Engagement Pastors...Clusters...Parishes...oh my!  Goodbye to East, Central and West geography designations with the restructure of the Commission on Ministry affirmed in May 2021.  

The five Engagement Pastor positions were created by the new structure voted into being by the Presbytery in February of 2019.  Two years later, we are happy to report that we now have our five Engagement Pastors on board!  And as exciting as that is, some understandable confusion has surfaced.  So in an attempt to share the same information, at the same time, to everyone - and thankful to conversation partners for talking this through - here goes...  

The first points of connection for Engagement Pastors are churches and their pastoral leaders, as they

  

"1) Coordinate and host monthly gatherings for pastors and other pastoral leaders in their geographical area and assigned churches, and 

2) Identify resources for consultation, coaching, and pastoral care needs with pastors in their cluster, encouraging action on the congregation's mission and vision, such as Ted Talks, Stewardship Resources, Leadership Resources,etc."

That is not to say that ministers-at-large, and colleagues in validated ministries are not invited to monthly gatherings.  In fact, the more connection that can be made between Salem-ites, the better!  For instance, churches would do well to connect with colleagues who are serving as campus ministers and chaplains in their geographic areas!  

To sum this up - it's ministry connections.

Moving on - people connections.  Those same ministers-at-large and colleagues in validated ministries will also have their own task force on COM - COM Task Force on the Care of Pastors and Retirees, MAL/Validated Oversight and Certified Christian Educator Oversight.  That task force will, among other duties, "coordinate gatherings for those engaged in validated ministry beyond a particular congregation."  No matter how they serve, the people will be connected with others who are serving in settings beyond defined congregations.  (Having served in a validated ministry many years ago, I really wasn't connected with others in like service.)

So then you might ask - what's the deal with the people designations in the on-line directory?  For instance, a married couple, one serving in a congregation, the other a minister at large, in two different parish/cluster designations.  The minister at large happens to be on COM and the database program connected her to each congregation with whom she partners.  Confused?  Yep, me too!  So, we are going to have "people" assignments removed from the on-line directory so the designations will be by church which goes back to point #1 and ministry.  

I'm sure we'll need to re-look at things as we move forward with the new Cluster/Parish/Engagement Pastors model.   Keep the suggestions coming!

Barbara Smith

Transitional General Presbyter