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By Erik Alsgaard
UMCONNECTION STAFF

'I heard they do it with a dart board.'

That?s how one pastor described how the bishop and superintendents make appointments.

In reality, Bishop John R. Schol and the superintendents want pastors and laity to know how appointments are made. A series of meetings throughout the conference has been scheduled with Bishop Schol to talk about a new process to be used in evaluating clergy and congregations, and gain an inside look at the appointment process.

'These evaluation tools are going to help us stay focused as we move forward in the Discipleship Adventure and bear Acts 2 fruit,' the bishop said. 'We will be offering some very clear benchmarks and gbwc_superusering principles.'

The evaluation tool consists of three parts: one for clergy to evaluate themselves; one for staff parish relations committees and clergy to evaluate the congregation; and one for the staff parish relations committee to evaluate the clergy.

Each evaluation is pointed at having both the clergy and congregation work together toward the vision of the conference, to 'become like Christ in the church, community and world.'

The evaluations ask both clergy and congregations to look at their strengths, what they hope to build on in the future, and 'SMART goals.'

SMART stands for 'specific, measurable, attainable, relevant/realistic and timely.' These goals, the evaluation sheet notes, should look at ministry from the perspective of numerical and quality growth.

As an example of a SMART goal, the document provides this: 'Call and equip five new small group leaders to organize five new small groups by April 1 so that more of the existing worshipers and new worshipers will be discipled through the Discipleship Adventure.'

(For a fuller explanation of SMART goals, go to http://www.goal-setting-gbwc_superusere.com/smart-goals.html.)

The evaluations for clergy and congregations are broken down into five pieces that support the Discipleship Adventure: discipleship, communication, leadership/administration, caring/interpersonal, and cooperation/team work.

A timeline and further instructions are given in the document.

The bishop also will be speaking about a direction for how clergy are going to be appointed in the future in the conference.

In The United Methodist Church, clergy are appointed by the bishop under a system known as 'itinerancy.' The system has its roots in John Wesley?s early days of Methodism and the need to deploy clergy over vast areas of land to spread 'scriptural holiness,' Wesley?s description of the church?s primary task.

'There are many issues facing the itinerant system today,' the bishop said, noting rising housing and benefit costs, salary needs and the wide range of types and styles of congregations.

'The appointment system will continue to emerge and evolve as a system. Through these changes, the system?s goal is to be a dynamic vehicle for making disciples of Jesus Christ and bearing Acts 2 fruit,' he said.

In a draft document titled, 'Clergy Appointment Setting: A Strategy for Mission,' the bishop outlined where the understanding and practice of the appointment system today has much in common, and also distinct differences, with Wesley?s vision.

Among the commonalities: both include every pastor and congregation being in mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world; both expect pastors and congregations to bear fruit; and both systems emphasize dependence on God rather than place.

Among the differences: early Methodism moved pastors every two years. 'Today, seven years will be the anticipated minimum and 10 or more years the norm,' the document says.

'We have a new environment and a new culture in which to spread ?Scriptural Holiness? throughout the land,' said Bishop Schol. 'That continues to be our calling and our mission.'

Editor's Note:

Appointment process workshops

Bishop John R. Schol will be holding a series of workshops for pastors, deacons, staff parish committee chairs, church council chairs, lay leaders and lay members to annual conference, presenting how the appointment process works. The information at all eight dialogue sessions will be the same. The workshops will be held:

? Tuesday, Oct. 25, Covenant Point UMC in Waldorf, from 10 a.m. to noon; Baldwin Memorial UMC in Millersville, from 2 to 4 p.m.; and Bethel UMC in Upper Marlboro from 7 to 9 p.m.

? Saturday, Oct. 29, at Mt. Zion UMC in Highland, from 10 a.m. to noon.

? Monday, Nov. 14, at Otterbein UMC in Hagerstown, 10 a.m. to noon; Calvary UMC in Mt. Airy, 2 to 4 p.m.; and Brook Hill UMC in Frederick, 7 to 9 p.m.

? Tuesday, Nov. 15, at Towson UMC, from 7 to 9 p.m.