How can you lead a great committee or staff meeting? And how can you influence a meeting for the good when you're not running it? Bill and I talk about purpose, organization, and most importantly, energy - with a side of fried chicken and social connection. (Plus the important question: should you forward this episode to your head of staff?)
Remember, you can scroll down for a transcript if that's your style.
About Called - At the Intersection of Life and Ministry
For 50 years between them, Pastor Bill Smutz and musician Sarah Bereza have survived and thrived in churches big and small, urban and rural, good and not so good. With generous hearts and healthy boundaries, they share practical advice for church staff about working smart, cutting out the bs, and embracing the good in ministry. New episodes on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.
Check out all the Called podcast episodes here, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Our Read of the Week
If you purchase through the following link, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting Called!
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Transcript of Called Ep. 9: Great Church Meetings (Yes, They're Possible!)
Bill Smutz: Welcome to called a podcast where we explore the intersection of ministry and the rest of our lives as church workers.
Sarah Bereza: I'm Sarah Bereza. Join us on the first and third Tuesdays as we talk about cutting out the bs and embracing the good. Between the two of us, we have ministered in churches for over 50 years and we haven't burnt out yet.
Bill Smutz: I am Bill Smutz. I am a Presbyterian pastor, so most of my service has been in Presbyterian congregations. Though the last few years I've been serving as a interim transitional pastor in United Church of Christ congregations. Large churches, small churches in between churches. If they pay, I've been there.
Sarah Bereza: Meanwhile, if they hire organists, I've been there. I'm a church musician, and I've worked in a lot of different denominations. I'm currently working in a United Church of Christ congregation.
Bill Smutz: Today we are talking about something that seems really mundane, and yet is so crucial to the life of those who work in the churches. And that's how to do good meetings, fruitful meetings, faithful meetings, meetings that you don't want to stick a pencil in your eye because you're so bored in the middle of it. Meetings that help churches move towards that future where God is calling them.
Sarah Bereza: And these meetings could be committee meetings, council meetings, staff meetings where you got a group of people with one person who's at least on paper is the leader.
Bill Smutz: All those other task force meetings, those groups that come together just for something, some special purpose. Any kind of meeting in a church.
Sarah Bereza: But not a meeting, as in, here's our worship service. A meeting, not a Meeting House meeting.
Bill Smutz: That's a different kind of meeting.
Three Key Elements: Purpose, Organization, Energy
Sarah Bereza: Yes. So we're going to talk about three main areas today. We're going to talk about the purpose of meetings. And we're going to talk about organization of meetings. And we're going to talk about energy. Because that's really important, especially if you don't want to put a pencil in your eye.
Bill Smutz: Well it does take some energy to put a pencil in.
Purpose - Not As Obvious as It Seems
Sarah Bereza: Right? So let's let's start out by talking about purpose and why purpose isn't as obvious as you think it would be. Cause I think in some ways that seems like a kinda dumb place to start. Well, don't we know the purpose? We're having a staff meeting, we're supposed to talk about our staff stuff or we're having a committee meeting. This is the worship committee. We're going to talk about worship stuff. And so you would think that you know what the purpose is.
