Ministerial Review - the Scheme

A VOLUNTARY AND CONFIDENTIAL SCHEME
FOR READERS IN THE DIOCESE OF LIVERPOOL
JULY 2002

ISSUING AUTHORITY:THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE LIVERPOOL DIOCESAN ASSOCIATION OF READERS

CONTENTS
Message from the Bishop of Warrington | Introduction | What is the Diocesan Reader Ministerial Review scheme? | How is the Scheme run? | Job description for Readers: guidelines | Job description for Diocesan Scheme Coordinator | Job description for Diocesan Scheme Training Officer | Some guidelines for Reviewers |[ Checklist for Readers | Checklist for Reviewers] - to be added

FROM THE BISHOP OF WARRINGTON, The Rt. Rev. David Jennings

I'm delighted to commend Ministerial Review for Readers in this Diocese. Over more than ten years I have had Episcopal review in the Diocese of Chelmsford by successive Bishops and have always found it a really helpful experience, particularly as I sought to reflect on what had been going on in the ministry to which God had called me and then shared something of that and responded to the questions that the Bishop put to me. I found that, as a result of this, I had a new sense of direction and it is for this reason that I commend to you the practice of review, which I'm sure you will find helpful in seeking under God to determine the way forward in the ministry to which He has called you.
+David Warrington

INTRODUCTION

Evaluation is natural to human experience. Evaluation is one of God's ways of bringing the history of the past into dialogue with hope for the future.

Without confession of sin there is no reconciliation;
without the counting of blessings there is no thanksgiving;
without the acknowledgment of accomplishments there is no celebration;
without awareness of potential there is no hope;
without hope there is no desire for growth;
without desire for growth the past will dwarf the future.

We are called into new growth and new ministries by taking a realistic and hopeful look at what we have been and what we can still become. Surrounded by God's grace and the crowd of witnesses in the faith, we can look at our past unafraid and from its insights eagerly face the future with new possibilities.

I pray that we will all experience God's grace as we review our present ministry and look for ways to develop the gifts which God has given us in order that we may use them in His service.

Ruth Woodward
Warden of Readers

We acknowledge with grateful thanks the work of the Commission Team who, over a period of some fifteen months, devised the Scheme and recommended it to the Executive Committee for endorsement by the Diocesan Readers AGM in 1997. Its members were: Mr John Nelson (Chairman), Mrs Ruth Woodward (Secretary), Canon Frances Briscoe, Rev Rod Garner and Mr Stan Smart.

WHAT IS THE DIOCESAN READER MINISTERIAL REVIEW SCHEME?

Preaching and Teaching
Leading Worship
Ministerial skills of Team Working, Leadership and Communication.

The development of team working will be facilitated, especially when there are staff changes in a parish team.
Finally, the scheme will be of value to the Diocese, should Readers be deployed outside their home parish.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHEME
There was a trial period in three Deaneries from SEPTEMBER 1998 TO JANUARY 1999.
Following this, a number of changes were made before a second trial period from November 1999 to March 2000. Further minor changes have been made, taking into account comments from Readers whose ministry has been reviewed or who were planning to participate in the scheme, and the scheme is now being implemented fully.

HOW IS THE SCHEME RUN?

The appointment of administrators to run the scheme
A Scheme Co-ordinator (Professor Ken Bakewell), a Training Officer (Alison Shacklady), a Source of Appeal (Judge Mark Hedley) and an Independent Consultant (John Nelson) have been appointed by the Readers' Executive Committee. Job descriptions for the Scheme Coordinator and Training Officer appear later.

Invitation to Readers to participate
Readers are asked by the Readers' Administrator if they wish to participate in the scheme.

The process for Readers who participate
Readers are asked to identify, invite and secure the agreement of two people to act as their Reviewers. One of these Reviewers will be the Reader's Incumbent, unless special circumstances prohibit this. The other will be a lay person chosen by the Reader.
Those who wish to participate will be sent three copies of the Reader Ministerial Review form.

Pre-review training
Participating Readers and their Reviewers should make every effort to attend the Pre-Review Training Course. Reviewers who are unable to attend the course are reminded to give very careful attention to the guidelines for Reviewers here.

The Review process

(a) Beforehand
The Reader
(1) agrees mutually convenient times and venues to meet each Reviewer separately;
(2) sends a copy of the completed Review form to each Reviewer a few days before the interview so that Reviewers and Readers have adequate time to prepare for their meetings.

(b) During the Review meetings
A reasonable period of uninterrupted time should be set aside for each Review meeting, which will involve a face-to-face, one-to-one discussion between Reader and Reviewer.
The Reader will review his/her ministry and be reviewed by each Reviewer.
Feedback will be immediate during the review meetings. Objectives and needs identified for continuing ministerial education will be written down as they are agreed between Readers and Reviewers.

(c) Afterwards
The Reader advises the Readers' Administrator at Church House that the review has been carried out by sending the tear off sheet at the end of the review form.
Recommendations for further help from the Diocese (e.g.training) arising from the review are also sent to the Administrator, after being countersigned by the Reader's Incumbent Reviewer, for information, action and subsequent monitoring.
Since this is a confidential scheme, any other matters which are deemed by both Reader and Reviewer(s) to warrant being referred to others, are only passed to the Administrator if this is agreed by both Reader and Reviewer.
The Reader retains his/her copy of the completed review form and the two Reviewers keep a copy of the agreed objectives. These will serve to remind the Reader and Reviewers, when the next Review takes place, of the objectives agreed during the previous Review.

Source of Appeal
In the event of a grievance or concern arising during the review process, the Reader is entitled to turn to the independent Source of Appeal, who is appointed to resolve any legitimate concerns with fairness and impartiality. The Appeal Source has guaranteed rights of access to the Chairman of the Diocesan Readers' Association, the Warden of Readers and, if necessary, the Link Bishop with responsibility for Reader Ministry within the Diocese.

Independent review of the scheme
At intervals, the scheme will be reviewed by the scheme's Independent Consultant.

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JOB DESCRIPTION FOR READERS: GUIDELINES

Each parish should develop its own job description following discussions between the Incumbent and Reader(s).

The aims of the Reader Ministry are:
(i) to exercise a preaching and teaching ministry in the church, working with members of teams, with clergy and with other laity in order to encourage people to grow in faith;
(ii) to be involved in pastoral and educational work, evangelism and other forms of lay leadership by having close contact with everyday situations, in order to interpret the Gospel and to proclaim Christ's teaching in the church, in the community and in the workplace. This may involve contact with prisons, hospitals and the armed forces.

The Bishops' Regulations for Reader Ministry (Archbishops' Council, Church House, 2000) states that the lawful duties of a Reader, as set out in Canon E4, are:

1. To preach at any service.
2. To lead worship including Morning and Evening Prayer, appropriate parts of the Holy Communion service, and such other services as may be authorised or allowed by the Canons of the Church of England or approved by the bishop, including a service with Communion by Extension.
3. To read the Old or New Testament readings, Epistle or Gospel at any service, to lead intercessions, to receive and present the offerings of the people, to distribute the consecrated bread and wine to the people, to take Communion to the sick and housebound and to publish banns of marriage in the absence of a priest.
4. To officiate at funeral services (but only with the good will of the persons responsible) provided that the Reader is authorised by the bishop to do so, and is invited by the minister of the parish or place (or, during a vacancy, the area dean).
5. To undertake pastoral and educational work.
6. To give such other assistance to any minister as the bishop may direct.
7. To be involved in ecumenical work, where appropriate.

Readers are called:
1. To grow in their Christian life and faith.
2. To develop their understanding of the Bible and Christian tradition.
3. To develop their understanding of contemporary issues in society and of current religious experience.
4. To develop skills in exercising a preaching, teaching, liturgical and pastoral ministry in Church and society.
5. To develop skills of team building and of working in collaboration with other ministers, both ordained and lay.
6. To take responsibility for setting their own learning goals and for their own continuing learning.
7. To facilitate the learning and growth in faith of those to whom and with whom they minister as part of a shared collaborative ministry.

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JOB DESCRIPTION FOR DIOCESAN SCHEME COORDINATOR

JOB DESCRIPTION FOR DIOCESAN SCHEME TRAINING OFFICER

1. Responsible to Readers' Executive Committee or sub-committee thereof.
2. Responsible for the training and development of all those involved in the Reader Ministerial Review scheme.
This involves:
(i) the design, delivery and evaluation of training events to ensure the effective introduction of the pilot Reader Ministerial Review scheme;
(ii) working with the Diocesan Scheme Coordinator and sub-committee of the Executive Committee to identify training needs of all those involved in the Ministerial Review scheme;
(iii) developing others to become involved in the delivery of training events to support the scheme;
(iv) assisting with reviews of the scheme based on feedback from the pilot projects;
(v) researching and advising the sub-committee on current developments (e.g. 360 degree appraisal);
(vi) working with the Diocesan Coordinator to promote teamworking between those involved in the introduction and administration of the scheme;
(vii) working with the Coordinator and Administrator to evaluate the training provided and to identify any further needs related to the ongoing development of the scheme.

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SOME GUIDELINES FOR REVIEWERS

As indicated in the Job Descriptions for Readers: Guidelines section, the Reader whose ministry is being reviewed will approach you to agree a mutually convenient time for the review interview and will give you the completed review form a few days before the interview.
It must be stressed that this is a voluntary and confidential scheme.

The review interview
This should be an affirming experience, so it is important to try and create a relaxed atmosphere.
The aim is to review personal and spiritual development and to encourage personal ministerial satisfaction and performance. Please, therefore, give sensitive feedback which will give encouragement to the Reader and motivation to improve his/her ministry.
During the interview, feed back what is said. Lead the Reader to do his/her own reflection and, arising from that reflection, to take responsibility for his/her ongoing ministerial development.
Using the form as a base, ask questions like
What could you do to improve that?
How might you set about it?
Who could help you?
What resources, Diocesan or otherwise, are available to you?

Move on to new topics firmly by using link questions,
e.g.How does what we have been saying affect your future ministry?
It is useful to write down objectives and Continuing Ministerial Educational needs as they are agreed.
Avoid being side-tracked by irrelevant chit-chat.
BEGIN AND END WITH PRAYER. This is most important, as the exercise is a review of the Reader's effectiveness as GOD'S MINISTER. You should also begin and end on time.
You keep a copy of the agreed objectives for use in further monitoring of progress.
Remember that it is confidential and keep it in a safe place where nobody else has access to it

After the interview
The Reader will write to the Readers' Administrator at Church House confirming that the review has taken place and, if necessary, advising that certain courses and/or further specific training are required. The Incumbent/Principal Reviewer will countersign any requests for further action in confirmation.
You, as Reviewer, should make a diary entry to contact the Reader in six months time to monitor progress.