector
9.    Encourage the board to work as a team of talented individuals through example
10.    Ensure you understand and can read a financial statement.

What’s going on in your organisation?

Articles from the 2006 Building Better Boards Conference in Sydney have been helpful. This one has some interesting observations about knowing what’s going on……

What is going on in your organisation?
Vol.6 No. 3, 1/2/2007

1.  Why is it important to know what is going on?
Knowledge of your organisation’s performance is essential for two main reasons:

• Conformance. Boards of directors have a legal responsibility to be aware of the fundamental activities of the organisation.  Board members should monitor the organisation’s activities and the internal policies which guide it.
• Performance. Good information is not essential for the board to influence the organisation in a positive way but it can help.  For example, if we know precisely what is going on, then as directors we can offer access to resources and identify those individuals who may help to carry out the mission of the organisation.

2.  How can we know what is going on inside our organisations?
This depends on a number of factors:
•    The information we are provided
•    The information we seek
•    The complexity of our organisation and its programs
•    Our knowledge, skills and abilities
•    Our availability
•    Our learning styles
•    Our effort.

It is important that board members have confidence in the quality of information they are given.  In this regard they are very reliant on staff and the CEO as to what information they are given.  Sometimes board members may have a general sense of unease about their organisation but do not know the right questions to ask.  In these organisations, board members complain that they are given such little information that they cannot ascertain the main issues.  Sometimes board members are bombarded with too much information and are totally overwhelmed.

3.  Why we will never know everything
•    The sheer quantity of potential information
•    The cost can be prohibitive
•    Sometimes performance is unknowable.  We might have information about activities but not outcomes.  For example, in running a help-line for people who are emotionally distressed we can know the number of calls to the service but we may not know the outcomes for those individual clients.

It is also likely that our understanding and judgment will be affected by how we see ourselves and what identities we adopt.  As board members we might see ourselves as a consumer representative, a moral guardian, a competent director or a supporter of the CEO.  These identities are important because they determine what we pay attention to.  Notably, if we have the consumer hat on we will probably focus on all things to do with the consumer and may not notice other aspects of the organisation.  If we are a lawyer we might focus on the legal side and not on quality of service to clients.

Most boards receive the treasurer’s report or the finance report and allocate time to its discussion and explanation.  But most boards rarely take the time to consider the non-financial aspects of performance of their organisation as a whole.  How often do we have time at board meetings to discuss and reflect on the across-the-board performance of the organisation?

4.  What we can do given we cannot know everything
Because the volume of information is overwhelming we have a tendency to form a picture on the basis of whatever information is immediately available.  We can never get a perfect understanding of what is going on inside our organisations and we may never know if our initial understanding was good enough until after the event.

The following are some ideas to help get a better picture:
•    Governance Information Systems:  Specify the information that the board wants, how frequently and in what format
•    Establish a compliance schedule where you list all the various reports which have to be lodged and ask the CEO to report compliance against the schedule
•    Make better judgments by comparing organisational performance to:

o    Plans
o    Performance criteria or standards
o    Previous periods
o    Other organisations (e.g. benchmarking)

•    Promote a culture of openness and an environment of learning
•    Think out loud about organisational performance
•    Use adverse information about the organisation’s performance to learn, not to punish.

But sometimes seeking more information is not the solution.  Sometimes it is more a question of making sense of the available information.  One way of making sense is to tell stories about the organisation and its work.  Storytelling can be a powerful way of understanding our organisations.

5.  How we can influence what is going on?
Once the legal requirements are met, board effectiveness can be anything you want it to mean.  If we want to discuss what it takes to have more effective boards, our first question should concern what type of board we want and what type of influence we want to have.  There are different types of board influence:

A. Controlling, preventing and protecting
•    Boards help control the organisation
•    Boards help prevent wrongdoing both within and by the organisation
•    By acting in the event of the loss of the CEO, the board protects the organisation
•    Boards maintain their existence through meetings and other activities.

B. Legitimising
•    The mere fact that the board exists gives some level of legitimacy to the organisation
•    Who becomes a member of a board also bestows legitimacy
•    Subject to general meetings, the board has final responsibility and authority.

C. Symbolising
•    Board composition and processes may reflect the organisation’s values, for example, values about inclusion, faith or stakeholder relations.

D. Doing
Boards provide resources of:
•    Information
•    Funding
•    Referrals
•    Representation
•    Work
•    Support for the CEO and staff.

E. Deliberating
Improving the quality of deliberation by
•    Questions and queries
•    Suggestions
•    Recommendations
•    Formal decision-making.

Summary
•    We need to understand how the organisation is going for reasons of conformance and performance
•    There are many different ways of knowing
•    Sometimes more information and more structured information are solutions
•    Sometimes the solution is not more information, but using the available information in different ways.

Once legal requirements are met, what constitutes an effective board is a matter for the board’s choice.  We tend to believe that all boards should be these super-human bodies which add enormous value to the work of organisations with their work and wisdom.  It is admirable that many boards have that goal.  But to have that as an expectation is unrealistic.  Not all boards can and will be heroes.  And that’s okay.

This article is an adaptation of Alan Hough’s presentation at the Building Better Boards Conference held in Sydney October 2006.  Alan Hough is a doctoral student with the Centre of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies at the Queensland University of Technology.

Annual General Meeting – the Outcome

Our 2008 AGM is over. Once again it was a highlight for the year. It is souch a positive and encouraging time of celebrating what God has done in the life of the church during the past year. It is also a time to look forward with anticipation for what God has in store for us.

I am encouraged by gracious and generous people who activley support the work of the church and the leadership team.

It was truly wondeful to see so may young people at the meeting. Teens and young adults alike not only attentativly listened to the presentations but actively particpated.

Annual General Meeting

We hold our church Annual General Meeting today.

Here at Ringwood Church of Christ that’s an opportunity to praise God for the life and growth we are experienceing. It is a real joy and pleasure to participate in such a positive meeting.

We are looking back on a year of growth and exciting experiences in all areas of church life.

We are looking forward to another year of growth – somewhat in awe of the posibilities. One of the big items for the future is what to do about our over-crowded facilities. Will keep you up to date with the outcomes……