Genesis 15:5:

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Genesis 155

• Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you
  are able to count themSo shall your descendents
  be.

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On adventure faith

• Conceptually stuck systems cannot become unstuck
  simply by trying harderThe spirit of
  adventuremust happen first. A Failure of
  Nerve, Edwin Friedman, p.38.
• Your faith has made you well.
• --Jesus

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Yiddish Proverb

• If I am me because you are you, and you are you
  because I am me, then I am nothing,
  and you are nothing.

4
John Wesley

• It is as natural for a human being to mistake as
  it is to breathe.
• No human being can understand clearly or judge
  truly at all times.
• Five-sixths of the Christian life is growing
  more perfect in love.
• --A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, John
  Wesley

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On communication

• Whether you are a parent, a minister, a healer,
  or a CEO, your communicants capacity to hear you
  depends primarily on the emotional variables of
  direction, distance,and anxiety. Others can only
  hear you when they are moving toward you, no
  matter how eloquently you phrase the message.
  --A Failure of Nerve, Edwin Friedman, p.305

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learning being

• You check the speck in anothers eye you cannot
  see the tree in your own. --Jesus
• No one patches new cloth onto an old garment. No
  one pours new wine into an old wineskin. --Jesus

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The Staff-Parish Relations Committee

• Wisconsin Conference UMC Circuit Ministry

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Welcome!

• Staff-Parish Relations Training Circuits
• Im your superintendent
• How many of you are new to the SPRC/PPRC? If we
  could address a question you have, what would
  that be?

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Topics of Discussion

• Today we will overview why the UMC practices
  itineracy
• Keep first our mission to make disciples
• Review being grounded as a spiritual leader
• Walk through a normal year
• Learn skills for an effective SPRC

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Whose idea was the Itineracy?

• Luke 101-12
• Jesus appointed a mission shared between
  itinerants householders
• The householder feeds shelters the traveling
  disciple who teaches, cures, proclaims. How
  they live and share bears witness to the reign of
  God.

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Discuss as a threesome

• This sign and symbol speaks across towns, cities,
  across race, culture and generations in the UMC.
• What does this arrangement of itinerants and
  householders say about Gods relationship with
  us?
• May our relationships speak Gods design for us

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Our mission primary task

• The mission of the UMC is to make disciples of
  Jesus Christ.
• Our primary task
• To reach out
• Relate people to God
• Nurture discipleship
• Send out as disciples
• Which is your strength? Your struggle?

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ProcessgtContent

• The content of your meetings may be mundane, but
  the process should be spiritual leadership
• Discern the present reality
• Focus current desired reality into faithful
  shared vision
• Plan, lead, move to the shared vision
• Equip, interpret, support, monitor the move
  into Gods vision

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Are you a spiritual leader?

• Do you attend to the means of grace?
• The means of grace include public worship,
  scripture study, Communion, prayer, fasting, acts
  of mercy, Christian conferencingas a participant
  in the community of faith.

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A Healthy Body of Christ

• Colossians 115 sees Christ as head of the body
• SPRC is the immune systemit works with the head!
• We open the body to what it needs we reject
  those things that are unhealthy.
• We put our arm around care for what is
  unhealthy

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Real Life

• Rev. Antinomian arrived late to the youth meeting
  in shorts and prattled about grace.
• Mrs. Trump complained to you, a SPRC member,
  about Rev. A. She asked to put it on your next
  agenda.
• What do you do or say? Why?

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Skills for the SPRC

• Engage conflict appropriately
• If A has an issue with B, A must address B.
• If A needs someone from the sprc to go along to
  address B, that is appropriate.
• If A B cannot resolve, then someone from SPRC
  can sit with A B while they continue to
  dialogue.
• C cannot bring anonymous complaints of be a
  conduit for A.

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Engage Conflict Well

• If A and B and someone from SPRC cannot find
  resolution, then take it to the SPRC.
• If this cannot be resolved, call the circuit
  leader and request a clergyperson from the
  circuit be present for continued dialogue.

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Engage Conflict Well

• There is a conflict resolution team available
  from the conference. Call your district office to
  be put in touch with the team, with the
  superintendents recommendation.
• These costs, if any, are born by the church. Keep
  the superintendent informed.
• Allegations of misconduct go to the
  superintendent immediately.

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Skills for SPRC

• Create a climate of effectiveness
• Lead toward the vision vs. tilt toward the least
  mature
• Confidentiality
• Listening feedback vs. polling for complaints
• Interpretation of ministry staff priorities

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Skills for SPRC

• Make facts known vs. rumors.
• Provide professional, constructive feedback in a
  system of evaluation
• Be aware of the conference rules on sexual
  misconduct. Report any allegations directly to
  the superintendent immediately
• Practice para.258.2(e)the process for meeting
  with and without staff, etc.

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A normal year first quarter (Jan-March)

• Training review for all members
• Review the nature of the ministry of church
  circuit, including staff duties job
  descriptions
• Assign a liaison from the committee to each staff
  member for support

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Second Quarter (Apr-June)

• Begin assessment of ministry areas of church
  circuit (can be done with a subcommittee)
• Arrange in advance the parsonage tour with a
  member of the SPRC Trustees. Maintain a liaison
  with the parsonage family to address issues
  before they become problems.
• Review the conference rules on housing.

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Third Quarter (Jul-Sept)

• Review non-salary support for pastor staff, ie
  vacations, business, professional/annual
  conference continuing education expenses
• Review salary benefits packages for the pastor
  staff. Send to finance. They will recommend to
  the council for approval at charge conference.

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Third Quarter

• Prepare the annual salary support form, with the
  salary approved by the council.
• A copy signed by a member of the SPRC and pastor
  must be in the regional office 10 days prior to
  the charge conference.
• In conversations with the committee and pastor,
  line 26 will be referred to as the salary.

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Third Quarter

• Ask the pastor and staff for their plans for
  continuing education and continuing spiritual
  formation for the coming year.
• Become familiar with the Discipline with respect
  to Sabbatical leave.
• Identify guides who can lead candidates through
  the Ministry Inquiry Process

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Third Quarter

• Interview candidates for deacon or elder using
  guidelines contained in The Christian As Minister
• Follow up on the evaluations of ministry areas
  revise to improve.

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Fourth Quarter (Oct-Dec)

• Compare vision/mission statements, charge
  conference goals, job descriptions. Revise job
  descriptions, if needed, in consultation with the
  pastor and employed staff.
• Evaluate the committees work. Seek input from
  those you serve.

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Fourth Quarter

• The SPRC chair is encouraged to email or call the
  superintendent to discuss recent pastoral
  transitions, or keep the superintendent in touch
  with the health of the ministry. A toll-free
  number is provided.
• Update the profile of the congregation
  community for the supt. (para.432).

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Fourth Quarter

• If the pastor and SPRC in consultation with each
  other seek a change in appointment, make your
  confidential request known to your district
  superintendent no later than December first.
• Pastors should inform the SPRC of their request
  on or about Jan. 1.

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Fourth Quarter

• Keep in mind this is a request, and congregations
  with longer clergy tenure tend to grow more
  vitally than those with regular changes.
• (Bear in mind, too, on average, only 7 of
  conference moves are initiated by the Cabinet.)
• Discuss how long have you had your pastor(s)?
  What did you learn today?

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Ministry Analysis Plan

• The annual appointment form will cease in the
  interest of
• Longer-term appointments
• Decreasing conflict
• Let your superintendent know of your wishes Dec.1
• Apprise the superintendent of anticipated
  retirements in advance.

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Ministry Analysis Plan

• Instead of an annual appointment request, this
  form is to be returned to the regional office by
  Dec.1
• The form is based on unique a body of research
  Natural Church Development, by Christian Schwartz
• He asked what makes churches vital and growing?

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Natural ChurchDevelopment

• Schwartz received different answers, and began to
  look for commonalities
• He found models dont transfer principles do.
• He found healthy churches were most vital, and 8
  characteristics were significant across culture
  theology 6 biotic principles

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8 Quality Characteristics

• Empowering leadership
• Gift-oriented ministry
• Passionate spirituality
• Functional structures
• Inspiring worship service
• Holistic small groups
• Need-oriented evangelism
• Loving relationships

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NCD, etc.

• Across the world any ministry greater than 65 on
  the 8 scores was growing
• 85 of churches that work on their lowest score
  improve their ministry
• biotic principles suggest enhancing one aspect
  enhances the whole
• Open this dialogue across SPRC, Council, etc.
• Consultants are available for a congregational
  assessment

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The Personnel Committee of the SPRC

• Policies procedures must comply with the laws
  of the state conference rules. It may be
  helpful to establish a personnel committee that
  does this work on behalf of the SPRC.

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A Checklist for policies procedures

• (This follows pp.28-29 of UM Guidelines for SPRC
• Expectation of job descriptions
• Recruiting/advertising process
• Training qualifications certification standards
• Hiring practices (need for resume, references,
  background check interviews)

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Policies Procedures

• 5. Statement regarding sexual harassment
  misconduct
• 6. Evaluation procedures
• 7. Promotion procedures
• 8. Termination procedures
• 9. Grievance procedures
• 10. Affirmative action procedures
• 11. Health life insurance procedures
• 12. Pension benefits
• 13. Relationship between the employee,
  supervisor, committee