Governance

Richfield United Methodist Church is a local congregation of the Prairie Winds District of the Minnesota Annual Conference (MAC) of The United Methodist Church (UMC) denomination. The polity and structure of the UMC is outlined in the UM Book of Discipline and this document is curated by the General Conference which meets every quadrennium. 

The ministers of the church are all members of the congregation. To help the church build ministry systems and carry out its mission, the congregation is organized with Elected Leader Teams comprised of members in good standing who are active and engaged in the life of the church. 

Staff Teams coordinate a variety of areas of focus and expertise of the life of the church. These areas include business and administration, communications and volunteer coordination, facilities and ground maintenance and systems, pastoral care, children, youth, and family ministries, music, and Caring for Children early learning center. 

The Bishop of the Minnesota Annual Conference is Bishop Lanette Plambeck. She appoints a pastor to Richfield UMC to order the life of the church and cast vision as the Appointed Clergy.

The Appointed Clergy, Elected Leader Teams, and Staff Team work together to carry out the mission of the church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The vision to live in faith, justice, and joy is crucial to everything we do as a church, from missional outreach to Sunday School, from worship to neighborhood events.

Elected Leader Teams

Leaders are elected for three-year terms to a variety of teams that help the church function and carry out its mission today and tomorrow. Members receive a list of all elected leaders at the semi-annual meeting in June. Teams that fulfill the functions required by the UM Book of Discipline are the Board of Trustees, Staff-Parish Relations Committee, Finance Team, and Nominating Team. The chairs of these teams, as well as the chair of Children’s Council, the United Women of Faith president, chair of the Church & Society Team, Annual Conference lay delegates, and elected at-large members come together as the Administrative Board. The chair and the pastor work together and the Ad Board to carry out the mission of the church. Elected leader rosters are published annually in the July/August issue of The Heartline newsletter.

Additional Teams and Taskforces

Occasionally, additional teams and taskforces are created to curate specific areas of focus for the church. Some are based in a particular ministry, others are created for a specific purpose or intended for a limited season. These teams include Church & Society Team*, Event Taskforce, Funerals and Memorials Team, Groth Scholarship Selection Team*, Hospitality Team, Memorials Committee*, Reconciling Team, Regathering Taskforce, Richfield UMC Foundation*, United Women of Faith (UWF, formerly known as United Methodist Women or UMW),  and others.  (* elected)