A new 19-member Bishop's Response Team now stands ready to support congregations across the Alabama-West Florida Conference in times of crisis.
Bishop David Graves, along with his cabinet and the Board of Ordained Ministry, began forming the team in May, after recognizing the need to provide more tangible support to churches dealing with a wide range of disruptive and life-altering events.
Your support of the Episcopal Fund apportionment helps pay for the expenses associated with Bishops in the United Methodist Church.
"His vision is to deploy a response team of trained persons into a church and community whenever there is a traumatic event," said Rev. June Jernigan, Assistant to Graves and Director of Ministerial Services. "He wants the congregation, complainant, clergy and clergy family to find support, encouragement and healing."
The team, intentionally comprised of both clergy and lay members, will assist in times of the sudden death of a pastor, sexual misconduct, abuse of authority, misuse or embezzlement of funds or other chargeable offenses, Jernigan said.
"Having a Bishop's Response Team is just one more way that we are seeking to help churches be vital congregations," she added.
Each team member was nominated by a District Superintendent and is representative of the Conference in regard to age, gender, ethnicity and church-size. Several of those who accepted the invitation to serve described the opportunity as "a calling upon their lives," Jernigan said.
"An effective team member is a person willing to step into a crisis, a good listener, a non-anxious presence and a person who is willing and able to set aside his or her own story to hear the story of others," she said.
Individual or small groups of team members will be deployed based on their calling, gifts, geography, and availability, and they will work closely with the District Superintendent. During their time at a church, one of the response team's first priorities will be to connect with the pastor parish relations committee or the staff parish relations committee.
"It is important that communication with a congregation is clear and transparent throughout the process," Jernigan said. "Team leaders might be assigned to support the SPR, the complainant, the congregation as a whole, the clergy person or the clergy spouse and family."
Conference officials have estimated a response team could be needed every four months, but the length of time a team works with a congregation will depend on the specific situation.
Jernigan said the challenging work of the team is based on building and nurturing relationships with people affected by a crisis or trauma within a congregation.
"The key question we ask—so that God is guiding this process of healing—is, 'What are the needs for this particular situation?'" she said. "Based on the answer, the response team opens up a safe space for God to do God's work of healing, restoring of hope and strengthening of faith."
Kari Barlow, Alabama West Florida Conference
One of seven apportioned giving opportunities of The United Methodist Church, the Episcopal Fund pays for bishops' salaries, office and travel expenses, and pension and health-benefit coverage. Please encourage your leaders and congregations to support the Episcopal Fund apportionment at 100 percent.
