Report 45

Cluster Leader Responsibilities

From the Ministry Chapters

As proposed in the materials submitted to the Discipline Revision Committee. Additional responsibilties are given in the actual chapter on Cluster Groups. The following are only in the Ministry chapters.

• Member of examining committee to examine lay ministers and local church ministers in organized churches (with the senior pastor and one member of the local church).
• Member of examining committee to examine lay ministers, specialized ministers, and local church ministers in unorganized churches (with the senior pastor and one member of the local church).
• Issue a probationary lay minister license in unorganized churches.
• Annually renew probationary lay minister's licenses.
• Issue a local church license upon the direction of the bishop.
• Annually renew local church licenses.
• Receive from lay ministers a record of their completed courses.
• Receive annual reports from specialized ministers.
• Provide oversight (with the senior pastor and bishop) of lay ministers, specialized ministers, and local church ministers.
• Provide oversight (with the bishop) of the work of national conference ministers, ordained chaplains, and ordained elders.
• Provide letter of reference for persons applying for national conference license or for ordination.
• Be involved in inviting ministers to supply pulpits or carry out other responsibilities.
• Receive notification of any United Brethren ministers being considered for staff positions in churches in that cluster.
• Before a church interviews a United Brethren minister for a staff position, the cluster leader must contact "the appropriate person" at the church where the minister currently serves (for example, a UB minister serving in another state).
• Directly supervise the work of any ministers "inactive with cause for personal reasons."
• Have the authority to remove pastors from assigned pastorates for reasons specified in the Discipline.
• Determine if a pastor is disabled and needs to be relieved of pastoral responsibility.
• Be involved in matters pertaining to compensation and benefits involving disabled ministers.
• Determine, with the bishop, appropriate arbiters to deal with local church conflict.

Duties as Part of the Stationing Committee

The cluster leader and bishop comprise the stationing committee for each cluster. The stationing committee has these responsibilities:

• Final authority in stationing ministers in senior pastor and co-pastor roles.
• Communicate with pastors and congregations involved in the assignment process.
• Meet with the pastor and PRC.
• Match congregational needs with pastoral strengths.
• Assign interim ministers if necessary.
• May initiate pastoral changes.
• Receive requests from local church boards to review its pastoral assignment.
• Meet with local churches to explain the assignment process and evaluate the church's needs and vision.
• Receive the "Parish Profile" from congregations.
• Approach "its choice" (the stationing commttee's choice) to fill a vacancy. If that person declines, approach a different pastor. When a minster indicates interest in a position, notify the church where he/she is serving of the potential transition.
• Receive a Minister's Profile for a prospective minister and present it to the local church's leaders for review.
• Hold an interview, with the PRC, with the prospective minister.
• Arrange an introductory meeting between the new pastor and local leaders.
• See that an "Agreement of Understanding" is completed.
• Announce the assignment.
• Provide a positive recommendation regarding the assignment of a non-UB minister.