(Approved for use 1982)
To review the life and activities of a parish in order to assist the congregation in their ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ – to the world, to the local community and to one another. To help a parish assess its own life and work and its effectiveness as it invites people to share in the life and mission of the church. To stimulate discussion and planning for areas of ministry and the ongoing life of the parish.
Each parish, generally, will be visited at least once every five years, or as often as the Presbytery decides. Both the Visitation Committee and the Parish will have due regard for the ‘Guidelines for Procedures in a Parish Visitation’. The congregation should be given notice about the Visitation on the two previous Sundays. These notices should contain details of the time and place where members can personally refer matters of concern to the Visitation Committee. (see also Regulation 181)
1) The Presbytery in appointing a Visitation Committee should be sensitive to the situation in the Parish, and appoint an appropriate committee as soon as possible. When the committee is appointed, Presbytery should indicate when the report is to be presented.
2) As early as possible the Convener, in consultation with the Minister of the Parish sets the date of the Visitation. This should be at least a month prior to when the report is due to be presented to the Presbytery. The date needs to be one in which the maximum number of office-bearers can participate and they should be advised as soon as it is agreed to.
3) The Visitation Convener, in consultation with the Minister arranges the general format of the Visitation. Time needs to be allowed to inspect the buildings in daylight. At least an hour needs to be set aside to meet with the Minister. The Visitation Committee or at least one member should meet with the Minister’s spouse. The meeting with Board of Managers/Parish Council/Session will take at least 1½ hours. Time needs to be set aside for the Visitation Committee to meet office-bearers with the Minister absent. This normally comes at the end of the discussion of the questions.
4) Three weeks prior to the Visitation the Convener will ensure that he or she has received the following:
i) The previous Visitation report and questionnaire;
ii) The present questionnaire duly completed;
iii) A written report on the state of the buildings, prepared and signed by a registered architect or reputable builder; (see also Regulation 180)
iv) Other relevant documents such as:
5) The Visitation Committee should meet prior to the Visitation and consider items in paragraph 4 above, and decide on procedure. Careful thought needs to be given as to how the meeting with the office-bearers is to be conducted. Possible ways are:
i) Office-bearers divided into four groups and a member of the Visitation team allocated to each group to discuss a section of the questionnaire with a reporting back session.
ii) If there is a Parish Council with a committee system, the Visitation Committee could be divided up to meet with the various committees and discuss their work and the appropriate questions.
iii) If it is felt appropriate for the office-bearers to meet as one group, different members of the Visitation Committee could lead discussions on different parts of the questionnaire.
Whatever method is used, care needs to be taken to encourage full participation of office-bearers as well as all members of the Visitation Committee.
6) After the Visitation, the Committee meets to consider the report which is normally prepared by the Convener. Before the report is presented to the Presbytery the Visitation Convener may check with the Minister (and perhaps other appropriate parish official) on the accuracy and fairness of the report. While reports should be objective, they should also seek to give encouragement and support to Minister, office-bearers and people.
7) Not everything needs to be in the written report. Sometimes delicate matters arise that are best dealt with by the Visitation Committee talking with the Minister and/or others involved.
8) After the report has been received and its findings approved by Presbytery, the Visitation Committee will present them to the congregation. This is normally done by the Convener conducting worship and reading the findings. Any special recommendation may be discussed with and agreement sought by the appropriate Parish Courts.
9) Presbytery shall take steps, where necessary, to ensure that recommendations in the findings are implemented.
10) When the Visitation is to a non-Parish Minister the following needs to be noted:
i) A representative of the employing agency/body, where appropriate, may be invited to be present;
ii) The employing agency/body should be consulted before any action is taken;
iii) A report on the Visitation should be sent to the employing agency/body. (see also Appendix E-7: Seats on Presbytery)
11) The 1984 General Assembly approved a new appendix to the Book of Order concerning membership of courts and committees (Appendix E-6). ‘That in the election of elders, the Session or Parish Council shall, as far as is practicable, ensure that the various groupings within the Congregation are adequately represented by members chosen from those groupings. The composition of the Session or Parish Council in the light of this principle shall be reviewed annually and also considered by the Presbytery at the time of each visitation.’
12) The 1993 General Assembly approved the following: ‘That supervision of the minister or ministers be one of the topics in the discussion during the course of the Presbytery’s visitation to a parish.’ (see also Appendix E-17: 2.6)
13) The 1995 General Assembly approved the following: ‘That Presbytery visitation teams to parishes check that statistical returns are being made regularly and as accurately as possible.’
1) What forms and styles of worship are used in the parish?
2) What is the schedule of worship services?
3) How often is the Sacrament of Holy Communion celebrated, and what forms of service are used?
4) What new forms of worship have been introduced and in what ways have they been received?
5) Are there any matters concerning Public Worship that you wish to share?
1) What work is already being done with:
a) Children;
b) Young people;
c) Adults.
2) What are the concerns you have in these areas?
3) How do you recruit teachers and leaders, and what training is provided?
4) What material do you use for Christian Education work? Have you any comments to share?
5) How many schools within the parish area have Christian Education and how are teachers recruited for this work?
6) Are there trends in your Christian Education work that you wish to comment on?
1) What do you see as the fundamental task and how is this being achieved?
2) Does the congregation have a sense of purpose and how is this fostered?
3) Comment on any significant trends in parish statistics since the last visitation.
4) What particular groups within the parish are there to foster fellowship and encourage outreach?
5) Are there any prospects for this parish to unite in a team ministry or to form a Cooperative Venture?
6) What is your relationship with other congregations in your area?
7) What are your hopes and plans for the future?
1) How do you function as a court?
2) What is the effectiveness of the work you do?
3) What steps have been taken by your court in the past three years to build relationships with the wider Church?
4)
i) Please supply a report from a builder or architect on all buildings.
ii) Are the buildings adequate for the needs of the parish?
iii) In what way does your church plant assist the development of the mission of your church?
5) What are the main features and problems in the state of parish giving and how do you provide for the maintenance of the parish and the wider work of the church? Please supply a summary of the parish income and expenditure for the current period.
6) What means of parish communication do you maintain and how effective are they in meeting your needs?
7) How do you review your parish rolls?
1) What are the areas of greatest satisfaction in your ministry?
2) What are the areas of frustration that you have?
3) Please share the priorities, as you see them, of your ministry.
4) Describe your relationship with the following:
i) Session, Board of Managers, Parish Council;
ii) Associate/Collegiate ministers;
iii) Other clergy working in your area;
iv) The Presbytery;
v) The wider community.
5) Is the manse a reasonably comfortable and workable unit and adequate for its purpose?
6) Are there any specific issues you wish to raise concerning your ministry in this parish?
7) Is there any aspect of the life of the parish that Presbytery should be encouraging?
1) Please make parish registers and minute books available to the Visitation Committee.
2) Where are the records of the parish stored and is there a full list of records kept?
3) Are there any significant learnings and/or programmes that the parish wishes to share with other parishes?
4) Please raise any matters that are not dealt with in this questionnaire but which you feel ought to be made known to the visitation team.