Gilmore Park uses a new system of congregational governance known as the Policy Governance Model, developed by John Carver. (For a brief overview of how Policy Governance works, click here)

Currently our governance document including a full set of policies is under review by the presbytery of Vancouver South for approval under the Manual Section 279 ("Different Forms of Organization") The presbytery is allowing us to experiment with this governance format for the time being (since 2003), although it has not yet been officially sanctioned.

The Conference of British Columbia also uses a Policy Governance Model. For information visit their website at www.bc.united-church.ca. For a more in-depth look at Policy Governance, refer to the books Boards that make a Difference and Reinventing Your Board by John Carver, or visit www.carvergovernance.com.

IMPORTANT: We do not recommend that other congregations simply "lift" part, or even all of our policy document for their own use. Those who do not understand fully how the model works may try to implement it or make changes to it that can be dangerous to the health of a congregation. Take note that before moving to this model we:

• trained leaders for two full years (weekly)
• discerned spiritual gifts
• selected a Council based on the appropriate gifts
• set high standards for Council members
• consulted immediately with the presbytery, and continue to work with presbytery's special task force
• required every Council member to read Reinventing Your Board by John Carver
• hired a Policy Governance Consultant for a weekend retreat to begin forming policy
• spent one year in discernment of appropriate policy formation, reworking the document monthly
• continue to discern changes in policy, as the model is used in the life and work of the congregation

Gilmore Park Policy Document  (486 kb)