getting ready for your new mocc minister - methodist · 2020. 4. 24. · getting ready for your new...

Ministers from Other Churches and Conferences

Getting Ready for your new

MOCC Minister

An Introduction for Receiving Circuits

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Exploring Hospitality

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Health

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Education

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Driving

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Manse

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Support for spouse and family

With the minister in a new role with plenty of work to get on

with, it may be hard for the spouse and any children. They may

find it harder to integrate into the local community, and it may

not be easy for them to make friends initially.

Section 5.7 in the Induction Handbook has some advice as to

how to offer good hospitality. Finding the right balance is a real

skill. Maybe a small, informal, and discrete support group can

be established to ensure the family is not excluded or

overwhelmed.

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Finance : Stipends, expenses, bank accounts, pensions and tax

Please ensure that you have fully read Appendix C of the Induction

Handbook. This outlines basic information about financial matters

which the minister and the circuit need to be aware of.

Incoming ministers would normally be briefed on these matters at

their own residential induction in mid August. However, it is

possible that this may not be able to take place in its traditional

form this year, and therefore those in the receiving circuit may

need to offer greater support and induction.

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Exploring Difference

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Equality

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Diversity

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DIversity

Diversity is about recognising, respecting, valuing and drawing on the positive aspects of differences

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Diversity

Dignity

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Inclusion

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Inclusion

family

work

home

public space

church

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Inclusion

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Language

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Unconscious Bias

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Unconscious Bias

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Dave FriswellLearning & Development Coordinator

Unconscious bias is a natural part of how our brains work. From

an early age, our minds learn to be comfortable with the familiar

and to be sceptical of unfamiliarity.

It is thought that when human beings lived in nomadic tribal

groups, this was an important part of keeping the group safe

from danger, as anything or anyone unfamiliar could be a risk.

However, the modern world is slightly more complex, and

human societies are much more diverse and varied.

Our human societies have a better understanding of how human

diversity is beneficial, rather than threatening.

Unfortunately, unconscious biases can also lead to unintentional

discrimination. The biases of human societies are subtly

communicated from one generation to another, and societies

continue to have strong biases and prejudices about people who

look, sound or act different to the majority.

However, if people are aware of their biases, they are better

able to avoid unintentional discrimination. It is possible for

people to ‘unlearn’ old habits and old biases, and learn how to

be more inclusive and accepting of diversity.

Unconscious Bias

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→affinity, rather than rejection. As human beings we have a better understanding of people who are like us, and situations that are familiar to our own.

Consequently people who look like us, sound like us and share our interests are easier to understand, and therefore, easier for us to identify with.

Sometimes our biases and affinities are deep-rooted in the subconscious mind: people make decisions that bypass our normal, rational and logical thinking. It happens when we are under stress or anxious, or if we need to make decisions instantly.

Social psychologists call this phenomenon ‘social categorisation’, whereby we routinely and rapidly sort people into groups. Some people might call it ‘intuition’ but the categories we use to sort people are not logical, modern or perhaps not even legal. Put simply, our neurology takes us to the very brink of bias and of poor decision making.

So as we prepare to welcome our new ministers from other churches and conferences, let us be deeply thoughtful as to how we engage with and respond to those who may look, sound or act differently from ourselves.


Exploring Support Structures

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Supervision

MOCC ministers will take part in Supervision in exactly the

same way as ministers from within our own Connexion.

However they may need more support as they may not have

experienced our style or process of Supervision before.

Those in the circuit Staff Team will be best placed to offer

support and share first-hand benefits of why Supervision is

important.

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Induction Process

Incoming ministers and their families have taken a big step in

coming to the UK – physically, mentally and socially.

Circuits have also taken a big step in inviting a MOCC minister

and their family.

It is really important that both the minister and those in the

circuit are fully prepared for each other so that their ministry

together will be fruitful and positive, and that it will lead to a

growing understanding of diversity of Methodism in Britain and

around the world.

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Induction Process

The incoming ministers and their families will meet for three

days in August for the first gathering of the group for their initial

induction. The ministers, spouses and children will spend time

together and in separate groups exploring what it means to

begin a new ministry in the Methodist Church in Britain.

This material you are engaging with now is also a key part of

the induction process and support from the Connexion for you,

your circuit and the incoming minister and family.

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Induction Process

The more you can do to help people in the churches think

about how important it is to welcome, support, encourage and

pray for their new minister the better.

Do share as much information as you can – including the

Induction Handbook and this presentation.

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Understanding CPD

The Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist

Church (CPD) helps guide the workings of the church. Although

sometimes seen as the ‘rule book’, the reality is that it steers

the church to operate in a way that enables the mission of God

to be fulfilled whilst ensuring order and good working practices.

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Understanding CPD

The equivalent document in other national churches may be

quite different, so it may be helpful to introduce our CPD to the

incoming ministers. This will help them with running Church

Councils, understanding procedure of synods, lay employment

and so much more.

Do please make sure your incoming minister has a hard copy

of CPD and knows where to find it in electronic format on the

MCB website.

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Supporting First Experiences

There may be some things that a minister from another

Conference may be doing for the first time. Whenever anyone

moves to a new country they will find new challenges,

opportunities and experiences. Some of these things we may

just take for granted as being ‘normal’.

So it is important to be able to recognise when something is

new for the incoming minister or their family and to offer

appropriate additional support over that time.

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Circuit-wide Engagement

Start to consider how the MOCC minister and their family will

be introduced right across the circuit. This is much the same as

with a new minister coming from within our own connexion.

Consider how the minister is spread across the circuit on the

preaching plan. This will help the new minister get to know the

churches and chapels as well at the members of the

congregations. It will also help the members get to know the

new minister.

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Circuit-wide Engagement

Circuits vary enormously in size but try and ensure the new

minister is planned for the main Sunday service in each church

at some point over the first two quarters – in much the same

way as you would probably do with any new minister to the

circuit.

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Exploring the 18 Months Ahead

Spend a bit of time thinking about the points in the

following slides.

What does your circuit need to put in place to help

make the next 18 months the best they can be for

the incoming minister, their family and the circuit?

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• Take another good look at the sample calendar at Appendix A of the

induction handbook

• Share this around your CLT and ensure that you have developed our own

version of this for your incoming minister (and family if appropriate)

• Start to put together a ‘work’ diary for your MOCC from 1st September 2020

onwards – make sure the meeting dates are in place. (See Appendix B)

• Consider and plan your welcome – there may be a circuit welcome plus

individual welcomes at the chapels at which the minister has pastoral

charge

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• Plan in opportunities for the minister and their family to share about the

church they have come from

• Be prepared to face some difficult issues and misunderstandings. (if they

don’t happen, then that is great – but they might!)

• Think carefully about culture specific events in the year eg Remembrance

Sunday. Be sensitive and explore creative ways together to add depth for all

• Remember it will take your MOCC minister a whole 12 months to

experience and begin to understand fully a Methodist year!

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Thank you for taking the time to work through this

presentation. We are deeply aware that much more

could have been shared if we had been able to meet

together at Cliff College as planned.

However, please do make a note of all your questions

and concerns and we look forward to ‘meeting’ with you

by Zoom at the end of the month.

Stay well,

Revd Dr Claire Potter (Ministerial Coordinator for the Oversight of Ordained Ministries)

Dave Friswell (Learning & Development Coordinator)

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getting ready for your new mocc minister - methodist · 2020. 4. 24. · getting ready for your new...

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