Mission Plan Proposals

Ministry in Corby

Serving God by maximising our resources

Why

We are a new congregation who feel the call to serve God as a reformed, infant baptising, bible believing and prayerful congregation reaching out to and welcoming the people of Corby in the name of our King Christ Jesus.

In order to carry out that mission we need to make full use of our resources and look at new ways of resourcing and enabling the mission of the congregation.

We have been blessed with a currently elderly congregation who though experienced and willing are physically unable to carry out many of the energetic and physical roles of ministry.

We are also blessed with many folk, new to the church, but showing an interest in it through baptism, funeral and wedding services. These folk need time and information about the church and the friendship Jesus offers.

We are also blessed with interest from schools and care homes who would like to engage with worship offing us a chance to cater for both ends of the age range. Given that we are refurbishing the sanctuary and will have accessibility in mind we will be able to develop our relationship with Red Kite School.

As a congregation, and as servants of Jesus, we have a great opportunity to be a blessing to the whole town of Corby and to the other denominations alongside whom we minister and serve.

In order to realise this future we must avoid the patterns that have caused difficulty in the past. Especially the long hiatus that has stymied us at the end of ‘single minister’ ministries.

We plan for the future within the constrict of the financial limitations of the National Church of Scotland, the support available from the Presbytery of England and our own resources.

How

The Presbytery of England has allocated its allowance of ministers to London and the Channel Islands. We need to source, and plan for, a ministry model that is capable of outlasting any temporary support and is sustainable from within the resources available to the current congregation and which is adaptable to grow with the blessings God will provide in terms of people, finance and facilities.

We will grow by having a sustainable Ministry Team that can be resourced from the gifts God give us to work with.

We will grow by reaching out to others including Schools, Care Homes, Scouts, Guides, Homework Clubs, and others.

We will grow by ensuring that we have a Ministry Team that is fully involved with the congregation and a congregation that is fully involved with the ministry team. At all costs we must avoid the pitfall of having one person (or small group) believing that everything is their responsibility.

What

We can accomplish the above by forming a ministry team that is based on a number of part-time, mutually accountable equals who are committed to consensus working and have a priority of sharing ministry-tasks with those in the congregation.

Sundays

One foundation principle of a team ministry would be that nobody does paid work on a Sunday. Pulpit supply fees would be paid for the preparation time. Organist Fees would be paid for the rehearsal time. Everybody in Church on a Sunday would be there to worship.

The congregation would pay the main worship leader a pulpit supply fee and preparation for the service would be done outside of any other paid or voluntary duties. Worship leading would be done by members of the team on a co-ordinated rota.

Members of the ministry team would be expected to be worshipping as part of the congregation most weeks.

Remunerated Members

We will need to have some members of the team that are given support in financial (or equivalent ways). At present we have two houses that we could offer rent-free in lieu of working hours. This system (house for service) is done in many places over Scotland.

If we let both houses out, each to a project worker, offering the house rent-free in exchange for say two 9 hour days of work (think 6 three hour sessions). Then we would already have more time devoted to ministry in the town than we would have had with a minister who devoted most of their time to sermon preparation and personal study.

While there are undoubtedly some ministers who might find a bi-vocational ministry opportunity attractive; we might be more likely to attract those retiring in their late 50s and early 60s from positions in health service or military chaplaincy. Such people are already predisposed to team working and will not feel it necessary to control all the aspects of the church but be inclined to cultivate the growth of others.

Other formal team members.

Hopefully those in ‘house for service' would be supplemented by either Ordained Local Ministers or Readers, attached to the team and each offering two three, three hour sessions a week in service, alongside a place on the worship leading rota.

In addition to those working pastorally, in teaching or in leading worship; as the team develops; the congregation might be able to appoint others who would work in the specialised roles in administration, cleaning or building maintenance.

We would aim to help others develop by providing opportunities for ministers in training to serve with the team in placements during their time at university.

Advantages

This model of team ministry would ensure that those leading worship are fully integrated into the wider work of the church and the congregation would be organised to make that both effective and accountable.

It is likely that by adopting this model the Church in Corby could quickly become self sustaining and indeed have resources to share with other congregations either in the town or within the Presbytery of England.

By adopting this model, or a variation of it the Trustees of Corby Church will be answering the call from the Assembly Trustees and others by thinking outside the box and seeking to be innovative in the way we deploy our resources in our community and in the Presbytery.

Difficulties

Most stipendiary ministers are not trained or practised in team working or in sharing responsibility. We will need to recruit team members that are resolute in their determination to make team working a success and our contracts will need to make clear that team working and team accountability is essential.

Although the team will be a team of equals the Trustees will still need a Moderator. It would be advantageous to have and independent moderator whose role would be to monitor the operation of the team and act as a neutral chair of the Trustees and Session. We could subcontract a minister from another congregation with which we could share resources.

Being a new new organisational unit, even if an adaption of a tried and tested concept, will bring problems. With good will, clear and open communications, the support of the Trustees of Presbytery, and especially, and essentially, with the blessing of God we will thrive as a Kingdom Building Team.

By adopting the above plan as a way forward Corby Church could be that light on the hill top that provide a way for others to see their way clear to ministry in difficult circumstances.

Corby Church of Scotland

House for Duty - Person Spec - Job Description

First appointee.

Person specification

Must be a active christian.

Must be keen to work as part of a team be cooperative and supportive of the team principle.

Must be able to abide by the corporate decisions of the team.

Must be able to manage work time and other activities effectively.

Must be self motivating and able to work unsupervised and effectively on projects and able to maintain records of time engaged in various projects.

Must value congregation members and other volunteers and and encourage them to become involved in activities outwith Sunday worship.

Must be keen to work with other denominations that share our principles and the basis of our faith.

Must be willing to engage with the technology in use by the team including presentations, shared calendars, shared documents, and online meetings. (Training and Equipment will be provided)

Must be prepared to co-ordinate annual leave with other team members.

House for Duty Activities

Will undertake 18 hours of work each week, generally broken down into six three hours sessions, although this must be flexible. The initial agreement will be for three years extendable, by mutual agreement by one extra year after each year of service.

Will devote one section of work to team, presbytery, kirk session team work including one hour core time to be agreed with other team members. (This is currently 09:20 to 10:20 on Wednesday morning)

While the main focus of the work will need to be adaptable it is envisaged that initially the appointee will be asked to focus on two project areas.

The continuation and expansion of the work in schools developed by the last MDS staff member. Developing co-operation with other primary schools. Setting up schemes such as ‘Open the Book’ to provide biblical insights to school pupils.

Oversee and facilitate the refurbishment of the Sanctuary and other church buildings acting as project manager in conjunction with the Fabric Convenor and Fabric Team.

Other projects as agreed and as time allows.

Other Duties (not House for Duty)

Will be a full and active member of the congregation and demonstrate by lifestyle the fulfilment of the promises made on joining the Church of Scotland.

Will be part of a rota of worship leaders taking Sunday Morning Services  for which pulpit supply will be paid for the time taken to prepare the service.

Will undertake the conducting of funerals on a roster basis sharing the work with other team members for which pulpit supply will be paid for those conducted in the sanctuary.

Will undertake the conducting of weddings in the sanctuary, on a roster basis sharing the work with other team members for which pulpit supply will paid.

Will be a regular attender at both Sunday Worship and Morning Prayers when not leading services.

May undertake some other preaching duties when not rostered for leading at Corby Church of Scotland.

Performance Measures

Effective Team working and support of other team members.

Demonstrable efficient time management during duty hours.

Evidence of productive interdenominational working.

Productive use of volunteers and others in achievement of projects.

Pulpit Supply Fees

The Pulpit Supply Fees payable to those conducting worship are expected to cover.

For Sunday Worship 

the preparation of the service including using the presentation software in use by the congregation (at present ‘Proclaim’) and helping to ensure that the streaming of the service is done to the best quality available.

For Weddings and Funerals

all visits and followups necessary for the preparation of a Christian based memorial including where desired the preparation of the service using the presentation software in use by the congregation.

Arranging for assistance with presentation, welcome, opening and closing of  premises.

Liaising with the hall keeper to ensure adequate heating.

Liaising with the organist and ensuring the funeral director / or family are aware of the organist’s fees