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INTERESTED IN TRANSITIONAL MINISTRY
AND
INTERIM MINISTRY
IN
THE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
?
The United Church's Bay of Quinte Conference is sponsoring events on "Building Skills For Transitional Ministry" in three phases, beginning in November 2007 and concluding in May 2008. This brochure (pdf format) gives information about dates, costs, goals and the training team.
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This
Committee covers a wide range, including the work of
assisting Candidates for ministry as they move through
the various courts of the church towards Ministry. Each
sub-committee meets separately and the Chairpersons bring
recommendations or reports to the M P & E Committee
meeting which usually takes place in February, September
and at the time of Conference.
The work of this Committee touches
the lives of ministry personnel and their families
and thus calls on us to be sensitive and respectful of the
individuals involved. We attempt to do this as
we carry out the mandate that is given to us by the
church.
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Committee on Internship & Education Supervision (CIES) |
The Committee on Internship
and Educational Supervision is part of the response of
the church to the call of God to seek out and equip for ministry
those in its midst who are called by the Risen Christ to
serve as order of ministry personnel. Because the gifts
and skills for such ministry are both given and developed,
both academic and practical, the church offers to each student
the opportunity for practice of ministry in order to test
their aptitude and develop skills in the context of a covenanted
learning relationship.
Learning is made possible with the
participation of trained educational supervisors and
trained Lay Supervision Teams. These individuals serve as
companions on the way who offer feedback and insight, which
then becomes integrated into the student’s practice of ministry and
ministerial identity. |
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Coordinating Committee on Sexual Abuse (COSA) |
"The United Church of Canada will not tolerate and will
seek to eradicate any behaviour by its members (lay or Order
of Ministry), volunteers, adherents, or employees which constitutes
sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation or child
abuse.
The United Church of Canada is committed to providing
a safe environment for worship, work, and study in
all pastoral charges, congregations, institutions, agencies,
organizations, or other bodies which operate under its
name. Complaints related to sexual abuse or child abuse
will be taken seriously and dealt with in a spirit of
compassion and justice.”
[The
Manual 2001 073 (a), (b)]
The
Conference Coordinating Committee on Sexual Abuse (COSA) is responsible
for informing people throughout the Conference of the
official policy of The United Church of Canada on Sexual
Abuse (sexual harassment, pastoral sexual misconduct,
sexual assault) and Child Abuse.
Our mandate is two-fold:
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to raise awareness
and educate people within the Conference on issues
related to sexual abuse; and
- to train consultants who
work directly with the policy
Consultants act in a consultative
manner with individuals who believe they may be experiencing
sexual abuse.
To learn how to contact a consultant
or committee member, please see our brochure on
Sexual Abuse (a pdf file, 218 KB). |
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Education & Students (E&S) |
The responsibilities of the Conference
Education and Students committee are outlined in The
Manual 2004, Section 462. In fulfilling its mandate the
Conference Committee works closely with the Education
and Students Committees of the Presbyteries.
Twice during the educational process
the Conference Committee meets with persons preparing
for Ordered or Designated Lay ministry, as well as those
seeking admission to the ministry of The United Church
of Canada. The first meeting is usually
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in November of
a Candidate's second year of study;
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following a
Lay Pastoral Minister in Training's second residential
event;
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18 months before a person seeking
admission would be formally recommended
At this meeting we explore each
person's understanding of her or his ministry and how
that has been evolving. The Education & Students
Committee makes recommendations at this point for follow-up
and further work.
At the second meeting, held in February,
the Committee conducts the final interview where a decision
concerning recommendation for ministry is made. The names
of those recommended
- for Ordination/Commissioning;
- for Designation as a Lay Pastoral Minister;
- or for Admission to the Ministry of The United Church of Canada
are
then presented to the Annual Meeting of the Maritime
Conference for approval. |
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Interim Ministry |
Purpose
of the Committee: To assist applicants seeking designation
as an Interim Minister in assessing their vocational
suitability for this ministry; and to assist Presbyteries
by helping to determine the suitability of those referred
to function as Interim Ministers in the United Church. |
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Interview Board |
Purpose of Interview Board (from The Manual 2004, section
457):
"To assist Inquirers and others referred to it in assessing
their vocational goals and/or suitability for membership
in the Order of Ministry; and to assist Presbyteries
or other referring bodies in determining the suitability
of those referred to it to function as Ministry Personnel
in the United Church."
The
Interview Board meets in a residential setting such
as Atlantic
School of Theology or Tatamagouche
Centre to interview persons seeking Candidates for
Diaconal, Lay or Ordained ministry. The Board
is comprised of persons representing the Church’s diversity
who give freely of their time and expertise as we seek
to discern suitability and readiness of Candidates
for ministry within the Church. There are regular training
periods for members of the Board in order to apply
the standard of the Church as it makes recommendations. |
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Ministry Support and Development Committee |
This
committee addresses issues relating to
- Pastoral Relations and Pastoral Oversight through consultation with
Presbytery Committees;
- education related to the work of these Committees; and
- promotion of existing resources to assist them in their work
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Pensions |
During
our time of prayer at our meetings the Convenor brings
before us the names of those persons who are deceased. Every
year or so the Convenor works with others to bring together
those who will soon retire at a Pre-Retirement Workshop. |
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The Settlement Committee is responsible
for seeing that every Pastoral Charge within Maritime Conference
has a pastorate without interruption and that every effective
member of the Order of Ministry has a pastoral charge.
The
Committee receives applications for settlement from Pastoral
Charges and Members of the Order of Ministry, and profiles
from candidates for ordination/commissioning, and after
careful distribution settles Order of Ministry and candidates
to Pastoral Charges.
Over the past several
years, the number of Pastoral Charges requesting Settlement
has sometimes outweighed the number of candidates
available for settlement in the Maritimes. This
situation is similar to many other Conferences across
the Church.
The Settlement
Committee consists of one member of Order of Ministry
and one member of the Laity nominated by each Presbytery
in the Conference. It meets once a year (two weeks before the
Annual Meeting of Conference). Other work during conference
year is done through polls. |
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