July 12, 2009
Re: Evaluation of ministry of Mark Robinson
To the Committee on Ministry - St. Louis Association:
Thank you for the opportunity to reflect on the Rev. Mark Robinson's ministry
as we related to one another in several settings.
At the encouragement of the Committee on Ministry I asked Mark to facilitate
a conversation at our United Church of Christ around the issues of Gay/Lesbian,
Marriage Equality and the presence of a transgendered member in our
congregation.
Mark and I met, over lunch and he heard my concerns about my ministry here
and what I saw happening at our church. Mark was thoughtful, supportive, and
understanding offering different perspectives and ways I might manage the
conflicts. He also agreed to facilitate our forum.
Mark was respectful and led the participants to be so as the members of the
congregation expressed intense feelings and opposing opinions; he summarized
each person's statement and noted it on newsprint. After each had commented he
drew our comments together and made suggestions for further action. We followed
up on several of the recommendations that came out of the meeting. It was a good
process and has seemed to have helped this congregation move on from the tension
of issues around sexual orientation and General Synod. Everyone felt heard,
taken seriously and cared for.
Mark attended a Church Council Meeting several weeks later. He named in
generalities some of the underlying issues that have made my ministry in this
congregation difficult. He did some teaching on conflict resolution.
Unfortunately Council did not accept his offer to work with us. Mark and I have
met several times one on one and he has continued to be encouraging suggesting
strategies I might try. He and I spoke at length during the weeks when I audited
his class at Eden Seminary.
Mark taught a January Interim class on "Creative Conflict Resolution" . That
class continues to be instrumental in my ministry. I refer to my notes from time
to time, use my learnings to curb the effects of potential conflicts and to help
me and others to navigate through inevitable conflict.
I have copied here the class evaluation I wrote for the seminary.
I appreciated the Conflict Resolution Class as I learned new tools to respond
to conflict in the church. The texts we used came at the information in
different ways, one speaking to developmental stages and how they impact
relationships and conflict; one speaking to the way we as leaders communicate in
the corporate (church) world and one which looked even more closely at how we
can communicate using non-violent language.
We were privileged to also receive copies of Mark's workshop material on
Healthy Relationships. This material helped us look at how we abuse (often
unintentionally) within our own relationships and how to deal with abuse and
create shalom. The intersection of these texts with class discussion has caused
me to consider new ways of doing pastoral care and working with conflict in my
congregation and personal life.
Mark was able throughout the class to address each student where they were,
helping each one with our particular conflicts whether those conflicts surfaced
in church, contextual ed settings, family life or within the individual. He
modeled "an ongoing regard" for each member of the class.
Mark also listened to the needs of class members... so he quickly incorporated
into our class an opportunity for meditation helping us to focus ourselves and
prepare for class content.
I have experienced Mark's faith in God and his belief that God wills for us
shalom. He works at reminding us that all conflict can be resolved (a
theological assertion for him). His ministry and support has enabled me to cope
with the challenges I have faced. I have appreciated Mark's ministry to me, in
my congregation and at the seminary. He offers a unique and valuable ministry to
the pastors and churches of our Association. I value our collegial relationship,
his ministry, insights and perspectives.
God's peace,
Rev. pastor
local United Church of Christ
