Welcome to the Shared Ministry Review

A Shared Ministry Review (SMR) is one way that churches evaluate their mission and priorities, their ministers and staff, and the organizational structures that support them. Some churches only evaluate personnel or programs as is done in some business. A Shared Ministry Review is a more complete and complex process, sometimes called a Whole Church Review, that understands that people work in a context that contributes significantly to performance outcome. The SMR is a systematic effort to assess the strengths and concerns of the whole church (e.g., key personnel, leadership and organizational structure, finances, and spiritual life) at one point in time.

The team of Chris Andrysiak, Mimsy Beckwith, Dan Boynton, Nick Covino (chair), Jillian Darling, Erika Heilman, Joan Mansfield, Joe Robbat and Liz Wilkinson will work with a consultant, Rev. Dr. Claire Bamberg, LMFT, PCC, to review data from a number of sources (e.g., demographics, committee charges and reports, 20/20 Visioning interviews, peer congregation performances and group evaluations); conduct three Open Meetings (Finance, Spiritual Life, Organizational Structure); meet with stakeholder groups (e.g., Outreach Committee, YPC, Deacons, Care Committee, PC); and interview staff. The committee is interested to hear from all members of the First Parish with answers to the focus questions listed below through one of these mechanisms or by a signed communication.

Open and focused meetings will seek to identify: what members value about First Parish; the role that it plays in members’ lives; what members wish to see in the next three years; and what requires attention to realize that. Both the parish’s financial performance and organizational structure will be reviewed and compared with several peers for bench-marking.

This type of review is a first for First Parish. Those who may want to learn more about its rationale and process can go to: www.macucc.org/wholechurchevaluations. One aim of this SMR will be to distribute data so that the congregation will share a common set of facts and be able to work towards a common vision and shared goals. This will be particularly true for Finance and Organizational information. Thanks to the generosity of R.L. Smith, we will use this website to post information and share our work as it progresses.