The Staff/Pastor-Parish Relations Committee

In every size congregation, the staff/pastor-parish relations committee (S/PPRC) must focus on building strong relationships between the staff and the congregation and between the congregation and the district superintendent (DS). Finding a balance between building relationships and handling administrative tasks can be difficult, so the ministry of this committee is crucial for this aspect of a vital and effective congregation.

A key for a vital, effective congregation is embracing the core process for carrying out our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The core process is stated in ¶122 of The Book of Discipline:

We make disciples as we:

• proclaim the gospel, seek, welcome and gather persons into the body of Christ;

• lead persons to commit their lives to God through baptism by water and the spirit and profession of faith in Jesus Christ;

• nurture persons in Christian living through worship, the sacraments, spiritual disciplines, and other means of grace, such as Wesley's Christian conferencing;

• send persons into the world to live lovingly and justly as servants of Christ by healing the sick, feeding the hungry, caring for the stranger, freeing the oppressed, being and becoming a compassionate, caring presence, and working to develop social structures that are consistent with the gospel; and

• continue the mission of seeking, welcoming and gathering persons into the community of the body of Christ.

To remember and understand the core process of ¶122, think of H.O.P.E. The acronym is a reminder of the discipleship path to demonstrate Hospitality to people, Offer Christ by providing opportunities for people to commit their lives to God, nurturing people to find a true sense of Purpose with Christian practices, and Engaging people to put their faith into action, transforming the community. Christians who are sent out into their communities continue the cycle of H.O.P.E. by offering hospitality in the name of Jesus Christ to people they meet.

You have been elected to this committee for kingdom work: We pray in the Lord's Prayer that God's will be done and God's kingdom will come on earth as in heaven. Strong relationships among the staff and congregation and people outside the church lead to ministry that offers the H.O.P.E. of Christian disciple making so that God's will may be done for the transformation of our community and our world. This Guideline will outline the specific tasks of the S/PPRC and describe the ministry of building relationships through communication and attention to caring for the staff and congregation.

These pages offer practical suggestions for managing your responsibilities by assigning tasks to a quarterly calendar. Adapt the suggestions for your community while always keeping the big picture of the mission of the church in mind.

United Methodist congregations give the staff/pastor-parish relations committee the responsibility for administering the relationship between staff, congregation, and the district superintendent so that the mission of the church moves forward. This summary of specific tasks for the S/PPRC is listed in ¶258.2g in The Book of Discipline (with added suggestions from the Task Force on Clergy Health and the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women):

• encourage, strengthen, nurture, support, and respect the pastor and staff and their families, including advocating for a healthy work/life balance;

• promote unity in the churches;

• confer with the staff on the effectiveness of ministry and impediments to effectiveness, including conflict of interest and sexual misconduct;

• confer with the staff about the effective use of their gifts, skills, time, and priorities;

• conduct annual staff evaluations;

• teach the congregation about itineracy, steps into ordained ministry, the value of diversity in staffing, and the ministerial education fund;

• write job descriptions for staff;

• confer with staff about continuing education and spiritual formation;

• confer with the district superintendent about the clergy leadership for the congregation.

• recommend staff positions to the church council;

• create written personnel policies and sexual misconduct policies for the congregation;

• consult on matters of staff support, including housing, vacation, insurance, pension, and other matters outlined in the Discipline.

The administrative function of the S/PPRC includes both leadership and management. Leadership is the role of "keeping an eye on the big picture." The S/PPRC members must remember they are part of the body of Christ with a mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Management is the role of tending to daily activities so that details are taken care of and strategies are implemented. Large churches may have staff for day-to-day staff oversight. Management includes holding both staff and congregation accountable for carrying through with plans and promises.

Administrative Responsibilities

The S/PPRC has three primary responsibilities related to administration: pastoral and staff evaluations; maintaining a connection with the district superintendent (DS); and communication among pastor/staff, congregation, and DS. The responsibilities related to personal support, benefits, and policy will be considered in another section.

Annual Staff Evaluations

Your district superintendent will ask annually for your recommendation for the most appropriate appointed leader for your community. In most instances, you will be asked to complete an...