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Today more and more churches are hiring Directors of Shared Ministry (also called Directors or Facilitators of Lay Ministry, Gifts Ministry Coordinators, Volunteer Ministry Coordinators, and so forth). These are essential ministry positions in today's church. Directors of Shared Ministry can most effectively minister as 1) internal consultants, 2) leadership developers, facilitators and trainers, and 3) system builders and managers. In these roles they help bring needed change and renewal to congregations and, working collaboratively with other staff and lay leaders, release and engage the gifts of the entire faith community.
On the other hand, congregations are often tempted to design these positions as a sort of
"Go-fer" job in which the Volunteer Ministry Coordinator is expected to carry out all functions related to lay ministry by him or herself. The results of such expectations are usually very disappointing. The Coordinator suffers early burnout, no system has been put into place that outlasts the initial coordinator, and shared ministry concepts and systems are never planted deeply within the congregation. This becomes a heavily dependent model and ineffective model.
The two position descriptions offered below, contrast these two approaches. The first represents a healthy and robust model for developing shared ministry. The second is likely to lead to little real progress and great disappointments.
Jean Morris Trumbauer, consultant and author
FACILITATOR
OF SHARED MINISTRY
Basic
Function:
To develop
and maintain a systems approach to management
of shared ministry in the congregation
that is reflective
of the churches mission and its
theology.
Responsibilities:
Develop a shared ministry committee, representative
of the
congregation
at large, and work collaboratively with the
committee, lay leaders, and
staff, providing them with
technical assistance and training necessary
to:
·
Encourage
an awareness of and commitment to a
shared ministry.
·
Support
and affirm members in their ministries in the church,
family, workplace and
community.
· Develop
position descriptions for shared ministry positions.
· Use
sound recruitment practices.
· Provide
for leadership development, shared ministry training,
and continuing
education.
· Assist
members in identifying and using their gifts for ministry.
· Collaborate
with church staff and organizations to identify and
describe shared ministry
needs in their areas of responsibility.
· Work
with the Nominating Committee to identify persons for
leadership positions.
Relationships:
·
Meet with the pastoral staff and
the total church staff at their
regular meetings.
·
Build
working relationships with congregational leaders.
·
Maintain
contact with community and ecumenical groups to the
extent they deal with shared
ministry
activities.
· Supervise
work of secretary assigned to this area of
responsibility.
Qualifications:
· Commitment
to mission and theology of the Church.
· Ability
and experience in team building and group process.
· Ability
and commitment to work collaboratively with other
leaders
and staff.
·
Demonstrated
planning, organizational, and administrative
skills.
· Broad
experience as a Lay Minister.
Responsible
To: Head of staff
Slightly
adapted and reprinted
by permission of Augsburg Fortress from Sparing
the Ministry; A Practical Guide for Transforming Volunteers into Ministers,
copyright ©
1995, 1999 Jean Morris Trumbauer
SAMPLE
POSITION DESCRIPTION OF THE “Go-fER” TYPE FOR VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR: (we suggest
you avoid
this type of position
description)
DUTIES TO PERFORM:
1. Annually update the Time and Talent survey and distribute it to
all members.
2. Maintain the computer file for each volunteer member.
3. Write and provide job descriptions to all volunteers.
4. Recruit volunteers as
requested by other staff members and
committee leaders.
5. Interview all new members and
try to match them with a volunteer
opportunity.
6.
Contact volunteers by phone for scheduling and for training events.
7. Match people's gifts and interests with volunteer
opportunities within
the congregation.
8.
Mobilize special project volunteers when needed and give them
adequate training and supervision.
9.
Support volunteers with encouragement and recognition events.
10. Establish guidelines for supervision of volunteers.
11. Attend all Council
meetings, Stewardship meetings, staff meetings,
and meetings of other
commissions as requested.
12. Supervise all volunteers involved in parish mailings, receptionists,
and special event volunteers.
13. Handle all correspondence, publicity,
and promotion of volunteer
ministry within
the congregation.
14. Design, lead, and publicize
all volunteer training in the congregation.
15. (Do whatever any
other staff member or lay leader needs done and
does not want to do themselves') (Sorry, We're kidding.)
SKILLS NEEDED: Commitment to the
church. Highly motivated
and
organized. Good verbal and written skills. Good people skills,
Experience working with volunteers helpful. Need typing and
computer skills.
HOURS: - 20 hours per week.
Requires
working on weekends
and evenings as well as regular daytime
schedule.
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