Presbytery Plan

1
Presbytery Plan

• Required by 2002 Act Anent
• Appraisal and Adjustment

2
Means?

• Consultation with Office-bearers of all
  congregations
• i.e. Elders and Deacons

3
Who?

• Representatives of the Parish Appraisal Committee
  and
• a member of Support Group

4
Purpose?

• To apprise of issues involved

5
Preparation?

• prior discussion by Office-bearers

6
Questions at Consultation

• If re-appraisal considered likely
• What are the best options?
• What are your thoughts on a Parish Grouping?
• What is the future of your Congregation?

7
By 2006 each Presbytery has to have formulated a
Plan

• following consultation with Congregations
• acceptance by the Assembly's Committee
• Plan to be for period of not less than 10 years
• to be updated annually during the period

8
Plan to indicate

• number, nature and pattern of charges
• all other appointments considered necessary at
  the end of the specified period
• any substantial housing or other developments and
  effect upon Plan

9
Options for each Congregation

• no adjustment foreseen during period
• acceptable form of adjustment will be effected
  immediately
• adjustment shall be effected when charge next
  vacant
• adjustment shall be effected after next vacancy
• appraisal adjustment deferred until next
  vacancy

10
Recognized means of adjustment

• union
• linking
• deferred union or linking
• new charge development
• transportation
• restricted choice
• terminable reviewable tenure
• continued vacancy
• dissolution
• parish grouping

11
Parish Grouping

• Definition
• A group of parishes with their respective
  congregations, ministers and staff who may
  decide, or be instructed by Presbytery, to work
  together in some ways without necessarily forming
  an Area Team Ministry.
• Thus two charges may co-operate to provide
  ministry to a third charge that has no minister
  of its own.

12
Aim

• not to reduce the number of congregations to
  available ministers
• to find ways of spreading ministers more thinly
• This may involve deployment of other forms of
  ministry
• e.g. Auxiliary Ministers and Readers
• i.e. One Minister one Charge will be less the
  norm
• Congregations are asked to apply imagination and
  ingenuity to ensure church's witness and ministry
  do not diminish

13
Principles of Plan

• Plan to state percentage of total number of
  ministers available that may be called or
  appointed within a Presbytery
• Plan to ensure even distribution of ministers
  throughout Scotland
• Plan to be a framework not a strait-jacket
• Full implementation is expected to take 10 years

14
Calculation of Percentages

• Population of Presbytery claiming allegiance to
  Church of Scotland
• population of Presbytery claiming no Church
  allegiance
• 20 of those claiming allegiance to another
  faith
• consideration given to islands communities far
  apart
• consideration given most deprived 50 or 60 areas
• 2 population of UPA parishes

15
Irvine Kilmarnock

• 24 ministers at present levels

16
Questions to consider

• profile of Congregation
• age, economic other factors
• population trends possible changes
• leadership/pastoral/worship roles undertaken by
  members
• any training undertaken
• any project activity
• involvement with neighbouring congregations
• opportunities for closer co-operation with other
  ministers and congregations

17
Questions to consider (contd)

• buildings help or hindrance to local mission?
• where do you see Congregation in 5 years?
• 10 years?
• plans? focus?
• roll of Congregation and number at worship
• benefit from co-operation with other
  congregation(s)?
• distinctive features of Congregation's life