Staff-Parish
Relations
Committee
WORSHIP
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.
.
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.
.
5-9 members
elected at Church Conference
for a 3-year term
+ Lay Leader &
Lay Member to Annual Conference
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 church
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.
Staff-Parish
Relations Focus
ISSUES
•
•
•
•
•
Care of the parsonage
Upset Parishioners
Church policies
Staff concerns
Annual ministry
recommendation to the
Superintendent
• Pastor Recognition Events
• Others…
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
Sacred
Space
Rule of 3 “C”’s
Confidentiality
Compassion
Civility
Leaders grow together through
study and scripture; they pray for
one another and their church; and
support their pastor’s growth for
ministry
Sensitive matters can be
shared in confidence and
discussed without fear of
attack or reprisal.
Sacred
Time
1. Abiding in Christ
2. Offering Pastoral Support
3. Focus on Leadership
for the Church’s Mission
4. Commitments & Prayer
Key to Support
and
Leadership:
COVENANT
COVENANT
• I. Any Church, Anywhere
Basic pastoral duties for the life and mission
of the church:
preaching
leadership
teaching
pastoral
care
administration
COVENANT
• II. 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?
Teaching Bible Studies
EXAMPLES
Leading Neighborhood Visitation
Teams
Serving on an ecumenical Food
Pantry team
COVENANT
• Now the HARD PART…
preaching
In order to focus on those needs and ministries:
leadership
pastoral care
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?
administeaching
tration
Vision Statement: “1st Church is called
by God to…
Church’s Goals for 2011
• : Increasing the number of
small groups in the church
• Reach neighborhood
children through a summer
children’s ministry
• Deepen the spiritual
experience of worship
Pastor’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.
III.
SPRC Covenant with the Pastor
Pastoral Changes
In your meetings
During Conflict
Spiritually
Through continued
education and
development
Communicating
with the
congregation
Staff-Parish
Assessment
May -Public
Announcement
July 1 new
pastor
begins
Pastor’s
Input
District
Superintendent
Introduce
to SPRC
Cabinet
Assessment of
Annual
Conference
APPOINTIVE
PROCESS
Contact
with New
Pastor
Pastor
Remains
May-Public
Announcement
SPRC Basics:
HANDLING
CONFLICT
Rule of 3 “C”’s
Confidentiality
Compassion
Civility
Avoid Triangles!
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 resolution
3. If there is no resolution, the SPRC
addresses the issue together.
SPRC Basics:
LAY STAFF
DETERMINING STAFF NEEDS & EFFECTIVENESS
The 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 the
job descriptions of all lay staff.
LAY STAFF ACCOUNTABILITY
All 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.
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.
MEETING TOPICS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Planning for pastoral change
Care of the parsonage
Upset Parishioners
Church policies
Staff concerns
Annual pastoral recommendation to the
Superintendent
Pastor Recognition Events
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
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 supply
Recommend staff changes to the
church council; hire/fire staff
Interview and recommend candidates
for ministry
Interpret to the congregation the
nature of United Methodist ministry
Promote unity in the local church and
the parish
Study the role and work of a pastor
Write and review lay staff job
descriptions
Educate the congregation about the
Ministerial Education Fund
SPRC MEETING OUTLINE
1. 10 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 business
5. 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.
District website: evdistrictumc.com
A copy of this powerpoint is on the district website
BOOKS & GUIDES
Pastor-Parish Relations GUIDELINES booklet
The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church
Unbinding the Gospel
I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church
Watching Over One Another With Love
by Mary Grace Reese
by Rev Paul Nixon
by Gwendolynn Purushotham
A 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 Decline
Take the Next Step
by Lovett Weems, Jr.
Leading Lasting Change in the Church
Power 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
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.
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.
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.