Call To Action Vision Council Discernment Guide

Call To Action’s Strategic Plan, adopted in 2010, committed Call To Action to reforming its own structures and practices to be consistent with the organization’s values of transparency, inclusion, antiracism and antioppression.

Context

In 2011, the Board formed a Governance Committee to make recommendations on updating Call To Action’s governance structure in light of CTA’s strategic plan. The Governance committee included members from:

- CTA’s national staff
- CTA 20/30
- CTA’s antiracism team
- CTA chapters and
- CTA’s national board of directors.

During a multi-year process, the Governance Committee drafted a proposal, solicited feedback from all of CTA’s leadership groups, and made multiple revisions, and presented to Call To Action’s board of directors a series of recommendations to revise the organization’s governance structure in order to advance Call To Action’s vision and mission.

The first most noticeable change is that the governing group formerly called the Board of Directors will now be called the Vision Council. This language reflects a non-hierarchical intention and conveys the fact that this group will help Call To Action discern and adhere to its vision.

Another significant change is the transition of the governing body of Call To Action from a self-perpetuating entity to a governing council that is more transparent and accountable to Call To Action members. Leadership groups within Call To Action will appoint many Vision Council representatives. Under the new governance plan, Call To Action’s young adult community (CTA 20/30), the antiracism team (ART), and CTA chapters will each appoint two members to the Vision Council.

Each leadership group is asked to discern Vision Council representation using a process that is as inclusive as possible, such as the consensus process. Representatives do not need to be members of the given leadership group (for example, young adults who make up CTA 20/30 could choose to appoint someone older than someone in their 20s or 30s) but representatives should be prepared to communicate between the group that appoints them, and the Vision Council.

Besides the six Vision Council representatives appointed by leadership groups, five Vision Council members will be appointed by the governing entity of the organization. This will help elevate leaders who are not located within a CTA
leadership group and also help the Vision Council be balanced as to identities, talents, and skill sets.

General Expectations for Vision Council Service

a) Passionately support Call To Action’s Vision, Mission, and Core Beliefs

Call To Action’s Core Beliefs
We believe that:
- The people of God are called to live lives rooted in the Gospel.
- The church is the people of God and the people of God are accountable to the Creator and each other.
- Faith communities have the responsibility to foster inclusivity and justice.
- Every individual has the right to act according to an informed conscience and the responsibility to promote the equality and dignity of all people.

Call To Action’s Vision Statement
Call To Action will be the leader in challenging Catholics to act for justice and
build inclusive communities.

Call To Action’s Mission Statement
Call To Action educates, inspires and activates Catholics to act for justice and
build inclusive communities through a lens of anti-racism and anti-oppression principles.


b) Participate and complete antiracism/antioppression training
Even if an individual has had some kind of antiracism training in the past, they will be expected to obtain antiracism training through Crossroads Ministry.

c) Attend a one day orientation for incoming vision council members
A one-day orientation will likely be scheduled on a day prior to the start of an in- person Vision Council meeting with the hope that is more convenient than having a separate, stand-alone orientation gathering.

d) Actively learn and engage in consensus decision making practices
Some helpful resources include:
Beyond Majority Rule by Michael Sheeran -
www.amazon.com/Beyond-Majority-Rule-Decisions-Religious/dp/0941308049/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421124892&sr=8-%201&keywords=beyond+majority+rule

Seeds of Change Consensus Decision Making -
www.seedsforchange.org.uk/resources#consensus


e) Be prepared to serve for at least one term of three years.
In order for the Vision Council to change membership on a staggered schedule, first round terms will be divided with one half of the Council serving a two year term and the other half serving a three year term. After the initial two-year term is completed, all other members will serve one three-year term.


f) Be present and participate in three 2.5 (Friday – Sunday) in-person Vision Council meetings and monthly 90-minute teleconference calls as well as serving on 1-2 subcommittees. Vision Council expects to hold its in-person gatherings in different cities around the country each year.

g) Willingness to engage using Skype or other online video meeting arrangements.


h) Call To Action covers all costs associated with Vision Council service including transportation, meals, and lodging.


i) There is no requirement or expectation that Vision Council members financially support the organization at a particular level as part of their service.


j) Unwavering commitment to be a conduit of communication and information between the leadership group and the Vision Council
This is a particularly critical and often overlooked element to Vision Council service. Representatives are not simply offering a perspective from their leadership group, but are expected to consistently communicate from the Vision Council to their leadership group – and – from their leadership group back to the Vision Council. Communication mechanisms and deep commitment are needed to be in a constant back-and-forth relationship to ensure that the Vision Council does not work in isolation but acts with the consent and understanding of the wider CTA community.

Discernment

Leadership groups are expected to select representatives who embody a broad range of life experiences and who are committed to furthering Call To Action’s vision and mission. The goal is to have a Vision Council that reflects a wide spectrum of skills (finance, fundraising, legal, Human Resources, theology, activism, community organizing, etc.), experiences in leadership, diversity with respect to age, ethnicity, geographic location, sexual identity and gender, those in religious life, etc.

The governance implementation committee invites your leadership group to enter into a period of prayer and discernment that allows for occasions for in-depth discussion as well as periods of silence to surface two Vision Council members by February 20, 2015. One representative would serve an initial two-year term; the other would serve an initial three-year term.

If leadership groups are able to surface representation by February 20, 2015, the remaining tentative implementation timeline expects to unfold in the following manner:

March – June 2015 --- Preparation for transition.

June 5-7, 2015 will be a joint meeting of outgoing of directors and incoming Vision Council. A liturgical experience to mark this transition will take place. At the conclusion, the current board of directors will resign and the new Vision Council will take place.

On behalf of Call To Action’s board of directors, we are intensely grateful to you for entering into this very important and exciting discernment that will advance Call To Action’s vision and mission.

May your discernment be blessed with meaningful dialogue, spiritually nourishing prayer, and passionate excitement for the future of Call To Action.

Sincerely,

Delfin Bautista Caryl Callsen Jim FitzGerald Kate Ward Tamar Yager