Regional Leader Interviews

Questions for the Judicatory Offices

Field and staff researchers will use the following set of questions as a guide for their research of and interviews with judicatory officials located in the seven geographic sites from the eight focal denominations. These interviews will be transcribed and analyzed thematically for content.

Name of Judicatory:_____________________________

Address: ______________________________

Researcher: ______________________________________
 

Please fill this out from information in libraries and from talking with staff.

1. Number of congregations in judicatory: _______

What is the size of the smallest congregation?

____ # members
largest?______
average size?____

2. Does this judicatory serve in part any congregations affiliated with another denomination or which have joint denominational affiliation with this denomination and another?

___ no ____yes, ____# of congregations,
formally affiliated with______________ denomination(s)

____# of congregations, formally affiliated with ___________denominations(s)
____ yes,____# of congregations, jointly affiliated with this denomination and with
__________ denomination; # ____ with ______ denomination

3. How many staff does this judicatory office have? Please list positions below, and give number of persons full-time and part-time in each position.
 
 

Position Number of Staff 
 Full-Time Part-Time
Executive________________________________ _______ _______
Ass. Exec:___________________________________ _______ _______ 
professional staff:___________________________________ _______ _______ 
support staff:___________________________________ _______ _______ 

 

4. When did the present executive first assume office: 19______
If less than a year, how many months has he/she been in this position? _______months

5. Have there been any new church starts in the last five years? ___no ___yes, ____#

6. Have there been any church closings in the last five years? ___no ___yes, ___#

7. About how many congregations are within an hour's drive of this office? _________

8. About what is the total number of members now? _________________
Has the total number of members changed much in the last five year? __yes __no

If yes, describe:
 
 
9. If this is a Methodist Conference, please also give the additional information about Methodists Districts in Location:

1. District: ______________________(name)
    _____________________( name of DS)
number of congregations in district:________
size of the smallest? _______ largest?_______ average size?________

2. District: ______________________(name)
 _____________________( name of DS)
number of congregations in district:________
size of the smallest? _______ largest?_______ average size?________


10. Description of the Judicatory Headquarters: Please describe the building, offices and area around the judicatory
headquarters.



11. Interview/Observation/Visit Record for this Judicatory Regional Office:

a. Please give at least the positions (names if available) of all you talked with in the regional office: (example: Rev. B. Jones,
Deployment Officer; and a group of 3 secretaries)
 

1)____________________________
2)____________________________

3)____________________________ 4)____________________________

b. In addition to interviews, please attend an event or two which will give you a feel for the life of the judicatory, and/or visit a
church or two nominated by the executive as a nearby local congregation which he/she feels is an example of an exemplary church or a particularly interesting congregation.

12. What events did you observe and/or what executive-nominated church did you visit?

List: ______________________________________________

      ______________________________________________

     ______________________________________________

  _______________________________________________
 

FOCUS QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCHER TO ANSWER

For each of the following questions, indicate--if applicable-- whether the staff or others you interviewed, disagree in their
perceptions of the judicatory.

1. Are there regional subdivisions within this judicatory that also have some jurisdiction over at least several congregations?
 

If yes, how does this work in this judicatories? - e.g. what authority and responsibility do these subdivisions have over and to
congregations as compared to what this judicatory office formally has as well as exerts in operation?

2. Briefly describe the formal governance system of this judicatory: i.e. when, how are formal decisions made? What
committees, individuals in key positions, are central to the decisions on budget allocations, programs, etc.?

3. What are the regular forms of contact between this office:

a. and individual congregations?
probe on: newsletters, annual visits from staff or executive
b. and individual parish ministers?
probe on: individual conferences with executive and/or other judicatory staff, annual meetings or clergy retreats

4. Do congregations relate to this office out of a sense of loyalty and tradition or on a services- rendered basis?

5. What services/resources/consultants/programs does this office presently provide to:

a. congregations? probe on: educational, worship resources; stewardship materials or consultants, building loans , hiring
clergy, conflict management, church growth

b. clergy? probe on: health benefits, personal and family counseling, continuing education programs or funds for courses, present financial or retirement planning.

6. Are there any changes in what this office provides congregations and/or in how it provides it have been made recently or are projected in the next few years?

IF any changes recently made or projected, why? probe on: finances, efficiency, theology, pressure groups in the judicatory,external or social factors.


7. In what major ways do congregations here differ from one another - other than in size and location? probe on: financial
health, degree of internal conflict,- theology, socioeconomic, cultural, racial/ethnic differences of members .


8. Are there differences among congregations in the use they make of the services and resources of this office?
 

Probes: Are there certain other kinds of congregations here, which are:

* more demanding than others of services from these offices?
* more likely to accept services you offer?
* more likely to ignore or want nothing to do with your offices?


9. To the best of your knowledge, to what extent do congregations here use other than judicatory resources:

a. materials/consultants directly from the national church
b. materials from other than denominational sources: e.g. Alban Institute, and other religious organizations, secular and parachurch groups?


10. Judicatory versus National tie of congregations.

a. Are there resources that congregations here turn more to the national church for?
b. Do congregations here feel more of a tie to this judicatory or to the national church?


11. What do the congregations owe this conference financially? Do they give money on a regular basis?


12. Do congregations give money directly to the National Church ?
To national missions?


13. What do congregations in this judicatory need judicatory approval for?

probes: * hiring a minister? * firing a minister?
* selling church buildings and land? buying church buildings or land?

14. What sanctions can be levied by these offices against congregations who do not fulfill their responsibilities and /or act in way that are not approved of by the denomination?


15. What areas of relationship between this judicatory and its congregations have been most apt to result in conflicts or
misunderstandings?


16. What are the characteristics of particularly well-functioning congregations in this judicatory?


17. Thinking of congregations in this judicatory which are not functioning very well presently, why? What are the factors
that account for their poor functioning?


18. To what extent do staff here work with staff of other judicatories of this denomination or judicatory staff of other
denominations in this area on cooperative services, projects?

If any, describe the project and what staff (positions) are involved.


19. Have there been any particular issues that this judicatory as a whole, or you in your work with clergy and congregations
which you have experienced in the last few years which have had specific theological overtones?

If yes from any one on the judicatory level interviewed, please get the ' story ' and outline of theological issues involved


20. How does this judicatory relate to the national church? Would you say the national church is very important, moderately important, somewhat irrelevant to the work of this judicatory? Why? 

 

INTERVIEW WITH JUDICATORY EXECUTIVE

Whether or not you have asked some of these questions to judicatory staff, please also ask the judicatory executive these.
 

Tape this interview (if possible) and send tape to Adair

A. JUDICATORY AND CONGREGATIONS 

Executive role organization and priorities

1. Tell me something about what your work here as executive.

a. What parts of your broader role as executive in dealing with congregations and clergy can you delegate -- and what must you do yourself?
b. What do you consider the most important part of your monthly activities?

2. Trends in Judicatory and Differences among Congregations

a. Overall, have the number of members remained the same, increased or grown in this judicatory over the last five years? To what would you attribute this (growth or decrease)?
b. In what major ways do congregations here differ from one another - other than in size and relative financial health?
probe on: theology, socioeconomic, cultural, racial/ethnic differences .
c. Are there differences among congregations in the use they make of the services and resources of this office?
probes: Are there certain other kinds of congregations here, which are:

* more demanding than others of services from you?
* more likely to accept services you offer?
* more likely to ignore or want nothing to do with your staff and resources?

d. How would you characterize the collaboration among clergy and congregations in this judicatory and/or between
congregations and the judicatory staff generally? Has this changed much in the last five year or so?


3. As you have experienced it, do congregations relate to this office out of a sense of loyalty and tradition, or on a services rendered basis?


4. Congregations Use of Resources Outside the Judicatory

a. To the best of your knowledge to what extent do congregations here use:

* materials/consultants directly from the national church?
* materials from sources outside this denomination?

b. What kinds of resources are congregations most likely to turn to the national church or other organizations for?


5. Would you say congregations here feel more of a tie to this judicatory or to the national church?


6. As far as you know, to what extent do congregations in this judicatory engage in collaborative projects with: Probes on
each below: Do you encourage this particularly?

a. other congregations of this denomination?
b. other congregations of other denominations and faiths?
c. social service, civic and private organizations


Restructuring on Judicatory Level

7.

a. Have there been any recent changes, or changes projected in the near future, on how you organize your work or the way in which the work of this office is structured?

b. Are there any changes in what this office provides congregations, and/or in how it provides it have been made recently or are projected in the next few years?
For each, IF any changes recently made or projected, why?
probe on: influences of others, learnings from experience in this judicatory in another clergy position, national church
mandates, new social conditions in the area, changing characteristics of congregations and relationship to judicatory - e.g. finances, conflict; and theological reasons/justifications, if any, for the changes made or projected.


8. What have you found to be the best ways of keeping your fingers on the pulse of this judicatory?
 

B. RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN JUDICATORY AND NATIONAL CHURCH AND JUDICATORY EXECUTIVES

1. What does the National Church provide in the way of resources directly to this judicatory?

Probes funds or staff for:

* additional clergy for missions and new church starts, church community expansion?
* loans for church building and repairs?
* funds for health and other insurance programs?
* consultants in: ? * other, what, who?


2. What, if any, National Church mandated procedures or suggested mission and ministry priorities has this judicatory/have you been asked to implement among congregations or clergy? How is this done generally? Can you give an illustration of a recent one, if any?

3. What are the financial obligations of this judicatory to the National Church?
Are there other obligations this judicatory owes the National Church?

4. Has recent restructuring on the national church level had any ramifications for the operations of this judicatory?

Are you personally involved in any national church deliberations on restructuring the national offices or reorganizing the denomination nationally?


Intra-denominational judicatory relationships

5.

a. Do you meet regularly with any other regional executives in this denomination formally and/or more informally?
On an area basis? On a national basis? In a particular coalitions of concern?
b. What types of resources, information, programs have you recently shared or worked in cooperatively in with executives of judicatories in this denomination?
c. Is there much exchange of information on on individual clergy and clergy placements opportunities with other executives in this denominations?
d. Which judicatories of this denomination has this judicatory had a recent history of working most closely with, if any?
e. How valuable are these interactions for you personally, for this judicatory?


Cross-denominational and faiths relationships among executives

6. Are you in any formal or informal networks or groups with:

a. judicatory executives from other denominations or faiths?
b. executives of secular civic or private organizations and corporations?

If any, please describe the recent major foci of these and how valuable you have found these.
 

7. Are there particular changes in society and/or this denomination in relation to society that you feel this judicatory's
ministry and mission should address?


8. As a final question: What suggestions would you make for facilitating relationships between the National Church offices,
the judicatory offices, and the congregations?
 

E. Addendum: Field Researcher ask:
 

1) What congregation within an hour's drive of this office would you point to as a particularly outstanding model of what you would like churches to reach to here?

2) Is there a nearby congregation that is particularly interesting in what it is doing, that I should visit if possible?

3) Are there judicatory events I could observe that would give me a feel for the life of this judicatory?

4) May I have the latest annual report from this judicatory? Any other reports on congregations here or mission activities
that I could have which we give me a good picture of this judicatory?