Ministerial Association Secretary Report
South QLD Constituency Meeting, August 2018
It has been my pleasure to serve the church in the role of Ministerial Association Secretary. I wish to thank Joanne Donaldson for her support of the Ministerial Association, and Pr Joe Webb who served as the Ministerial Association Secretary until November 2014. I have during my time also had th pleasure of working closely with Pr Murray Hunter (2015-2017) and Pr Mel Lemke (2018) who both served as the Ministerial Association Secretary (Education). Below is a summary of the ministry initiatives and tasks carried out during the past quinquennium.
Ministry to Pastors and Pastoral care
Pastors, like everyone else are subject to the normal challenges of life and balancing its many demands. They face additional challenges of needing to be there for others. Pastoral care for our pastors is of great importance in helping our pastors and their families to thrive through and despite the challenges they face.
• Pastoral visitation with the pastoral team and their families in their homes is a vital function of the role, especially when the pastor or their family is enduring challenging circumstances.
• Regular phone calls to pastors to affirm and encourage, listen, provide pastoral care, pray together.
• Established SMS communication among the team for sharing important news.
• Accept preaching invitations to preach in locations/ churches throughout the year.
• Meet with pastors as needed for support/ assistance/ coaching.
• Oversee Cluster Group meetings roster (8 meetings every 6 weeks – Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Sunshine Coast, Northside, Southside 1, Southside 2, Gold Coast, and Western Region) and attend most/ – support Cluster leaders in their leadership.
• Advice and interventions, occasionally attend difficult church meetings to support pastor / lay leadership team.
• Preach on regular basis around the churches – generally 2in4.
• Established a semi regular email updates among pastors so that they are kept informed of news and resources.
• Work with Pr Bruce Manners and some retired pastors to provide increased access to retirement information and strengthen ties and networks with retired pastors.
Secretarial Role
In caring for the team of around 77, (approx 60 are field pastors) there are many administrative and secretarial functions in facilitating the progress, training, connection and support of the team.
• Introduced a formal Induction process in 2016 and resources for new ministers
• Conduct Internship review process for each intern / facilitate interviews/ preparation of documents for AUC/ communicate successful mark internship progression
• Ordinations (6) and Commissionings (2) – Preparation of documents/ facilitate interview with officers/ coordinate and oversee service/ program/ certificate/ gift/ flowers etc
• Retirements – ensure that Pastors are are appropriately honoured upon retirement – Citation, gift, GC medal, flowers for spouse (8).
• Work with ministers transitioning from Pastoral team to other vocations (6).
• Handle correspondence regarding the ministerial team.
• Coordinate marriage documentation/ supplies for ministers (forms, Registers etc).
• Work with admin to resolve issues that arise from the field.
• Provide resources to pastors as needed for various situations.
• Attend 3 regional days each year as an additional means of connecting with churches.
• Provide letters in support of Religious Freedom issues e.g. Sabbath Exam deferrals, and Sabbath work liberty advice and advocacy
• Facilitate Intern Supervisors to attend AUC Training events / arrange transport every even year (Usually 3-4 each year)
• Facilitate all Interns to attend AUC Training events / arrange transport every odd year (Typically 4 each year)
• Collect and read Monthly and Quarterly Ministry Reports, picking up on discussion points, providing ongoing coaching where needed or requested.
• Participate in Monthly online web meetings with AUC Ministerial Secretaries from other Conferences.
• Provide Internship Supervision for 1 isolated Intern (Southern Downs).
• Facilitate twice yearly gatherings of Cluster leaders to have input on key items affecting ministers and their families.
Care of Partners and Families in Ministry
• Pastoral family‘s retreat – 2014 (Joe Webb) and 2017 (Russ). The 2017 Retreat saw 175 from our Pastoral families spend quality time together over the last weekend in October.
• Pastoral visitation of pastoral families when challenging times arise in the church.
• Pastoral Care and visitation during times of Sickness/ Bereavement. We were extremely saddened to lose Pr Brian Je earlier this year following a short battle with illness.
• Raised funds to provide additional care to struggling pastoral families which has been used to support pastoral families in crisis – a number of pastoral families have received additional support.
• Introduced Pastoral Families dinner and free family portraits and professional shots each year in Camp setup week.
• Established SMS communication system for Partners in Ministry, and Facebook page run by Mrs Rae Townend.
• With Rae, organise a morning tea/ speaker/ small gift for the PIMs on the first Sunday of camp each year usually with around 40 Partners in Ministry participating.
Cross team Collaboration with other SQC Departments
• Aged Care – work with Adventist Aged Care+ and Relationship ministries on training resource decisions and in putting together Job Descriptions for Spiritual Carers (Team Leader, Member, volunteer).
• Work with Ministerial AUC and SQC Education on process for refining JD for School chaplains.
• Work with Camp Committee on overall vision for camp – specifically the signage, welcomers, themes, vision for camp.
• Working with Education on improving the effectiveness of mission in our school zones
• Work with Discipleship Director on providing coaching to pastoral team
• Work with Treasury team to refine mileage report.
• Literature Evangelism – support and work with LE Director, Sone Mariner on initiatives.
• Work with Retired Ministers to improve their continuing connection with the field.
Committees and regular appointments
• Marriage and family committee
• Ministerial advisory – February & October in Melbourne each year to work with other Ministerial Secretaries on Australia-wide initiatives, decisions and issues (eg. Avondale ministry curriculum advisory, overseeing internship, ordination, ministry policies).
• Avondale Ministry student interviews – April each year.
• SQC Staffing committee – usually 8-12 meetings, June to November each year.
• Attend and support SQC leadership and Prayer Conferences.
• Evangelism Funding Committee.
South QLD Big Camp
• Big Camp – coordinate activities in the big tent, and lead the Big Family Tent team (2015-2018), including upgrading its Risk assessments and control measures.
• Establish Big camp on the Convene Live Events app to bring greater efficiency and flexibility to communication with campers – now a collaborative project run by leaders of various departments
• Made available Big Camp Presentations via USB sticks (2015,16,17).
• Camp leaders committee (2018) – working together with other tent leaders on Camp-wide initiatives.
Training
• Founded LEAP (Leading with Excellence and Authenticity in Pastoral Ministry) – preparing younger minister for ordination through connection, training, discussion, FAQ, and prayer
• Arranged Pre-marriage mentoring training (Prepare•Enrich) event for team (2015) attended by 18 pastors.
• Founded SUM talks (modelled on TED Talks) – now adopted across AUC
• Provided a number of tech support events for pastors During Big Camp setup week (2015-2017).
• Organise Annual Ministers meetings – the focus has been on well organised, high participation meetings with plenty of variety, providing quality resourcing, strong peer to peer connection, and affirmation. includes Somerset 2016, Fraser Island 2016, Somerset 2017.
Resourcing
• Arranged bulk discount purchase of LOGOS Bible software for approx. 30 Ministers.
• Arranged for SQC Ministers to access Ministry Magazine in electronic format
• Created office and field staff Directories with photos and Job titles (125 staff) to help team know each other better
• Purchase books both in bulk and specifically to support team in their ministry and leadership.
Mission & Outreach Work
• Conducted Bible studies leading to 10 baptisms in the period 2015-2017. Studying with 4 toward baptism at present.
• Coordinated with 5 SQC pastors (Wayne Humphries, Casey Wolverton, Francis Pule, Lachlan Campbell and Zeny Vidacak) to coordinate 4 mission teams to Mongolia in 2015 in the towns of Bulgan, Chiggis, Darkhan & Bugganur, with many community initiatives (health programs, cooking classes, kids clubs, english classes, prison ministry and evangelistic meetings taking place). A number of baptisms took place as a result and the team also funded initiatives to support local pastors, local churches including heating and signage, and the local prison using funds that had been raised.
• Assisting the Road to Bethlehem Outreach event to integrate with more of our Brisbane churches, streamline its operation, grow its reach to Brisbane families and its outreach to the underprivileged through the Bring a Gift/ Be a Gift campaigns (more at http://brisbane.roadtobethlehem.org).
• Organised 15 local SDA churches with resources to host coordinated outreach services at Christmas time 2017, with more churches to participate in similar efforts in 2018.
Additional Pastoral & Personal work
• Pre marriage mentoring for a number of couples (3), and weddings (3).
• Walked closely with grieving and bereaved families through loss (3).
• Various speaking appointments, teaching and presentations in various Conferences.
• Support Chaplaincy and teaching staff including chapel presentations, bible studies with students and being present at various school and Chaplaincy events, Connect meetings etc.
• Numerous pastoral counselling appointments with individuals.
Wider Church work
• AUC – EMPOWER Ministerial Convention (over 700 attendees) – personally cared for all Communications with attendees in the lead up to, during and after the event. Arranged transport shuttles from and to train station and airport. Established and administered the event app including scheduling and resourcing via Convene Live Events app.
• AUC – Facilitated an Open night for those exploring a call to pastoral ministry through study at Avondale (2016).
• AUC – Establish online meetings via Zoom – now used by AUC
• AUC – Establish online training webinars – now used by AUC now hosted from AUC
• AUC – Establish paperless meeting system for AUC Ministerial Meetings
• AUC – Establish online resource boards For SQC ministerial team (induction policies/ ministerial association updates/ church photos) now also in use by AUC
• AUC – Create resource website (aucministerial.org) for forms, articles, information sharing across SQC and the AUC.
• AUC – Convert all internship forms to online format, eliminating email and creating efficiencies with data handling. includes Internship plan, Supervisor-Intern evaluation, 360 Intern Evaluation.
• AUC – Create best practice online training pages for weddings, funerals and dedications now in use across the AUC.
• SPD – Served on SPD Executive Committee member, 2015-Current.
• SPD – Company Director, SPD Companies 2015-Current.
MD (Ministry Development) Framework
In 2014 the AUC Ministerial Dept made the decision to initiate a development process to help pastors grow in their ministry effectiveness. In preceding years, SQC Ministerial had also begun a similar journey. Since 2015 MD has emerged as a valuable growth framework for ministers, facilitating feedback from lay teams, open dialogue with admin teams, and supporting ministers with access to resources and mentors to grow. In May 2018 we learned that the SPD and AUC advised that they have co-funded the further development of MD as an online resource for the development of ministers.
• Established and refined REAP (Review/Evaluate/ Auxano Plan/ Progress) cycle, new Seasonal Ministry Reports and personal Accountability for church ministers, school chaplains and Spiritual Carers.
• Manually facilitate the REAP process for SQC ministers in 2016-17.
• Create training web pages and 14 training videos.
• Facilitated numerous MD inductions for ministers commencing MD for the first time.
• Work with development team to prepare the initial design concepts and wire frames for development of MD ONLINE – Ministry Portal for REAP Cycle and Ministry Reporting.
• Liaise with General Conference (Ministry in Motion), North American Division (Adventist Learning Centre), AUC (Leadership Resources) and Natural Church Development (NCD) on coding for resources to be included into the MD portal.
Funding Portfolios
• Oversee Mission to Cities Funding applications and reports 2015-2017
• Oversee Global Mission Funding applications and reports 2015-2017 – Russell Island, Flagstone Group, Brisbane African Church, Chinese Group, Korean Church Plant.
• Oversee Additional Evangelism Funding 2015-2017.
• MD Strength Development fund – for developing a minister in their strength areas.
Planned Future Directions 2018-2023
• Continue to support/ minister to/ invest in the development of our Pastors.
• Continue to develop greater collaboration with other SQC departmental staff.
• Build a network between elders teams for shared learning, resourcing and support.
• Work to better connect retired ministers with the field and each other.
• MD – Complete the development of MD Online, assisting other Conferences in implementing MD (funded).