MOTs

We’re about to take another big step as a new conference.

At its January 15th meeting, the Conference Leadership Team put the finishing touches on a structure designed to implement the three priorities named in our vision and purpose statement:

1.    To engage, equip and empower local churches to be in ministry in the neighborhood.

2.    To encourage and develop lay and clergy leadership.

3.    To build relationships with our neighbors, particularly the disenfranchised. 

To direct and resource ministries in each of these areas,  the Conference Leadership Team has created three “Ministry Oversight Team,” each made up of two Conference Leadership Team members, an Associate Lay Leader, and three at-large members.  Each Ministry Oversight Team or MOT will focus on getting ministries started in its respective area: Empowering the Local Church, Spiritual Formation and Leadership Development or Reaching our Neighbors.

Each MOT is responsible for sub-teams and ministries in a particular area.  For example, the Empowering the Local Church MOT would work with ministries commonly referred to as:

·         Small Membership Local Church

·         Ethnic Local Church Concern

·         Hispanic / Latino Ministries

·         Discipleship

·         New Church Starts

·         Resource Libraries

·         Town and Country

·         Urban Ministry Strategies

·         Congregational Development

·         Evangelism

The Spiritual Formation and Leadership Development MOT, on the other hand, will focus on areas like:

·         Lay and Clergy leadership training

·         Board of Laity

·         Higher Education and Campus Ministry

·         Lay Speaking Ministry

·         Youth Ministry

·         Young Adult Ministry

·         Camp and Retreat Ministries

·         UMW

·         UMM

·         Commission on the Status and Role of Women

·         Commission on Religion and Race

·         Disability Concerns Committee

·         Committee on Native American Ministries

·         Committee on Older Adult Ministries

While the Reaching our Neighbors MOT will focus on:

·         Church and Society

·         Global Ministries & International Partnerships

·         Christian Unity and Interreligious Concern

·         Disaster Response

·         Ecumenical Groups

·         Jail Ministries

·         School(s) of Mission 

The bulleted lists are offered just to give you a sense of the kinds of ministries each MOT will guide and resource.   It’s not meant to be final or complete.  Indeed, that’s what makes this vision so radical and potentially game changing.  Each MOT is designed to be flexible, allowing UNYAC to resource a variety of ministries serving local churches.   Some of these ministries will be long-term and some will be short-term.  Some will need conference financial and/or human resources while others will not.  Some will carry familiar names while others will represent brand new ministries and ideas.  

 

Yet despite these differences, all will need to demonstrate how what they do helps congregations and leaders live the gospel of Jesus Christ and be God’s love to our neighbors in all places.  When a sub-team ceases to be able to demonstrate how it’s helping move us forward, it will be retired.  When a new vision or passion emerges within the hearts and minds of UNYAC people, a new sub-team will be created.

How will each Ministry Oversight Teams decide on what ministries to resource?   The Conference Leadership Team imagines two ways.  One way will involve a MOT directly setting up a sub-team devoted to a particular area of ministry or set of tasks.   An example might be the Conference Council on Youth Ministries.   This sub-team would be directed and resourced by the Spiritual Formation and Leadership Development MOT and tasked with helping congregations reach out to youth in their neighborhoods and develop spiritual leaders among the youth.  In such a case, the initiative for this sub-team would come from the MOT.

The other path would be for a MOT to receive ideas, visions and proposals for ministries from persons and groups in UNYAC.   Indeed, the Conference Leadership Team has established a “micro-grant” program to resource these grass roots initiatives.    These initiatives will need to demonstrate a clear connection to our vision and purpose, but will allow UNYAC to respond to God’s initiatives emerging in the hearts and minds of various people.

 

By: Bill Gottschalk-Fielding On 1/31/2011
Topics: CM Blog

Comments

1. E. Brooke Conklin wrote on 2/2/2011 4:40:35 PM
United Methodist Women, UMW, is an integral and organizational part of the General Board of Global Ministries and it's mission is with women, children and youth. It seems like the appropriate place to include it would be with the MOT that includes Global Ministries.
2. Jeff Childs wrote on 2/2/2011 4:40:45 PM
Ezekiel saw a vision of bones rattling together to form a skeletal structure, I can almost see it here, thanks to all who have begun to knit the sinews together. We will pray that meat and muscle will soon show up on these bones.
3. Rev. Dr. Wilfredo J. Baez wrote on 2/2/2011 5:05:31 PM
Does this replace the previous area and teams? There seems to be suggested a certain fluidity between these MOTS. How will projects where there is overlap between MOTS be facilitated? I would hate to see a project or ministry fall between the cracks because it doesn't fit cleanly in one MOT? Will there be representation from each MOT on the other MOTs for communication purposes or will that be accomplished at a meeting of MOT Team Leaders or at the Conference leadership team level? My questions are asked in anticipation of a vibrant and exciting new process, not as a critique. Will+
4. Rev. Arthur F. Hagy, Jr. wrote on 2/2/2011 5:26:28 PM
The use of the term "team" sounds really good. Flexibility seems to be built in, not as a hope but as a necessity. I like that. Thanks for these initial steps.
5. Nellie Hintz wrote on 2/2/2011 6:04:27 PM
It is long past time that our conference recognizes both the struggles as well as the importance of the small churches. Well over 50% of our churches have an average Sunday attendence of fifty or less, and at least two thirds of them are twenty or less. Combing or closing churches is NOT the answer. Though many of these churches are struggling, the Holy Spirit is alive, well and reaching out with God's Love in many places. These small churches are vital to our presence and witness in many, many areas. I am serving as Adirondack lay representative to the Town and Country Ministry Team; serve a small Adirondack church twice a month; and am working on "Starfish Ministry" in the Adirondack District.
6. Merry Watters wrote on 2/2/2011 7:24:18 PM
There is an impressive amount of energy and effort at work in the UNY Leadership Team. It is exciting to know that you folks are still at it - not sitting on accomplishments, but still at the table, in conversation and cooperation. Thank you for keeping the spirit alive at the conference level.
7. Louise Matthews wrote on 2/3/2011 5:52:15 AM
I like the sound of this structure. I will be watching to see how it plays out in practical terms. It definitely has a new approach to doing ministry. I would really like to be a part of helping to implement the work in any way I can serve.
8. Peter Crichton wrote on 2/3/2011 6:04:15 AM
This looks like a good start at addressing ministries which are presently in limbo. It should also help connect ministries which traditionally have operated with little or no connection to each other. I look forward to seeing this develop.
9. Leslie Haggstrom wrote on 2/3/2011 9:43:17 AM
Interesting.Although I believe it is valuable to start fresh with a new infrastructure, lets not throw away the baby with the bathwater, and lose vital programs...I worry about rural churches not getting the word, and getting in line for resourcing for programs...
10. Lora bushy wrote on 2/3/2011 11:23:57 AM
Maybe the term "overview" instead of "oversight" could be used? Oversight means to me that something has been overlooked, and this plan certainly seems to include quite a lot.
11. Rev. Carol Sierk wrote on 2/7/2011 10:03:03 AM
This is interesting, but I wonder where the Critical Question Teams and all their work fits in. I realize those teams are no longer in existance, but those people worked long and hard to think "outside the box". Very disappointing to those folks who were very committed to their CQT.
12. Rev. Dr. Wilfredo J. Baez wrote on 2/7/2011 1:05:10 PM
Knowing Bill, I suspect that no comment from the CQT has been forgotten. I look forward to seeing how we move forward in fleshing out this plan of action. I pray that Bill and the members of the team are finding rest as the task of creating the the new conference is gigantic. Thankful for the crazy amount of work you have done and are doing. I hope that you know that you are not proceeding alone and that there is a great deal of help available throughout the conference from laity and clergy alike. I pray, too, that we will be patient as we are (not Bill and the leadership team) are creating the new conference while on the move with new deadlines arising everyday. It is a huge challenge to keep up with all that has to be done when it has to be done. Our asking where this is and where that is, isn't a criticism but part of our transitional stress. If we stay in this together we will arrive at the final destination and start on our next stage of growth together. Will+
13. John W. McNeill wrote on 3/11/2011 3:38:39 PM
As a member of the Conference Leadership Team, I must say that it is good to see the appreciative comments. A couple of responses to specific points raised in the Comments might be helpful: With respect to the Critical Questions Teams -- the reports of these teams will be informing the Ministry Oversight Teams. The efforts of the CQTs have not been lost or neglected. They are being embedded in how we look at programming options going forward. With respect to smaller and rural churches -- We expect that the Empowering Local Churches Ministry Oversight Team will be looking at these issues more closely. We are also aware that there are technological and communications hurdles that will make things more difficult. I would encourage that those with less technical comfort and hardware make an effort to do what they can AND that the Conference Leadership make efforts to communicate in a variety of ways. Regarding "oversight" instead of "overview" -- To me "oversight" means to keep track of and steer back when necessary. My assumption is that ministry action teams will be doing what they are called to be doing. Ministry oversight teams want to be able to see that and celebrate that. At times the Oversight Teams will have a greater overview or understanding of context and will be able to help ministry action teams do the best possible work. So I think Ministry Oversight Teams will also be "overview" teams. Regarding integration of MOTS -- two members of the Conference Leadership Team co-convene the MOTS, so there will be conversation among the MOTS at the level of the Conference Leadership Team. An Associate Lay Leader will also serve on each of the MOTS, so there will also be conversation across MOTS within the Board of Laity.