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Our church is more than the building located at 6 Melvin Avenue in Catonsville. As stated in the United Methodist Church Book of Discipline, “The church is a community of true believers under the leadership of Christ.” In order for us to achieve our church mission which is “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world”, it takes the involvement of our members to participate in various committees to continue the functioning of the church and achievement of its mission.
If you have questions that pertain to any of these committees, call the church office at 410-747-1886, and ask for the name and contact information of the committee chairperson.
If you are interested in serving on one of these committees, please call Pastor David at the above number. The Nominations Committee seeks new committee members every August and September.
Each year the Nominations Committee seeks candidates for five important committees which support the functioning of the church. They are:
Administrative Council Members-at-Large
This Administrative Council is tasked with envisioning, planning, implementing, and annually evaluating the church’s mission and ministry. In its role as the administrative agency of the charge conference, it ensures that all aspects of the church’s work are aligned with its larger vision.
Members should be committed to the church’s vision and familiar with the church’s overall programming, not just their specific areas of involvement.
Trustees
The Board of Trustees provides oversight of all property and physical assets of a local church or charge. This includes managing and reviewing the church’s property insurance and ensuring the upkeep and maintenance of other church owned properties.
Trustees also receive and administer bequests made to the church, ensuring that all funds are used in accordance with the wishes of the deceased. Additionally, they oversee any specific trusts, foundations, endowments or investments on behalf of the congregation.
Trustees should be active in the congregation and familiar with the church’s property. Individuals with backgrounds in insurance, finance, law and property management are considered good candidates for this committee.
Finance
The Committee on Finance serves as the steward of a congregation’s financial resources. While the board of trustees manages the church’s property, special trusts, and bequests, the finance committee oversees all other financial assets, including those from tithing, fundraising and commercial activity.
The committee’s key responsibilities include:
- Proposing an annual budget for approval by the church council
- Tracking and recording all financial contributions and transactions and ensuring the proper distribution of funds according to the approved budget
- Establishing and reviewing financial policies to maintain transparency and accountability
- Arranging for an annual audit of church finances to be shared with the annual conference
- Recommending additional fund allocations for specific purposes after budget approval, subject to church council approval.
When selecting members, we seek individuals with experience in finance and administration and look for detail-oriented, strategic thinkers who are open to learning new things. All committee members should demonstrate Christian stewardship and a spirit of generosity.
Staff/Pastor and Parish Relationships
The SPRC provides emotional and spiritual support for all church staff and collaborates with the pastor to develop job descriptions, fill new staff positions, conduct background checks and offer annual evaluations of all employees. Additionally, the committee recommends salaries and other compensation for church staff.
Committee members should be deeply committed to the congregation and its mission. They should be familiar with the church, its ministries and its staff. A well-balanced committee includes individuals with experience in management, human relations, or psychology, as well as a mix of perspectives, energy and diversity.
Nominations Committee
The Nominations Committee’s primary role is to identify and nominate leaders for key positions within the local church.
This committee monitors vacancies in church leadership and works with the church council to identify qualified candidates to fill those roles. It can also recommend the creation of new leadership positions as needed.
People with experience in administration, teaching, mentoring or consultation can be valuable additions to the committee.
