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658 Team ministry
Checklist
This checklist is for the use of the facilitator. It indicates items to be discussed and clarified by a newly appointed team. Matters left unresolved are guaranteed to crop up later!
658.1 Preamble
Team Ministry is a commitment to a collective rather than an individual model of ministry. It requires recognition of this by both those in the ministry team and the people of the parish. (See 217 and 423)
658.2 Setting up a conversation
a) After setting up team ministry, a conversation should be arranged on the ways of implementing this type of ministry.
b) Such a conversation may be best served by including the following people
- the ordained staff, including the new appointee
- any other people recognised by the congregation/parish as ministry team staff, whether lay or ordained, paid or unpaid
- two key lay leaders
- an outside facilitator.
658.3 Guidelines
The following are the guidelines for the conversation:
a) The conversation should take place during the second month of the ministry.
b) The agenda for the conversation (see the checklist) should be set out clearly for all participants.
c) The aim of the conversation is to ensure that there is an overall balance of responsibilities and the time required to fulfil them.
d) If some staff are full-time and some part-time, the allocation of duties will need to take this into account.
e) When a team ministry is male/female overcome the tendency to give less important tasks to the woman.
f) Discuss an historical profile of the parish, build a vision of the parish mission, and look at individual gifts and skills of the team members.
g) Designate the tasks taking careful note of the specialist skills and commitments of the ministry team, integrating those into the total ministry.
658.4 Responsibilities
a) Pastoral - On what basis will the workload be shared?
b) Leadership - How will the parish be helped to fulfil its goals and objectives by this team ministry?
c) Liturgy - Does each carry a share of the 'high' days as well as the 'low'? Is there room for some continuity of contact? Is each to be encouraged to follow diverse forms/orders or shall there be some common orders and celebrations?
d) Co-ordination - Will each member of the Team Ministry be committed to a weekly meeting at which all matters are checked out; ideas floated; and occasional study and prayer are shared?
e) Weddings, Funerals, Baptisms, Confirmations - Do they relate naturally to a) above, or does one partner depend on another to share these out?
f) Outside Duties - Regional, national and non-church responsibilities. Are they reasonable? Do they clash?
g) Hospitality to Visitors - Will each minister be able to offer hospitality? How can this load be shared?
658.5 Opportunities and Recognition
a) Initiative - Will each have designated aspects of parish life in which they may take initiative and be recognised as a leader?
b) Public Relations - Is each involved in a share of community and public occasions?
658.6 Refreshment and Pastoral Care
a) Days Off - Are they appropriate, and advertised?
b) Study Leave and Holidays - Are they settled far enough in advance for all to be catered for?
c) Support Group - Is there a small confidential support group with membership appointed by the parish council (2 or 3) and by each of the ministers (1 each)? Can this group meet informally at least quarterly, to check on the health and welfare of the ministers and their families and the health and welfare of the team ministry and to ensure that the ministries are fulfilling their task?
d) Supervision - Has each member of the ordained team a supervisor for his or her work?
e) Spouses and Families - Who will give pastoral care to the families? What role and influence do the spouses expect to have?
f) Expectations - Share with each other your expectations of the place each will play in the ministry in the parish. This could equally be most important on your list.
g) Differences - In what ways do your concepts of leadership, pastoral care, sacramental ministry differ? To what extent are these differences personal or essentially denominational?
658.7 Findings
It will be appropriate to share the outcome of these discussions in brief with the parish council, and in some instances to seek the endorsement of the parish council of particular aspects of the team ministry.