Hempfield Brethren in Christ Church

Hempfield church is led by a Leadership Team as the primary decision making body of the church. Leadership team members serve three year terms that are renewable for a maximum of two terms in succession (6 years in a row total).  Names are submitted/nominated from the congregation each year to fill openings on the team.  These names are evaluated based on the Biblical requirements for leaders, spiritual giftedness, and the needs and balance for the team. The existing leadership team functions as the church nominating/personnel committee for the church.  After much prayer and reflection, the team finishes the process of evaluation, and they select the candidates. These people are contacted to see if they are willing and sense a call to serve in the leadership capacity.  Then the names are brought to the congregation in congregational council for affirmation.  The leadership team follows the same process for deacon selection. 

Included in the report to congregational council, is the budget for the year as proposed by the leadership team.  At Hempfield we take an entire session prior to the actual congregational council for review of the proposed budget to allow plenty of time for questions and discussion.  Once the proposal (adjusted if necessary after the pre-council session) is brought to the church council, it comes for affirmation. If it is not affirmed, it will be sent back for review and a further proposal at a later date. This report also includes updates and vision projections for the various commissions and ministries within the church body.  

Congregational council is the time each year (usually in January) when the selections for leadership team and deacons, the proposed budget, the staffing selections for each of the commissions (each commission, with the exception of leadership team and deacons, is responsible for selecting its own staff), and the pastoral and commission ministry reports are brought to the congregation for affirmation.  Each congregational member is asked to either affirm the recommendations or to not affirm as they sense God’s leading.  One can affirm the entire list, not affirm the entire list, or choose the name-by-name issue-by-issue option.

As stated earlier, leadership team is the primary decision body of the church. The senior pastor, as part of that team, is accountable to the leadership team for guidance and parameters for ministry.  The senior pastor is also responsible to keep the leadership team focused on vision and spiritual direction.  The leadership team lays out guidelines, procedures, policies, etc.  The day to day operations of the church are handled by the church staff within the guidelines established by the leadership team. The staff reports to the senior pastor who in turn reports to the leadership team.  Major issues such as purchase or sale of land, building projects, or selection of a senior pastor are brought to church council for discussion and for affirmation.  A general consensus of God’s leadership will be sought before moving forward in these important areas. 

Hempfield church is not a voting church.  We choose to affirm rather than vote. Votes tend to produce winners and losers and we believe God would have us all be winners.  For this reason we ask the Leadership team to make the decisions regarding the nomination selection process and bring names for affirmation rather than vote.  We bring each name for affirmation rather than have two or more names for people elect or to choose from. In this way we avoid causing feelings of pain or rejection for those not elected/selected.  The selection process is in this way done in private to protect each individual’s feelings.  

For further information on Hempfield’s history, leadership model, denominational polity, and functional processes, see the Organizational Chart  (below) and the Leadership Models for Churches available through the church office.