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Agenda
•Introductions, Hopes & Concerns
•COM Overview
•Umbrella Exercise
•Healthy Congregations Overview
•Assessment Overview
Committees on Ministry An Overview
Rev. Renée RuchotzkeRegional Leadership Development Consultant
Central East Regional Group
Our congregational roots
Our congregational roots:
•Members have a high level of commitment
Our congregational roots:
•Members live in covenant
Our congregational roots:
•Members consent to constantly learn together
Our congregational roots:
•Ministry is shared by Clergy and Laity
Our congregational roots:
•Churches support and aid one another
Old Model:Ministerial Relations Committee
Old Model:
Ministerial Relations Committee
•Support for the Minister
Old Model:
Ministerial Relations Committee
•Support for the Minister
•Advocate for the Minister
Old Model:
Ministerial Relations Committee
•Support for the Minister
•Advocate for the Minister
•Only interest is the Ministry of the Minister
MinisterM R C
Congregation
Ministerial Relations Committee
Possibility of
TRIANGULATIONTRIANGULATION
Newer Model:
Committee on Ministry
Committee on Ministry•Looks at total ministry of the congregation
Committee on Ministry•Ministry = fulfilling the mission
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)
The Importance of Mission
Committee on Ministry•Assessment: How are we doing?
Committee on Ministry•Creates a culture of Adaptive Learning
Committee on Ministry•Encourages a community of faith and love
Committee on Ministry•Are we living our covenant?
Committee on Ministry•Help to lead congregation through conflict
Role of Committee on Ministry
within the congregation
Covenant
Wisdom
Trus
t Mission
Role of Committee on Ministry•Authority comes from stature
Role of Committee on Ministry
•Trustworthy
Role of Committee on Ministry
•Advisors offering wise recommendations
Role of Committee on Ministry•Accountable to Congregation (mission and covenant)
Role of Committee on Ministry
•Reports to the Board
Role of Committee on Ministry
•Partners with the Minister
COM Member Selection • Minister is non-voting Ex-Officio member
• Options for member selection
1. Minister nominates, Board chooses
2. Board nominates, Minister chooses
3. COM nominates, Board chooses
4. Board nominates, COM chooses
COM Member Rotation
1/3 of the Committee
should rotate off
every 3rd year
Questions?
Which Umbrella?
Which Umbrella?
MinisterMinisterCommittee on Committee on
MinistryMinistry
Board of TrusteesBoard of Trustees Whole CongregationWhole Congregation
The mission of the congregation dates back to the late 1980’s.
MinisterMinister Committee Committee on Ministryon Ministry
Board of Board of TrusteesTrustees
Whole Whole CongregationCongregation
A covenant of right relations was adopted at a congregational meeting a couple of years ago, but no one has looked at it since.
MinisterMinister Committee Committee on Ministryon Ministry
Board of Board of TrusteesTrustees
Whole Whole CongregationCongregation
There have been problems with there being no coffee available at coffee hour.
MinisterMinister Committee Committee on Ministryon Ministry
Board of Board of TrusteesTrustees
Whole Whole CongregationCongregation
The minister is overwhelmed with home and hospital visits in your aging congregation.
MinisterMinister Committee Committee on Ministryon Ministry
Board of Board of TrusteesTrustees
Whole Whole CongregationCongregation
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.
MinisterMinister Committee Committee on Ministryon Ministry
Board of Board of TrusteesTrustees
Whole Whole CongregationCongregation
The minister’s sermons have become a little flat.
MinisterMinister Committee Committee on Ministryon Ministry
Board of Board of TrusteesTrustees
Whole Whole CongregationCongregation
A small group of members want the minister to keep a detailed timesheet of all of her activities.
MinisterMinister Committee Committee on Ministryon Ministry
Board of Board of TrusteesTrustees
Whole Whole CongregationCongregation
The beloved church treasurer has been caught embezzling from the endowment.
MinisterMinister Committee Committee on Ministryon Ministry
Board of Board of TrusteesTrustees
Whole Whole CongregationCongregation
A member of the congregation has a habit of hitting on visitors
MinisterMinister Committee Committee on Ministryon Ministry
Board of Board of TrusteesTrustees
Whole Whole CongregationCongregation
A member of the Board of Trustees has a habit of hitting on visitors
MinisterMinister Committee Committee on Ministryon Ministry
Board of Board of TrusteesTrustees
Whole Whole CongregationCongregation
Your congregation prides itself on being like a family, but members are so busy visiting with one another that newcomers are being ignored.
MinisterMinister Committee Committee on Ministryon Ministry
Board of Board of TrusteesTrustees
Whole Whole CongregationCongregation
Questions?
Healthy CongregationsA brief overview
• Institutions tend to institutionalize the pathology, or the genius, of the founders.
What Systems Thinking Tells UsAbout Congregations
• Emotional processes in a church can cause the system to get stuck for years and years.
What Systems Thinking Tells UsAbout Congregations
• Patterns of behavior resist being changed
What Systems Thinking Tells UsAbout Congregations
• No emotional system will change unless people change how they behave and function with one another.
What Systems Thinking Tells UsAbout Congregations
• Healthy congregations are more attractive to new people who sense the feeling level in the congregation as healthy.
What Systems Thinking Tells UsAbout Congregations
Congregational health is linked to: .
What Systems Thinking Tells UsAbout Congregations
growth in mission and spiritual depth
growth in numbers.
Weakness hopelessness pathologyblame deficits
Healthy Congregations Focus on Strength and Mission
Weakness hopelessness pathologyblame deficits
Strength
future creativitypotentialenergy
Healthy Congregations Focus on Strength and Mission
Questions?
Congregational Assessment Another brief overview
•Looks at total ministry of the congregation
What Do We Assess?• Worship and identity as a faith community• Location and facilities (sometimes)• Internal and outreach oriented programs• Religious education for adults, youth and children• Leadership & organizational dynamics• Member characteristics• Stewardship and giving• Attitudes and right relations• System health
Assessment Loop
Assessment is not Evaluation• Listening
• Awareness
• A culture of accepting imperfection while striving for improvement
• Involves everybody in congregation
• Expect and be open to criticism
• “Dig for the Diamond”
Assessment vs Evaluation
•Guard against blaming individuals for weaknesses discovered
Assessment vs Evaluation
•If you get unsatisfactory results, need to change the system, not lay blame
Questions?
Resources
• Congregational Fitness by Denise Goodman• Moving on from Church Folly Lane by Robert
Latham (p. 224)• Churchworks by Anne Odin Heller (p. 124)• Learning While Leading by Anita Farber-
Robinson• Assessing Our Leadership (p. 26) • CoMs at UU Kent, OH and West Shore UU
Church, Rocky River, OH
Resources• Upcoming Webinars• The Challenge of Assessment, Part 1 - Clergy Assessment by Rev. Joan
Van Becelaere ~ November 11, 2010, 7:00 pm . To register....• The Challenge of Assessment, Part 2 - Congregational Assessment by Rev.
Joan Van Becelaere ~ December 2, 2010, 7:00 pm To register...• The Safe Congregations Series - Beginning in January, a six webinar series
on various aspects of safety in our congregations will be offered. • Basic Safety Policies and Tips by Beth Casebolt ~ January 6, 2011, 7:00
pm.. To register...• January 27 - Behavioral Covenants and Right Relations (also offered April
2, 2011)• February 17 - Basic Safety with Children and Youth• March 10 - Disruptive Persons Policies and Practices• Being Prepared When the Unthinkable Happens by Beth Casebolt • ~ March 31, 2011, 7:00 pm.. To register...• April 28 - Creating Healthy Sexual Boundries in Congregation• Healthy Congregations Resources
Resources
• Healthy Congregations Resources• Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times by
Peter Steinke• Healthy Congregations: A Systems Approach by
Peter Steinke• Generation to Generation: Family Process in
Church and Synagogue by Edwin Friedman• A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the
Quick Fix by Edwin Friedman• Healthy Congregations Training March 4-6.
Rocky River, OH
Resources• Assessment tools• UUMA website page with full list:• https://uuma.site-ym.com/?
page=assessmenttools&hhSearchTerms=assessment&#rescol_171680
• https://uuma.site-ym.com/resource/collection/9D85448E-AE71-4EB1-B5B0-8C537C052ADF/Assessment_BestPractices.pdf
• https://uuma.site-ym.com/resource/collection/9D85448E-AE71-4EB1-B5B0-8C537C052ADF/Assessment_ComprehensiveCong.pdf
• Retreat Format: https://uuma.site-ym.com/resource/collection/9D85448E-AE71-4EB1-B5B0-8C537C052ADF/Assessment_CongSelf-Assessment.pdf