Minister's job security

Small Group Ministry and a shared ministry model is not a threat to the ministers job. This comes up from time to time. When groups are working the participants know each other better than the pastoral staff. As a result the group is able to respond to many needs that a lay ministry committee or the minister herself would have tended to. This may seem like a threat. Will the minister lose work? Will the congregation decide they don't need a minister? If the ministry is shared, what is to become of the professional staff.

Have no fear!

Small groups can do a great job of tending to the needs of participants. This includes responding to basic ministry "tasks" as well as helping more significant ministry needs surface. The small group ministry, when healthy, can identify more pastoral needs than would have been identified previously. The net result is more apt to be on the side of more work for the minister.

When a small group ministry is thriving many basic ministry needs are addressed within groups. This leaves time for the minister to focus on

1. Leadership & lay ministry development
2. UU Faith development/formation
3. Nurturing personal/spiritual growth

When our members care for each other through small groups the minister ends up facing a change in what issues and tasks are brought to the minister. There is a change, but never a lack of work to be done.