Church Affiliation Process Administration Process

Transcription

1 Church Affiliation Process Administration Process This document is written to explain the Church Affiliation process. This is the set of actions that help to take a group from having no official connection with the Association of Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT through to the point where they are a fully affiliated, autonomous church within the Denomination. February

2 There are a number of starting points for various groups and this is indicated by the slightly different processes indicated in this document, particularly in reference to Ethnic churches and churches in regions with a functioning Regional Association. In order to use this document to its best capacity, determine whether the church being considered for affiliation is best served by the Standard, Multi- Cultural & Ethnic, or Regional Ministers pathway - each of these pathways has differing responsibilities for differing groups. Contents: Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 1o Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Church Formation Process (Standard) Church Formation Checklist (Standard) Church Formation Process (Cross Cultural & Ethnic Churches) Church Formation Checklist (Cross Cultural & Ethnic Churches) Church Formation Process (Regional Ministers) Church Formation Checklist (Regional Ministers) Sample Expression of Interest Covering Letter Sample Letter to Surrounding Churches re Expression of Interest Sample Letter to Church re approval to become a Group Proceeding Towards Affiliation Sample Affiliation Notice of Motion Letter Sample Letter to Surrounding Churches re Pending Affiliation Sample Letter to Church re Accepted for Affiliation 2

3 Church Formation Process (Standard) The following is an explanation of the Church Formation Process and refers to the Standard check-list. There are 20 steps in this process. The people involved are typically: Church seeking affiliation (Steps 1, 2, 4, 11, 12, 13, 19) Associate Director of Church Development (Steps 1, 2, 11, 12) Affiliation Registrar (Steps 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 20) MSD Team (Steps 5, 7, 15) Assembly Council (Steps 8, 16) PA to Director of Ministries (Step 18) Secretary to the Assembly (Step 19) The documents referred to in the process are as follows & in this sequence: 1. Expression of Interest Covering Letter 2. Expression of Interest information - (part of Church Information Pack) 3. Letter to Surrounding Baptist Churches re Expression of Interest 4. Letter to Church re Approval to become a Group Proceeding Towards Affiliation 5. Church s Constitution 6. Affiliation Notice of Motion Letter (includes Foundation Members List) 7. Letter to Surrounding Churches re Pending Affiliation. 8. Letter to Church re Accepted for Affiliation. 3

4 Church Formation Process Check-list (Standard) Name of Church 1. Personal Contact made to Assoc Director - Church Development. 2. Meeting with Assoc Director and church leaders. 3. Church Formation Pack sent to enquiring church. 4. EOI (Expression of Interest) letter & form received from church. 5. MSD Team & Director of Ministries informed of receipt of EOI. 6. Surrounding Baptist churches notified of application. 7. MSD Team agrees to them becoming A Group Proceeding Towards Affiliation 8. Assembly Council notified of approval & Minute decision. 9. Letter sent informing church of approval and the access they have to insurance and resources at this stage. 10. Advise Baptist Insurance & Safe Spaces Coordinator of approval. 11. Church supplies Draft Constitution to Affiliation Registrar & Assoc Director of Church Development. 12. Constitution amended to acceptable form. 13. Church supplies: letter re motion of meeting passed, list of foundation members & final version of Constitution. 14. Surrounding Baptist churches notified of pending affiliation. 15. MSD Team approve Affiliation. 16. Assembly Council approve Affiliation. 17. Church informed of approval. 18. PA to Director of Ministries produces Affiliation Certificate. 19. Affiliation recognised at either Assembly or Min-Assembly. 20. All documentation sent to Baptist Ministry Centre for filing. 4

5 Church Formation Process (Cross Cultural & Ethnic Churches) The following is an explanation of the Church Formation Process and refers to the Cross Cultural & Ethnic Churches check-list. There are 22 steps in this process. The people involved are typically: Church seeking affiliation (Steps 1, 2, 4, 12, 13, 14, 21) Associate Director of Cross Cultural Ministries (Steps 1, 2, 3, 7) Associate Director of Church Development (Step 12, 13, 16) Affiliation Registrar (Steps 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,15, 19, 22) MSD Team (Steps 5, 8, 17) Assembly Council (Steps 9, 18) PA to Director of Ministries (Step 20) Secretary to Assembly Council (Step 21) The documents referred to in the process are as follows & in this sequence: 1. Expression of Interest Covering Letter 2. Expression of Interest information - (part of Church Information Pack) 3. Letter to Surrounding Baptist Churches re Expression of Interest 4. Letter to Church re Approval to become A Group Proceeding Towards Affiliation 5. Church s Constitution 6. Affiliation Notice of Motion Letter (includes Foundation Members List) 7. Letter to Surrounding Churches re Pending Affiliation 8. Letter to Church re Affiliation Acceptance. 5

6 Church Formation Process Check-list (Cross Cultural & Ethnic Churches) Name of Church 1. Personal Contact made to Assoc Director Cross Cultural Ministries. 2. Meeting with Assoc Director Cross Cultural Ministries and church leaders. 3. Assoc Director Cross Cultural Ministries requests Affiliation Registrar to send Church Formation Pack to enquiring church. 4. EOI (Expression of Interest) letter & form received from church. 5. MSD Team & Director of Ministries informed of receipt of EOI. 6. Surrounding Baptist churches notified of application. (Regional Minister if applicable) 7. Assoc Director of Cross Cultural Ministries recommends to MSD Team that this group be accepted as A Group Proceeding Towards Affiliation. 8. MSD Team approves the recommendation. 9. Assembly Council notified of approval & Minute decision. 10. Letter sent informing church of approval and the access they have to insurance and resources at this stage. 11. Advise Baptist Insurance & Safe Spaces Coordinator of approval. 12. Church supplies Draft Constitution to Affiliation Registrar & Assoc Director of Church Development. 13. Constitution amended to acceptable form. 14. Church supplies: letter re motion of meeting passed, list of foundation members & final version of Constitution. 15. Surrounding Baptist churches notified of pending Affiliation. 16. Associate Director of Church Development recommends pending approval to MSD Team. 17. MSD Team approve Affiliation. 18. Assembly Council approve Affiliation. 19. Affiliation Registrar informs church of approval. 20. PA to Director of Ministries produces Affiliation Certificate. 21. Affiliation recognised at either Assembly or Min-Assembly. 22. All documentation sent to Baptist Ministry Centre for filing. 6

7 Church Formation Process (Regional Ministers) The following is an explanation of the Church Formation Process and refers to the Regional Ministers check-list. There are 23 steps in this process. The people involved are typically: Church seeking affiliation (Steps 1, 2, 5, 13, 14, 15, 23) Regional Minister (Steps 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 20) Associate Director of Church Development (Step 8) Affiliation Registrar (Steps 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 23) MSD Team (Steps 6, 9 & 18) Assembly Council (Steps 10 & 19) PA to Director of Ministries (Step 21) Secretary to Assembly Council (Step 22) The documents referred to in the process are as follows & in this sequence: 1. Expression of Interest Covering Letter 2. Expression of Interest information - (part of Church Information Pack) 3. Letter to Surrounding Baptist Churches re Expression of Interest 4. Letter to Church re Approval to become A Group Proceeding Towards Affiliation 5. Church s Constitution 6. Affiliation Notice of Motion Letter (includes Foundation Members List) 7. Letter to Surrounding Churches re Pending Affiliation 8. Letter to Church re Affiliation Acceptance 7

8 Church Formation Process Check-list (Regional Ministers) Name of Church 1. Church makes personal contact to Regional Minister. 2. Meeting with Regional Minister and church leaders. 3. Regional Minister asks Affiliation Registrar to send info pack to Church. 4. Church Formation Pack sent to enquiring church. 5. EOI (Expression of Interest) letter & form received from church. 6. MSD Team, Regional Minister & Director of Ministries informed of receipt of EOI. 7. Surrounding Baptist churches notified of application by Regional Minister. 8. Regional Minister sends letter of recommendation to Assoc Director of Church Development. 9. MSD Team agrees to them becoming A Group Proceeding Towards Affiliation 10. Assembly Council notified of approval & Minute decision. 11. Letter sent by Regional Manager informing church of approval and the access they have to insurance and resources at this stage. 12. Advise Baptist Insurance & Safe Spaces Coordinator of approval. 13. Church supplies Draft Constitution to Affiliation Registrar & Regional Minister. 14. Constitution amended to acceptable form. 15. Church supplies: letter re motion of meeting passed, list of foundation members & final version of Constitution. 16. Surrounding Baptist churches notified of pending affiliation by Regional Minister. 17. Regional Association recommend affiliation to MSD Team. 18. MSD Team approve Affiliation. 19. Assembly Council approves Affiliation. 20. Church informed of approval by Regional Minister. 21. PA to Director of Ministries produces Affiliation Certificate. 22. Affiliation recognised at either Assembly or Min-Assembly. 23. All documentation sent to Baptist Ministry Centre for filing. 8

9 Sample Expression of Interest Covering Letter (Church address for correspondence) (Date) NAME OF CHURCH Assoc Director - Church Development Association of Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT C/- 6 Thornton Ave BOWENFELS NSW 2790 CHURCH AFFILIATION WITH ASSOCIATION OF BAPTIST CHURCHES OF NSW & ACT On...the Date held a church meeting and moved: Name of Church That the.... wishes to explore affiliation with the Name of Church Association of Baptist Churches of NSW and ACT and therefore would like to become A Group Proceeding Towards Affiliation. Please find the Church s contact details and other relevant information in the attached Expression of Interest Form. Yours sincerely (Secretary's signature) (Secretary's name) Secretary 9

10 Sample Letter to Surrounding Churches re Expression of Interest Date Mr Secretary??????? Baptist Church Dear An Expression of Interest Application has been received from?????????? Church (meeting at???) to become Affiliated with the Association of Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT. This will be discussed at a meeting of the Ministry Support & Development Team. As???????? Baptist Church is one of the surrounding Baptist Churches we wish to notify you of this Application. If you would like to make any comments with regard to this application, please forward them to me before?????? Yours sincerely Carolyn Altman Affiliation Registrar

11 Sample Letter to Church re Approval to become A Group Proceeding Towards Affiliation & Access to Resources Date Mr?? Secretary???? Baptist church Dear Please be advised that a recent meeting????????? Church was accepted as A Group Proceeding Towards Affiliation. This means that the church will have access to Denominational resources such as insurance cover, any information or resourcing, will be included in mail outs, and be able to attend (though not vote at) Denominational events such as Assembly meetings & Revive etc. The full list of resources can be found on the Association of Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT website I will be informing the surrounding Baptist Churches of this decision. To pass to the next stage of the Affiliation process, can you please provide me with the following: 1. A copy of the Church Affiliation Notice of Motion letter (a copy of the standard letter is attached which you can use as a template). 2. The above letter needs to include a list of all members present at the meeting where the Church moved a motion that requested it be affiliated with the Association of Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT. 3. A copy of your Church Constitution (in English). As the????????????? Church moves towards completing the Affiliation process we will be looking for a strong and meaningful connection both with the Baptist Denomination and other Baptist Churches. We encourage you to develop relationships with and whenever possible to attend local gatherings of pastors & churches. If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact me on Yours sincerely Carolyn Altman Affiliation Registrar 11

12 (Church address for correspondence) (Date) NAME OF CHURCH Sample Affiliation Notice of Motion Letter Assoc Director - Church Development Association of Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT C/- 6 Thornton Ave BOWENFELS NSW 2790 Dear CHURCH AFFILIATION WITH ASSOCIATION OF BAPTIST CHURCHES OF NSW & ACT On...the Date Name of Church held a church meeting and moved: That the.... requests that it be affiliated with the Name of Church Association of Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT at the Association s earliest convenience. The following people have covenanted to become the foundation members at the time of formal affiliation:- (List individual members' names in full eg Thomas Brown Mary Brown) Attached is a copy of the Church Constitution which has already been ratified by the Association of Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT. Yours sincerely (Secretary's signature) (Secretary's name) Secretary 12

13 Sample Letter to Surrounding Churches re Pending Affiliation Date Mr?? Secretary??????? Baptist Church Dear As you may remember the Association of Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT for some time now has been processing the application from?????????? Church to become an Affiliated church with the Association. They are coming to the point of having completed the necessary steps in this process. As we consider moving this through to affiliation we would like to inform you of the progress and once again invite you to make any relevant comments. The application will be discussed in the near future by Ministry Support & Development. If you have any comments it would be helpful for us to receive them by???. Thank you for your partnership in the work of the Kingdom. Yours sincerely Carolyn Altman Affiliation Registrar

14 Sample Letter to Church re Accepted for Affiliation Date Mr?? Secretary??????? Baptist Church Dear Please be advised that at a recent meeting of the Assembly Council,???? Church was approved for Affiliation.??? Church will be welcomed into fellowship as a member of the Association of Baptist Churches of NSW & ACT at the Assembly Meeting to be held on???? at????. Can you please ensure that a representative of your church is present at the meeting to receive your Letter of Affiliation. If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact me on Yours sincerely Carolyn Altman Affiliation Registrar 14