It is that time of year again. It comes around every twelve months – the requirement to submit a “Personal Ministry Review” to the Bishop.

The form offered in our Diocese for the process of a “Personal Ministry Review” gives an intriguing insight into what it means to be an Anglican priest in the church today.

The entire form is available online at http://bc.anglican.ca/resource/personal-ministry-performance-development

But here are the questions we are encouraged to ponder and to which, if we choose to use this format, we need to respond in writing and then in a personal interview with our Bishop.

The Priest is responsible for THE MINISTRY OF WORSHIP

1.         You preside and preach at Sunday worship and on major feasts. How do you ensure that worship is carried out in accordance with the authorized liturgies and with sensitivity to local traditions?

2.         How do you see that the participation and leadership of the laity in worship is promoted?

3.         How do you oversee the broad sacramental life of the parish and provide for the liturgical needs of the people? (Some examples are week day Eucharist, baptisms, marriages, anointing of the sick, funerals, reconciliation and penance services, etc)

4.         How do you assure programs for sacramental preparation?

5.         How do you provide for the recruitment and on-going formation (spiritual, educational, skills development) of needed liturgical ministers?

6.          Besides prayerful presiding at celebrations of the rites of the Church calendar, how do you arrange for regular spiritual renewal of the parish through missions, retreats and other spiritual exercises?

7.         How do you promote a spirit of prayer in the parish and in the families of the parish and encourage a deeper understanding and appreciation for the Scriptures through Bible study and prayer groups.

The Priest is responsible for THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

1.         How do you provide for adult education? How does it foster religious growth, spiritual maturation and the formation of Christian conscience, so that parishioners develop an understanding of social /moral issues of the larger world to support their baptismal responsibilities in daily life?

2.         How do you provide for the religious education of children, youth and other parish groups with special needs?

3.         How do you encourage ministries of prayer, evangelization and outreach?

4.         How do you encourage an understanding of Anglican history, tradition and polity?

5.   How do you provide spiritual formation and education vision for parish leaders? (Some examples: church school teachers, youth leaders, parish council members, small group leaders, etc)

The Priest is responsible for THE MINISTRY OF PASTORAL CARE

1.         How is pastoral care provided in the parish, and what is your role in that?

2.         How do you spend time with the parishioners, especially at important moments of their lives?

3.         How do you provide for on-going spiritual renewal and development of the faith community at large, building a sense of parish unity and mutual ministry?

4.         How do you recognize the gifts of others, calling forth leadership from the parish community, providing for their training, delegating responsibilities, and establishing structures for collegial functioning and shared decision-making?

5.         How do you assure that ministry of care for the sick and homebound, family life ministry, marriage preparation and enrichment, priestly counseling, and all other specialized ministries are functioning effectively?

6.         How do you identify and develop those areas of direct ministry which are most in keeping with your unique abilities and gifts?

7.         How do you provide significant personal presence at parish events?

The Priest is responsible for ADMINISTRATION

1.         How do you assure the integration of various sub-groups, such as parish committees, into a unified vision?

2.         How do you work with the wardens and parish council (and diocesan officials) to ensure proper administration of the material assets of the parish? (Buildings, finances, and budget preparation, etc) in compliance with canons and regulations?

3.         How do you discern the needs of the parish?

4.         How do you oversee personnel management of paid support or volunteer staff? How do you provide just wages, encourage volunteers, employ outside help and consultants as needed? How are you available for regular staff and individual meetings providing for affirmation, mutual support and evaluation?

5.         Do you know the Diocesan vision / mission? How do you invite the parish community to articulate its vision /mission ensuring on-going evaluation of parish life and programs in the light of the diocesan visions/missions? Are you able to design and implement systemic change in conjunction with planning groups?

6.         How do you ensure the efficient operations of the parish office, including maintenance of parish records?

7.         How are decisions made in the parish, and how do you participate in that process?

8.         How are disagreements and conflict managed within the parish and what is your role?

9.         How do you handle “public relations”?

The Priest is responsible for BEING PART OF THE DIOCESE

1.         What Diocesan activities are you involved in?

2.         How do you (along with lay synod delegates) communicate the wider interests and activities of the church (i.e.  Diocesan Synod, General Synod, PWRDF, Partners in Mission, the bishop, etc.)

3.         How would you describe your relationship with the Bishop?

The Priest is responsible for BROADENING HIS OR HER KNOWELDGE

1.         Please indicate below your knowledge in the following subjects – Minimal (M), Some Knowledge (SK), In-Depth (I-D)

Old Testament/Hebrew Bible
New Testament
Theology
Church History
Counselling
Pastoral Care
Preaching
Principles of Education
Canon Law
Music
Literature and Art
Principles of Organization
Management, and Team Building
Principles of Communication
Prayer and Spirituality
Human Resources/Volunteer Management
Computer Science
Youth Ministry or Geriatrics
First Nations
Science
Defense or Security
Health Sciences
Social Work
Non-Christian Religions
Economics
Agriculture and Farming
Trade
Politics or Sociology

2.         What are your plans for continuing education?

3.         How have you ensured that you have a sense of history of the parish as well as knowledge of its current demographics, constituency, and complexities?

The Priest is responsible for a DISCIPLINE OF PRAYER AND REFLECTION

1.         What is your practice of prayer? How do you seek to improve it?

2.         How do you maintain boundaries in your professional and personal life?

3.         Describe how you model stewardship by tithing of time, talent and treasure.

4.         Describe how you relate your own history, family roots, spiritual journey, gifts and limits to your leadership style.

5.         How do you care for your physical and psychological health?

About these ads