Below find the charge to our committee as voted, and as recorded by Fred at the March 5 business meeting in CT:
"...that the chapter appoint a task force to draft a resolution to the UUMA Exec. regarding assessment and evaluation procedures for congregations that have been involved in negotiated resignations, and to make a progress report on this to the chapter members at the May meeting."
Timeline:
March 12 e-mail each other our position statements
April 10 lunch together at Bell St. to begin to formulate a
resolution for BCD UUMA
***** follow up as needed
May 6 present proposal for debate to BCD UUMA
Regards, Deb Cayer
The assessment process does not presume that the minister was to blame for any problems or that punishment is in order. In a spirit of mutual exploration, the Department and the minister seek understanding so that both can serve the UUA responsibly. In most cases, these assessments have a friendly helpful tone and lead to mutual decisions about the minister's professional future. The Department is also concerned about congregations' contributions to conflicts with ministers, and works with the District Executives to encourage lay leaders to change patterns of behavior that have exacerbated conflict in the past.
The first step of the assessment process is for the minister to contact David Hubner, Ministerial Development Director. David will review the transition and exit interviews, speak with the District Executive and other parties, as well as with the minister. He may suggest a career assessment program, a reflective essay, individual or group therapy, continuing education, or other steps toward greater under- standing. Any costs of the assessment process are shared by the minister and the Department. After the initial assessment has given an understanding of the difficulties of the last settlement, the Ministerial Development Director will recommend to the Director of Ministry whether the minister should be cleared for settlement, and with what cautions or conditions. The Director's decision will be communicated by letter to the minister, who may then begin work with the Ministerial Settlement Director toward seeking a new position.
Here are the answers to some frequent questions about the assessment process:
Q: What constitutes an "unhappy parting" for which this process must be used?
A: It certainly would need to happen any time a minister is fired or negotiates a resignation. But actually it would need to occur any time the circumstances of a minister's departure raise questions that need to be answered before the Department could responsibly recommend the minister for a new posi tion.
Q: How long does the process take?
A: It varies. In most cases, the minister can be cleared for settlement within three or four months, though therapy or other work may need to continue after that.
Q: If I am required to do a career assessment, what will that cost?
A: A typical career assessment costs about $1,200 of which the Department pays 50%.
Q: What if I don't agree with the Department's decision?
A: The first step would be to make an appointment with the Director of Ministry to discuss your situation. If you feel you are being treated unfairly, you may raise the issue with the Subcommittee on Settlement of the Ministerial Fellowship Committee.
Q: As a minister in Fellowship, don't I have a right to seek a position?
A: Yes, but you don't have a right to be recommended by the Department of Ministry. You may have your name sent At Minister's Request (see pp. 28-29 of the Settlement Handbook). In rare cases, the Department decides not to recommend a minister at all. This decision must be confirmed by the Ministe rial Fellowship Committee under MFC Rule 24. In most cases, though, the outcome of the assessment process is greater understanding of the minister's strengths and weaknesses and a mutual decision about what kinds of positions would best ensure happy and effective service in the future.
You should be able to get the Email address from this mail list. If not, let me know. I am mailing this to Robbie Walsh, Deb Cayer, Gail Collins-Devi, and Dacia Reed. It is cc'd to Terry Sweetser. Have I got your names right and your eMail address correctly?
We agreedt o several things:
Deb will contact Fred Gillis and let us know the wording of the resolution we are acting under.
By next Wed (March 12) we will eMail each other position statements on how each of us understands our charge and our suggestions for proceeding.
Can you all attend the UUMA meeting April 10th at Bell Street. We could gather at lunch begin to put a resolution together for the May 6th meeting in Barnstable.
As we seek to address our issue, it seems to me that we need to bring five things to bear on the question of ministerial termination: minister, congregation, UUA, UUMA, and our stated purpose/covenant. One starting point is the question of how our UU Purposes and Principles apply to unhappy endings. A central thread in these discussions is how we understand, articulate the relationship between congregation and minister. Is it a marital relationship? a market relationship? a professional relationship, a mutual relationship? a convenanted one?
Hi committee,
Thank you Deb for your prompt work getting us a copy of the resolution!
I talked with David Hubner. The "MINISTERIAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS" was printed in the Fall 1996 Ministers Packet from the Department. I would urge all of you to review that.
I hope to have a homepage for Congregational Assessment soon. It will contain the UUA's policy plus all of our comments. I will add to it as I get them from you.
David Hubner is very interested in our work. In fact he is presenting a paper at Collegium on the subject this fall. He is interested in attending our discussions. I would urge you to include him on your eMail list for this. From talking with him, I think his personal sentiments in the matter are not significantly different from ours.
PREFACE: UUA's FAITH IN ACTION DEPT.
The mission of Faith in Action is to transform Unitarian Universalism into an anti-oppression, multicultural religious community that affirms the inherent worth and dignity of every person. The department collaborates with Unitarian Universalists in congregations, districts, seminaries, and associate and affiliate groups to promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. The department works with other appropriate interfaith and secular organizations to work for social transformation.
CHARGE:
recorded by Fred Gillis, acting secretary, at the March 5, 1997 business meeting OF THE Ballou-Channing Chapter of the UUMA:
"...that the chapter appoint a task force to draft a resolution to the UUMA Exec. regarding assessment and evaluation procedures for congregations that have been involved in negotiated resignations, and to make a progress report on this to the chapter members at the May meeting."
RECOMMENDATION RESOLUTION by Frank Carpenter (draft):
WHEREAS, the relationship between a congregation and a minister is a mutual one, dependant entirely upon openness, trust and reciprocity in all things; and
WHEREAS, our work as a religious movement can be authentic and a seamless fabric, following the model of the the UUA's principle agenda at this time, the FAITH IN ACTION (A UUA Department for Diversity and Justice);
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Ballou-Channing Chapter of the UUMA calls upon the Executive Committee, and the entire membership of the UUMA to review the increasing number of "unhappy partings" between congregations and ministers, and To do so recommends:
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the UUMA Exec review the MINISTERIAL ASSESSMENT POLICY of the Department of the Ministry to see how it may be part of a mutual assessment polity;
THEREFORE, be it resolved, that congregations be expected to participate with their ministers in a mutual assessment process. As part of this process, the UUA and the UUMA shall train and supply a termination counselor to lead the congregation in a process of reflection as to what has happened. That this process of reflection shall include, 1) a minimum of two meetings a week apart of the leadership of the congregation, 2) the counselor shall ask at each meeting if all the major players in the separation process are present, and shall not proceed unless answered affirmatively, and, 3) the counselor shall ask the gathered people to covenant to talk openly about all issues at the meeting.
Submitted by Frank Carpenter
March 12, 1997.
Frank Carpenter,, WebWeaver.