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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
These ten questions are a summary of the over 200 questions that were written and
submitted during the Regional Circuit Gatherings held on:
February 28 - Chippewa/Heartland Districts
February 29 - Metro North/South Districts
March 13 - Nicolet/Winnebago Districts
March 14 - Capital/Coulee Districts
What is the role of Staff/Parish Relations Committees in circuits?
The role of the Staff/Parish Relations Committee (S/PPRC) is outlined in the Discipline. In the circuit plan, each individual congregation and/or Charge Staff/Pastor Parish Relations Committee continues. Communication is always a key element in an effective relationships and successful communication is the result of continued dialogue and sharing of information between clergy and lay leaders, teams, committees, and others. Working as Circuits means in part living out the expectation that clergy and congregations in a given area build a relationships with each other from which may arise an ever-increasing and growing faithfulness to our mission to the world in Jesus' name. The Staff/Pastor Parish Relations Committee plays a pivotal role in developing congregational profiles as part of the consultation process with the Cabinet. The District Superintendents are planning training opportunities for S/PPRC including conflict training/resolution for SPRC members and leadership, training in preparing congregational profiles, and in-depth and ongoing leadership training. The expectation is that Staff/Parish Relations Committee teams will play a key role in bringing others in the congregation to a deeper understanding of their mission and ministry and vision for what the we are seeking to become-a faithful witness for Jesus Christ in ministry in our communities.
What are the core values of the Wisconsin Conference circuit ministry?
Our core values as an Annual Conference come from our understanding of what Jesus calls us to do as we study and come to a deeper understanding of Holy Scripture and our understanding of our unique Wesleyan traditions. As United Methodist's our faith and response to faith is formed in living with, studying and living out of Scripture, Experience, Tradition and Reason. When we go out in Jesus' name to make disciples, we are given power by the Holy Spirit to do more than we can even imagine and as United Methodist's we believe God is calling us to do together what no one person or individual congregation or Charge can do alone. As far as possible, the Circuits have been developed to allow for focus on a common mission area. The focus is on congregations shared understanding of the needs of people not now in our congregations and equipping our current disciples to address those needs. Another way to say it is that together we are better at finding ways to demonstrate the love of God in Jesus Christ and build relationships. At its core, the circuit ministry is an avenue by which we keep the vision ever before us, remembering who we are and where God is calling us to go. Remembering that each of us is expected to care for the other and caring and spiritual growth are the responsibility of each of us as members of the body of Christ, clergy and laity alike. And, there is little or no spiritual growth without involvement with other believers. The circuit plan is an endeavor to live out and take advantage of our rich heritage as United Methodists who from the beginning have understood themselves to be in the world to serve God, and seek those for whom God is a stranger and make them friends. Although the focus is not on "Church growth" it is very likely that growth in our congregations and individual spiritual growth will be an outcome of the process. Recently Bishop Rader addressed some clergy and lay leaders and pleaded with us to take the focus off what we disagree about and put the focus on what God is calling us to do. Her plea, as it is lived out in our circuit ministry, is that we will celebrate and give thanks for our individual faith, celebrate our differences and find a common mission.
What is the role of the clergy?
All clergy (elders, deacons, and Licensed Local Pastors) appointed to local congregations are also appointed to circuits. Specially trained elders, and elders appointed as clergy team leaders, are charged with the responsibility of facilitating the work of establishing clergy development teams in each circuit. As a team, with the support and supervision of the District Superintendents, clergy will work together in building their capacity to help each other, provide opportunities for growing effectiveness and emerging excellence in clergy leadership, to offer mutual support and accountability, and to equip themselves and others for the forming and expression of plans of action that
motivates congregations, teams, and individual believers to move outward.
What is the appointment process in the circuit plan?
The Wisconsin Conference Cabinet has prepared and made public the covenant addressing this question specifically. The covenant is available on the web site and in written form from the four regional offices. It is expected that teams and circuits will be used as part of the consultation process the superintendent uses to learn about the ministry needs of congregations, Charges, Circuits and clergy. As is outlined in the covenant, district superintendents will meet regularly with clergy and in circuits.
What is the role of laity in circuit ministry?
The invitation for all of us, laity and clergy, is to examine what we are now doing and evaluate it for effectiveness, and discover how we can improve as we move outward in our focus. Cooperation and mutual ministry will be as varied as are congregations and local congregation members. Leaders and members with differing approaches, gifts and abilities will learn from each other, encourage each other and learn new ways of being the Church together. Key to the role of the laity is seeking answers to these questions: "How might we come together to be in ministry?" "How may we reach out to those who won't reach out to us?" The church of Jesus Christ, from the very beginning, has been asked to be in the world but not of the world. We are invited to be vessels by which God brings growth and transformation. Opportunities will be offered within Circuits, Districts, Regions and the Annual Conference to develop resources and skills needed to share the message of the hope of Jesus Christ effectively. The circuit plan includes training for lay as well as clergy in preparing us to be relevant for those who are not now part of our fellowship.
How do we deal with conflict?
The church is not perfect because none of us who are part of the body of Christ are perfect. We struggle, fail, make mistakes, have success. We are not asked to be perfect but rather to seek to be made perfect in love. Conflict has always been, and probably will continue to be, a normal part of what happens when we share life together. The general principal involved in conflict management and resolution is that it is best dealt with as early and at the lowest level possible before it escalates. Individual clergy and clergy teams work together to resolve misunderstandings and conflicts and may serve as a resource for congregations within the circuit and other circuits. In addition, a conference conflict resolution team has been trained and will continue to train other teams (including individual circuit and congregations teams) as appropriate.
What are the key training issues?
Training takes many forms. Already some elders have had an introduction to team building skills and working with change and transitions, and have resources to conduct a clergy team meeting. In addition, continued training will be held on how all of us can better deal with transitions and how we can lead in the midst of change. Doug Anderson, known to many in the Wisconsin Conference for his work in training in the church-by-size seminars, and most recently at our clergy team leader training, is scheduled to be in Wisconsin to lead a three-day workshop on working with and in the midst of transitions. Workshop details and location are yet to be announced, but the dates are August 30-September 1, 2004. In addition, the Cabinet will be having regional training for Staff/Parish Relations Committees this late summer and early fall and ongoing connections for training are provided for clergy teams via electronic and written communications from Conference sources.
How will we evaluate success and missional effectiveness?
Some of the questions we want to ask in evaluating what we are doing include: "Are there more or fewer people who are in a loving relationship with God through Jesus Christ? Are there more or fewer people attracted to the work we are doing?" "Are there more or fewer people who are serving others in Christ's name?" "Are there more or fewer people who have been touched by the love of God?" Faithful living is contagious, attractive and life affirming, but sometimes hard to measure. The scripture says, "By their fruits you will know them." A formal evaluation tool for conference-wide use is currently being developed.
Where is the funding coming from?
The funding for the circuit plan is a result of the reallocation of funding decided at the 2003 session of the Wisconsin Annual Conference when the Annual Conference approved going from having eight district superintendents to four. The funding available as a result of the reallocation is available for two major thrusts. First, the training that is needed for lay and clergy as we move into a new way of being the church and working as circuits. Secondly, funding available for individual circuits to prepare themselves for the new beginnings and outward plans they will develop in the months and years ahead. Grants are available through each district superintendent for each circuit as training needs are addressed. Approximately $105,000 of the 2005 conference budget has been set aside for lay and clergy training (circuit, district, regional and Conference wide).
How is the circuit plan being implemented?
Already circuits have been formed and were announced by Bishop Rader and the Cabinet in February 2004. Some of the Elders have experienced the first phase of clergy team training May 16-19, 2004. The clergy teams will be formed in the late summer/early fall of 2004. As soon as practically possible Circuit Ministry development teams will be formed within circuits and between circuits to address real ministry needs and plans. The bishop and the cabinet will continue to work toward developing and supporting the ministries of local congregations and circuits in providing the appropriate supervision and oversight. Circuits are a new way of organizing for connectional ministry and will engage increasing numbers of God's people in the process of faith-forming, revitalizing and supporting ongoing ministries of local congregations, teams, and groups of congregations and individual believers.
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