Committee on Ministry Resource Library
Welcome to the Committee on Ministry Resource Library!
In the United Church of Christ, the authority for preparation, support and oversight of ministerial leaders is granted to Committees on Ministry (COMs) working on behalf of their Association or Conference. Supporting Committees on Ministry is the mission of the Ministerial Excellence, Support and Authorization (MESA) Team in the national setting. In this COM Resource Library, you will find a growing collection of resources to support the ministry of Committees on Ministry. To stay updated on new resources, on-line trainings, and other learning opportunities make sure you are signed up for the COMma Newsletter, a monthly email for COM members and the staff who support them. Sign up for the COMma Newsletter here.
New to serving on a COM?
Orientation for New COM Members:
Three and Four-Way Covenants:
MOM Scavenger Hunt Activity:
Creating a Hospitable COM
Exploring Implicit Bias: for COMs
Understanding how bias impacts the ways we see others and the decisions we make is important as we seek to “practice hospitality for all persons,” (MOM, pp. 16 – 17). In collaboration with the Damascus Project, the MESA Team has created a free online, self-paced implicit bias training specifically designed for COMs. The training is in two parts: part one is the on-line, asynchronous training and part two is a two hour zoom session to reflect on the learning and apply it to the work of COMs, facilitated by the Rev. Melanie Oommen, Minister for Committee on Ministry Development and Leadership. The training is free and requires log in when initiating. For questions, contact Melanie at oommenm@ucc.org.
General Resources:
Addressing Ableism:
Racial Justice Self-Assessment for Committees on Ministry:
Resources for Healthy COMs
Sample Documents:
Get to Know the MESA Team
The vision of the Ministerial Excellence, Support and Authorization (MESA) Team is that all ministry settings have gifted, supported and accountable ministerial leadership. We work towards this vision by supporting and resourcing the ministry of Committees on Ministry and the staff who support them.
The Manual on Ministry (MOM) guides the work of Committees on Ministry.
Questions?
For questions, please reach out the Minister for Committee on Ministry Development and Leadership, Rev. Melanie Oommen (she/her) at 216-736-3846 or oommenm@ucc.org