Quick Reference Card — April 2026
Mayflower Church — Decision-Making at a Glance. Quick-reference card for staff, board members, and trustees. v1.0 · April 2026. Governed by the March 2026 By-Laws.
This card is a summary. The full Decision-Making Framework is the authoritative companion, and the March 2026 Constitution and By-Laws govern where they conflict.
The Four-Question Check
Before you decide, ask:
Is the matter inside my domain?
Is the cost inside an approved budget line and under my tier?
Is any escalation trigger present?
Could I explain this at the next board meeting?
YES, YES, NO, YES → decide. Anything else → escalate one level.
Financial Thresholds
Tier
Amount
Who decides
Notes
F-1
Up to $250, within budget line
Ministry lead / staff
PROPOSED. Receipt to Financial Secretary ≤14 days.
F-2
$250 – $1,500, within budget line
Responsible Board chair
PROPOSED. Two signatures above $750. Logged in next minutes.
F-3
$1,500 – $5,000, within budget line
Responsible Board (majority)
PROPOSED. Notice to Board of Finance ≤7 days.
F-4
Non-budgeted, under $5,000
Board of Finance
BYLAW II.B — Finance §4.
F-5
Non-budgeted, $5,000 or more • OR any property disposition >$5,000
Congregation (at business meeting)
BYLAW II.B — Finance §5; Trustees §4. Emergency: Finance may act, congregation affirms next meeting.
F-6
Annual budget
Congregation approves (Finance proposes)
BYLAW II.B — Finance §1. October Quarterly Meeting.
Personnel
P-1 Volunteer role assignment — ministry team lead, with board chair awareness.
P-2 Minor change to a non-pastoral job description — supervising board (or Pastor), notice to Servants Council.
PROPOSED.
P-3 Non-pastoral staff hiring — Servants Council directs, per Hiring SOP.
Bylaw II.B, Servants Council §8.
P-4 Performance review (non-pastoral) — supervising board chair (or Pastor).
PROPOSED.
P-5 Pastor review — Servants Council.
Bylaw II.B, Servants Council §7.
P-6 Corrective action — supervising board chair, with Pastor.
PROPOSED.
P-7 Termination (non-pastoral) — Servants Council recommends; Finance confirms funding.
P-8 Pastoral call / termination — Congregation, 3/4 vote.
Bylaws II.A.
Ministry & Events
M-1 Run an existing ministry or event — responsible team / ministry lead.
M-2 Significant change — responsible board, Servants Council informed.
M-3 Discontinue — responsible board recommends; Servants Council affirms.
M-4 Launch a new ministry team — Servants Council approves charter; Elders approve establishment for teaching/outreach/worship.
M-5 Cross-board initiative — Servants Council chairs; affected boards co-approve.
M-6 Public communications — Pastor, with Elder consultation where doctrinal.
M-7 Outside speaker / teacher / musical guest — Pastor with Elder consent.
Facility & Property
B-1 Internal ministry use of the building — Trustees chair; church calendar authoritative.
B-2 External / third-party use — Board of Trustees; COI required. Elder consult if teaching.
B-3 Routine repair or maintenance — Trustees chair per F-1 to F-3.
B-4 Major repair / replacement / improvement (not budgeted, $5K+) — Congregation per F-5.
B-5 Capital project — Congregation approves project and funding.
B-6 Sale, mortgage, or transfer of property >$5K — Congregation.
Bylaw II.B.
B-7 Insurance claim / property damage — Trustees chair notifies Pastor and Finance within 24 hours.
Escalation Triggers
Always escalate — regardless of dollar amount or domain — when any of these are present:
A. Safety risk to any person or property.
B. Legal exposure / insurance — counsel should be consulted.
C. Doctrinal or confessional — Statement of Faith, Covenant, or teaching content.
D. Pastoral care / member-discipline sensitivity.
E. Reputational risk to the church or ministry of the gospel.
F. Precedent-setting — the first time the church is doing something, even small-dollar.
G. Significant dissent among the leaders responsible.
H. Media / external authority — inquiry, pressure, or request from civil authority.
Route: pause the decision. Notify the Pastor and the Servants Council chair within 24 hours. Council decides next step (extraordinary session, Elder referral, counsel, or congregational meeting).
Full Decision-Making Framework · Overview. Source Word document attached to this page.
