Who should be the Congregation's Executive in Policy Governance?

By David Pyle

slide on Who is the executive in a congregation

Congregational Life Staff are often asked who performs executive functions in UU Congregations under policy governance.

There is no single or perfect answer to who fulfills Executive Functions in UU Congregations

Here are some considerations:

  • The board may be both Governance and Executive
  • The Minister may be the Executive
  • There may be a lay/professional team as the Executive
  • The Board/Congregational President/Chair may be the Executive
  • A long time "Elder" member may informally serve as the Executive
  • A Program Council or Operational Second Board may serve as the Executive
  • Executive functions may shift in the congregation depending on the issue or circumstance, or by formal or informal delegation.
  • The more formally the Executive is given power, the greater the level of accountability

It is not a question of which is "right" but rather a question of whether it works or doesn't work for your congregation to best live its vision and mission.

About the Author

David Pyle

The Rev. David Pyle is the Regional Lead and a Congregational Life Consultant with the MidAmerica Regional Staff. Rev. Pyle holds a Masters of Divinity from the Meadville Lombard Theological School and a Bachelors of Arts in History and Political Science from East Tennessee State University. He...

For more information contact .