Who is the PRMP team?

Posted Jun 29, 2015 in Leadership

The new Pastoral Relations team has made great strides under its new name, Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning, since its launch in March. If you haven’t heard about this new team, then this article is for you – it provides information about the reasons behind the change, what the team will offer and which team member oversees your region. For more information, please see the contact details at the foot of the article.

At the March 2015 meeting of the Uniting Church SA Presbytery and Synod, a structural change within the Synod office was announced. The Synod’s two Mission Planning positions (held by three people, two in a half-time capacity) moved from the Mission Resourcing team to Pastoral Relations. They have united under the banner of Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning (PRMP).

The addition of the Mission Planning roles has enabled the PRMP team to divide the Presbytery into five regions, each of which have been allocated a “go to” person from the team. Each of the regions is quite large, but it is anticipated that this geographical division will be enable the Presbytery and Synod to better serve the congregations and ministers in its care.

Sharonne Price, the Executive Officer of Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning, says that the purpose of these changes is to make it easier for congregations and the Presbytery/Synod to understand, assist and “stay in touch” with one another.

In the past, issues have arisen when congregations have been unsure who to contact about particular concerns in the areas of mission planning, governance, ministry leadership, finance or resourcing. Many have also struggled with identifying the areas in which they need assistance, partially because they often overlap.

The new system aims to make it simpler for congregations and ministers to understand and communicate with the Synod office – and vice versa. This will assist the PRMP team in delivering assistance, advice, planning and support.

“Perhaps the image of the doorway works best,” says Sharonne. “We are striving for a better and quicker alignment of resources and expressed needs, and to make it easier for congregational leaders, whether lay or ordained, to know where to start when there is an issue. That ‘place to start’ will be a person whom they know, and who knows them.

“Congregations will directly access the staff of the Presbytery and, we hope, their voices will be even more influential in the directions we take as a Pastoral Relations Committee and as a whole Presbytery and Synod when we meet together.

“We need to be less remote from each other if we are to support and build each other’s mission and ministry,” Sharonne says.

Despite these new regional divides, Sharonne is quick to point out that the boundaries between the regions will be quite porous.

“We hope to still benefit from the special expertise that each team member has developed over time. There will also be times when the best ‘match’ for a situation may need to take into account personal history and conflicts of interest.”

Supporting the PRMP team is a wealth of resourcing from Uniting College, the Mission Resourcing team, the Mission Networks, other congregations, and the Uniting Church in Australia Assembly. It is anticipated that the new structure will also facilitate the necessary connections between resources so that mission and ministry can be built together.

 

Who, what, where

The South Australian Presbytery has been divided into five regions, each with their own representative from the Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning team.

Rev David Buxton will be the contact person for the Rural West region. David has served the church in many capacities – locally, at Presbytery and Synod levels, and through an Assembly agency. His knowledge about and passion for the church is immense, and he is particularly well-versed in the issues currently facing congregations – large and small, rural and metropolitan.

The Rural East region will be tended to by Rev Ashley Davis. Ashley has worked as a minister in a variety of contexts – regional, suburban and urban. A country lad at heart, he has served rural congregations as a member of the Pastoral Relations team for approximately five years.

Rev Diane Bury will offer her wealth of knowledge and experience to the Urban North, West and Barossa region of the Presbytery. Diane has experience in presbytery matters and complex urban congregations, which has helped her to develop significant skills in governance, managing conflict, planning for the future, worship and pastoral responsibility.

Rev Beth Seaman will serve the Urban South and Fleurieu region, in addition to her role as minister of Wesley Kent Town Uniting Church. Beth has an extensive knowledge of congregations in this region, having served them as first a Pastoral Relations Officer and then as a Mission Planner. She is passionate about asset-based mission planning and has a very pastoral approach to all she does.

The Urban East and Adelaide Hills region will be served by Pastor Wendy Perkins. With a 16-year background in one of the largest congregations in the Uniting Church SA, Wendy brings a wide variety of skills to her mission planning role. She has a deep understanding of complex congregations and leadership demands, and offers thorough advice. She is very responsive to congregational need, and also serves as the Co-ordinator of Disaster and Recovery Ministries (0.5 FTE).

The other members of the Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning team include Sharonne Price (Executive Officer), Rev Philip Gardner (Pastoral Relations Officer, responsible for placements and chaplaincy), Linda Vinall (Called to Care Training and Development Officer), Rev Dr Trevor Whitney (Disability Chaplain), Gill Morel (Personal Assistant to the Executive Officer) and Peter Hollister (Administrator).

 

For more information about the new Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning team, including a map and list of congregations and areas, please contact the team on 8236 4204 or Turn on Javascript! or visit sa.uca.org.au/pastoral-relations

 

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