Copyright © 2005 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee

Ministry development assignment
evolving, Govan says

While his job didn’t lack definition when he joined the diocesan staff two years ago this spring, Rick Govan, ministry development facilitator, says his work shifts and changes as he listens and adjusts to clergy and parishioner needs and expectations. Here he responds to some questions and comments:

We’ve just experienced our diocese’s second ministry conference in as many years. Comments and evaluations from attendees have been very favorable and helpful. We are learning more each year about how people want to spend their time together. It is apparent to me that parishioners across our diocese very much enjoy and benefit from opportunities to learn and be together, and there is an obvious yearning throughout the diocese for theological and congregational development opportunities.

Both ministry conference keynoters – Bishop Jim Kelsey of Northern Michigan and Rebecca Wright of the School of Theology at Sewanee – have been a big hit. Many people expressed the desire to have had more time with them. Last year we had “table conversations” follow the speaker, and this year we offered workshops. For both, feedback tells us these conversation opportunities should be longer and more in-depth. Intentionally, we’ve scheduled the conference on a spring Saturday from 10-3. Perhaps another format would allow more time for exploration, education and community building.

We hope to continue offering some type of ministry conference on an annual basis except in a General Convention year. The intent then is for the bishop and elected deputies to hold a preconvention forum. I imagine that we will hear more details about that at our next diocesan convention in February 2006.

So what exactly do we mean when we refer to lay ministry or shared ministry? From my perspective, lay ministry is the effort of those who are not clergy. It’s not limited to “church work,” however; ministry opportunities occur every day wherever we are. We are given authority and responsibility for ministry at our baptism, and the ministry of the laity is the essence of the church. We would do well to remind ourselves from time to time that ordained ministry flows from this understanding, not the other way around.

Shared Ministry is the term we use in this diocese, though in other places you’ll hear Total Ministry, Mutual Ministry, Baptismal Ministry, Collaborative Ministry and more. All these terms mean basically the same thing: an understanding, a vision, a conviction that the ministry of the church, the body of Christ, is shared by both clergy and laity. Shared Ministry is not a program. It has no timeframe. Rather, it is a conviction that, together, we are all in the business of ministry in God’s world. Shared Ministry is a means to better utilize the gifts among us.

Parishes and dioceses that are truly committed to this understanding begin to experience more vitality and an elevated sense of common ownership of their mission. Parishioners are able to live into more new ministry opportunities than they ever imagined, as they share in responsibility and accountability for ministries that traditionally have been associated with clergy.

Why has your title changed from Lay Ministry Development Director to Ministry Development Facilitator? First and foremost, the term “director” was not appropriate for my role, which is that of a facilitator, a collaborator. On invitation, I work with clergy, vestries and congregations in exploring ways and means to become a more lay-centered, empowering church. Together, we explore ways to identify and mobilize parishioners for ministry. And we think about how we, as a parish, can more effectively affirm, equip and support each other in our ministries.

Also, we are all partners in ministry, and the term “lay person” sometimes translates into an incorrect view of the importance of our contributions. The new rector of Trinity, Wall Street, in New York City recently said he was considering “calling for a moratorium on words like ‘lay person’ and ‘laity’ … the way we talk about priests and lay people builds up walls of expectation inside us and between us – walls that can block us from the goodness we can offer one another.”

The emphasis of partnership is foundational to our church’s understanding of how we go about the business of ministry. This is why we asked Sharon Rasmussen, our communications director, to develop our “Partners in Ministry” logo (see previous page), which we use as often as we can.

Our Licensed Ministries (not Licensed Lay Persons) are Eucharistic Visitor (not LEV), Eucharistic Minister, Preacher, Worship Leader, Pastoral Leader and Catechist. The Canons (Title III, Canon 4) of our church don’t even mention the word “lay” anymore.

What challenges do we face in emphasizing the ministry of all the baptized? We have opportunities for growth in three critical areas:

How we understand ourselves: Many of us don’t get the significance of our baptismal covenant; we don’t have a sense that God chooses to use us a vehicle for ministry. We view our church work as volunteering instead of ministry, and we too often see ourselves as recipients or consumers of spiritual care instead of ministry participants.

Parishes in “coast mode”: Many of our congregations are satisfied with the way things always have been done. Periodically, congregations and individuals should ask, “What is God calling us (me) to be and do at this point in time?”

Structures and strategies: Our church is in transformation. Because of reduced operating budgets, significant population growth, clergy retirements, increased costs of seminary education, limited diocesan resources and for other reasons, parishioners will need to become more active in delivering ministry in the parish and beyond. The concept of one priest, one parish is quickly becoming unrealistic. We can choose to see this as an opportunity in many of our parishes to be proactive today instead of reactive tomorrow.

From my perspective, if we are truly committed to becoming an empowering church, we must intentionally provide continuity of leadership within our ministries, mobilize members for ministry in a more focused manner and have mechanisms in place to equip and support each other. The diocese can assist with this, but for the parish family to take ownership, local congregants must take on the real work of training, education and formation.

Where do we go if our parish wants to explore Shared Ministry? I can be reached at rgovan@etdiocese.net or 423-698-1222. Also, our diocesan Shared Ministry Formation Committee has worked for well over a year in developing suggestions for this purpose. The Shared Ministries and Licensed Ministries notebooks were launched at our diocesan Convention this year, and they have been distributed to all clergy who have parish oversight responsibility. The notebooks are intended to serve as a roadmap with the understanding that each parish may set its own course.

What has surprised you in your job over the past two years? Recently I returned from an Alban Institute workshop, “Each One Called: The Power and Promise of Lay Ministry.” I was surprised that 75 percent of the participants were clergy.

When I began this job, I did not appreciate how many of our clergy would be receptive to looking at new ways to empower the ministry of the laity. It can seem countercultural to the clericalism and structural hierarchy in the Episcopal Church.

In that letter to Trinity, Wall Street, parishioners, the rector says “the thought of a priest giving others access to his or her job might be a scary one. There is security in believing that you do work others around you cannot do, just as there is security in being ministered to.”

To the contrary, many clergy within our diocese have been excited and supportive.

As we evolve into a clearer understanding of the ministry of all the baptized, the roles of the ordained will evolve as well. Priests will be positioned to spend as much time enabling, supporting and coaching as they presently devote to “doing.” I very much appreciate the support and enthusiasm from our clergy. Indeed, we are in transformation.

Rick Govan: 423-698-1222 or rgovan@etdiocese.net.
Find out more about shared ministry in the Diocese of East Tennessee.