Correct me if I am wrong, Ministers in the United Church are discouraged  from  attending old congregation especially if they have retired from this congregation.

It can cause the new minister many problems in their ministry if the former minister is giving directions or council to members of the congregation. I have heard of a few horror stories around this issue. 

I dont know what happens in small towns or villages where there is not a choice of churches to attend.

We don't formally, but enough of us keep connections with them privately (through Facebook or whatever) that word tends to get around. For instance, I found out through other members that our previous settled minister (who left about 5 years ago and is now in New Hampshire) has just published a book of sermons and meditations and I and others keep in contact with our last interim minister. But nothing formal at the congregational level. As in the UCCan, the UUA/CUC encourage putting some distance in for at least a year after a minister leaves.

Mendalla

Kay, I know what you were saying and I guess I posted that if they don't stay in

touch by going to the church, why would they stay in touch via e-mail , letter or phone.

That is unless the person is a personal friend.Maybe I am still not getting it. Sorry.

I've found that our presbytery is a rather incestuous place - lol. Ministers who come here tend to stay here and simply move around the churches - same goes for church musicians. As a result, if you want to know how your former minister is doing, all you have to do is travel a few minutes down the road to their new church (we are a mostly urban presbytery).

I thought it was the usual custom for ministers leaving a congregation to look for a call from a church some distance away - maybe in the same presbytery but not in the same city.   After a period of time, say three years or more, a minister might move back to the same city.  I've known ministers nearing retirement age to seek a call at another location simply because they wanted to move back to this area in retirement. 

In my experience it is not unusual for a minister to keep in touch with a few members of the congregation and maybe occasionally visit them or have them visit her.   Also I've known ministers to send Christmas cards and other greetings to a former congregation, a let the congregation that they served for many years know things like 'my father passed away from cancer' or 'We are proud to say that our son who you will remember from Sunday School is graduating from high school.'   This usually trickles off after a few years, but I remember our congregation keeping in touch with a former minister, and then his widow for a decade or so after he retired and they moved away.

Occasionally we will invite a former minister back for an anniversary service, and we've had them drop in to attend a worship service when in the city on vacation or attending a Presbytery event.   We're always glad to see them.  

Hi kaythecurler,

Here at Waterford United Church a former long-time minister retired to the community and had been a regular at worship and had entered into a Volunteer Associate Minister relationship.  Since I was called to Waterford this Minister has reapplied as a Volunteer Associate Minister, remarried and relocated to a community north of Renfrew, ON.  When he is back in the area he is welcome here.

For the most part my predecessors may have kept ties with various members of the congregation.  Few attempt to communicate with the congregation as a whole.  The appropriate exceptions to that practice tend to revolve around significant anniversaries of the congregation.

Speaking to personal practice I have tended to absent myself from ongoing contact with the congregation so that I do not interfere with the pastoral relationship that follows in the wake of my moving on.  

I did return to St. Anthony, NL (my settlement charge) this summer.  It had been six years since my last visit (they hosted the Spring Meeting of West District in 2005) and we have recently purchased property in Raleigh, NL which allows us to vacation in peace.  I attended worship at St. Anthony United Church for both the morning and evening services during our vacation.  While I was invited to take the pulpit while their incumbent minister was away I declined.

Since 2005 I have served a number of pastoral charges in Erie Presbytery on a part-time basis.  Taking a full-time call also in Erie Presbytery means that I am very, very close.  I do not contact the pastoral charges nor do they contact me.  I will talk to the Presbyters and clergy serving those Pastoral Charges as I would Presbyters and Clergy of Pastoral Charges I haven't served previously.

Before leaving a pastoral charge I preside over a leave-taking service (some call it a de-covenanting service) in which it is very clear that I am releasing them to turn to their new minister and they are releasing me to serve a new pastoral charge.

Grace and peace to you.

John

Hi Kay  No  letters to the congregation that I know of in many years and many different pastoral charges.

Definately still contact with a few friends in each congregation.

And Naman minters are eligible for Employment insurance benefits, sick/disability leave. I think Worlers Comp isonly for physical disability. It doesn't cover mental health in any situation.

Clergy are generally members of the benefits plans for the United Church (if they work 14+hrs/week in their pastoral relationship). Through these benefits, they have access to an EAP(Employee Assistance Program) which can asses a need for psychological services, or other medical services.  Ministry personnel also have a short term disability program, called the Restorative Care Program, that accomodates a leave for medical reasons (including mental health), and works with the ministry personnel to rehabilitate back to work, or facilitate a longer term disability leave.

As with most services offered for these sorts of situations, it is entirely up to the member of the benefits plans to take advantage of them.

Plus, EAP is only very short term, and long term does not exist for anyone who isn't independently wealthy.

Kay you raised an interesting question:  My experience is there are some people who became friends I am in touch with, but I would not think of sending a general letter. This made me think of this: Is it the responsiblity of the charge to ask how is going for you in the new situation, what is new in your life, and we will report to the cong your answers.  In otherwords, does the responsibity for connect now belong to the former cong?

This  issue of leaving is touchy- even after a good relationship there can be a sense of why did you leave us?  Where not good enough? And if you do retire to the area and the new person is insecure then where does one go to church.  The rule of staying away is based on a two fold assumption - the new person is insecure and the old person does not know how to be a none threatening resource.  In an adult world it is possible to stay and be a nonthreating resource.

It does help to have an exit interview.  The other problem can be:  sucess was happening, a future been created and they brought in a person who is radically different and ignores the sucess - so there can be a feeling of rejection of the ministry so why keep in touch.  Too often the joint needs identifies not the strength but the weakness and tend to seek an answer to that - good joint needs affirm the sucess and looks for ways to build on that - but my experience has not seen that enough.  This maybe a reason for the disconnect.

DKS your EAP probably has other counsellors connected to it. Don't give up on it because of one bad apple.

Matt, the short term nature of EAPs is frustrating for all.

That is the rub.  EAP can only refer to people who actually exist.  And so in small communities across the country the options are limited--in some cases limited ot phone contact or travelling a couple (or more, like 6) hours.

Our EAP provider makes it clear that you will NOT be seeing a psychologist. They say explicitly that you will be seeing a person with couselling credentials (often a BSW or MSW) with less than ten years of experience.

Several months have passed and it is an experience I would rather forget. I tossed the counsellor's card a long time ago. It was a waste of my time and the church's money. Live and learn.

In order for a counsellor to be under contract to an EAP, they generally have to have a graduate degree in an appropriate area (ie MSW) and be registered in their profession. In this province, the choices of registration are the College of Social Workers, and Registered Clinical Counsellors. There is also a psychologist registering/licencing body that I do not know. A psychologist is not the only and arguably best option as EAP counsellors. You will find that most EAP counsellors are probably MSWs. I believe Shepell requires the counsellors they contract to have at least 5 years experience. Someone with a BSW can probably sign on if they have enough experience, and if there are no MSWs in the area. This smaller community has several counsellors available. The neighbouring communities may not have people, but people would only have to drive about an hour to access service.