Conference Restructuring and District Alignment Survey
Compiled July 19, 2013
Contents:
Pages 1 - 3 Lay Member Survey Questions
Pages 4 - 7 Lay Member Results
Pages 8 - 10 Clergy Survey Questions
Pages 11 - 88 Clergy Results
Pages 89 - 94 D.S. and Assistant to D.S. Survey Questions
Pages 95 - 103 D.S. and Assistant to D.S. Results
Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference
Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference The purpose of this survey is to provide the Blue Ribbon Panel with a tool to assess the restructuring of the West Ohio Conference that occurred in 2006. Please note that all answers will be anonymous and will not be identifiable by district or church (and therefore will not reflect on any District Superintendent or Pastor).
* Required
1. Over roughly the last seven years has your church’s contact with the United Methodist Church District Superintendent or the Superintendent’s staff increased, decreased, or remained about the same? * Mark only one oval.
Increased Stayed about the same Decreased Don't know
2. Over roughly the last seven years has your church had joint activities with other churches more often, less often, or about the same? * Mark only one oval.
More often Less often About the same Don't know
3. If your church has had joint activities with other churches, would you say that joint activities have been helpful, had no effect, or been harmful in terms of the church’s mission to make disciples for the purpose of transforming the world? * Mark only one oval.
Helpful
No affect Harmful
Don’t know of joint activities Don't know
Additional questions:
1 Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference We will appreciate you answering a few questions that will help us understand whether our survey has reached a broad representation of the membership.
4. When did you become a member of a United Methodist Church? * Mark only one oval.
Within the last 2 years About 2 to 7 years ago
About 7 to 10 years ago More than 10 years ago
5. When did you become a member of your current church? * Mark only one oval.
Within the last 2 years About 2 to 7 years ago About 7 to 10 years ago More than 10 years ago
6. What is your best guess as to the average attendance of your church? * Mark only one oval.
Fewer than 100 Between 100 and 299 Between 300 and 599 More than 600
7. Would you say that your church serves primarily an urban or rural or suburban community? * Mark only one oval.
Urban
Rural Suburban
8. What is your gender? * Mark only one oval.
Male Female
2 Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference 9. How old are you? * Mark only one oval.
Under 30 31 to 50 51 to 65 Over 65
10. How would you characterize your race or ethnicity? * (if you do not want to answer, please check Prefer not to answer) Mark only one oval.
European-American African-American Hispanic-American or Latino/a American Asian-American Pacific Islander Native American Mixed Other Prefer not to answer
3 Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference
E 195 responses View
Summary
Over roughly the last seven years has your church’s contact with the United Methodist Church District Superintendent or the Superintendent’s staff increased, decreased, or remained about the same?
Increased 61 31% Stayed about the same 63 32% Decreased 44 23% Don't know 27 14%
Over roughly the last seven years has your church had joint activities with other churches more ofte n, less ofte n, or about the same?
More often 61 31% Less often 34 17% About the same 92 47% Don't know 8 4% 4 Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference
If your church has had joint activities with other churches, would you say that joint activities have been helpful, had no effe ct, or been harmful in terms of the church’s mission to make disciples for the purpose of transforming the world?
Helpful 100 51% No affect 40 21% Harmful 2 1% Don’t know of joint activities 27 14% Don't know 26 13%
Additional questions:
When did you become a member of a United Methodist Church?
Within the last 2 years 3 2% About 2 to 7 years ago 6 3% About 7 to 10 years ago 3 2% More than 10 years ago 183 94%
When did you become a member of your current church? 5 Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference
Within the last 2 years 5 3% About 2 to 7 years ago 15 8% About 7 to 10 years ago 20 10% More than 10 years ago 155 79%
What is your best guess as to the average atte ndance of your church?
Fewer than 100 79 41% Between 100 and 299 70 36% Between 300 and 599 35 18% More than 600 11 6%
Would you say that your church serves primarily an urban or rural or suburban community?
Urban 39 20% Rural 61 31% Suburban 95 49%
6 Conference Restructuring Survey for Lay Members of Annual Conference What is your gender?
Male 79 41% Female 116 59%
How old are you?
Under 30 4 2% 31 to 50 13 7% 51 to 65 79 41% Over 65 99 51%
How would you characterize your race or ethnicity?
European-American 175 90% African-American 10 5% Hispanic-American or Latino/a American 1 1% Asian-American 0 0% Pacific Islander 0 0% Native American 1 1% Mixed 2 1% Other 3 2% Prefer not to answer 3 2%
7 District Realignment Survey for Clergy
District Realignment Survey for Clergy The purpose of this survey is to provide the Blue Ribbon Panel with a tool to assess the realignment of districts within the West Ohio Conference that occurred in 2006. Please note that all answers will be anonymous and will not be identifiable by district (and therefore will not reflect on any District Superintendent).
* Required
1. Since 2006, as compared to before that time, has the Office of the District Superintendent been more helpful, less helpful, or about the same amount of help in your mission to make disciples? * Mark only one oval.
More helpful Less helpful About the same amount of help I can’t make the comparison
2. Would you say that connections among churches in your district have been increasing, decreasing, or staying about the same over the last few years? * Mark only one oval.
Increasing Decreasing Staying about the same Don’t know
3. Overall, is your impression that the 2006 district realignment has helped, hurt, or not affected your church’s ability to make disciples for the purpose of transforming the world? * Mark only one oval.
Helped
Hurt Did not affect
I have no impression
8 District Realignment Survey for Clergy 4. Please elaborate on your answer to the last question, if you are willing. (please click in the box and begin typing your comments)
5. How, if at all, would you change the role of the district superintendents? *
6. How, if at all, would you change the role of the assistant to the district superintendent? *
7. How, if at all, would you change the role of the West Ohio Conference? *
Additional questions:
We will appreciate your answering a few additional questions that will help us understand whether our survey has reached a broad array of the clergy in the Conference.
9 District Realignment Survey for Clergy 8. How long have you been a pastor in the Ohio West Conference? * Mark only one oval.
Less than 2 years Between 2 and 6 years Between 6 and 10 years More than 10 years
9. How long have you been a pastor of your current church? * Mark only one oval.
Less than 2 years Between 2 and 6 years Between 6 and 10 years More than 10 years
10. What is the average attendance of your church? * Mark only one oval.
Fewer than 100 Between 100 and 299 Between 300 and 599 More than 600
11. Would you say that your church serves primarily an urban, rural or suburban community? * Mark only one oval.
Urban Rural Suburban
10 District Realignment Survey for Clergy
E 310 responses View
Summary
Since 2006, as compared to before that time, has the Offi ce of the District Superintendent been more helpful, less helpful, or about the same amount of help in your mission to make disciples?
More helpful 65 21% Less helpful 100 32% About the same amount of help 97 31% I can’t make the comparison 48 15%
Would you say that connections among churches in your district have been increasing, decreasing, or staying about the same over the last few years?
Increasing 64 21% Decreasing 137 44% Staying about the same 94 30% Don’t know 15 5% 11 District Realignment Survey for Clergy
Overall, is your impression that the 2006 district realignment has helped, hurt, or not affe cted your church’s ability to make disciples for the purpose of transforming the world?
Helped 45 15% Hurt 96 31% Did not affect 129 42% I have no impression 40 13%
Please elaborate on your answer to the last question, if you are willing.
The DS have work in a positive way to connect people into the clusters.} In our area (North East Cincinnati), we are now in more direct communication with Churchs that formerly were in another district all together. } While I have benefitted from training opportunities and sought them out, my congregations have felt increasingly distant from the larger church. Having video clips, district leadership training events (always excellent) while good do not make up for the distance between district and local congregation. Just two weeks ago my own church leadership asked if the DS might come and preach at "our" church. } We are less connected. The church now has the impression the District only approaches them when it wants something. } There have been district retreats on Five Fruitful Practices } Our district is too far apart. as a member of the United Methodist Women's Team we have to travel over 2 hours to get to a meeting that is scheduled to the south of us.. To go to events we have to travel over one ho ur. with gas prices as high as they are this takes funding from our families I think we should go back to the 13 distrust ,, It should never have changed. } My church when I arrived last year was in a deep emotional conflict which I believe was not due to any redistricting, but more from the appointment process. The church at well over 200 in attendance split with about half going to form a new non-denominational church in the area. The result was grieve and heartbreak to those left behind. Thank God we are feeling Spiritual revival now, but I doubt they were even concerned for the redistricting at the time. } Began serving local churches in Fall 2006 when the realignment had already taken place. } While the realignment has affected the relationship between church and district / conference, it did not affect the church's desire or passion to makes disciples. } The district churches are now exposed to more relevant training at a district 12 District Realignment Survey for Clergy level and i feel that the conference cluster retreat has also been beneficial in conference connectivity and helping the clergy to remember their connectional dynamic. Unfortunately that retreat is not being repeated this year. } There have been more collaborative efforts between churches in the district. This new synergy has greatly helped the smaller congregations in the Shawnee Valley District. } My church has a history of focus upon transformation of the world-- many mission projects are in place that include near and far locations. } With the realignment, District Superintendents have realized that general top-down problem solving and micro- management efforts from the District Office are dysfunctional (too many churches to support and guide) and have given more support and attention to the Clergy and Church Clusters for decision-making and to site specific occasions for problem solving. } from '06-'10, the realignment was hurtful because of very limited availability of the DS since '10, I have found the realignment helpful. } Any activity beyond the local church is lost on most congregations. While I love the district and conference initiatives, it is hard to get people to see beyond what we are doing here locally. } Belonging to a cluster group has been really helpful } It is hard for the DS to know all the churches due to district size } I think the difference has been the District Superintendent. Our District basically had a part-time DS. Now we have a full-time DS. churches have less contact with ds's and are more isolated by the size. Additionally, the added cost of the Asst. ds has been detrimental to smaller congregations. } I have found it easy to connect with both the DS and the Asst to DS. My parishioners feel disconnected from DS because we do church/charge conferences as a large cluster. I don't think this affects our ability to make disciples. } With more churches to oversee there is less time to utilize the District Supt & staff for various programs and initiatives. It would be wonderful to have more support in making disciples and opportunities to gather for cutting edge ministry training. } we continue to be scattered and unattached to each other. Particularly small churches whom I believe should connect with other to do missions and outreach. } Districts now are more nimbler, more focused upon fostering church growth and revitalization. The dead wood of district life has largely been cleared out (at least in our district). DS is connecting people and churches organically. The change to 8 districts has been a great thing. } It really depends more on the DS than any structural changes . I have had two good missional DS's that have been big encouragement to me. Other pastors I know have not felt the same way about their DS. } It has become more difficult for people in our congregation to feel connected to the larger church since the realignment. While some effort has been made to increase seminars, workshops etc. it is hard for people to want to attend when they can't put a face with the name of their DS. Collaboration between districts has been good- but it is usually clergy who attend and not the laity. Therefore it seems to me that it has decreased the possibilities for making disciples. } We have had no district functions other than training events with limited appeal. We do not meet as a district to elect leadership or celebrate ministry. Nor do we receive financial updates on how our district apportionment dollars are spent. Functions have been cancelled on a regular basis, often before the reply is expected. } From what I have personally experienced since 2006, the addition of an Assistant D.S. has made a huge difference. I have enjoyed their expertise and passion for ministry in addition to the D.S. I have also noticed that doing more "group" events and "group" 13 District Realignment Survey for Clergy conferencing has also benefited the churches I have served. Coming together a few times a year has helped to make us a more connectional church. } Districts are too stretched out and the District superintendents are unable to be effective in such a large area with so many churches. There is a disconnect among clergy. . District events rarely attended. Single charge conferences are not possible. } I believe that the realignment has allowed the DS to be more strategic in the allocation of time and resources. } I see nothing new in the reailgnment of the districts. Except for adding the burden of the assistant to the DS. In my opinion nothing changed except the size of the districts and the assistant. }| The realignment appears to have hindered the D.S. from interacting with the local church. } With a larger district, the DS seems less available to and less knowledgeable about each cocgregation. Hasn't the addition of Assistant to the DS increased district apportionments that affect a local congregation's resources to make disciples? } I have been serving for less than 10 years. }} I don't think the realignment has much to do with effectiveness in the local church. I believe congregations are effective or ineffective regardless of how districts are organized and structured. Having said that, a poor DS can hurt a church's ministry, and an excellent DS can enhance it. } Hard to say if would have been more helpful, but hard to see current strategies bearing greater fruit. The disconnect in the districts among the churches, etc. is hard to describe how profound it has been. I do not know pastors twenty miles away currently. In the old districts I knew who 90% of the pastors were. Has this helped us make disciples? It does not feel like it. Leaders sought to down play the financial savings and say it would help us with our mission. I find that hard to see as having happened. } The church no longer feels a part of the district. Any and all district events are too far away. } The Districts I have served have been more intentional to helping me equip my church for discipleship, as well as growing my leadership capacity. The District has been required to be more focused. As far as connections between churches in the District, I have found that varies in importance depending on where I have served and the personality of the District Superintendent. While there are very few district-wide events that bring pastors together, the Cluster system serves to maintain connections, if only with a smaller group. } If needed, I am able to contact either the DS or the assistant. Before it was hard to get a response from just the DS. } Since the conference realignment the Superintendency has become less personally accessable to local churches. It seems to me that the accessability has either been by phone conversation or by E-mail, which in some cases meets the need. I do think though that the idea of a person serving in two full time capacities did not work both for the persons in that role and for the district/conference as well. On the other hand, I do see the superintendency having effective influence with cluster leaders who then influence the clusters. In my mind, I believe this is a better Wesleyan model. } The connectional meetings with nearby pastors proves to be very encouraging. The district leadership is passionate about helping churches who are really trying to make disciples. } Serving town and country churches in what is a dominant urban district is not conducive to strong relations between the district office and the local churches, particularly if the DS has little to no T&C background. That's not to be overly critical of the DS's or the district staff (because we know they try and work hard under tough conditions), just a reality that T&C is not a primary emphasis which is why the unique and special needs of T&C churches are not 14 District Realignment Survey for Clergy priorities..... I suspect that this is uneven across the conference, but I sense that the conference/district have become more irrelevant to the local church. Unless the pastor is aggressive and skilled at tapping needed resources, the bureaucracy seems too big and distant to really know the pastors and churches beyond statistical data on a laptop. } We are more alienated now than we were before, and do not have the support of other congregations to assist us in our ministry. } I am not sure it is a result of the realignment as much as it is of the D.S. Policy and procedures do not make as much of a difference as people. } I'm not an expert on this at all -- but, from my own limited perspective the realignment has not had a significant impact one way or another. The assistants to the D.S.'s seem to have had to take on more D.S.-like roles / expectations / expenses, and the offices have significant staffing needs, so in theory it's not radically different from if we reversed the trend and made all the assistant D.S.'s into full D.S.'s and doubled the number of districts. } It seems to me that the DS's spend the bulk of their time solving problems, rather than helping churches be relevant to their context. i was not in the district till 2010 } I was not living in Ohio in 2006. } Our church was moved from a more intimate district where we knew each other to a system where our folks are not oriented and it sometimes takes two hours to get to some meetings. The district superintendent is available for building issues, and through e-mail on other issues, but is not able to be around the district as much. The assistant to the superintendent has been somewhat helpful, but we don't depend on him too much either. The cluster system assigned to the district makes no sense to how we work--our cluster only meets occasionally and our interests are so different. Most meetings are to short and don't have much immediate accountability. When a special speaker has come in, it has been more helpful. We were moved from Newark to Foothills. } There is less of a sense of connection between churches and among the congregation. Previously members were beginning to feel that people in the district/conference cared about the local church. Since realignment, members express a feeling that they are not important to the UMC, and it is difficult to make them feel otherwise. } churches are less connected than ever. The presence of the Holy Spirit in between churches has seemed to increase and while it may be difficult to determine if that was a result of the realignment or God's Spirit there has seem to be an increase in cooperation. } I believe that the increase of the size of the districts has resulted in the decrease of churches working together and feeling that they are part of a larger community. I have moved since the redistricting, and I do not know most of the pastors or the churches in the new district, and I feel the lack of community (although I do have some community through my clergy cluster.) } Prior to realignment, there seems to have been more partnering between churches according to location or affinity. There were more regional events instead of everything happening in Columbus. We were not so top heavy with Conference staff and those who were on staff traveled to our district more than now. It feels now like there is a corporate headquarters with distant staff. } Must admit I was a student pastor when the realignment took place, I have not noticed a difference in the district training programs that took place before or after the realignment. } Before the realignment I, as pastor felt connected to my peers and involved with the ongoing ministry of the district. This connectionalism fueled and sustained my soul for ministry. We no longer have this closeness among clergy that carried over 15 District Realignment Survey for Clergy into the congregations we serve. } The changes have impacted our connection as UMs. For good or ill we are less and less UMs. Was underway before but took a big leap forward. } District realignment has not substantially changed the way local churches do ministry. } Better access and less intimidation is felt when I use the DS office. I feel they are for me and not judging me, nor is my job on the line because I asked a question. We are team and with new focus on effectiveness it is critical for the DS and Cabinet remember their role of servant leaders who articulate the need and seek collaboration from other pastors and lay so together we can change our communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. } I can only comment on what I have heard from people who have experienced both pre-2006 and post-2006. I was a lay person working as a youth pastor in the Dayton South district from 2000-2007 before moving to CAS in 2007. I was not aware of district-level dealings and the clusters did not seem to function well there at that time. Since moving to CAS and becoming a licensed local pastor, I have become involved in a cluster and the expectation of the local UMCs in the area is to coordinate and minister together. So, I see camaraderie in amongst the churches in this area at this time...whether it was happening prior to 2007, I have no idea. Furthermore, the complaint I hear from other pastors is that the DS and ADS have more churches than prior to 2006 and it is difficult for them to really the churches and the pastors. Also, the oft-repeated complaint that there are actually more full-time district-level employees now than prior to 2006 because each district now has two elders running them...not sure of the numbers, but was it 12 districts reduced to 8, so 12 DSs now expanded to 16 DSs and ADSs? I've heard that a lot. } I became actively aware of and involved with ministry on the district level in 2008, so it's difficult for me to compare. } I have not seen any decline in service from the district office nor their ability to respond to the needs of clergy or the local church. However, I have seen a significant improvement in both the quality and quality of training opportunities for both clergy and laity. Although the DS may not be able to visit each church, there have been more than adequate opportunities for the DS to speak to church leaders in group settings. Interestingly, the synergy created in the larger group sessions has more spiritually significant than what might be gained in a personal visit to one local church from the DS. } no comment } We've had good workshops, but the district is so geographically large that it's hard to get any lay persons to attend and travel so far. } I have only been at the church that I serve for the past three years and so I do not see how I can make a comparison from 2006. } I recognize that these may be counter intuitive... I believe that connections between churches have increased as a result of greater participation/relationship building in a clustered format of clergy (where clergy have been open to opportunities for collaboration). Overall the function of the district and the district superintendent has certainly become more distant from the people in the pews. } I believe the increased size has seriously limited the ability of the DS to know and be known by the various churches. The impression is of an increasingly distant and removed hierarchy. How can appointments be made responsibly when there is little or no contact or interaction beyond a few comments on a piece of paper? The sheer size of the district limits inter-church participation and isolates those out on the fringes of the district. Beyond a few seminars, there is less personal resourcing. In former days, District Program Directors, and various resource teams, 16 District Realignment Survey for Clergy provided an important support link to the churches. Our church feels less connected now more than ever with the district. } My first impression is that it did affect our ability as we were not as close to our DS as before. However, looking at the numbers we are just the same as we were before. } It doesn't seem the church's effectiveness in making disciples in those I"ve witnessed and served has been negatively affected. } I don't remember making disciples being the reason for the realignment. I remember a financial discussion & financial implications of not consolidating. However, because each district then added other staff to accommodate the increased load, I'm not sure the bottom line was impacted as significantly as hoped } I did not know how it was before. } My comments are fairly general, but in CAN, I can see how having people in the District office with different strengths and backgrounds is beneficial....administrative/pastoral, urban/rural, big picture/detail-oriented. } Two parts to this: 1) The DS is less accessible due to overwhelming responsibilities, and 2) the emphasis on the DS being "coach" (which is impossible with the large number of churches) rather that mentor and pastor has emotionally removed the DS even farther from the pastors. } As a rural church lumped in with the urban churches we have seen no difference on our ability to make disciples for transforming the world. Much of the district's concentration has been in the urban areas. During this period I have not seen any noticeable improvement in churches abilities to make disciples. I believe that the discipleship is on a slow but steady increase as was before the realignment. The improvement offered as a part of the realignment was the call Back To Prayer. Prayer plus faith in action (time, talent, service and resource) of the clergy and laity is the key to faithful and fruitful discipleship. } With the additional responsibilities for the DS too many opportunities have been lost due to the overwhelming number of churches the DS has been responsible for. Currently I can expect to see my DS twice a year, Once during annual conference, and once during either charge conference or 1-1's. Multiple times I have called asking for assistance and never hear back from anyone to get anything resolved. As a result I have lost many opportunities in ministry and feel totally isolated and alone } The focus changed from supporting, encouraging, and strengthening pastors and relationship with local churches to programmatic and entrepreneurial endeavors. } Most of my help in making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world has come from conference resources. } at the time of of the realignment of the districts, I switched from a northern district to another region, so I have no consistency with which to make the comparison. } I have never felt that the District or Conference really helped to assist local congregations in their mission of making disciples. Effective mission takes place when the pastoral and lay leadership catch the vision and work, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to make it happen. } I serve one of those remote rural churches. There has been some stability there that tends to divorce us from too much interaction at the District level. We are working for the Lord "in spite" of our District affiliation. } The 2006 realignment has simply increased the distance between DS and pastor. I am not all together saddened by that. It is just a fact that I think we backed into sort of unintentionally. I believe it should force us to rethink the relationship between DS and pastors. We need technology to drive a new kind of relationship that I think whose time has come. } I believe the 2006 district realignment created districts that are too large and unwieldy and that the addition in most 17 District Realignment Survey for Clergy districts of the assistant to the DS is not fully a substitute for being known by your actual DS. The reason I did not say that the realignment hurt our churches' ability to make disciples is that I am not sure the district was ever played more than a supportive role in that mission. } Our church ministry is independent in most ways from the functions of the district. Encouragement is limited from the district in the current configuration. } We seem less connected. Our people know the Assistant DS, but they can't remember the name of the DS. Recently took some lay people to a district event. When the DS got up, one asked, "Who is that?" Is that good or bad? I don't know. Is "visibility" more an option than accessibility? How busy is too busy? The District UMW seem to have an edge over most lay people, but we are fortunate to have had (and still have) representation on the District UMW leadership team. We also have one at-large delegate to Annual Conference from one of our churches. So it's not a matter of being officially connected. Or is it? Surely we're not going back to the old district configurations are we? Our district is more spread out than I recall when I served in a part of one of the previous districts 30 years ago. I think more of the problem is the district office switching to all electronic newsletters and notifications. I have observed some do not even bother to check what's going on! But I have no guarantee they will read a hardcopy either. As to making disciples, I haven't seen much evidence of it anywhere in the district, to be perfectly honest. And transforming the world--we need to transform the church so it can be outwardly focused, which it isn't right now, as far as our district is concerned. We busy -- or appear to be so -- but what are we busy doing? Serving in small rural congregations we are not drawn into the district as a whole. In fact, there have been few, if any, district functions. I would like to add that the DS has always been helpful when I have contacted DS. As far as making disciples for Christ, the realignment has really had no affect in helping the small rural church. } There has been a substantial disconnect between the local church and the District/Annual Conference - in part because of the realignment. } In my opinion, good training and support did not increase or decrease. } The changes at the District level had no real impact at the local church level beyond the amount of apportionments paid. Our contact with the DS and Assistant have always been strong and good. } Our church really does make disciples. We are not dependent on the district or conference to make disciples. We have grown from 30 to 300 in 10 years, Having 3 separate service and a Celebrate Recovery service. 55% of our people serve outside the church walls. We have had 5 pastors come from our church in that time. God has been good to us as we obey the call on our lives. I am a district cluster leader of 9 other pastors, and I can assure you that none of them are making, or not making disciples because of the district or conference. (2 of those 9 churches are growing) We talk about making disciples, but we do not 'train/teach/or hold accountable' to that end. We give the word 'lip service' in my opinion. I have been on what use to be the Lima District since I was born. I have been UM since I was born. I worked with youth as a volunteer for 25 years. I served on the DCOM ( District Council on Ministry in those days) for decades before I was a pastor. Have been pastoring since 1988. Each district should have a leadership team that works with the D.S. when they are appointed. The Bishop should appoint a D.S. that 'fits' with the ministry action plan of the district. Changing leadership every 6 years defies management logic. } I believe that the realignment was not needed in the way it was done...I 18 District Realignment Survey for Clergy feel the renaming of the districts was a rather ill-informed idea....more confusing than anything.....and I feel that the districts realigning set up some really strange boundaries for districts. I also believe that the whole idea of saving money was bogus because our district went from 70 some churches to over 100 and we also went from 1 district superintendent to 1 DS and two Assistant DSs...which makes no sense. I also think that in this new alignment as in our district we lost some valuable groups like pastoral care and urban ministry focus and social concerns. I think we need to have a new updated forms of those committees/groups/teams aligned with the conference teams, e.g. Let justice Roll team...have a comparable one on the district....and possibly even begin to transition individual churches to adopt the same naming so that we feel more connected all the way along the connection. I do feel that the district through the websites and through the quality people that have been on the district staff have provided us with information on which we can act as to training opportunities and other events going on around the district } District Superintendents are pulled into too many different directions and responsible for too many churches to be of any real help. It became obvious to me (and my colleagues concur) that I am on my own, for the most part, when it comes to making decisions that, in the past, were made with input and assistance from the DS. } The distance to travel to workshops, etc. is sometimes an issue. Some good training events are difficult to recruit for. Each congregation is in a unique situation and other than a commitment to try to touch the people and community in which they live and minister the district programs have little to do with that success. Generally in our UM churches the "connection" is not really understood or appreciated. For instance in the situation I am in, mostly rural, we have taken on a homeless family, molther and 7 children. They are our primary out reach at this time other than older members who have come our way out of dissatisfaction with a move to all contemporary in the church they went to for years. My point is there is no one program or technique that fits all, but the question I ask my folk each week, is who did you invite, who did you share Christ with this week. } As I was just entering the ministry about the time the realignment occurred, I honestly can't speak to wheather the realignment has been a help or hurt the church's ability. } The district used to have monthly meetings with the clergy and that helped to keep the information flowing down to the churches. Now it is done in the clusters, however we are not getting the emphasis from the leadership team, just the input from the cluster leaders, this to me is a hinderance and we do not get the information direct from the leadership team, but is now filtered much more. } Had not been a part of the old system long enough to make a comparison. } We don't see any difference as a local church. } When working well, the realignment allows wider connections made among churches that can strengthen our ministry. Clusters pull from wider areas, and therefore may be more contextually based than geographically based. The size of the district allows district events to be better attended. If there is a good division of responsibility between the DS and assistant, there can be a clear leadership provided. } There has been no change to the amount of support or interaction we have with the district or other churches. } I feel that the District Superintendent's duties have been increased to the point where the personal relationship with the local church has deteriorated somewhat. Then again, it is subjectiive to the amount of involvement that the local church seeks that relationship. } The 19 District Realignment Survey for Clergy "connection" has been lost. The quality of district events has gone down and, subsequently, the people of my church are reluctant to drive an hour to get to them. When the district was smaller, the events were closer and we had a larger hand in making sure they were quality events. } I don't see much difference in the relationship between District and Local church that is a direct result of the realignment. } I think the individual charge conferences helped keep the local church more in touch with the district. I know it is more time efficient for the DS in this new configuration but the connection between local church and the extended church seems to be eroding. Maybe it is good in one respect, as it makes it necessary to be less dependent and to work out our own problems regarding challenges in the church, both good and bad. For example, in our rural church, we are experiencing considerable growth and we are in the beginning stage of a facility expansion. I have been calling on other Pastors in the area to help with management suggestions surrounding the transition from a congregation of 25 to almost 200. } It hurt only in that it took the focus of the conference leadership away from local congregation assistance to other matters. For the most part it has been ignored by the local church } We have less interaction with the district, and less interaction with district churches I am new as a pastor so not sure how things went before. I do think that the districts and conferences try hard and do their best with what they have } To the degree that the churches I have served have sought to pursue a vision of making disciples, we have had resources (time. attention, financial. etc). available that we did not have previously. } Loss of cohesiveness...Too many charges per district for d.s. to engage and represent in conference role. } People don't see enough of the D.S. } I have only been a pastor in the district for 2 years. } The district is so spread out that we have less contact with each other. The Clergy Clustering has helped ministers become closer to the few people in their cluster but it has not brought the churches of the district any closer, it has just put more of them into a district. } The ds is now less connected to the local churches } The issues in my church and in most small churches and churches of color are not addressed as a matter of culture within the conference, forget about district. The potential of these congregations are overlooked due to a focus on revenue and fear associated with declining church roles; a focus on larger numbers in attendance. We need real organizational development processes that go beyond trying to make all churches like a Ghinghamsburg in many respects. Though there are some things we can learn from those mega churches, I believe we miss the opportunity to properly align the smaller ones to perform what God has set them in the midst to perform. We are in need of an OD design that can see the potential through valid assessment, create real strategies that are tailored to the church and the particular community, offer real monitoring and support, cheer the proportional accomplishments of the smaller churches, etc. I love the UMC and I know we are in a position to manifest Christ better than any other organization if we remember our Master's way; he takes base things to confound the wise, mustard seed faith moves mountains and children (little ones) are his Joy. Our small congregations can accomplish so much with the right systems of support. I would love to talk to someone about this... (937) 248-8819 } DS has taken more proactive role in training, equipping, and less role in administrative tasks that can be done by the assistant. There is no connection as befor 2006 } District has always been available and supportive I 20 District Realignment Survey for Clergy don't think it matters to how my local church makes disciples. } The District is so large geographically that we have nearly nothing in common. Prior to the realighnment, Churches related to each other in similar ways. Also, the DS is now so stretched that he or she cannot possibly know and/or interact with each church. Therefore, we don't even know our DS nor do they know us. When problems arise, how can they ever help us as pastors or congregations? Who is the Pastor's pastor? In the past, we had a pastor in our DS, no we do not. } With the DS having more churches than before they can not do the work as described by the discipline. I pastored in one district and never saw the DS at any charge conference as he always sent the Assistant DS all 6 years he was DS and he never showed up to the cluster meeting. } Once the districts became larger, the DS lost the personal touch with the individual churches. My DS has been great as a person, as a person of vision but most of the lay don't have a positive feel from him because he is not in their midst. If the lay do not have a positive feel from the DS, there is not a positive feel for the Conference. My church because I am active with the connection and hold positions of leadership has had more time with the DS but for the pastors and churches of my cluster, I have become the face of the District and the Conference. It is also very hard to have district meetings. So, I do not feel the "closeness" of the smaller districts. Many time we have 2 or 3 locations for the convenience of district. } I was under the impresssion that an assistant would provide more leadership and connection with individual churches. Also I was hoping that this office would be a leader in organizing leadership development opportunities for local churches. However, neither my church or self have experienced any real benefit from this change. The idea was sold as a cost cutting tool but I am not so sure it really did cut cost. Most local churches functions with little if any input from the district or conference. The system functions as supervisory at the district level and to facilitate collaboration on larger issues for the district level and above. } The distances that some churches are from the district office in the 8 district alignment has affected the feeling of connection from distant churches to the district office and the DS. } Because the superintendent has more churches to care for, he/she cannot know the needs of each church/pastor nearly as well. Bigger is not always better. I realize that much of the driving force behind the decision to reduce the number of districts was financial (even though we were told it wasn't), but I'm not sure how much money was really saved as it seems to me we're spending as much (perhaps even more) what with the additions of assistants to the DS's and all. I served on one of the District Transition Teams and realize the amount of time and energy that was invested in trying to make a smooth transition, but sometimes I felt like if we had invested the same amount of time and energy in working on mission and ministry as we did on reconfiguring the districts, we might be farther ahead today. } Before the realignment there was a District Superintendent for Springfield, which was located here and perceived as representing the needs and struggles of the area. Many people have expressed the belief that the Miami Valley District, formerly Dayton District, is still the Dayton District in heart and action. In other words, it does not adequately or fairly represent or advocate for the Springfield area churches or ministries. } With more area to cover, there are increasing responsibilities laid on district superintendents, so I understand their being unable to be more visually present in the churches within their districts. However, I have personally experienced, 21 District Realignment Survey for Clergy and heard countless complaints that the local churches feel incredibly disconnected from the district and conference levels. They do not feel like they understand why decisions about appointments are made the way they are, nor do they feel like they are well known when it comes to providing a new pastor in their community. Before the realignment, I believe that churches felt better connected at the district level, and subsequently more connected to the conference level. } The realignment has made more work for the D.S. but the Assistant to the D.S. has been a great help. However, I see no difference in the ability of the D.S. to help the church make disciples for Jesus. } DS's no longer know the churches in their district the way they used to know them. This has led to weaker appointments, and a growing disconnect between the smaller churches and the District. This disconnect is particularly noticeable in the laity. } The congregation is not very connected to the district and conference. I feel less connected as a pastor. } It was good to reduce from 14 to 8, but then by adding the extra assistant we went from 14 to 16 full time district superintendents. Small churches want to pay less apportionments, which leaves more money for making disciples. Discipleship is done best in the local church, not at the conference or district level. } I believe that the realignment of our districts, the clustering efforts for clergy, and the focusing of our efforts on our mission and purpose have worked together to help our overall purpose of making disciples be more effective. } I was not in the system in 2006 } I don't know that the realignment affected the church's ability to make disciples of Jesus Christ, but I do know (through the Episcopal Evaluations) that the realignment negatively affected the sense of connection and comradery within districts and with the conference. } One of the things I have missed most is coming face to face with others in ministry who are facing the same kinds of problems that I am facing or have faced. So much can be gleemed in meeting with fellow ministers. And we also got the perspective of the DS when these meetings included him/her. Jesus spent time with his disciples instead of giving them a paper and telling them to get the answers by praying and reading about the problems they encountered.l } Since the realignment, the district superintendent has been less available to pastors and local congregations. Rather than building relationships, I feel that district offices are off limits unless there is an urgent need. Smaller churches have suffered. } Having an added resource person, the assistant DS, gave more thorough response and guidance in situations where necessary. } My parish is very rural and really not affected much. } My church is a small country church of about 25 attendance and we have had 1 baptism and two professing Christians taken into the church in the last 2years and have a group of people who help in the community which we were doing before the realignment District life, connectedness, and oversight has significantly degraded. However, the district structure is mostly irrelevant to my church's ability to make disciples...as long as it stays out of the way. That said, if my church had a serious need for help and understanding, I don't think it would receive the kind of personal, caring attention that it might have received before restructuring. } I was not serving as a pastor in the United Methodist Church in 2006. } It is very difficult for the superintendents to keep up with so many churches under their supervision. The task was difficult before the realignment. The essential tasks of pastoral appointment, leadership development, mission articulation, motivation and encouragement, and pursuit of 22 District Realignment Survey for Clergy excellence in the local church are not possible in the current structure. We have painted our district superintendents into a corner and have given them a combination of responsibilities that cannot be performed optimally. Sadly essential functions go with inadequate attention – this is not for lack of effort, we have taken what was a structural problem (the old model was nearly too large of a job for the superintendents) and made it essentially impossible. } Our church has not had that much interaction with the district in the years I have been here as opposed to me. I used to have a significant role in district matters but have less now. } District realignment decreased visibility of DS @ local church level therefore knowledge of charges. Coaching and mentoring non existing. One on one on an as needed basis. Structures not uniform } I am satisfied with the realignment. We're a small rural church and big church ideas don't always work for us. This year church conferences are going to be different, in groups. I like the idea and our congregation does too, of a church conference on Sunday during worship. They get to see our district people. } The local church has very little to do with the district or conference offices. The congregation is more closely identifiable to the individual pastors. As a pastor the connection to the district and conference has seen little change since the re-alignment. } Our District is larger causing more time to travel to other churches for important events. } The realignment is neither more nor less than a realistic response to a shrinking UMC. Greater geographical area for the District no longer means more congregations for the DS and staff. The workload seems to have remained constant. Congregations are continuing to shrink and and leave the UMC, however, so you may soon need another round of realignment to expand the geography of fewer districts, for financial expediency, of course. } The expanded number of churches under the DS's responsibility makes it even more difficult to know needs and opportunities of local churches. Impossible job! Lost opportunities and bad decisions result. We need more DS's not less. } I am getting ready to begin my 11th year in full time ministry and have served 3 different churches and will have my 6th different district superintendent next month so it is difficult to make these comparisons. My sense is that in general it is more difficult for the district superintendents to know each church with the larger districts, but a lot depends on the pastors and the district superintendents as to how well those relationships work. My church appreciated when the district superintendent made the effort to come out and see the church her first year and in return feel somewhat connected to the district. I also sense the the structure of the districts doesn't have as much impact on the relationships between churches as do the relationships of the pastors through clusters and other means. } My answers to the first 2 questions have more to do with district training and other events offered - not realignment. Clergy have no virtually no pastoral care from one who is appointed to that task as a connection with the Conference. District Superintendents have no possible way to adequately know the churches of their districts. The emphasis (or perceived emphasis) on the "coaching" or "leadership role" of the Superintendent (serving as a growth consultant or expert) is often laughable. } The only effect that is particularly noticeable for us is the significant increase in district apportionments - but even that is not a significant piece of our budget. } As far as I can tell, the consolidation did not accomplish its intended purpose. I see no greater amount mission, vision, or strategy coming from the district office. It certainly did not result in cost savings at the 23 District Realignment Survey for Clergy level of the local Church, since the district budget now must pay for the assistant to DS's salary and benefits. There was an increase in apportionments from the district. There is also less connection to the mission work of the Conference and general church in my local congregations because there is considerably less contact with the DS, that is to say "no contact." I would say there has been an increase in contact between the congregations in the cluster but not beyond that. I know less now about what's going on in other congregations in the District than ever before. With the greater distance, there's been few district gatherings. The mileage costs to get to the district office or a district gathering is not insignificant. } The local church does not sense to be as connected with the District office when compared to prior to the 2006 realignment. The MWD seems to care more for the bigger/inner city ministries... rural ministries/smaller Churches seem to have taken a back seat to them } D. S. is no longer in touch with his/her churches. Too many to do so with any critical care. No pastoral concern for pastors whatsoever. } I am just not that certain that the district/conference has ever had that much affect on disciple making. There is now even less connection for churches and pastors to the DS. The DS doesn't seem to know churches and pastors as well as in the past. Clusters are not very effective. Asking us to submit weekly statistics is really not a way to help us make disciples. } I have since been re-appointed elsewhere (since 2006), and both districts I've served under seem to be about the same before / after the realignment. } The superintendents and asst supers seem to be busier than ever-I see them less than I used to. I also miss the program assistants-ours were always especially helpful. } Because of the realignment, there is now a second resource person to speak with in the District office. } I have been thankful to have open and consistent communication with all of my District Superintendents, before and after 2006. I believe this is because the 3 DS's I've had all have taken and interest in me and in the churches I have served. I have also taken initiative to reach out to my DS in times of need, or to ask advice. I have made "do not surprise" the DS a practice. In other words, let the DS know what is happening, and if it may result in a difficult phone call from an angry church member. I have also been mindful of the demands on the time of a DS, and have not taken advantage of the open communication. Finally, my 3 appointments have been geographically near the district office. This makes stopping in, or a 15 minute meeting, or serving on a District committee very possible, and facilitates informal conversations with the DS. Finally, my DS's have worked very, very hard to stay in contact, answer email and texts, read my church stuff on facebook, etc. If my DS's had not been so very hard working, I think my post 2006 experience would be much different. Finally, I've served 2 DS's since 2006, and both have had outstanding ASsistant to the DS. I mean really outstanding. So it's been the combination of a great DS and an Outstanding ASsistant to the DS -- this combination has made me feel supported, coached, mentored, encouraged, prayed for, and held accountable. Therefore, personally, the changes from 2006 have not affected me or the churches I serve. HOWEVER, my clergy friends in another district would likely have a different experience. Since 2006, they had no help from their DS. No visits, calls, nothing. Ever. At all. Big churches, small churches, and extremely talented pastors - it didn't matter. But I don't think this was because of the 2006 alignment. I think it was bc the person in the DS job was ineffective in nearly every single way. } More district-wide programs 24 District Realignment Survey for Clergy but less "face time" with local congregations and pastors. The connection is coming apart. Emails, facebooks, and websites are NOT a substitute for people with people. } For the church I serve, the realignment has helped our ability to make disciples because we were aligned with a region and churches that are similar to ours. And our District Superintendent, Joseph Bishman, has done a great job of teaching pastors and leaders the practical tools that help us go out to our communities and make disciples. } Having an assistant DS has helped the DS in meeting with the smaller churches } Created a greater disconnect between the local church and the DS. Less contact between the local church and DS causes the DS to not have a clear picture of the church other than stats and numbers, which makes DS seem more like system managers and less relational leaders. It hurt because it just became too large of a geographic or church number area for one person to cover as effectively as possible. The perceived lack of contact with the DS made the DS more of a denominational "company man or woman" than area leader or advocate of local churches and clergy. } I believe it has hurt the churches I have served. They believe there is little connection with the district office since the change. The only time they see the DS is if there is a pastoral change. There is no individual church, or area church, coaching to move forward. Most members have never met their DS nor Assistant to the DS. The leaders believe it is too far for district meetings and church/charge conferences when it is held as a district. They are more used to traveling to the next county, not a couple counties away. I believe it comes down to choices/priorities. } Thank you, first of all, for this tool. It is refreshing to see that the Bishop and Cabinet are willing to receive feedback on the new structure. The articulated goals, which were presented tot he Annual Conference, included a financial savings as well as a new role of the district superintendents. It appears that financial savings were not as great as initially hoped for as superintendents in the new structure had so many churches to oversee that they needed to hire assistants to the superintendents. Some districts hired more than one assistant. While coaching has become more available, the D.S. has still not been able to function in that role. The superintendents, driven by a denomination that continues to struggle numerically, attempt to be "seen" as encouragers, but it is hard to believe it is authentic with the fixation of tools like "dashboards" and "break through goals." Quite honestly it is exhausting and sends the message that our conference is so driven by reporting that we have somehow lost our real focus: keeping our eyes on Christ and making disciples. } I was commissioned in 2007, so I've never really known anything but the current district alignment. } I do not have really good information to share. I have been in West Ohio since 2001, but I have served in four districts under eight superintendents. Since 2006 I have been in three different churches with five superintendents. } My answers are based upon conversations and feedback from both my congregation and other pastors as I have only been a pastor for 3 years. } Where the church that I serve sits is in a land locked area and realigning the districts didn't change anything. We really haven't needed the district office recently. } I have not even really noticed the realignment; however, I was only in this district since July 2004. } There has been a measurable decrease in being connectional, in working together as congregations, and in the awareness of the gifts and needs of congregations and pastors and their families. This lack of awareness has affected pastoral transitions, disrupted long-term planning and outreach of 25 District Realignment Survey for Clergy congregations causing congregations to spend more time on rebuilding structure and process versus being in ministry. In recent years, this lack of awareness has led to "packaged" approaches by conference staff and leadership that do not always translate across the different ministry situations in our conference. Not sure that the realignment has better equipped pastors or congregations to make disciples nor has it made us more effective, agile, or cost-effecient. The districts are so large now that there seems to be a disconnect between churches and between DS and churches. Too much ground to be covered by a DS now to get out to the churches as frequently as need be, which has somewhat diminished the sense of connection. I think the local churches, especially the small churches, feel disenfranchised from the District and Conference. } I do not believe that district realignment affected our ability to make disciples. What has changed is our missional alignment, of which the number of districts may be 1 part but not the whole. We could have 20 districts and we would only be effective as a conference when on the same page. I am not sure that district alignment is what we were out to do? } I was not yet a member of clergy in 2006, so I cannot answer the first question. However, I was able to answer the others based on my observation as a lay leader and a clergy leader. In my opinion, the district realignment did not have any significant effect pro or con on the mission of the local church. The office of District Supt. has always been rather far removed from the local church only to see them when clergy are being evaluated for ordination, when a congregation is celebrating an anniversary, when moderating charge conference or church conferences, or when preparing for a pastoral change. } Before the realignment there was little to know training provided for church leadership. Since there has been more networking and collaboration of gifts and graces. The DS is now more apostolic and less administrative, which is in line with the discipline being an extension of the bishop. } I don't see the district having any affect on the ability of a church to make disciples. Churches make disciples with the help of the Holy Spirit. District seems like it has so many people and covers such a large distance that it is harder for lay people to feel connected. } } As part of the MWD it seems that aomost all of our meetings are in Toledo churches. This makes it a bit of incomve for many of us located outside of the Toledo area, it also becomes a hinderance for those lay persons who are elderly and do not like to drive in Toledo. } Due to such a large size of districts, it seems the position of the District Superintendent is less able to be in effective relationships with pastors and local churches. With the weakening of the connection the feelings toward the District and Conference became more negative. The only time we saw a Didtrict Superintendent revolved around the appointive process. With the increased number of churches under their supervision relationships of any kind were difficult to maintain. } I'm new since the realignment has happened. } I believe the realignment spread our District Superintendents too thinly--my experiences with the assistants have been great, but the re-org just added another layer to the hierarchy that wasn't necessary. Our DS's no longer know the pastors or the churches as well as they should and this adds to the "us-them" mentality many churches (and pastors) have regarding the Conference. } The realignment has not had much effect on my suburban church, but then we are the kind of church that should be helping others. I think the realignment has had a very negative effect on the church as a whole, however. The District Superintendent of the Maumee Watershed District is 26 District Realignment Survey for Clergy now responsible for twice as many churches as before, and yet the membership of those added churches only marginally increased the total membership of the district. Our district staffing level is no different than it was previously, however the increase in number of churches under the DS means far less connection with churches as a whole. } I still have reasonable and timely access to my D.S. and the resources of the District Office. } Ourcountry church has pretty much done its own thing for many years..the District Office has been supportive, but not directly involved in the congregation's outreach ministry. } } The district is there if you have a problem. Other than that, it is not an issue in the life of most members of the congregation. } } The church I serve is not dependent upon the DS. } Since realignment, it feels like the rural/small town churches have lost all resourcing. } There is little or no structure to encourage connections between churches. The District Superintendent is unable to make connections with pastors or churches because of work load. } we are out of the way and mostly act independently though we support the connection and apportionments. we are deeply involved in outreach to local community, nationally, and internationally. } Many of the town and rural churches have become more disconnected under the 2006 district realignment. Linking them to surban and urban churches in the districts has weakened their support and trust for the Conference. It has made it more difficult of a challenge to convince the churches to support apportionment giving at 100%. } I have not seen that it saved the conference any money as was the premise for the change. It also stretched the DSs even thinner than before. } They have not bothered, hindered or helped. } The realignment did not change our opportunities to receive support through the district. We were still able to write grants, meet with the DS or call the office for advice. } It does not often seem the conference/district lives out her mission to equip (help) the local church. When we reduced the # of districts, we did NOT save $ since we hired ordained clergy to be assistants to the DS - costing much money on expensive clergy and their benefits, instead of hiring great full time admin people There are some on the conference staff who get it, but the majority seem not to have a priority on vital local churches. The Conference provides primarily appointments and Clergy benefits and admin support. Too often it seems the conference wants to create local church mission and programming which gets layered on top of already busy churches and pastors. } Was not here in 2006 } A plus - I believe there has been more opportunities for Synergy training events. Minus - I believe we are spending more and more money with this model and not getting the harvest that was promised. } I am dis-connected from everyone including the superintendent. I know nothing about what is happening in the district and little about the conference. Apart from my cluster I have no opportunity for gathering with the clergy. The charge conference has changed to remove us from the DS primarily because there is to much for the DS to do. I am more isolated than ever. I do not see the District officers as means of help. } The expansion of the rural districts ... like Foothills, has created an even more overwhelming challenge for our District Superintendents than before. } I have had more access to my D.S. since the realignment. The congregation I serve was impressed that Barb Sholis took the time to visit our local church the first year of her term. } I was only remotely involved with church polity at the time, and not as clergy. } Nothing that the district or conference would do would affect the church's ability to make disciples for the 27 District Realignment Survey for Clergy purpose of transforming the world because the church does that in their own way and the way the church does is not affected by the conference or the district in any way. } There have definitely been positive moves in recent years, moves that I believe have made a difference in my church making disciples...I do not think the re-alignment has been the catalyst in that. My feeling was the re-alignment was necessary from a financial outlook, that lowering administrative costs in buildings, staff, was a priority. I have served in two very rural districts, and it seems financially that the re-alignment had some politics involved (just my opinion, which this survey invites). Were it not for church closures, Shawnee Valley District would be very tight for finances, and Foothills struggles still. Part of this is because it is difficult to have a large apportionment base when most of the churches are very small. I do not know the answer to this, but I have heard several different ideas and rumors as to why these districts go around certain towns that have larger churches (with larger apportionment amounts). I have no idea what is really true, however. It just has some appearances that the re-alignment was difficult for already- rural districts, financially. Not having experience in other districts, I do not know. } District Superintendents are not knowledgeable about the local churches nor the pastors. Decisions are made based on stats. The realities on the ground are often lost in the process. There also seems to be much less continuity in the transition from DS to DS } We have been able to use the asst DS to help in matters more quickly } I was not serving a church in 2006 during that re- alignment. } The district has been given more automomy in creating more creative ways to make new disciples for Jesus Christ. The duality between the conference and district has lessened. Clustering of pastors has helped keep accountability real and relevant. } My congregation feels very distant from the district office. When tensions arose from within the congregation about a conference-wide decision, the perceived lack of relationship made the situation much harder to deal with. } Originally, I had thought it would help due to the financial capacity to provide more and higher quality training events and experiences to pastors and local congregation leaders. Unfortunately, Bishop Ough's observation that this structure would cost the same or more seems to have been accurate. } This congregation needed a lot of guidance, but while the DS has been willing to listen, there has been little help with what needed to be accomplished. Some of the things the DS agreed to do to get needed information was put on a back burner because of the work load. The assistant to the DS would listen and offer wisdom from past experience in the district, but little help for direction. } With realignment the U.M. Connection becomes more disconnected not more connected. For my local church, disciple making for the purpose of transforming the world is not dependent on the Confrerence or District. The realignment only made this reality more evident, pushed the congregation to be more autonomous. We continue, and will continue to make disciples for the transformation of the world inspite of the huge disconnect of realignment. } Our district connections have not improved or declined with the realignment. We DS and spouse have worked to have district wide events that are well received. We are a large district and that makes connections difficult because of the geographical distances involved. The size also makes district-wide events difficult because of the travel necessary and so some events are repeated in order to make them closer to churches. } Being new to the ministry (within the last few months) I cannot comment 28 District Realignment Survey for Clergy on the issue. I can say that in the time I've been involved our District has been very helpful. Things are pretty much the same as before, except you don't see the DS as much. } I think that there has been great attention on the part of conference and districts around disciple making, but I can't connect it to realignment. } Our district is so large and stretched out now that we have lost connection more than I care to experience. We make better disciples when connected more strongly with other vibrant and growing congregations. Plus, our DS has so much territory to cover, that we haven't seen him in 4 years other than at District meetings, even though we were promised we could expect a visit every year from either the DS or Assistant. They are much too busy with this alignment to pay any attention to the little guy, who is also making am impact in their community. } On the one hand, the locus of disciple-making lies in the local church, so district alignment is somewhat irrelevant to that. On the other hand, the district superintendent does not visit church annually nor conduct one-on-ones with each pastor annually and is more isolated from local churches. (Invitations for one-on-ones are extended, but ... ) } I have experienced that it is more the personality and personal emphasis of the DS regardless of district size or alignment. Each DS has their own agenda, next great process to try, even if another one has worked well in the past. So each transition we wait to see what is the next emphasis, and are often skeptical until forced to do it. Some DS are more trusted than others by churches and leaders. } The "Synergy" training opportunities in the Ohio River Valley District have been very valuable in training and equipping our leaders and in helping me to see the value of connection in our district. } Over the past six years, my work as a leader has moved much more from feeling supported by conference and district resources to working in my context with the resources I have. There is still very poor alignment between conference initiatives and districts--most things still originate from and are administered out of the WOC office and leadership linkages to the district are not consistent. We do not have a "flatter" structure. We still have a hierarchical structure, and the hierarchy is less able to relate to local churches. This is largely a function of the size of the Districts. } I only joined the conference in 2012, so I have no comparative experience to relay. } during the past four years i have served on our district leadership team. I have gained addtl ldrshp training and am now better equipped to to encourage transformational ministry. } Our District Superintendent has done a great deal towards fostering a cooperative atmosphere. He has also provided many learning opportunities for pastors to learn and work together. } The realignment has hurt the District UMW, though it may have declined anyway. It increased the distances women had to drive. As a pastor, I feel disconnected with pastors outside my cluster. When we do meet as a district, almost all the time is giving us information and very little time in building relationships. We do not even have nametags to help us. It is common for pastors to just hang out with those they know already. I have only been serving in the West Ohio Conference since 2007, so I cannot make a comparison. } I see the pastor as primary in making disciples. Supporting the pastor in that role is the DS' role. When a DS has 140-180 churches, there's no ways/he can know the churches or the pastors. I believe the realignment has indeed saved money that has stayed in the local church and helped make disciples so it is a trade-off. } I do not see an impact made by re-alignment. More important is the missional emphasis provided by teaching mission 29 District Realignment Survey for Clergy centers. } My comments are fairly general, but in CAN, I can see how having people in the District office with different strengths and backgrounds is beneficial....administrative/pastoral, urban/rural, big picture/detail-oriented. } I have been reappointed twice since realignment. At first the larger districts seemed a barrier to connection since the DS had many more churches to cover. When I moved to a district without a large city, the partnership between DS and their assistant was more beneficial and supportive to connections. } This church has always had a strong interaction with the District Office, DS and Staff. However, our current DS is the best we've ever had and it has been his work more than the realignment that has made a difference. However the work of the Assistant DS has made a big difference in the smaller church in our District. That has been a substantial help! } I was not a pastor prior to the realignment, but I see no difference in the time I have been a pastor. } I've not experienced much interaction between the district level and local church level except when a serious problem arises or when new appointments are being made. } The District names are in identifiable, whereas the "Findlay District" gave others some idea of where you're from. The District Superintendents used to attend most churches' Charge Conferences. People knew their Superintendents. Now few church members know them. This affects their motivation to pay District apportionments. Although the districts are quite large, it seems that a more centralized structure with fewer districts has helped to increase the overall cohesion of the conference on some level. Perhaps it is just easier to embed core DNA through fewer channels. } Its meant that the DS has a lot more territory. My DS has been very present to us, so that must mean he is running fast to every corner of the district. Perhaps more than is good for one person. } I've been a pastor longer under the realignment now than I was before the realignment. I believe our most recent D.S. would have brought the same excellent training opportunities to the district whether we were under a different alignment or not. } I think everyone knew that a big part of re-allignment was to reduce costs to the local churches in support of overal district overhead expenses. I will assume it has helped from the previous situation. The increasing emphasis upon the Clergy Clusters has created greater connectedness for many. I feel this has been a benefit. } We are a connectional church. Many of our current Districts have more churches and more pastors than most Annual Conferences have. I do not believe we strengthen our connection by increasing the size of our Districts, the workload of our District Superintendents, and the mileage needed for local churches to participate in District gatherings, mission, and other events. } Considering the large number of churches in each district, it seems too difficult to maintain much of a sense of connection with one another. Geographic and context differences are simply too broad. } Although I had only one year of FT ministry in the previous districting model, it seems to me that I had a better connection in that year than in all subsequent years. One specific illustration: In 2005, the DS visited my church unannounced on a Sunday morning to participate in worship and get first-hand observations of our congregation. I have never had that same experience with the DS in the new model. } hurt, in that the last 2 D.S.'s, the responsibilities of the D.S's has made increased from all we have heard. The few contacts and interactions between them and their pastors has almost become nill in the last year or two. Better connections with other pastors and multiple churches working together by our clusters, has helped to fill the void. I 30 District Realignment Survey for Clergy was not aware of conditions or the structure prior to 2006. } District leadership over the past 7 years has been reaching out to the local church and the folks in the pews less and less. Accompanying the realignment was a greater clarity of mission and purpose at the District level. This, coupled with the clergy cluster program, has led to more interactions between clergy and churches, I think. } Having an assistant to the DS has been great and the assistant has been able to have a more focused impact on the ministry of our rural churches. Because of the size of the district, we tend to offer trainings in more than one location so we have additional opportunities available to us. } The DS and Assistant to DS are so overwhelmed with tedious works and interviews/reviews, constant meetings...When a pastor or church need their prayerful council or guidance there is too little prayer or TIME. } Until my most recent appointment, I have served as an associate pastor. It always seemed to me that the DS was DS for the senoir pastor and not for me. Since I spent 15 years as an associate then, I never developed the habit of consulting or working with a DS. } It is much more difficult for the D.S. to know with sufficient depth the dynamics and sense of vision that the congregations in the district have. They have to prioritize where they put their attention, and as a result, I don't believe they can devote the time and focused attention to all the churches in their district. And, clergy even more have to take responsibility to stay in touch with their D.S. (which maybe isn't a bad thing, but makes it easier for those who want to fly under the radar.) } The refocusing of the role of DS has increased our church's connection to him as a resource. That has been a help. I feel this outweighs the negative impact of having a larger district and reducing the connection between churches. A more accurate answer would be that it has both helped and hindered our church's ability. } I have seen a marked decrease in identification by the church with the district and DS office. Each DS is responsible for too many churches to adequately know and represent them. transforming the world is not something that can be dependent upon something is congruent as when district lines fall. Transforming our world must be a personal issue address by each local church. Hopefully, our local churches want to work together regardless of where district lines fall. } Having closer contact with other churches (large and small) was a good resource as well as a working connectional system. } Since the realignment it seems that we are less connected as a church. I think churches are regional in their relationships with one another. But at the same time I see our society in general becoming more and more fragmented so perhaps the church is simply reflecting this trend. } The District is larger and meetings are at further distances.
How, if at all, would you change the role of the district superintendents?
Fine as is. } I don't know that I would have a suggestion as to a change in the role. } It appears that huge amounts of time are spent out of district whether at conference visioning (necessary for growing together and discerning) or hands on mission and service. Note "appears" -- may not be the reality. } There needs to be a more visible presence of the DS in the local church. They need to hear the sauces and the struggles in the local church } Have DS visit congregations as preacher or teacher more frequently } I have suggstion for the DS Ours is doing a good job } I feel very comfortable with our D.S. He is extremely accessible and 31 District Realignment Survey for Clergy innovative. I am not aware of any ways in which I would change that. } N/A } The one on one annual conversations have not been very pastoral in my experience. They have been about the connection. I would like to think that my DS can come along side me as I pastor this church. In some districts it seems the DS concerns himself/herself with the larger churches, while the ADS is charged to oversee the smaller churches. Therefore the small membership churches feel a greater disconnect with the district and conference. The DS needs to oversee all the churches with the assistance of the ads. Furthermore, the DS might take a greater role in leadership development among the clergy and spiritual growthof clergy } I would encourage the DS to be more engaged with utilizing a district leadership team for a more collaborative engagement and purpose rather than as a mere liaison extension of the district } I wouldn't change anything of significance. The effort of helping pastors get in a vital cluster, increased training, etc. have been welcomed by our church. } Needs to be more available to all sizes of churches Personally meet with clergy groups by county or city areas providing them with an inspirational Bible study. } District Superintendents need to lead problem-solving teams that actually engage some of the Pastor and Parish dysfunctions that stifle church growth and revitalization. At times the personality, call and skill set of certain pastors are found, after two or three years, to be poorly matched with the needs and mission of the congregation. Remediation Teams need to initiate and process the transition for both the Pastor and Parish in a timely and constructive way. Other times a few gate-keepers and power-brokers within the membership can limit any long-term growth and improvement. Remediation Teams need to help remove negative leaders from controlling roles. District Superintendents need to help solve problems between churches and pastors, in a more timely manner, when the conflict resolution process breaks down within the congregation. } Continue to be aware of and knowledgable about the realities of the churches in the district. District superintendents need more time to build trust with the local church. They need to be free from some of the administration. } They need to be far less active in conference activities and more focused on local churches. } I'd rather be lead by a visionary leader than a polity policeman. } More or a supportive role then putative } I am not sure. } I don't know } don't have an opinion } It would be wonderful if the district superintendent could get better acquainted with the ministry of individual churches and help them partner in ministry. I'd like for the district superintendent to know my ministry gifts & talents - there are a variety of ways to allow this to happen. It would also be wonderful to use some of the WOC Crucible training for pastors & staff in each district. We need to get on the same page for the same purpose and move forward taking into consideration individual context. Personally, I have worked with several "Senior Pastors" and what is being taught in the seminary & in the Crucible Leadership training needs to be brought into alignment throughout our churches. } More pastoral. } Keep seeking innovative DS's that can bring their own unique flavor and gifts to their districts and then staff around the needs of each individual DS. For example, if a DS is a strong relational leader choose an Assistant with strong admin skills. On the other hand, if the DS is a visionary, big picture person that struggles relationally choose an Assistant with strong relational skills to deal with pastors and congregations that need "extra" attention. Beyond the basic tasks, the DS job description should fit the invidiual gifts of the DS rather than trying to fit 32 District Realignment Survey for Clergy the DS into a way too confining job description that is way too big and way too institutionally weighted. } No changes } There needs to be enough time for a DS to do all the administrative duties that they are tasked to do- along with time to truly be the pastors pastor within the district. Our districts are so large at this time that it makes it almost impossible to do this until a crisis is upon a church or a pastor } Our district superintendent has not been inside our congregation's building for over three years, nor have we had a serious discussion of ministry, mine or that of the congregation. The superintendent is a vital link in the connection and it is missing. If there is no crisis in the congregation, and if we pay our apportionment we don't see our DS. } I like the model in the Foothills District, where the D.S. oversees the large - medium churches, while the A.D.S. oversees the smaller churches. It helps the churches to feel as though their D.S. knows them. } Would like to feel more supported by the district superintendent and assistant to the DS. } They should return to being the pastors pastor. Continue emphasis on identifying and deploying new leaders. Continue to encourage new church starts and strategic partnerships. Increase emphasis on coaching. } I still feel we need more pastoral care. With the districts being so large the DS doesn't know the pastors well and this effects the process. The DS miises alot of significant events in the life of the pastors in the distiricts; i.e. deaths, illness, etc. Not that the DS has to make personal visits but some form of recognition I feel would boost moral among the districts pastors. A note, a phone call would do wonders. } Grant the D.S. more time to interact with local congregations and pastors. } Return to smaller districts so DSs can know the churches and pastors. } The church misses seeing the DS in the church for annual church/charge conference and could not recall the last time the DS was actually in the church. They don't feel connected that way and feel like all they do is write a check. } We need more DS's who are willing to make the tough calls -- close ineffective churches, hold pastors to a higher standard of accountability, all the while encouraging those who are making positive steps. } They simply need to be able to equip pastors and churches to make disciples. Realize there is no cookie cutter way to do this, but making inclusiveness such a big deal may cause a trade off else where. } Be a part of ALL congregations } No comment I would love for the District Superintendent to be able to re-fulfill the "Pastor to the Pastor" role, to be able to have a pastoral care role before the need for a role in conflict-resolution. } I think the structure is OK. } Not change } Changing the role of the district superintendency may require General Conference action. In my opinion, the General Church structure is too big. I like the idea of simple structures and systems for less is more. If the General Church could move responsibility and authority closer to the local church, I think we could see more effectiveness in the making of new disciples in America. Superintendents would continue their role in the appointive system, while shifting General Church and other conference responsibilities to the leading and equipping of the saints in their districts. } None } I would relieve the DS and assistant DS's of some of their responsibilities that require them to "be in the office" so much and encourage/strongly recommend they spend more time interacting face-to-face with the local churches. The relations between local churches (especially T&C churches in rural counties in urban dominant districts) is strained and not nearly as strong nor as connected as it could or should be. If we want to improve and encourage local churches to be more connectional with 33 District Realignment Survey for Clergy paid apportionments, then let's work on getting the DS's and assistant DS's out into the local churches more often. I know it is radical, but I would suggest either a DS or an assistant DS actually worship in a different district church every Sunday....and then spend lunch with the pastor and SPRC of that church. Yes, I know that's asking a lot, but if we want to improve communications and become more connectional, we need to become more relational and that won't happen with Emails or letters or once a year greetings at a district event. } It is not a matter of changing the role, but how it is implemented. My DS does not do 1X1's anymore. He does not attend charge conferences. I know how to get his attention when I want it, but it also means I can avoid when I want to avoid it, too. So, I think, the DS makes assumptions about my church and my leadership based on information that may not be entirely accurate. (I'm a former DS. I understand how that works.) } They need to get back into the churches. If we had not had special charge conferences for building, our people would never have seen a DS. } Part of the role of the D.S. is to be pastor to the pastors. That is a difficult responsibility with larger districts and the other jobs the D.S. has to carry out. More personal time with each pastor makes a great difference. } Do whatever it takes to empower them to be able to form deeper relationships with all of the pastors and parishes under their authority. For instance, cut expenses per D.S. and cut the number of churches to, say, 50 -- such that they could visit each church at least once a year. Give office space for free within larger church facilities, or in the D.S. parsonage, etc. Prioritize the use of D.S. time toward growing and high potential churches of all sizes. After two years of being a D.S., seriously evaluate and consider replacing if it is clear the person is not right for the role. } No change } I would have them spend more time in churches, learning about their specific problems. } The DS should get to know the pastors that s/he are supposed to be caring for. I think the DS only knows the medium to big church pastors, and does not know the small church pastors. } I have had very little interaction with the District Superintendent. I am not sure what the role consists of to recommend change. } My DS is great so I have no suggestions. He is responsive, assertive and brave. And he loves the Lord and all people. He is discerning and knows when to hold em and when to fold em. } It would be nice if we knew the district superintendent knew the leaders in our church better--especially the pastor-parish committees. I am concerned when a new appointment would be made. } DS needs to come around to the local church. Perhaps more hands on and less office /paper work or obsession with numbers, i.e. growth occurs in many ways. } no change } I would recommend that the DS role continue to be a positive and exciting cheerleader for the churches in the district assigned to each DS. The two DS that I have served under always have impressed me with their honesty and their excitement for even the little of joys. Every congregation under their care is seen as the same congregation and covered with love and support even if a congregation is struggling. } It is important that the DS be in the churches - he or she is the connecting person to the conference. (Yes, I am also, but the DS has more power.) } I would make them more pastoral and accessible. } I don't know, how do you balance the administrative with relational when you have so many churches to attend? I think the DS's are doing well. } I would like to see the district superintendent become more of a pastor to the pastor rather than an extension of the bishop. } I would add a full-time assistant on every 34 District Realignment Survey for Clergy district in order to have more face-to-face time. } DSs have been less active in any programmatic initiative. } I don't know. } none } I would either use the DS as the pastor/leader among pastors and let the assistant take care of the fires or depending on the gifting do just the opposite. We need a pastor of pastors. } Not knowing what they are supposed to being doing, I would think that the DS should be a leader of leaders, a pastor of pastors, doing their best to disciple the men and women who are discipling the leaders of local churches. } District Superintendents at their best are actively helping churches to become the best that they can be. I'd love to see our DS's spending more of their time and resources equipping churches to be great! } The realignment opened the way for the district superintendent to transition from being an administrator to that of being a true spiritual leader, inspiring both clergy and laity to fulfill the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. I would suggest to foster an environment that continues to free the district superintendents from administrative burdens so they can focus more of their energy on being spiritual leaders. These group sessions have also been very helpful in improving the connection of local area churches. } no comment I hear complaints from lay persons that they miss not getting to know the district superintendent personally by way of visits or charge conference because of the largeness of the district. } I would not change the role of the DS } The role of district superintendent has become more exclusively a function of the appointment process and referee/parent figure/disciplinarian in problem situations. } The DS needs to get back into the churches at least once/year, or at the very least return charge conferences to a time when the DS can meet with the church leadership, not just to vote on important matters but to sit down and discuss how things are going. And a yearly visit with the PPRC would also be appropriate. The DS was once considered the pastor of the district, and the link between the conference and the district -- now the DS is simply a figurehead who doesn't know the congregations. } I think I would divide the district into regions with additional Assistant's to the DS working with churches in that region. They would meet with the DS and report on the churches in their region so the DS, along with the assistants, could be more involved in the life of the churches. } I know they are so busy, but It would be great if they could have closer contact and more availability. } The administrative function is so heavy, it takes a very special and gifted leader to be able to care for their pastors as well. I wish this could be different, for their sake (the ds) and the local church as well. } Less emphasis on personal agendas and more on what the conference does as a whole, ie, number of missionaries funded totally vs. number in Vietnam.p Sensitivity training is needed when dealing with veterans of wars membership who have PTSD. } Perhaps make the office more resource based....more available for training local churches. I say "the office" because I realize there are some administrative/ pastoral tasks that must be accomplished... } Return to being a "pastor to pastors", and let the emphasis on coaching and mentoring come from elsewhere (including the asst. DS.). Many of our pastors are frustrated and discouraged; they need to know they count in the big scheme of things and that somebody cares about them as persons as well as about what kind of numbers they can produce. Give us spiritual encouragement! } The District Superintendent should be seen by the rural churches in a leadership role. But many times the assistant to the D.S. was the one who took on the role of 35 District Realignment Survey for Clergy leader for the rural churches. }v Quarterly prayer and teaching gathering with clergy and lay leaders And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in breaking of bread, and prayers....Acts 2:42 ..."It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables (do the work of ministry)...but we will give ourselves continually to prayer...and the word Acts 6:2-4 We must make The Word and Prayer The Main Thing! } Sometimes there seems to be more focus on the business aspect of the church rather than on pastoral care. I'd like to see district superintendents focus more on developing relationships with the pastors under their care. I am not sure, when I was first starting, the role of the DS was told to me to be the Pastor of the Pastor's. For several years I have been missing that role, as I have struggled with many issues, and had no one to turn to. The current DS structure is more of a"Keep in line" structure and less of a place to assist Pastors. Return to a more "pastor to the pastors" approach. } Increase relationship with pastors and their congregations. The pastoral care side of our ministry covenant should not be ignored. } I do not see any changes necessary } Help clarify if they are meant to be administrators, pastor to the pastors, or both. Sometimes I feel like the DS is checking items off of their list, with caring for me and my family coming secondary. I understand that there are a lot of pastors, and only on DS per district, but it would be helpful to feel invested in. } I think the primary role of the DS is to come along side and be prayer warrior and encourager for the pastors under her or his care. Seek to challenge and hold accountable pastors as they lead their respective congregations in meeting the needs and hopes of others in Jesus' name. } I do wish they could have less churches to 'manage.' I wonder how well they can know us as pastors and know the church personality at the same time. } I think DS as distance trainer or who locates national calib. Trainers for pastors. Reduce their need to be the pastoral care person and give that to the assistant DS. Let the DS become the resource for upping the level of solid input for pastors. } I have to admit that I am not sure really what the current role of the DS's is. I do not say that to criticize the DSs I have had--just to say that I am not really certain what they do. I wish DSs had more time to get to know both pastors and congregations personally and up close, so they can make the best possible appointments and so they can help pastors and congregations work to each other's strengths. more pastoral oversight and care. Building support as opposed to putting out fires or simply making appointments. } More visibility would help. Visit the cluster groups. Do a listening session. In alternate years, do county-wide Charge Conferences. We're losing something when we don't get the DS "out there" where the people are. } It is difficult to say how I would change the role of the DS. It is one of those things that you really wouldn't know until you walked in the shoes of the DS for a while. Yearly meetings used to be available but for the past couple of years those time slots are for pastors requesting a move and/or pastors who are having problems in their appointment. } I am not certain that changing the role is necessary. } Make them more of a pastor's pastor. Support through emails sent out to pastors for encouragement. Bring back monthly gatherings. Get to know the pastors on a more personal basis. Have more personal contact with the churches. Somehow relieve the district superintendents from always getting to be called in only to solve big problems. } No change, role is acceptable. } Ideally, the role of the DS would be as the pastor to the pastors, but most of the time the DS is a 36 District Realignment Survey for Clergy fireman...putting out the fires in the hotspots (or at least trying to). } Right now, and for a long time, the D.S has an 'impossible' job. They are expected to baby sit with churches that are internally focused and managed by 'control people' who have little to no idea on how to run a church. A church is a business, most church people are not business savvy. Pastor who are singularly seminary trained also have little idea how to manage people and administration. Pastor should have a business minor. The D.S. needs to be like a CEO, with authority. Give them some authority over pastors who do not do their job. All they have is 'suggestion'' authority now. If our church were a business, we would have gone broke long ago. } If it were up to me I would make the DS's role much more pastoral, one in which the DS would visit each church in the district at least once in the first 2 years for worship and conversation. TO get to know the people in the churches better and also the pastor's. I would keep the one on ones with the pastor's that our district has but I would change the focus of them each year...... have one as a get to know you meeting , the next a settng of some personal and ministry goals, the next a review of how the goals are going...etc. I think it would mean less time in cabinet with appointments and more time in the districts getting to know intimately the churches which would I believe make the time in cabinet much more fruitful, helpful and pastoral. } Decrease the number of churches each DS is responsible for. } I have nothing but positive things to say about both my district supt and assistant. } I have 47 years in this conference. The 1st 30 our supers were pastors to the pastors and were almost every year in the church at least once a year. Charge conferences were not just perfunctory, legal events you had to endure. Frankly we could really just mail it in. I trusted all of my supers with any issue or problem the 1st 30, but the last 15 or 20 what you have given us are middle managers who are more interested in conference than the local church, at least that is the perception among much of the laity . My point is a way should be found to make it possible to relate more directly, maybe 2 or 3 days at a time with each congregation to really understand what the local church is facing and also to appreciate the great wealth of faith and witness that even some of our smallest churches carry on. } I don't know that a superintendent has the time to do all that they are required to do. My thought is that they are spread too think . } I feel the DS's have way too much on their plates, and I don't see that we saved any money, since at least in our district we now have an assistant and the assistant's secretary. They have a much bigger area to cover and we now have the loss of communication with the DS's } too busy } For me, the present system works well. The DS or asst is available when needed. } More visible in the local churches. DS are usually serve a 6 year term so why can't they visit/come worship/support with their presence at least once a year or every other year. } No comment } This is a complicated question. I have served in three districts since alignment. In two of the districts, there was a clear person to contact for any issues with the church (either the DS or assistant) who was familiar with the church. In my current district, neither the DS or assistant know much about the church, forget any information they are given, and do not follow through on promises. I would suggest a clearer division of responsibility between the DS and assistant that allows the district leadership to more accurately respond to needs in the church, but this may be an issue more with my current district than others. I am not sure I even understand the role of the DS. In my time as 37 District Realignment Survey for Clergy a pastor we have had very little interaction with our DS. I would like to see the district and confrence offer more help to those churches that are being affective in ministry but due to finacial issues are unable to pay apportionments. It seems that because we are unable to pay we are being punished which seems unfair. } The role is so administrative as it needs to be but I wish that District Superintendents would have the time to visit congregations that were doing well and get to know them better. Right now the districts are so large that is impossible. I appreciate the excellent administrative and leadership training as a pastor that I have experienced. } I don't need ideas. I have plenty of ideas. More than I can put into action. And I don't need new jargon or catch phrases. And I don't need more accountability structures. What I need is a DS who is a supportive, positive, affirming leader who sees our vision as much as his/her own and is a positive, visionary voice for the connection. } I'm not sure a change is needed, selecting the proper perosn to be the DS is more important. Those who I feel have been most effective have made the effort to be more aware of each local church, its ministries, its leaders. } I am not qualified to answer this question } It would be good if superintendents would know the clergy and congregations and communities on their district and to a large part beyond -- if time is taken to make good appointments many obstacles can be overcome } there is almost no relationship any more between me and my district superintendent } If they had fewer churches in the district they would be able to spend some time with the congregations and know the needs of each church. Not just what the SPRC says they need and want } Not sure - one loss I see from the realignment is that my local church does not know the DS and he/she does not really know my church due to the geographic and numerical expansion of district size. } My observation is the pastors family needs pastoral care which cannot always be provided by a congregation or cluster. Perhaps the d.s or assistant could more closely oversee this aspect. } Have the D.S. spent more time in local churches. } I think the district superintendent is doing a good job but would like to see more involvement with the smaller churches to help them grow. } I think our district superintendent is a good model. Our D.S. regularly communicates via email about important events and information, news of a critical nature and sends emails of spiritual depth and insight showing that not only does the DS call for greater spirituality on the part of the clergy but personally demonstrates that as well. Our DS has always been approachable and accessible when needed. } Shrink the size of the districts and do away with the role of the assistant to the ds } The DS role is not the problem. The organizational design is the problem; too many sites without the human capital to categorize/triage the churches with a set of proven, best practices interventions. He/She needs a team that is devoted to Training/Organizational development principles that have proven to be effective for the development of leaders, evaluating problem areas and resources to assist in resolution. I think hard decisions have to be made about combining some charges in a strategic manner however } N/A } The superintendent's role has become more of a CEO with the larger size of the district(s). There is a need for the superintendent to be a pastor to the pastors. More pastoral rather than administrative } Continue with leadership role, letting administrative items fall to assistant and other district staff } to be more personal and connected to the churches } The more spiritual counsel the better...such as leading worship for clergy, helping 38 District Realignment Survey for Clergy with personal spiritual growth, etc. We get a lot of leadership tools and how to classes, but words of encouragement and spiritual depth are even more appreciated. } No change needed. Always a phone call away } Increased visibility in the local church. } Need to be out in the church more and get to know the pastors (at least strategically). That is what we were promised would happen. I have expereinced it for a couple of years once (in another district) } I would like to see DS's be more about church training, interaction and pastoral support to the pastor especially in time of crisis. A pastor had open heart surgery and the DS never even connected with him or his wife, also a pastor...did he know...yes he did! Pastors really need pastoral support in our lives! Who do we go to? I was told that anything we share with the DS is " fodder for the cabinet table". Really? How sad. A Pastor has cancer and loses her "job" and is seen by the DS as a liability instead of someone who needs the concern and support of the DS and her Bishop. How can this happen? A Pastor is diagnosed with a mental health issue and loses his "job" or position and is not supported by his DS Nor his Bishop...how can we do this to our own? This is just a couple of examples...perhaps more are out there if you ask. } I have heard time and time again the DS was the pastor to the pastors. Well with a DS having so many churches and pastors I don't think any of them have ever been a pastor to me. We have had at several times have had family crisis and have notified the office and not even a phone call from DS. If I pastored this way I may have been looking for career. } District Superintendents need to be in the local churches. They need to know the churches, the people, and encourage them to be more. Pastors need to pastor. DS need to set the standards for the church to move toward. Pastors need to be part of the team and not the ones saying you are not working hard enough. Too many church have a lot of baggage that must be dealt with. Some pastors can do well but others really need the a level higher to say "this is the expectation". Examples of standards would be paying appointments, worship attendance, professions of faith, baptism, etc. If churches are not held accountable by a higher authority, then the pastor can easily become the fall guy. I believe my DS has been great but I have taken advantage of his coaching. I have been upfront with my concerns about my church. I made sure my church knew the DS. He has set the standards. He has told the real story of who we are and what our future looks like. He has cast a vision for our district but he has also been distracted by his many tasks at cabinet and the other committees he is connected to. This is not the story of the DS who introduced me to my new appointment. I knew more than this DS did about where I was going at the introduction. Overall, it feels as though this position has become more of a monitor on apportionments than on ministry. For example, I crossed paths with a D.S. (who is former now) at conference a few years ago and was pulled aside saying that they needed to see me. The D.S. pulled a book out and said "oh your okay I was just checking on apportionment payments by the Church." Then a year ago my church received a letter from another D.S. wondering why my Church hadn't paid the same amount of apportionments during the first quarter as it did the previous year. The reasoning was because we had paid 100% of apportionments the prior year during the first quarter. In the current year we needed those funds for other projects and decided to pay quarterly. I understand the need to pay apportionments but rarely if ever has a D.S. stopped me and asked "How's your Church doing?" "Anything new happening?" I would like to see this 39 District Realignment Survey for Clergy changed so that it feels as though the D.S. really cares about the church I serve and not just the money the conference gets from apportionments. } Leave it as it is. } In the district where I serve the Assistant to the DS handles all small churches and the DS handles larger churches. I think that it would help morale in all churches if the DS and Assistant were to relate to all churches regardless of size. Having the DS come to the charge conferences for small churches, even if on a rotating basis, would be very helpful. } Have them act more as "Leaders of leaders". The leadership pool is very shallow in the conference. We have Preacher/teachers/shepherds and managers but we need leadership development on a higher level than we are currently functioning. Great churches are led by people with great leadership skills. } I'd emphasize more the pastoral role - seeing them as a pastor to pastors. Much of the way things are now is like a middle management position in a corporation - including their salaries. We are the church after all! Sometimes it seems like they have forgotten what it's like to be a pastor of a local church. I would like to have the opportunity for the DS to actually know me and my ministry and my real gifts and those that I really lack. I want the DS to know who I am and not just look at the church statistics and make a judgment about who I might be. } I think the District Superintendents are over-worked and spread too thin and cannot possibly relate to all of the pastors or churches for whom they are assigned the responsibility of leadership. For many years each church could count on at least one in person contact with their District Superintendent. That is not possible now because of the larger districts and more numerous churches and pastors assigned to the D.S. } More time casting vision and training local church leaders. } The district superintendents really need to find a way to be in each church meeting with SPPRs/pastors annually. I understand that we've moved to a cluster charge conference system, which works well, but throughout the rest of the year, the rapport between churches and the district/conference levels could be greatly aided by more of a visual presence of superintendents in local congregations. } I would give the D.S. fewer churches to be responsible for and then make him/her more of a coach for each pastor and local church. If necessary, the D.S. would have to have special training for this role but it would be worth it. To help with this, I would also limit the number of Boards, Agencies, etc. that the D.S. would be part of. This is time consuming and reduces his/her abilibty to function with the local churches. } I don't know that I see the need for major changes in the role of the DS. I think the size of the districts has driven the sense of disconnect and removed the relational aspect of being a DS. They are sometimes seen as remote "bosses" rather than leaders who know enough about a specific church to offer advice about how to change. I think the importance of the DS actually being in a church, at least from the point of view of smaller membership churches, was missed in the last alignment. } Smaller Churches, I would say that even Mid-sized churches want to see the DS in their church. They want to see the DS or ADS in worship with them. I think this loss, due to the size of the districts has been a real blow to the connectional nature of United Methodism. I understand there are financial realities that drove the redistricting, however, I think we would have been better off from a connectional point of view with more districts rather than fewer districts. What if we explored a model where the DS remains attached to a large church with half of his or her salary coming from the church and the other half coming from the Conference. I think it would be 40 District Realignment Survey for Clergy valuable to keep the DS in a parish setting, dealing, at least a little, with the day to day issues of a church as well as working at the Conference. A foot in both camps as it were. } Our DS can't answer any questions himself. I would select people who have gifts for the role, not those who have peculiar gifts in a narrow area. } Not to function as a "boss" to the pastors in the district, but more as a colleague. To be a minister, not a CEO. To regard the autonomy of each local church, and to get behind the pastors, not "lord it over them," as it says in 1 Peter chapter 5. To be an example to the pastors, and to pay some attention to the local pastor parish evaluations, which is where the greatest accountability for a local pastor should lie, at the level of the pastor parish committee. } Continue to increase the amount of resources for training and retooling to churches made available through the district superintendent's office. } No change I don't know. I do like the changes they have made in recent years. } Without mentioning my district - we have 2. The DS works with the larger churches and the assistant with the smaller churches. Yet when the Bishop came for a meeting the DS was included rather than the assistant who was known by the people in my churches. Doesn't seem quite right. } In my view, the role of the DS is leadership by example. They should intentionally visit area churches to get a sense of what is really going on. It would be great if the DS would show a little special interest in our church. I haven't seen a DS on a Sunday morning in over 15 years. } Office of DS, including assistant and office staff, as more broad-based information dissemination point. Feel as if I/we only scratch the surface of what is available. } Not at all. } I think they should spend more time visiting churches My church Cutler Chapel has been visited one time in the 8 years I have pastored the church } To be a pastor to the pastors and key church leaders without the gun to their heads. To seek to know the churches directly and without a continual pushing of a hierarchical agenda. How can the DS know the churches and the pastors well enough to advise the Bishop and cabinet is he/she stays aloof from the churches and pastors and does more telling, "vision casting," and scolding than listening and knowing and loving? I'm afraid that I'm a little spoiled. Rev. Bishman was in my opinion almost perfect as a DS. } 1) The superintendents can't continue to have responsibility for so many churches. 2) Their role must be redefined as being responsible primarily for the local churches and pastors appointed to them. The personnel function needs to be morphed ever more clearly toward creating and monitoring of "successful arranged marriages" between pastors and congregations. 3) Continue the strong and creative efforts made in leadership development. One should certainly applaud the recent efforts by the conference in this area. A narrower range of responsibilities for the superintendents would allow them to play a more vigorous role in this arena. 4) The ministry of presence. Because of the scope of superintendents' responsibilities, for the sake of efficiency, we have created structures like – cluster "Church Conferences." While this cluster Church Conference structure in many ways is effective and should not be changed, the resulting efficiency efficiency should free superintendents to have a greater presence with pastors and churches they serve. The ministry of presence is being practiced inconsistently by superintendents due to the unintended consequence of the 2006 structure. } I loved Randy Stearns modeling of DS role when he was on the old Springfield district. I think that was ideal but the districts may now be too large for that to work. } Be more of a pastor to the pastors of 41 District Realignment Survey for Clergy the district } Accountability measures clearly defined & monitored } I would not change the role or responsibility } District superintendents should become more familiar with the content of messages, styles of service and work within the local churches. This should involve ALL churches and not just the larger churches within each district. } Allow them to have more assistance from some of their assistant DS. } Get them out in the public eye: proclaiming the Word of God, praying with the pastors and laity (and the unchurched as well), and professing by their example that they are NOT swayed in the things of this world. They could follow St Francis' vows of poverty (renouncing the claims the things of this world have on us), chastity (that is to say, old fashioned holiness), and obedience (to God's will); or emulate John Wesley's circuit riders. } More hands-on support in supporting clergy and laity in the local church in driving revitalized ministry. Many pastors out there attempting to revitalize ministries are alone are swinging in the wind... } It seems to work- just to find ways for the district staff to make sure each pastor and church are known. } This might differ between DSs, but I believe one of their major roles is appointments, and I'd like to see DSs be more 'pastoral' in that role. } Appointments go two ways, and pastors who are making a move may need some pastoral 'reassurance'. Helping pastors with as much information as possible helps them feel good about a move. } My district superintendent is awesome and always has time for my questions. I do however think that pastoral care of the clergy is not possible with the size of the district and wish we had a pastoral care committee or something. } The current alignment with a smaller number (smaller than the former 14 districts) has not helped ministry. I would return to the former structure and the former role/function of Superintendents. I believe this would improve the spiritual health and the ministry effectiveness of churches and pastors. Even if effectiveness is not improved by returning to the former structure, we would be healthier and no less effective. I'm not sure how to answer this question because I see the "role" of district superintendent being fulfilled differently by the various persons who fill the position. While I understand the interplay of gifts and graces, with one's style of leadership, I find my experiences with the district superintendent to be inconsistent - some are much more administrative, some are much more "pastor to the pastors". I think perhaps I would like to know what to expect. } I would encourage all district superintendents to visit all churches within their districts so that they would have a better idea of how things are going in churches, first hand. } More contact and presence with local congregations. } There remains a cultural concept that in order to be connected the district superintendent should be seen in all local churches within a given period of time. Understanding that this thought is practically difficult, perhaps there could be additional effort between the district superintendents and the assistants to the district superintendents to help with some "face time" at all local churches. } see below } I don't like not being known by the D. S. at least somewhat personally. If he/she is to judge my abilities, make decisions about my future, discuss me at cabinet, I think I should at least be known. My D. S. has never even heard me preach. } Structure time so that they can know pastors and churches. The move to fewer districts makes that difficult. } What a loaded question! Less emphasis on apportionment & district payments, and more emphasis on assisting congregations. I do believe and see the D.S. 's role as being functional and effective, though. They are 'there' if and when needed, and 42 District Realignment Survey for Clergy - 'not there' when not needed. Also, I wonder if D.S.s want all congregations to become like Ginghamsburg, which won't happen. } 1. Create smaller districts 2. Only take care of the 'business end' of the District (and Conference responsibilities) while allowing the Asst Super to be the "pastor's pastor.' } More visible to the lay people through bi-annual video updates, in which the DS would provide the vision of the district to the local church. } no opinion. } not at all } Having never served as a DS, I'm not sure I have the insight or experience to answer this. I have more to say about the district office staff. Will there be a survey regarding District program staff? } WHO is the pastor to pastors these days? WHO knows the congregations and pastors and their ministries? } The way our D.S. has filled that role is the best I have ever experienced. He focused on casting vision with a leadership team of pastors. Then he focused on equipping and leading pastors and church leaders. An increase in spiritual fruit (professions of faith, baptisms, worship attendance and outreach) within many congregations is evidence of its effectiveness. } The office is running smoothly. I wouldn't change a thing } Hard to change the role of the DS since the geographic regions have increased as well as the number of churches a DS is responsible for caring and leading. DS need to find ways to live more into the role of 'the pastor's pastor" and less denominational promoter. Yes, denominational events and programs are important, but so are the relationships with the clergy, clergy families and the local churches. Hard to be an advocate at the cabinet table if one has little idea of the pastor and/or the churches beyond the stats table. } Could they have more contact with the churches? To do so, they will need smaller districts or county leadership meetings/trainings. I and other clergy and churches appreciate not having part-time district superintendents any longer. If it is a 'set- aside' position, then the selected persons should not be teaching regularly in a seminary or serving a church. This created burnout and not enough attention to their district churches. It made the initial shift to fewer districts very difficult for many persons/churches. } Authentically loving the pastors and churches. This involves showing up. A former district superintendent never came during his six years to the church where I serve on a Sunday morning. The disconnect with the laity is huge. As one of the larger churches in the district the absence was obvious; several laity noticed and articulated their disappointment. Authentically loving the pastors and churches means saying more than encouraging words. Investing in relationships is the key. I don't know } I get the impression that the churches feel very distant from the superintendents. The only time we see them is when there are troubles or when the DS is closing the church. Make the DS more accessible to the churches. } Rev. Marla Brown of the Maumee Watershed District has been my only District Superintendent and I could not have asked for a better leader, and leadership team, than she has supported us with. } I don't think I have the power or knowledge to decide what the role of the district superintendents should be. } I feel that the district superintendent has so many churches to oversee that the DS must be stretched very thin. } I wouldn't change anything in this role } I am not sure that it is realistic in the current arrangement to expect D.S.'s to do anything more than triage and put out fires. There are too many pastors and congregations under their care to expect them to really know their pastors and congregations. The D.S.'s need to have a more active role in assisting pastors and congregations with pastoral transitions. } Not sure } More pastoral. It would be even better if 43 District Realignment Survey for Clergy they were all persons of high integrity which, in particular Marcus Atha, is not. } I like how Superintendents are helping local churches think about their mission and the Mission. For too long we have been focused on maintaining the institution and not making disciples. This is changing and the DS's are leading the way. } As a member of clergy, I would like my District Supt. to really know me, my gifts, my passionate heart. They only know what they see in a profile, but they rarely see my gifts in action or witness my personal interactions w/people. I think it is important for them to know me better given their role as part of the Bishop's Cabinet in discerning the appointment process. It would also help if laity would see the District Supt at least one time in the local church setting apart from church/charge conference in order to have a better understanding of our congregations. } The District Superintendent or assistant could have more contact with the churches. Local churches are not aware of what the role of the District superintendent entails. My current District superintendent has been excellent in being a pastor to the pastor. Not all superintendents have been that way. Clusters have also been helpful in this area. } I would want the superintendency to be even more apostolic. More involved one on one with the churches. Breaking up the responsibility between the ds with full time served churches and the assistant with the part time and supply's. Requirong a different skill set that compliment each other so that both full time and party time clergy and churches are supported in their mission with the office of the bishop through the extension of the Superintendents. } I wouldn't change the role of the DS. However, I think the larger districts are harder on the DS and his/her family. } It would be better if they had fewer congregants and pastors to care for. } As of now our DS (MWD) is doing an amazing job! } I would change the D.S. role to primarily relational and shepherding with a main priority on understanding local congregations needs. I would eliminate ALL programming responsibility from the District level. The D.S. would visit churches and coach/encourage pastors and focus on quality appointment making in their role. } Their role should be as mentors to the churches and clergy in their care. } I know that some people, especially in smaller churches, wish they had more access to the ds. I'm not sure that is necessary. } Free them up to spend more time resourcing key local churches. } I would not change anything. } Perhaps it is because of the stellar examples I had of good superintendents, but I really believe the DS is the pastor to the pastors. Administration is vitally important, but if the pastor doesn't trust his/her DS, relationships suffer and we become no different than the corporation down the road. } Because of the increased number of churches under the District Superintendent far more of the DS time must be spent on putting out fires. I believe that it must be extremely difficult for the DS to really be thinking about missional opportunities and revitalization. Pastors as a whole have less access to DS simply by virtue of the increased number of pastors under each DS. } Less Administrative and more of a Pastor to the Pastors on the front lines... } Our Supts. are doing a good job...we do see them now and then and we know they are there is we need them. } Make it more relational. } Unsure. } I would like to see the D.S.'s give more support to clergy leadership } I would like to feel that the DS cared to know all the pastors, rather than just a select few. } I would suggest that the role of the DS is to encourage churches to love their pastor with all their heart and to encourage pastors to love their churches with all their heart. The role of the DS is to value the pastors 44 District Realignment Survey for Clergy she/he administers and the churches under their care. } DS need to be visible to the local church. } the DS that I am currently serving under is well quallified to be more than an administrator. His attention to the pastor's needs as well as his assistant are currently well deffined, and supportive. } To have the district superintendents be more hands on in equipping and encouraging the clergy in their districts. To provide training sessions and getting to know them more personally. } I would suggest that DS do a better job of serving as teachers and initiators of Change. They also need to be supportive of pastors who try to reach out to the un- churched by brining change. We need to develop a tool that would measure the effectiveness of the congregation and not just the clergy. } no response } once upon a time, the DS visited the local churches once a year sothe people could see &^ get to meet them. As it is now, I have not had a ds in my churches for 8 years and the people are questioning why we support them. } I'm not sure. I don't have a good enough grasp on all that they do. I think the main thing I would like to see is that each DS has training around new church starts and has a good understanding of how to use technology to communicate with their district. } Presence IN local churches on sunday and during the week (staff and board meetings). At least half their time on vital growing churches and pastors. } I would like the District Superintendents to be more visible to the local church. I would also like the to perhaps assume more of a role of being pastors to the pastors and families. All in all over the last six years my church and myself have not really had any involvement or contact with the DS } District superintendents need to know the churches and pastors better in order to make appropriate appointments. This is impossible with the size of the districts. Additionally, many churches by seldom or never seeing the district superintendent feel little or no connection to the larger church. } Is there time in the DS role and schedule to provide pastoral care/check-in with pastors, in similar fashion to the ways pastors come alongside parishioners for pastoral care in personal/family life matters? } Not sure what their roles are. I know they are very busy, I just don't know the specifics. } How about the District Superintendents take care of leading and promoting the Bishop's vision for the conference and ultimately pastoring the pastors of the district and working with SPRC's to make sure congregations are living out the gospel of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world and fruitful practice? DS- Makes Strategic Appointments -Crisis Care- Vision Crier - Equipper - Promoter of Conference Missions and Initiatives. My DS (ORV) does not return my phone calls and emails. He seems so busy and overwhelmed all the time. I am concerned about him. I am clueless about whether he knows what is happening in my church at all or even has time to care. } The role of the DS appears to be following a business model whose premise is to be an overseer with no relational attachment to those pastors that he or she oversees. I hear a great deal of conversation centered around distrust of, and disappointment with the appointive cabinet. I realize the need for an amount of relational distance between pastors and their DS however many of the DS's seem to have forgotten that we are in the relationship business of helping folks come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. } The role now is irrelevant. Why do we need it? Leadership development comes through the conference. Charge Conference is only a training session. Apart from the structure forcing the Superintendent to make appointments there is basically no need for a superintendent. He is like a boss that never sees what you are 45 District Realignment Survey for Clergy doing, never meets with you to discuss your work, never helps in making you better. I know they spend many hours putting out fires.Perhaps I am fortunate I have not needed direct contact but I would prefer a working relationship where I am known and my church is known. } Less programming oriented. We are besieged with new programs, ideas, and innovations that will SAVE THE CHURCH. Let the pastor(s) and local churches make their own decisions about how to grow and adapt to various challenges. } I still hold a firm conviction that, as much as possible, the D.S. should be a pastor to the pastors of his/her district. I look to my D.S. as a leader, encourager, and friend. I have been told that at least one D.S. from another district has openly stated that he was not a "pastor" to the pastors. I believe that is a sad comment. } I would not change the role. } There is not enough time or space to write about this. } They need to be more supportive of the pastors than they already are? Too many pastors struggling with church problems and the D.S. takes the church side 95 percent of the time even when it is not or obviously not the pastor's fault. } My primary "inside look" at the role of district superintendent has been under Joe Bishman's leadership. I really liked the idea of a teaching/training DS that gave me tools as a pastor that I could use at a local church level. But, I was on leadership team, so I saw more than many pastors would have opportunity to. } The DS needs to be more connected to the churches they oversee and the pastors they supervise. Nothing } Each DS should make every effort to visit each church and pastor on a more regular basis } The main role continues to be leadership development. How can I as a DS equip the pastors in our district to be better leaders? The pastors, as they become better equipped, will be able to multiple the lay leadership in the local church. } They need to be able to be seen more by the people in the pews. } I think this question could be most effectively answered by the community of former district superintendents. The only observation I have is it seems to be a challenge for some to master the larger volume of personnel and local church basic data items. I believe that the DS needs to be like a senior pastor for the pastors. While the clusters are supposed to provide the needed pastor care, it is not conducive to pastoral counsel, and professional counsel is often not helpful. Also, the DS needs to be freed from so many meetings so that they can have the time to follow up on the things they are willing to do to help out pastors. } Specifically, lead the way in "making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world." } Superintendents should be more intentional about gathering the clergy of the district together for worship. } He is serving his role well. } I would not change it. } Every three years the district superintendent should be present in each church in their district for some reason: to preach, to lead charge/ church conference, attend an event of that congregation. When the district superintendent is not present "once in a while' the church become disassociated from the district and the conference. } Have the DS more visible and connecting with the pastors more. } Be more pastoral. Some are better than others in this } I personally miss the "pastor of pastors" I would ask that they at least visit the churches in their district one time a year to see what is happening at them. If they have no idea what is going on, how can the properly appoint pastors, or plan events that would assist those churches. Haven't discussed with other pastors whether they have had any visits or not, and only know of one who has. } There is always a balance between pastoral care, advocacy, and evaluation. It feels like 46 District Realignment Survey for Clergy the balance has shifted away from pastoral care and advocacy toward evaluation. } In our district the DS and Asst DS pretty much split the role according to clergy place in process, which works well. Figure out a way to strengthen DS to local church interaction beyond times of trouble or transition.. } I would not change the role of DS } The Superintendents seem consumed by administrative work and by conference initiatives, and have far too little time to truly know the congregations and clergy in their districts. It seems to me that deep knowledge of each congregation and of the gifts and graces of clergy is in fact what is needed to make each congregation a vital center for disciple making. That just doesn't happen because the conference says it should...it happens when good appointments are made and each congregation and pastor can be coached toward effectiveness. This requires investment of time and relationship. Right now it feels as though the initiative on clergy development is very conference - centric and not well deployed throughout the districts. Clergy who are able to be coaches and mentors are not being chosen and employed as effectively because the superintendents do not know their people well. } My D.S. has been an absolute catalyst for church health and growth. He has supported the local church and been a source of personal strength and wisdom for me } no perceived need for change at this time } I would not change my current DS. } There is not adequate supervision of pastors and churches. The Supt. is the only one who has both the responsibility and authority to hold pastor or church to meaningful change. Clusters may have responsibility, but they do not have any authority to bring change. We have a third of our pastors who need significant supervision with clear objectives and consequences. Supt. cannot do this alone as there are too many pastors. Pastors are the key to leading churches and we have too many not able. } I think my DS does a wonderful job. I would suggest he get an assistant. The DS really doesn't have much role, as far as I can see. } I would make the DS a pastor to the pastors, a support, an encourager. Also for the churches but pastors sometimes need to feel SOMEone has their back. No DS has the time to be bothered with being a pastor. } Help them understand their role as supervisors better. } Perhaps make the office more resource based....more available for training local churches. I say "the office" because I realize there are some administrative/ pastoral tasks that must be accomplished... } Urban centers may need dedicated assistants for urban and rural churches so neither become lesser than the other. In more rural districts an annual district preaching plan for one month in the year from the office of the DS can be helpful. The three point charge that I was serving became motivated by such a plan targeted for the month of September. } Make that role LESS of a Conference Superintendent and MORE of a District Superintendent so that s/he can be a pastor to pastors more effectively and less tied up in Conference responsibilities. } none } Be more involved in local church/pastor activities, possibly via the cluster system. Also have the DS foster for connectionalism between UMC's in close proximity, so church collaborate more. } 1) Accountability. The District Superintendents seem to lack accountability to anyone except the Bishop. Ours rarely returns emails. 2) Pastoral Care. Cluster Leaders can relay critical care issues among pastors back to the District Superintendent. 3). Availability. Visits each church at least once per year. } Just from my observations, I wish there were a way to release district superintendents from doing so much trouble shooting and managing and allowing them to invest 47 District Realignment Survey for Clergy more time and energy in leadership development, coaching and casting vision for the district. } I think its fine. I think there is a problem in that there is no pastor for pastors. There is no one on district or conference level who is not in a supervisory role, which can inhibit folks from sharing what is truly going on with them. } I find this difficult to answer because it is a bit challenging to identify what the "role" of the D.S. is. One D.S. has one way of doing things, and another seems to have a completely different view. I was among a cluster of five provisional elders who asked to be ordained a few years ago. We all worked together going through the curriculum, and working through the struggles of provisional life. My D.S. couldn't recommend my ordination. Now, was his decision just? Would he have recommended anyone else in my cluster? I am happy to hear that the BOM is beginning to move toward strengthening the work of the DCOMs around the area of recommending candidates to the Board for provisional membership. I think that one area that also needs strengthened is the connection between District Superintendents and those provisional members within their district. And the understandings for requirements for a D.S. to recommend a provisional for ordination need to be uniform across the conference. I also think that the view of our D.S. from the congregation's point of view may be helped if he/she actually made an appearance at worship or another significant life event for the congregation, or at least have a "day in the county" on a regular basis. } Between cabinet responsibilities and church/pastor troubleshooting, I'm sure time is not abundant. Perhaps something with church conferences could focus more on the inspiration found in Christ and less on "bookkeeping". Inspiration and information on healthy church models (training) would be of greatest benefit to me. } nothing in particular comes to mind } Decrease the number of pastors and churches for which the DS is responsible. Redefine the DS position to reflect the pastoral ministry of the DS, rather than the administrative funcion. } The role of pastor to the pastors no longer seems possible, given the vast number of churches each D.S. is responsible for. } I would like to see the DS model adapted to be more about deeper relationships with fewer churches, and therefore we should have more DS's rather than less. Obviously, this is a challenge both financially and in leadership availability. Perhaps the DS should become a part-time role, and then have additional "Area Superintendents" to whom the DS's share the current DS adminstrative functions beyond local church supervision. A model to evaluate might be the British Methodist Church. } not sure. It appears that ds's assistants are intended to help, but assistants are as rare as the ds's interaction with most churches. } No comment at this time. } I don't know if this is a change in the role of DS, but I really believe each DS should visit every congregation at least once and every parsonage. } if there were fewer churches for the DS, she would (hopefully) be more available than currently is. } Not at all } It is more important than ever for the DS to visit the churches and interact with the congregations directly. } I think that the DS has too many responsibilities already but one area in which I see a lack at the District level is in the guidance and supervision of supply pastors and part-time local pastors, many of which serve small. } struggling churches and often don't know what to do or how to do it, in my experience. } There should be more time spent directly with clergy or meeting with clergy clusters on a regular basis. The One-on-One is not enough time to really get connected with the DS and it is just once a year. We had the DS visit our cluster once in the past three years and it was a very 48 District Realignment Survey for Clergy helpful meeting time. } To be more of an encourager then an enforcer of rules...give guidance and inspiration to the weary... } It would be nice, but probably not feasible, to know that the DS had a good understanding of what was happening at the church and the current obstacles we are facing. } It is important to me that the District Superintendent worship at least once every two years in every church in their district. It is also important to me that the D.S. meet at least once a year in every clergy cluster in their district, and in a cluster setting with the lay leadership of each church. The meeting with the lay leadership clusters would focus on vision casting and goal setting for mission that would include a time of worship and blessing on the work to be done. } I have learned that each DS, like each pastor, approaches his or her role differently. For the local church, the DS is a significant, if not the most significant, connection they have to the Conference. Therefore, it needs to be a high priority of the DS to establish a connection with each congregation in his or her district. It's a lot easier to get a congregation to pay their apportionments when they 'feel' they are connected to the DS and Conference. } increase the number of districts and district superitendents } I would not change the role of the district superintendent } I think we as a denomination waffle on whether the organizational structure is really hierarchical or connectional. I believe a majority of the people in the church, even ones in leadership, think that our church is hierarchically organized. I think the D.S. needs to be very clear in communicating his understanding of this. } I have already seen change and I like it. This also must be a personal change by the person holding the specific office. Do they want to get into the local churches? Do they want personal relationships with the people of these churches? I have seen my last 2 DSs be person who fill those rolls wonderfully. } I think the DS position is the link between the Conference and local church and is working as is. } I am not sure because I really do not know what the district superintendent job entails. I know that their time is divided between the conference office and the district office. I have to believe that some of their time is dealing with complaints that come in from churches. I truly cannot make any real suggestions until I know what the office of district superintendent entails on a daily basis. } I understand that with the larger Districts the Superintendents have much greater responsibilities and must be creative in order to accomplish required tasks.
How, if at all, would you change the role of the assistant to the district superintendent?
Increase their visibility } I don't know that I would have a suggestion as to a change in the role. } Is the DS the pastor to the pastor, supervisor, caster of vision? Clarification of what we are to expect from DS -- and what is expected of local church. } I think it works well now. But I would not be oppossed I see the Assistant take up more administrative tasks to free the DS to be in the local church more } Help with Lay Leadership Development in local church } I have no suggesiton for hte asst DS.. He too is doing a good job. } I am not really sure of the role of the assistant but in the arena of knowing the Book of Discipline and working with all of us to be sure of licensing, commissioning and ordination. In those areas, which I believe are being addressed, there is need for simplification and consistency. } N/A } Not sure what I would change. This seems to be something that the DS should determine. } I'm not sure....truthfully I'm not really 49 District Realignment Survey for Clergy sure what the assistant to DS role is right now } I would try to deploy the Asst DS out into the local churches at a higher frequency and visibility } I've enjoyed having the additional connection to the District and have worked extensively with our Assistant to the D.S. That relationship has been a huge help you me personally and more importantly to our church's role in making disciples for Jesus Christ. } Who" pastors" the pastors? Not all cluster groups take on that role therefore there are pastors in need of a pastor. Perhaps the ADS could fill in this role. } I am not clear as to their exact role and truthfully could not tell you who that is for my district. } Assistant District Superintendents need to be the primary leadership development resource for the pastors and the lay leaders of the district. An ADS should have the budget and authority to schedule local leadership training opportunities and promote congregational participation. If pastors are not getting their required CPE or if congregations are not providing adequate support for the CPE of their pastors and lay leaders, DS and ADS should have some role in engaging those issues in a timely way. } The teaching role of the assistant to the DS has been very helpful } When this all began we were told ADS were NOT "mini" district superintendents and that it would not have bearing upon who was being groomed to move into District Superintendent slots. I do not think it was intentional, but by the very nature of the job, both of these things came true. I'm not criticizing this, but saying that when the cabinet realized this was changing they could have been more effective in communicating it. In my opinion, ADS should be helping free the DS to be more interactive with the local church. } Save as the DS but even more so. ? } More of a supportive role } I seldom experience the assistant to the DS. } I wouldnt don't have an opinion } To impliment the training session that align ministry goals and helping to be a resource person for clergy. } I have no clue what the Ass't Superintendent does. } Assistant DS should be changed when new DS is appointed! Staff around the needs of the new DS for a six or seven year period (see above). Appoint DS, have them access their strengths and weaknesses, and then appoint an Assistant to compliment the new DS. This requires more work of course but in the end there will be more fruit and more people feeling engaged by the DS/Assistant DS team chosen to compliment each other. } None } N/A } I have no idea what the role of the assistant might be, because we either don't have one, or haven't seen one in years. } N/A } Enable the district superintendent to be more supportive to the pastors by getting more of the administrative work done. } They are doing a good job } Increase emphasis on identifying new leaders. Increase visibility in local church. } Personally I would eliminate the position all together } Grant greater authority to handle district adminstrative duties, eg. DCOM, etc. } Return to smaller districts and eliminate the ASD position to cut district apportionments. } Our assistant DS is the most help to me. } I think it would be helpful to have more of a presence among clusters -- make sure that clusters are functioning at a higher level. } Be nice if one of these positions was primarily about equipping. Not sure possible with all the administrative demands. } I would do away with this because as it works now the DS only works with the top 5 or 10 churches. Because of this, most clergy's gifts and graces are not given a good representation at cabinet. } No comment } In the Districts I have served, the role of the Assistant depended on the needs of the District Superintendent. Therefore, the Assistant functioned in differing ways. That being said, in my current District, I've only seen our Assistant 50 District Realignment Survey for Clergy in his/her role once. } Focus on pastoral coaching and strategy. } It seems OK to me. } Not change } I see the assistant(s) to the District Superintendent as a person(s) who partner with the Superintendent in leading and equipping the saints in their districts for the making of new disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. They complement the gifts and strengths of the District Superintendents. } None } Along the lines of the above answer, I would relieve assistant DS's of all other responsibilities and for the next year, have them embark upon a deliberate and purposeful evaluation of every local church and pastor in their particular district. } This would entail face-to-face sit-down meetings discussing the demographics around the church, the history of the church, the vision/mission of the church, the desire of the church to actually make disciples and to honestly look at the potential for the church to grow. Far too many churches say they want to grow but in reality, do not want to grow unless they can get more people just like the ones who now attend. That's a dream which will not come true and it is unfair to place growth-minded clergy in these churches. Bottom line, this would help us better place clergy and match up local churches, which I know is always an issue. We simply have too many unhealthy churches and we need to be honest and transparent through this process of assessing who and what we are. We have some very, very good assistant DS's and I know they could do a very good and effective job of honestly evaluating local churches so we could all benefit, even the local churches that would not like what such a report would reveal....but we need this kind of honesty to get us in line to meet the 21st century. } My district does not have an assistant. Consequently, my DS is running ragged managing too much stuff. } Let them do the denominational/conference work, so the DS is free to be with the pastors and churches. I would have them continue in the support role they currently undertake. } Eliminate -- they're acting as D.S.'s for small and struggling churches anyway, so we could make them full D.S.'s, or make that an official role for the assistants. } No change } I'm not sure I would have this position. It seems as though this position could be filled with a coordinator, with less pay. } Eliminate the bureaucratic overhead. } I am not sure what the role consists of to recommend change. } My Assistant is 100% pure gold. I am blessed. No changes suggested. } More programming for the gathering of districts. } Not sure, seems as though the Assistant does quite a bit of the background work and probably should continue. } no change } From what I have seen I would recommend continuing to have strong assistants because they are able to share the work which frees up the DS to be that voice for all the congregations. } I don't fully understand the role of the assistant DS. } I would like to have an assistant DS who knew something about and cared about urban ministry. } Same as above. } I would like see them become a presence among the congregations. I would like have them in our churches regularly as a representitive of the district. } The MVD does not have an assistant that is named as such. I think Chris has a couple assistants and I'm not entirely sure what they do. } Very interesting that this was as position (in this district) where they took applications for the position in the first hiring!! SO UN - UMC!! People could put their interest and qualifications on the table and were interviewed. SO UN - UM. If we had not had the Assistant to the DS (really administrative assistant) not much of what happened would have happened without the Assistant to the DS. } I don't really know what the assistant to the DS does. } define the role 51 District Realignment Survey for Clergy See above. I have noticed some introductions of "Assistant DS" which is quite confusing as to my role with the assistant. I have looked at this role as again a friend, supporter, information sharer and easier to communicate with than the DS at times. I'm not sure where this role is now. } Again, not knowing what they are supposed to being doing, I would think that the ADS should assist the DS in accomplishing the goals of the conference in their district. ADS may be more informed on the individual churches of the district rather than the pastors. } I'd echo the last comment - how can the assistant help handle some of the important day to day duties so that the DS can really be leading change and growth in our churches. } The position of assistant to the district superintendent has been a very helpful addition to the organizational structure. As the role of the district superintendent moves away from the day-to-day administration, the assistant to the district superintendent will need to be granted broader authority in decision making. } no comment } Not sure what that role is. } I do not know of any changes I would make to the ADS } I do not see consistency in the use of assistant to the district superintendent role. Some are afforded the time and opportunity to make an impact and others seem to be invisible to the local church. } In some ways I feel that our present ADS is more well known than our DS. I have doubts that our new ADS will follow in those footsteps. The ADS should be more available to the local church in providing ministry guidance when needed and developing programs within the district designed to help local churches. } The assistant to the DS would take the place of "Pastor to the Pastors" in the district. } Not sure? } I think this depends on the district. } This position has been essential. So good to have that one on one. } Perhaps form cohort groups for support to ministry. } I simply think the partnership between DS and Asst. should be based on strengths of individuals...each DS has unique needs. } That seems to be working well. Continue in the same direction. } I don't know because I really am not sure why they were needed in the first place. } Assist in the ministry of appreciation, encouragement and create a sense of pastor for pastors... } I'd like the assistant to help more with the business aspects in order to free up more of the superintendent's time to be a pastor to the pastors. } This position seems completely pointless to me. I know that some structure it as the Assistant is responsible for churches with fewer than 50 members, and some have it structured that the assistant is responsible for the Local pastors and supply pastors, but in reality it is just another person who doesn't really add any value to my church. } I am not sure, having experienced a few assistants to the D-S, what the designed role really is. Hence, I cannot base an opinion on any one thing! } Not sure what this person does. } Eliminate the position and hire an administrative person if necessary } perhaps utilize the assistant to help clarify the roles mentioned above. } I really don't know enough about the role of the assistant to respond. Given the answer above, I would think the best role of the assistant would be to do the administrative work necessary to free the DS to do what I outlined above. } I thought our Asst.D.S. was very effective. I think there was some shared duty as well that seemed to work out. } As above } I have never been very clear what the role of the assistant to the DS is. } Again, I do not mean to criticize them and I know they are busy and highly skilled people. I just do not personally know what they do. } I do not believe that it is best use of stewardship dollars to have assistants. Our church would benefit from a greater presence of the DS in guiding and 52 District Realignment Survey for Clergy supporting ministry efforts. } Our assistant DS has been superb! Always helpful, always responding to needs, inquiries, etc. Current assistant DS fills the bill in every way. Now we're getting a new one whom no one knows. Back to square one! } I do not have any contact with the assistant. There are many things available as far as workshops, etc. but they are mainly for the larger churches. I go back to my church and wonder why I attended in the first place. } While I'm not certain this is a reflection of the role of the position, I see a need for spiritual nurture and care existing in our districts and for our clergy. Perhaps this is a role for the assistant. } Have them handle more of the administrative tasks so that the d.s. can do more of the spiritual development of the pastors and churches. } not sure of role of ass't to D S } As related to the previous item, if the DS was the pastor's pastor, then perhaps the Assistant could be the administrator or perhaps the other way around. } Give them a job description. I have had great respect for the ASD's we have had on the NWPD. I have worked closely with all of them. They figure it out as they go, and then leave, and the process starts all over. I believe the A. D.S. should run the cluster system and the D S should oversee the leadership team. Naturally they should be congruent in mission and purpose. I would categorize the churches based on performance. 3 divisions Growing and thriving..... Sustaining. Hospice... Clustering would be built around those divisions.. Don't mix the living leaders with the potentially dead non leaders. Make clustering mandatory for category one and two... let the hospice churches die.. no instructions needed to do that. Clusters must be more business/accountability oriented. } I think the Assistant DS's job would be better served by having an administrative director, to take care of all the administrative things like reports and mailings and setting up of programs and events...in consultation with and directed by the DS...which would allow the DS more time to be out in the Districts...getting to know the churches and the pastor's better. } Each district should have at least one full time assistant, whose duties would be establishing a relationship and a sense of connectionalism to each church in the district. I think I know who the assistant is in my district, but then again... } Our assistant does a fine job . } Let the assistant handle all the administrative stuff, and release the super to build relationship with the individual churches and leaders. Preaching in each church at least once every other year and staying for a day long time of fellowship and sharing. Of course, the super wouldn't have many or any free Sundays. } Not sure that I would change anything but believe their role should be at the request of the District Superintendent. } Ours is very good, and I have had a lot of contact with him. He is supportive and very knowledgeable. I would like to see our monthly meetings return } do not know } Jim Waugh has been very helpful, experienced and willing to share new ideas. Can you clone him? From what I have seen, I would eliminate it. } No Comment } Clearer division of roles and better communication with the district superintendent. The few times I have needed to seek guidance or answers from the district leadership, the assistant and the DS give differing, contradictory answers, and do not share information among themselves. This was not my experience in other districts, however, so this may be limited just to my current district. Test } Again I am unclear about the role of the DS and The assistant. Maybe you could offer an explanation to all churches so they can better understand the role of each and how they can help our congregations. } In our distirct, I would not change the role. The only way to improve 53 District Realignment Survey for Clergy would be to downsize the district. } I wouldn't. Our ADS has operated pretty much as a business manager for the district and, while I don't know how appropriate that would be for every district, it is a vital and necessary function here. } I think the Assistant to the District Superintendant should be a resource person for the local church. Jim Waugh did a great job of providing information, tools, tips, etc. } I am not qualified to answer this question } The role of the assistant in the Capitol Area Districts has been a good one -- being available to fill in with strategic work with congregations and pastors } I don't even know enough about the role of the assistant to answer this question } I think this would stay unchanged } Unsure here - there seems to be a huge variation in how these assistants are deployed so I find it difficult to say. I would like to see some consistency across the conference so that it was clearer where these folks fit into our connection system. } Increase role significantly to include pastoral care} Have the assistant help local churches and D.S. work to see how to be better involved in ministry. } I think that the same as the district superintendent, they need to be more involved with the smaller churches. } Before the realignment they had fewer churches with which to contend and so were able to respond better. Now they are overwhelmed. We don't bother to ask because they cannot respond. We use to have work area leaders who had expertise or were able to put you in touch with more knowledgeable people at the conference level. If we are serious about making disciples we need that kind of connection and resourcing again. } Do away with this position and increase the number of districts } Answered above... } N/A } I would not change the role of the assistant to the district superintendent. } don't know } In our district I think it is working really well as is } Abolish position } Seems like a huge and never ending job. } Kind of like the vice president of US, no one knows what they do. } Non-clergy hiring for this role. } Qualified administrative assistants to fill these vacancies. This would increase effectiveness and lower costs. } seems fine. } I have always been enlightened and helped by our ADS. I am sure that will continue. But perhaps some of the above would be helped if they saw the pastors as a part of their role to sustain and uphold. } Change them to DS and cut the size of the districts. If we have 1100 churches and 16 DS's their load would change from 140 +or- to 70 +or-. } In my district, the ADS was given oversight over the smaller churches and has really acted as the DS to them. He has done a great job but it has added confusion when the DS and ADS has crossed messages. It appears that the roles of the ADS changes drastically from district to district. This also adds confusion. } I beleive this office could be a resource for helping churches move foward in ministry by leading the way in orgainizing learning opportunites and offer their own personal experience as a tool to help churches move forward. } Leave it as it is. } I think that the Assistant should be a representative of the DS in all churches needing assistance. My thought is that DS and Assistant should relate to churches on the basis of their personal expertise and schedule, not in the categories of smaller churches and larger churches. } As the D.S. takes up more responsibility as a Leadership Developer, the Asst. to the D.S. can take over more of the Administrative roles. } Although I've appreciated all of the assistant to the DS's I had the privilege of working with/under, sometimes I've felt like it was an oximoron. What's an assistant DS supposed to do? } It might be helpful if the assistants spent more time in the local churches in the district. } I have no clue. I am not aided nor abused by either the D.S. or the 54 District Realignment Survey for Clergy Assistant D.S. I am not even sure what role the Assistant D.S. perform. None of them have directly impacted my work in any way, positively or negatively. } Not sure. } In districts I have served in, this role has varied greatly. With the past two, the assistants have handled smaller appointments, licensed local pastors, and supply pastors. These individuals are not on the cabinet, and if we continue to rely on them to aid with appointment introductions/discernment, I believe they should be. } In our district the Assistant is responsible for the smaller churches and the D.S. for the larger churches. I assume this is the same for all of the districts. I would make the same change for the Assistant as I suggest above for the D.S. } My understanding is that this role varies from district to district, so I am unsure how to answer. One thing I would suggest is that if we want the relational piece to return is that we need more of them. I would suggest that every 30 churches needs some type of Supervisory figure tied to the district administration who has the responsibility and authority to work on behalf of the Superintendent within their assigned churches. I am or the opinion that if we remain at 8 districts we need something like a "Circuit Superintendent" who would have charge of 20 - 30 churches and be able to guide the DS in decisions and in some cases make decisions regarding the churches in their charge. This is more important for smaller membership churches than for medium or large churches who feel connected to the conference in a different way. The smaller churches, particularly as economic reality begins to mandate they be served by part time locals, or Licensed Lay Ministers need something additional to maintain the connection to district and conference. I think the clusters were meant to fill this need, but I think the cluster movement, while important, has failed at fulfilling this need. } All I can see he does is pass out pencils. Is he necessary? Is it a position that leads to a DS position? It seems to be. I don't think that is wise or fair. Those positions seem to be filled as a popularity contest. It seems the conference leadership is based on popularity rather than skill. } To either eliminate the postition or for the assistant be more of a missioner, not a visionary leader, a doer and an example. To join in what local pastors do, not to try to teach them or to guide them. For example, hold a district outreach, or revival service, not a district teaching event. And old saying, which some people hate (and rightly so), is "those that can, do, those that can't teach." Well, maybe it would work in this instance for the assistant DS let to be someone that really can, and is employed to do ministry, not to attempt to teach ministry, but to actually do ministry to the unchurched. To see the "whole district as their parish." } I do not have anything to add here. } Hmmm, not sure } I don't know. } Not at all sure how they work in all districts but I do know it is not the same as in my district. Wonderful assistant who has been helpful, but I feel when the bottom line is needed his opinion is not valued by those over him. } In my opinion, the Assistant DS role should be eliminated. } Communicate specialization areas of DS and Asst. DS, so that one or the other could be contacted. } Not at all. } More visitations and hands on help for the smaller churches } Make 16 districts, paired around 8 shared offices and staff. Do away with the assistants and raise up 16 gifted, listening, servant superintendents who see their role as helping, supporting, advising churches and pastors, not driving them and cajoling them. } Rev. Sullivan has been great, but she seems to be a little over-worked. Maybe the assistant should have a secretary to handle some of the paperwork, etc. } My comments point to the need for 55
District Realignment Survey for Clergy more districts. I wonder if the idea of geographically identifiable districts has outlived its usefulness. Possibly, the office of the superintendent should be devoted to churches that are more similar to one another in strategic function. I think specifically of the comments made at annual conference by a representative of our rural churches. Yet, perhaps a team of specialists (assistants to the superintendents) which would operate across district boundaries could help superintendents meet the missional needs of our many and diverse churches. } Who is that? No comment } Uniformity } I would not change the role or responsibility } As with the DS, the Assistant DS should also be more intimately involved in all church activities and services. This would likely require a second Assistant DS appointed to every district. } Require more of the firefighting responsibilities to be subject to the Asst DS and free up important time for the DS. Put the Assistant in charge of the administrative duties and staff (much like a military "XO") so the DS can be out leading from the front. } It seems at the beginning of the realignment each DS was making it up as they went with haphazard and often ineffectual results. Little or no fruit- bearing in my dist. Either eliminate and use payroll for more DS positions or get these people in the local churches to support revitalization-disciple making. } I think it would be helpful to have a stronger sense of who to contact for what... personally, I wouldn't mind having some churches assigned to the DS and some to the assistant DS, although I imagine some people would feel "slighted" by being told their primary contact was the assistant DS. } Not sure I know what the role is except to be where the DS can't, and help with any projects. } I like that ours focused on continuing ed opportunities. But I don't think most folks in the church understand the role of the assistant } I would do away with the position as it is, replacing the assistant to the district superintendent with a lay person with administrative assistant abilities who would assist and help other administrative/office-management work in and through the district office. } See my answer above - I think the same questions and issues apply. } I would hope that assistant district superintendents would provide assistance to churches for promoting lay leadership education. Also, I would hope that they would be visible in their districts to both pastors and laity. } I have no idea what this person does to justify the need for them or their salary. We went from 14 district superintendents to 16 - two in each office, except the assistant's salary comes from district apportionments. } Please see the above comment. } see below } Uncertain. } They seem fine. } D.S. 'light' (or assistant) seems to be helpful , so I don't have any suggestions on changing the role. } 1. Allow him/her to truely be the pastor's pastor, to be a true advocate for pastors. } To have the assistant DS provide for the local church "the how to accomplish" of the DS's vision for the district. } no opinion. } not at all } Having only experienced 1 assistant to the DS, who is excellent in every way, I don't really have any insight on this. } No comments } Having the assistant to the district superintendent focus on leadership development of small membership churches seems wise. } I wouldn't change a thing } Find a hybrid between the British Model and what we have here. The assistant to the DS role does not seem to be standard from district to district. Some districts have assistants who are responsible for missions or dcom while others have assistants who are a more general overseeing assistant. (almost like associate pastors are to senior pastors.) A county or regional assistant to the DS might be helpful because they would be in the area on a regular basis and 56 District Realignment Survey for Clergy have information on the happenings from a personal level. They would have the stories behind the numbers. } It seems to vary by district. Some are responsible for the smaller churches or part-time locals pastors. Others support the DS in multiple ways. It would be helpful for the clergy and churches to have an understanding of what their district's Assistant to the DS is responsible for. } These individuals, depending on their gift set, can do more than serve as administrators! Often these people have leadership experience and skill that may actually surpass the district superintendent. } I think there should be a standard role for this position across all districts. The two different districts I have served in the past six years have drastically different district structures, which I find confusing. It would be nice to have clear job descriptions distributed so I can know who is the best person to call when I have questions. } I would hope that the assistant DS could be out among the pastors, at least listening to us. } Not change } I don't think I have the power or knowledge to decide what the role of the assistant district superintendents should be. } The assistant to the DS has taken over much of the programming responsibilities of the district office. } I appreciate the fact that our assistant to the ds was able to focus on small churches and their health - almost acting as a superintendent to these churches. It took some of the burden off the ds and allowed the churches to have another point of contact in the district. } I am not sure that this role has ever been clearly defined in the new structure. The Assistant to the D.S. has not had any contact with the congregations that I have served. } Not sure } I'm not really sure what the assistant does. } I don't know if I would change anything. I do wonder if the Assistant DS role is becoming a prerequisite for becoming a DS and there are pro’s and con’s to that model, but it will limit new ideas. I guess you will have to decide if all the new ideas will come from a single source or two in the leadership core of the organization or will it come from new voices being invited to the table of impact? } This has often been the person called to "put out fires." I don't think it is necessary to define or limit the role of the assistant. I think the assistant to the district superintendent ought to be a person who would serve as a "complement" to the district supt. This would change from person to person and year to year. The assistant should be someone w/the gifts & graces that are lacking in the D.S. so that "together" they could respond to the needs of local congregations and clergy more effectively. } The role of the assistant has not ever been made clear to the clergy in the district or the churches. Not clear why in some districts we have 2 assistants to the DS. When new assistants are brought into a district their role may change because of their strengths which may be different to the previous assistant. All the more important that their roles are communicated to both the clergy and laity of the District. } Make them more responsible and train them in small church structure to equip them to serve and guide small churches into healthy lifestyles. } In my district the DS has given the assistant DS duties to help smaller membership churches. This seems to be a good idea. } The the role is less clear and the assistant's authority is less clear. } I found our former assistant DS to be quite helpful at times, yet there were times that she was not too helpful. } If all programming was eliminated from the District level, the Asst. to the D.S. would be an extension of the D.S. in visiting local churches, encouraging pastors, and serving as a resource for the District. } Their role is unclear to me. What do they do in addition to "anything the District Superintendent does not want to do"? } I 57 District Realignment Survey for Clergy would pay them more. I can't imagine doing they work they do. } It really feels just like we have two superintendents who are generalists. I think it would make sense to have persons with special expertise in certain areas to assist. Perhaps several pastors could work 1/4 in the Dist offce as specialists or the districts could share assistants, for example, a specialist in congregstional development a nd church planting, or urban ministry. } Not sure. } Each Assistant seems to fill the role differently based on the Superintendent's gift/skill set (from what I have experienced). This is perhaps the only improvement gained from the re-org (in that it meant every district had an assistant or two--whereas some had none prior to 2006). } Previous district staffing often included specialists, such as for Urban Ministry or Rural Ministry. Because of the size of the districts the Assistant DS has to be a generalist to be able to address the whole. To assist the D.S. in the role of pastoring pastors } no ideas...he has done a fine job... } They should NOT be superintendents in training. And a new DS should have a fresh start with a new assistant. I would go so far as to say all assistants transition out as the old DS transitions out. It forces the new DS to have a clean start and compatible assistant. } It seems like the roles may be different in different districts based on the needs of each DS. } I would like to see the assistant be more helpful in clergy support in leadership and family life } What is the role of the assistant? } The DS should focus on the people and relationships under his/her care and the assistant should care for the administrative details. } What is their true role? It seems that we increase staff instead of decreasing staff. } I would ask to rely less on long detailed forms and seek more face to face (get to know you and your ministry) time. The forms are a killer, and have driven me to distraction. } Having the assistant to the district superintendent to be more hands on in assisting and getting to know the clergy in the district they are serving. } Not sure what their current function is in this district? } no response } We haven't seen an assistant in 8 years either. } not sure } Hire Business directors who can run the business of the district and be that support to local churches and pastors. } I really do not know what the role of the assistant is because I have not really seen any involvement from them. } I believe it would be helpful to model that role as it was lived out by Brent Watson. He did a very effective job. } ? Not sure what the role is. } Assistant to the DS take care of all executive administration ie. Charge Conferences, Year End Reports, Clergy Evaluations, Continuing Education and Grants. Assistant to the DS oversees DCOM's and part-time local pastors. There should be a clear concise job description for Assistant to the DS. It should be the same for every district. Our present assistant to the DS, Jocelyn Roper, was a very poor assistant. I had know I idea what her role was...??? The past two years I don't think she was very effective. I am concerned about the created position given to her on the conference level. } That one seems to be functional as it is. } We do not have one in the Miami Valley. I believe the role is a gift to the DS to be a hands on person. Seldom do I see them functioning in this manner. } I do not have a suggestion for changing this. } I don't believe any changes are necessary at this time. I have been equally pleased with the assistant to the D.S. in my district } I would not change the role. } Eliminate the position. } They could do the one on ones and charge conferences and be the liason between the pastor/church to the D.S. } In Shawnee Valley and Foothills, the Assistant focuses attention on the small churches of the District. I like this idea in theory, but 58 7/18/13 since I have not experienced it, I cannot speak authoritatively about how effective this has been. I remember when I was a supply pastor, I felt very alone. I would have liked the idea that there was someone that I was invited to contact with questions, worries, etc, instead of feeling I was interrupting someone with bigger things to do. } There could be more consistency in how the assistant is utilized throughout the conference. } Nothing } Assistants have been incredibly helpful when I've needed assistance. } In our district the ADS oversees the smaller congregations and the the DS oversees the proactive and growing church. This seems appropriate. } The assistant should be able to do some of the roles that are currently done by the DS to enable the DS to get out more into the congregations. } It appears to me that this position has evolved in some districts to function with a stronger role in supervision of smaller pastorate settings. Originally, I saw a fixed portfolio described for this position. I think the evolution of the assistant position to balance the gift set of the DS has been a positive. } The assistant to the DS role could become more supportive also. Maybe more consistent over the districts. In one district, the ADS is over all licensed local pastors, which frees up the DS a little more, and they share administrative tasks according to gifts. When the ADS just takes calls when the DS isn't available, it doesn't really help much. } Give them the specific role of training churches for making disciples } The assistant needs to be part of extended cabinet meetings, in order to help the superintendent more fully implement the vision of the Bishop. } It seems that our assistant to the DS has performed as a "little DS" doing many of the same things that the DS does in order to reduce his administrative work load. It would be nice if the assistant could take on a supplemental role to do more care giving to the clergy rather than be a "little DS" just reducing the administrative work load of the DS. } I would not change it. } In my experience, the assistant is a primary communicator of what is happening in the district and fills in for meetings when the district superintendent is unavailable. I feel they have done an excellent job and I don't know of how they could do that work differently or take on additional work. } Not sure if this position is necessary; have had no contact with that person. } No change } I think they should be "super trainers." I'm in MWD and I liked how Kathy Brown approach her work. We realigned in order to save money by having less district expenses down to what we have now. What puzzles me is this: If we were paying 13 District Superintendents, and now have 8, plus 8 assistants, how on earth is that saving money? Now we are paying 16 instead of 13, and they get paid very well, 6 times what I am making working a full time, two church position. We struggle to pay our bills, and then to be asked to pay for two personal in the District office instead of one kind of seems wrong. If there are people interested in becoming a DS, perhaps in their effort to learn that job, and attain that position, they should volunteer so many hours a week learning the office, and jobs involved with it, rather than paying another individual to come in and learn at that level. At the church level, we have many volunteers, who often become pastors, deacons, etc. but they learn the ropes through volunteering. } When realignment came, we were told that fewer superintendents could do more effective visioning with local churches. I'm not sure anyone believed that. I believe that the cabinets knows pastors and churches less well. } Originally the Asst DS role varied from district to district, with some ft and some part pt, and it was clearly not a stepping stone to DS- until this year. I think with district 59 District Realignment Survey for Clergy sizes they need to be full time appointed positions, and not stepping stones to DS . it is impossible for a DS to know the entire district now, or even to visit all churches. The Asst helps a little with our size. } I would take specific steps to make sure that the assistant to the district superintendent and the district superintendent are working together. } If the District Superintendents are an extension of the Bishop's supervisory role, then they should spend more time with clergy and congregations, because they are the ones who are going to be involved in the appointment process. So I would make the Assistant responsible for administering programs and for district structural issues and move the Superintendent into more relational work. } I am unaware of the job description for the assistant to the D.S. } this role seems to be a 'moving target' depending on the needs of the specific district. This also allows ther asst to potentially minister from their greatest strengths. } Our assistant has been wonderful. It is easy to see that she works closely with the DS. Our assistant has really stepped up in taking care of some aspects of ministry that were falling through the cracks before. } Is there a standard role or does it vary from district to district? Do they have authority to go with their responsibilities? Are we asking these both positions to do too much? What is their most important thing to be doing? I think it is supervision, but would guess their time is spread over way too many responsibilities. I am not sure if the Miami Valley has an assistant to the DS } This position seems like an unnecessary level of additional bureaucracy. } The role seems to vary so widely, hard to answer. In my current situation, the Assist is who I call if I have a question. He is caring, supportive and pastoral. In my previous appointment, I couldn't even tell you who the Asst was - never met them. They did more administrative tasks that was more behind the scenes. } I would not. } I simply think the partnership between DS and Asst. should be based on strengths of individuals...each DS has unique needs. } One district I served in had too many specialized assistants who appeared to be feathering their own resumes than serving congregations. The assistants in the other two districts with more generalized responsibilities were more accessible and helpful. } I have REALLY loved the direction recently in our District of the Asst to the DS spending more time with the smaller churches and strengthening them. What a great addition that has been! } none } I'm not sure what that role does. } Not aware of what the assistant does. Therefore: Help the Bishop to discern relevant goals for the Conference based on measurements of obvious weaknesses. Communicate where God is calling and, along with the Cabinet, communicate the plan with adequate inspiration and uplifting language. } I don't believe I am informed enough about the responsibilities of this role in order to make any assessment. } Perhaps that says something about the lack of clarity/communication of what that position is supposed to be about. } I think that if there was a more defined role for the assistant DS, it would help us know how to best relate to them. As it is, the assistant DS becomes the person you go to if the DS isn't available. Sometimes information given the Assistant DS doesn't make it to the DS. It would be helpful to have a more clearly defined sharing of roles. } I wonder if the assistant may be able to help do some training of the Lay Leadership of the local church. This is something I feel has been neglected. } I know that this would also involve conference communications, but it seems that other organizations such as World Vision do a much better job in communication and promotion of mission programs. Apportionments still seem shrouded 60 District Realignment Survey for Clergy in mystery. Who is being helped, and how? Give us stories. Who decides who receives these funds? Would they better serve elsewhere? This might be a role of "point person" for the assistant } nothing in particular comes to mind } Under the current alignment and understanding of the Districts, the ADS makes more of the personal contact that helps to strengthen the connection, in addition to her/his other duties. This has caused laypersons in many UMC's (in several separate Districts) to believe the ADS is their District Superintendent. This should not be. Division of roles needs to be more clearly defined, understood, and communicated. } Uncertain what changes would be helpful within the current structure. } I do not feel qualified to answer this question. I know too little about what the role is now to express what I would change. } not sure based on the question above } No comment at this time. } I believe each assistant's role is unique determined by the DS } Since the DS is very very busy, it would be helpful if the Asst. DS's took a more interactive role w/ the congregations - to be more present among them and put a face the the "District office" } Seems this has only added more high paying positions } I'm not sure. } If there was more than one ASD, perhaps more attention to the area I just described above might be possible. } Continue the focus on specific ministry challenges within a district. They should survey the needs of the district and then adapt existing or adopt new programs that would help address the needs. } Connect more with the local pastor who only hears from the District Office when paperwork is due or Apportionment Statements are emailed. } I have had no interaction with an assistant to the DS } Their role would be to attend to all the meetings and administrative work of the district that is not directly connected to local churches. In other words, the D.S. should focus almost entirely on the local churches and appointment making, and the assistant D.S. does everything else. } My answer to this would vary depending on the gifts and graces of the DS and ADS pair. } Eliminate this position and add more district superintendents } I would not change the role of the assistant to the DS. I think it is a great thing! } Just a brain storm. Maybe future D.S.'s would do well to spend two to three years as an assistant before becoming D.S. } Again, same as above. My last 2 Asst DSs have been very personal and up front. They have been involved and on target with helping our congregation form vision and focus on the future. } I miss having a resource person connected to the District Office, I believed the position a useful resource. } As my answer above states I do not know exactly what the role of the assistant to the district superintendent entails. Perhaps what could happen is for the district office send out an email informing the pastors all the things that the district office is involved with both at the conference level and the district level. I know that would be helpful for me. } I have no input. I'm not sure what there responsibilities are.
How, if at all, would you change the role of the West Ohio Conference?
fine as is } Again, I don't know of a recommended change. } After a season of pressure to perform, it already seems like a bit of relief to hear that we are are children of God. The WOC leadership has the responsibility to cast the vision and set the direction. We have the responsibility to be faithful. } I think the Conference does a good job of support and has been creative in launching new ministries. } Streamline structures to be better stewards } n/a } I 61 District Realignment Survey for Clergy personally believe the needs of the local church could be better met at the district level with less at the conference level. Perhaps this is part of the reasoning behind looking at the redistricting. The conference has normally been able to assist when we have had questions, but often the process and the chain of process seems overly long. Often the focus seems uninterested in the needs of the small rural church, so the rural churches tend to run fairly independent from the influence of he conference. In my heart that is undermining the UMC tradition. } Continue with resources for clergy -- such as Crucible (which was GREAT!) and other helpful resources. } The Conference appears to me to be stuck in the past, whether it is how it conducts Annual Conference or the various conference committees that do very little to make any difference in the local church, let alone the world. Annual Conference this year was refreshingly short and simple, minus all the time wasting fluff of some of the past Conferences. } Continue the great training the office of ministry is doing through crucible...and build those development programs for clergy and laity. I feel the the clergy clusters are great, but I believe the conference could take a greater role in clergy pastoral care. The conference, I feel, needs to make a greater effort to connect with the local church in order to reduce the amount of distrust and disconnect between the two } I believe that the conference has much to offer but is often underutilized by clergy. This falls more to the fault of the clergy due to low investigation and utilization of conference opportunities and resoureces } The only perception I've heard from laity is that there is a disconnect between the conference and rural churches. I'm encouraged by the increased effort to improve that situation. } ? } Continue to recruit and support the growth of our younger pastors. foster more mentoring, resource-sharing and collaboration between more seasoned and younger pastors (continue Crucible), between urban, rural and suburban churches (foster more Cluster collaboration), and between larger and smaller membership churches (form more collaborative networks of churches with yoked leadership). We need to merge churches and form more collaborative networks working together closely to serve clearly delineated parishes. As much as possible, continue to be aware of needs of rural churches. As the bishop has indicated, in addition to ineffective pastors, there are also ineffective churches and that issue should be taken seriously. Thank you for inviting input and God bless your ministry! }. They need to do all they can to get apportionment costs down and allow the local congregations to work in their local community in the way God leads them. Our apportionments are crushing our church and stifling the mission of the local church, which is the heart of the UMC. That money does very little that can be felt by most congregations. } Aim towards motivating people to transformational discipleship. Celebrate the victories. Quit punishing or concentrating on the weaknesses of churches/pastors. Don't threaten, encourage. Remain biblically focused while flowing with love and support. } Help assist the smaller churches to reach more people. It is difficult to increase attendance and reach out to the community and pay 100% of apportionments.t } In the last decade, the Conference has taken on a corporate model of promoting inexperienced clergy stars and creating a climate of fear among clergy and churches. So much emphasis has been placed on performance numbers. I am able to say this because the church I serve has been in the top ten percent of those performance numbers. However, these numbers are not equivalent to the Kingdom of God. Fear is not an often used method in 62 District Realignment Survey for Clergy the Kingdom of God. } I'd have them be more present at the local levels. } much better communication on what is actually happening in the conference, particularly with personnel. Would like to be better informed of the purpose of the conference, and how it expects to assist in the mission of making disciples.... } Make a short term plan and a long term plan that helps clergy and laity set ministry goals as well as look for ways to realign the way WOC moves forward and beyond the inside of the church walls - out into our communities. Be more accountable. There are some clergy that have been in ministry for many years and they are doing the same old things...we need to spark some motivational and inventive ministry ideas...we need to be accountable to God and to one another! Ministry is constantly changing but there are churches that do not have the monetary means to implement the necessary changes to reach various generations. It would be nice to make a concerted effort to make older adult ministry just as important as youth ministry! Maybe some intergenerational ministries? Understanding ways to impliment these necessary changes to grow disciples and help people to take a world view as well as an international and local view would be beneficial. Ministry needs to be pertinent to our contexts. } no clue. } Revitalization is not bearing the fruit we hope and not fast enough. For this new season of conference ministry there needs to be a new emphasis upon chuch planting. Its time for a conference wide capital campaign for this mission. It is time to gear the resident program for this work. It is time that a salary support structure is designed and funded that would invite some of our most effective pastors (and highest paid pastors) to be invited out of safe and secure appointments to become church planters. Too much emphasis on revitalization with too little fruit, new faith communities will provide the path toward reaching more people for Christ and changing communities. } I would change the office of bishop. Less meetings and more apostolic like Francis Asbury } N/A } Reduce or eliminate trainings that are intended to remediate skills without understanding that clergy may not be as ineffective as the conference seems to believe we are. Provide effective training by recognized leaders in spiritual growth, Bible study, worship leadership, site-specific mission and ministry (urban, rural, multi-ethnic, etc.) Stop evaluating ministry success or failure on white suburban middle class values, and through parameters stolen from business models; give value to outreach in communities that doesn't necessarily lead to congregational growth, but assuredly leads to discipleship and congregational vitality. } N/A } ??? } Respect and value small congregations and the pastors who lead them. } Focus the vision. Resource the local church. I feel the changes I've seen in the leadereship have good for the most part. I still feel that it could be more streamlined and listen better to us out in the field. Sometimes I don't feel our voice is being heard and I feel we have some good people who have some very good suggestions. } Continue to offer coaching to congregations and pastors re. strategies for making disciples. Increase the focus on helping the local church on fulfilling its mission to the community. } Somehow make it less "top heavy" with less administrators that depend on apportionments for salaries. } Not sure. } Annual Conference has done a much better job in recent years of bringing in excellent speakers and training sessions. I wish the gatherings were not battlegrounds over legislation -- too much grandstanding and posturing on both sides. } Disciples are made in the local church primarily. The conference needs to serve the local 63 District Realignment Survey for Clergy church. I do not wish to say they are not, but sometimes it feels like it may be reversed. } Since 2006 (and before) WOC has not had any real part of disciple making in the local church. Most of the reason is that it was because it was too big. With the realignment that fact has been made more evident } It is my opinion that there is a great disconnect and mistrust between the people of the churches in the West Ohio Conference and their leadership. It might behoove the Conference leadership to work on ways to rebuild trust in our common connection and rebuild trust in the conference process of making important decisions that reflect upon us all as United Methodist . } I hope the Conference will continue its focus on leadership development. In addition, targeted and focused mission emphases should be the norm (ie Wings of the Morning). Shifting mission targets stifles momentum the local churches can generate. To the congregation that I am with the conference seems like a Washington Bureaucracy. It seems like the conference is constantly demanding reports, wanting money, etc. and not giving much in return. To most, the conference is some place far far away in never never land. The conference is some foreign entity, therefore it is the enemy to whom they give their money and do not see any return. Whether or not it is true doesn't make any difference. It is a perception and perceptions have a way of becoming reality. It might be nice if conference personnel could find a way to get into the district or even into the local church so that the people could put a face on the "conference" and help change the perception people have. How you do that; I don't know. Should be stream lined. } The role of the West Ohio Conference cast and recast the big picture vision and moblizes districts and local churches to develop and deploy simple structures and systems for the implementation of the vision. This would mean, in my mind, a shifting of some conferenece resources to the districts and to the local church. If the conference wants to hold local churches accountable for fruitfulness, then it seems to me that resources to fulfill expectations would best serve the church if they were more accessible to the local church. I realize that many folks in rural areas lament and grief the lose of many small family farms, local mom and pop businesses with the resurrence of larger corporate model farms and business. With the emergence of the automobile, the telephone, the internet, and technology our world has changed. I also realize that larger is not necessarily better or appealing for some folks. Some folks like the rural-small town lifestyle. The role of the Conference is to assist, support, and encourage the local church to realize its maximum potential for fruit-bearing. In addition, the Conference realizes that just as in nature some seasons are more fruitful than others. Moreover, what is considered as fruitful in one area will be different from what is fruitful in another area. Fruitfulness in the desert looks alot different than fruitfulness in a rain forest. Each has vital life just different. } Focus on local, national, and international missions that strive to make disciples as well as serve those with needs. } First, substantially lower the cost of operating the conference office. Nearly every church I know has made drastic cutbacks over the past five years yet we've not see that same kind of cutback from the conference office. We have too much overhead for the membership that we now have, or at least that is the perception out here in the hinterlands. Relations (and thus the connection) between the local church and the conference office are not strong and need to be improved. The perception is too much "distance" exists between the conference and the local church. There is also the perception that the "tail" 64 District Realignment Survey for Clergy is now wagging the "dog" or in other words, the conference holds too much power and sway over the local churches and does not have enough input from all local churches...... take away the conference and the local churches will manage to survive, but take away the local churches and the conference will die....we need to find a better balance of power and input between the WOC and the local churches. At this point, too much happens at the WOC level that is not beholden to the local churches nor is connected to the needs/desires/input of the local churches. I know that is not something that conference level folks want to hear, but the local churches simply feel they have been abandoned and overlooked by the WOC. Too many people in the local churches (especially the T&C churches) feel the only thing the WOC wants is for the local church to silently pay its apportionments and just go along with the flow. } I believe re-alignment changed much about the districts, but did not go far enough. It changed little at the conference level. Originally, it was designed so that the district would resource the local church, and the conference would resource the district. I don't think we have accomplished that paradigm, and with changes in conference leadership and cabinet; I'm not sure we are even pursuing that approach. So we have a system (or at least a paradigm) designed to accomplish what wasn't completed, and now may be no longer useful. Hence, a growing gap of relevancy develops. } No change } I believe the West Ohio Conference is at a major crossroads. There is currently too much division between the "extreme" positions of the liberal and conservative groups in the conference. In my observation as pastor for the past 11 years is that the conference has done little to bridge this gap. If anything, it may have helped to widen this gap. I experience little Holy Conferencing and more divisive division in the conference experience. We need to strive to live toward personal holiness, and follow the current discipline of the church and allow the Holy Spirit to be the guiding agent of change. We need to make clear the position of scripture in the life of the church. I believe our issues go back to the where the individuals of the conference and greater church place the authority and interpretation of the scripture. The West Ohio Conference needs to heal the division before it can be a true agent of change in creating Disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. After all we cannot even transform our own conference. } I'm very, very proud of our Conference. So all of the above ideas are given with the faith that the vast majority of people in leadership positions in our conference are truly most concerned for the mission of our denomination. } I like the direction the conference is moving toward. } I wouldn't change the role of the Conference, with the exeption of some of the Connectional Ministry positions. Are they necessary? I would concentrate on sharing the Gospel and efforts to strengthen churches and start new ones. } To help pastors find a church where they can serve Christ and build the kingdom, while weighing heavily the family situations of the pastors. Itineracy is an outdated, broken system and needs to be fixed or eliminated. } I am not sure what the role consists of to recommend change. } My only complaint is with the Ordination Process. However, I believe that the new Chair is changing things for the better. So we will wait and see. } The Conference could be more aware of people from the rural districts. We are more than the Capitol area and Cincinnati districts. } Pay less attention to numbers and the big church model. One model does not fit all and growth occurs in ways that may not be measured by numbers. Spiritual growth is necessary before reaching out can even occur. And 65 District Realignment Survey for Clergy spiritual growth is not just about having more youth leaders, spirituality is a life long process of growing in faith. } more presence in the districts } Continue to focus West Ohio as the voice and light in the UMC for missions both locally and abroad. Knowing that I am in a conference that is always out front leading and challenging society norms to focus back on God is a blessing and keeps me charged. The challenge from the Bishop this year at Annual Conference is an example of great joy. I believe we in West Ohio will blow away the challenge and wouldn't it be amazing to see that challenge blown away in one year versus three!! } don't know if I would change anything. I just wish that the folks felt they were part of a greater mission that the local setting. } I would like to see decentralized staff who would work out of regional offices instead of Columbus. It worked in Iowa and churches felt cared for by the conference instead of feeling that all they do is pay apportionment s with no return. The northern districts and the urban church have been forgotten over the last 12 years } I think our conference is doing many things right. The one area I see may be a little weak is in the support of the average pastor. If you are young the conference will bend over backwards to work with you and mentor you as it should. If you are a second/third career person coming into ministry later in life there is very little support besides clergy clusters. } I would like to see the West Ohio Conference focus on the West Ohio Conference for a while. Our house is crumbling while we beautify the neighborhood. no } The conference is managing decline what can be expected? I'm not sure we got a streamlined structure in the alignment. I do believe that we are less connected and distant. I know that we did not get a ministry vision as a way to be UMs that could lead to more vitality. (I do think that clergy clusters are good and help the clergy but they are not a solution for the churches overall). I think that we need county by county (in the rural areas) conversations on the future of the UM presence. In the big cities there needs to be a plan for areas of the city and groups of people. AND a plan to move the ministries forward - which may be bigger than any one church, including the county seat churches. } De-centralize missions projects and administrative functions - maybe even the ordination process - and become more of a leadership and ministry development resource for local churches. } become more diverse in leadership. } I think we are headed in a good direction of clergy effectiveness, synergy gatherings, funding for support of clergy families and Cont. Ed. I do believe in longer pastorates especially honoring pastorates that are providing growth in disciples and mission. I am concerned the Bishop Palmer is headed to a day of less openness and collaboration than we are used too. I am also concerned the our clusters are not as effective as they were in offering leaders direction and support and leaders helping fellow clergy stay the course. } What's the role now? It seems like we are just barely hanging and trying to preserve all the time. It seems like we are trying to play defense and stem the tide of decline in our church buildings rather than build the kingdom of Jesus in Ohio. } I'm not sure what this question is asking. But this annual conference, we were off to a good start. The role of the conference is to constantly draw us back to our connectional nature and our mission as a church. We did that in ways that were pretty exciting this year! } I would like to see the conference expanding its offering of high-quality and relevant training opportunities for clergy and lay leadership. } no comment } No ideas. } I would make a call to return to a Biblical understanding of God and hate what He hates... Sin. In so doing there would 66 htt District Realignment Survey for Clergy be some house cleaning. It is impossible for us to go forward in our faith and in our mission if we deny the most basic tenets as outlined in all the Statements of Faith and the classic understanding of the Scriptures. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes. The changes that have been made are to our own distruction, Psalm 2. } If our goal is to be disciple makers, than we must do a better job of empowering those who can be disciple makers. Disciple making happens from the bottom up - but as a denomination our structure and polity is top down. West Ohio Conference needs to continue to seek consistency in conference/district to local church relationships that will put into action our goal. A great effort is recently being invested in the BOM/DCOM's to create a consistent, fair and empowering process. In essence (what I know of the model being employed) functions from top down, yet is building and empowering perspective clergy from the bottom up. Equal effort needs to be placed in a conference/district model that is top down in structure yet connects churches at the district level (be it 5, 8, 12, or 20 districts - the number should not matter if the resources needed are in place) and builds disciples from the bottom up (recognizing of course - easier said than done!). The conference should exist for the local church, not vice versa. There should be more resourcing (training, funding, support personnel) provided to local churches. } I think I would try to find ways to help make ineffective churches and pastors better rather than threaten to relocate or not appoint the pastor or to close the church. That is the what many small churches feel is going to happen. We see thriving churches getting more and better training for their pastors while the small churches with Local Pastors are left on their own. } Not sure } I would love for us to be more united, grounded in Christ, and centered upon the mission of making disciples of JC for the transformation of the world. We have made great strides in the past five years and I look forward to the future! } Not sure I understand the role completely. } Communication is powerful. Relying on the pastor of the church to keep the congregation up to date may not be enough. } Get them out of the office more.... Council director...... focused on more than one way to grow churches.. Focused more on our conference.....more available to training our leaders, for deployment to do what she does.....} Keep the focus on equipping and encouraging the local church. We don't need to hear what a poor job we're doing; we need role models, training, and encouragement. } I wouldn't change the role of the WOC } No change } I believe our conference is doing a great job in ministry and making disciples for the transformation of the world. } It seems that the West Ohio Conference has taken a more, dictatorial role in the past few years, from, "If you don't vote this way, then you will not get any support from the conference" scare tactics used to elect Bill Bronson, to Vote to expand Medicaid or you are not doing your christian duty. I am unclear when the church decided that it was better to let the government do the church's job and the church didn't have to do it anymore. The reality is, if the church did it's job of taking care of the orphans and widows, then there would be way less need for expanding government programs. The conference could better change by focusing on making disciples and reaching out and getting away from the recommendations to call your congressman or approach the governor, about issues. } People in our conference are not as open to the "corporate model" as those who adhere to it may believe. Though such is needed to some extent, a pastoral approach to conference leading and 67 District Realignment Survey for Clergy - direction might bring some peace to pastor and parishioner alike. } Less a place where ministries programs originate and more a resource and guide for local church ministries. } Get some of the staff on the road and throughout the conference to build a stronger relational connection. If they became ambassadors for the conference the local congregations might perceive a greater value. } Let's live as the church, not as bureaucrats. } That's a heavy question! I think the annual conference should inspire people to fulfill their mission. If our role as an annual conference is anything but that, then it should be changed. } Less Bureaucracy } Too big of a question } I generally approve of what I have seen as the the roles of the WOC. I have seen the conference help congregations connect to ministries of mission and justice. And I see the WOC providing training opportunities for laity and especially for clergy. If there is one thing that the bishop could do that I have not seen lately, that would be to give love and spiritual support to clergy. } No response } The WOC has becomes less intrusive since the district realignment. Our people are engaged, when given opportunity. That's good for a small membership congregation. This year's Annual Conference was refreshing. Was it because we avoided controversial topics or was this just the plan due to Bishop Palmer's arrival? } Collecting/reporting data weekly has been a challenge for some pastors, but if you stick with it, there's a rhythm you fall into. I wonder what the future brings with our current demographics. Our DS worried too much about that at first. Some things we've done obviously sprang from a D. MIn. project gone awry. We're still trying to recover from the Joshua Church/II Timothy Church/Elijah Church fiasco. } I would like to see the conference more involved in the churches within the WOC. World missions, etc. are wonderful but there are churches that would benefit from attention of the WOC. Actually, I would like to see the WOC and the EOC merge to cut costs, etc. } Get back in touch with the local church. Connect with them and discover how to resource them without a top down approach. } Change the culture of them verses us. Profess and live into the positive reasons for being a United Methodist. Remember that the WOC exists to serve Christ through the people who are truly "sold out for Christ" in the individual churches throughout the conference. Support the clergy who are trying their best to dsiciple the local church in siutations where neighborhoods or areas are in transition. Provide positive reinforcement to encourage, not discourage clergy. } not sure; but the decentralized structure leaves me feeling isolated. } You have got to find a way to connect to the local churches. The people of the WOC office, including the Bishop, are mere names on paper without a physical presence locally. } I actually believe the WOC does very well.. except for the throttling the district level leadership in authority. Pastors must start to understand leading is serious. There is no more serious opportunity in the world. As a whole, we need to teach pastors how to lead, it is the single most deficit I see. I have worked with SLI as a coach in S. E. OH and W. V. for over a year, serving 14 churches there. They have the exact same problems. After 15 months of trying to help, only 3 of them have really stepped up to make a difference in their respective communities. My name is Neal Whitney 419-231-0226 cell/text [email protected] if you want to contact me. I grew up on a farm, so I know what "Blue Ribbon'' means. It means we won, or at least was of supreme quality and effort. I pray this group does both. If I can be of any help in any way, I would consider it a privilege. I want to see the UMC catapult into the future of 68 District Realignment Survey for Clergy disciple making and transformation of the world.. I see the whole question being answered when we finally decide what actually proceeds VISION in the lives of our pastors and our connection. We need to go back to being ":movement'' and not a religious organization. Organized religion started to die in 1964. I know, because I was 18 then. I have watched it decline. I have also seen our district camping experience grow dramatically since 1991. Have led dozens of mission trips overseas and seen lives changed dramatically. Same happening on regional and local trips. We have to learn to serve again in our communities. "Give our lives as a ransom for many". just like Jesus did. } I would like to see th conference become a leader in doing ministry in a pastoral way.....to care about people and their growth in spirituality more than making disciples for Jesus Christ....if that only means gaining numbers. I think that we as the church are behind the times when it comes to the way we think of people.....I wish we would concentrate less on how bad the world is and that it needs saved, in the sense that it is damned and lost....I would rather us view the church as a place where people can come for healing and acceptance and together we can be healed and transformed and change the world in places where it isn't going very well.....I would love for us as a conference to have a much more positive view of the world and other religions in it and work to enlarge our view of how we can help transform the world into the Realm of God for all people. I want the conference to be some entity that my local church can better relate to } My perception of the WOC is that it is focused on the mega churches that are demonstrating significant growth. Small membership churches are doing some great things but fall way under the radar because they are not boasting huge growth spurts. Also, the drive to attract pastors under the age of 30 is a necessary goal but experience should not be overlooked. As a second career pastor, I bring a wealth of experience to the church that an under 30 pastor simply does not have. } I am proud of our conference. The recent decision with regard to Malaria is satisfying! The new Bishop is quite impressive. } 20 years ago or more several denominations in our area, notably Baptist and Nazarene where out ahead with the demographics, They were buying land and planting congregations that 20 years later and quite alive and vibrant. We have come to the game late, maybe to late. We spent a lot of resources on issues and concerns, while certainly not unimportant, seemed to supplant enabling ministry in local churches and starting new ones where the population was moving to. } Not sure. } We have very little to no contact with the WOC so if we had more times to get together that would be good. } uncertain } In order to produce monetary savings, it seems self-evident that further consolidation is needed, at least in regard to budgets, paychecks, purchasing, and training. These functions could be handled by the conference, but if there is no cost savings, it is not worth it. I'm not sure you can make the districts themselves any larger, because the size of the districts is dependent on how many churches it is possible to supervise effectively. } More diversity (Age, race, years of service) } No Comment } I would estimate 80% of my interactions with district or conference leadership is negative in tone. We receive 6 to 10 reminders per year of the potential punishments for not paying apportionments, but only one reminder per year of the great work done by our apportionments. Conference reporting is similar. I would hope the West Ohio Conference would do more to stress the benefits and great work done by our connection, and encourage more ministry in the local church. } have them 69 District Realignment Survey for Clergy help there local churches more then they are helping in missions in other countrys. They are spending our apportionments in other areas outside of our conference and those churches that need help can not recieve it because they can not pay their apportionments. Again this seems unfair. } We are still too much about numbers and less concerned with quality. I would like to see a structure where the Conference could really see what was happening in the local church. BIg is not necessarily better. } Image. The time for enabling and equipping the local church for ministry and mission is over. We are all pretty well equipped and our pastors are trained up to here. It's time to work on our image. I think many of our laity see the conference as a bureaucratic, administrative entity to which they feel little loyalty. The conference needs to work on its image as a MISSION oriented entity through which the local church reaches out to the world. } I believe that in past years the Episcipal Leaders have not taken leadership on many of the social issues that we are dealing with. Our Epiusopal leader ought to be able to articulate the officaal position of the church and how his or her personal views align with that position. There should be efforts to lead in dialog throughout the year so we don't try to commpact all our energies into three speeches for or three speeches against in issue at Annual Conference. I am not qualified to answer this question } The WOC can be helpful in encouragement and major focus -- consistency and steadiness can be helpful as well. When the WOC is shifting foci every few months it becomes very confusing for everyone including the WOC...... we need to engage the vision and live into it...... } It would be nice if the conference could be focused more on local churches and less on "grand" projects } I do think the conference does a nice job overall } Nothing to share on this question. } Examine itineracy. Look at new model for 21st century. } Share and express the important of the local church to the ministry not the District or conference. } Provide instruction and training for the smaller churches to not only grow in membership but in service and discipleship training. } I think this last years more streamlined annual conference was a great beginning. We need to lift up those smaller churches (2/3 of our churches fall into this category) who get overshadowed by what the mega churches do. Affirm their steps in the right direction. They may not be there yet and some encouragement would mean a lot. I have always paid my apportionments in full for the 42 years I have served as a UM minister but when I have sought help and grants have been shot down by minutia instead of supported and helped. My churches then wonder about the advantage of paying those apportionments. } The annual conference should do more in its connectional role. The conference should not be limited to resourcing individual local churches. We need to become much more inclusive. We do a terrible job of reaching people who are not white and middle class. } Not sure. } N/A } While any conference could use a little tweaking here and there, the West Ohio Conference seems to be able to keep its mission before the districts and the churches very well. } Less programing } not sure } Reduce paper work } To be more strategic and connectional. } None } Continued focus on leadership development and basic financial and management skill training for all clergy. } too much micromanaging. There is a culture clearly communciated that no one but a couple of people know what is best for every local church. That is not so. Many of us have lead succesfully for years and have much to contribute. Trust both ways is very low. (although I feel quite hopeful that this will turn around with new epsicopal 70 District Realignment Survey for Clergy leadership) } As was shared by some of our financial folks, the down sizing didn't really save money. Our DS folks are stretched too thin. Perhaps we need to evaluate and re-institute a few more districts to be sure things get accomplished and the "world transformed". The Conference is supposed to help the local church, not be in it for the Conference only. We keep adding staff, and lessening the impact on the local church. } To be more Spiritually Correct and less Politically Correct. } The West Ohio Conference is a great conference. We do many wonderful things. Yet, since 2006, it seems that the focus has been more on the big churches. The small membership churches are kinda left behind and made to be found wanting. Town and Country churches really do not relate to the new Conference leadership. The new Conference leadership has been coming from large church mindsets and their visions do not always correspond to the small church. For example, at Local License Pastor School, Wade told the pastors of the small churches when doing a wedding the church wedding planner does these tasks. He has no sense of what it means to be in a small church. He has no sense of what a sweet fellowship happens in our smaller churches. The second year of Pastor School, he changed his lecture a bit but still came off from a large church mindset . His suggest was to train someone to be the wedding co-ordinator. Now, I believe we have talented and gifted people in the conference office. I would like to suggest that our conference staff must rotate where they worship for a few years and get a real feel for what the church of West Ohio Conference looks. If most of our churches worship less than 100 in attendance, then they need to understand that dynamic. For you see, we would not put the supply pastor who is a goat farmer, as lead pastor of a 500 member church because we would say he does not have the experience and understanding of what is needed. I QUESTION IF OUR CONFERENCE LEADERSHIP REALLY HAS THE UNDERSTANDING TO HELP SMALLER MEMBERSHIP CHURCHES WHEN THEY ONLY KNOW LARGE CHURCH. Also, I do not feel affirmed by the WOC when it comes to health care, pension, and encouragement by the bishop. Clergy session is a waste of time for most of us to travel three or four hours. It is too large a gathering. Though I thought the blessing of the plane was great. WOC is acting like big business in these matters and the ordinary pastor who makes the minimum salary is actually losing ground every year. We talk about our covenant with our call, and WOC affirms that call and covenant but it keeps changing. I know in America we have it better than other pastors in the denomination but I still don't that I am stable and I worry about what the WOC will do by the time I retire. } I see the conference changing in terms of offering opportunity for learning for local churches. I hope it will continue in this direction. } The role of the conference is to strategize and implement church planting as well as investing in current leaders for church growth. I would like to see more resources invested here (as has been the pattern the past few years). } I know that the number of staff at the conference level has contracted. However, I think that the conference should do regional workshops and how-to sessions for all churches, led by conference staff. This humanizes the staff and the churches feel a greater connection to the conference office. At the present time I believe that most church members and attendees do not see the relevance of the conference to their worshipping community. } I would love to see our conference connect with and learn from powerful leaders outside of United Methodism. I would create a formal partnership with training like the 71 District Realignment Survey for Clergy Leadership Summit at Willow Creek or Catalyst in Atlanta with Andy Stanley. } Remember that we are the church and not some corporation. I realize we have to do many things like a business or corporation, but sometimes I think we forget that God is the one who's really in charge and will empower us to do what he wants us to do - if we'll take the time to really listen and follow his lead. } I think that it is already changing under Bishop Palmer but I would like to see it be a little less "The West Ohio Corporation." } I think calling local pastors to be accountable for effectiveness is a good idea. However, accountability in my view, is a two-way process. I wonder in what ways the leadership of our conference has modeled effective leadership to those serving in the local churches. For example, the Dash Board process seems to be designed to force local pastor and churches to set goals, report the goals and then to report progress toward reaching those goals. I am not aware of any goals that have been identified, reported , or achieved by our Conference. } Less concern over numbers and money. Also, better communication with local churches. } Our process seems very secretive, and I understand the need for confidentiality, but when appointments are made, I think it would behoove the conference to be a little more transparent in their thinking/rationale with both clergy and local congregations. I have witnessed the level of trust in the conference diminish during my years in ministry, and I would love to see that trust restored in some way. } The Conference needs to make evangelism/discipleship making a top priority. We have always talked about it but have never really done it. We put a great deal of emphasis on social issues but short change the spiritual issues. You cannot make a disciple until you first introduce people to Jesus. We do a lousy job of that. New ways need to be found to accomplish this and clergy, as well as laity, need to be trained in how to do it. } I think the smaller membership church has fallen off of the radar at the conference level. They are no longer resourced effectively and there is not a recognition of the different cultural outlook that is part of both the smaller membership rural church and smaller membership urban church. What works at the larger churches has to be significantly translated before it can be presented and accepted by these churches. It is my understanding that smaller membership churches supplied nearly a quarter of conference apportionment's and a third of district apportionment's. They often don't feel their getting their monies worth in return. If fact, the only time many smaller churches hear from the conference is regarding the paying of their apportionments. One of the main things that I think the WOC needs to do is to repair the "connection." Here is an article that really resonated with me regarding how the connection is broken: The Death of the UMC Connection By Jeremy Steele The idea of connection came unto its own during a moment in church history that was contentious and dramatic. As America began to find itself as a representative democracy, its citizens began to desire what they saw as a more democratic style of church structure, and they began to turn more and more to congregational styles of organization where each church was on its own seeking its own success and loosely related to the other churches in its denomination. During this same time the Methodist church came under fire because of its very un-democratic episcopal structure. There were charges leveled against the church of being unchristian and anti- american (which is a totally different from now). We pushed back by saying that our structure was not about being mindless servants of an autocratic bishop, but that we were a single unit 72 District Realignment Survey for Clergy that was facilitated by the Bishop and other superintendents. It was about connection. You saw the connection in how we operated. Yes there were individual churches, but they were constantly teaming up and coming together in small or large groupings to do everything from having a camp meeting to starting a hospital. We were different because we were not duplicating efforts, we were not fighting amongst each other for members; rather, diverse congregations were working together in a network (some might say a body) to accomplish far more for the Kingdom of God than any one of them could do on their own. Fast-forward to the present and it is difficult to see that radical contrast to the congregational approach being lived out in our Church. The Connection may not be dead, but the signs of its imminent demise are everywhere. Since we are talking youth ministry here, lets use it as our test case. It was not long ago that conferences had thriving youth programs that were a beautiful collaboration between adults and youth from all over the conference. They did camps, retreats, mission projects, evangelistic rallies, you name it. What was even more beautiful than that was the fact that these events grew out of districts that were doing the same thing on a local scale. Now that is quickly becoming the exception rather than the rule. More and more conferences are dissolving the youth ministry position because it has become irrelevant. If no one is coming or participating in those conference events, there is no need for a staff to facilitate them. Why? The big churches say the events are too low quality (translation: we can do it better by ourselves) and the small churches are concerned that if they join in with the bigger groups, their students might like the bells and whistles somewhere else better and leave. Wow. How competitive. How unhealthy. How un- methodist. I’m not sure exactly where it all jumped the shark, but one thing is clear to me now: we are on the brink of losing the beauty of the connection altogether. You know the story. After a couple of conversations with the DS, you get a new pastor. A couple months later there is electricity in the air when he takes to the pulpit to unveil his new “vision” for the church. You are going to have coffee in the lobby, go to the local mission once a month and even start visiting the people who visit your church. People praise him for being a visionary leader and follow willingly. When that pastor moves on, the church repeats the cycle with yet another pastor and yet another vision. You can’t blame the pastors, it’s what our culture expects. Jim collins pointed out in Good to Great that over the past several decades, our culture has grown to associate this visionary-hero style leader with the pinnacle of leadership success. Around this leadership style has grown enumerable conferences, books and seminars that help even the most introverted step up and step out to cast their vision to the masses. The problem is, this leads to isolated, suspicious, non-connected churches. Each church is out for its own success in its own mission with its own members. This is done in part because the churches have asked for a visionary leader and in part because that is how they are evaluated. They are evaluated for individual success. But that’s what we want, right? We want vital congregations. We want accountability. We want growth in each individual church. And there it is: each individual church. Not the connection, not the body, each church must exhibit the same hallmarks of vitality. That is a congregational view not a connectional one. In a connection, each congregation will have different functions. Some might be the thriving evangelistic arm while another might be the missional outpost. One might be the writers and teachers who develop amazing curriculum while 73 District Realignment Survey for Clergy another might be incredible at hospitality. There may be churches with a few, committed members that perform a vital function within the connection that allows the connection to be successful and reproductive; while the church is not reproductive in itself. There is a church like that in our community. It is small. It is not adding members each year. It is not converting people each year, but it is a vital part of what God is doing in our community. That church houses and cares for a host of missional interns that serve our community and reach out to the poor, ignored and oppressed. Those interns are not a ministry of that church (though they are a ministry of the Methodist church). The church doesn’t get statistical credit for all the amazing things those interns do, but without that church, that growing, innovative, vital edge of ministry in our community would be crippled if not gone altogether. I think there is hope, but I think that our treatment for this illness has to have a multi-faceted approach. The first step is to address that which is immediately under our control: ourselves. We need to get over ourselves as leaders and churches. It is not about us rising to Hybelian heights of leadership glory or growing into another mega-church with a crippling addiction to mortgages. We need to leave our vision meetings and long-term congregational strategy groups and start dreaming together. What could we do together that we could never do apart? What does the part-time youth leader excel at in her ministry that eludes the multi-staff mega church youth group? What would happen if we stopped thinking about our personal success and threw ourselves together for kingdom success? However, we won’t be able to transform our methods if important, vital voices are shut down because they aren’t getting the right types statistical success. I work with an incredible pastor who is prone to pithy, wise outbursts that are as true as they are corny. One of them is that you can expect what you inspect. I agree. If we want to be a connectional church, we need to start valuing the types of success that grows from connectional ministry. Congregations that act as isolated, non-connectional bodies need to be seen as less vital (no matter how large or growing they are) than those who are using their resources to do something with the connection to impact their community. You may be asking why. Why not just give in to our cultural history and go full-congregational? Why not just throw in the towel on an outdated and ineffective system? Because I believe that the connection is the key to our success in the coming era. Look at our world. It is decentralizing all around us. Fifty years ago the best metaphor for almost everything was a building with a foundation, walls, and roof. Now, it is the web. More and more we are giving up these hierarchical silos for nodal, interconnected networks. We are moving into an era of connection, and we have connection in our DNA! We have a system that is ready and has the potential to be far more relevant than anything else in that sort of world. I hope that we can save it before it’s too late. } It should start over as a new business would launch today and drop its antiquated systems. We are too nice, and therefore dysfunctional. Annual conference should be shorter and end, not lengthened with a bunch of fluff. All of the above responses relates to this question. } Make it a less top-down and less bureaucratic. Be more concerned about quality than quantity. Discipleship is more than numbers. Jesus transformed the world with only 12 disciples. West Ohio Conference seems to be fixated on worship attendance and giving, as if those mere numbers translate into effectiveness. It's simply not true. Oh, and please try to quit closing and merging churches. Small churches have value too. } Continue to 74 District Realignment Survey for Clergy increase the amount of resources for training and retooling to churches made available through the Conference. } Less focus on being prophetic regarding politically divisive issues. } I don't know. } I really don't have an answer for this. Sorry } The district realignment has not helped our conference. } More widespread communication of learning opportunities and how to be more substantially involved. For example, unless one is an "insider," and well-connected, conference nominations process is a bit cryptic. } Not at all. } I think we should get back to preaching the gospel and forget about many of the programs that are now in effect } Make it more advisory to the churches as genuine bodies of Christ. Make it reflect less corporate ambition. Recommit to faithfully following Scripture first, demonstrating Biblical integrity in every office, refusing to manipulate and obfuscate. Deliberately decentralize power and authority and undo the grasping for power, control, and money that has marked the conference in the past 20 years. Encourage the churches in their local and world mission, praising their efforts rather than constantly browbeating them and accusing them. More love, less talk about love. } I would not change it. } The points of emphasis for the West Ohio conference should be: 1) Leadership management and deployment. This requires a greater and deeper knowledge of pastors and churches. It is hard to imagine anything more crucial than this. Great matches between pastors and churches leads to success! 2) Continue emphasis on leadership development. In recent years our conference gets high marks for this. Continue to strengthen this good work! 3) Continue emphasis on keeping resources close to the front line of ministry… which is the local church. This is not meant to be a naïve statement to imply that the only front line of ministry is the local church, there are many other valuable ministries locally, regionally, and globally that we should be supporting. However, if our local churches are not vital in making disciples for Jesus Christ, then all of the other ministries will find diminishing support. 4) Embrace limited itinerancy. Our conference has an inconsistent journey with this. Some of our terrifically talented pastoral leaders have been discouraged from service because they have a spouse who is a high talent community leader or professional who for all practical purposes is not free to move geographically throughout the conference. This is a delicate subject. The conference might be helped if it took a clear benevolent and partnering posture with our high commitment/ high talent parsonage households. 5) Reevaluate the parsonage system. All other factors being equal, most families would prefer to live in a home of their own choosing. This does not apply as universally with pastors early in their career, as churches who have worked for years to provide a good parsonage may well be able to offer living quarters that are better than such parsonage families could afford. Yet, many families would have the resources and the desire to choose their own living conditions. I simply suggest a loosening of the parsonage system might encourage large populations of pastors and serve the conference well. (This is not written by a disgruntled parsonage dweller. My family currently lives in a pleasant parsonage and has enjoyed a few times the benefit of homeownership through a housing allowance. We've seen the benefits of both sides of this discussion, so this thought is simply offered for your consideration.) } the conference is getting better and better at focusing on winning souls for Christ but we still have a long way to go. } No Comments } None } I would not change anything. I am proud to be in the West Ohio Conference and proud of our mission and service. } Currently, I see no need for 75 District Realignment Survey for Clergy changes with the conference office. } The WOC is very effective. Our new Bishop it seems is going to take us in disciple making in wonderful ways. Very impressed with his leadership we all just experienced at the 44th WOC. } Hold the entire UMC leadership, including and especially the Episcopacy, to account. Follow the BoD, but not just as quibblers and politicians; follow it in the spirit of His will. Tell West Ohio and the world that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed here, and not just some sappy, social, feel-good, can't-we-all-get-along, un-Biblical, un- Methodist junk story that eventually gets around to almost recognizing the absolute (well, maybe not "absolute") sovereignty of our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ. } Stop placing so much emphasis on secular business leadership models that focus on short-term quantitative numerical results. Think more long-term and trust in God. The numerical decline of the denomination will not be reversed without a patient a loving change of church culture. Business models create a culture of competition motivated by fear. } I've been concerned with the shift of power over the last few years that has resulted in distrust between the Conference staff and pastors/congregations. When the structure changed more to ministry teams a few years ago the intention was to shift the decision making and work to the people actually involved in various areas. The perception has been that the decision making was pulled from the ministry teams and given to conference staff. I'm not sure that the perception is completely fair in all areas, but I would like to see a greater effort to move back toward an understanding of conference staff as a support to local congregations rather than the people we are supposed to serve. Also, I think if you are trying to get a broad array of pastors it would be helpful to not lump everyone who has been a pastor for 10 years or more into the same category (referring to the below question)... I am 35 years old and depending on how we define "pastor" I could be in the final category. I think this could theoretically leave out all of our most experienced pastors. } Can't think of a thing! Sometimes over the past few years it has felt like others in the conference only care about your numbers and my impression of west ohio is that the pastors sometimes feel competitive with each other which gets in the way of honest sharing and exchange of ideas. } 1. Stopping or decreasing the appointment of clergy from other conferences (recruiting clergy from other conferences). 2. Emphasize sound theology as well as potential for effective ministry as a main element of Board of Ministry discerning candidates for ordination/conference membership. 3. Make the primary method of limiting or removing ineffective clergy from appointments be that of a verifiable, supervisory function of the Cabinet of the Conference. } I don't have enough information to even begin to think about this. } I would suggest that the WOCUMC spend more time getting to know the smaller and more remote congregations, focusing more efforts on maintaining and supporting these congregations rather than supplying more resources for larger churches. I would also suggest that staff be more visible to laity in the conference to promote lay desire to maintain ties with and financially support wocumc. } Inspire, inform, train, encourage } The conference could become more of a hub for payroll and adminitrative functions that perhaps would free up time at the district offices. } Have Clergy clusters go back to county clusters and require participation and have the DS assistants lead them. } I would highly question the closing of so many churches in our conference. I see young men and women wanting to enter ministry. The Holy Spirit seems dedicated to giving us leadership for churches, 76 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dlbMNFZXp4K4GbMMYbb1Lag9PxFljFYH7vgntzRzShU/viewanalytics District Realignment Survey for Clergy but if we continually close the smaller churches, where are these hopeful pastors ever going to have the chance to preach? It also causes us to continually work from a position of weakness and defeat. } I would try to define the role of the WOC. It still seems to be credentialing, appointing, and budgeting. The recent annual conference could have been much shorter without all the commercials. The purpose is hard to discern. Is it to promote the conference office? BTW, how is a Blue Ribbon Committee different from a regular committee? Are the others inferior to the former? } WOC's role seems efficacious and for the most part. It is wonderful that so much talent and disciples/ saints are involved and contribution to the building of God's Kingdom in Wesleyan manner. However, I sometimes see an occasional drifiting away from our main focus, which is the Great Commission. } 1. Focus more on Jesus Christ-become a ferocious advocate for prayer-kiss church politics goodbye. } Role change-Thank you for creating the new position at the conference level which will assist smaller churches in being missional in the community. } Should be an advocate assigned to the conference strictly for assisting small, rural churches. } Annual Conference...I did not know I did not have a vote this year and no one could explain to me why. There should be someone available at annual conference to answer questions like this. I found it when I got home in the book of discipline that I have to wait two years. } My understanding of the "role" of the WOC is very basic. I understand the WOC to be part of an organizational design that administratively supports churches and clergy, holds clergy accountable, gives over arching direction and vision (WOC is becoming the beloved community), and prays constantly for pastors and congregations. In times of crisis, the WOC is a safety net. In times of inappropriate behavior, the WOC is a place of accountability, justice, and protection of the vulnerable (churches and people.) I see the role WOC as having the financial and professional resources to make it possible for churches to do ministry and mission, on the ground, with the people. Change #1 - Grants to local churches In the last 3 years, I've experienced what I think is a faithful and excellent expression of the WOC role as providing financial and professional resources. The number of grants available to churches is truly awesome. It's giving us what we need to take a giant leap forward to become self-sustaining. The grants are holding people accountable. The grants are balanced - focused in expectation (make disciples) and free in how churches administer the grants (by free I mean that churches are trusted to use the grant money as the church describes, and then report on the outcomes). I would like to see a lot more of this - a lot more grant money available for churches to take the next giant step in ministry. Otherwise, I mostly have dreams for what the WOC could really do to support local churches and pastors. Dream #1 -- stream line services for churches Cluster churches, pool financial resources, and have excellent administrative staff to support the ministry and mission of several small churches. Annual audits would come in this category. All this would free the pastor to plan and prepare excellent worship, equip and train leaders, visit people, be fully engaged in the community, and grow the church for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus for the transformation of the world. Just think how much money would be saved if the WOC purchased cell phones, laptops or tablets, and the corresponding services en masse for pastors? WOC could leverage so much savings to do large contracts en masse. Instead, out here in the middle, every little tiny church like mine is spending so much precious 77 District Realignment Survey for Clergy time dealing with phone companies and payroll companies, and rarely does a church with under 100 members have the financial or people to really do this administrative work well. So it falls to the pastor, which takes me away from doing what I do best. Dream #2 -- authority of the conference and district When I got to my current appointment, I knew the church had experienced a decade of decline (attendance and membership was cut in half.) But it would have been helpful to know that there was no operating budget, no income/expense report, no pledging, no stewardship campaign, no audit for 2 or more years, and therefore NO KNOWLEDGE THE CHURCH WAS OPERATING $40,000 IN DEFICIT and had less than 2 years before closing for good. I dream of the day the district and conference have more authority or exercise the authority they have to say to local churches at the to have all financial and membership information current on day 1 of a new appointment. To say to churches who are getting a new appointment, "You have to do this, now. balanced operating budget, income/expense reports, audits. And here are the resources to make this happen." I dream of the day the district/conference exercise their authority to make local churches provide this basic financial information. Dream #3 A bishop who loves us I am hoping that maybe, possibly, this day is here, at least for now. For the last decade, pastors were told over and over in so many ways, "You pastors aren't working hard enough. Why aren't you like this big successful church? Why aren't you giving more money? Why aren't you doing more?" At least this is what I heard. I support the dash board. It's easy, takes almost no time to record, and is helpful information. I am glad to be held accountable. I want to lead my church to be a growing community church that makes disciples of Jesus for the transformation of the world. I want to lead my church to double and double again. I love what I do. I love serving as a pastor. I will do this until God calls me to do something else or until I take my last breath. I am devoted to Jesus. He has saved me over and over and over again. I want everyone to know the love of God! and feel God's love changing their hearts and lives. And to finally hear my bishop say that I am beloved, that I am taken by Jesus - I'm crying right now, just remembering it. Thank you, Bishop Palmer. } Focus on teaching and encouraging PEOPLE ministering to PEOPLE. } Over the last few years the West Ohio Conference has invested more in missional church initiatives and children and family ministry training. These have positively impacted me and the church I serve and I suspect many others. } I cannot make a comment that would be valuable } There is a great disconnect with the local church and the denomination as a whole. Some of this is clergy not explaining or teaching the importance of the connectional system. Some of this is a perception of the WOC not finding a balance between local and international issues. Some of this is local churches clinging for dear life to the memories of life before 1968 and fostering that hostility, which can be suffocating to mission and ministry. The WOC needs to be more extrovert and transparent than introverted and "clique", which was the vibe for the last 6-7 years. The WOC image was it run by a handful of people, who did good works, but presented an attitude of "in the club", you had to be a "golden child" or one of 32 Wesley's "preferred." It was more Corporate Secular Culture than Communal Spiritual Culture. Yes, there is a corporate piece to church but WOC, for many people and churches, felt WAY OUT OF BALANCE. Most local churches and some clergy feel out of the loop and not valued or respected by WOC because of their worship attendance, locale 78 District Realignment Survey for Clergy or other demographics. Everyone has value and worth not just the big churches with the "rock stars." There is plenty of local talent in the store fronts and the corn fields. } Continue moving toward revitalization of small membership churches. In many areas, the church is the only thing that still unites the community. The schools have consolidated. Businesses have left the now unincorporated towns. Some towns can't be found on Googlemaps. If the church, no matter how small it is closes/or is ineffective, there is nothing keeping a community a community. The people of that area loose their identity, adding more despair to already depressed communities. Could the conference persons be more available to small churches, such as in a county training? Many small churches believe there is no access to conference staff. (I know that is not necessarily true.) } West Ohio Conference is making strides in communicating with excellence. Every year it seems to get a little better. Listening to what local churches need and then resourcing them would make this even more powerful! } I don't know. } It often seems like the Conference sends the impression that the local churches exist for the Conference rather than the other way around. } I believe that the West Ohio Conference does an incredibly complicated and arduous task extremely well. Each and every West Ohio Conference staff member that I have worked with has been helpful, supportive and most-of-all very knowledgeable in their area of expertise. } I am happy the way it is working so I don't think things should change. } I have wondered if the realignment has really saved money, or just increased the work of the district office. } I would love for the WOC to realize that small churches exist and are a vital part of their communities and treat them as such. It seems the opinions of the small churches are often overlooked since they do not supply the large amount of apportionments. } Over the years we have done programming and leadership development at the district level and at the conference level and in neither case has the response been overwhelming. Greater accountability and supervision is a must with both pastors and congregations. } I would like to see the Conference "enforce" some efficiencies within the conference. For example - it would make sense if all churches used the same financial or church management software systems for uniformity of reporting, ease of trouble shooting, reducing costs by group discounted purchasing. Perhaps the BOD doesn't allow for this type of control, but we're not being good stewards of the resources we're given if we don't. } More support of the smaller churches. } If you mean our role in the State of Ohio, I think that we are doing incredible stuff. The strategic partnerships in Russia, Mexico, the Congo and Vietnam are fantastic and have helped move us from focus on decline to new life for others. Fantastic! Speaking out on social issues like gambling, the arena and human trafficking is totally on message and what we should be doing in leadership. However, you asked about change. If I could change one thing it would be this and it will make people mad; direct bill for Apportionments. Direct billing for insurance totally changed the face and attitude around clergy benefits and it made our finances more sound as an Annual Conference. I would suggest that if you are not willing to participate fully in connectionalism except for those places where you are receiving benefits, then you are not connectional. We have yet to come to terms with confronting our conference with connectionalism. This is not to say that there are not things to change or that I endorse everything that the General Church is engaged in, but there are processes for making those changes, I struggle with. And yes, withholding money can be a tool 79 District Realignment Survey for Clergy for pushing change, but that should be an option of last resort, not first resort. So push the connectional envelope. We have been encouraging compliance now for 44 years and we have yet to reach 75-85-90% consistently? What part of the failure to encourage are we not getting? Not sure I have enough years of experience to respond to this question adequately. I would only ask of the current Episcopal office, that we seek to be authentic and operate with great integrity and honesty. There is distrust of the conference among the laity in our local congregations and while the pastors and districts can try to bridge that gap, ultimately the greatest impression is the responsibility of the conference leadership and the communication shared from that office. The Role of the conference is to equip the clergy and laity to make disciples. The Conference is sorely lacking in providing leadership for the youth in the local church as well as at the Annual Conference level. Compared to how East Ohio equips their youth to be leaders we do a very poor job. What is provided is only for those in the "In Crowd" The role of the conference is to prepare the church for the work of God's Kingdom here on earth to provide resources and funding - not just for the churches able to pay the apportionments to extend God's Kingdom in their communities. The role of the conference is to provide equitable salaries for ALL clergy - not just those appointed to large churches that can pay large salaries. Faithful clergy who have served for over 20 years should not be receiving minimum salary because the Bishop and cabinet have appointed them to serve churches who are not able to pay beyond minimum salary. } If you are implying leaving it as a leadership team, nothing. This is the best structure we have had in the conference. My opinion, you asked for it, is that as of right now the conference is the most effective it has been in a long time. As with any organization our size, communication is always an issue. It is something in which we all need to strive to perform better. } I was very impressed with Bishop Palmer. I hope that he will have a heart for all of West Ohio especially those in the poorer districts. There are so many churches in West Ohio who feel detached from the conference. And two years ago, the two minute video about Appalachia at annual conference didn't help. } Smaller districts would make the conference seem more accessible and more closely connected with the local church. } To be more open to the Charismatic people of the Conference. } If effective programming is done, it should happen at the Conference level. However, the primary focus should be in assisting local congregations and helping share best practices across the Conference. } The role of the Conference should be to encourage and enable churches anf clergy to tell the Good News of God's love for all of creation. That story will transform the world, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, will create Disciples for the one we call Christ. } Continue to find ways to resource the local church. Especially financially. } I would continue the emphasis in world missions. I would put more money and energy into church planting. } Increase the consultation movement. A true culture change will not come from chasing every growth gimmick that comes down the pike (which is what it seems we've been doing for the last 6-7 years). Great themes and carefully orchestrated systems that try to force one model of leadership upon our diverse congregations won't fit either. to start, I would recommend that our Conference celebrate the victories smaller churches are making in their communities more rather than ALWAYS holding up Ginghamsburg as the sterling example. The role of the WOC is to provide training/opportunities/resources for the pastors and laity who are in 80 District Realignment Survey for Clergy the trenches, in the cities, in the sticks, at the camps. I wouldn't change it so much as to begin living into it. These last few years, our Conference has talked a great game, but we do not deliver, and we tend to beat on the pastors for that. } There has been a loss of a sense of connectionalism among clergy and churches over the course of my ministry (35 yrs). I believe that the move to larger districts contributed greatly to this. I also believe that it has lead to an even greater loss of focus on our urban centers where we have had the largest loss of churches and membership, and yet they continue to have huge populations in relationship to the rest of the conference areas. While it is probably unrealistic to think that we could realign districts and create more, I truly believe that smaller districts with greater access to DS and with districts that could focus more specifically on particularly urban centers would be very helpful. } I think I would find people to staff the WOC who can get along with one another and who work together as a team... I think there's way too much tension in that office...and it's communicated to the Churches of the Conference... Someone needs to work to build a "Team" of ministers there. } No change needed. } Continue to de-emphasize the conference and lift up the local congregation. Things start to grow and sprout and all of a sudden we have another major level of ministry to fund that does not impact the local congregation. Less is better. } Unsure. } I would like to see the role of the WOC present the vision and then keep it for a time, like several years. } It would be helpful to resource rural/small town churches. } The conference should seek to serve the districts which in turn should seek to serve and encourage the local churches. } Don't know } i would devise an information form that fits the needs of districts as well as WOC. The pastor evaluation form is a joke, and not helpful to anyone except, perhaps, those who love to compile meaningless details. I know several pastors who have retired early because of the endless forms. } Focusing more attention on helping town and rural clergy to enable their congregations to move forward in ministry and mission. Being more concerned about the spiritual health of it's town and rural churches. Holding congregations more accountable for their actions and lack of actions concerning apportionments and unchristlike behavior in the way they function toward each other and the clergy appointed to serve them. } Conference needs to offer more affordable opportunities for training events and do a better job of communicating those events to churches and laity. We need to focus more on evangelism and discipleship issues and less on social issues (Still important). Feel in the local church is that Denomination is only concerned with little concern for evangelism and disciple making. } no response } no change } If the goal is to make disciples for the transformation of the world, then the role of the conference should be to do whatever they can to make local churches strong and healthy. Statistics show that this means we need to focus on longer appointments and new church starts to create the most potential for growth. } Actually equip the local church for mission and ministry. Stop trying to create "add-on" mission fund raisers. Be the Conference and not a local church. Have workshops that are helpful - I rarely seek out UM related workshops and resources... } no changes } There is a general feeling throughout the conference of low clergy morale. Pastors need more encouragement and support, not threats of removal as we heard from Doug Dame.omn (sp?) at Annual Conference. We also need qualitative measures of church/pastor effectiveness not just quantitative. Many, many pastors and 81 District Realignment Survey for Clergy - churches feel threatened. There has also been such an emphasis on getting and supporting young pastors that many older pastors feel devalued as if reaching a certain age makes you automatically a throw-away. I would change the role of the conference from its currently perceived (if not real) position of judge to one of encourager and up-lifter. } Shift the emphasis from administration accomplishments to ministry accomplishments. Make ministry priority 1 and administration/statistical upkeep #2 } No idea. } Leadership starts at the top. The conference's role is to cast vision for churches and effectiveness. Do churches know the job description and role of each conference employee and how they can assist in making effective congregations? } It could be a little more personal and a little less high brow. } I like what I see being done now. Leadership development, coaching, training for churches as well as pastors. Great help. Thanks!! The lack of personal fellowship with one another has supported our suspicions of one another and added to our mis-trust. The more isolated I feel the less I believe in those from other perspectives. Our mis-trust led us at Lakeside to vote down the very thing we need; experiences together. } I have cooperated, reluctantly, with the Dashboard requirements and all of the clergy "accountability" requirements. I still have a difficult time seeing how it improves or changes anything. I had to leave a very supportive, caring, clergy accountability group in order to participate in a group assigned to me by our D.S.! Mandatory cooperation does not work. I would like for the West Ohio Conference to place a degree of trust in our lay and clergy leadership. } I think the WOC is the greatest conference in the denomination. Although I have not always agreed with some previous episcopal decisions, I am very pleased to serve in WOC. I think Bishop Palmer is awesome and I look forward to his continual leadership! } I would not change the role. } Quit visioning and let the preachers and churches get to work. The conference needs to be more in tune with the younger pastors and younger spouses by providing childcare at conference and during spouse activites. The Conference also needs to stop having events at retreat centers of other denominations when we have a retreat center right here in our own conference. } I think extra effort to "Do No Harm" would be appreciated. My church was one that had severe ramifications with the treasurer election. There was no danger of the congregation nor myself leaving the denomination, but I still feel harm was done by somebody trying to make a political point....It was the only time in 16 years that anything happened at annual conference that hurt my congregation. At that time we were the fastest growing church in my district. I was "damaged" in a way by trying to stop the bleeding from something I didn't do, and could not fix. } They say that the purpose is building up the local church. In practice, we get communication after communication about how we need to be supporting the conference and denomination in the program or initiative 'du jour'. On most days, I would answer the question: "How can the conference help me in the local church?" by saying, 'Leave me alone -- i.e. don't add to my work load with busy work for you.' } More involved with more impoverished districts } The Conference needs to be more Spirit-led and less financially and size oriented. } Decentralize conference ministry and give a greater role to dynamic districts and churches. Ministry closer to the local laity and community creates greater passion and involvement (Well, in my opinion). } The conference needs to be more pro-active in actually helping churches do ministry--even small churches. They need to do this, at least for an initial 82 District Realignment Survey for Clergy period of time, without regard to apportionments paid. That will help churches who are not paying apportionments to see the value of the connection before they are pressured to come up to full payment status and to experience success in making disciples, which will enable them to be more financially sound and therefore more willing to participate in connectional giving. } Has the UM population in Ohio declined to the point where the West Ohio and East Ohio Conferences should explore paths of partnership? } I think the Conference is now moving in a good direction to begin a healing process for the people of the churches as well as the pastors. I think they need to use less threats to pastors of being found incompetent when churches are unwilling to make needed change, and begin to hold the laity accountable for some of the lack of new disciples. It's very difficult to turn churches around that don't want to be turned, and would rather die than do the work or spend the money to make a difference. } We are called "to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world." We need to define terms to determine we are working for the same goals. Just what IS a disciple of Jesus Christ? What are the characteristics and qualities? If we do not know what we are making, how are we to know when one is made? Having defined WHAT we are making, what is the HOW process by which one is made? What do we mean by TRANSFORMATION? From what to what? And what do we mean by the WORLD? The greater our clarity on just what it is we are trying to accomplish, the greater our connectedness and use of resources in getting it done. Every year the WOCUMC "bleeds" more members than we take in. These are the very "tools" we need for making disciples. Statistically, the majority of our churches do not "make" even one new disciple each year (if defined by new members by profession of faith) The WOCUMC could lead the way in defining and clarifying our mission and then refocusing our available resources in reaching our goal. I guess a book could and should be written on this topic. } The Conference needs to get smaller in order to grow larger. When we went to realignment we needed to go to more districts not less, for the purpose of developing relationships that help in the mission to make disciples for the transformation of the world. } I would not change it. } After my first time at Annual Conference at Lakeside this year, I am inspired by the ministries and support West Ohio is giving to all of their clergy and laity. } I feel that most of the people in the pews don't understand or relate to the conference. They see it something like the federal government which is this big entity somewhere out there and most of what they do doesn't affect me anyway. So they pay taxes and obey rules when they have to but other than that Washington is nothing to them. The conference is seen the same way. It would help me promote understanding of the work of the conference if I received monthly reports on the work that the conference is doing, things that might effect the local churches. } Change the Connectional Ministries leadership; ineffective and absent from the churches. } No change. Questions below reflect the person who composed them does not realize some of us serve two churches and some of are located in small towns. } We are neither urban or rural. } Not much. I appreciate what I see in Bishop Palmer so far. I would bring back a conference evangelist, who would spend their time preaching revivals, camp meetings, etc. throughout the conference. We have lost that aspect in West Ohio, and most churches cannot afford to bring in someone to do it. A paid position of this nature would help churches to grow, and they could be asked to help finance this position each time they call on 83 District Realignment Survey for Clergy them. It is sad to me that we wait for a once a year revival experience by going to Lakeside and hearing those great speakers. We need them at home where the whole church could benefit. Someone should realizes that many pastors over the age of 35 have wisdom, gifts and energy for effective ministry. The conference should encourage and advocate for pastors in that demographic. } Set a common purpose but allow local flavor. Get rid of emphasis on Breakthrough Goal numbers without understanding church context and clearly align those numbers to end of year report, with better ways to customize BG reports, ie with weekly breakdown grid. BG has eroded trust level as churches feel pressured to make it all about numbers. Empower the rural churches. Currently it feels like the conference emphasis is on large and city churches, and with so many on staff from Ginghamsburg that adds to the perception, even if not reality. Other: what i have seen lost in the larger districts is the local church connection. With the driving distances in some of our districts, we have lost greater participation in district trainings and events due to distance. } Help pastors, particularly those who are newly credentialed fully understand the relationship between the conference, district and the local church. This is particularly important for new church start pastors. I would fully support any efforts to have a full time staff person at the conference who is responsible for nurturing, coaching, and establishing new church starts in the West Ohio conference. A very important aspect of this role would be to coach established churches who are in the vicinity of the new church start to support, nurture and birth the new church into existence. } The Conference has felt like it was "managing" our life together rather than leading us in our life together. I do want leadership from the Annual Conference--vision and support for strategy to realize that vision, but we have not moved from "managing" to "equipping" at the conference level. The Superintendents appear to me to be more engaged as managers than as colleagues engaged in the ministry of supervision. One example of this is how Annual Conference has moved from doing our work together to a staff "produced" event. Of course we need plans and structure, but the number of members -lay and clergy- who appear on stage leading and participating has steadily declined, as has broad participation in planning of Annual Conference. This seems to me to be the visible evidence that our structure is still way too top focused. The exception has been the work in mission and justice, which has been widely effective throughout the conference with inspiration, leadership and resources available to every congregation. The involvement of lay and clergy leaders in each District for specific initiatives has been every effective here. So I would make the Conference less managerial, more relational and much more focused on equipping EVERY congregation in its particular local context through leadership that is equipped and spread out across the conference - the order of elders could be broadly engaged in this work and it could be facilitated in each district-but I think really only if the districts were smaller, or staffed much differently. As to all of the above--thanks for asking! } I am still getting to know the West Ohio Conference and have very much enjoyed it! } no } perceived need for change at this time } I think our conference does an outstanding job as it is. } The Bishop and cabinet need to place a called and gifted pastor in every church. If we do not have qualified pastors, they need to change or create the systems that produce pastors to appoint. Since we "send" pastors, the cabinet has a moral covenant with congregations to give 84 District Realignment Survey for Clergy them good leadership. What percent of the time can the cabinet say they have given a congregation the leadership they need? I know there are difficult churches, but pastoral leadership is the key and the controllable element. } I am not sure. } I don't know that the role of Conference has much impact on local congregations. } I think currently they are more hands- off and seem to recognize they don't make disciples, churches do. That's appropriate. I got the impression at Conference they were seeking new ways to eliminate pastors - we seem to have too many of them - and that's not a comforting thought, no matter how effective you are. I don't want to view them as a hit squad however so am waiting to see what the task force comes up with. Most churches I encounter have no sense of the conference affecting their lives in any way. At least until it's pointed out they provide the pastor filling the pulpit. I serve a small town church - neither urban nor rural nor suburban } I have no suggestions. } Get them out of the office more.... Council director...... focused on more than one way to grow churches.. Focused more on our conference.....more available to training our leaders, for deployment to do what she does..... } Look hard at the defeated recommendation during 2013 annual conference. Balance social concern messages from the Bishop with brief scriptural holiness concerns. } To return to the idea of the core ministry being the LOCAL church with the District offering distinctive and additive work to the local church and then the Conference offering distinctive and additive to the Districts. It seems like that happened for a moment or two, but very quickly turned around so that it appears that the local church is here to serve the Conference. } I would change how pastors are trained for the role of a pastor. Every new pastor should be paired with a more senior pastor and guided through all the things a pastor does. } Change apportionments to a flat 10%, thus each local church would tithe to the larger church. That makes more sense to many people and it ensures the Conferences "lives within its means" just like families and local churches must do. } The role of the West Ohio Conference should be to equip and lead churches to transform western Ohio. Our focus is on evangelizing foreign countries, but Columbus alone has over 20 gangs and rampant gunfire, and human beings are dying in the streets. Yet the church is silent and irrelevant. } Overall, it seems as if the Conference is currently functioning in a balanced and healthy way... Providing leadership and resources that are helpful and are creating genuine momentum, while at the same time remaining fairly unobtrusive and not heavy- handed. } Not sure all that you are asking here....} I think the role that the A.C. was assumed for itself among our conference is the right one. I believe there are changes to be made in how it best carries out it's role. I see the role of the WOC as providing leadership for churches and other ministries within our boundary and helping us bring our resources together to make disciples. } Over the years I've found that church people are less likely to travel to a "conference" or "seminar" than they are to attend when an individual or team of some kind visits their local church (or via the cluster) to offer training of some kind. Aldersgate renewal ministries uses this model and perhaps the conference could do something similar. Discipling teams, Evangelism Teams, Prayer Teams, No More Malaria teams, Congregational health evaluation teams, etc. } I believe that the changes that have occurred over the past several years or so, in particular the increased emphasis on clergy leadership effectiveness are exactly the direction the conference needs to go. } The Conference's mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for 85 District Realignment Survey for Clergy the transformation of the world. The age at which most current disciples of Jesus Christ made the commitment to become disciples is age 12 - 20. Therefore more of the Conference's energy, expertise, assistance, and (dare I say it?) money directed toward the mission of disciple-making should target children, youth, and young adults. If that's not the case, there should be compelling mission-based reasons why. } There seems to be a growing disconnect between the Conference and the individual congregations. The "face" of the Conference (the D.S.) is not as visible sense the restructuring of districts. } I like what is rolling out with the new Office of Ministry candidacy process, and the greater emphasis on the consultation process. More engagement with local churches and regional ministries and less "top-down" policy/practice directives is a good approach to take. There are significant differences in the needs and expectations of churches based on geographic location, community economic viability, ethnic and gender, etc. A "cookie-cutter" approach that minimizes or ignores such differences are detrimental to building God's kingdom. } I suppose the key to me from conference, bishop, and council of bishops, would strongly pray , commit to upholding the whole of scripture, the book of discipline, as that seems to be the key behind mass exodus from our denomination, as they state at exit talks with me in their homes, "the church is wishy washy about issues, they do not make rules and laws in line with scripture and they let opposing bishops, and others off from accountability. } No comment at this time. } Not sure } would not change the role of the WOC } Not at all } I feel we need more persons in leadership rather than the very few people who have been running things for the past 20 years. Our leadership needs to be look for and trying NEW ideas, not just rehashing old ones over and over. } I would like to see the Bishop's teaching office expanded such that there was an emphasis on Methodism/Wesleyanism across the Conference. With so many supply and part-time local pastors, a centralized educational effort seems to me to be needed. PS: Another change would be for you to ask something other than, "What is the average attendance of your church?" in the section below, as if that tells you anything useful about the church I serve, which it does not. The WOC obsession with this question is killing us. } We have very little connection to the Conference and really don't consider it in the life of the church, other than annual reporting. The conference needs to get out into the districts and leave the metro area and have a presence among all the people of the conference. For our rural churches, there is a great chasm that separates us from the conference, and it seems to be growing every year. } To many members in the Methodist Church the Conference is a distant planet.... } I like Annual Conference. It is helpful in connecting with conference staff and informing local churches on resources that are available. Is it possible for the conference to help the districts operate in this same way? } I feel that at the Annual Conference level that things are going very well. The level of support, training opportunities, and opportunities for churches to get involved in ministries outside of their own local area, is top notch. We have some great conference leaders! } Considering the current effectiveness of our District, DS, and ADS, I would not change the role of the WOC. } NA } I would not change the role of the conference. } I love the mission connections with conferences outside of the U.S. I feel like my main connection is with the district. I would suspect that the D.S. and other district leaders need to feel connected to and supported by the conference. } 86 District Realignment Survey for Clergy The only change I would suggest would be to centrally locate Annual Conference geographically. I realize Hoover Auditorium and Lakeside are historic for us, but it makes for a loooong trip. } Better use of local resources for issues related to the function of local churches, more best practice opportunities. } When you say West Ohio Conference are you speaking about the geographical area of the state that we serve within or are you talking about the Conference office? If it is the Conference office it seems at times that the Conference office becomes the central focus of much of what we do as the Church in West Ohio. I know that it is a delicate balance between casting the vision for the Church and being the resource for the local church to cast the vision in the community in which it lives and serves. Sometimes that balance becomes more Conference office focused and not focused at the local church level. } I understand with a diminishing membership and apportionments received that the Conference is challenged.
Additional questions:
How long have you been a pastor in the Ohio West Conference?
Less than 2 years 7 2% Between 2 and 6 years 43 14% Between 6 and 10 years 44 14% More than 10 years 216 70%
How long have you been a pastor of your current church?
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Less than 2 years 52 17% Between 2 and 6 years 151 49% Between 6 and 10 years 56 18% More than 10 years 51 16%
What is the average atte ndance of your church?
Fewer than 100 146 47% Between 100 and 299 112 36% Between 300 and 599 39 13% More than 600 13 4%
Would you say that your church serves primarily an urban, rural or suburban community?
Urban 57 18% Rural 156 50% Suburban 97 31%
88 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s
District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s The purpose of this survey is to provide the Blue Ribbon Panel with a tool to assess the realignment of districts within the West Ohio Conference that occurred in 2006. Please note that all answers will be anonymous and will not be identifiable by district (and therefore will not reflect on any District Superintendent).
* Required
1. Your current role is: * Mark only one oval.
District Superintendant Assistant to the District Superintendant
2. Overall, what percent of your time do you estimate you spend on day-to-day administration and management tasks? * (enter percentage, e.g. 10%)
3. Overall, what percent of your time do you estimate you spend on spiritual leadership? *
4. Overall, what percent of your time do you estimate you spend on visioning /initiating new ministries? *
5. Overall, what percent of your time do you estimate you spend on supervision and support of local church leadership? *
89 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s 6. Overall, what percent of your time do you estimate you spend on other tasks? * (enter task along with percentage)
7. In addition to the D.S. and the Assistant to the D.S., please indicate what other full- time/part-time employees work in your district office. *
8. How many part time employees work in the district office? *
9. What percent of the local churches in your district do you feel you know reasonably well? * (enter percentage number e.g. 10%)
10. What percent of the local churches in your district do you feel you somewhat know? *
11. What percent of the local churches in your district do you feel you only know a little? *
12. What percent of the pastors in your district do you feel you know reasonably well? *
90 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s 13. What percent of the pastors in your district do you feel you somewhat know? *
14. What percent of the pastors in your district do you feel you only know a little? *
15. Which, if any, of the following are significant constraints in accomplishing districts goals? * Check all that apply.
Size of workload Limited financial resources
Resistance to change in local congregations Resistance to change among pastors Demands of conference meetings/programs Insufficient staff at district office Other
16. If you checked "Other" in the last question, name what you were referring to:
17. Do you believe the effect the reorganization has had on district mission efforts has been: * Mark only one oval.
Positive Negative
No change Can't tell
91 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s 18. Do you believe the effect the reorganization has had on connections among churches in your district has been: * Mark only one oval.
Positive
Negative No change
Can't tell
19. Do you believe the effect the reorganization has had on the financial picture for your district has been: * Mark only one oval.
Positive
Negative No change Can't tell
20. Do you believe the effect the reorganization has had on the number of disciples of Jesus Christ that have been added your district has been: * Mark only one oval.
Positive Negative No change Can't tell
21. Do you believe the effect the reorganization has had on the transformation of churches and communities in your district has been: * Mark only one oval.
Positive Negative
No change Can't tell
92 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s 22. Since 2006, each of the districts has established clusters of clergy, laity, and congregations. For the clusters in your district, indicate how effective you believe they currently are in providing prayer and support. * (use a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 indicating not effective and 5 indicating very effective) Mark only one oval.
1 (not effective) 2
3 4
5 (very effective)
23. For the clusters in your district, indicate how effective you believe they currently are in providing peer coaching and training. * Mark only one oval.
1 (not effective) 2 3 4 5 (very effective)
24. For the clusters in your district, indicate how effective you believe they currently are in strengthening connections among congregations. * Mark only one oval.
1 (not effective) 2 3 4 5 (very effective)
25. For the clusters in your district, indicate how effective you believe they currently are in generating ministry partnerships. * Mark only one oval.
1 (not effective)
2 3 4 5 (very effective)
93 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s 26. For the clusters in your district, indicate how effective you believe they currently are in providing a mechanism for accountability. * Mark only one oval.
1 (not effective) 2 3 4 5 (very effective)
27. Please share here any additional changes you believe, if made, would enable your district to be more effective in meeting local church, district and conference goals of resourcing the local congregation for transformation, growth and reproduction: *
28. Please share here any additional changes you believe, if made, would enable your district to be more effective in meeting local church, district and conference goals of extending opportunities for local congregations to be involved in mission, service, and justice ministries: *
94 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s
E 11 responses View
Summary
Your current role is:
District Superintendant 4 36% Assistant to the District Superintendant 7 64%
Overall, what percent of your time do you estimate you spend on day-to-day administration and management tasks?
30% 25% 40% 40 10% 25 25% 15% 10 10% 40%
Overall, what percent of your time do you estimate you spend on spiritual leadership?
10% 25% 5% 5 10% 5 25% 10% 20 35% 5%
Overall, what percent of your time do you estimate you spend on visioning /initiating new ministries?
20% 25% 15% 10 10% 10 10% 5% 35 15% 10%
Overall, what percent of your time do you estimate you spend on supervision and support of local church leadership?
20% 25% 20% 30 5% 30 20% 60% 25 35% 30%
Overall, what percent of your time do you estimate you spend on other tasks? 95 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s 20% Community & Church Contacts; researching material; team building 0 Conference Responsibilities-15% Misc.-5% } Conflict Management/Problem-Solving 15% } I am basically responsible for ordained ministry -- to which I am appointed 1/4 time. So, as an asst, my survey is different. So, I would say that 25% of my time is spent as the asst to the DS. } Recruitment 30 } property issues - 7% reading & continuing ed. -3% Conference meetings - 1% District social events -1% pastoral visits & conversations - 3% visits to churches - 5% } 10% Training local church leadership } 10 on misc. meetings and conversations } 5% Actually the above categories are difficult for me to estimate as I organize my time more around my strategic objectives and they can be somewhat seasonal. } Newsletter and web page 10% Support of CAS/CAN Community Ministries 5%
In addition to the D.S. and the Assistant to the D.S., please indicate what other full-time/part-ti me employees work in your district offi ce.
Bookkeeper 4 days per week Receptionist; Office 5 days per week } Full-time Office Administrator Part-time Treasurer } Administrative Assistant Bookkeeper/Treasurer Receptionist } Full-time Business Manager Part-Time Financial Manager Part-Time Buildings and Locations Person } 2 full time -- accountant, administrative asst 1 part - time -- district mission ministries } Secretary/Admin. Treasurer } Office Administrator/Business Manager Administrative Assistant/Secretary } Executive Assistant Treasurer/ Communications Assistant } ad min. full time part time finance--part time mission person } Office Administrator - full-time Office Assistant - full-time } Administrative Assistant Bookkeeper Receptionist Director of Community Ministries
How many part time employees work in the district offi ce?
3 1 2 2 2 2, sometimes 3 or 4 0 2 1 none 1
What percent of the local churches in your district do you feel you know reasonably well?
90% 90% 95% 50 30% 70 50% 75% 70 94% 68%
What percent of the local churches in your district do you feel you somewhat know?
10% 5% 4% 30 30% 25 40% 20% 20 5% 13%
What percent of the local churches in your district do you feel you only know a littl e?
0% 5% 1% 20 70 5 10% 5% 10 1% 19%
What percent of the pastors in your district do you feel you know reasonably 96 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s - well?
80% 95% 95% 80 40% 97 60% 70% 70 95% 68%
What percent of the pastors in your district do you feel you somewhat know?
10% 3% 5% 15 40% NA 35% 25% 20 4% 19%
What percent of the pastors in your district do you feel you only know a littl e?
10% 2% 0% 5 20% 3 5% 5% 10 1% 16%
Which, if any, of the following are significant constraints in accomplishing districts goals?
Size of workload 4 16% Limited financial resources 5 20% Resistance to change in local congregations 6 24% Resistance to change among pastors 5 20% Demands of conference meetings/programs 1 4% Insufficient staff at district office 0 0% Other 4 16%
If you checked "Other" in the last question, name what you were referring to:
The "will" to do it; lack of skills including the "mind set" to do strategic planning and implement ideas and change } Lack of significant engagement with local church leadership regarding vision/mission over a period of time (process) } Overall capability of our leadership. We have lots of nice people serving as pastors. Not that many missional and capable leaders. } It feels as though a fairly small amount of time can truly be given to District and grassroots initiative 97 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s Do you believe the effe ct the reorganization has had on district mission effo rts has been:
Positive 7 64% Negative 1 9% No change 3 27% Can't tell 0 0%
Do you believe the effe ct the reorganization has had on connections among churches in your district has been:
Positive 6 55% Negative 5 45% No change 0 0% Can't tell 0 0%
Do you believe the effe ct the reorganization has had on the financial picture for your district has been:
Positive 5 45% Negative 3 27% No change 2 18% Can't tell 1 9%
Do you believe the effe ct the reorganization has had on the number of disciples of Jesus Christ that have been added your district has been:
Positive 6 55% Negative 0 0% No change 2 18% Can't tell 3 27%
98 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s
Do you believe the effe ct the reorganization has had on the transformation of churches and communities in your district has been:
Positive 6 55% Negative 1 9% No change 3 27% Can't tell 1 9%
Since 2006, each of the districts has established clusters of clergy, laity, and congregations. For the clusters in your district, indicate how effe ctive you believe they currently are in providing prayer and support.
1 (not effective) 0 0% 2 0 0% 3 0 0% 4 9 82% 5 (very effective) 2 18%
For the clusters in your district, indicate how effe ctive you believe they currently are in providing peer coaching and training.
99 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s 1 (not effective) 0 0% 2 3 27% 3 4 36% 4 4 36% 5 (very effective) 0 0%
For the clusters in your district, indicate how effe ctive you believe they currently are in strengthening connections among congregations.
1 (not effective) 0 0% 2 3 27% 3 4 36% 4 4 36% 5 (very effective) 0 0%
For the clusters in your district, indicate how effe ctive you believe they currently are in generating ministry partnerships.
1 (not effective) 0 0% 2 3 27% 3 5 45% 4 3 27% 5 (very effective) 0 0%
100 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s
For the clusters in your district, indicate how effe ctive you believe they currently are in providing a mechanism for accountability.
1 (not effective) 1 9% 2 4 36% 3 3 27% 4 3 27% 5 (very effective) 0 0%
Please share here any additional changes you believe, if made, would enable your district to be more effe ctive in meeting local church, district and conference goals of resourcing the local congregation for transformation, growth and reproduction:
Strengthen and encourage DS & Asst. to DS to "do" as outlined in respective job descriptions - two distinct roles ; Asst. not "stepping stone to DS role ( Asst. TO ); encourage each congregation/ pastor to develop goals, desired results, evaluate and hold accountable. System is in place (Breakthrough Goals) - need to implement - to make missional evaluation effective We are moving in a better direction with our smaller churches and need to continue to challenge them. Our larger churches need more tools for becoming fruitful in their ministry. } I believe that more time in building relationships and stronger relationships between local pastors, churches, and the district would go a long way in helping provide for transformation. } More staffing and funding equity. More responsiveness to the outlying Districts by Conference Staff and Programs. } I supported the reorganization and continue to do so. The clusters need clear guidelines and cluster leaders need to feel they are given authority to train leaders and hold people accountable } Higher caliber leaders coming up through our ranks. } I believe we need to staff in such a way that a fulltime person drives training, leadership development, coaching, and a local church consultation process within the District. We need "culture change" and true mechanisms for accountability (with "teeth"). } Given the make-up of our district, and the deployment of Elders to lead clusters, the size of the district following reorganization has made clustering more difficult. } That if cong. or pastors were not meeting some kind of min. standards that we would be able to direct or redirect creative solutions for transformation. } I don't think the restructuring in itself has made the difference though it opened to doors for 101 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s additional alignment. I continue to believe that providing communication tools and resources to local congregations to tell the "connectional story" are important. Most of our pastors will either pass on this or default to a negative attitude toward the connection if we do not resources them to tell the story. Also it is important for DS's to be engaged it this as well. Without good communication and trust all the way down to the person in the pew we will be limited in what we can accomplish together. With intentional focus on this we are making strides in the Northwest Plains. Also for most of our congregations under 200 we needed to provided practical "how to" training events were leaders can take the stuff home, "take it out of the box" and implement. Leadership in most of our churches below 200 (most of our churches) is not made up of the Dreamers and Developers; they are Doers. So they need stuff that is already developed that they can implement. I think we need to continue to place emphasis on accountability particularly for pastors through our clusters and one-on-one processes. The expectation that every pastor will be in a cluster needs to be reinforced from the conference office as well as the district. } We still spend too much time on the places that are struggling the most. We need to continue to seek to focus our energy and resources on places and leaders (lay and clergy) that are ready to minister in their communities. We need to do a better job at letting some churches close or find another use. This is happening some, but we need more of this. We have been talking in CAN/CAS about implementing a modified version of the Consultation process. I think that could help. In CAS we still have not focused well on starting new ministries with Hispanic populations.
Please share here any additional changes you believe, if made, would enable your district to be more effe ctive in meeting local church, district and conference goals of extending opportunities for local congregations to be involved in mission, service, and justice ministries:
Strengthen discipling systems in local churches; work at integration of often competing entities toward the common mission. Develop resource allocation models that help thrive and grow and discontinue those mechanism and practices that "prop" up or "maintain". This empowers congregations/people to take responsibility for putting their faith into practice. I believe the best is yet to come as a new "culture" is taking hold. Thank you for the opportunity to participate. They need to continue to see beyond themselves and become kingdom-oriented so that their partnerships are healthy. } Communication needs to be more effective. It is hard to state how important the correct clergly leadership is to a local church for true transformation to take place. The better the DS knows the church and the pastor, the more chance there is of matching the right clergy to any given congregation. } More hands-on opportunities. } I think we have come a long way in meeting expectations of the re-structure. In our district, it could help the DS if there were a full-time assistant. We need to train pastors around justice issues. } Higher caliber leaders coming up through our ranks. } While I think Conference mission priorities and goals are very important, I also believe District mission priorities and hands-on experiences by District- wide teams create a greater sense of regional, connectional identity. Both, I believe, are necessary -- not only for the sake of the mission, but to strengthen the connection. } Closer 102 District Realignment Survey for D.S.'s and Assistant to D.S.'s connection to the local churches for support, training, encouragement on a regional basis. The smaller the base, the better, given geographical constraints. } folks like Dee working on a district level } I believe in carefully spelled out strategic plans that are the product of the ministry team responsible for carrying them out. Then I think we need to break them down into district plans contextual to each district. I believe the strategic plans need to be the product of a disciplined comprehensive planning process or they will lack alignment and be hit and miss like so many local church plans. I believe we need to review our conference strategic plan. Reaffirm or modify our strategic objectives, Renew or identify new goals for each strategic objective and establish action plans for accomplishing the goals. A 3 day retreat setting may be needed. Without this we lack discipline and react to each new wind, idea or crisis that blows and fail in our primary objectives. I believe we can do this. Perhaps asking Gil Rendle for some help in getting started is needed. He knows the strategic planning process. Thanks for asking, Steve Bennett } I think the effort of CAN/CAS/Community Ministries to collaborate in mission efforts has been one of the most positive developments to come out of the reorganizational efforts. I think the combined effort of these entities to work toward mission and justice goals across the entire Columbus metro area (and surrounding counties) could make a difference.
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