Committee on the Ministry

1. Committee on the Ministry Toolkit

2. Unit One: Your Ministry Many minds... hearts... & gifts... One God... One Calling!

3. Discernment, The Heart of Your Work Each time your committee meets you are collectively seeking to discern God’s desire in each and every aspect of your work. “… be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God…” Romans 12: 1-2

4. What is the “ministry” of the COM?

5. Vocation “Being called to a specific work or task” Christian work is mostly not done in addition to our ordinary work, but it is ordinary work done with grace. Hans-Reudi Weber expresses it in this manner:

6. Reflections Take a moment and think about your tasks. How would you define the “ministry” of the Committee on the Ministry? What makes the functions you perform ministry?”

7. Vocation: Called and Equipped “It is not a career choice; it is the recognition of the purposes of God in our lives … it is a gift not an entitlement.” Malcolm Warford “Our Several Callings”

8. Reflections Take a few moments to reflect on that word, “calling.”

9. Scripture “The gifts God gave were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ”’ Ephesians 4:11-12

10. Bible Study • What gifts and skills are necessary to perform this ministry suitably? • What gifts does each person bring? • What gifts do you bring? • How do you deal with those differences to maintain a creative tension instead of destructive tension?

11. Gifts Differing • How do your gifts complement one another? • Are there ways in which the differing skills and gifts on the committee also create friction? • Are there gifts missing from your Committee?

12. Summarizing: The ministry of the Committee on the Ministry We are responding to a “call” from God Our work represents a vocation of ministry We are equipped to do this work withGod-given gifts and God’s grace. Our work is ministry!

13. AUTHORITY AND YOUR WORK Guidance, Oversight & Authority

14. Issues of power and authority

15. Episcopé Several words & phrases with similar language roots: • Epi + scopé • Over + sight • Super + vision • “Big picture”

16. Episcopé and the Bible To visit or to see: Mt 25:36 “I was sick… and you visited me.” To care for: Jas 1:27 “Religion… is this: to care for orphans.” To supervise: I Pet 5:2-3 “I exhort the elders… exercising oversight … Do not Lord it over others, but be examples to the flock.”

17. Ministry of Oversight Understanding oversight as Episcopé A role and function of Associations and Committees on the Ministry Oversight in the context of Manual on Ministry

18. The COM’s Oversight tasks are… Nurture Accountability

19. Committee on the Ministry Functions Which functions areAccountability? Which functions areNurture?

20. Reflections • Think for a moment about your own feelings concerning authority. • What comes to mind when you contemplate this word? • Share a time when you experienced authority in a negative way. • Share a time when you experienced authority in a positive way. • What do these experiences tell you about authority?

21. Scripture Matthew 21:23-27 “… and when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things. Who gave you authority?”

22. Bible Study • What role does God play in the exercise of authority? • How is that authority recognized or not recognized in the passage from Matthew? • Identify the ways in which the work and ministry of your committee are a “sacred trust”?

23. Authority Issues Reflections • What is the authority of the • Committee on the Ministry? • What does it mean to you to know that your Committee is authorizing on behalf of the whole United Church of Christ? • How do you know when to say “yes” and when to say “no?”

24. Summarizing: Authority & Oversight Episcopé entails having a wider or complete view; Committees on the Ministry have authority to supervise and engage in tasks which nurture the process and emphasize accountability of their work; The authority of the committee is “a sacred trust”.

25. Summarizing: Authority & Oversight In the UCC, the Committee on the Ministry has a bishop function!

26. UNIT TWO: OVERSIGHT AND THE COMMITTEE ON THE MINISTRY

27. Guiding Principles for Your Work Ministry in and on behalf of the entire United Church of Christ All aspects of work involve … • Discernment • Fitness issues Work in partnership with local churches, calling bodies, conference & association staff, seminaries, and the national setting.

28. OVERSIGHT TASKS Oversight procedures focus on nurture and support: • Periodic Support Consultation • Situational Support Consultation …and on accountability for ministry • Information Review • Fitness Review

29. Periodic Support Consultation Designed for continuing education, growth and nurture of the minister and the ministry Primarily nurturing and supportive Expected that all persons will participate Regularly scheduled by the Association

30. Situational Support Consultation Primarily nurturing and supportive Can be called by any covenantal partner

31. Information Review All ministers are expected to participate and provide basic information for the review. • Ensures that basic requirements for ministry are met (UCC membership, call to ministry, etc.) • Takes place on a regular scheduled basis • Maintains basic accountability

32. Fitness Review Designed for ensuring that ministerial integrity and ethics are maintained Scheduled by the Association only as circumstances warrant All ministers are subject to fitness review, but few will ever experience it Maintains accountability and may lead to removal of ministerial authorization

33. Committee ResourcesConference & Association Staff In Fitness Reviews, staff: • Serve as resource to the Committee on the Ministry and Response Team members • Are aware of, introduce and interpret resources of the wider church • Give oversight to the Committee’s and Response Team’s process • Provide pastoral care to the Committee

34. For your discernment Fitness Review Scenario # 1 Jenny Jones is a pastor of a local church. She is also a member of the COM. Jenny is married to the Associate Conference Minister who serves another Association in your Conference. Jenny has had allegations brought against her for pastoral misconduct. What does the COM do? Who has what roles? What are your first steps?

35. For your discernment Fitness Review Scenario # 2 A man comes to Bob Dietrich, who is a member of your Association’s COM, he tells him that he believe something ‘odd’ is happening in his congregation. He says that the pastor meets with certain kids from the youth group privately and tells them not to say anything about their meetings as they are the ‘real leaders’ in the group and she doesn’t want the other kids to be jealous. His daughter is part of the ‘leadership group’. His daughter thinks the pastor is great and can’t understand why her dad won’t ‘back off’”. What should Bob do? Is there a role for the COM or the Conference Staff? What comes next?

36. For your discernment Fitness Review Scenario # 3 John Jones, the pastor of a local congregation, has been arrested for embezzlement. The arrest has been reported in the newspaper. What is the role of the Conference or Association Staff person? What is the role of the COM? What happens next?

37. For your discernment Fitness Review Scenario # 4 The members of First Church in Smithton are in an uproar. It seems that their pastor is dating a woman who is a member of the church. The woman has just been divorced from her husband who also is a member of the congregation. The pastor is single. The Moderator of First Church has called the Association Staff person and asked for help. What is the role of the Conference or Association Staff person? What is the role of the COM? What happens next?

38. What is the role of the Conference/Association Staff? What is the role of the COM? What happens next? For your discernment Situational Support Scenario #1 Jim Johnson, the pastor of a local congregation, has been arrested for civil disobedience. The arrest has been highly publicized in the newspaper.

39. For your discernment Situational Support Scenario #2 Sarah Jenkins has officiated at the wedding of a same sex couple. The ceremony did not take place in the local church, but a number of parishioners have complained to the Conference Staff. What is the role of the COM Chair? What does the COM do now? Where are there resources to help in this situation?

40. Questions for Discussion • What advice might you have for each other about effective ways to deal with these procedures? • Periodic Support Consultation • Situational Support Consultation • Information Review • Fitness Review

41. Questions for Discussion What are you NOT getting to? Which of these oversight processes have you had experience with?

42. Fitness Review Basics GatheringInformation Supporting Participants Adjudicatingthe issue Coordinating the Effort

43. Roles and Responsibilities Parish Life and Leadership Committee on the Ministry • Resources and Training • Consultation • Oversight Adjudication of all Fitness Reviews Response Team Staff Gathering for Committee for all Fitness Reviews Supplement Committee with: Support for Participants in all Fitness Reviews Information • Coordination of Fitness Reviews (with Committee Chair) • Staff Support to Committee • Occasional Support to Local Church

44. Nine Guiding Principles • Serious Treatment of all Concerns • Authorization versus Call • Ecclesiastical versus Legal • Attorneys have no Role • Conflict of Interest Issues • Confidentiality, Secrets and Privileged • Communication • Jurisdiction Issues • No Statute of Limitations • Delineation and Separation of Roles

45. Resources for Fitness Review • Oversight section of MOM • Guidelines • Association or Conferencestaff member • Legal Counsel

46. THEBIGQUESTION!!! If the allegations were found to be true, would they call into question this person’s fitness for ministry, in and on behalf of the United Church of Christ?

47. Unit Three: Candidates for Authorized Ministry Commissioned Licensed Ordained

48. Defining: Ordained Ministry An ordained minister is: • A UCC member called by God • Recognized by the local church and authorized by the Association or Conference to: • Preach and teach the gospel • Administer the sacraments and rites of the church • Exercise pastoral care and leadership in and on behalf of the United Church of Christ

49. Reflections • Discuss the relationship between: a candidate’s sense of call, the needs of the church and the work of your Committee in authorization in and on behalf of the UCC. • What do you look for in a candidate for ordination? • How do you distinguish between someone called to ordained ministry versus licensed or commissioned ministry?

50. For your discernment Ordained Ministry Scenario #1 Matthew Smith is a senior in college. He feels called to become a UCC minister. His pastor brings him to meet with your committee. How does your committee handle this situation?