Office Holder Terms of Engagement Model Template
{Insert name of chapel and address}
APPOINTMENT TO THE OFFICE OF MINISTER
- The Congregation of {insert name of chapel} (hereinafter referred to as the Congregation) appoints {insert name of Minister} (hereinafter referred to as “the Minister” to be their Minister.
The appointment will commence on {insert date} on a full time / part time basis. This is the date on which the appointment commences. This appointment is subject to the rules and to the terms of the Trust Deed of the Congregation. You may ask to see that Deed.
The appointment will be subject to an annual review when the congregation and the Minister will consider all circumstances, including financial, to determine whether the appointment may continue.
- The Minister shall attend to the reasonable pastoral and other needs of the Congregation in accordance with custom and conduct Sunday and such other worship as may reasonably be arranged with the Congregation. At present these regular acts of worship are at {time} each Sunday.
ADD FOR PART TIME
To take into account the part-time appointment, the Minister will conduct {number} services per month.
- A stipend at the current rate of £ {insert stipend} per annum will be paid monthly in arrears {insert normal date in the month of payment} to the Minister by the Congregation by means of a bank transfer. The amount of the stipend will be subject to regular review, taking into account the stipend recommendations made by the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (hereinafter referred to as the General Assembly). If the Minister believes that a payment of stipend may be incorrect then he/she should raise the issue with the Congregation. Similarly, if by mistake an overpayment is made the Congregation will discuss with the Minister how the excess might be collected over time.
- EITHER: In addition, the Congregation shall pay to the Minister a Manse Allowance in lieu of a manse at the current market rate of a suitable property and at a minimum the recommended GA Manse Allowance £ {insert Manse Allowance}, to be paid monthly in arrears with the stipend, such allowance being subject to regular review, taking into account the Manse Allowance recommendations made by the General Assembly.
OR: The Congregation shall provide a manse to the Minister free of rent, water rates, and council tax. The Minister’s right to occupy the Premises shall cease immediately on termination of the appointment and this Agreement does not confer the right of exclusive occupation of the Premises on the Minister. It is expressly agreed that this Agreement shall not create any relationship of landlord and tenant between the Minister and the Congregation.
- The Minister and the Congregation shall participate in the pension schemes operated by the Department of Work and Pensions (or its successor, however named), including the earnings-related supplement. They shall also participate in the Ministers’ Pension Fund (or such other scheme as the Minister may legally nominate) with payments of contributions according to current recommendations of the General Assembly.
- The Congregation shall pay to the Minister approved expenses wholly, necessarily and exclusively incurred in the work of ministry in respect of travel, postage, telephone calls and rentals, internet charges, mobile phone charges, stationery, and other outgoings. Use of the Minister’s own vehicle will be reimbursed according to the mileage rate recommended by the General Assembly; it is the responsibility of the Minister to ensure the vehicle is insured for such use.
- FULL TIME: The Minister shall determine his/her normal working hours; and it is expected that the Minister shall normally work no more than {number} hours per week on average. The Minister shall arrange his/her duties so that he/she will take the equivalent of two rest days per week.
PART TIME: The Minister shall work {number} hours per week and shall arrange his/her duties accordingly. The Minister shall inform the congregation of the days he/she intends to work in order that both parties are clear about work patterns. The Minister will inform relevant members of the congregation when he/she has to make unavoidable changes to his/her working days.
The Minister may undertake other paid work over and above his/her contracted hours so long as this does not conflict with his/her Ministerial responsibilities towards the congregation.
- FULL TIME: The Minister shall have six complete weeks’ holiday (which shall include six Sundays) in each calendar year/twelve-month period starting 1st {insert month, usually month of starting}, the Congregation being responsible for their own pulpit supplies on the Minister’s holiday Sundays. The six weeks’ holiday includes all entitlement to public holidays. In the event of this appointment terminating before the end of a calendar year/ twelve-month period starting 1st {insert month, usually month of starting}, holiday entitlement including any entitlement to accrued holiday pay shall be calculated on the basis of 30 working days’ holiday per year and a working week of five days. The Minister is expected to give at least two weeks’ notice of any proposed holiday dates.
PART TIME: The Minister shall have {number} working days holiday per year. The congregation will be responsible for their own pulpit supplies when the Minister is taking holidays. Such holiday includes all entitlement to public holidays. In the event of this appointment terminating before the end of a calendar year/ twelve-month period starting 1st {insert month, usually month of starting}, holiday entitlement including any entitlement to accrued holiday pay shall be calculated on the basis of {number} days’ holiday per year and a working week of {number} days. The Minister is expected to give at least two weeks’ notice of any proposed holiday dates.
- The Minister shall be permitted absence from the pulpit on at least {insert number} Sundays during each calendar year provided that the Minister ensures a suitable deputy on each occasion at no expense to the congregation. Any ministerial engagements involving additional Sunday absences shall be at the discretion of the congregation.
- The Minister’s normal place of work shall be at {the Chapel/the Manse/home}.
- The Congregation shall meet the necessary expenses of the Minister attending District Association meetings, the Annual Meetings of the General Assembly and the Annual Conference of the Ministerial Fellowship. When such attendance involves absence on a Sunday, the Minister will arrange for a suitably pulpit supply, the cost of which will be met by the congregation.
- The congregation shall make a contribution to the necessary expenses of the Minister incurred when an agreed schedule of spiritual direction/mentoring is arranged as part of a duty of care plan and reflecting her part time appointment.
- In the event of the Minister being unable to attend to the needs of the Congregation because of sickness or injury, an amount will be paid to the Minister for a minimum period of three months such that it, when added to any State benefits such as Statutory Sick Pay to which the Minister is entitled as a result of his/her incapacity are equal to the stipend and any Manse Allowance. Any payments from the Congregation after this in excess of the Minister’s rights to Statutory Sick Pay will be entirely at the discretion of the {Committee of the} Congregation.
- The appointment is subject to three months’ notice on either side, but a longer period of notice may be discussed and agreed between the Minister and the congregation.
- The Congregation and the Minister should follow the procedures set out in Guidelines for Partnership between congregations and Ministers as far as possible should the Minister have any grievance relating to this appointment.
- The Minister confirms that he/she has the legal right to reside and work in the United Kingdom under the Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.
- The Minister confirms that he/she is not barred from working with children/vulnerable adults or from engaging in regulated or controlled activity.
- The Minister consents to a criminal record check and is aware that details of pending prosecutions, previous convictions, cautions or bindovers will be disclosed along with any other relevant information which may be known to the police, and Lists held in accordance with the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.
- The Minister understands that a check will be made with the Independent Safeguarding Authority and that it is an offence for any person to commence Regulated Activity without first being ISA-registered.
- The Minister agrees to inform the person within the Congregation responsible for processing applications for Disclosure and Barring Service/SCRO/Access NI Service checks if he/she is convicted of an offence after she takes up the ministry. He/she understands that failure to do so may lead to the immediate suspension of work with children or vulnerable adults and/or the termination of his/her ministry.
- The minister agrees to inform the person within the congregation responsible for processing applications for Disclosure and Barring Service/SCRO/Access NI Service if he/she becomes the subject of a police and/or a social services/(Children’s Social Care or Adult Social Services)/social work department investigation. He/she understands that failure to do so may lead to the immediate suspension of work with children or vulnerable adults and/or the termination of his/her ministry.
- The Congregation and the Minister confirm that it is their intention and their understanding of the principles of the General Assembly and the churches that belong to it that lay pastors and ministers are not employees of churches but office holders engaged to care for the spiritual and pastoral needs of their congregation according to their independent consciences and judgements and having regard to Guidelines for Partnership between Congregations and Ministers.
- The terms of this appointment may be varied by agreement between the Congregation and the Minister made in writing and duly signed.
- The Minister shall not undertake any other paid work without prior discussion and written agreement with the Committee[1].*
- The Minister is expected to behave in a fully professional manner and not in such a way that might bring the Congregation or the denomination into disrepute.
- The {Committee of the} Congregation shall inform the Minister in writing of any formal concerns regarding his/her professional conduct. An investigation shall be held within 10 days. In the event that the {Committee of the} Congregation concludes a need for formal action as a result of the investigation, a meeting will be convened to consider such action within a further 10 days. At all meetings, the Minister will have the right to be accompanied by a colleague or professional representative of his/her choice.
In the event of any dispute, the Guidelines of the General Assembly shall be followed as far as possible[2].
SIGNED On behalf of the Congregation:
Secretary ____________________________________________
Date ____________________________________________
Chair ____________________________________________
Date ____________________________________________
SIGNED
By the Minister ________________________________________
Date _____________________________________________
[1] It is normal for Ministers to be paid for conducting rites of passage; however, it is expected that a Minister would discuss abnormally high numbers of rites with the Committee.
[2] The Conflict Section of Guidelines is currently under revision, and these clauses may need to be amended to bring them into line with this Section when it is published.