JNA Report St Georges FINAL(Oct 29)s... · 2014. 2. 11. ·...

Email: [email protected] Web: http://stgeorgesunited.com Church Office: 250-334-4961

Joint Needs Assessment Report

October 2013

St. George's United Church

Joint Needs Assessment Report – St. George’s United Church

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Contents

Section One – Community Profile ..................................................................................................3

Section Two – Ministry and Mission Profile...................................................................................4

Our History – Our Story ..............................................................................................................4

Interim Ministry Report..............................................................................................................5

St George’s United Church Vision and Mission Statements.......................................................6

Our Dreams ................................................................................................................................8

Sarah Grace …. She is who we are..............................................................................................9

Section Three – Resources Profile................................................................................................10

Financial Resources ..................................................................................................................10

Historical Financial Summary (2008 to 2012)...........................................................................10

2013 Balance Sheet and Income Statement.............................................................................12

2014 Draft Budget....................................................................................................................15

Facility Resources .....................................................................................................................16

Facility Usage – A Community Resource ..............................................................................16

Stewardship of the Building .................................................................................................17

Human Resources.....................................................................................................................18

Unified Council Structure & Volunteer Ministries ................................................................18

Our Staff Resources ..............................................................................................................19

Congregational Demographics .............................................................................................20

Section Four -‐ Minister’s Position Profile.....................................................................................21

Preamble ..................................................................................................................................21

Minister’s Position Description ................................................................................................22

Section Five – Skills Profile ...........................................................................................................24

Section Six – Terms Profile...........................................................................................................25

Recommendations .......................................................................................................................26

Joint Needs Assessment Team .....................................................................................................26

We, St. George's United Church, look forward to the future with energy and excitement and a strong sense of hope. Our committee members, volunteers and paid staff are an astounding resource

full of faith, energy and a will to serve the Lord in any ministry that honours Him!


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Welcome to St George’s United Church. We are a church just entering our 2nd Century of worship and service. We are a mostly mature (at least by age) congregation seeking to revitalize our commitment to Christ and his mission. We are inviting an energetic, outgoing, and compassionate Minister to join us in our journey to more fully become the voice, hands, and heart of Christ in our congregation, community and world.

Section One – Community Profile

The Comox Valley is located on the east coast of Vancouver Island approximately 1½ hours north of Nanaimo. It has a total population of approximately 63,000 of which 22,000 are in rural areas, and the rest are in the City of Courtenay (24,000), the Town of Comox (13,600) and the Village of Cumberland (3,400).

The Valley enjoys a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters.

The Valley is serviced by a regional airport with regular scheduled flights by three major airlines to Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary, as well as winter charter flights to Mexico.

Previously the valley relied on resource based industries, such as fishing and logging, but now the primary employers are CFB Comox Air Base and various levels of government.

There is a large and growing agricultural base in the Valley – it is easy to follow a 20 mile diet! There is a year round farmer’s market in Courtenay. http://www.comoxvalleyfarmersmarket.com/

The Valley has a local hospital with a new Regional Hospital under construction. North Island College in Courtenay has approximately 4,000 students and offers approximately 70 programs in health care, trades, business, fine arts, tourism, university studies, as well as Elder College and Continuing Education courses. http://www.nic.bc.ca/

The Comox Valley is a great place to enjoy the outdoors. In the winter there is skiing (Nordic and downhill) and snowshoeing at nearby Mt Washington, and in the summer the same area provides access to the alpine hiking paradise of Strathcona Park. In the Valley there are many nature parks with trails, several local golf courses, and many opportunities for water sports from sailing, kayaking and fishing, to swimming and beachcombing. There are several spa resorts nearby for some R&R. http://www.discovercomoxvalley.com/

The Valley has an active cultural base with excellent amateur theatre, various singing groups, many service and environmental groups, as well a myriad of volunteer opportunities. Many artists and musicians live in the Valley. There are several art galleries, and a host of musical performances available year round in a variety of venues.

The Valley is serviced by a local magazine, In Focus, http://www.infocusmagazine.ca/ and two newspapers, the Comox Valley Echo http://www.comoxvalleyecho.com/ and the Comox Valley Record http://comoxvalleyrecord.com/


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Section Two – Ministry and Mission Profile

Our History – Our Story

By 1912 the Presbyterians in the Comox Valley had outgrown their little church on the big hill north of Courtenay and the Reverend Tom Menzies decided that his congregation should have a new church in the hub of town. He had already kicked things off by buying a church bell and new organ. After much planning and prayer, a new downtown site on 5th Street was acquired in 1912 through a donation of land by local merchant Joseph McPhee. Construction advanced quickly and the new church opened its doors in December 1913. Church membership continued to grow and Reverend Menzies continued to serve as pastor until 1921. In 1925 the United Church of Canada was formed and St. George’s Presbyterian became St. George’s United Church. The congregation continued to grow while it worked to pay off the original mortgage. Thanks to St. George’s Ladies Aid and their fund raising activities, such as bake sales and teas, the mortgage was retired in 1937.

Membership continued to grow and by 1940 the Church needed to expand, but the 5th Street site was too small for additional building. As a result, the decision was made to move the Church to a larger site and one was selected nearby on Fitzgerald Avenue. Rather than build a new church, the congregation elected to move the existing building. Unfortunately World War II intervened. The manpower and resources needed for the move declined and the event was postponed, despite the fact that the basement had already been excavated. However, the move commenced in 1946 as the original church was slowly rolled up the street in what senior members of the congregation today describe as one of the most memorable events in St. George’s long history. So artful was the move that not once did the church bell ring nor did a single crack appear in any wall!

Over the next two decades, the baby boomers filled the Church to the delight of various ministers who skillfully took up the challenge of a growing congregation. Not surprisingly, more room was needed. The Fellowship Hall was built in 1957, and a few years later, offices, a library, a narthex, and other facilities were added. Church programs continued to grow and children and young adults ebbed and flowed through the Church and Sunday School. Eventually, however, Sunday sports and television began to take the place of Sunday School and Sunday services and in the 1990s church membership began to decline. St. George’s still has an active Ministry of Worship, a very small Sunday School, and active adult education.


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Outreach has always been a part of St George’s life. In the 80’s the congregation was able to sponsor immigrant families from overseas. For the last 16 years St George’s has been active in the Sonshine Lunch Club, a non profit group of Christian churches which provides lunches 5 days a week for those in need. (see http://sonshinelunchclub.com ) As well the St George’s Pantry offers food, coffee, and companionship two mornings a week. Many service clubs, such as AA, use the church for their meeting place. The church strives to be a beacon of God’s love and caring in the downtown of Courtenay and throughout the Valley.

This year celebrates the 100th Anniversary of St George’s and many activities have happened, including a homecoming Gala in late September. One of the most ambitious projects was publishing a history book, “Our Story, St George’s United Church”, that is now available.

Continue reading our history at: http://stgeorgesunited.com/AboutUs2/History.aspx

Interim Ministry Report

In mid 2011 both the Minister and Youth Pastor left St George’s. After 8 months of supply ministers St George’s entered an Interim Ministry in February 2012 with Rev Peggy Jensen. A Transition Team of four congregants and two presbyters is working closely with Peggy during the Interim Ministry. The Interim Ministry will conclude at the end of June 2014.

The task of the Interim Minister is to help the congregation see how their vision, mission and goals are leading the church to be the church of the future (see page 6 to read St George’s Vision and Mission Statements). Specifically there are five goals for the Interim Ministry: 1) remembering who we are; 2) determining who we want to be; 3) empowering new leadership; 4) renewing United Church of Canada linkages; and 5) committing to new future leadership.

The first goal: remembering who we are. The congregation engaged in a fun exercise to create a persona of St George’s. “Sarah Grace” was created during a congregational workshop in October 2012 based on the book Who is Our Church: Imagining Congregational Identity by United Church minister Rev. Janet Cawley. (see page 9 to meet Sarah Grace).

The second goal: determining who we want to be. In the spring of 2013 we held a “Congregational Conversation” about our core values. The core values of this congregation were amalgamated into 5 statements (see page 7 to read our Core Values). This event was followed by a council retreat where these core values were restated as action plans for our work now and in the future (see page 8 “Our Dreams” to read about the outcome of this retreat).

The third goal: to empower new leadership. In 2012 the congregation adopted a new governance structure that moved from the tradition of Session and Board to a unified Council with seven teams to offer leadership. Dedicated lay leaders wrote a new constitution that explains the work of the church under these seven teams. The Council is a combination of administration and team leaders. The council members


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are dedicated and hard-‐working leaders of the congregation. (see page 18 to see an outline of the Council).

The fourth goal: to renew United Church of Canada linkages. During this interim ministry time we have increased our use of United Church materials. Every church family receives “The Observer”, an acclaimed United Church publication. During our Sunday morning worship we sing hymns from the United Church hymn books “Voices United” and “More Voices”. The congregation has been invited to participate in Presbytery and Conference events. We have invited United Church musicians and speakers to lead workshops here.

The fifth goal: committing to new future leadership. St. George’s congregation is a strong and faithful family for God. They have seen many changes over the years and have both weathered the stormy times and celebrated the good times. Many churches are facing financial crises, but this congregation has consistently demonstrated sound stewardship. Good financial management has enabled them to do some innovative dreaming and development of programs. This is another area where the resources are dependent on a few dedicated contributors: people do what they can to support this ministry.

In June 2013 the JNAC was formed to assess the needs of the congregation and to design a job description for the next minister to lead this dedicated congregation. Fortunately, there are the resources to support the work of a full time minister, both financially and spiritually. This congregation has a gift for praying individually and together: may these prayers guide the call for a new minister.

St George’s United Church Vision and Mission Statements

Vision: To be a Christian church that is a beacon of God’s love and hope in the community.

Mission: To follow Jesus Christ, and his example of love, forgiveness and faithfulness to God.

Goals: To seek to be faithful to the commandments of Jesus Christ: “Love God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind” (Matt.22:7) “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34) “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Matt. 22:39)


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Core values: We respect and welcome all people, because all people matter to God We strive to serve the poor and disadvantaged We exemplify God’s love through prayer and pastoral care We treasure friendship and fellowship in our faith community We are revitalized by inspiring worship and a strong music program

We believe: We are disciples of the risen Jesus Christ and we endeavor to discern and do God’s will In the transformative power of relationship with God through Jesus Christ God is present and active in our lives We are saved through grace, not merit God calls us to live with joy and celebration God works through prayer We must be open to the Holy Spirit working among us We are all members of the Body of Christ Our spiritual journey is lifelong as we seek to develop a deeper relationship with God

and Jesus Christ

St. George’s is committed to: Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ Being a refuge for all Being an advocate for social justice Encouraging and supporting each other in our lives and our faith Treating each member of our faith family with respect and dignity

We exercise our Mission through Worship, Fellowship, Education, Service, Evangelism, and Stewardship.

In Worship: Pray, praise, celebrate and be thankful to God. Seek his will with open and trusting hearts.

In Fellowship: Encourage and support each other in our lives and our faith. Be welcoming to all people.

In Education: Teach God’s Word and strive to understand its meaning and application to our lives.

In Service: Demonstrate God’s love by supporting and being a voice for those in need in the world -‐ the poor, hungry, sick, marginalized.

In Evangelism: Bring the knowledge of Jesus’ love and healing salvation to all people. In Stewardship: Honour God through the care, development and effective use of the

resources He provides. This includes our building, money, and personal time and talents.


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Our Dreams

We realize that these will evolve gently over time, and in God’s own time. We seek a shepherd who will walk with us as we explore together the places these dreams may lead us.

A. St. George's: Our Home, Our Place

We affirm that this property and this building will be a place of ministry for as far as we can see into the future. We affirm this property and building as a place of opportunity for service, outreach to our wider community, diverse ministry, and provision of multi-‐generational resources.

B. St. George's : A Community of Radical Hospitality

We affirm that we have a desire to be a community of hospitality. We affirm that we are warm in our initial greeting of strangers and visitors, but we acknowledge that we do not sustain that welcome to the extent and with the diversity that we desire. We feel we are ready to invest ourselves in new ways of expressing hospitality.

C. St. George's: A Centre for Spiritual Formation

We affirm our desire to see our relationship with God (the sacred, Holy Mystery, Presence, Spirit) as foundational to all we do and see. We affirm that our life in community is founded in a radical care and compassion for one another that emerges from our spiritual base. We affirm that our outreach into community and the world is a natural extension of our relationship with God and our desire to be following the path of Jesus in our work today.

D. St. George's: A Congregation who Reaches out in Compassion

We affirm our high priority for reaching out to the poor and disenfranchised. We affirm that our building, our life in community, our worship, and our many activities constitute our unique way of rooting ourselves in the love of God which we embody in the world around us.


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Sarah Grace …. She is who we are

Sarah Grace is the persona of St. George’s United Church, developed as part of the transitional ministry, and represents an image of who we currently are at our core level of being.

Sarah Grace is a friendly, compassionate lady in her 60's who lives in downtown Courtenay. While she is still vital, she is finding she doesn't have the energy she used to have and hasn't yet been able to refocus her energies and choose her activities to reflect this. She feels she needs to refocus on her passions like music and social justice.

Sarah Grace is a very stable, strong person. She's been through a lot lately but has been able to carry on with her usual activities despite this. She has the wisdom and maturity to keep her grounded through whatever life may throw at her. She dresses comfortably and, while she's not flashy or high maintenance, she does take pride in her appearance. She has experimented with various styles of accessories, sometimes with success and other times with less success.

Lately she's been dealing with a very serious health issue that she's been trying hard to hide from herself and others. She has been under the care of a specialist and is on a healing path, and she's now at a place where she's looking for new opportunities to serve.

She lives in a big old house. She enjoys it, but finds that the upkeep is getting harder and harder. She stays on top of it right now, but it could become a problem in the future.

She loves her grandkids to visit and finds them very stimulating for short periods, but they do wear her out and she finds she doesn't relate to them like she used to. Additionally she spends a large amount of time and energy taking care of her aging parents. She retired recently but stays very busy with volunteering and visiting friends. Though she tries to always be available to everyone else, she doesn't spend much time on herself.

She does not like or deal well with conflict. She tends to ignore it and hope that it will just go away. She's afraid that if she deals with conflicts, she will end up hurting others and looking bad. She knows she needs to learn how to address this as she's been through some serious conflict in the recent past, and there were some lingering issues that waited a while to be managed.

She has also been through lots of changes lately. This hasn't been a problem for her, but she is feeling a bit swept away. She wishes the changes would slow down a bit. Financially she's doing ok. She's on a limited income and needs to be careful, but she manages well. She is cautious about her house: It could either be an asset or a liability.

Spiritually God is very central to her. She's getting many of her needs met through fellowship, but does have a hunger for some deeper teaching. She has a strong faith but doesn't talk about it too much and she feels that she needs to rediscover fun and laughter in her worship.

Overall she's the town grandma who always has cookies in the oven, but tends to neglect self-‐care.


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2013 Funding Alloca\ons

Fellowship Team 8.69%

Resource Team 39.1%

Mission & Outreach 13.86%

Educa\on Team 19.55%

Worship Team 14.42%

Congr. Care Team 4.35%

Section Three – Resources Profile

Financial Resources

The first and foremost fact about the congregation of St. George's United Church is that there has never been a financial challenge or project hurdle that has not been met or exceeded...with God's help...ever, for example:

• Expansion of Fellowship Hall in 70's • Expansion of Sanctuary, offices, choir loft, 200K in 1980's • Sponsored immigrant families in 80's/90's • 1 night fundraiser gala raised 34K when target was 24K • 2 years ago parting gift of $4,500 to Youth and Family Minister for his mission to Asia • Fundraising is now virtually complete for new electronic sign

After salaries and administration (which are 92% of 2014 budget) that leaves $25,310 for other teams; please see the accompanying pie chart showing the funding breakdown across the ministry teams.

A detailed spreadsheet showing revenue and expenses from 2008 to 2012 is available upon request; an historical summary is included here for immediate reference.

Historical Financial Summary (2008 to 2012)

SUMMARY ACTUAL

2008 ACTUAL

2009 ACTUAL

2010 ACTUAL

2011 ACTUAL

2012 TOTAL OPERATING INCOME $209,447 $221,329 $234,385 $255,603 $196,202 TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES $235,177 $225,719 $225,572 $222,270 $170,479 OPERATING INCOME LESS EXPENSES -‐$25,730 -‐$4,389 $8,813 $33,333 $25,723


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Investment Funds

While our operating surplus/deficit has varied widely over the years we are still financially healthy. We have no mortgage or loans to repay and we have approximately $128k in investment funds (as at September 30, 2013). Below is an outline of these investments:

Manse Investment Fund ($75,225): Prior to 2010 only the interest from this investment fund was used. In 2010 we received permission from Presbytery to use the principal from the investment to pay for the housing allowances of our ministers. The fund is used as needed on a year to year basis.

Stewardship Campaign ($22,450): The congregation has mandated that a minimum $20k be available as an emergency operating fund. If drawn below $20k we must start a stewardship campaign.

Dream Fund ($11,000): Established in Feb 2012 from year end surplus to fund new ministries and capital projects. The Dream Fund as originally $30k. Money has been used for several projects as approved by Council.

Contingency Fund ($19,470): Established in Feb 2013 from year end surplus as a contingency fund for potential minister search and expected drop in revenue. Can be used for other purposes with Council approval.

Outreach

St George’s funds several outreach programs both locally and nationally at a rate of at least 10% of the total open and designated givings. Below is a breakdown of our outreach givings:

Mission & Service: There is a monthly “minute-‐for-‐mission” talk . There is no M&S ‘target’ for the congregation however the church has historically given approximately $11,000 to the M&S Fund each year, forwarded to the national church monthly as collected.

Pastor’s Pantry (food bank): The congregation supports our food bank with monthly food donations as well as a budgeted amount of $2,400 as well as designated donations of approximately $5,000 each year for the past three years.

Pastor’s Benevolent Fund: A budget of approximately $1,000 is for a fund administered by the Minister as he/she sees fit.


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2013 Balance Sheet and Income Statement


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2014 Draft Budget

Income: Local & open $160,000 Weddings and Funerals $ 1,000 Facility Rental $ 16,000 UCW $ 2,000 Miscellaneous $ 3,000

Total Income $182,000 Expenses: Minister’s salary $ 43,865 Housing allowance $ 14,000 Pension & UCC Benefits $ 11,500 Mileage $ 1,000 Telephone allowance $ 750 Continuing Education $ 1,500 CPP & EI $ 5,400

Total Minister’s Salary $ 78,015 Honoraria $ 1,800 Support Staff $ 36,000 Service charge to ADP $ 275 M&P Workshops $ 200 Criminal Record Checks $ 100

Total Staff & Volunteers $ 38,375 Office Administration $ 6,000 Fuel Hydro Telephone $ 16,500 Garbage etc $ 3,000 Building insurance $ 9,500 Presbytery $ 8,266 Wedding/funeral $ 900 Miscellaneous $ 200 Transition Team $ 100 JNAC/search $ 7,000

Total Admin $ 51,466 Fellowship Team Food & Fellowship $ 500 UCW $ 500 Membership $ 700 Men’s Group $ 100 Fellowship functions $ 400

Total Fellowship $ 2,200

Resource Team Property $ 9,500 Finance $ 200 Stewardship $ 200

Total Resource $ 9,900 Mission & Outreach Team Outreach $ 100 Evangalism $ 200 Mandate magazine $ 60 Pregnancy Care Centre $ 100 Pastor’s Benevolent Fund $ 1,000 St. Georges Pantry $ 2,000 Legion $ 50 Total Mission & Outreach $ 3,510

Education Team Observer $ 1,600 Sunday School curriculum $ 250 Sunday School supplies $ 200 Library $ 400 Adult education $ 2,400 Pringle Camp $ 100

Total Education $ 4,950 Worship Team Organ and piano $ 150 Copyright $ 1,000 Pulpit supply $ 700 Choir music $ 400 Worship training $ 1,000 Sunday service $ 400

Total Worship $ 3,650 Congregational Care Team Visitation $ 100 Printed matter $ 1,000

Total Cong Care $ 1,100

Total Expenses $193,166 Note: Actual Budget will be approved at AGM in Feb 2014.


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Facility Resources

Facility Usage – A Community Resource

St. George’s United Church occupies a large building located about one block from the downtown core of the City of Courtenay. The building’s footprint is approximately 13,360 square feet and takes up about half of the Church lot (property). The remainder of the lot is dedicated to a modest front lawn, a small parking area, sidewalks, and steps.

The core structure is a conventional wood-‐framed church to which several large additions were appended, nearly doubling the size of the Church. Today the building claims a total floor area of approximately 20,000 square feet in 3 levels. The main floor includes the sanctuary, a Fellowship Hall and commercial grade kitchen, 3 offices, a lounge, a library, and six washrooms. The second floor includes the sanctuary balcony and a classroom. The basement includes two general activity halls, a nursery, six classrooms, a small kitchen and 4 washrooms.

The sanctuary has a gross seating capacity of 330 with 250 on the main floor and 80 in the balcony. In addition, it is possible to expand the main seating by 100 or more by removing portable wall panels between the sanctuary and the Fellowship Hall. The sanctuary includes an organ, a grand piano, a digital projection system, and a sound system with provisions for the hearing impaired.

The Church is heated with 5 gas furnaces, all recently replaced. The roof is a relatively new metal covering of good quality. Sewer and water lines serve the basement and main floor and appear to be in reasonable condition for a building of St. George’s vintage. Parking for Sunday services is provided by a combination of on-‐street stalls and space available in local private lots.

St George’s facilities are used by many Church and community groups. Regular users include church Council and Teams, church choir, the Pastors Pantry, as well as the Sonshine Lunch Club, Alcoholics Anonymous, TOPS, Girl Guides, Brownies, Pathfinders, Fiddlejam and Probus Club. Intermittent users include various singing groups (North Island Choral, Celebration Singers, Cantiamo Singers), Strathcona Symphony, the Salvation Army, Narcotics Anonymous, as well as many church activities such as the annual Strawberry Tea, Bible studies, memorials and weddings.

Despite these activities and the Church’s role in the community, it is generally agreed that St. George’s physical facilities are under utilized, providing a great opportunity for partnering with another group with complimentary goals and visions.


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Stewardship of the Building

Recent repairs and upgrades to the physical structure of St. George's United Church include, though are not limited to, the following:

New metal roof installed over 80% of the building approximately 12 years ago 4 bathrooms remodelled in last 2 years Extensive electrical upgrades including energy efficient LED exits. New digital projector and screen installed in Sanctuary New monitor added for choir to see power point presentation Flooring upgrade in Fellowship Hall with aid of Comox Valley Community Foundation

grant All 5 oil fired furnaces replaced by new units in last 5 years (1 per year) New computer purchased for office New copier added to office with scanner capability, features wi-‐fi upload to computer Fundraising nearly complete for 100th Anniversary project, which is a new electronic

church sign The only major repair left is to replace the cedar shake roof over the “Mansard” area of the church with metal roofing at a cost of approximately $8,000. Two upstairs washrooms will have new lino floors during 2013 (covered by budget), and we’ve recently had a painting party to update the front entrance of the church. There is also a move afoot to apply for a grant to upgrade the two washrooms off our Fellowship Hall.


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Human Resources

Unified Council Structure & Volunteer Ministries

COUNCIL

Chair

Vice Chair

Minister

Secretary

Treasurer

Presbytery Rep (1)

7 Team Leaders

PRESBYTERY

REPRESENTATIVES (2)

FELLOWSHIP TEAM

Food & Fellowship

Membership

UCW

MISSION &

OUTREACH TEAM

Outreach: local, world

St. George's Pantry M&S Fund

RESOURCES TEAM

Treasurer

Envelope Secretary

Property

Trustees

Nomina\ng

Stewardship

CONGREGATIONAL CARE TEAM

Pastoral care

Prayer chain

ECU services

Tele care

Care meals

Card care

Library service

MINISTRY & PERSONNEL

TEAM Staffing

Employee liaison with council

WORSHIP TEAM

Worship services

Music, choir

Sanctuary use

Historic roll

EDUCATION TEAM

Chris\an Development

Adult Educa\on

Church School

Library

Observer

Camp Pringle


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Our Staff Resources

Paid Staff accountable to M&P

MINISTER

(salary)

OFFICE ADMIN

(16 hrs/wk)

MUSICIAN

(5 hrs/wk)

CHOIR DIRECTOR

(8 hrs/wk)

CLEANER

(15 hrs/wk)

CUSTODIAN

(8 hrs/mth)

TREASURER

(honorarium)


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Congregational Demographics

One of the realities we are facing is the advanced age of the congregation. We have several children who attend irregularly and we provide a regular Sunday School program when they attend. We also provide Nursery School coverage every Sunday.

One of the challenges of our ministry is congregational care of the elderly. This includes visitation, seminars on relevant topics such as advanced care directives, and pastoral care. The following is a snapshot of our congregational demographics:

98 families on the historic roll (some 2-‐3 per household) 59 adherents based on phone list 110 contributing households: 100 envelopes, 5 on PAR, 5 more give irregularly 143 families on phone/address list Average attendance Sundays: 90-‐100 Courtenay -‐108; Comox -‐28; Merville -‐2; Cumberland -‐5; Black Creek -‐2; Union Bay -‐1

Number by Age Group:

<50 yrs 12

50 -‐ 60 yrs 3

60 -‐ 70 yrs 40

70 – 80 yrs 38

80 -‐ 90 yrs 52

90 -‐ 100 yrs 10

>100 yrs 1

Length of attendance in years:

1 -‐ 5 yrs 31%

5 -‐ 15 yrs 33%

>15 yrs 36%

Gender:

M 38%

F 62%


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Section Four - Minister’s Position Profile

Preamble

St. George’s United Church of Courtenay, British Columbia, is inviting applicants for the position of full-‐time minister. St. George’s is a fellowship-‐focused church celebrating its 100th anniversary and looking forward to the challenge of its second century. This juncture marks a critical crossroads in the Church’s life, one that calls for an outward-‐looking vision with new vigour, new horizons, and new leadership. St. George’s is a landmark church in the community with a tradition of sensitivity to community service and the needs of the less fortunate. As the congregation matures, however, we are finding it challenging to follow on with that tradition.

St. George's is centrally located in downtown Courtenay, a city of about 22,000, situated on the east coast of Vancouver Island. The church is housed in a large and largely underutilized building. St. George’s is one of four United Churches in the Comox Valley. The other three are located nearby in the towns of Cumberland, Comox, and Union Bay. The Comox Valley is a small region of farms and forest nestled between the ocean and mountain foothills. It is home to about 60,000 people with a demographic trend that favours retired and semiretired age groups. The Valley provides excellent residential facilities, a full range of medical, educational, commercial, and recreational services, a regional airport, and a regional college.

St. George's recently shifted its governance from a board to a unified council-‐based structure. The new constitution specifies a team-‐based form of governance with team leaders comprising the Council. The Minister is accountable to the Council through the Ministry and Personnel Team. Ministry and Personnel is responsible for overseeing relations among staff members and among staff and parishioners. The Minister is responsible for the spiritual oversight of the Church. The Minister also serves in an ex officio capacity with all the teams except Ministry and Personnel, and attends council, worship, and congregational meetings and is encouraged to attend Presbytery and British Columbia Conference meetings. The Minister is provided an office within the Church and is supported with basic clerical resources consisting of a part-‐time office administrator, personal computer, and up to date office equipment.

Ministerial duties are for the most part conventional to United Churches of Canada. They include preparing and conducting Sunday worship services, working with the choir director and church musician to plan music for services and related events, and providing (in conjunction with lay leaders) one monthly service for the local Extended Care Unit. The Minister encourages and instructs lay leaders in community outreach aimed at building fellowship among parishioners and Church newcomers. The Minister supports active outreach ministries including St. George’s Pantry and the Sonshine Lunch Club, promotes linkage with other United Churches in the Comox Valley, and relays information about the wider family of United Churches to the congregation. The Minister is expected to foster prudent stewardship of Church resources at all levels of governance and activity, both lay and professional, financial and human. Finally, whereas pastoral care is a heartfelt tradition of St. George's, the Minister is expected to respond to emergency situations, coordinate work with the Congregational Care Team, provide grief support, arrange memorial services, and conduct baptisms and weddings.


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Minister’s Position Description

1. POSITION TITLE Minister of St. George's United Church, Courtenay, BC

2. GENERAL DESCRIPTION The minister has responsibility for the overall worship and spiritual life of the Pastoral Charge. Working closely with Council and the Ministry & Personnel committee, the minister will participate in such activities as deemed appropriate and necessary for the spiritual health and well being of the congregation. The minister will have general day-‐to-‐day oversight of the church office. It is expected that the minister will hold up our mission and core values.

Working Hours: Recognizing the ebb and flow of the church year, as well as the situational nature of pastoral ministry, the average workweek will be approximately 40 hours. The minister is not required to fulfil each ministry component every week, but to discern the best use of his/her time. The minister is encouraged maintain a balance with work and non-‐work that ensures spiritual, emotional, physical, and personal health.

3. AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY – Prioritized These percentages are a best estimate of current time use. Future percentages may vary, through negotiation with the M&P committee, based on the Minister’s skills, abilities, ministry passions and identified congregational needs. Preaching and Worship 30%

Prepares seasonal worship calendars with the Worship Committee Collaborates with the musician(s) to coordinate hymns, special music Prepares for weekly sermon, ensuring the content is both relevant and accessible to the

gathered community, responding to local and global conditions and the congregation’s pastoral and spiritual needs; sermon can be posted on the church website each week

Normally, preaches and leads worship every Sunday using the revised common lectionary and other United Church resources

Pastoral Care 25% Provides leadership, support and training for the Congregational Care Team Visits those in hospital and those who are housebound, in conjunction with the

Congregational Care Team Provides a pastoral presence at community events (such as the UCW Strawberry Tea)

and to the people attending community sponsored outreach programs held at our church

Provides crisis care, spiritual care, and referrals to other agencies Prepares for weddings, baptisms and funerals Once a month, when able, shares leadership at the local extended care facility worship

service with members of the congregation. Administration/Governance 15%


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Enables, trains and empowers volunteers serving within the congregations lay ministry teams (Fellowship, Mission and Outreach, Resources, Congregational Care, Worship and Christian Education teams)

Attends Council and Worship committee meetings Is ex-‐officio member of all other committees, (except for M&P) providing resources and

guidance when and as needed Ensures the annual statistical reports are completed and submitted. Works collaboratively with the administration assistant and volunteers to ensure weekly

production of announcements, worship bulletin and power point. Attends local Presbytery meetings Attends meetings of BC Conference Participates in one presbytery committee

Christian Education 15% Supports the Education Team in providing a Sunday School program Supports the Education Team in providing Adult Education programs for bible or special

interest studies Leads and/or participates in bible studies Attends annual weekend workshop or retreat organized by council Nurtures wider church Christian education opportunities as they arise, particularly with

a view to training lay leadership for their ministries. Outreach 15%

• Supports the Mission & Outreach Team in their outreach programs • Pastoral presence with Sonshine Lunch Club (community kitchen) and St. George’s

Pantry (food pantry) • Administers Pastor’s Benevolent Fund

4. ACCOUNTABILITY The minister is accountable to Council of the Pastoral Charge, through the M&P Committee. The M&P Committee will appoint a liaison person to meet regularly to support and encourage the minister’s work, and to keep the lines of communication between Council, congregation and the minister open. The minister is also accountable to the Presbytery, as one of the parties to the covenant. Changes to the position description, or to the terms of the call or appointment, or to the working conditions, may only be made after full negotiation with all three parties: the minister, the pastoral charge and the presbytery. The M&P committee will meet annually with the minister for an opportunity for him/her to offer feedback, to set and review goals, and to review suggestions for paid and volunteer ministries.

5. WORKING CONDITIONS Minister's office, office Internet connection, computer, and cell phone provided Minister is expected to maintain regular office hours 16 hours of office administrator church support per week A reliable vehicle is required


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Section Five – Skills Profile

Effective communication skills for preaching, teaching, and leadership. An interest in social justice advocacy Compassionate pastoral care for the elderly Able to lead and inspire us in our spiritual and faith formation Comfortable as a team member, facilitator, mentor Skilled in providing or fostering pastoral care for the elderly and disenfranchised Dynamic and spirit filled with a good sense of humour; hospitable Skilled with leading a congregation in times of change and transformation Encouraging and empowering of the lay leadership Engaged with the wider community Unbiased towards gender or orientation Have a heart for the disadvantaged Stimulate growth in all areas of the congregation A pastoral presence for those who come into the facility Self awareness and have sensitivity to healthy personal and professional boundaries Able to guide us as we learn how to function and communicate within our new Council

structure Proficient with email and word processing software


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Section Six – Terms Profile

Base salary is in accordance with annually published General Council guidelines regarding minimum salaries for Ministry Personnel

Further discretionary annual increments to remuneration are recommended in consultation with the M&P committee and to be approved by Council

Housing allowance of $14,000 per year (2014 congregational rate) Vacation time of one month per year including 5 Sundays Study (Book) allowance of $1,500 annually (2014 congregational rate) Study leave is 21 days including 3 Sundays per year, arranged in consultation with the

M&P Committee Other minimum standards as directed by the national church Travel Allowance set in accordance with the General Council guidelines for rate per

kilometre travelled, currently 0.41 cents per km (2014) Moving expenses as per national and local church process Other minimum standards as directed by the national church, and Federal and Provincial

Labour Standards


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Recommendations

That a full time vacancy be declared for a diaconal or ordained minister, with St. George’s United Church, Courtenay, BC, Category A-‐F, with the United Church of Canada

That the Joint Needs Assessment Committee be disbanded.

Joint Needs Assessment Team

Congregational Representatives: Catherine Tancon Ellen Wise Gary Stevenson Erika Raines William Marsh

Presbytery Representatives: Rev P. Ashby Jean Morrow

JNA Report St Georges FINAL(Oct 29)s... · 2014. 2. 11. ·...

Documents

Transcript of JNA Report St Georges FINAL(Oct 29)s... · 2014. 2. 11. ·...