FAQs JNACs

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FAQs - Pastoral Relations
An occasional newsletter of *Frequently Asked Questions* in the area of Pastoral Relations … Why do congregations need to do Joint Needs Assessments (JNAC’s)? In 1998 the General Council introduced a new process when a pastoral charge is in transition. It was felt that the process, called a Joint (meaning a relationship between Presbytery and the Pastoral Charge) Needs Assessment (JNAC), would enable a pastoral charge to do self-assessment and thoughtful reflection about their current state and their future needs which would aid toward a suitable matching of the needs of the Pastoral Charge and the gifts of ministry personnel. Pastoral Charges often comment that it makes the process of ‘finding a new minister’ so long and indeed it does lengthen the process, however, it is to be hoped that the slowing down of the process works towards the promise of a good solid match between minister and pastoral charge. The Joint Needs Assessment can also be used as a tool for self-assessment helping a congregation analyze its vision and mission even when it is not in a process of searching for a new minister. A JNAC is required should the congregation or minister desire to change the terms of the pastoral relationship and the changes would seems detrimental to the congregation or the minister (The Manual 51). If after a JNAC occurs and the changes are in the recommendation of the JNAC and are approved of by the Pastoral Charge and subsequently the Presbytery then the changes could occur. Within the Bay of Quinte Conference a JNAC is required to be submitted with a minister’s application for postponement of retirement. What happens with the Joint Needs Assessment Report? When the JNAC report is completed it is presented to the Official Board or Church Council of the Pastoral Charge and with their comments the Report is then presented at a duly called Congregational/Pastoral Charge meeting. (The Manual 53 and 53.1) At the Congregational/Pastoral Charge meeting the report is presented and a decision is made to adopt, amend, refer or recommend the report. If adopted and recommended the Presbytery Pastoral Relations committee then reviews the report and responds appropriately to the recommendations. If it is decided through the process that a vacancy should be declared the Presbytery would do so and a Joint Search Committee is then established. Can the Joint Needs Assessment Committee (JNAC) and the Joint Search Committee (JSC) be the same people? The Joint Needs Assessment Committee includes representatives from the pastoral charge. Most often the committee is appointed by the Pastoral Charge at a Congregational/Pastoral Charge meeting but could be appointed by the Official Board or Church Council (The Manual 052). Also on the committee are two representatives of the Presbytery appointed by the Pastoral Relations Committee. The committee should be representative of the Congregation/Pastoral Charge and feature a range of ages and interests. The Joint Search Committee is, likewise, appointed by the Pastoral Charge most often at a Congregational/Pastoral Charge meeting but could be appointed by the Official Board or Church Council. Quite often the same people who served on the JNAC continue to serve on the JSC but it is not necessary. Sometimes the congregation determines that more need to be added to the committee or sometimes individuals find they aren’t able to continue with the work and need to withdraw. Regardless the Search Committee like the Joint Needs Assessment Committee needs to be representative of the congregation. What is the purpose of the Police Records check and why do we do that now? The 37th General Council of the United Church of Canada at its meeting in August 2000 passed a Resolution related to Police Records Checks as a component of Screening for Ministry Personnel and Candidates. As Ministry Personnel are in positions of trust there is a range of ways that an individual is checked for suitability for ministry. These include a discernment process, interviews with a number of committees, reference checks, and written statements in response to questions. The Police Records Check is now another piece of the screening process. The police records check came most specifically from the demands of the Insurance Companies to show that we are fulfilling our duty of care towards those who are vulnerable. When the Search Committee has made a decision about a candidate that they wish to recommend to the Pastoral Charge that individual must be asked to provide at their own expense a current original copy of their Police Records Check. The committee will develop a protocol indicating which members will review and sign that they have seen the original of the Police Records Check that is required before the name can go forward to the Pastoral Charge. There is a booklet entitled Guidelines for Committees Requiring Police Records Checks. You can get a copy of this booklet from the Conference Office or you can download it from the United Church Web site.

FAQs - Pastoral Relations

An occasional newsletter of Frequently Asked Questions in the area of Pastoral Relations …

Why do congregations need to do Joint Needs Assessments (JNAC’s)?

In 1998 the General Council introduced a new process when a pastoral charge is in transition. It was felt that the process, called a Joint (meaning a relationship between Presbytery and the Pastoral Charge) Needs Assessment (JNAC), would enable a pastoral charge to do self-assessment and thoughtful reflection about their current state and their future needs which would aid toward a suitable matching of the needs of the Pastoral Charge and the gifts of ministry personnel. Pastoral Charges often comment that it makes the process of ‘finding a new minister’ so long and indeed it does lengthen the process, however, it is to be hoped that the slowing down of the process works towards the promise of a good solid match between minister and pastoral charge.

The Joint Needs Assessment can also be used as a tool for self-assessment helping a congregation analyze its vision and mission even when it is not in a process of searching for a new minister.

A JNAC is required should the congregation or minister desire to change the terms of the pastoral relationship and the changes would seems detrimental to the congregation or the minister (The Manual 51). If after a JNAC occurs and the changes are in the recommendation of the JNAC and are approved of by the Pastoral Charge and subsequently the Presbytery then the changes could occur.

Within the Bay of Quinte Conference a JNAC is required to be submitted with a minister’s application for postponement of retirement.

What happens with the Joint Needs Assessment Report?

When the JNAC report is completed it is presented to the Official Board or Church Council of the Pastoral Charge and with their comments the Report is then presented at a duly called Congregational/Pastoral Charge meeting. (The Manual 53 and 53.1) At the Congregational/Pastoral Charge meeting the report is presented and a decision is made to adopt, amend, refer or recommend the report. If adopted and recommended the Presbytery Pastoral Relations committee then reviews the report and responds appropriately to the recommendations.

If it is decided through the process that a vacancy should be declared the Presbytery would do so and a Joint Search Committee is then established.

Can the Joint Needs Assessment Committee (JNAC) and the Joint Search Committee (JSC) be the same people?

The Joint Needs Assessment Committee includes representatives from the pastoral charge. Most often the committee is appointed by the Pastoral Charge at a Congregational/Pastoral Charge meeting but could be appointed by the Official Board or Church Council (The Manual 052). Also on the committee are two representatives of the Presbytery appointed by the Pastoral Relations Committee. The committee should be representative of the Congregation/Pastoral Charge and feature a range of ages and interests. The Joint Search Committee is, likewise, appointed by the Pastoral Charge most often at a Congregational/Pastoral Charge meeting but could be appointed by the Official Board or Church Council. Quite often the same people who served on the JNAC continue to serve on the JSC but it is not necessary. Sometimes the congregation determines that more need to be added to the committee or sometimes individuals find they aren’t able to continue with the work and need to withdraw. Regardless the Search Committee like the Joint Needs Assessment Committee needs to be representative of the congregation.

What is the purpose of the Police Records check and why do we do that now?

The 37th General Council of the United Church of Canada at its meeting in August 2000 passed a Resolution related to Police Records Checks as a component of Screening for Ministry Personnel and Candidates. As Ministry Personnel are in positions of trust there is a range of ways that an individual is checked for suitability for ministry. These include a discernment process, interviews with a number of committees, reference checks, and written statements in response to questions. The Police Records Check is now another piece of the screening process. The police records check came most specifically from the demands of the Insurance Companies to show that we are fulfilling our duty of care towards those who are vulnerable.

When the Search Committee has made a decision about a candidate that they wish to recommend to the Pastoral Charge that individual must be asked to provide at their own expense a current original copy of their Police Records Check. The committee will develop a protocol indicating which members will review and sign that they have seen the original of the Police Records Check that is required before the name can go forward to the Pastoral Charge.

There is a booklet entitled Guidelines for Committees Requiring Police Records Checks. You can get a copy of this booklet from the Conference Office or you can download it from the United Church Web site.