Alignment Update

Live Streaming Event October 24 at 3:00 pm

2010-10-13T08:27:00.000-07:00

Bishop Mike Lowry and Alignment Task Force Chair Rev. Mike Ramsdell will conduct a live streaming event on October 24 at 3:00 pm hosted by First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth.

You can go to the conference website at http://www.ctcumc.org/, where there will be a link on the homepage that will take you directly to the live streaming event. The link has not yet been posted, but will be before the event is scheduled to take place.

The Alignment Task Force has set up an email address for you to ask questions and leave comments during the live streaming event. The email address is ctcalignment@gmail.com.

Conference Alignment Proposal

2010-10-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

The Alignment Task Force has released the the "Conference Alignment Proposal". You can download it by clicking here. Please note that you will need Adobe Reader to read the proposal. It is a large file, so it may take some time before you will be able to see it.

Annual Conference members are urged to study the proposal, attend any of the alignment information meetings scheduled around the conference, and to be prepared to vote on the proposal at the Nov. 13 called session. Questions may be directed to presenters at the alignment information meetings or to Dr. Georgia Adamson, assistant to the bishop and executive director for Mission Ministries, at 817-877-5222.

Statement from CTC Student Leadership Team

2010-09-27T11:39:00.000-07:00

From Marianne Brown-Student Leadership Team President

Our Student Leadership Team pieced together our opinions on the recently posted realignment report. We felt that it would be more helpful as an interpretation of what you were saying, rather than an opposition to it. We composed the following, if you would like to use it on the Realignment blog or anything of that nature, feel free. We all are very thankful for your task force and all the hard work that has been going into this.
Thank you!

Marianne Brown
CTCSLT President

Statement from CTC Student Leadership Team

We understand that a lot of the work of the Task Force has been completed. The Student Leadership Team still felt strongly that we should make our voices known. We appreciate the work of the team and of the consultant and look forward to being a part of this realignment process.

1. a. There is concern about the focus of youth ministry being ‘more specifically on calling young people to leadership in the church, including ordained ministry'. Should this not be the church's job? If calling young people into leadership and ministry is left to youth ministry, then the presumption is, in part, that young people will to go into youth ministry and may struggle to see or accept calling beyond youth ministry. We need to be careful with the trend of separation that a lot of churches have between youth and the church at large.

    b. The need for younger clergy is very apparent and recognized by our Student Leadership Team. We feel that is important to have resources and make opportunities available to youth and young people being called into ministry to explore their calling and find where God intends them to be. However, we would like to emphasize that youth need strong programs in the local church and impactful experiences to make discerning their calling possible. We feel that the needs of youth ministry are valuable to bring young people into leadership and ordained ministry.

2. a. Regarding the goals of youth ministry, we agree a change is needed. We believe the main focus of Central Texas Conference Student Ministries should be equipping local churches to nurture youth in the Christian faith and train them to be disciples of Jesus Christ. We feel training volunteers to do youth ministry is also important.

    b. We agree that the conference staff should be equipping local churches to form these long-term relationships. We agree there should be a shift from information sharing and 'improving people' to the suggested 'leadership platforming' as referenced in the report.

3. In reference to staff specialists, we believe that youth ministry and ministry with young people is one of the most diverse, abstract areas of ministry. Young people (ages 12 – 26) need an advocate that is in constant interaction with other conference positions so that students can fit into the church and not be tagged on like an extremity or remembered as an afterthought.

4. We agree that smaller, more decisive groups/committees are needed. There should still be great effort made to include at least two youth within each group. We feel that our Student Leadership Team and other youth who serve on various boards and committees bring a fresh perspective to the group and learn a lot about the leadership within the church. Promoting inclusiveness in the Church is made much easier and more effective when youth serve along side the adult leadership.

5. We are happy to see that CTCYM will continue as one of our strong mission programs. These short-term CTCYM experiences have much impact long-term in the lives of students. We want to recognize this and encourage this to continue. It is our concern that experiences like CTCYM may be lost in transition or be underestimated by those who are no familiar with it. CTCYM has been one of the most life-changing ministries experienced by many of our Student Leadership Team members and youth around the conference, and we appreciate that this has not gone unnoticed.

Respectfully,

Central Texas Conference Student Leadership Team

September 2010 Consultant’s Report

2010-09-09T07:36:00.000-07:00

The Alignment Task Force consultant, Gil Rendle, has prepared and presented a report of his findings to the Alignment Task Force. The task force has decided to make this report available to the entire conference. The full report can be downloaded by going here.

June 2010 Alignment Update

2010-09-09T07:07:00.000-07:00

The June Alignment Update is a report prepared by the Alignment Task Force. You can download the entire report here. It is in PDF form, so you will need Adobe Reader to read it.

Annual Conference Reporting

2010-05-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

The Task Force completed one phase of its responsibility/task and on a conference call on May 25 and approved the material from that phase for presentation at the conference session on June 7. Mike Ramsdell (chair of the task force) will make the presentation in a question and answer session. No action is to be taken until the called session of conference in November 2010.

I have been privileged to take part in several “restructurings” over the years. In each of these instances, we presumed that our work was done for some time to come. The structure in some of those efforts was greatly dictated by The Discipline in effect at the time. As time has gone on, more and more freedom has been granted in the way that an annual conference carries out the ministries set to its hand. Each time we vote on a structure; spend time assimilating and learning to use that new and “complete” methodology and process. As the Alignment Task Force began reviewing data and several books on the rapid and radical changes in our world and society, it became apparent that something different had to come out of our efforts. The authors and chroniclers of the day see and ever-changing landscape unfolding in front of us. I began to understand the feeling of Adam and Eve as they left Eden; when, they might have said to each other, “The world is really changing.” We were coming to realize that change is no longer (and probably will never again be) linear and sequential. It will continue to be sporadic and episodic. All of that is to say that whatever we as an annual conference do will not be a fixed position. Bishop Lowry made mention of the need to accept the reality that we will need to fine-tune the efforts by addition and deletion for the foreseeable future. He reminded us that the church is moving from a representative process model to a leadership model. I believe that we should continue to keep Isaiah 43:19 ever before us as we look with wonder on “God’s New Thing” each day.

Alignment Task Force Report from Meeting 3.17.10

2010-03-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

Our Task Force met on March 17, gathering information from previous meetings, responding to the leadership of our consultant Gil Rendle, and processing input from many resources; including, highlighting leadership from our Bishop Mike Lowry, and responding to asked for thoughts from the Cabinet and Extended Cabinet as well as blog responses. Hope is becoming our word of faith, a word that is leading us instead of the default to respond to crisis.

As we process the task force responsibility there are 4 important questions we are attempting to answer:
1. Identify the things the CTC must be and should be doing?

· Casting a Christ-honoring vision

· Discerning, developing, and employing leadership

· Energizing and equipping churches for mission, evangelism, and discipleship

· Being a catalyst for connecting churches and mission

· Offering administrative support services

· Improving communications

2. Identify the value that is added by alignment changes?

· Improved function and flexibility

· Energized and equipped churches that become fruitful

· Reallocation of resources to accomplish our mission

· Redefined role of the district superintendents

· Improved communications

· More efficient use of financial resources

3. What do we expect to be different in churches because of the new alignment?

· A deeper pool of leadership available, healthy and diverse

· Healthier and more fruitful churches

· Growth (missions, evangelism, discipleship)

4. What do we expect out of the Annual Conference experience?

· Casting a Christ-honoring vision

· Excellent worship

· Discernment

· Learning

· Challenge

· Celebrating what moves us forward

The typical CTC church presently interacts with the Annual Conference in several ways. The first is financial; apportionments and monetary expectations. The second is accountability; who and how in supervision and expectation. The third is pastorally; the appointment system, who will be our pastor or pastors. The fourth is support; what resources are available.

Some of the most significant discussions have revolved around the role of the district superintendent and the role of districts themselves. The most recent model we are looking at has us moving from 7 to 5 districts aligned by geographical area but with clusters of affinity districts for churches of similar needs and focuses that allow for more support, relationships, and education opportunities. Our mission and alignment requires a shift in the role of the district superintendent

Some of the ideas directed at change in the role of a district superintendent being discussed:

· Change in ministry focus from administrative and institutional maintenance to missional engagement.

· Less time in conflict management and more time enabling clergy in doing actual mission and ministry.

· Committing less effort to administrative details and more intentionality to being an ally of our clergy and lay leadership to do effective ministry within their mission field.

· Measuring our effectiveness less on the time spent doing things and more on seeing results of fruitful ministry.

In the structure of the conference itself we are discussing a shift that includes a Center for Leadership, a Center for Administrative Support Services, a Center for Missions and Life Transformation, and a Center for Evangelism and Growth. With the addition of the Cabinet, a Core Leadership Team made up of leaders from each center headed by the bishop we have an emerging structure that will give us a good place to begin a refocus from a structure that centers in the Conference to one that centers in the mission of the local church.

Next Steps:
We are working on a communication process where this process and results can receive input, share progress, and prepare for Annual Conference.

A presentation at our June Annual Conference session in Fort Worth is informational; not a question and answer session nor requiring a vote.

This summer and fall processing where we are and implement changes and refinement.

A called Annual Conference session is set for Nov. 13, 2010, tentatively suggested to meet at First UMC Mansfield. We are still narrowing in on what the structure will be and likely it will change again between now and our presentation at Annual Conference as we seek to be faithful to the task for which we were called.

“Energizing & Equipping Local Churches to make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World.” Please join us in prayer as we seek to create a system that will further enable us to achieve this set and celebrated mission.

Mike Ramsdell
Chair of the Task Force

Update from the 4th meeting

2010-02-22T11:45:00.000-08:00

Our fourth meeting of the Alignment Task Force took place in the midst of a record snowstorm. Those who were able to awaken their sled dogs gathered at First UMC Mansfield. The necessity to meet in spite of the adverse weather came from our goal of presenting a preliminary alignment plan or rough draft at Annual Conference, June 2010. We had delayed our meeting, somewhat, to allow for the accumulation of the data needed to make effective decisions. When we arrived at the meeting, that data came too. At the previous meeting we had been presented with the information from other annual conferences efforts at realignment. By becoming familiar with those processes, we were able to see some possibilities that are being tried. This day, we received an abundance of materials related to options for moving forward in Energizing & Equipping Local Churches to make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World.

Georgia Adamson presented documents for evaluation and discussion

Reductions in the Number of Districts of an Annual Conference-A Study of Costs and Benefits

This is the Bishop’s sermon - what he hopes we will be able to determine today. We are looking for direction in these areas

CDS – Community Development Structures

This is an outside report to present a study of growth and changes in restructuring of districts
Proposed cost of the CDS consulting service is between 12-20K
No decision made on CDS needed at this point

Diagram – Proposed Central Texas Conference Structure (02.09.10) (based on key areas that need to be our focus) e.g.

Transformation person may be clergy or someone w/specific skill set
Clergy Excellence and role to the Bishop – Center for conference services and resources
Diagram -Energizing & Equipping Local Churches
Diagram - Alternate Structure –Center for Congregational Excellence

Diagram – Proposed CTC Staff Structure (02.09.10)
Currently 7 District Budgets – Proposal #1 and Proposal #2
Choice #1: Conference Staff Structure and Choice #2: District Structure
Districts by Affinity Groups
Geographical Lines – 4 District Map ***RECOMMENDATION***
4 District Offices; 61 churches or charges (just churches and charges, does not include extension ministers)
Geographical Lines - 5 District Map

3 District Offices; 50 churches or charges

Sample of Cluster Groups

No matter what geographic or district choice is made we want cluster groups. These will definitely cross over district lines

Diagram - Proposed CTC Staff Structure (02.11.10)
Proposed Salary Categories for CTC Office Staff (Previous Diagram)
Radial (radical) concept – 4 Geographic Districts

All District Superintendents Offices in the Conference Center
All Superintendents on House Allowance
All Superintendents would experience Metro and Rural situations

We did not lack for material to stimulate discussion.

It became apparent that we would be creating a new culture or at the very least making a cultural shift of major proportion. Would we be driven by 1) Cost savings; 2) Cost savings & improved function; 3) Improved function.

The agreement was that the goal would be improvement of function and with cost savings that would be addressed when it happens.

The discussion evolved into a question of the value added by the conference structure to the local churches ministries. A philosophical change in how we understand how the conference office functions. What can be done that adds value but centralizes the resources? One example that seemed to be universally accepted as the model for this is CTCYM. It crosses the lines of church/conference with both organization and funding.

Other areas of discussion were in upgrades in communications. Engage in more venues with expansion of staffing to a full-time person with use of interns. Partnering with local churches in Mission services in staff and funding.

The decision was made to select a Conference Staff Structure for development by the Bishop and Cabinet.

Of the several options on the table: we recommend the following:

Conference Staff Structure

4 Districts(North, East, South & West) + A New Church District

3 Extended Cabinet Positions:

1. Assistant to the Bishop/Exec. Director of Clergy Excellence

2. Exec. Director of Conference Services

3. Exec Director of Missional Outreach

DISTRICT STRUCTURE

Geographical Conferencing with a focus on Affinity Clusters

In our discussions as we move from 7 districts to 4 districts there will be cost savings.

Place all DS’s on housing allowance of $20,000 x 4 +$80,000
East & South Districts based in shared offices out of Waco. North District based in Fort Worth and West District based in Stephenville.
4 salaries = $443,968 (reduction of $332,976)
Shared budgets= $264,653+$308,082+$233,186=$805,921 (reduction of $151,321)
Housing Allowance= $80,000 (possible savings $1,145,000}
Total rough Savings $1,629,297

We present these figures with the understanding that they are VERY preliminary and are dependent upon several variables. We, however, are confident that there will be substantial savings in dollars as a result of the reduction in districts from 7 to 4.

We are also confident that there will be a value added from the change in the role and description of the DS.

Discussion followed on the role of the District Superintendent in the new culture. (Understand that this is discussion only.)

DS would be a Mission Strategist
Provide learning/leadership
Flexible in the role
Bring skill sets unique to the missional needs.

We believe that Gil Rendle (our coach/consultant) should remain in the loop and comment on our process and progress.

There are some questions that we will need to answer as we move forward in the process:

What do we want the conference to do?
What are our expectations for the DS’s role in light of the realignment?
What will cluster groupings look like?

As a doorknob question, Georgia Adamson posed the question about the future of our 60-year-old Conference Center. Within the next 5 years there will be the need to spend upwards of $200k in repairs and remodeling.

Don’t you just love it when you are given something else to think about?

THIS POST HAS BEEN DELAYED TO GIVE ABSENT TASK FORCE MEMBERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MEETING MINUTES. Watch for their comments.

Progress Report from 3rd meeting

2009-12-11T11:35:00.000-08:00

The immediate and most important result that I want to report is the Alignment Task Force is working from a timeline that would have us present a preliminary alignment plan or rough draft at Annual Conference, June 2010. Then our goal would be to present the final proposal at a called session of the Annual Conference in Fall of that same year. This would allow us to focus carefully on one of the most important shifts in our conference history, aligning our structure, a structure that includes staff, districts, the processes and systems of the entire annual conference. We would implement the plan after Annual Conference 2011.

Some thoughts about our process:
We are looking carefully at what other conferences around the nation have done, are doing, and are getting ready to do. There is a tsunami of change happening in our denomination, both as a result of crises but also an expanding vision of our mission. There is great hope and enthusiasm out there today. It is a season of learning and willingness to change.

Our consultant Gil Rendle continues to guide us as does input from these many conferences, leadership from those conferences both in conference offices as well as in local churches.

We are researching the present reality of our own conference, both in our structure as well as in data that reaches back many years. That reality has some positive points, but in the light of world change and increased population the last 20 years in our conference, we don't feel like we have come close to our potential. This must change and to change a reality, the system that produced it must change. Our faith, passion, and mission is unquestioned as a church. The concern is our system. Let's change it.

We are also examining some of the alignment possibilities, structuring and focusing. These possibilities help us work with concrete ideas as we examine our existing structure. What is working here, in other places, what is not working, what needs to end, what needs to begin. What might we look like if we were shaped by our mission, and what structures must we have as set in place by General Conference and our Judicial Council. As you can see, this is quite a task.

We hope to define an outcome, one already somewhat in place by the clarified mission statement for our denomination as well as by the Central Texas Conference's claimed mission. As we focus on a clear mission, we then must define the system that is able to produce that outcome. What do you think the outcome of the local church ought to be, the conference, the Methodist Church? We must begin with the end in mind. There are two typical ways institutions and churches operate, they either watch the old die as they desperately seek to maintain it, or they are actively building the new. What are we going to build? This is a high risk, high reward season.

What we do must be within the boundaries of The Discipline and the financial constraints of the conference.

Thanks to Bishop Mike Lowry, Dr. Georgia Adamson, Dr. Bob Holloway, and a creative task force of folks from a variety of places in the journey of serving God in the Methodist Church. They have already done a great deal of work and will do more.

We will be involving many other leaders in the conference as this process moves rapidly forward. You can begin your involvement by praying, signing up for posts on this blog, and commenting as you feel led. This is our conference and we are in an exciting season as we prepare for a renewed future. We have ownership of our conference and ownership means we each, clergy and lay, are responsible for its success or failure.
Mike Ramsdell
Task Force Chair

Sharing In God's New Thing (Isaiah 43:19)

2009-11-02T13:22:00.000-08:00

Greetings to all from the CTC Alignment Task Force,

The Alignment Task Force was formed in response to a resolution “To Live Out the Mission of the Church,” approved at the June 2009 Central Texas Annual Conference session.

The task force has met twice.

The first time was September 24, 2009, to organize and to clarify our charge. Bishop Mike Lowry called us to order and stated that the group was selected with the intention of mixed representation of younger and seasoned lay leaders and clergy without being restricted to geographic representation. Makeup of the task force was also guided by outside consultant Dr. Gil Rendle who advised avoiding representation by conference leadership positions — people who might unintentionally be inclined to “protect” current status rather than approaching the alignment from a fresh perspective.

Rev. Mike Ramsdell, senior pastor of First UMC of Mansfield, is chair with the following members: Rev. Louis Carr, Jr., Rev. Ken Diehm, Rev. Beverly Gilliam, Tom Harkrider, Rev. Bob Holloway, Bishop Mike Lowry, Rev. Dawne McAlpin, Priscilla Monson, Rev. Bryan Patrick, Rev. Todd Renner, Jim Scoggin, David Scott, Kim Simpson, Rev. Daniel So, Pat Stroman and Rev. Estee Valendy.

This task force is charged with examining the conference alignment of resources and the organization of the Annual Conference and districts to ensure faithfulness and fruitfulness in ministry that we might make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We will be representing over 300 churches and more than 160,000 members. Outcomes from this group will comply with the denomination’s Book of Discipline.

Our purpose is not to strengthen or restructure what we have, but to create something new.

We met the second time October 28, 2009, with Dr. Gil Rendle serving as consultant/coach as we move through the process. He is a familiar figure on the scene of “organizational change” as he works with The College of Bishops and Texas Methodist Foundation.

Rather than attempting to provide a verbatim record of the meetings, the decision was made to provide a series of “bullet points” that indicate the direction and progress that we will be making.

Let me offer just a word about our attempt at transparency. There is open and frank discussion in the sessions with Gil Rendle serving as moderator and facilitator. The level of excitement is high at the prospect of creating (with God’s help) something new. For several of us, this is not our first rodeo. For others, it is the first time they have felt the freedom to move beyond the walls of tradition. Mike Ramsdell, Gil Rendle and Bishop Lowry have been active enablers in that excitement.

At this point, our decisions will reflect these bullet points:

Accumulating data for understanding.
Resourcing the mission of the church.
Investigating the key outcomes we want.
Communicating with transparency.
Gathering samples (qualitative and quantitative) of successful churches.

These five points are the basis for our next meeting. We welcome comments on this blog and will take all as participatory dialogue. If your comment appears here, please know that you have been heard even though individual replies will not be possible.

The next meeting of the Task Force will be held on December 10,2009

RESOURCE LIST - This is a partial list of materials that the task force is reading/referencing for its understanding of the evolving church and world.

“Systems-Liberate Your Organization Today!” - Andy Stanley DVD Set (Conference office will purchase copies to be available for check out)

“The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why” – Phyllis Tickel

“Hit the Bullseye: How Denominations Can Aim Congregations at the Mission Field” – Paul D. Borden

“Revolution” – George Barna

“Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church” – Reggie McNeal

“The Hole in Our Gospel: What Does God Expect of Us?” – Richard Stearns