Report of St. Paul’s Ad Hoc Staffing Committee May 31, 2009

The Ad Hoc Staffing Committee was formed on Sunday, November 29^th, 2008 by a congregational meeting of St. Paul’s United Church through the motion:

“Council appoint another ad hoc committee to review our staffing requirements in respect to our current fiscal situation. The committee will report back to Council by May 31, 2009.”

Members of the committee: Shirley Galloway, Henry Stulen, Jennifer Budd, Jane Field, Stuart Budd, Louise Dearling, Keith Laidlaw, Marilyn McCulloch, Paul DeJong

The committee met three times, one of those times being with members of the Pastoral Oversight committee for Erie Presbytery. The committee members concluded that any further exploration of ministry staffing needs should be conducted in conjunction with Erie Presbytery through a Joint Needs Assessment Committee (JNAC) and recommended to Council that we follow this path.

St, Paul’s Church Council at their monthly meeting on February 26, 2009 made the following motion: Moved that Council approach Presbytery to chair a Congregational meeting to appoint representatives of St. Paul’s to a Joint Needs Assessment Committee. The motion was carried.

June Hibbert of Erie Presbytery Pastoral Relations Committee was contacted and took the request to Presbytery who agreed to the request and informed us that they could have two persons available to work with us by May 2009.

What? A Joint Needs Assessment Committee (JNAC)

Who? Two members of Erie Presbytery and 5 to 7 members of St. Paul’s.

When? Committee will be appointed at congregational meeting on June 14, 2009.

The committee will determine its process, including a time frame.

Suggest that a report be completed no later than our Annual meeting (Feb 2010).

Why?

• St. Paul’s is going through a period of financial decline. In order to maintain our church as a sustainable entity we are looking at buildings, growth/membership and staffing requirements.
• Ministry personnel is a joint responsibility of presbytery and the pastoral charge.
• A JNAC is an established process for presbytery and a pastoral charge to work together to gather information and analyze the needs of the Pastoral Charge and provide recommendations to Church Council. This work includes assessment of all needs of the church, not just the financial ones! The last Joint Needs Assessment for St. Paul’s was completed in 2005.
• A JNAC may provide recommendations to Church Council including a change in the terms of an existing pastoral relationship or no change in existing pastoral relationships.

Joint Needs Assessment Committee (excerpted from United Church Manual)

(a) Membership. The Joint Needs Assessment Committee (JNAC) shall include:

i. two (2) representatives of the Presbytery appointed by the Presbytery Pastoral Relations Committee; and

ii. representatives of the Pastoral Charge, appointed by the membership (recommended 5 to 7).

(b) Committee Process. The first meeting of the JNAC shall be convened by a Presbytery representative. The Committee shall determine its own process and may delegate tasks beyond its membership.

(c) Mandate. The mandate of the JNAC is to study and to report on the Ministry Personnel needs of the Pastoral Charge, through an open and participatory process of information gathering and analysis, concluding with adoption and presentation to the Official Board or Church Board or Church Council of the Pastoral Charge of a report including summary statements of:

i. the community of the Pastoral Charge;

ii. the ministry of the Pastoral Charge;

iii. the resources of the Pastoral Charge, including manse report;

iv. the position descriptions addressed by any recommendations;

v. the skills and knowledge required of Ministry Personnel; and

vi. the terms that may be offered to implement any recommendations.

(d) Recommendations. The JNAC shall make recommendations to the Official Board or Church Board or Church Council of the Pastoral Charge. Recommendations may include:

i. that the Presbytery be requested to approve changes in the terms of existing pastoral relationships;

ii. that the Presbytery be requested to declare a Vacancy;

iii. that the Presbytery be requested to appoint an Interim Minister;

iv. that the Presbytery be requested to appoint a Supply for up to one (1) year; and

v. that no change be made to existing pastoral relationships.

(e) Circulation. The written report and recommendations of the JNAC, together with notice of the meeting of the Church Council of the Pastoral Charge at which the report and recommendations will be presented, shall be circulated to all Ministry Personnel in pastoral relationship with the Pastoral Charge and to all members of the Church Council of the Pastoral Charge.

(f) Official Board Meeting. The meeting of the Church Council at which the report and recommendations of the JNAC are to be presented shall take place not sooner than two (2) days after the report and recommendations are deemed in accordance with section 003 to have been received by all Ministry Personnel in pastoral relationship with the Pastoral Charge and all members of the Church Council of the Pastoral Charge.

(g) Presentation of Report and Recommendation. The JNAC shall present its report and recommendations to the Church Council of the Pastoral Charge.