Relations Committee WORSHIP The StaffParish Relations Committee is where the pastor staff and the congregation come together to focus on the leadership needed for the mission of the church ID: 361342
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Slide1
Staff-Parish
Relations
CommitteeSlide2
WORSHIPSlide3
The Staff-Parish Relations Committee is where the pastor, staff and the congregation come together to focus on the leadership needed for the mission of the church.
.Slide4
Together, lay members and the pastor deal with the
celebrations and disappointments
that arise out of life as a community of faith, and
develop strong leadership
for the mission of the church.
.Slide5
5-9 members
elected at Church Conference
for a 3-year term
+ Lay Leader &
Lay Member to Annual Conference
Who are we?
Members may not have more than two consecutive terms.
Immediate family members cannot serve together
Relatives of the pastor or staff cannot serve on the SPRC
One member must be a young adult
Everyone must be a professing or associate member
of the churchSlide6
Minimum: 4 times per year
Recommended: at
least 6 times per year…
and
monthly for the first year with a new pastor
*
The committee shall meet only with the knowledge of the pastor and/or district superintendent.
How Often
do we meet?Slide7
Mission-Centered
Issue-Centered
Staff-Parish Relations FocusSlide8
ISSUES
Care of the parsonage
Upset Parishioners
Church policies
Staff concernsAnnual ministry recommendation to the SuperintendentPastor Recognition EventsOthers…
MISSION
Creating a Covenant reflecting your church’s mission statement.
Identifying a continuing education focus
Assessing the congregation’s spiritual gifts
Nurturing youth for pastoral ministry
Studying and growing in leadership with your pastor
RESULT:Maintenance
RESULT:LeadershipSlide9
Sensitive matters can be shared in confidence and discussed without fear of attack or reprisal.
Sacred
Space
Leaders grow together through study and scripture; they pray for one another and their church; and support their pastor’s growth for ministry
Rule of 3 “C”’s
Confidentiality
Compassion
CivilitySlide10
1. Abiding in Christ
Sacred
Time
2. Offering Pastoral Support
3. Focus on Leadership
for the Church’s Mission
4. Commitments & PrayerSlide11
Key to Support and Leadership:
COVENANTSlide12
COVENANTI.
Any Church, Anywhere
Basic pastoral duties for the life and mission
of the church:Slide13
COVENANTII.
Your Mission, Your People
What unique focus does your pastor need to give in order to lead you in fulfilling God’s mission for your church?
EXAMPLESSlide14
COVENANT
Now the HARD PART…
In order to focus on those needs and ministries:
What ministry expectations in your church will your pastor do less of, or let go of completely?
How can the laity take more responsibility for these ministries? Slide15
Vision Statement: “1st Church is called by God to…
Church’s Goals for 2011
: Increasing the number of small groups
in
the churchReach neighborhood children through a summer children’s ministryDeepen the spiritual experience of worshipPastor’s Ministry
Teach Disciple Bible Study and train small group leaders
Work with church council and leadership team; participate as the pastor’s gifts allow.
Plan and lead healing services quarterly; work with prayer team.Slide16
III. SPRC Covenant with the PastorSlide17
Covenant ConversationSlide18
Pastor’s
Input
District Superintendent
Cabinet Assessment of Annual Conference
Contact with New Pastor
Introduce
to SPRC
May -Public Announcement
July 1 new pastor
begins
Pastor Remains
May-Public Announcement
APPOINTIVE PROCESSSlide19
SPRC Basics:
HANDLING CONFLICTSlide20
Rule of 3 “C”’s Confidentiality
Compassion
Civility
SPRC
member
Pastor Parishioner
or Staff
Practice Matthew 18:15-17
1. Conflict is first worked out directly between two people.
2. An SPRC member goes with the parishioner to listen while they talk & seek resolution3. If there is no resolution, the SPRC addresses the issue together.Avoid Triangles!Slide21
SPRC Basics:
LAY STAFFSlide22
DETERMINING STAFF NEEDS & EFFECTIVENESSThe SPRC and the pastor work together to determine the professional leadership needs of the parish:
To
hire and release staff
members To support and strengthen staff effectiveness Provide
annual
evaluation
Recommend annual compensation to the Charge Conference
Address
the use of skills and
priorities Consult on continuing education & spiritual
renewal The SPRC and pastor together determine thejob descriptions of all lay staff. Slide23
LAY STAFF ACCOUNTABILITYAll Lay staff
are
directly supervised by the pastor and
are
responsible directly to him/her for accountability and oversight of their work. Lay Staff are not members or Regular participants in SPRC meetings. They attend only
at the
invitation of the Staff-Parish
Committee, and only
for matters
pertaining
to their position. The pastor is present for all SPRC meetings including those with their Staff.Slide24
STAFF CONFLICT with the
PASTOR , another STAFF or a PARISIONER
Practice
Matthew
18:15-17 1. Concerns
are first addressed directly by the staff person with the
pastor, staff member or parishioner involved.
2. If
there is no resolution, the staff person
may ask the Chair of the SPRC to be in a conversation with the parties involved to seek resolution
3. If there is still no resolution, the Chair of the SPRC can place the item on the agenda and invite the staff person to address them with the SPRC and
other party at the next scheduled meeting. Avoid Conflict Triangles: SPRC members should not speak for staff persons or carry messages to the SPRC from personal conversations with them.Slide25
Meeting Topics
Planning for pastoral change
Care of the parsonageUpset Parishioners
Church policies
Staff concernsAnnual pastoral recommendation to the SuperintendentPastor Recognition EventsCreating a Covenant reflecting your church’s mission statement.Identifying a continuing education focusAssessing the congregation’s spiritual giftsNurturing youth for pastoral ministry
Studying and growing in leadership with your pastor
Spiritual Renewal for your pastor
Annual Covenant Renewal
Arrangements for Course of Study time
Setting annual compensation package and recommend to the church council
Confer on pulpit supplyRecommend staff changes to the church council; hire/fire staff
Interview and recommend candidates for ministryInterpret to the congregation the nature of United Methodist ministryPromote unity in the local church and the parishStudy the role and work of a pastorWrite and review lay staff job descriptionsEducate the congregation about the Ministerial Education FundSlide26
SPRC MEETING OUTLINE10 minutes of Devotions
/Study, sharing prayers, singing
Sightings of Good News –
How have you seen God at work in
the congregation and through the church’s ministry?2. Reflections from the Pastor – How is it with your soul? 3. Today’s Topic(s) 4. Other business5. Follow-up… Next meeting date and time…
6. Sending prayer
*Ask members to bring concerns to the pastor ahead of time and decide together whether it needs to be addressed by the entire committee. Surprise complaints cannot be dealt with constructively in a meeting. Slide27
A copy of this powerpoint
is on the district website
BOOKS & GUIDES
Pastor-Parish Relations GUIDELINES
bookletThe Book of Discipline of the United Methodist ChurchUnbinding the Gospel by Mary Grace ReeseI Refuse to Lead a Dying Church
by Rev Paul Nixon
Watching Over One Another With Love
by
Gwendolynn
PurushothamA step-by-step guidance for creating a covenant-based ministry assessment process that holds persons accountable for fruit-bearing faith while enabling the experience of ministry assessment to be edifying for both the church and the pastor.Can Our Church Live?
by Alice Mann Redeveloping Congregations in DeclineTake the Next Step by Lovett Weems, Jr. Leading Lasting Change in the ChurchPower Surge by Michael Foss Six marks of discipleship for a changing church
Leading Change in the Congregation by Gilbert Rendle Spiritual and Organizational Tools for Leaders
District website: evdistrictumc.comSlide28
STAFF CONFLICT with the PASTOR , another STAFF or a PARISIONER
Practice
Matthew
18:15-17
1. Concerns are first addressed directly by the staff person with the pastor, staff member or parishioner involved. 2. If there is no resolution, the staff person may ask the Chair of the SPRC to be in a conversation with the parties involved to seek resolution
3. If there is still no resolution, the
Chair of the SPRC can
place the item on the agenda and invite the staff person to address them with the SPRC and
other party
at the next scheduled meeting.
Avoid Conflict Triangles
: SPRC members should not speak for staff persons or carry messages to the SPRC from personal conversations with them.Slide29
Closing Prayer for SPRC members“Lord of our church, thank you for the pastor who serves us. We praise you for _________’s devotion, wisdom and faithfulness. Teach us a thousand ways to show our love. Help us to show our pastor how influential
she/he
is in our spiritual development and in the effectiveness of our ministry. Show us how to encourage and support him/her,
to speak the truth in love, and to offer our best in return. Amen.”
adapted from the book Your Pastor Is an Endangered Species by H.B. London, Jr., and Neil B. Wiseman.Slide30
Closing Prayer for Pastors“Lord of our church, thank you for the laity who serve you. We praise you for their devotion, wisdom and faithfulness. Teach us a thousand ways to show our love. Help us to show them how influential they are in our spiritual health and in the effectiveness of our ministry.
Show us how to encourage and support them, to speak the truth in love, and to offer our best in return. Amen.”
adapted from the book
Your Pastor Is an Endangered Species
by H.B. London, Jr., and Neil B. Wiseman.