Report of the
Study Committee to Define Duties of the
Pastoral Relations Committee
The Study Committee to Define Duties of the Pastoral Relations Committee was created by the One Hundred and Tenth Annual Conference to fulfill the following petitions from the Ephrata, Lancaster and Paradise Churches:
WHEREAS, a meaningful ministry requires a good relationship between the Pastor and the congregation. This includes such things as: mutual respect, support, honor, love and accountability, and
WHEREAS, a breakdown in some churches is evidenced by decreasing membership, enrollment and troubled pastorates, and
WHEREAS, the Faith & Order states that the primary duty of the Pastoral Relations Committee of a particular church is to “maintain good relationships between pastor and the congregation.” (page 85, para.4) and
WHEREAS, this is not happening in all cases. (i.e. one cause may be a lack of accountability between the Pastoral Relations Committee of a particular church and Annual Conference), and
WHEREAS, in other areas, such as, the submission of Congregational Meeting minutes and statistical information, there is mandated accountability between the particular church and Annual Conference, and there is also limited annual accountability between pastors and the Credentials Committee in the annual Ministers’ questionnaire, and
WHEREAS, The Pastoral Relations Committee has no such required accountability, and
WHEREAS, the Pastoral Relations Committee is considered important to the Annual Conference in that it is the only particular church committee required by the Faith & Order, and therefore as such, it is believed that the duties and responsibilities of the Pastoral Relations Committee should be further defined which would include accountability to Annual Conference. Therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Chairman of the 110th Annual Conference appoint a study committee of five (5) men to further define the duties and responsibilities of the Pastoral Relations Committee and its accountability to Annual Conference.
The committee met three times at the Ephrata Church. To assist with their work they solicited information from Pastors and Pastoral Relations Committees. Some of this material is contained in the Appendix. The committee also conferred with the Ministerial Relations Committee. The committee is pleased with the updating of the suggested Annual Review Form and the Ministerial Relations Committee’s proposed “Statistical Review.” It was strongly felt that this review, along with the following proposed legislation, will answer the petitions.
The following resolution is presented to the One Hundred and Eleventh Annual Conference:
RESOLVED, that the following replace material on page 85, Faith & Order:
Required Committees:
The Board of Elders of every church shall designate a Pastoral Relations Committee composed of Elders.
PASTORAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE
PURPOSE:
1. Encourage the Pastor in his endeavor to minister to the congregation.
2. Promote good relationships between the Pastor and the congregation.
DUTIES
1. Meet at least twice annually.
2. Conduct an annual review with the Pastor using the annual review form as a guideline.
3. Submit a copy of the results of the annual review to the Ministerial Relations Committee by January 31 of each year.
4. Receive communication and be a liaison between the Pastor, his staff, and the congregation.
5. Annually review with each member of the pastoral staff the adequacy of his compensation and submit a proposed budget for salary and benefits.
Study Committee to Define Duties of the Pastoral Relations Committee: David J. Watkins, Chairman; Daniel P. Allen, Secretary; Lee E. Boyles, David A. Thomann, Ralph M. Soper.
Appendix
The following material was received from the Grace Bible Fellowship Church’s Pastoral Relations Committee. It was determined that this material might be of benefit to the other Bible Fellowship Churches. Reproduction permission was granted.
I. Pastoral Relations Committee – Budget Worksheet for the Pastor (lines were provided under each question for answers and explanations – if needed)
1. Is the compensation you are receiving for the present year adequate for your family’s needs?
2. Is the current rate of compensation, although adequate to meet needs, presenting a measure of stress in your family because of other legitimate desires?
3. Do you have anticipated additional significant expenses in this coming year (e.g. another child, purchase of car, child going to college)?
4. Was your professional expense allowance adequate for conferences, books, etc.?
5. Was your life insurance reimbursement adequate?
6. Was your car allowance adequate?
7. Was your children’s education allowance adequate? If no, please explain.
8. Do you have increased educational costs in this coming year? If yes, please explain.
9. Do you desire a restructuring of your compensation package to benefit your tax burden?
10. Is your present parsonage adequate for your family? If not, please explain.
11. Are there short term (in the next 6-12 months) repairs or needs for your present parsonage? Please explain and list.
12. Are there longer term (1-3 years) repairs additions or needs your family suggests or desires for your parsonage? Please list.
13. Do you have any other requests, concerns, or comments? Please feel free to comment below.
II. Pastor Remuneration Worksheet (This form may also have been used in the process of calling a pastor)
Parsonage
Owned by:
Utilities paid by:
Yard maintenance by:
Snow removal by:
Minor repairs by:
Major repairs by:
Insurance
Blue Cross/Blue Shield by:
Workers Compensation:
Property:
Tenant:
Life:
Disability:
Automobile:
Salary
Gross Wages:
FICA:
Housing Allowance:
Pastor’s Retirement Fund:
Education
Pastor:
Spouse:
Children:
Vehicle
Owned by:
Operating expense reimbursement:
Miscellaneous
Vacation weeks (#):
Pinebrook week:
Minister Convention:
Other seminars regularly attended (who pays):Regular day or days off:
Professional
expense reimbursement:
Other considerations:
III. Ground Rules related to the Annual Evaluation of the Pastor
1. The pastors and elders will not see the actual evaluation.
2. No comment will be passed on as a “direct quote”. This can haunt the pastor if they would think that a “real person” actually made “that comment”. Rather we will rephrase the response as an accurate and helpful reflection of the evaluations.
3. The backdrop should be that of constructive observations.
4. We should plan together before meeting with the pastors that evening what issues will be discussed and what will be said, and, what issues would not be appropriate and therefore will not be discussed, unless raised by the pastors.
5. The draft (composed prior to meeting with the pastors) plus the pastors comments and concerns will form the report of the PRC to the BOE [Board of Elders]. (The pastors will leave the room during this portion of the BOE meeting so frank but hopefully brief discussion and evaluation will take place; the Nov. BOE meeting will be the yearly opportunity for the BOE to evaluate our pastors based on the semiannual PRC report.)
6. The actual evaluations will be destroyed, keeping only the final report to the BOE as our semiannual PRC committee report. (The other report to the BOE will occur in March or April each year when salary and parsonage considerations will form the bulk of our report.)
IV. Pastoral Evaluation Form [filled out by Elders, Deacons and some members at large]
Do you have any questions, concerns, or input (no matter how trivial) that you would like addressed in the following areas of ministry:
1. Pulpit & Teaching Ministry
2. Counseling & Discipling Ministry
3. Visitation
4. Family & Personal Life
5. Administrative Responsibilities
SignatureDate
V. Pastor’s Personal Evaluation Form
Dear [Pastor],
This year in preparation for our semiannual meeting (ministry evaluation/review) we have distributed to the elders and deacons brief questionnaires seeking comments and/or concerns that they may have in the following areas: 1) Pulpit/Teaching; 2) Counseling/Discipling; 3) Visitation; 4) Family/Personal Life; and, 5) Administrative Responsibilities. We have gathered these, as well as added general questions and present them for your (preferably) written response in preparation for our meeting. The questions have no hidden agenda, nor are they weighted in terms of significance, but simply seek to help us honestly and candidly fulfill our responsibility as members of the PRC.
We would appreciate your careful consideration of these questions prior to the meeting, and would request a written response so that we might confer as a committee and prepare for the meeting. We would expect your written answers to be brief and incomplete, and to be “filled in” verbally at the meeting. Thank you for your careful and prayerful contemplation as we seek together to serve our Lord in more excellent ways. [Space was provided between each question]
1. Have you had adequate preparation time (both study and prayer) for your Sunday morning message?
2. Are you satisfied with the overall balance of Sunday evening programs (your frequency of preaching for instance)?
3. Do you have any thoughts concerning the prayer meeting – the present format, overall direction of prayer meeting, encouraging prayer as an increasing priority in the life of our members?
4. Is your teaching role in the church satisfactory in your estimation? Do you desire more/less?
5. Is your counselling role appropriate for time available and your interest/gifts in this area? Does it consume too much of your time?
6. Do you think we need a more structured discipleship program for new or immature Christians? Do you have any plans for such?
7. Do you think that personal visitation will be an increasing priority for your time in the next year?
8. Do you have any short or long range plans for a more structured new visitor welcome/visitation program?
9. Comparing this year to last year, has there been increasing time consuming church responsibilities that have robbed from needed family/relaxation time? Do you anticipate increasing or decreasing difficulties in this area in the coming year?
10. Do you think there is a drift to placing more emphasis on a well-run office over more “people-related” activities?
11. [A question related to the Assistant Pastor and his performance]
12. List the 5 greatest strengths of our church.
13. List the 5 greatest weaknesses of our church.
14. List the 5 things you like best about your role of senior pastor at this church.
15. List the 5 things you like least about your role of senior pastor at this church.
16. List 5 things that keep you from doing an even better job as senior pastor.
17. List 5 things that you would desire to change in our church for the better next year.
18. List 5 ways in which the elders could help you in achieving your goals for this church in the next year.
VI. Memo to Pastoral Relations Committee
A Pastoral Relations Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7. There is a need for several types of input that evening so we will try to observe the following schedule:
6:30 – 7:00 PM – The PRC members will meet in the church conference room.
7:00 – 7:30 PM – The PRC members will meet with [the Senior Pastor] at his home to discuss compensation for the budget year.
7:30 – 8:00 PM – A member of the Building & Grounds Committee will join us for a walk-through of [Senior Pastor’s House] to discuss parsonage needs.
8:00 – 8:30 PM – The PRC members with the Building & Grounds Committee member will walk-through the [Assistant Pastor’s House] to discuss the parsonage needs.
8:30 – 9:00 PM – The PRC members will meet with [the Assistant Pastor] to discuss compensation for the budget year.
9:00 – 9:30 PM – The PRC members will meet in the Church Conference Room to prepare Pastor’s compensation budget recommendation.
VII. Report of the Pastoral Relations Committee to the Congregation
[The first part of the January 12, 1992 report contained the schedule of pastoral meetings and committee duties]
General Considerations – The Pastoral Relations Committee has adopted the following schedule of pastoral meetings and committee duties.
October Meeting:
1. PRC meets with pastors to evaluate them and address any concerns regarding their ministry.
2. PRC may use information from other members, either directly or by limited or broader distribution of opinion surveys, to assist their evaluation.
3. PRC will report to the BOE at its Nov. meeting their evaluation and give opportunity, without the pastors present, for the elders to discuss the critique.
4. The PRC will give a report to the congregation at the January Congregational Meeting.
April Meeting:
1. PRC will meet with the pastors regarding the adequacy of compensation and to address parsonage concern.
2. PRC will include the Building, Ground and Equipment Committee in addressing the parsonage matters.
3. PRC will report to the BOE at its May meeting, in conjunction with the new budget deliberation, the pastoral compensation recommendations for the next fiscal year.
4. BOE will recommend to the congregation through the presentation of the budget the compensation recommendations at the July Congregational Meeting. Opportunity, without the pastors present, will be given at that time to discuss the compensation recommendation and ask questions.
1991-1992 Pastoral Evaluations
The PRC met twice as a committee, distributed survey evaluations forms (to elders, deacons, and 30 members-at-large), analyzed the surveys, and met individually with each pastor and wife. The surveys were used this year to reflect a broader input concerning our pastors. The surveys were analyzed, summarized, and used as the basis for constructive criticism when we met with the pastors.
[In the remainder report a brief, positive summary was given concerning the PRC’s meeting with each pastor]