Leading the Challenge

• Do we have the statistics of the Annual Conference’s (AC) membership?
  • Gender
  • Clergy and Lay Leadership
  • Race and ethnicity
  • Ages
  • Abilities Special and/or unique ministries?

• Is the AC CSRW Committee inclusive in its representative of the AC? 
  • Men? Women? Girls?  Boys?
  • Clergy?  Lay?
  • Racial? Ethnic?
  • Rural? Town? Urban? Suburban?
  • Age? Abilities?
    

• Do we have a current Journal or a listing of all AC committees, commissions, boards, etc.?
  • Dates and location of meetings?
  • Officers?
    

• How do we implement meeting and/or working with other AC friends?
  • United Methodist Women – AC CSRW Chair is responsible for initiating communications with UMWs
  • Commission on Religion & Race – sharing in monitoring mandates
  • Bishop and Cabinet – understanding how CSRW ministries are helpful toward the full inclusion of all people
  • Board of Ordained Ministries (BOOM) – regarding updates; sexual ethic training needs; misconduct and harassment policies and procedures are clearly presented to ordination candidates; gender equity salary & benefits surveys, etc.
    • What ways can BOOM and CSRW can help prepare congregations for their first woman pastor? 
    • What ways can BOOM and CSRW help prepare Staff-Parish Relations Committees receive their first appointed clergywoman?
  • Nominating Committee – monitor for full inclusion.  Be intentional about recruiting and encouraging women for leadership.  Nurture through encouragement God’s gifts and skills you see in others.

• How have we implemented monitoring our own meetings for sexism and racism?  Other biases?  How else can we hold ourselves accountable and teachable?

• How will the CSRW leadership learn about parliamentary procedures that will enable the understanding and legislative participation at your annual conference? (Schools of Christian Mission often schedule such a class)

• Are you registered on the GCSRW website to receive the electronic communications, especially THE FLYER?  How will you enable others to register?
  

• Are our CSRW Committee meetings planned, announced, and members contacted (with agenda) in a timely manner?
  

• Where do CSRW reports appear?
  • AC publication/website?
  • Journal?
  • Local churches?
  • Have we sent minutes and reports of our work to GCSRW?

• Who will send GCSRW a quarterly updated, contact list of our CSRW leadership (complete with e-mail addresses)?
  • E-mail: gcsrw@gcsrw. or kcoffing@gcsrw.org
  • Fax: 312-346-3986

• Who is our GCSRW “Linkage” person? What’s their contact information (GCSRW member who is assigned to communicate and advocate on your AC’s behalf)?
  

• Is there a GCSRW member in our AC? 
  • If so, are they on our AC CSRW communication’s lists and are being invited to our meetings? 
  • Have they been invited to help us with our monitoring tasks?
  • If they are exceptionally busy people, plan a meeting with your GCSRW member 3-4 months prior to the annual conference where delegates are being elected.  They can communicate what GCSRW sees as important issues and offer helpful questions for AC delegates as they discern the election of General and Jurisdictional Conference delegates.
    

Sexual Ethics

• Does my AC have a sexual ethics policy and procedures?
  • How is this policy “public”?
    • Posted in AC office?
    • Posted on website? 
    • Included in the AC Journal? 
    • Included in AC mailings – to clergy, lay, camping, UMW, UMM and education leadership? Others?
  • How can we monitor and report the “status” of these policies?
  • Who reviews the policy and procedures for updates? 
    • Who from CSRW will be present? 
    • When and where will the review be reported?
  • Is there a notice on all employment applications – full time, part time, and voluntary -- that criminal background checks will be made? (Camping programs too?)
    • Who makes the background check?
    • Where is the information held?
    • How and where are the costs for background checks budgeted?

• Do our churches have a Local Church policy? 
  • How is the policy “public”?
    • Posted near/at gathering places? (Office, bulletin boards, bathrooms, etc)
    • Posted on website?
    • Included in mailings?
  • Who reviews the policy and procedures for updates?
    • Who reports to the congregation about the updates?  When?  Where? 
  • Is there a notice on all employment applications – full time, part time, and voluntary positions -- that criminal background checks will be made? (Camping programs too?)
    • Who makes the background check?
    • Where is the information held?
    • How and where are the costs for background checks budgeted?
  • What must we do as an AC CSRW to see that education, prevention, completion and reporting as to implementation of these policies in the AC?  How do we approach and communicate this oversight as ministry?

• Does our AC have a Sexual Ethics Team?
  • Do we know the team leader?
  • How is the team activated?
  • How is CSRW in relationship with the Response Team? 
  • Who trains the Sexual Ethics Team and how are the future team members recruited and developed?
  • If we do not have a team, how will we advocate for this ministry?
  • Are each of us registered to receive Sexual Ethics information from GCSRW?

Clergy Spouse and Family Concerns

• What AC resources are available to clergy spouses for support?
  • Are there referrals (or a referral service) the AC provides to clergy spouses and families when seeking help?
  • Is there a handbook designed and made available to clergy spouses?
  • How do clergy spouses learn of these resources?
  • Are there mailings related to spouse and family issues that go directly to clergy spouses or do all mailings go to the pastor? 
  • Are there gatherings for clergy spouses where they can safely air their issues?
    • Who sponsors these gatherings?
    • How is confidentiality protected, if it is at all?
    • Are these gatherings inclusive of our male spouses of clergy and their concerns?
    • How is follow-up conducted?
  • Who surveys the clergy spouses for their concerns?
  • What AC policies and procedures are in place in case there is a marital separation or divorce? 
  • Do our church leaders and clergy spouses know about the GCSRW Clergy Spouse and Family Report on the www.gcsrw.org site?  How will we alert them?

• What AC resources are available to the children of clergy (Preacher’s Kids – PKs)?
  • How do PKs learn and access these resources?
  • How are PKs assured of confidentiality?
  • What financial assistance, if any, is available to PKs who may seek therapeutic help? 
  • Do the Young People’s Ministries in your AC address the concerns of PKs?

Inclusive Language & Images

• Does your AC have an inclusive language policy?
  • Are there inclusive language guidelines for AC worship (Liturgies? Hymn selections? Participants? Etc.)? 
  • Are there inclusive language guidelines regarding AC reports and “official” statements by the AC? 
• Are there educational opportunities in your AC to learn and teach about inclusive language? 
  • Who sponsors them?
• Do the Bishop and/or District Superintendents use inclusive language when they preside at meetings?  What policy or suggested guidelines does the Cabinet have  regarding inclusive language?
• Will there be a display of inclusive language materials at your AC CSRW table?
• Will we send Cokesbury a recommended list of inclusive language books, worship and educational materials for our next AC book-table? 
• There are inclusive language resources from other denominations, such as the Presbyterian USA and the United Church of Christ.  How these resources help us in our efforts to shape our churches to use more welcoming and “including” language?