» District News

 » News Archive

 » Spring Synod 12

 » Sept Synod 11

 » E-News

 » Latest Buzz
 » Magazine

 » MRDF

 » The Well
  Youth Newsletter

 » Singing The Faith
  Plus Newsletter

 » World Church
  Magazine


 » Evangelism
  Spirituality
  and Discipleship

 » Methodist
  Heritage Newsletter

 » CTAL Notepad

 » Methodist News
    Inc Meth Web
    Radio

 » ArtServe

 » The Family
    Friendly
    Churches Trust

 » Joint Public
    Issues Team

 » LRSN
   
 » Lincolnshire
    Chaplaincy
    Services
   
 » Latest Safeguarding
    Policy of the
    Methodist Church

A Resource for new and existing Circuit Stewards
prepared by the Training & Development Officers of
the London, Lincoln & Grimsby and
Nottingham & Derby Districts



Contents

Part 1

Understanding The Role and Responsibilities

INTRODUCTION

“The Circuit is the primary unit in which local churches express and experience their interconnexion in the Body of Christ for purposes of mission, mutual encouragement and help … The purposes of the Circuit include the effective deployment of the resources of ministry, which include people, property and finance.” Standing Order 500 from The Constitution Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church (CPD)

As this statement suggests, because the Circuit is at the heart of our life and mission, the work of the Circuit Steward is of fundamental importance for the life of the Methodist Church. Circuit Stewards are essential if the Circuit is to be effective and to fulfil its potential.

More than ever we need to develop a clear understanding of the Circuit. Many of our members have grown up in churches of other denominations, Methodist churches that organise themselves differently, or in an increasing number of cases, with no church background at all. As a result there are some very different understandings of the ways that churches should be organised as well as different expectations of the role and responsibilities of leaders and members. If you would like some help to think through the potential of the Circuit for the life of the church make contact with someone from the District Team.

This pack will outline the responsibilities of the Circuit Steward according to British Methodism and offer some resources to help you respond to those experiences.

A pack like this is a developing resource and as the last page you will find a form you can use to let us know how the pack could be more helpful to you.

This pack is based on work developed in the Birmingham District from 2003 by: Hartmond Burgundy, David Cule, Beverley Greaves, Judy Lingard, Craig Mayo, and Charles Worth. The compilers are very grateful to them and for the advice and input of Circuit Stewards from the London District, in particular, Peter Dane from the Enfield Circuit.

2

Circuit Stewards and ‘servant leadership’
Like so many roles in church life, being a Circuit Steward means combing the roles of service and leadership. Servant leadership is based on the example of Jesus himself and presents a unique double challenge to his followers. One challenge is to service, to helping the people of God’s church work together in unity as they seek to do God’s will. That means that personal preferences and priorities must often take second place to the wider needs of the church –a very hard challenge to face. The other challenge is about helping people to take responsibility for shaping the future, reaching fresh understanding of the changes the church has to face if it is to do God ’s will and to use faithfully the gifts people and resources that God has provided.

That may well sound like an entirely thankless task, but servant leadership does have profound rewards. This is how one Circuit Steward described his experience of the role: As a Circuit Steward - a role to which I believe I was called, I was rewarded richly through:

• engaging, sharing and fellowship with others (both lay and ordained),collectively and individually, in the Circuit Leadership team and churches of the Circuit and also at District meetings and events;
• exercising my God given gifts and talents, many of which I had not previously recognized (specifically in relation to support of our Ministers);
• gaining a far wider perspective and appreciation of the relevance and importance of Methodism and its structures, beyond the local church;
• being challenged to think of creative and innovative ideas and ways to address the issues faced particularly by Methodism, but also the wider Church, in the 21st century, and encouraging and working with others to bring these about.

It is vital to recognise that he felt called to the role and that he was able to bring to the role of Circuit Steward his gifts and his experience of life. He was also able to develop new skills through his years as Circuit Steward. That is precisely the pattern this pack sets out to encourage. It offers some guidelines to help you get the basics right. But many of the challenges ahead will need to be faced with your own special qualities and experience. A large part of the pack is therefore designed to help you reflect on the responsibilities of the role and how you can best respond to them. We will all do things differently!

3

1. RESPONSIBILITIES of the CIRCUIT STEWARD ‘JOB DESCRIPTION ’

Once again …
“The Circuit is the primary unit in which local churches express and experience their interconnexion in the Body of Christ for purposes of mission, mutual encouragement and help … The purposes of the Circuit include the effective deployment of the resources of ministry, which include people, property and finance. Standing Order 500 from The Constitution Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church (CPD)
Based on that statement, CPD offers the following outlines of the role of Circuit Steward:

The Circuit Stewards are responsible, with the Superintendent and ministers, deacons and probationers appointed to the Circuit, for the spiritual and material well-being of the Circuit and for upholding and acting upon the decisions of the Circuit Meeting. Standing Order 531 (1) CPD

Meetings: Church Councils, Circuit Meetings and the District Synod One Circuit Steward is appointed to a church council and at least on to the District Synod.

The Circuit Stewards are ex-offcio members of and entitled to attend all official meetings connected with the Circuit. S.O.610 and S.O.410

Circuit Fund
The Circuit Stewards are the treasurers of the Circuit Fund. S.O.532

Manses
The Circuit Stewards are responsible for the interior repair and decoration and furnishing of the manses. S.O. 533

Invitations and Appointments
The Circuit Stewards are responsible for invitations to ministers and deacons to serve in the Circuit and for negotiating with ministers over appointments to the Circuit and to a chaplaincy, the pastoral oversight of youth and community work and to a team ministry. S.O. 534 and 540 (1)

Finance
It is important to establish very clear principles with the Circuit meeting about the level of Circuit Steward’s responsibility for the use of Circuit Funds. In principle, any use of Circuit funds must be agreed by the Circuit Meeting.

4

2. REFLECTIONS on the ‘JOB DESCRIPTION’

This section deals with the first general statement of responsibilities on page 3. Details of the other, more specific, responsibilities will be found on page s …..

The Circuit Stewards are responsible, with the Superintendent and ministers, deacons and probationers appointed to the Circuit, for the spiritual and material well-being of the Circuit and for upholding and acting upon the decisions of the Circuit Meeting. Standing Order 531 (1) CPD

NOTES:
‘Circuit’ is a key ter m. It emphasises that your responsibility extends beyond your individual church in a way you may not have experienced before. There are important questions about:

• How you relate to other churches and groups in the Circuit?
• How you get to know the people of the Circuit and their concerns?
• How you make yourself available and approachable to them?

Not everyone who is called to be a Circuit Steward finds the sort of high-profile role of getting to know new people across the Circuit is one that comes naturally or easily to them. It is important to find ways of doing the job that fit your personality and ways of relating to people to help you meet that challenge.

‘Circuit Stewards’ is in the plural. It is a task shared with others. These include not only your fellow Circuit Stewards, but the ministers, particularly the Superintendent, often through a Circuit Leadership Team. (Check the role of minister and Superintendent according to CPD in the Appendix)

The number of Circuit Stewards in a particular Circuit is decided by the Circuit. Usually the larger the Circuit the more Circuit Stewards are required to cover the work.

‘Senior Circuit Stewar d ’ – most Circuits find it helpful to designate one of their Circuit Stewards as Senior Steward. This is usually someone who has been in post for a year or two to gain experience. The Senior Steward takes responsibility for co-ordinating the work of the Circuit Stewards.

‘with’ is therefore the vital word. As always Christian service is a shared experience. Teamwork is essential. Teams can be a source of real strength. They make a demanding task much easier and much more enjoyable. They can also create problems.

TEAMS: Pages 23 and 24 in Part 2 of this pack offer the opportunity to reflect on teamwork and to discover some of the resources available to help with it. Two key points are worth remembering:

• Teams work most effectively when there is a strong sense of trust built on care for one another and fellowship together.

5

• Teams are much more complicated when full or part-time professionals (ministers and other paid employees) work together with ‘volunteers’ (lay people who have other jobs and major responsibilities)

‘Superintendent and ministers…’ Ministers in the British Methodist church are ‘itinerant’. A major consequence of this is that they are usually appointed to a post for five years. This is a distinctive pattern inherited from Methodist origins. While there is some discussion about how effective such a system is today, and exceptions may occur, it brings special challenges to Circuit Stewards that include:

• Involvement with the Chair of District in the stationing process to invite ministers to serve in the Circuit
• Supporting and and enabling the ministers so that their gifts and time are best used
• Providing continuity of witness that in other denominations may appears to be the responsibility of the clergy

In British Methodism therefore, the leadership of lay people represented in the role of Circuit Steward, has special responsibility for the ongoing life of the church.

‘spiritual and material well-being’ indicates the area of responsibility for the Circuit Steward . Both aspects need to be considered. It is all too easy to concentrate on one at the expense of the other. ‘Spiritual well -being ’ may sound vague or even beyond the experience of many lay people. It is especially important therefore as a team to work out ways of responding to that area and not focusing all energies on property, finance or organisational matters.

‘decisions of the Circuit Meeting ’ –whenever a meeting makes decisions that are not acted on, that body loses authority and respect. There is a responsibility therefore for making sure decisions taken are:

• Realistic
• Clear about who should take action
• Clear about timing and deadlines
• Followed up.

6

3. CONTEXT OF THE WORK

The Circuit Steward has a vital role in bringing the concerns of the Circuit to the attention of the District and the Connexion, and in the same way of bringing the concerns of the District and Connexion to the people and churches of the Circuit. Some understanding of the context of the Circuit Stewards work is essential.

The guiding principle of the way that British Methodism is organised was expressed above in the introductory statement about the Circuit as ‘the primary unit in which local churches express and experience their interconnexion in the Body of Christ for purposes of mission, mutual encouragement and help’. This distinctive principle of interconnexion or Connexionalism is at the heart of our life as a Methodist Church.

Over the years the Methodist Church has developed responsibilities for the life of the church that are complex and demanding. However, the way our Church as a whole organises itself remains simple and visionary. At its heart is the word is atermthat expresses the network to which all Methodist churches belong. It is designed to enable them to share their gifts and in a movement together in God’s service in our world. The first step in this network is the gathering of local churches to work together in Circuits. Circuits are then grouped to form a District. There are 32 Districts in the British Methodist Church. (More details about Methodist organisation can be found in context is the one where we work out our life and witness in God’s service, the Methodist Church is designed so that we are not left isolated in God ’s service and can find help and support at any time. In addition, it means our horizons are not limited to merely local concerns, but that we are constantly challenged to see faith in the widest possible context.

There are a number of valuable ways in which the Connexion supports the Circuits and churches:

1. The Connexional Team based at Methodist Church House, London and Central Buildings in Manchester provides a range of expertise on all aspects of church life. (Full information can be found on the website: www.methodistchurch.org.uk)
2. By reminding us of the nature of our calling as disciples and members of of Christ. This has been done most recently through ‘Our and ‘The Priorities’. These statements are designed to help and Circuits to be faithful to God’s mission and to ask ‘What God calling us to be and to do in our situation today ?’

Refer to Appendix 1 for ‘Our Calling’, ‘The Priorities’

7

4. ESSENTIAL DUITES - In Brief…

The Meetings: Church Councils, Circuit Meetings and the District Synod: One Circuit Steward is to be appointed to a Church Council and at least one to the District Synod.

The Circuit Stewards are ex officio members of and entitled to attend all official meetings connected with the Circuit. Circuit Stewards should decide amongst themselves which of their number are to attend the various meetings and then to report back to all. (More details can be found in the Appendix)

Circuit Fund and Circuit Treasurer:
The Circuit Stewards are the treasurers of the circuit fund. S.O. 532. Stewards’ duty to ensure that the circuit fund is managed properly and efficiently according to current accounting principles and money management so as to comply with the obligations imposed upon them by S.O. 532. That will require one Circuit Steward of acknowledged competence to assume especial responsibility for the circuit fund or, if there is no such steward then another competent person who is directly responsible to the Circuit Stewards. (More details can be found in the Appendix)

Manses:
The Circuit Stewards are responsible for the interior repair and decoration and furnishing of the manses: S.O. 533.
The improvement, repair, maintenance, suitability and location of manses are matters for which the circuit and District are responsible through different bodies. (More details can be found in the Appendix)

Invitations and Appointments:
The Circuit Stewards are responsible for invitations to ministers and deacons to serve in the Circuit and for negotiating with ministers over appointments to the Circuit and to a chaplaincy, the pastoral oversight of youth and community work and to a team ministry: S.O. 534 and 540(1).
The District usually organises sessions for Circuit Stewards to meet with the Chair of District as a part of the invitation process.

Representing the Circuit
This role is not in CPD as such. However, in the face of the changes ahead of the Methodist Church over the next few years, the Chairs of District and the District Council will be depending more than ever on Circuit Stewards for understanding the potential of their Circuits and the challenges they face. There will be regular opportunities for the Circuit Stewards to consult with the Chairs.

Safeguarding
There are particular responsibilities for the Circuit –brief notes of them can be found in Appendix 7.

8

5. TOWARDS THE FUTURE

Circuit Stewards always need to be thinking ahead about the development of resources in the Circuit and laying foundations for the future. For instance, current Connexional projections show that the next five years are likely to see a big drop in the numbers of ministers. This is certain to raise difficult questions about how Circuits and churches organise and maintain their life. The following four areas need to be on the agenda of every Circuit Steward:

• Nurturing new leaders: One of the key roles in leadership in the church is the challenge of finding your successor and nurturing new leaders. This needs to start as soon as you take up your post, not just before you are due to retire! Questions to help you to think through that challenge can be found in the Guidelines, Reflections, Resources and Action section on page ….

• Circuit Reviews: It is Connexional Policy that every Circuit undertake a Review within the period 2008 -2013. Circuit and church reviews are a very useful tool in:

* Taking stock of resources,
* Reflecting on the current state of life in the church
* Giving space to discern God’s will for the future and plan for it
* Clarifying what may need to change and how that might take place.

Districts and the Connexion have developed a number of ways of setting about Reviews. Contact the District Development Enabler (DDE) for more information.

• Nurturing a vision of the Circuit: Underlying a successful Circuit Review, i n responding to its recommendations, is the vision of the Circuit’s central place in Methodism. The Circuit Steward has a special opportunity to help recover and develop that vision. The Circuit is not an easy idea to take on board for those whose experience of church life has not already made them familiar with it. Many of those who have grown up in British Methodism have been so focused on the needs of their local church in recent years that they too have lost the vision. As Circuit Stewards it is important to take every opportunity of promoting that vision and to find new ways to help it develop.
• District Advance Fund/Resourcing Mission: The District Advance Fund or Resourcing Mission Fund makes regular grants to support churches and Circuits with schemes that are directed towards mission and may include funding for people, training, research, equipment and property. For more information see Appendix 6.

9

6. PRAYER

In the face of the complex and demanding challenges of being an effective Circuit Steward, and the wisdom needed for such a task, prayer is vital.

The way we pray is very personal. It is important to work to your own strength and preference. However, given the range of opportunities and responsibilities it is worthwhile making a prayer list to use briefly each day of the week to remember the people, situations and resources with which you are concerned.

In conjunction with that list, here are some prayers that other Circuit Stewards have found useful:

Lord God, I pray for the life of each church and every member and minister in my Circuit.
May we be filled with the power of your love to work together
To welcome all who come to our churches
And to reach out in justice and peace to our neighbours. Amen


Thanks be to thee, O Lord Jesus Christ,
For all the benefits which thou hast given us,
For all the pains and insults which thou hast borne for us.
O Most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
May we know thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly
And follow thee more nearly,
Day by day.

You may well like to write your own prayer.

YOUR OWN NEEDS: Any responsibility in the life of the church, especially one as vital as Circuit Steward with its ‘servant leadership’ style, makes great demands on your own spiritual resources. It is crucial to find times when you can put your concerns to one side and relax in an atmosphere and situation that enriches you spiritually. Some people go on retreat; others visit churches in other Circuits or denominations. As a Circuit Stewards team it is helpful to encourage each other to find ways of being spiritually refreshed.

10

6. PRAYER

PART 2 Guidelines: Reflections, Resources and Action

Part 1 has set out the guidelines for the role of Circuit Steward. We are all different and blessed with a rich variety of gifts and experience. Each Circuit Steward will set about interpreting and developing the guidelines in different ways. This section of the pack suggests ways of reflecting on your responsibilities and working out how you can best respond.

It offers some suggestions to help you reflect further on the guidelines, information on resources and the opportunity to suggest important first steps for action.

1. WHAT IS A CIRCUIT?

Some Case Studies to help explore the nature and potential of the Circuit.

Case Study 1

Corfield is the smallest church in the Circuit, with a congregation of 15 on a good day. It is only two miles from Trinity, which is the largest church, and growing. At Trinity, the Superintendent minister has been successful in recruiting younger people as Worship Leaders and Local Preachers in response to the District Challenge. As a result, he has more than can be used regularly at Sunday worship.

He has agreed with the Circuit leadership Team that a small group of Worship Leaders and Local Preacher will work as a ‘Worship Team and lead Sunday morning worship at Willingham once a month in order to gain experience. A senior Local Preacher will accompany them.

About six months later you are approached at the Circuit Meeting by one of the CorfieldStewards who asks, “Can you do something about the Worship Team? We know the Superintendent is keen to help them grow and get experience, but we just don’t like the way they do things.”

• How would you reply?
• What action might you take?
• What concerns are there for the Circuit?

11

Case Study 2

Christchurch is a small church of about twenty regular members, the majority from three families. They are deeply committed and have kept the building in good repair. The last ten years have seen no real growth in numbers and the members have recognized that it is likely the church will have to close and have had serious discussions about it on two occasions. Recently a major development of mixed private and low-cost housing has begun on the site of an old factory nearby. In two or three years, Christchurch will be at the heart of a large new community. The congregation is not sure how to respond. Their energy levels are low and they do not feel they have the resources to cope with the possible challenges and the changes they might bring. The senior Church Steward asks your advice, and what the Circuit might do to help.

• What would you reply?
• What action might you take?
• In what ways can you imagine the Circuit might help?

~~~~~~~~~~~

Case Study 3

Rachel and Sally are in their late twenties, and the two youngest Local Preachers in your Circuit. They worship at different churches. They are enthusiastic and committed. Stephen is in his early thirties with a young family. He attended Conference three years ago and was invited to take part in a small Connexional group thinking about the future of Methodism. He has become very committed to The Priorities as a way forward for the church, and recently agreed, a little reluctantly, because he has a demanding job, to become a Circuit Steward.

At the last Circuit meeting he raised the question of how churches might begin to engage with the Priorities and was asked to do some research on possibilities. He reports back to the Circuit Leadership Team that he visited Church Stewards and ministers in the Circuit but could find no real enthusiasm or practical responses from the churches. He is aware that he has given a lot of time to this and family life is suffering. He thinks he may need to resign as Circuit Steward.

The Superintendent reports that Sally is considering moving to another Circuit where there are more younger people as she has been made aware that her style of leading worship is not always appreciated. Rachel’s minister says she is very disappointed that her attempts to get a prayer group started in her church have not worked out.

• How would you respond to these issues?
• What might the Circuit do to help?

12

Case Study 4
James is the youngest son of one of the families at a church in your Circuit. He is a member of the church, helps at Sunday School and is doing his GCSEs. He has chosen t o do a pr oj ect on ‘Met hodi sm t oday ’ f or one of hi s courses. He asks to talk with you and explains that he has had a lot of information from the minister about the history and the organization of Methodism, but would like to talk to you as someone who is a lay person in a leadership position. He asks:

• Why are you a Methodist?
• Why is the Circuit useful?
• What difficulties do you find with it?
• What is the future of Methodism in your opinion?
• What do you say to him?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Case Study 5

Eastwood is a six church circuit in London. There are two ministers, and the churches are fairly strong in membership although the congregations are aging and a sense of struggle is creeping in to some of them. There are numbers of energetic new members in two of the churches, Zion’s Hill and Emmanuel, but they donot come from a British Methodist background. At Zion’s Hill, many come from West Africa and still have strong links with Ghana and Nigeria. Emmanuel is near a large hospital and university residences and attracts students from South Africa and the Philippines.

Much of Peter’s work during his last three years as Superintendent has been to push through a major building scheme at Wesley’s, a church near a large and growing shopping centre. Although the membership there is smaller than the others Peter has persuaded the Circuit to give financial support because of the mission opportunities that might be developed with the shoppers and the small groups of homeless who gather at the Centre.

Peter is about to leave. The building project has been held up for a variety of reasons, the original costs have increased by a third and work will not start till Peter’s successor has arrived.

Meanwhile one of the other churches (High Street) has seen an increase in membership through an Alpha course. There is a strong proposal to develop work in the church by appointing a Youth and Young Adults Worker to be based there who might also work with other churches in the Circuit. A proposal from Zion’s Hill is to appoint a lay worker to do pastoral work with its members and the large numbers of older people in their neighbourhood.

13

A major discussion has developed in the Circuit. It has been suggested by some that the money for the building project could be better spent on youth work. Others have raised the question about why money from their church should support a building project somewhere else in the Circuit when they have immediate needs of their own. Another group has said that work with older people is desperately needed in the wider community as well as the church and that is where Circuit resources should go. There are still those who see a high profile building project as the way forward.

• Where might you stand on these issues, and for what reasons?
• How might you argue the case for each of the sorts of projects proposed?
• As Circuit Steward, what would you advise Peter and the Circuit Leadership Team to do?

14

2. WHERE DO I START?

Four key areas …

a. Getting to know the Circuit and its people and establishing good working relationships

• Who are the key people to get to know?
  
• Superintendent Minister
• Other circuit Ministers
• Circuit Stewards
• Any one else …
• How best to get to know them?
  
• Ask yourself –how do I most enjoy getting to know people?
• What opportunities for that are there likely to be?
• …or that I can create?

b. Care and Support

• Look after yourself
  
• How can you best be aware of the limits of your time and energy?
• Who is best placed to help you with this?
• Where do you turn for advice and support?
  
• Caring for Lay colleagues
  
• How do ‘volunteers’ work best? (see ‘Resources’ below)
• What are the limits on their time and energy?
• How can you best work with those limits?
  
• Ministers & other employees
  
• Health –are you aware of the resources in this area from the District?
• Annual Development Review (ADR)–is your minister involved in and happy with this process?
• Coaching - is your minister aware of the resources available from the District
• Family - how can the people of the Circuit best support families?
• What pressures are there on ministers ’ f ami l i es ?

c. Listen, Watch and Pray - Getting to know the Circuit
What are the most helpful sorts of things to know about?

• Its history
• The churches
• Their attitudes to Circuit
• Areas of conflict

15

• Church Stewards
• Needs
• What makes it tick –or not
• Possibilities and opportunities?
• Diversity –what different cultures and church backgrounds are there
• What are the resulting expectations - especially the unconscious ones

d. Trust/confidentiality/sharing

• What best builds trust for you?
• What undermines it for you?
• What do you think can be done to build trust amongst those you are working with?
• What is the agreement over confidentiality in the Circuit Stewards and/or Circuit Leadership Team?
• What other areas of confidentiality do you and others expect?
• What are the resulting expectations - especially the unconscious ones

Any other thoughts and comments …?

Resources:
There are a number of resources in each of these areas, including listening skills and working with volunteers. Contact the Training Officer (TO) or DDE for more information. Action: some first steps –

16

3. DUTIES OF A CIRCUIT STEWARD
DISCUSSION SUGGESTIONS FOR A TEAM MEETING

A number of discussions with Circuit Stewards about their role in implementing the guidelines resulted in the following list: Circuit Stewards work as a team and share collective responsibility for leadership and specific duties. From that general responsibility it follows that the circuit stewards should:

1. Develop vision and plan for mission within the circuit, ensuring appropriate consultation
2. Exercise a general pastoral care for the circuit staff and their families
3. Meet as a leadership team at least twice a year, before the Circuit Meeting
4. Keep themselves informed of the activities of each local church
5. Be aware of District and Connexional policies affecting the circuit and its churches
6. Be sensitive to the needs of the circuit and its officers and staff
7. Inform themselves of developing movements in Methodism and the church generally
8. Be alert to and take advice on the legal consequences of their office and its responsibilities, e.g. lay employment, finance, property
9. Keep alive a vision of the Circuit and the link between Circuit and District
10. Aim to work for the unity of the church

…….and arrange in a manner suitable to the circuit how these responsibilities are

• What are your reactions to the list?
• In your opinion, is it in the correct order of priority?
• Do you think there is anything vital missing –if so what?
• Do you think there is anything that could be omitted?
• How far do you think such a role is realistic and manageable for you?

17

4. DEAR CIRCUIT STEWARD COLLEAGUE …
HELP!

EVERY Circuit Steward has faced problems! Each of us has to use our experience of life to cope with them. While the guidelines and advice offered in this pack can help, there are still many areas they cannot reach and that are in fact best dealt with in discussion between colleagues. Here are some of the concerns raised by Circuit Stewards over the years. What advice would you give them?

Dear Circuit Steward colleague …

• I am out of my depth, I should never have taken the job on, what can I do?
  
  
  
• I feel intimidated by those I work with. Some of them are just so much holier than I am
  
  
  
• One of my colleagues really frightens me. It is like I am being bullied to do what she wants.
  
  
  
• I just cannot get on with the Superintendent
  
  
  
• Even though we have all done the training course, no one really takes it seriously. We are doing the minimum, and no one wants to do more.
  
  
  
• I am exhausted, there is just too much to do and I cannot get my head round it

18

• I thought this job would be something about faith and serving God. I feel I am being pulled in every direction but that. Most of the time its endless meetings and arguments.
  
  
  
• I am faced with an issue that probably has to do with safeguarding, or it may be a matter of ‘discipline’ procedures. I have never had to deal with anything like this before. What do I do?
  
  
  
• The personalities in our team constantly clash
  
  
  
• There are some complicated property and financial issues in the Circuit and the Treasurer has just moved away?
  
  
  
• I am really struggling to understand why some of those from different ethnic groups and cultures behave the way they do
  
  
  
• The senior Circuit Steward and one of my other colleagues are never here. They are just not doing the job

And your own ‘Dear Circuit Steward Colleague’….

19

5. ENABLING MINISTERS TO GROW AND DEVELOP

What advice would you give on this subject?

What do you think of the following suggestions?

There are three crucial points:

• Pray for them regularly
• NEVER sing the praises of the previous minister
• Get to know them and work out how best to help them flourish.

These questions may help you get to know your minister. You may be able to work out the answers on your own or in the Circuit Stewards team. It may be even better to discuss them with the minister.

• What plans and dreams do they have?
• In your opinion, how appropriate are they for the Circuit?
• What sort of person?
• Naturally shy?
• Irrepressibly extrovert?
• Always busy?
• Reflective and laid back?
• Quick to take decisions?
• Always avoiding decision?
• Hard to get to know?
  
• What sort of leader?
• Keen on consensus?/good listener?
• Hesitant? Decisive?
• All talk?
• Never consults?
• Strong or weak at administration?
• Strategic planner?
• What led them to ministry?
• How have they found the experience?
• What expectations have their background and culture given them?
• Where are they most likely to need support and in what way?
• What makes them tick?

20

• What slows them down/discourages?
• What disappointments have they had to face in the past?
• What difficulties do they face currently?
• What are they over-looking?
• What do they find really hard in ministry?
• What resources are around to support them?
• How well is the Annual Development Review working?
• What strengths and pressures does their family or home situation bring?

When you have reflected on these questions, ask your self …

• What consequences are there for the Circuit from the answers you have come up with?
• What can the Circuit best learn and gain from this minister?
• In what ways can you as a Circuit Steward best help the minister and the Circuit to work together and to flourish?
• What help that the Circuit can provide is most likely to be useful to them?
• What resources may be needed (extra training or orientation, development of new skills, practical help etc.) to produce the best opportunities for minister and Circuit?
• What needs to be avoided?

Extending Discipleship Exploring Vocation (EDEV) – this is the process the Connexion has developed to help nurture people in their faith, develop new leaders and provide a possible pathway for those who feel called to full time ministry. Advice and guidance for the resources available can be found on the District and Connexional websites.

ACTION: What three immediate steps can the Circuit take to get the best out of the minister?

21

6. NURTURING NEW LEADERS

Developing new leaders is an important part of any leadership role within the church. The church relies on those in leadership roles to identify and encourage potential future leaders and to help their fellow members to recognize their gifts and to offer them in the appropriate way sin God’s service.

We often we treat vocation or calling as a very individual process. However it is clear from the Bible as well as the experience of the church throughout its history that people are helped to discover their calling not only by an inner sense of call but also by the encouragement, challenge and invitation of their fellow Christians. Here are some questions to help you think through how future leaders might be nurtured:

• What qualities are you looking for in a future leader?
• How best can you discern them?
• How best can you help them to develop?
• In what ways can you give responsibility to people to help them develop?
• How important is it to give ongoing support –and in your experience, what are the best ways of doing it?
• Who are the key people in the Circuit to encourage, identify and nurture future leaders?
• What can be done to support and challenge them?
• In your experience, what are the reasons that most commonly prevent new leaders emerging?
• What are the next steps to take?

Extending Discipleship Exploring Vocation (EDEV)–this is the process the Connexion has developed to help nurture people in their faith, develop new leaders and provide a possible pathway for those who feel called to full time ministry. Advice and guidance for the resources available can be found on the District and Connexional websites.

Action: possible next steps in the Circuit to develop new leaders …

22

7. THE TEAM-WORK CHALLENGE

Christian service is a shared experience. Teamwork is essential. Teams can be a source of real strength. They make a demanding task much easier and much more enjoyable. They can also create problems.

There is a range of training and advice available through the District to help with teamwork. Contact the DDE or TO who cam also point you to a number of useful books.

The challenge is how to get the Team to work best. It is important to spend time thinking things through and chatting about how best to work together. The following points are amongst the most common that teams need to deal with. Use them for personal reflection and then perhaps reflection and action in the Team. Very often such creative reflection on simple questions and sensible planning can help to solve problems.

1. The team is not working?

• Different expectations of teams, membership and leadership:
• The volunteer and professional –ministers and lay people may have different expectations. They certainly have different amounts of time to put in, and the meeting has different bearing on their working lives.
• The diversity mix –different cultures and different church backgrounds can lead to very different expectations of teams, their roles and what is expected of leaders.
• Histories –past experience, good or bad, can effect the way people respond to team work
• Church and Circuit tensions –it is easy but unhelpful for team members give too much priority to the concerns of their particular congregation.
• Approaches to faith – people’s experience of faith can lead to very different understandings of what church life and leadership is about
• Prayer –people can have very different understandings of the place of prayer in the life of a team. Sorting out expectations in this area requires sensitivity.
• Hidden Expectations –the problem with all expectations is that often we do not know we have them until we take time with others to talk them through. So many teams do not work because everyone thinks they are working with the same expectations when they are not!
• Above all, a confused understanding of what the team is supposed to be and to do is the result not only of these factors, but of the failure to make time to develop a shared understanding of what the team is for and how it can work.

23

Practical and relationship matters: Teams can struggle for any of the following reasons …

• Insufficient meetings
• Too many meetings
• Badly run meetings
• Time pressures –
• meetings when members are rushed and tired
• when some are happy to spend a lot of time and others are rushed
• Confidentiality – highly important to get the ‘ground rules’ right on this one – what level of confidentiality does the team expect?
• Lack of leadership or direction
• ‘Armtwisting’ – when people have been put under pressure to join the team they do not usually feel fully committed
• Life pressures –these can differ individually with age, work, family and can change during the life of a team
• Personality clashes are not as common as you might think. Many of the struggles people have with each other can be dealt with by sensitively handling some of the points above. Where they do exist, outside help may be useful.
• Your thoughts on what stops t eams working …

2. Teams have a life cycle. Each new team will experience it, and the experience may vary. The management writer, Tuckman suggests that a team will go though four main phases:

• Forming –this is often a happy time of getting together.
• Storming –as members realise their limitations and the range of expectations in the team, differences begin to emerge. It can be a difficult time of conflict and many teams give up at this stage.
• Norming –the team have learnt how best to work together and manage difficulties
• Performing –the team are being efficient and creative

There is a further stage whenever anyone new joins the team – Re-forming. It is all too easy to assume things will just carry on as before, but a new member means a new team

3. Action points …

24

8. SPIRITUAL RESPONSIBILITIES
OF CIRCUIT STEWARDS

Caring for the spiritual life of the Circuit is one of the most exciting and creative parts of being a Circuit Steward. ‘Spiritual’ can be a rat her vague term. Perhaps the best way of understanding it is to think of the overall health of the church, particularly in terms of measuring it against Our Calling and The Priorities. One of the values of Circuit Reviews is that they can help the Circuit focus more fully on these areas.

Spiritual matters are often intensely personal. This is where the notion of ‘servant leadership’ is particularly important. It is vital to bring your own experience and passion to the challenge of improving the ‘spiritual ’ health’ of the Circuit. It is equally vital to be able to stand back from your own perspective and identify and enable the passions and gifts of others to flourish. That can often be very challenging. Others may have views that conflict with yours or that you simply have no sympathy with. In that situation it helps to be part of a team that can provide wisdom and perspective.

It is sometimes difficult for lay people to feel confident in this area. It can be seen as something that the expertise of the minister alone is competent to deal with. Again good teamwork is vital. Lay people bring a spiritual wisdom that they may not even recognise themselves and it is important that voice is heard to help the expertise of the minister to flourish in the Circuit.

Here are four steps to help you begin to think about caring for the spiritual life of the Circuit. Spiritual concerns are often difficult to share, but taking time to work through these steps is likely to be helpful.

Step 1 –personal reflection –it is often helpful when you address these questions to imagine you are in conversation with a friend or perhaps a young person who is asking you these questions about your faith:

• What excites me about my faith?
• How do I show that in action?
• What does prayer mean to me?
• What struggles do I have with prayer?
• What place does the Bible have in my faith?
• What is quality worship like for me?
• In what ways, places and people do I see God at work in the church and the world?
• What struggles do I have in believing in God?
• What are the ways that most help me to grow most in faith?
• What levels of time do I give to these areas of life?
• What does that show about their priority for me?

25

Step 2 –sharing some thoughts - it may well be helpful to share those questions and answers with your fellow Circuit Stewards and maybe in the leadership team. Listening is a vital part of ‘servant leadership’ and of teamwork. It will be both a good team-building exercise and a way of recognizing the strengths of team members as listeners.

Step 3 - reflecting on the Circuit – having taken time to do some personal reflection, give some thought to the issues as you experience them in the Circuit.

• What is the quality of worship like in the churches?
• How might it be improved?
• What resources are needed?
• How are people being encouraged to grow in faith?
• What are the main obstacles, if any?
• What resources might be needed?
• What is most likely to draw those on the fringes of church life into a deeper involvement?

Step 4–beyond the churches – reaching out beyond the immediate church community is a key aspect of spiritual life. The following questions may help to think through how the churches and people of your Circuit express the love of God in their lives.

• In what ways are the churches of the Circuit engaging with the wider community?
• In what ways are they drawing people into the experience of faith?
• What ‘fresh expressions’ of church are there in your Circuit?
• In your opinion, what might people who are not part of the church community at present be looking for from the church?
• In what ways might the church respond?
• How are individual members in the Circuit expressing their faith in everyday life?
• How might the church best support them in their everyday work and witness?
• How can the worship of the church best engage with the wider community?
• What resources of training, personal support, equipment or finance might be needed in such areas?

There is a wide range of resources available to help you think through these areas. For more information, contact the DDE or check the Connexional website.

26

9. THE WISDOM OF CIRCUIT STEWARDS

At a recent District day for Circuit Stewards, their discussions were summarised in the following way. It might be a useful exercise in your Steward or Leadership Team to look though the summary and ask

• What is there to learn?
• What is there that might be added from your Circuit?
• What is there that puzzles or surprises you?

Circuit Stewards Wisdom –draft notes from the Circuit Stewards Meetings:

1. Some of the good things that are happening in the Circuits:

• Effective COMMUNICATION –Super and Circuit Stewards meet regularly for information sharing
• Work on relationships through more regular meetings
• Division of jobs according to skills and experience
• Partnerships between Stewards from different churches to look at the future
• A Circuit Finance and Business Group to support churches made up of people with appropriate skills from the congregations.
• Establishing more realistic expectations towards ministers
• Church Treasurers meetings in the Circuit to share concerns and suggest policies
• Bigger Circuits have meant more volunteers!

2. Some of the problems and obstacles being faced:

• Tensions between churches and the Circuit. Conflicts of interests between own church and responsibilities of Circuit Steward
• Pressures of time
• Lack of appropriate skills
• Dictatorial Supers
• Skills and abilities not encouraged; lack of delegation; nurture of future leaders not developed; new young Stewards not being recruited
• Role of Circuit Stewards unclear
• Personality clashes
• Resistance to change!

3. Where support from the District would be helpful:

• Greater coherence –larger Circuits, help with overall strategic planning and resources

27

• Training:
  o For current and potential stewards and treasurers, to include job description, responsibilities etc.
  o Safeguarding, Risk Assessments; Financial matters and forms.

• Ministers:
  o Stationing: understanding the process; take a look at the timings to achieve maximum flexibility
  o Encourage ministers to come to London/Need to grow our own ministers
  o Clarity about strengths and weaknesses of new ministers and how best to respond to them –awareness that this is a long-term process

• Superintendents:
  o Understanding their role …
  o “What is a Super intendent ?”

• Help:
  o From Chairs when Stewards are facing difficult circumstances
  o Mediation Skills from the District

4. Messages to the ministers:

• Let differences aside student ministers) managerial.

• We need t o understand …
  o The pressures, your vision and how we can help,
  o The different requirements of different ministries (e.g. student ministers)
  o What is the nature of Methodist leadership?
  congregational, ministerial or shared? It is not just managerial.
  o The nature of leading by serving

• Work together …
  o Cooperation in ongoing tasks
  o To identify shared goals and work towards them
  o Finding people to do the jobs and not letting others hang on too long in them

• Do not overload Circuit Stewards
• The importance of continuity in the leadership of worship
• Nurture more preachers, especially black women
• The importance of appraisal –(and what is happening with it?)
• Sensitivity towards disability

28

10. MAKING MEETINGS WORK

Handling meetings, especially if you are not used to leading them can be a problem. If there is someone good at leading meetings in your Circuit Steward team, why not let them do most of the meetings? However if you are faced with leading meetings, here are some tips that may help:

• If you are responsible for the meeting use them as a checklist as you prepare
• If you are attending a meeting that isn’t working use them to diagnose what’s wrong and help make the meeting more effective

Thirteen key questions:

1. Is there a clear purpose/agenda?
2. Are the appropriate people present?
3. Is there an agreed finishing time?
4. Do people know why they are there?
5. Do people know and trust each other?
6. Is the meeting chaired fairly and clearly?
7. Is someone taking minutes or notes?
8. Has the necessary preparation been done?
9. Is there clarity about the decisions being made, and are decisions properly followed up?
10. Are any special needs being addressed, eg hearing impairment, transport needs, meeting times?
11. Is the environment/meeting place appropriate and conducive to the business of the meeting?
12. Is there a need for confidentiality, and has this been addressed?
13. Are people offered refreshments?

29

APPENDIX 1

OUR CALLING, THE PRIORITIES of THE METHODIST CHURCH

Our Calling
The cal l i ng of The Met hodi s t Chur ch i s t o r es pond t o t he gos pel of God ’s love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission. The Church exists to

• increase awareness of God’s presence and to celebrate God’s love
• help people to grow and learn as Christians, through mutual support and care
• be a good neighbour to people in need and to challenge injustice
• make more followers of Jesus Christ

Conference 2000

Priorities for The Methodist Church In partnership with others wherever possible, the Methodist Church will concentrate its prayers, resources, imagination and commitments on this priority:

To proclaim and affirm its conviction of God’s love in Christ, for us and for all the world: and renew confidence in God’s presence and action in the world and in the Church.

As ways towards realising this priority, the Methodist Church will give particular attention to the following:

1. Underpinning everything we do with God-centred worship and prayer
2. Supporting community development and action for justice, especially among the most deprived and poor–in Britain and worldwide
3. Developing confidence in evangelism and in the capacity to speak of God and faith in ways that make sense to all involved
4. Encouraging fresh ways of being Church
5. Nurturing a culture in the Church which is people-centred and flexible

Conference 2004

30

Mapping a Way Forward: Regrouping for Mission

The 21 st century presents The Methodist Church with many opportunities and challenges. In order to refocus its resources and energies to meet these changing situations a number of initiatives have been formulated. From September 2008 The Connexional Team (the national Officers) will have been restructured in the way it is organised and works. At all levels of the Church an emphasis is being put on exploring and developing effective ways of engaging in mission. Between 2008 and 2013 circuits and eventually Districts will have to review and possibly change radically the ways in which they are organised and resourced together with redefining the focus of their work.

The role of the Circuit Steward will be crucial in all this. At a circuit level it will mean working with the circuit staff and local churches to assist first in reviewing the current situation, developing new ways of working and then implementing and monitoring their effectiveness.

Help will be at hand!! The District Development Enabler together with others within the District Team will be able to offer practical support.

31

APPENDIX 2

SUMMARY OF THE DUTIES OF MINISTER,
SUPERINTENDENT & CIRCUIT MEETING
Responsibilities of ministers (CPD)

The minister or ministers appointed to the several Circuits are appointed by the Conference to preach and exercise pastoral charge in those Circuits on behalf of the Conference as set out in Standing Order 700(7). In so doing they shall exercise their particular responsibilities in conjunction with those of appropriate court and lay officers in the Circuit to which they are appointed and in the constituent local Churches of that Circuit. With them they shall act in accordance with Standing Orders 515, 531, 614 and 633 to uphold Methodist discipline and to exercise oversight of the worship, pastoral care and mission policy of the Circuit and the allocation of specific pastoral work and responsibilities to particular minister, deacons and lay officers.

Responsibilities of Superintendents (CPD)
The Superintendent has the right to preside at every official meeting within the Circuit, or with any Local Church included within the Circuit, or with any committee, institution or organization having official connection with the Circuit or with any of its Local Churches. N.B. need to appoint annually in writing deputies for Circuit Meeting, Church Councils etc.

It is the duty of the Superintendent appointed to each Circuit to enable the relevant courts, officers, deacons and ministers to fulfil their specific responsibilities under Standing Orders and to ensure that they do so.

It is the responsibility of the Superintendent in consultation with his or her colleagues to make the Circuit Plan of preaching appointments.

The Superintendent shall also visit all the Local Churches in the Circuit to provide encouragement, challenge and support.

The Superintendent is further encouraged to gather, in conjunction with the Circuit Meeting, a group of people, who, in the name of the Circuit, may visit a Local Church which needs help in fulfilling its ministry in any way more effectively.

Circuit Meeting (CPD)
The Circuit Meeting is the principal meeting responsible for the affairs of the Circuit and the development of Circuit policy. It shall exercise that combination of spiritual leadership and administrative efficiency which will enable the Circuit to

32

fulfill its purposes as set out in Standing Order 500, and shall act as the focal point of the working fellowship of the churches in the Circuit, overseeing their pastoral, training and evangelistic work.

The meeting shall encourage leadership within the Circuit which involves the Circuit Stewards and other lay persons along with the ministers and deacons appointed to the Circuit.

The Circuit Fund
The Circuit Stewards are collectively treasurers of the Circuit Fund. Most circuits have one of their stewards who has the necessary skills and knowledge to take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the circuit funds. Otherwise the Circuit must secure a competent person to carry out these duties under close supervision of the stewards.

The Circuit Stewards have to present to the Circuit Meeting a forecast budget covering a 12 month period and an indication of how the costs will be met. Sometimes Circuit Projects will require long-term financial planning. Discussions with individual Church Treasurers are essential when assessing contributions from the Churches prior to presenting figures to the Circuit Meeting for its consideration. Some circuits hold a meeting of treasurers whilst other circuits approach each church treasurer on a one-to-one basis. It should always be treated as a sensitive issue.

The Circuit Stewards must ensure that stipends and agreed rates of allowances to meet circuit expenses are paid to Ministers and other staff including any Lay Workers. This will involve income tax, National Insurance, superannuation and other items of book-keeping. Accurate records must be kept.

They must maintain the payment of financial obligations as set out in the annual budget, eg payment to District funds, the upkeep of circuit properties (manses) etc.

The financial year is from September 1st - August 31st. The annual accounts are presented to the Circuit Meeting having been examined by a qualified person.

33

APPENDIX 3 FINANCE The Financial Role of the Circuit Steward

SO 532 states that the Circuit Stewards are the treasurers of the Circuit fund and that they should:

i. collect assessments
ii. provide for the stipends due to circuit staff
iii. pay staff expenses
iv. discharge any other financial claims on the Circuit agreed in the budget
v. pay assessment to District Treasurers

As SO 635 states that it is the responsibility of church Treasurers to pay the assessment set by the Circuit Meeting, there should be no problem of achieving sufficient income, providing budgeting is reasonable.

NB:The term “Circuit Treasurer” does not occur in CPD. The responsibility lies with the Circuit Stewards. However, that does not prevent the appointment of a Circuit Treasurer to provide financial support to the Circuit Stewards or an additional Circuit Steward with specific financial responsibilities, who could take the majority of the responsibility on behalf of the Circuit Stewards.

The Methodist Financial Year runs from 1st September to 31st August. However, the work for a particular financial year starts well before 1st September and ends long after 31st August. The following is the list of activities for a typical Financial Year (Year 1):

December Year 0

Provide figures for applications for Connexional funds for Year 1

Feb/March Year 0

Set budget and assessments for Year 1 for presentation at Circuit Meeting. Connexion will have sent information on stipends, pensions and travel expenses for Year 1 and advice on tax matters. District Treasurer will have sent District Assessment. Other expenses will have to be judged from previous years, bearing in mind inflation of other indications of increases. Assessments can be set in a variety of ways. They can be based on membership or ministerial appointments, though consideration should be given to “ability to pay”. It is useful to receive each church’s accounts and often valuable to have a meeting of all church treasurers. Churches can volunteer how much they can afford.

34

August Year 0	Church assessments for September are officially due eight working days before the beginning of the quarter and the stipends payment is due four working days before the beginning of the quarter. It is useful to do as many of these transactions, if possible, by transfer. These transactions should be recorded in the accounts for Year 1 if accruals accounting is used (a requirement for Circuits whose income or expenditure is in excess of £100,000 in a year).
Sept. Year 1	District Assessment is due by the seventh day of the quarter. Again a direct transfer is advisable. Other payments should be made during the year as required.
End Nov Year 1	Request from Circuit Staff details of expenses to be reimbursed for 1st quarter and contribution for personal phone calls. The quarterly activities need to be repeated each quarter
End May Year 1	Forms P11 need to be completed for each member of staff paid centrally and sent to Methodist Church House. These contain details of “benefits in kind” received by staff in financial year ending 5th April and will include relevant expenditure since 6th April in Year 0. The Dictionary of Taxation from Ministerial Benefits at Methodist Church House gives good advice on what to include.
August Year 1	It is best to try and pay all amounts due before the end of the month and bank all money received to avoid complications with accruals in the accounts.
Sept. Year 2	A statement of accounts should be presented to the Circuit Meeting.
October Year 2	Accounts need to be audited (if income or expenditure over £250,000) by a qualified auditor or independently examined by a suitably competent person –not a member of the Circuit Meeting.
End Nov. Year 2	Standard Form of Accounts should be completed and signed by appropriate persons. (For more information on Standard Form of Accounts is available from: www.methodistchurch.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=churchlife.content&cmid=1388 Circuits with other employees can either arrange for them to be paid by the Connexion or register as employers and pay them directly. This will involve other responsibilities with regard to salaries and taxation which are not covered in the above scenario

Clearly the above does not cover basic activities such as book-keeping, record- keeping, opening bank accounts, changing signatories, reconciling bank statements, drawing up and presenting annual accounts and making the best use of resources, funds and reserves.

Edward Hall, Birmingham West and Oldbury Circuit

35

APPENDIX 4

MANSES

The duties and responsibilities of a circuit /circuit property steward are briefly summarised as follows;

1. Obtain regular reports on the state of property and undertake renovations and repair as necessary;
2. After every Quinquennial (5yr) inspection consider the findings and recommendations of the inspectors and take any action required;
3. Prepare and consider the annual property schedules, both of accounts and investments and of the state of the property, and take any action required;
4. Consider matters such as the purchase, sale, extension or alteration of the property and take appropriate action in collaboration with the District and the Connexional Property Office in Manchester;
5. Appoint or employ a caretaker of the premises, if required, and supervise his/her work;
6. Open and maintain a log book for the retention of the annual property schedules, quinquennial inspection reports and other relevant material and
7. Present an annual report on the local property to the circuit meeting and after every quinquennial inspection.

See SO 533, 803, 952, 954

36

CARE OF MANSES

Ensure that a Steward is appointed for each manse –best to appoint somebody who is not already a Church Property Steward.

House

• Carpets cleaned
• Paintwork washed
• Curtains cleaned
• Cupboards –empty and clean
• Cooker clean- both hob and oven in good working order
• Refuse from previous occupant removed
• Any disarrangement rectified, everything restored to previous positions
• Where possible provide a list of useful names and addresses
• Provide adequate smoke detectors and fire blankets.

Garden

• Hedges and shrubs trimmed
• Lawns cut
• Beds weeded
• Rubbish removed
• Sheds clean and empty
• Garage(s) empty

IT

• PC
• Internet, preferably Broadband

Care of Manses Submit form (e) from the Quinquennial to the Manses Secretary / Property Committee For each manse establish a file in which to retain quinquennial reports, work sheets, invoices, inspection certificates, guarantees for work or equipment etc.

N.B.1 CPD Book 6 General, Part 2 guidance, Section 1B provides a Charter for incoming Ministers and Deacons, and 1C for Lay Workers

N.B.2 be aware of taxation accountabilities

37

APPENDIX 5

Meetings - Church
Councils, Circuit Meetings and the
District Synod

Circuits work in different ways and have a variety of patterns of meetings.
Meetings may include:
Circuit Stewards
Leadership Team
Circuit Meetings
Manses Committee
Property Committee
District Meetings

Church Councils
A circuit steward is an ex-officio member of, and entitled to attend, all official meetings connected with the circuit, except for local preachers meetings [unless they are a local preacher]. Any circuit steward is therefore entitled to attend the Church Council of any church within the circuit. A circuit steward should be appointed, by the circuit stewards, to attend each Church Council [SO 610].

The circuit steward will be able to:

• represent the circuit at the meeting
• offer information on matters relating to circuit events and circuit policy
• gather information on local church events or concerns that need to be reported back to the rest of the circuit leadership team

District Synod [representative session]
Synod is the policy making court of the District, serving as a link between the conference and connexional team on one hand, and the circuits and local churches on the other.

Under SO 410 one circuit steward of each circuit in the district is a representative to synod. Each circuit also sends lay representatives: these will often include the other circuit stewards. All ministerial staff stationed in the District also attend.

At synod there are opportunities to:

• meet with representatives from other circuits
• find out what is happening in the District
• pass on information relating to the circuit
• vote on resolutions
• elect representatives to conference

38

APPENDIX 6

THE DISTRICT ADVANCE FUND POLICY
THE DAF GRANT POLICY

Grants awarded will not normally exceed one-third of the total cost of the project. Subject to this awards may be for:

• Single grants - up to a maximum of £10,000.
• Term grants - up to £8000 p.a. for up to five years.
• Equipment grants (e.g. for Audio Visual / IT) - up to 25% of invoice cost.
• Mission Shaped Leadership Course - full cost of course for up to two applicants per circuit.

Priority will be given to circuits and churches making applications for projects designed to meet opportunities identified through audit processes ( e.g. Shaping the Future, Know and Grow, Pilgrims Way, Natural Church Development) and the District’s ‘Leading Well’ process.

Applicants should also explore external funding e.g. Charities or Landfill Tax funds and working their projects in partnership with circuits/churches, ecumenical and secular groups. Any DAF grant would be part of the overall funding package and copies of grant confirmation letters are to be forwarded to the District Grants Officer. Where applications are in respect of Building schemes the grant will be released by the District Treasurer upon written confirmation of the Superintendent that approvals to commence work have been received.

MAKING THE APPLICATION

If Connexional funds are being applied for the appropriate Connexional forms must be used & forwarded initially to the DRMG. For District funds please use the separate DAF application form. Superintendents (and applicants with their Superintendents knowledge) are encouraged to make enquiries prior to All applications should include a copy of:

• The Circuit / Church) Mission Policy.
• A project proposal /business plan which demonstrates how it fits the Circuit (and church) mission policy and have achievable and measurable
• The Job Description and the Person Profile (where applicable)

Applications must be sent to the District Grants Officer. Small, one-off grants (less than £2000), may be approved between these dates.

39

APPENDIX 7

CIRCUIT STEWARDS & SAFEGUARDING

Every Circuit is responsible for ensuring that:

• All circuit officers are aware of the terms of S.O. 010 concerning the holders of office, duty and responsibilities within the circuit.
• An appropriate Circuit Policy is implemented.
• a Circuit Safeguarding Officer is appointed, according to the job description provided by the District
• There is access to basic child protection training and training in working with children and young people for all voluntary and paid workers with children and young people.
• All churches must have a safeguarding policy which meets the requirements laid down by the Methodist Safeguarding guidelines.. The Circuit must have a copy of each policy.
• All ministers –diaconal and presbyteral –must have been subject to an Enhanced CRB check.
• All local preachers and Circuit officers have signed a self-disclosure form.
• If there are circuit groups or events the circuit policy is implemented

For further information about Safeguarding procedures, please refer to the manual “Safeguarding or t o t he Methodist Church web-site. Alternatively, you can e-mail: safeguarding@methodistchurch.org.uk

See also Churches Agency of Safeguarding (CAS) or the Methodist Children website.

For advice on particular incidents, talk to a member of the District Child Protection Advisory Group.

40

APPENDIX 8

A BRIEF GUIDE TO METHODISM

THE LOCAL CHURCH
The local church means both the people and the buildings within which they meet and build their community. It is the whole body of members of the Methodist Church linked with one particular place of worship.

Local churches (about 6,000 in England, Scotland and Wales) are grouped into Circuits (600+), each having a Circuit Superintendent. Circuits are grouped into Districts (32) led by a District Chair.

Some church members belong to the Church Council either because the local church members have elected them, or because they hold one of a number of offices in the local church.

THE CIRCUITS
Local churches in a defined area are usually grouped together into a ‘Circuit’.

The purpose of the Circuit is to use effectively the resources of people, property and finance for the mission of the church.

The responsibilities of the Circuit are exercised through the Circuit Meeting. Its task is to combine spiritual leadership with administrative efficiency to help the Circuit fulfil its purpose.

The Superintendent of the Circuit and the Circuit Stewards have special leadership responsibilities.

THE DISTRICT
In each of the 32 Districts in the British Methodist Church there is a ‘Chair of District’ (EXCEPT LONDON, which has three Chairs!) whose job is to lead the ministers and lay people in the mission of the church and to support them pastorally.

Each District has a ‘Synod’ that meets at least once a year and in practice usually twice. It consists of Representative and Ministerial sessions. Its purpose is to decide policy for the District and to be the link between the Conference and central offices of the Church on the one hand and the Circuits and local churches on the other. Church members become members of the Representative session either because they have been elected or because they hold one of a number of offices in the District or Circuit.

41

The Ministerial session consists of the ministers and ministerial probationers who are members of the Representative session. Deacons and diaconal probationers may be invited.

THE CONNEXION
This is the term used to describe the Methodist Church linked together through Circuits and Districts . Together these form the ‘Connexion’. The post of General Secretary provides overall co-ordination and strategic direction to the Connexion’s work, under the guidance of the Methodist Council, a representative body.

The policy-making body of the Methodist Church is the annual Conference to which the Districts send elected representatives both lay and ordained. The Connexion is served nationally by the Connexional Team, most of whom are based at Methodist Church House, 25 Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5JR (020 7486 5502).

The Property and Resourcing Mission sections are at Central Buildings, Oldham St, Manchester M1 1JQ (0161 236 5194).

THE METHODIST CONFERENCE
The governing body of the Methodist Church is the Methodist Conference which meets annually in different parts of the country. Some church members belong to the Conference either because they have been elected or because they hold one of a number of offices within the Methodist Church nationally. The President of Conference who is a presbyter and the Vice-President who is always a layperson chair the Conference. They are elected and serve for one year.

Further Information:
www.methodistchurch.org.uk

42

CIRCUIT STEWARDS INDUCTION PACK: DEVELOPMENT PAGE

We are keen to develop this pack to provide maximum support for Circuit Stewards. Please note below:

• Information you would like to see added to the pack
  
  
• Notes of any points that you found confusing or difficult to understand in the pack
  
  
• Any suggestions you have on how to improve the Pack
  
  
• Things that you found particularly helpful about the Pack
  
  

Please return this page with your comments to: Chris Jones,
24 St. Matthew’s Close, Cherry Willingham, Lincoln LN3 4LS
Email: methodistjones@btconnect.com

43

Top of Page