Cross Racial/Cross Cultural Appointment

This resource page is provided for all people involved in a Cross Racial/Cross Cultural appointment including the District Superintendent, the incoming pastor, the SPRC committee, the outgoing pastor, and the local congregation. The resources are intended to help nurture and sustain a healthy, positive appointment for both the pastor and the church. Resources will be added as they become available.

Legend:

Linked to a File (pdf,word,excel,etc)

Linked to a web page

General Resources

1. Learning From Strangers, Pastor and Laity Edition
2. Learning from Strangers, Cabinet Edition
3. Crossings: Ministry in a Cross Racial/Cross-Cultural Context (Eastern PA Conference)
4. This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song: A small group study of cross-racial/cross- cultural ministry for congregations
5. General Commission on Religion and Race website:www.gcorr.org

Appointment Invitation and Take-In Meeting with Staff Parish Relations Committee

1. District Superintendent to New Pastor Phone Call
2. District Superintendent to Staff Parish Relations Committee Phone Call
3. Pre Take-In Meeting Dinner (D.S. and Incoming Pastor)
4. Guidelines for Take-In Meeting with the Staff Parish Relations Committee
5. District Superintendent Post-Take-In SPRC Meeting Follow-up Checklist

Announcement of New Appointment

1. Announcement Guidelines

Spiritual Preparation by Church

1. Prayer Preparation by the Congregation
1. Week 1: Announcement of New Pastor
2. Week 2: Supporting the New Pastor and Family
3. Week 3: Preparing the Heart of the Congregation
4. Week 4: Celebrating a New Partnership
2. Devotional
3. Sermon Suggestions for Outgoing Pastor
4. Other Resources (Link to GCORR page)

Topics for Reflection and Discussion

1. Outgoing Pastor/Church Leadership
2. Incoming Pastor
3. District Superintendent

Onboarding Meeting of New Pastor

1. Onboarding Process by Coordinator of Diversity Development and Inclusion
2. Onboarding Meeting Preparation Checklist for District Superintendent
3. Letter with an overview of the Onboarding process:
1. District Superintendent
2. Incoming Pastor
3. Staff-Parish Relations Committee
4. Letter of Invitation to join a CR/CC clergy support group from Bishop to the Incoming Pastor

Arrival of New Pastor to the Appointment

1. Move-In Day for New Pastor
1. Hospitality Do’s and Don’ts
2. Press Release
2. First Sunday of New Appointment
1. Celebration of New Appointment
2. 50 Ways to Welcome Your Pastor

Ongoing Support

1. “Multicultural Differences: Learning from Strangers” workshop
2. Conversations/Modules
1. Implicit Bias
2. Microaggressions
3. Reconciliation
3. CORR Process (updated to reflect tracks and initial assessment)
4. Support for Clergy (monthly clergy group, etc.)