1. Joint Needs Assessment & Joint Search Committees
A Training Workshop

2. Workshop Outline Welcome and introduction to format
Purpose of the Joint Needs Assessment and Joint Search Process
How to lead Joint Needs Assessment Committees through the process
Purpose of the Joint Search Process
How to lead Joint Search Committees through the Process

3. Welcome and Introduction to this Format
Welcome to everyone who is with us. It is great to have so many people from across this conference joining us to be trained as agents for these two very important process or just to learn more about the Joint Needs Assessment s and the Joint Search.
We are doing this training via Webinar to reach as many people as we can across our Conference. Because there is so many people joining us tonight I am going to ask that you type them in to the little box on the bottom right hand side of your screen and (someone) will gather them together and if we have time at the end we will answer a few of them and those that we don’t get to we will answer and send them to those who signed up for this webinar. For those that are on the phone only you can myself or your Pastoral Relations Chair Person in your area and we will add your questions to the group and of course you are free to call either of us at any time.
Again thank you for participating in this webinar. Lets begin with a prayer.
Gracious and loving God, we give you thanks that we can gather together from across the Conference. We ask that you will be with each of us at this time and that you will give us a spirit of understanding. We ask all this in Jesus name. Amen

4. Purpose of the Joint Needs Assessment
The purpose of the needs assessment process is to create a snapshot of the Pastoral Charge – the faith community and resources – in order to make a recommendation for what future ministry leadership the Pastoral Charge needs to live out God’s mission in the world.
The responsibility to conduct a needs assessment belongs jointly to the Pastoral Charge and the District
(Read the slide)
The process for requesting the District to declare a vacancy in a pastoral charge is called a needs assessment. It is an evaluation of the ministry in the pastoral charge.
The basic requirement s of the needs assessment process is really not that large of a task. It seems cumbersome on the outset and is often done in a time of great transition. (When the minister announces they are leaving or you realize that you have to change the terms of the call or appointment ) .

5. Joint Needs Assessment Process 15 Step Guide
Step 1 - Initiating the Process
The District is responsible for initiating a Needs Assessment Process if:
The Pastoral Charge or a ministry personnel in a Pastoral Charge asks for a change in pastoral relations
The Pastoral Charge, the governing body, or a ministry personnel ask for a needs assessment
The District recognizes that a change of pastoral relations is needed because the minister has died or is incapacitated because of a disability
The Pastoral Charge is considering a change in the terms of the pastoral relationship
As part of the discipline or oversight of the ministry personnel or the Pastoral Charge
This slide tells all of the ways in which the district initiates a Joint Needs Assessment .
As you can see there are several ways in which a Joint Needs Assessment is initiated. The most common being the governing body requesting that a needs assessment begin on the pastoral charge.
Please remember that you can do a needs assessment even there is going to be no change in the pastoral relationship. Even if the minister is not leaving it would be good to ask for a needs assessment every 3 – 5 years. That way the Needs Assessment is up to date and if there is a change in pastoral relations you have a lot of the work completed.

6. Step 2 – Who Makes up the Committee
The Needs Assessment process is conducted by a committee called the Joint Needs Assessment Committee – Joint between the Pastoral Charge or Ministry Unit and the District
The District must elect two representatives
The Pastoral Charge at a joint congregational meeting or its governing body elects as many members to the Joint Needs Assessment Committee (JNAC) as it deems necessary to represent the community; between 4 – 10 members

7. Step 3 – Who Calls the First Meeting
The first meeting of the Joint Needs Assessment Committee (JNAC) is normally convened by one of the representatives from the District.

8. Step 4 – What Happens at the First Meeting
Decide who will chair the meetings; this does not need to be one of the District representatives.
The JNAC must decide on quorum for the committee.
The JNAC must decide on its own process
Decide how the tasks of gathering information for the report will be divided (Appendix A)
Gather information about ministry personnel needs in a way that is open and allows for the congregation to participate (this could be a survey or discussion forums (Appendix C)
Make sure contact has been made with the District Manse Inspection Committee if one is needed
This first meeting is a very full meeting where many decision for the Joint Needs Assessment Committee will need to be made.
The first decision is who is going to be the chair – who will take the responsibility for calling people together and making sure that each of the pieces are completed. They do not have to do the work just insure that the group is on task and working together.
The second decision is around quorum – How many will make up quorum knowing that at least one person from the pastoral charge and one person from the district make up quorum for the meetings.
Divide up the tasks – who is going to do what to gather the information needed. There is a tool in Appendix A to makes sure that everyone on the Joint Needs Assessment Committee knows what each other is doing and to make sure all the tasks are completed.
Decide how information will be gathered from the congregation. Will it be a survey or will it be informal group discussion – Appendix C will help with some ways to gather information. You can think outside the box.
If the Joint Needs Assessment has been initiated because of a change in pastoral relations and there is a manse - contact the manse inspection committee and schedule a manse inspection.

9. Step 5 – What Do we Do with the Information Gathered
Analyze the information gathered
Prepare a report which includes the six profiles
The Community of the Pastoral Charge
The Resources of the Pastoral Charge
The Ministry of the Pastoral Charge
The Ministry Personnel Position Description
The Terms of the Ministry Personnel Position(s)
Skills and Knowledge Required of the Ministry Personnel
The guide to the different profiles is found in Appendix B or page 10 of the Pastoral Relations: Engaging and Supporting Handbook.
Once you have done a survey or gathered information in, it is time to put it all together and decide what it means for the ministry needs of the pastoral charge.
The profiles do not need to be long in length. It is important to put accurate up-to- date information in each of the profiles. You cannot say that you have a community full of children if you don’t. You have to be open and honest with who you are and what you are offering a potential minister.
Sometimes pastoral charges will offer the minister the week after Christmas and the week after Easter off because those are very busy times in the church year. Make sure that is accurate and truly what the pastoral charge wishes to give. Anything extra that is offered and anything above the minimum should be highlighted at the meetings with the governing body and the congregation to make sure everyone is in agreement.

10. Step 6 - Where Does the Report Go
The Joint Needs Assessment Committee notifies the governing body when the needs assessment report is completed

11. Step 7 – Who Receives the Report from the Governing Body
The governing body circulates the report and a notice of meeting to all members of the governing body, including the ministry personnel in the Pastoral Charge. The governing body must give members and ministry personnel a minimum of two days to read and consider the report before the meeting.
The Ministry personnel gets a copy of the report so that they know what is going to the Official Board. This happens even if the Ministry Personnel is leaving. It is important for the governing body to have opportunity to read and consider the material before they make recommendations to the pastoral Charge.

12. Step 8
The JNAC presents its report to the governing body. The governing body makes decisions on each of the recommendations made by the JNAC.
(possible recommendations are found on pg. 13)
The governing body makes decisions on each of the recommendations from the JNAC

13. Step 9 – East District Process
The Pastoral Charge treasurer fills out the Finance and Administration form and submits it to the chair along with the draft copy of the JNA – Pastoral Relations chair receives a copy of the JNA.
This step was added to ensure that those pastoral charges that were appointing or calling a ministry personnel were financially able to support the amount of ministry time.
**Check with the chairs of both Finance and Admin and Pastoral Relations chairs for the turn around time.

14. Step 9 - West District Process
West District wants to see a three-year projected budget to make sure that a Pastoral Charge can fund ministry for at least the three years.

15. Step 10 – After the Governing Body Meeting
The governing body sets a date for a meeting of the Pastoral Charge. The Pastoral Charge receives a summary report, the recommendations of the JNAC, and the decisions of the governing body. The full JNAC report is available on request. The notice of the meeting and summary report is given out in the following order:
To all ministry personnel in the Pastoral Charge, and, at the same time, to the secretary of the District; and
To the members of the Pastoral Charge

16. Step 11 – Notice of Meeting
The notice of the meeting is read during public worship on two Sundays. After the meeting notice has been read on the second Sunday, the meeting may take place on the next day (Monday) or on any day after that.
This is for any meeting of the congregation.

17. Step 12 - Decisions
The Pastoral Charge must make decisions on each of the recommendations of the JNA

18. Step 13 – Further Action of the Pastoral Charge
Once the Pastoral Charge has made a decision on the recommendations, further action is necessary at the same meeting of the Pastoral Charge
If the decision is to request the District to declare a vacancy for a paid accountable ministry position, then the Pastoral Charge needs to elect, or authorize the governing body to elect, members to a Joint Search Committee.
The pastoral charge names those members to the Joint Search Committee because the JSC works on behalf of the Congregation and report to the congregation.

19. If the decision is to request the District to appoint a supply minister for up to one year, then the District may act on the request and;
Appoint a supply minister; or
Direct the Pastoral Charge to recommend a supply minister to the District for appointment. In anticipation of the direction, the Pastoral Charge may elect members to a Joint Search Committee, or request the governing body to search for and recommend a supply minister for appointment

20. If the decision is to request that the District appoint an interim minister, the Pastoral Charge must elect, or authorize the governing body to elect, representatives to an Interim Ministry Transition Team.
If the decision is to request the District to approve a change in terms of call for the ministry personnel of the Pastoral Charge, the Pastoral Charge must elect, or authorize the governing body to elect, one or more representatives to confirm terms with the ministry personnel and the District.

21. Step 14 – Where Does the JNA Go After the Pastoral Charge
Once the Pastoral Charge has completed its work, the Pastoral Relations Committee makes recommendations to Ministry Personnel and Education – then to the District Executive for final approval.

22. Joint Search Committee
The purpose of this committee it to search for and recommend a ministry personnel for the open position on a Pastoral Charge.
They can appoint as many members to the JSC as it deems necessary to represent the community; between 4 – 6 members makes a functional committee. (Ministry personnel called or appointed to the Pastoral Charge may not serve as members on the committee)

23. Policies and Procedures
A search process must be used when the Pastoral Charge calls a member of the order of ministry to fill a vacancy declared by the District.
A search process may also be used when the District appoints a ministry personnel to the Pastoral Charge
Note the MUST and MAY with the different processes – calls must have a JSC because it is approved by the Joint Congregation - Appointments can be made by the governing body.

24. The mandate of the JSC is determined by the Joint Needs Assessment recommendations and report, including:
the number of positions that need to be filled;
the position description for each position;
the skills and knowledge needed by the ministry personnel for each position; and
the terms of each position
Before a search process begins, the needs assessment report and recommendations must be approved by the governing body, the pastoral charge, and the District.

25. The search is conducted by a committee called the Joint Search Committee. The Joint Search Committee consists of:
two representatives from the District, elected by the District; and
representatives of the Pastoral Charge, elected by the Pastoral Charge or its governing body.
The pastoral charge has the flexibility to elect the people it considers most suitable for it’s joint Search Committee, whether full member – member – or adherent.
The ministry personnel currently settled or appointed to the pastoral charge may not serve on the Joint Search Committee.

26. The District representatives are responsible for calling the first meeting of the JSC

27. At the first meeting, the JSC is responsible for setting the process that it will follow. Its work is confidential.
The JSC decides on quorum for the committee. Quorum must be at least two people, including one person from the Pastoral Charge and one person from the District.
The JSC recommends a budget for the search and selection process, that is approved by the governing body (that is for travel for interviews, travel to a worship service of a prospective applicant, postage to send out Joint Needs Assessments if not done electronically.)

28. The JSC is responsible for reporting regularly to the Pastoral Charge about the process.
Even though there is a great deal that is confidential about this process, the congregation needs to know what stage the JSC is at.

29. The JSC is responsible for negotiating the terms of the call or appointment with the final applicant. The terms must be negotiated within the limits of the budget that was set at the beginning of the search process. If the JSC wants to negotiate outside of the set budget limits, it must return to the governing body for a decision before coming to an agreement with the applicant.

30. It is the responsibility of the Joint Search Committee to ensure that the final applicant is in good standing with The United Church of Canada.
In order to check the if a minister is in good standing or not call the Conference Office and ask to have a good standing check before you do your interview.
Even if you think that a minister is in good standing you still need to check it out with me or if I am not in Faith can do it.

31. It is the responsibility of the JSC to ensure that the final applicant has a current Vulnerable Sector (Level 2) Police Records Check. The committee may keep a copy for their records.
It is good to have the applicant bring it to the interview with them.

32. The District or the chair of the annual meeting must call a meeting of the Pastoral Charge or congregation to receive the commendations of the JSC. The convenor of the Pastoral Relations Committee or an appointee must chair this meeting.
Before giving notice to the congregation or Pastoral Charge, the person calling the meeting must give notice to the secretary of the District and the ministry personnel settled in or appointed to the Pastoral Charge.
Notice of the meeting must be read during public worship on two Sundays. After notice has been read on the second Sunday, the meeting may take place on the next day (Monday) or on any day after that.

33. or the governing body where the motion is to issue an appointment.
The JSC is responsible for keeping the name of the final applicant confidential until the meeting of the Pastoral Charge – if issuing a call
or the governing body where the motion is to issue an appointment.
When issuing a call you go straight to the congregation. If appointing someone you can go to the governing body.

34. The JSC is responsible for
Recommending a member of the order of ministry for the call to the Pastoral Charge.
Or recommending a ministry personnel for the appointment to either the Pastoral Charge or its governing body.
The JSC may recommend only one ministry personnel for each position or portion of a shared position, at any one time.
That means you cannot go with your top 3 applicants and present them and let the congregation choose. The search committee has been given the responsibility by the pastoral charge to select the one person who is best suited to be their next minister.
In a multi – staffed church the JSC May also bring one name for each of the vacant positions to the one meeting of the pastoral charge.

35. The Pastoral Charge must vote on the recommendation(s) of the JSC
The Pastoral Charge must vote on the recommendation(s) of the JSC. The options open to the Pastoral Charge are
To accept the recommendation(s); or
To not accept the recommendation(s)
It is important to note that when a JSC is bring a name forward that the JSC lets the applicant know that there name is being brought forward and checks with the applicant to make sure that they are still interested in the position on pastoral charge.

36. If the Pastoral Charge accepts the recommendation(s) of the JSC, copies of the motion(s) carried by the Pastoral Charge and the Pastoral Relations forms must be sent to the District

37. The District is responsible for acting on the decision of the Pastoral Charge: making the appointment, or approving the call.

38. The District is responsible for providing an act of covenant between the ministry personnel, the local ministry and the District.
The Search Committee including the District representatives normally take the lead.

39. Recruitment Process This is both formal and informal Formal
Placing the church on the vacancy list – This is a national list which ministry personnel can look at to see which churches are vacant.
Our Newfoundland and Labrador Conference Website – just send the ad to our webmaster – Greg Forward
Advertise in the Observer
It is important to remember to remove information in a timely manner. Do not leave old advertisement s in circulation.

40. Informal Check the year book Check our settlement report
Invite recommendations from members of the Pastoral Charge and others
Ask the Conference Personnel Minister
A closing date should be established and if you do not have applicants by the closing date then you can regroup and come up with other formal or informal ways to advertise.

41. A Communication Process
The committee may decide to identify one person to address application packages and to offer an address where resumes can be delivered.

42. JSC should communicate with applicant at least the following points:
At receipt of application, with an anticipated date for when applicants will be notified if they have an interview.
To indicate that applicants will not be considered further;
To indicate that applicants have been selected for an interview, with the interview date;
To indicate whether or not applicants have been short-listed for a second interview, including the interview date for those who have been short-listed
To indicate that an applicant is the final applicant and that the committee will proceed with reference checks.
To notify all other short-listed applicants that an applicant has been chosen.

43. The JSC also needs to communicate with the governing body
Names of committee members
Number of meetings held
Number of inquiries received
Number of interviews and
Assurance that the same criteria will be used to evaluate all applicants
The District representatives do not need to be present when updates are being given.

44. Evaluation Process
Generally consists of a resume, eligibility check, interview, visit during worship and references.
Each member of the JSC should read all resume
The JSC is responsible for conducting interviews on behalf of the Pastoral Charge. Remember an interview goes both ways – the applicant is also interviewing the Pastoral Charge.

45. Consider the following courtesies
Arrange for transportation and accommodations for the applicant, if necessary
Arrange for someone from the Search Committee to meet the applicant at the interview location
Provide a comfortable setting for the interview
Provide water for the applicant in the interview, and for Search Committee members
Have Search Committee members introduce themselves
Search Committee member begins with a prayer
Provide a clear description of the process
Allow time for the applicant to ask questions
Arrange for someone to accompany the applicant to their car or transportation after the interview

46. What to Ask About in the Interview?
Past ministry
Theology
Call (what calls you to this positions and community)
Why are you considering a change in pastoral relations
Past educational experience
Continuing education
Conflict management
Strengths in ministry
Areas of growth
Experience solo/team
Church administration
Time management
Self-care

47. Evaluating the Applicants
Members of the JSC may choose to visit an applicant’s congregation to see their leadership style.
The JSC must check references and asking for a reference from the Pastoral Charge the applicant is leaving is important.

48. Negotiating Terms
It is up to the JSC to negotiate terms – anything that is above the minimum amounts both in time and financial should be negotiated by the Search Committee and if it is above what has been budgeted from the beginning, then the JSC must ask the governing body for approval.
Once the whole process is complete, the appropriate forms need to be filled out with the appropriate signatures and sent to Pastoral Relations for approval.

49. You are Not Alone!
This is a very lengthy process and a very technical one. Please know that there is help. You can call the chairs of the Pastoral Relations Committee and you can also call the Conference Personnel Minister with any questions you or the committee may have.
The handbook is a very valuable tool as well.

50. Thank you for your attendance this evening.