From
Living Theology in the Metropolitan Chicago Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church In America
Volume 2, Number 1
Epiphany 1997
Ministerial Formation
Getting Support through Mutual Ministry and Continuing Education
Anne Lee
There are two very important potential resources for growth and
support for professional leaders in ministry. The first exists within the congregation
and is called in many cases the mutual
ministry committee. This committee is often not highly visible within a
congregation but is an important communication bridge as it seeks to work in a
confidential manner to enhance communication between professional leaders,
other staff members and the congregation. Much like a human resource department
in a large corporation, this committee should develop a plan whereby on a
regular basis, pastors and Associates in Ministry are contacted for interviews
and support.
In our congregation, the mutual ministry committee has
developed a tool that it uses for an annual, structured interview with each
staff member. This process allows for measurement from one year to the next as
vital areas of ministry are explored on both a professional and personal level.
It is clearly understood that responses are completely confidential within the
committee, and no staff member is pressured to give information about another
that might be inappropriate.
Staff members are also asked about their own welfare and ways
in which either the mutual ministry committee or the congregation can be more
supportive. For a period of one year, each member of the mutual ministry
committee relates closely to two to three staff members so that there is a
feeling of mutual ministry on a very personal level.
Mutual ministry committees should not make decisions
about calling, hiring, firing,
compensation, or policies of staff relations. Such are the
responsibilities of the personnel or executive committees of our congregations.
These and the tasks of the mutual ministry committees are totally different,
each important in its own way, and should be kept separate. If there are
personnel issues that a professional leader feels uncomfortable about addressing
with an executive or personnel committee, then it might be appropriate to ask a
mutual ministry committee member to act as a go-between and bring the issue to
light in a timely fashion. However, I have always found that it works best to
advocate for myself in professional matters, and I prefer not to have other
people speak for me, but that is a matter of personal preference.
Since the mutual ministry committee functions as a
communications bridge between staff members and the congregation, it is important
from the outset that the bridge be constructed in the best-possible way. The
make-up of a mutual ministry committee is a critical part of its success, as
the composition of this committee will usually determine how high a trust level
is established between it and professional leaders. We have found in my
congregation that it works well to have a list of names of candidates submitted
to our staff prior to the nomination process. If a staff member is
uncomfortable with any of the names, that name is omitted. Once established, it
is important to post the names and telephone numbers of the mutual ministry
committee members for the benefit of staff and congregational members. This
committee reports directly to the congregation on an annual basis, not through
other boards. Although no specific information is relayed, the general
condition of staff relationships and communications between the staff and
congregation are reported. In addition, if there are concerns or improvements
that need to be addressed, the mutual ministry committee seeks appropriate ways
to make corrections or suggest solutions.
If you do not already have a mutual ministry committee in
place, consider ways to incorporate one into your structure. It will benefit
you, as a professional leader in the church, and it will give added confidence
to the congregation with which you are in ministry.
Continuing education is the other resource for ministerial
formation about which we need to be intentional. Professionals in all other fields are required to participate in
continuing education on an annual basis, and yet sometimes professional leaders
in the church express resentment about the ELCA mandate for continuing
education. Although it seems the path of least resistance to "go it alone"
in this field, it is important to solicit the support of a group in the
congregation to assist us in our planning and to be accountable for this area
of professional growth. The logical group to assist us, I feel, is the mutual
ministry committee. Our church body has provided us with a covenant process
whereby we make our continuing education plans for a year in advance with the
support of our congregation and our bishop's office. In this way, we are
showing accountability to our congregation and to our church body, as well as
to ourselves. If our congregations are unable to provide us with adequate
continuing education funds for the plans which we have mutually agreed upon,
GEM funds are available to us through our Synod office, if we have a covenant
on file.
For years, as a professional leader, I plodded along with
continuing education responding to whatever brochure crossed my desk that
happened to fit into my schedule. Usually the classes were of a short-term
nature in the professional school of a nearby community college or they were
workshops that benefited me in the area of Christian Education. Now that I am
committed to the covenant process, I have become more intentional about my
planning and I feel a sense of accountability to the congregation with which I
plan and minister.
In the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, we have so many
opportunities for continuing education along the spectrum of developing skills
for ministry, preaching, teaching and spiritual and professional growth.
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago has responded to the needs of
professional leaders in the church, as well as to those of laity by branching
out into two communities with off-site, fully accredited seminary classes in
the past three years: The Lutheran Center has classes on Tuesday and Thursday
evenings; Bethlehem Lutheran in St. Charles hosts a class on Thursday evenings.
These classes provide unique dynamics since the enrollment includes
seminarians, professional leaders and congregational laity, thus bringing
perspectives to the classes that might not be found within the seminary
community. These satellite classes from LSTC have provided an excellent
opportunity for continuing education to Associates in Ministry and lay staff in
a candidacy process.
The Emmaus Center for Continuing Education offers a variety of
courses each year to provide short-term courses for all professional leaders.
These courses are held in various locations throughout the state of Illinois at
affordable costs. Although the courses are not academically accredited, in most
cases, continuing education units (CEU) can be provided upon request. For more
information one may contact the Rev. Burton Everist, director of the Emmaus
Center, Augustana College, Rock Island, IL.
Anne Lee
Associate in Ministry,
Bethlehem, St. Charles