1. Agenda Introductions, Hopes & Concerns COM Overview Umbrella Exercise Healthy Congregations Overview Assessment Overview

2. Committees on Ministry An Overview Rev. Renée Ruchotzke Regional Leadership Development Consultant Central East Regional Group

3. Our congregational roots

4. Our congregational roots: Members have a high level of commitment

5. Our congregational roots: Members live in covenant

6. Our congregational roots: Members consent to constantly learn together

7. Our congregational roots: Ministry issharedby Clergy and Laity

8. Our congregational roots: Churches support and aid one another

9. Old Model: Ministerial Relations Committee

10. Old Model: Ministerial Relations Committee Support for the Minister

11. Old Model: Ministerial Relations Committee Support for the Minister Advocate for the Minister

12. Old Model: Ministerial Relations Committee Support for the Minister Advocate for the Minister Only interest is the Ministry of the Minister

13. Congregation Ministerial Relations Committee Possibility of TRIANGULATION M R C Minister

14. Newer Model: Committee on Ministry

15. Committee on Ministry Looks at total ministry of the congregation

16. Mission Committee on Ministry Ministry = fulfilling the mission

17. The Importance of Mission “If a sailor has no destination – no clear idea of where to go – the sailboat meanders or stays adrift. The sailor needs a destination in order to adjust the sails in relation to winds. Communities are no different. Without a destination (mission), their responses are random, habitual, or meaningless. Congregations with a vision set their sails. Leaders are sailors.” (Peter Steinke)

18. Committee on Ministry Assessment: How are we doing?

19. Committee on Ministry Creates a culture of Adaptive Learning

20. Committee on Ministry Encourages a community of faith and love

21. Committee on Ministry Are we living ourcovenant?

22. Committee on Ministry Help to lead congregation through conflict

23. Trust Mission Role of Committee on Ministry within the congregation Covenant Wisdom

24. Role of Committee on Ministry Authority comes from stature

25. Role of Committee on Ministry Trustworthy

26. Role of Committee on Ministry Advisors offering wise recommendations

27. Role of Committee on Ministry Accountable to Congregation (mission and covenant)

28. Role of Committee on Ministry Reports to the Board

29. Role of Committee on Ministry Partners with the Minister

30. COM Member Selection Minister is non-voting Ex-Officio member Options for member selection Minister nominates, Board chooses Board nominates, Minister chooses COM nominates, Board chooses Board nominates, COM chooses

31. COM Member Rotation 1/3 of the Committee should rotate off every 3rd year

32. Questions?

33. Which Umbrella? Which Umbrella?

34. Committee on Ministry Minister Board of Trustees Whole Congregation

35. Committee on Ministry Minister 1987 Whole Congregation Board of Trustees The mission of the congregation dates back to the late 1980’s.

36. Committee on Ministry Minister Whole Congregation Board of Trustees A covenant of right relations was adopted at a congregational meeting a couple of years ago, but no one has looked at it since.

37. Committee on Ministry Minister Whole Congregation Board of Trustees There have been problems with there being no coffee available at coffee hour.

38. Committee on Ministry Minister Whole Congregation Board of Trustees The minister is overwhelmed with home and hospital visits in your aging congregation.

39. Committee on Ministry Minister Whole Congregation Board of Trustees Two members are former business partners who had a falling out. They are involving other members in their conflict and it is starting to affect the life of the congregation.

40. Committee on Ministry Minister Whole Congregation Board of Trustees The minister’s sermons have become a little flat.

41. Committee on Ministry Minister Whole Congregation Board of Trustees A small group of members want the minister to keep a detailed timesheet of all of her activities.

42. Committee on Ministry Minister Whole Congregation Board of Trustees The beloved church treasurer has been caught embezzling from the endowment.

43. Committee on Ministry Minister Whole Congregation Board of Trustees A member of the congregation has a habit of hitting on visitors

44. Committee on Ministry Minister Whole Congregation Board of Trustees A member of the Board of Trustees has a habit of hitting on visitors

45. Committee on Ministry Minister Whole Congregation Board of Trustees Your congregation prides itself on being like a family, but members are so busy visiting with one another that newcomers are being ignored.

46. Questions?

47. Healthy CongregationsA brief overview

48. What Systems Thinking Tells Us About Congregations Institutions tend to institutionalize the pathology, or the genius, of the founders.

49. What Systems Thinking Tells Us About Congregations Emotional processes in a church can cause the system to get stuck for years and years.

50. What Systems Thinking Tells Us About Congregations Patterns of behavior resist being changed