PASTORS E-NEWSLETTER

OCTOBER 2010

Hi fellow Pastors!

Welcome to another issue of MSD’s newsletters for pastors. We trust that you might find some articles or issues helpful in your own ministry. If there are any areas you would like us to touch on in future issues, please let us know and we’ll see what we can do.

PASTORS and SPOUSES

The MSD team have been aware for some time that one of the major reasons that is contributing to pastors leaving pastoral ministry or not returning after some time out has been the perspective of spouses. Recent research seems to support our observations. Ministry spouses face all kinds of unique and difficult challenges. How those challenges are handled can impact the emotional health of you and your spouse and possibly the survival of your marriage.

While these issues are diverse and complex, one short article by Charles Stone that addresses this issue is entitled Spouse Killers in the Ministry. Stone identifies what he sees as 5 spouse killers:

1. Deep loneliness
2. Inescapable vulnerability with others
3. Living in a ‘fishbowl’ world
4. Managing unrealistic or unfair expectation
5. Having little or no voice in response to church decisions or critics

You can read the full article on http://www.sermoncentral.com/articlec.asp?article=Charles-Stone-Spouse-Killers-In-The-Ministry&ac=true

The MSD team is considering a number of ways to provide support for pastors and spouses. One of these will be a 3 day Pastors and Spouses Retreat to be held 16th - 18th October 2011 at Australis Retreat at Wisemans.  See http://www.wisemans.com.au/content/home.asp?name=Home

Rev Murray Robinson and his wife, Marj from New Zealand will be our keynote speakers. The retreat will include times to relax and other workshops. This retreat will be for all pastors, even if one’s spouse is unable to accompany you. We want to ensure that spouses are welcome and that we will provide specific sessions for them. Further details will be available in our next issue.

PASTORS STIPENDS REVIEW

MSD in conjunction with the Finance Board is undertaking a review of the current format of Stipend Recommendations. The current format that the Finance Board uses for considering stipend recommendations has not changed for some considerable time.

In the process of this review MSD is seeking input from Pastors in the followers areas.

• Distinction between Accredited & Recognised Pastors
• Recognition of Associate, Solo & Lead Pastors
• Expansion of incremental increases of Stipends
• Other suggested areas for consideration

It would greatly assist us in these discussions with the Finance Board if you could give us some feedback on the matter. To provide input into these areas we are asking you take part in a brief survey by please visiting http://www.msd.org.au/stipend. You will need to use the password ‘stipend2010’.  Please note that there is a limited time to participate in the stipend review and that the survey will close midnight 15th November 2010.

PREACHING EVALUATIONS

Marc Radar really appreciated that 122 persons completed his survey on preaching evaluations. Thanks to all who participated. He is finalizing arrangements for those who also agreed to be part of a focus group. If you haven’t indicated interest and would like to be part of a focus group on evaluating preaching you can still contact Marc onmarc.rader@gymeabaptist.org.au.

FREE AUDIO BIBLE

Check this website for a free Audio Bible http://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/

DIRECTIONS 2012

There is still time to make a response to the Directions 2012 taskforce recommendations. The Pastoral Health taskforce and the Governance taskforce particularly would like to receive feedback from as many pastors as possible before they finalise their recommendations to bring to next year’s AGM. This is a crucial time for our family of churches that could potentially open the way to either progress or inhibit our ministry and mission together in the future. We would encourage all of you to give prayerful consideration how we might encourage each other to move ahead.

DIRECTOR of CHURCH PLANTING

We hope to be able to confirm the part-time appointment next week of a Director of Church Planting. In light of the growth of our church plants and plans for further advancement, it was felt that this would be a necessary appointment to continue the momentum.

MSD STAFF UPDATES

Thanks to those who have been praying for the MSD team over the past couple of difficult months as it has been greatly appreciated. In regards to team members:

• Viv Grice will be returning from two months long service leave next week. Viv has been in South America and Europe during this time and we have tried to ‘keep him in the dark’ about any work matters. Please give him a little time to catch up on quite a few things.
• Andrew Palmer is settled back in his role after the short-term mission trip to Cambodia with the Plunge students followed by his holiday with Kathryn in Indonesia where Kath grew up.
• Sally Smith has recovered well from her surgery. While she has been back at work for a couple of weeks, Sally will not be available for three weeks as she undertakes radiotherapy.
• Ros Allibone is also recovering well from unexpected surgery. She is expected to gradually return to the office next week.

The team expresses particular thanks to Steve Jamieson who has assisted with pastoral placements while Viv has been away and to Carolyn Altman who has very ably covered much of our admin needs in Ros’s absence.

May you be richly blessed in your own ministry service and be a blessing to others.

Ken Clendinning

Director of MSD