FutureMinistryTeam

Future Ministry Team

• NeilPeters has advised Church Council that he intends to retire some time in the second half of 2023, the exact date to be determined by consultation as plans develop.

• Church Council has expressed a strong desire to avoid a period of vacancy by having a period of overlap between Neil and a new minister. Alanee will also provide continuity over the transition. We have a much valued team ministry here, and are keen to preserve that.
• Council have advised the Presbytery Ministers and the Pastoral Relations Committee (PRC) of our desire to call a new Minister of the Word (MoW) during 2023. Presbytery are supportive of our plan. The Chair of PRC attended the October 2021 Council meeting.
• Finance Committee have been included in the formulation of this plan, which does have significant financial implications, particularly during 2023. We do have some "money in the bank", but some increased giving will be needed to avoid excessive deficits. This will be further explored, along with the 2021 financial reports and 2022 budget, at the 6 March meeting of the congregation.
• The next step in this process is to form a Joint Nominating Committee (JNC) consisting of two Pastoral Liaison Persons (PLPs) and nominally six members of the congregation. It is important that the JNC is widely representative of the congregation.
• The Special meeting of the congregation between services on 6 Feb 2022 is asked to endorse Council's plans, and to call for nominations to the JNC, with elections to be held on 20 March 2022 concurrently with elections for Church Council, delayed from September 2021.

• The JNC will then develop a Congregation profile, building on the "RE-VISION for 2022" document (link to be updated when finalised) developed by Council late in 2021, and eventually bring a recommendation to the Congregation.

• Three meetings of the Congregation will be held in February and March 2022.
  1. The first will be quite short and held between the services on Feb 6. It will be advertised as 'to provide information about future plans for the ministerial team'.
  2. The second will be on March 6th after combined 10:00am worship. This will be a typical meeting of the congregation and deal with the 2021 accounts, the 2022 budget, and the visioning work as key items.
  3. The third will be an all day meeting for election of 2022 Church Councillors and also election of JNC members. Care will be taken to ensure that there is no confusion about these separate elections.