Comprehensive Review of the UCC An information workshop (Rev. Dr. Linda Yates Truro Presbytery, April 23, 20151

Comprehensive Review of the UCC

An information workshop

(Rev. Dr. Linda Yates

Truro Presbytery, April 23, 2015 1

Leadership

Real leadership means facilitating change.

Change means grief for that which used to be. Therefore,

“Leadership is disappointing people at a rate they can stand.” John Ortberg


Change Management • 80/20 rule - 10% at either end10% always for change, no matter what

because: they like change, they trust the authority making change – say they “don’t want to talk it to death.” No movement.

10% always against change, no matter what because: they hate change, they don’t trust the authority making change – say they don’t want to “talk it to death.” No movement.

The 80% spectrum have meaningful, helpful dialogue and can propel healthy change.


The 80%

• Of those experiencing resistance to change, many will come on board eventually, as they take part and learn. They are resistant because they anticipate the loss involved in change – they are grieving change. Often these people are sidelined and marginalized – this is a mistake because....


80% (continued)

• Those of the 80% spectrum who were initially for the change are necessary to get the change through the system because they convince the resisters.

• However, many of the “for” people freak out a little when the change actually happens. “I didn’t know it would be THIS way....” The system experiences this betrayal “But he was the one who was for this change?!!!!!”


80% continued

• This is because the “mostly fors” have not grieved the actual losses that would be involved (which become apparent to them when the change happens)

• The people who were initially against the change, (because they could envision the losses) but came around actually HELP the above people manage the loss, because they have already grieved.

• The 80% need each other. And, of course, God loves the 100%


Comprehensive Review is in response to

• Financial crunch• Volunteer crunch• Demographic crunch• The “None” crunch (those on surveys who

report “no” religious affiliation.

Financial liability Biggest source of legal and financial liability

involve human resources issues and oversight of real property.


Call of God

• To find new expressions of how to be faithful in these new times – need agility and flexibility.

• Current structures do not allow for agility. Flexibility is limited.

• Basis of Union confines some possibilities

• How do we sift? Keep what is life-giving, while allowing space for new vision?


Chasing the Spirit

• Commitment to support new ministries and new forms of ministries

• 10% of annual givings to M&S in local and regional initiatives

• Transform existing ones and launch new ones

• Help churches invest in technologies• partial implementation 2016, full

implementation by 2018


Aboriginal Ministries

• Continue conversations and right relations

• Work committed to is not finished yet

• Spending on Aboriginal ministries to be maintained from 2016 – 2019, thereafter set percentage from M&S

• establish process for developing future model after GC 43


College of Ministers

Association of Ministers? Clusters ?

Three Council Model


Communities of Faith (CoF)

• Any community of people within UC that gathers to explore faith, worship and serve

• Can include congregations, outreach ministries, faith-based communal living, house churches, online communities

• Is recognized by Regional Council through covenantal relationship between community of faith and Regional Council


Membership:•People admitted to membership by the community•Includes the order of ministry•Eligible for election to represent community of faith in denominational council and regional council•Entitle to vote on all community of faith matters•Entitled to extend right to vote on financial and administrative matters to adherents


Authority and Responsibility

• Mission – covenant with Regional Council • do annual self-assessments of the ministry of

community of faith – report to Regional Body• Determines – worship, pastoral care, spiritual

practice, learning, local administration, finances, governance, local mission, justice, evangelism

• Meets at least annually• Comply wit denomination and regional policies• Buying, selling, leasing, renovating community of

faith property


Ministry

• Recruits, chooses, calls, appoints, covenants with ministry personnel and other staff

• Ends calls appointments/covenants with ministry personnel and other staff

• Recommends to appropriate body suitable people as inquirers, candidates, LLWL,


• Choose one ministry personnel and one lay member for Regional Council (and fund costs for reps)

• Choose one ministry personnel and one lay member for Denominational Council (and fund costs for reps

• Pays assessments


Limitations

• Policies set by Denominational Council on membership, governance, pastoral relations, property

• Terms of covenant between CoF and Regional Council

• Regional Council has authority to assume control of CoF in extraordinary circumstances (unable or refuses to meet responsibilities0


Regional Council

• One ministry personnel and one Lay rep from CoF

• Covenants with CoF• Oversight of CoF – reviews annual self-

assessments, assume control in extraordinary circumstances

• Oversees camps and incorporated ministries in region


• Provide support, advice, services to CoF: human resource, property

• Creates policies for buying, selling, leasing and renovating CoF,

• Creates policies for distribution of proceeds• Manage regional archives• Provides some leadership training for

ministers and lay persons regionally• Receives, deals with, forward proposals from

CoF to Denominational Council• Sets, manages own budget, can also add

own assessment• Participate in determining priorities for

mission and ministry work through M&S fund


• Meets annually as entire regional council or through its executive

• Celebrate retirements• Appoint person to accompany candidate

on pathway• Makes recommendation to College re:

candidates fitness and readiness for ministry

• Appoints supervisors of internship• Ordains and commissions• Admits members from other

denominations• Recognizes DLMs and LLWL


Limitations

• Policies set by Denominational Council

• Terms of governance between CoF and Regional Council

• Denominational Council can seize control in extraordinary circumstances


Denominational Council

• Decision-making body for UCC as denomination and as legal corporation

• Membership

• One ministry and one lay rep from CoF

• Presiding officer of each Regional Council

• Immediate Past Moderator

• Retiring Moderator

• General Secretary of Denominational Council Truro Presbytery, April 23, 2015 22

• Authority and Responsibility

• Policy – doctrine, worship, membership, governance, pastoral relations, property, entrance to paid accountable ministry

• Decisions on denomination-shaping issues relating to pubic witness

• Dealing with proposals from Regional Councils

• Elect Moderator

• Elect executive of Denominational Council


• Refer unfinished matters to executive • Meeting every 3 years in person, members

can participate through electronic or equivalent means.

• Approving the number and boundaries of regional councils and supporting them.

• Meeting more frequently “as required by secular law”

• Setting 3 year budget and determining assessment rates

• Set standardized fee for attending Council and providing bursaries where needed

• Maintaining denominational archivesTruro Presbytery, April 23, 2015 24

Limitations

• Remits needed – approval by majority of presbyteries. May need pastoral charge remits.

• Membership requirements – “no terms of admission to full membership may be prescribed other than those laid down in the New Testament.”

• Freedom of worship enjoyed by churches at time of union in 1925 may not be interfered with by the UCCTruro Presbytery, April 23, 2015 25

Executive of Denominational Council

• Between 12-18• The Moderator, General Secretary, rep

from Aboriginal Ministries Council, lay members and order of ministry elected by Denomination Council based on Regional Council nominations and the need for named competencies as well as Aboriginal, francophone, racialized and other diverse voices


• Deals with unfinished matters of Denominational Council,

• Routine and emergency work of Denominational Council between meetings

• Establishes standing and other committees with chair of each committee to be member of Executive of General Council

• “Exercising additional authority and subject to any limitations as set by the denominational council.


Staffing

• Based on assessments of CoF, grants from M&S fund and other denominational income

• Based on priorities and needs as determined nationally

• Administers denominational policies• Provide centralized services: IT,

communication, payroll, accounting, human resources, administration and pension plan

• Support Moderator• Provides leadership in global partnerships

and national-level ministry and mission work.Truro Presbytery, April 23, 2015 28

Funding

• Spend only what is received, $11 million in cuts – more cuts needed if College and 3 Council model approved

• Determine number of staff and what they do based on revenues received

• Use M&S funds to fund only ministry and mission activities

• Fund administration whether it at Conference/Presbytery of “Regional Council” by assessing Communities of Faith Truro Presbytery, April 23, 2015 29

Funding (cont’d)

• Governance and administration at regional and denominational levels to be funded by assessing communities of faith

• All Native Circle Conference to be funded from M&S

• Deep staff reductions at Regional levels

• Bottom line – 4.5% of column 40 (cost to run community of faith)


Funding cont’d• In the 3 year interim, Conferences to

rationalize their staff across separate courts – will happen whether CR accepted or not.

• In new model, staff at denominational and regional councils reduced by 23% from 2015 models

• Regional Councils can levy additional assessments on communities of faith to maintain staffing levels or use other investment income.Truro Presbytery, April 23, 2015 31

College of Ministers

Association of Ministers? Clusters ?

Three Council Model


Small Group

Discuss

•What will be a) beneficial and b) challenging for the mission and ministry of Local Community of faith?The larger UCC of an organization? Paid, accountable ministers?


Gleanings from Small Groups


Encouraging Video Clip

Truro Presbytery, April 23, 2015

Insert your own clip here – be careful of copyright!

35

College of Ministers• Mandatory• Candidates would be student members• Ministers seeking admission from other

Denoms would be Associate Ministers until approved

• CoF can only call, appoint, hire people who are members of College

• 1) Assessment of candidates, ministers seeking admission, ministers seeking readmission

• 2) Oversight and discipline of ministry personnel


• 20 member Board, equal number of ministers and lay, ensuring representation of : ordained, diaconal, DLM, Aboriginal ministries,

• Election of lay person on regional basis

• Election of ministry representatives by peers on regional basis


Structure• 1) Admission and Standards Committee

(assess candidates for ordination/commissioning and ministers for membership in the College),

• 2) Complaints Committee (assess complaints about ministry personnel, order investigations, order formal hearings, determine other appropriate outcomes,

• 3) Hearings Committee (hold formal hearings of complaints and determine appropriate outcomes – NOTE: this is the only committee with authority to place minister’s name on Discontinued Service List [Disciplinary])



Small Group

Discuss

•What will be a) beneficial and b) challenging for the mission and ministry of Local Community of faith?The larger UCC of an organization? Paid, accountable ministers?


Gleanings from Small Groups


Remit information

• 3 Council model requires amendment to the United Church of Canada Act federal legislation

• If fails, can move to governance under Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act, Will also need a category 3 remit

• Will need legislative changes in 9 provinces if Federal Act amended. Not-for-profit path may also need changes.


• Waive 24 months study period for remits (study essentially already done0

• Advance 43rd General Council date from 2018 to September 15, 2017 (or other such date)

• 43rd meeting to be held electronically

• Authorize test projects for 3 Council structure and College of Ministers with voluntary participation – GC to provide direction and oversight of testing


Some final thoughts

• Assumption of abundance. That is rather than assume scarcity and competition, between churches, clergy, an gospel assumption of abundance of good intention, gifts and Holy Spirit will make impossible things, possible.

• When you default to “conspiracy” think “incompetence.” In general, people are making genuine mistakes, or there is a problem of miscommunication. They are not trying to take over your world! Act, but be generous in thought.


Pray for General Council!



Documents

Comprehensive Review of the UCC An information workshop (Rev. Dr. Linda Yates Truro Presbytery, April 23, 20151