Review of Ministry
Clerks Consultation
April 11-14, 2016
Susan Shaffer
Ministry and Church Vocations
Non-disciplinary complaints
• strained relationships may result in non-disciplinary
complaint
• complaint may include:
▫ several minor acts of negligence
▫ unsuitable actions
▫ differences of opinion
▫ personal misunderstandings or disputes
▫ when taken together, these undermine ministry
• importance of regular presbytery visitations
• duty to meet first (Matthew 18:15-17)
Complaint against Minister
• Written, to session >>>> to presbytery (15 days)
• By person(s) OR by Presbytery Visitation Committee
• Permitted to try to resolve before investigation
• Presbytery appoints Investigative Committee:
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terms of reference
is complaint valid?
try to resolve
outcomes:
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no further action
settled (terms reported to presbytery)
non-disciplinary review of ministry
charges against minister >>>> disciplinary case
Review of Ministry
• Purpose:
▫ facilitate changes to improve pastoral relationship
▫ OR determine fairly pastoral relationship not viable
• Minister and session informed
• Terms of review
• Key considerations:
▫ nature of call/covenant
▫ not sacrificing minister to unreasonable expectations
• 4 months (minimum)
Review of Ministry - outcomes
• review team gives notice to minister and session,
then reports to presbytery
• 3 possible presbytery decisions:
a) pastoral relationship affirmed
b) review extended (same or different terms)
c) pastoral relationship deemed not viable
• potential strengths:
▫ fair and transparent process to assess viability of
pastoral relationship
▫ possible outcomes known from outset
Are presbyteries conducting reviews of ministry?
Why or why not?
What alternatives are being pursued?
What are we learning?
Presbytery Reports
• Thank you!
• 21 presbyteries
• 17 “review of ministry” narratives
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4 reviews of ministry
3 commissions
10 visitations
in 16 of 17, minister and congregation parted
• 4 “mental health issues” narratives
Narrative 1
• session request: help with conflict/disharmony
• minister had served there several years
• Special Committee:
▫ to meet with minister and elders
▫ to listen, learn and help facilitate progress towards
restoration of harmonious relationships
• Acting Moderator: to moderate regular session
meetings with minister present (6 months)
• after 6 months, Special Committee submitted letter
of complaint: no observed healing/reconciliation
• Investigative Committee: after investigation,
recommended review of ministry
.... Narrative 1
• Terms of Reference: to review the causes of the
conflict and strained relationship between
minister, ruling elders, Board of Managers and
congregation
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4 months
review work of Special and Investigative Committees
examine relevant records/documents
meet with parties directly involved in leadership, as well
as congregational members
• Letter to congregation re review of ministry
.... Narrative 1
• Dynamics:
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clash of leadership
disagreement over communication
lay leaders confused about Presbyterian ways
breach of confidentiality within session
gossip
• Minister and elders urged to create new
behavioural covenant: unable
• Recommendation of Review Team approved by
presbytery: pastoral relationship not viable
.... Narrative 1
• Special meeting called for proposed dissolution of pastoral tie
▫ session and congregation cited to appear, by chosen
representatives
▫ presbytery dissolved pastoral tie
• Interim Minister for 6 months (up to 12 months):
▫ to assist congregation with healing/reconciliation
▫ to deepen understanding of PCC process/governance
• Minister:
▫ counselling to deal more effectively with issues raised during this
ministry
▫ cost shared equally by minister and presbytery
▫ certificate withheld pending counsellor report (readiness to seek
new call)
• Interim Moderator appointed; Acting Moderator and Review of
Ministry Committee dismissed
Narrative 2
• letter of complaint: several areas of congregation’s ministry
• Review Terms of Reference:
▫ committee established/named
▫ review all relevant documents
▫ cite minister, elders, Board of managers, congregation
▫ review work of visitation and investigative committees
▫ review conflict/strained relationships between Minister and
complainants (as in complaint)
▫ review congregation’s ministry goals/accomplishments
▫ provide opportunity for changes to improve pastoral
relationship or determine fairly that it is inviable
▫ regular reports to presbytery
▫ at conclusion (4+months), report outcome (1 of 3 possible)
... Narrative 2
• Meetings:
▫ minister
▫ ruling elders
▫ complainants and people signing letter requesting review of
ministry
▫ Board of Managers
▫ Trustees
▫ Ladies Group
▫ members and adherents
▫ face-to-face, email, mail, phone
• Documents:
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call to minister (generic)
session records
Board minutes
annual reports
... Narrative 2
• Observations:
▫ troubled spirit in congregation, lots of “exits”
▫ no recognition that all elders share responsibility for
visitation; guidance to set reasonable expectations
▫ minister’s time management
▫ effective communication
▫ erosion of trust in one another’s abilities within leadership
▫ no desire for reconciliation; no reported attempts to address
concerns
▫ minister resistant to guidance/assistance
• Recommendations:
▫ dissolve pastoral tie
▫ congregation to have facilitator (immediately) and interim
minister (2 years)
Review of Ministry:
Lessons/Questions/Comments
• inadequate communication about 3 possible outcomes
(shock when meeting to consider dissolution announced)
• non-disciplinary review of ministry: but result looks like
discipline
• what can review team divulge about complaint?
• focus too narrow – petition against minister – so felt
unable to remove lay leaders
• review team: not capable of reconciliation work
• need middle step: skilled facilitator to attempt
reconciliation, THEN return to decision about viability of
pastoral relationship
... More Review of Ministry
Lessons/Questions/Comments
• presbytery has no $ (congregation must pay transition
allowance to minister, facilitator, interim minister,
interim moderator)
• review of ministry can feel like “putting in time”
• presbytery has lost practice of regular visitations
• concern about lawsuits
• need guidelines for reviews of ministry
Lessons/Comments/Questions
Why Review of Ministry not Chosen
• presenting issue was sharply focused – presbytery
visitation designed to study that issue
• “late” timing of presbytery intervention leads to focused
issue
• situation fits somewhat in category of review of ministry,
but occasioned by crisis that shaped response process
• minister requested permission to resign and refused to
participate in review of ministry
• multi-layered, multi-causal situation – presbytery knew
shifts in lay leadership would be necessary; review of
ministry would have been unfair to minister
Initiating Event
• session letter re $ (although not always about $)
• session requests help re conflict and disharmony
in session and/or in congregation
• petition to dissolve congregation
• regular presbytery visit conducted at end of
minister’s first year in congregation
Lessons for Presbyteries
• know your congregations
▫ regular visitations
▫ presbytery clerk to keep visitation reports for
future reference
▫ coach/insist on direct reporting (no hearsay)
• presbytery told when situation “beyond
redemption”
▫ congregation/minister not forthright:
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pride
maybe it will go away
maybe we can figure it out ourselves
distrust of presbytery
• Act as soon as possible – “don’t let it fester!”
... Lessons for Presbyteries
• do not dismiss carefully documented lay
concerns
• listen to and support Review Team (few cases when
recommendations of Review Team not approved)
• underlying health of presbytery must be strong
enough:
• grounded in significant relationships, positive
regard
• nurtured capacity for openness, vulnerability
• presbyteries need courage and tools to intervene
when resisted by congregation (power plays appear
to dominate as congregation declines)
... Lessons for Presbyteries
• do not act quickly to approve minister’s request
to retire (early) or resign (when unexpected):
investigate first!
• be alert to minister in trouble
• establish (beforehand) procedures re handling
of report :
• when will it be released? to whom? what input will
minister and session have?
• one suggestion: released first to presbytery, after
minister asked to check facts only
How Do We?...
• encourage congregations to ask:
• “How do we evolve?” NOT “How do we cope?”
• “evolve” looks forward and wider scope (vision,
mission)
• “cope” looks at present and narrower scope
(fosters preoccupation with presenting issue)
• review congregation’s ministry, including all
congregational activities and lay leadership
• challenge people (not just minister) to take
responsibility for their own views and actions about
congregation’s ministry
Ministry and Church Vocations
Helping the church discern, prepare and support ministerial leaders
A department of the Life and Mission Agency
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