Pastoral Relations Liaisons

Discussions Around Changes in Pastoral Relationships

There are two specific changes in pastoral relations—amalgamations and provisional calls or appointments—where a liaison can help the community of faith navigate a modified process of calling or appointing ministry personnel. However, it is up to the regional council to decide how the pastoral relations process should be followed during these two specific instances.

COVID-19 Policy Changes

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and recognizing that the pandemic impacts the ability of some congregations to meet (not all have the capacity or ability to meet electronically), on April 15, 2020, the Executive of the General Council temporarily amended pastoral relations policies in The Manual to allow the governing body, rather than a congregational meeting, to make certain pastoral relations decisions. Please see the links below for details on these temporary changes.

Regional Council Implementation of Temporary Change to Pastoral Relations Policies | PDF (2 pages) April 2020 – Interpretation and Implementation information related to the temporary bylaw dealing with what constitutes proper consultation, considerations around temporarily ending a pastoral relationship, and other matters.

GCE Temporarily Amends Pastoral Relations Policies For urgent decisions related to call or appointment (April 2020)

Community of Faith Profiles

Living Faith Story

The living faith story articulates the community of faith’s ministry focus. This story is your opportunity to share why you exist as a community of faith. All communities of faith are expected to develop a living faith story, review it regularly, and share it with the regional council so that support can be programmed. The living faith story is an opportunity to tell where God is leading your community of faith. Creating this story is an invitation to articulate, assess, and perhaps even reframe how you are being church.

Living Faith Story ( Word | 16 pages) June 2019 – A companion to the Pastoral Relations: Community of Faith handbook, this resource helps a Search Team create their Living Faith Story.

A community of faith can update its profile at any time, even when it is not experiencing a change in pastoral relations. The regional council uses this profile as part of their oversight of the community of faith and as part of a self-assessment. Completing a profile can help to articulate your community’s beliefs, ministry needs, and financial realities.  Please see the Pastoral Relations: Guidelines for a Community of Faith Profile for more guidance.

Searching for a New Minister

This section is still under construction.

Overview of the Profile and Search Process  –  (PowerPoint | 10 Slides) November 2020 – This can be used to present the “big picture” process to the Search Team when you first meet them.  This presentation is much like the stepping stone image that Todd presented at the training event – shows all the steps to the covenanting service with a new minister.

How to Search for Short Term Appointments ( PDF | 2 pgs) April 2020 –  A step by step process for how a community of faith can search for a short appointment of a eligible United Church minister while they do their search.

Position Descriptions

• Overview: Do’s and Don’ts (June 2019 |1 pg) PDF
• Good Example (June 2019 | 4 pg)  PDF Word
• Bad Example (June 2019 | 2 pg) PDF

Covenanting With Our New Minister

After the new pastoral relationship begins, a liaison participates in the covenanting service. You are the representative of the regional council as the covenant among God, the community of faith, the ministry personnel, the regional council, and other parties that are integral to living out the gospel in community is celebrated. The ministry personnel and a member of the search team will ask you to coordinate the best time to hold the covenanting service.

A sample liturgy for recognizing the covenant that provides the foundation for the new pastoral relationship can be found in the Milestones and Transitions worship page of the United Church website.

Covenanting Service Template | Word (5 pages, 2 column layout) Sept 2019 – A covenanting service sample template

Other Resources

Under construction.

Staff Support