Resources for:

Ministry of Pastor

Pastor is a lay specified ministry of the Church. It is a role where a person exercises a significant ministry on behalf of the Church in one or more of the following areas:

teaching the beliefs and practices of the Church; and / or
pastoral oversight of members and / or groups operating under the auspices of the Uniting Church; and / or
leadership of worship in congregations or faith communities of the Church; and / or
evangelism or service beyond a gathered congregation but which is exercised under the auspices of the Uniting Church;

Pastors are involved as lay workers in a number of areas such as Minister in a congregation, Youth Worker, Children and Families Worker, Lay Parish Assistant, Chaplain, Counsellor, Community Development Worker, Evangelism, Christian Education Director and others.

Pastors are appointed for a minimum period of one year but may continue for a period of up to five years. At the conclusion of an appointment the person would cease to be a Pastor but would be eligible to apply for another appointment. There are some prerequisite requirements (ie. The “Core Competencies”) but most of the training for the Ministry of Pastor is done on the job and is task specific.

Pastors may be full-time or part-time and may be paid or unpaid. Applicants should have been confirmed and active members of the church for a period of twelve months prior to appointment and will be assessed to see that they are suitable in character, personality and spiritual maturity as well as having the competence and capacity to exercise the responsibilities of the specific ministry to which they are be appointed.

Persons who are accountable to the Church under the Pastor Regulations do not have to be called Pastor in their ministry. They may be, for example, part time or full time paid youth workers, pastoral assistants in a congregation or chaplains. Any of these descriptors are appropriate.

People exercising ministries that have been designated by the church as “Pastor” shall be identified by their position description, eg chaplain, youth worker, etc and not automatically as “Pastor.” The important thing is that whatever they are called, such people are in a relationship of accountability with the Church.

The Queensland Synod makes provision for 2 pathways for serving as a lay person in the position of Pastor, The first (Stream A) is where the person applies for such a position as a result of an advertised vacancy by a congregation, Presbytery, Synod or agency. The second is where the person applies to serve as a Pastor in a Placement anywhere in the Queensland Synod. (Stream B) Stream B applicants can download an application form which when completed goes from the congregational minister to the Presbytery and once endorsed to the Pastor Candidature Committee. Again, this will be for a limited time as the position of Pastor is not seen as a lifelong call.

Application form

Both Streams of Pastors are employees of the church.

Links:

Pilgrim Learning Community

Assembly Pastor Resources

UTube Journey Television-Pastor clip

Healthy Church Qld Synod

Ministerial Placements Qld Synod

Synod Chaplaincy Commission