By Barry Shumpert, President of the Board of Trustees
Last Sunday it was my turn to serve as “Responsible Board Member.” So, I got to church a bit early, put on my name tag and the Responsible Board Member badge, and began walking through the building. A few people saw the badge and made funny comments—along the lines of “Are you sure you're up to being responsible today, Barry?” or “Does that mean the other board members get to be irresponsible?” I agree that the badge and its implications conjure up curious possibilities and invite humorous questions, but the Responsible Board Members (or RBMs) actually do serve worthwhile purposes.
Members of the Westside Board of Trustees take turns serving as RBM, with most members filling that role about eight times during the year. Here are the duties that go along with the role:
• Arrive early for the church service and be available in the sanctuary from 10:45 to12:30.
• Put on the RBM name tag and retrieve the building key.
• Let the service leader know that you are the RBM so that you can be aware of how the service is expected to proceed and if there is anything you can do to help.
• Identify the person serving as Safety Volunteer and exchange cell phone numbers so you can communicate if an emergency should come up.
• As a representative of the board, engage Westside members and visitors in conversation. Answer questions they may have about church matters or guide them to a person who does have the answers.
• Before the service begins, make sure the two exterior sanctuary doors are locked.
• During the service, sit at the rear of the sanctuary being alert for possible problems both inside and outside. Advise the Safety Volunteer if you see anything that needs attention.
• After the service, be available to accompany the Assistant Treasurer or Safety Volunteer with retrieving and counting the day's monetary donations. (This is normally done by the Treasurer and Safety Volunteer, but the RBM is ready to assist if one of them is absent.)
• Stay at the church until at least 12:30. Turn off lights in the building, and make sure all exterior doors are locked. If an after-church activity is going on when you leave, make sure the leader of that activity agrees to make sure the lights are turned off and the building is secured when they leave.
• Return the RBM badge and building key to their storage spots, and enjoy the rest of your afternoon.
So, the RBMs function mainly to make sure our church services proceed smoothly and safely and that our building is secure when the services are over. Our duties are pretty simple but important. Please feel free to continue joking with me when you see me sporting the RBM badge. While I know I'm doing something worthwhile, but I still feel a bit ridiculous proclaiming myself to be “responsible.”