The following is a proposal for offering a pastoral and administrative assistance to churches in crisis drafted by The Desert Southwest Conference Communications Commission.

Offering Pastoral and Administrative Responses to Churches in Crisis

The Vision

Recent events in the Valley have reminded us that there are times when congregations face significant crises that can tax their leadership and resources. At such times, congregational leaders, members, and systems may require the pastoral and administrative assistance of others. As United Methodists, we believe that our denominational connection can, and should be a source for support and help in such times.

The Breakdown

We envision the need for two initial teams, each with guided training specific to their focus, and a third identified source for legal advice. These are our suggestions:

CCT: Crisis Communications Team

The Crisis Communications Team is a resource for churches faced with any crisis that may involve potential contact from the media. Crises may vary widely, from natural disasters to criminal acts, but are sufficiently acute to draw the attention of the media. In such crises, the district superintendent and/or bishop can recommend/require that the leaders of the congregation not allow any contact with the media until after they (the congregational leader[s]) have consulted with a member of the CCT.

Members of the CCT will undergo training specific to relating to the media, similar to training offered by United Methodist Communications. Currently, at least two members of our conference have undergone such training (Steve Hustedt, Lynn Bartlow) and may serve as resources for launching this team.

Considering the geographical size of our conference, we suggest that there be at least two trained individuals in every district (or otherwise identified region) who are part of this team. We also recommend that district superintendents undergo similar training; either with this team’s training events, at a special training for the Cabinet, or with UMCom.

CCT would be an extension of the ministry of the Communications Commission, and guided by the leadership of the Conference Communications staff.

PRISM: Prevention and Response Involving Sexual Misconduct

Sexual misconduct involving a ministerial leader within a congregation – whether that leader be ordained or commissioned as clergy or empowered as a lay minister – severely rocks the foundations of trust between congregational members and their leaders. PRISM is a team designed to offer both pastoral response to congregations and individuals involved in an experience of sexual misconduct, as well as to plan and offer training for congregations, clergy, and leaders about preventing such misconduct.

Members of PRISM will undergo training specific to offering pastoral care to individuals involved in incidents of sexual misconduct (victims and perpetrators) as well as those secondary victims of such incidents (families and congregations). Training will also help to equip and prepare members of the team to serve in subgroups to help educate and inform our congregational leadership about identifying and preventing sexual misconduct in all its forms.

Recommended resources for training PRISM members include:
• Rev. Kent King-Nobles, First UMC of Decatur, Illinois – Kent helped implement a PRISM team in the Illinois Great Rivers Conference;
• Drs. Jim & Nancy Poling, Pastoral Care Department at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary – the Polings have helped train such teams;
• Dr. Karen A. McClintock – author and consultant on sexual issues for churches
• The General Commission on the status and Role of Women
• Pastoral Care faculty from Claremont Divinity School

We recommend that district superintendents give prayerful consideration to identifying clergy with pastoral care gifts and lay members with counseling or social work backgrounds to serve on this committee. We recommend that there be several members on the team from each district.

We recommend that PRISM be understood to be an extension of the pastoral office of the bishop.

Identified Source for Legal Counsel

We recommend that the Cabinet identify at least one readily available source for legal counsel (the Conference Chancellor for example). Further, it may be beneficial to our congregations and their leaders to identify and/or contract with additional sources for legal counsel present in each district.

Another Potential Team

It may be beneficial in the future to consider another team of individuals with pastoral care gifts to train and be ready to respond to other crises in local congregations. Such training need not be as specific as that required for working with churches struggling after an incident of sexual misconduct, but can focus on helping congregations and leaders to express themselves in the wake of other crises and make plans for moving forward.

Suggested Timelines for Implementation

September, 2007:
• The Communications Commission will review and comment on the proposal for the CCT.
• Bishop Carcaño will review and comment on the proposal for PRISM and identifying a source for legal counsel (a backup to the Conference Chancellor).
• Bishop Carcaño and Steve Hustedt will work on identifying team leaders for both CCT and PRISM. (We recommend two team leaders for each.)

Fall, 2007:
• District Superintendents are asked to prayerfully consider individuals who may be able to serve on one of these teams. They may engage in conversation with these individuals, or relate their information to the Communications office for conversation from those organizing the teams.

Winter/Spring, 2008:
• Initial training be organized and established for the CCT, led by Conference staff persons, on how to respond to the media.
• PRISM team leaders, in consultation with Bishop Carcaño, the Cabinet, and Conference Treasurer Randy Bowman, will identify and plan two events for the 2008-2009 appointment year to train members of the team. Each event will bring in outside expertise. One event will focus on the formation and functions of such a team. One event will focus on issues of pastoral care related to sexual misconduct.

Summer/Fall, 2008:
• CC Team members will create and seek Communications Commission approval for procedures for churches in crisis needing consultation. Procedures will be distributed to superintendents for disbursement to all local churches.

Summer/Fall, 2009:
• Trained PRISM team members will begin plans for offering training to local congregational leadership.