Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committee Resources Goal: To provide a training opportunity and resource bank for Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committees

Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committee Resources

Goal: To provide a training opportunity and resource bank for Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committees so they may take leadership in growing healthy, faithful and

fruitful ministry partnerships.

Module 1Qualities of SPPRC with a Glossary of Terms (Nancy Pinkston) Module 2 Healthy Practices for Growing Faithful and Effective Partnerships Module 3 The Ministry of Recruitment Module 4 Facilitating Difficult Conversations

Module 5 Cross-Cultural Appointments

Module 6 Aligning with Iowa Annual Conference HR, Pension, and Health Module 7 Accountability and Support Module 8 A SPPRC Calendar Shaped by Tasks, Functions, and Context Module 9 Women Clergy and Church


Staff/Pastor-Parish Relations Committee


Who We Are...

*Professing members of the local church*Associate members*People engaged and attentive to our own Christian spiritual development*Elected by Charge Conference*Lay Delegate to AC and Lay Leader (voice & vote)*A representative and lay leader from each church on the charge


Who we cannot be...

*Staff members*Immediate family members of the pastor or staff*More than one immediate family member from the same household


Committee Basics (¶258.2):

Membership*Between 5 and 9 persons (one shall be a young adult and one may be a youth); *Divided into three year classes*Members shall be able to succeed themselves for one three-year term *Oversees the work to all staff*Pastor should be present, unless s/he excuses self or if D.S. is in attendance


Meetings*Should be regularly scheduled with agenda*Written “minutes”*Only with knowledge of pastor and/or DS*Pastor present, unless s/he voluntarily excuses self*May meet with the ds without the pastor or appointed staff (notification prior to meeting and consultation immediately after)*Shall meet in closed session - confidentiality


S/PPRC Functions - what really matters:

*Meet regularly and often with a prepared agenda*Establish a partnership with the pastor*Give honest feedback to the pastor*Advocate for the pastor and staff*Communicate about expectations: congregational *expectations and clergy/staff expectations


Confidentiality/integrity Issues

*Issues are discussed during meeting, not between meetings*All matters under discussion are kept in strict confidence, i.e., a “safe” place*All input brought to the meeting is held in confidence, but is “owned” input*SPPRC reports to Church Council


Duties of Committee (¶258.2g)

Communication*Confer and counsel with pastor & staff, advising them of ministry conditions*Continually interpret to people the nature and function of ministry*Counsel pastor & staff on relationships with congregation, priorities, skills, goals*Interpret to congregation: preparation for ordained ministry, Ministerial Education Fund


Personnel*Develop and recommend to Council staff positions and job descriptions for staff other than pastor*Recommend to Council personnel policies and monitor compliance*Consult: pulpit supply, compensation, vacation, insurances, pension, housing -- making recommendations to Council. *Enlist, interview, evaluate, review, recommend: Lay Speakers, *Candidates for Ministry and missionary service*Consult: continuing education, renewal*To encourage, monitor, and support clergy and lay staff pursuit of health and wholeness.

Duties of Committee (¶258.2g)


Duties of Committee

Parsonage Issues

*With Trustee and Pastor, make annual review of parsonage*The committee will follow up to assure timely resolution of parsonage problems affecting the health of the pastor or pastor’s family.


Duties of Committee

Annual Evaluation Provide annual evaluations for pastor & staff to encourage effective ministry

Annual Compensation Make recommendation to the Administrative Board and Charge Conference annual compensation of pastor and staff.


Duties of Committee

Appointment IssuesConfer with pastor & cooperate with pastor, DS, and Bishop in securing clergy leadership when its becomes evident that the best interests of the church and pastor will be served by a change.Such conferring and cooperating with DS and Bishop are advisory only.


RECCOMMENDED READING LIST:

Leading Meetings: What Every Leader Needs to Know, by Betsey Heavner (www.upperroom.org. Revised 2010) Healthy Disclosure: Solving Communication Quandaries in Congregations, by Kibbie Simmons Ruth and Karen A. McClintock (Herndon: Alban Institute, 2007) Behavioral Covenants in Congregations: A Handbook for Honoring Differences, by Gilbert R. Rendle (Bethesda: Alban Institute, 1999) Watching over One Another in Love: A Wesleyan Model for Ministry Assessment, by Gwen Purushotham (Nashville: General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, revised 2010. )

http://www.upperroom.org/


Module 1 RESOURCES: Duties of the SPPRC from the Book of Discipline (PDF)

Iowa Annual Conference SPPRC Resource Book and tools (web site)

Covenants of Leadership Behavior (web site)

When Folks are Complaining (PDF)

Characteristics of the Effective SPPRC (PDF)

Glossary of Terms for the SPPRC (PDF)

Guidelines for Church Leadership in the area of Pastor-Parish Relations (cokesbury.com)

**Contact the District Superintendent in your area for local resources and local contacts.


The Staff Parish Relations Committee is the administrative unit in the local church where staff and congregational interests are integrated to focus on the mission of the church.

The Staff Parish Relations Committee will be as strong and viable as the sum of all its members. It is important that each committee member take this appointment seriously and is an active member.

Best Practices for Effective Committees

Documents

Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committee Resources Goal: To provide a training opportunity and resource bank for Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committees