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Governance

Governance at City on a Hill

City on a Hill is committed to planting and leading healthy churches. Our governance structures play an important role in in providing the appropriate accountability, wisdom and support to our leaders, as we pursue our mission together.

As one movement of many churches, the governance framework of City on a Hill includes governance teams across the movement as a whole, as well as locally within each of our established churches.

Our governance model aligns with the principles of Anglican governance, with lay men and women from within the local congregations appointed to serve the local church and wider movement.

City on a Hill Movement Council

The City on a Hill Movement Ltd. Council provides peak governance and operational oversight to the City on a Hill churches and ministries. Council directors play a key role in overall governance and supporting the strategic direction of the movement. Council members are to have a vibrant faith, Christ-like character, commitment to the vision and mission of City on a Hill, and competency in areas important to governance of the movement including finance, risk, planning & strategy, people & leadership, experience with a growth organisation, theology and pastoral leadership. The Council is made up of a mix of City on a Hill lay members and pastors. Appointments and terms of council directors are in accordance with the City on a Hill Movement constitution.

City on a Hill Movement Ltd. Constitution

Capability requirements for council directors

City on a Hill Movement Council charter

Richard Jackson

Chair/Director

Guy Mason

Senior Pastor/Director

Luke Nelson

Director

Nick Coombs

Director

Lyn Ryman

Director

Rachel
Saravanamuthu

Director

Matthew Leung

Director

City on a Hill Movement Committees

The City on a Hill Movement Council is supported by various sub-committees that provide specialised governance in key areas across the movement, including finance, risk, and people & culture. Council committee members are appointed by the Movement Council. The scope, duties and responsibilities of each committee is outlined in the respective committee charters.

City on a Hill Finance committee charter

City on a Hill Risk committee charter

City on a Hill People & Culture committee charter

City on a Hill Local Church Councils

Our local church councils exist to provide local wisdom, governance, support and accountability to the local lead pastor and leadership team of an established local City on a Hill church. Each local church council functions as a sub-committee of the City on a Hill Movement Council and has delegated authority to assist the council to discharge their governance responsibilities and to provide a local governance function. The local church council complements the oversight provided by the Senior Pastor of the City on a Hill Movement, and other supports and supervision.

The scope, duties and responsibilities of the local church council is outlined in the local church council charter, and role of council members in the role description.

City on a Hill local church council charter

City on a Hill local church council member role description

Anglican Diocese of Melbourne

Currently five of our churches are Anglican and are licensed as Authorised Anglican Congregations (AACs)
in the Melbourne Diocese (Melbourne, Melbourne West, Melbourne East, Geelong, Surf Coast). These
churches operate under the Parish Governance Act as one church through a combined cooperative
agreement, with shared leadership and governance. Under this arrangement, the Senior Pastor is licensed
as the Priest-in-charge, and ministry staff across the churches licensed by the Archbishop as either assistant
clergy or authorised lay ministers.

Lay volunteer members from across the AACs are appointed annually to hold office as warden or church
council member, and provide accountability and governance within the Anglican framework. As priest-in-
charge, the Senior Pastor is additionally accountable to the Archbishop and assistant bishops, who provide
Episcopal oversight across the diocese.

Other Governance References

Safe ministry policies

Making a complaint

Code of conduct

Financial report 2021

Privacy policy

Melbourne Anglican governance

Each of the City on a Hill entities are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) as not-for-profit charities.